The Shep Report Holiday Tech Gift List 2023
Ghosts of Christmas Past and Future
My most impactful early “influencer” marketing campaign started in Plymouth, England, circa 1982. It targeted a very exclusive and skeptical audience that, for the purpose of this tale, we’ll call “Mum & Dad.”
Sir Clive Sinclair had launched the ZX Spectrum. More than just an affordable home computer; it was a portal to a new world of digital creativity. Its unassuming rubber keyboard and diminutive size belied its significance. It brought computing into the living rooms of the average British family, demystifying technology and igniting a passion for computing across the nation. 8-year-old Adam had to have it. Thus began a campaign of attrition designed to wear down poor Mum & Dad. Like a miniature Steve Jobs, I would carefully stage-manage the perfect pitch. . .
The Argos catalog would be placed on the living room coffee table, just so happening to fall open to the double-page spread extolling the educational benefits of this magical device. Sensationalist articles in the Daily Mirror featuring Lamborghini-driving teenage programmers would be clear proof points that anything other than succumbing to my ask would be a complete failure of parenting. I made it clear that this would improve my maths, allow me to learn new languages and assumedly receive my own knighthood from Her Majesty for my contributions to the crown.
Obviously, all I really wanted was to play video games. . .
But who would have thought? This clever little machine, hooked up to my black and white TV and connected to a flagging tape cassette recorder, was 100% a portal to my future. After the post-Christmas excitement of playing “Horace Goes Skiing” and “Manic Miner” wore off, I wanted more…and like the Minecraft / Roblox generation of today, I wanted to create.
In order to create, I had to learn to code. BASIC was installed by default on the Spectrum, and so with help from my Dad, I would marvel as I would wield my new algorithmic superpowers with such complex algorithms as:
10 PRINT “ADAM IS THE GREATEST”
20 GOTO 10
Judging by similar profanity-strewn screens of the Spectrums on display at the local Boots store, I wasn’t the only one. In fact, the relatively low cost, accessibility, and utility of the ZX Spectrum is attributed to being the reason the UK is still, to this day, known for being a hotbed of software development talent.
So while my Mum had to work probably far too many extra shifts at the village post office, and my father likely missed out on a golf club that year, I’m always thankful that they saw the potential in my earnestness and excitement to learn about technology, and were willing to support me.
That glimmer of excitement from 8-year-old me is still very much alive inside of me as I dream about and help contribute to bringing the future to life for the next generation. And so, with that, I wanted to share my own personal “Holiday Tech Gift Guide,” hoping it might help ignite that same glimmer in you or your loved ones. Some of these things are pricier than others but hopefully mostly accessible and in my mind, hold a lot of relative value in terms of what they might provide. There are some affiliate links, but I’m not paid for promoting. These are things I mostly own and value.
Galaxy Fold 5
Avg Price. $1,800-$2,000
For well over a decade I was a die-hard Apple iPhone fan. It was only after a visit to the pub with my brother, when he pulled out and opened up his otherworldly Galaxy Fold, that I spat out my Kool-Aid and thought it might be time for a change. That was the Fold 2, and several years later, I’m now on the Fold 5. The most futuristic phone I’ve ever owned. And I’m not alone in my appreciation. It also happens to be the device of choice for BillG. Not only is it my primary phone and tablet all in one. But, and this may shock a few folks. . . I don’t own a laptop.
My home PC is my daily work machine, and if I need a computer on the go, 9/10 times my phone running Samsung Dex or remote desk-topping back to my home PC with a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard is all I need. Email, presentations, video conferencing, etc all running on my phone. It features an OLED Screen, multi-tasking of apps (I love this), a great camera, long battery life, and a lightweight, comfortable form factor. What’s not to like?
Yes, there are some other foldable options on the market, but Samsung is the world leader in display technology, and they’ve refined both the hardware and software over 5 iterations at this point. There were admittedly some durability issues initially, but I feel they’ve worked through them, and typical phone insurance is enough to make that, at worst, an inconvenience. While definitely not the cheapest phone on the market, it starts to look pretty attractive as a pocket-based phone, tablet, and laptop all in one.
Meta Quest 3
Avg Price. $200-500
I’ve written recently of how the Meta Quest 3, reignited by my passion for VR and Mixed Reality. It’s simply one of the most futuristic experiences you can have today, even with all its current limitations. I use it daily for :
Fitness (boxing, yoga, beat saber, meditation, archery and target practice)
Fun (Great games like Half-Life Alyx, Wrath of Asguard, Assassins Creed, Demeo, Population One, and City Skylines)
Sports (Football, Basketball, Pickleball, Goalkeeping, Hockey, Table Tennis, Walkabout Mini Golf)
Hobbies (Pottery, Sculpture and designing 3D prints, Painting with Bob Ross in Vermillion, Flying with Microsoft Flight Simulator, Car Racing, Puzzles, Piano)
World Travel (Wander, Google Earth VR, Brink, Wooorld, Blueplanet, National Geographic)
Socializing - (VRchat, Horizon Worlds, Multiplayer Games)
Media viewing - (Bigscreen VR)
Productivity - (Virtual Desktop, Immersed)
And there’s so much more. You simply can’t convey the experience without trying it, and the color pass-through capability of the Quest 3, fidelity of graphics, and processing power truly make this the best time to dive in.
There are some quality-of-life accessories I’d recommend. Primarily being custom prescription lenses for those who may benefit from them. Improved head strap for comfort with the BoboVR M3 and a silicone facial interface for sweaty workouts.
Try this instead of a New Year’s gym membership, and I think you’ll be happy with the decision. Note while I highly recommend the Quest 3, the Quest 2 is still pretty darned good. You can get refurbished models for about $269.
Valve Steam Deck OLED
Avg Price. $300-600
As a gamer, The Steam Deck is one of my favorite pieces of technology. A highly refined, handheld gaming PC. I can be hanging with the kids or watching a show while playing a slew of games I’ve accumulated over the years in a small, super-powerful form factor.
I recently upgraded to the new OLED edition, and Valve continues to lead the pack in terms of portable gaming. Not only can I play games directly on the machine, but it seamlessly connects to my Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, and PC. Good second-hand deals are to be had right now on the LCD version (~$300), as many are upgrading.
Fellow 16 oz Travel Coffee Mug with Slide-Lock lid
Price $35
Stylish, safe material, leak-proof, and perfectly designed. I use this mug daily, take it with me everywhere, and feel like Fellow has thought of everything. Nothing else to say. It’s great.
Bambu Lab P1S 3D Printer
Price $600-1000
I got into 3D Printing about 7 years ago when I bought a Creality CR10-S. It was the perfect blend of electronics, mechanical, software, hardware, and creativity. All activities that as a tinkerer, I love. Unfortunately, 80% of my time with this machine has been spent tinkering to try and get things working well, and 20% actually creating successful prints.
This is a common story for most folks who’ve delved into it over the years, but a year or so ago, a new player emerged from a Kickstarter project called Bambu Lab. Completely turning the 3D Printing consumer market on it’s head.
I ended up purchasing their new mid-tier printer, the P1S with the Automatic Multicolor System (AMS). Key features include its ability to print at blazingly fast speeds, up to 500 mm/s, an enclosed design for high-temperature filament printing, and simple auto bed leveling for ease of use. Setup takes just 15 minutes and includes an integrated camera for remote print monitoring. When combined with the AMS, it supports up to 16-color printing.
It can print carbon fiber, wood, PLA, nylon, and flexible TPU rubber. I’m honestly astonished at the quality, speed, and reliability of this thing. Needless to say, Santa’s Elves are working overtime to meet the holiday rush. In the long term, this will give me the ability to tinker, repair, and explore more functional hardware and creative projects. I see this being another great gateway for my kids to learn and experiment, especially when they can design and make their own toys. I’ll do a more in-depth feature on this in the future.
If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative but with similar capability, it’s worth looking at the Bambu Lab A1 mini at just under $500.
Meta Ray Ban Smart Glasses
Price $300-500
I’ve spent the last 10 years steeped in building Virtual and Augmented Reality applications for Enterprise and Media. I’m a believer in the potential for this kind of technology to provide true value in our everyday lives, and I think it’s important to explore and support the incremental steps it takes to get there. For an example of Meta’s longer-term vision, much of it taking place a few miles from me at Meta’s Reality Labs, check out the Project Aria video below.
While we wait for the hardware, form factor, physics, compute and battery issues to be improved upon to realize this vision, there are real early benefits from a subset of these use cases that you can experience today for about $300.
The second iteration of the Meta Ray Ban Glasses (2nd Generation) was recently launched. Their primary value proposition is:
Lightweight, classical design
Reasonable Battery Life (~4+) Hrs actual results depending on activity.
High Resolution, Stabilized Photo and Image Capture
Live Stream / Instant Share to Social
Bluetooth Spatial Audio
Prescription, Transparent, and Transition options available (Note: This can add up without Vision insurance)
And most interestingly, AI integration.
So for the price of a usual set of Ray Ban Way Farers, you get all this functionality and, early next year, the ability to show an AI what you’re looking at and have it answer questions or interact with you about what you’re viewing.
THIS IS HUGE
As a parent, the highest value to me is being able to capture my kid’s early years in a seamless, instant way at the touch of the frames. The beautiful, lightweight design mitigates any Glasshole fears. While I could wear it in public, I think that’ll be less common for me personally in the near term, and I’m willing just to ignore the privacy concerns that go along with that (There’s an LED that lights up when you’re recording, FWIW). Add the additional benefits of audio without earbuds and being able to take my AI into the real world. This is getting very close to the kind of capability we see in the movie “Her”. Hopefully, with a little less dystopia. . . hopefully. . .
LG 65” GX OLED Monitor Screen
Price $1000-3000
During the pandemic, I was finding I just couldn’t spend hours on end working with my somewhat ridiculous Obutto Revolution Simulation Station that I’d been using as a gigantic multi-monitor setup. It was great for certain flight sims like Elite Dangerous and Microsoft Flight Simulator, but rotating my head to the extremities of the 81560 x 3440 desktop was causing neck issues. Climbing in and out of the cockpit wasn’t conducive to frequent breaks, although it did help me channel my inner Tom Cruise….*shudder*.
When I upgraded our TV, I moved the 65” HD TV downstairs as an experiment. Connecting it to my PC on a standing desk. I instantly appreciated the massive screen real estate and found the setup much easier on my body.
As an aside, giving yourself or your employees more screens is probably one of the cheapest and easiest productivity upgrades you should consider. One study found that people using a 24-inch screen completed tasks 52% faster than those using an 18-inch monitor, and those using two 20-inch monitors were 44% faster than those with an 18-inch monitor.
I ended up moving the new OLED TV down to my office, and it’s my primary productivity setup. I find the crispness and refresh rate of the LG OLED GX to be perfect for anything I throw at it. I operate everything in Dark Mode to reduce eye fatigue, and when gaming I simply just use the bottom half of the TV to avoid neck strain.
When doing focused work, I just pull windows into the lower middle section but have access to calendar, slack, browser windows, email, etc, all around me and readily available. Basically, a poor man’s “Minority Report” (clearly, I’m on a Tom Cruise kick today). . .
I know it’s not for everyone, but if you’re curious and you have a TV you can try it with, I recommend giving it a whirl.
You can find more of us weirdos at https://www.reddit.com/r/oledgaming
While my LG is a few years old now, I’m pretty sure you’d be satisfied with any recent model, and I’d encourage you to explore the excellent, https://www.rtings.com/ to explore the best options for your needs.
XGIMI Horizon Pro 4K Projector
I’ve owned projectors for about 20 years and have always loved the cinema experience they offer. Our primary entertainment setup is the XGIMI Horizon Pro 4K Projector with an Elite Screens Spectrum 106" Electric Motorized Projector Screen. Again a few years old, and there may be better options available, but for the price point, it’s really hard to beat this thing. Incredible 4K picture, with a 1500 Lumens Lamp, Quiet Operation, Harmon Kardon Speakers Built-in with Google TV. Compact and portable when you occasionally want to show the big game outside. I still find myself marveling at the clarity of the picture.
Wellue O2Ring
$70-120
The Wellue O2 Ring is a wearable device that tracks your blood oxygen level and heart rate while you're asleep. I purchased one after my Galaxy Watch 5 was reporting erratic sleep data that didn’t seem to be correct. The O2Ring provides much better results than my smart watch and allows me to have a more informed discussion with my physician as well as measure whether different actions are helping to improve.
While I usually wear it when sleeping periodically, I’ve found it comfortable and unobtrusive, although a little snug. You can view the results in the Wellue ViHealth App with a simple update over Bluetooth. You can also download and analyze the data via OSCAR, the Open Source CPAP Analysis Reporter. If there’s a loved one who snores (not me of course) or who’s maybe suffering from a respiratory or heart condition, this might be a helpful tool to have to hand. There are plenty of the devices available refurbished on eBay, or you can buy from Wellue direct.
I hope you found something that might be a good addition to your Holiday Shopping list.
If you’d like some additional ideas, please do head over to my friend Omar Shahine’s annual Holiday Picks list below. His posts are always an instant read for me, and he’s got some really great suggestions this year.
If you have additional questions, ideas, or thoughts, I’d love to hear from you!
As always, here’s a summary list of some additional SHEP REPORT notes from the past week or two. Thankfully without too much reference to the wild week of OpenAI…why does that feel like a lifetime ago already?