ECHO SHOW 10 with motion: can be placed in any room but the kitchen is where it had us swoon. With the swivelling action makes it handy for busy dinner hour for following recipes and whatever else comes to mind while your hands are busy prepping a meal. Easily order needed food and ingredients, keep track of guest list RSVPs, command your favourite holiday tunes, see who’s at the door, turn off lights and even gather decor inspiration for your next party. You can also ask your Echo device to remind you of a task or add it to your to-do list to ensure that nothing gets forgotten all hands-free. 

Echo device for Kids: designed for the kid’s space this sweet device is great for bedtime stories playing soothing music, and even helping with homework. With no camera access it’s a smart device that’s well thought out for families.

Apple AirTags: this affordable and handy little device has proven to be great for all ages and for many reasons. For travellers concerned about misplaced luggage (we’ve seen these in action), grandparents searching for keys, frenzied parents with their handbags and workbags, the kid’s backpack or coat, and even attached dog and kitty collars. Paired to an iPhone it’s easy enough to locate your most valuable items.

Audible.ca: for the book or story lover give their eyes a break from screens with a subscription to audible.ca. Members get to pick a title they’d like to keep each month including best sellers, new releases, podcasts and original audible content. They will also have access to the Plus Catalogue with unlimited listening to thousands of books.

SiriusXM: the gift of music that can be enjoyed by anyone with access to an incredible library of songs, dedicated channels, genres, playlists, podcasts and more. A year’s subscription is a super idea for someone who doesn’t ask for anything. They’ll be able to start with their favourite holiday channel!

Philips Hue White & Colour Ambience Gradiant Light Strips: are a real hit with teens. This flexible strip of lights can be attached around desks, windows, doorframes for an added touch of light decor. They change colour to cast light that’s a fun and unique effect to any space.  The lights can also be voice controlled with Amazon Alexa or Google Assist when paired with compatible devices.

Fire TV Stick 4K with Alexa Voice Remote: For the person who loves their streaming services this helps streamline them in one easy remote. Access thousands of channels, Alexa skills, and apps – Including Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV, and CTV. (Subscription fees may apply). Get unlimited access to thousands of movies and TV episodes included with a Prime membership. You can also watch your favourite live TV, news, and sports with subscriptions to Sportsnet, CBC Gem, Red Bull TV, and others. There’s also access to free TV -including YouTube, CBC Gem, ICI TOU.TV and Tubi.

Shark HydroVac Cordless Pro 3-in-1: for condo dwellers this affordable and efficient home appliance that vacuums mops up floors and carpets quickly and self cleans! The antimicrobial brush-roll helps to prevent bacterial grown and neutralizes odours. The dirt separates itself from solid gunk and dirty water, which makes it easier to clean the tank. And the best part is it cleans itself once you place on the charging dock. The upright design means it’s also easy to store away by not taking up too much space.

Shark FlexStyler: This impressive system brings several versatile  styling tools into one simple bundle starting with Shark’s sleek compact air dryer. Using the latest technology with less heat it’s offers a fast way to dry, volumize, smooth and/or curl into many styles. The base hair dryer has a swivel point that bends into ideal angles for optimum styling. It’s also at a more affordable price for a the whole system making it one of the most sought after styling tools in the marketplace this year.

Dyson Pet Grooming Kit: great for homes with shedding dogs! This handy grooming kit attaches to compatible Dyson vacuums and helps to manage furry dog hair by capturing loose hairs and allergens as your brush. Then the bristles full of hair self-cleans in an instant keeping hair and dander minimized in the home. Our review is here.

And if you’re looking for a new video game to add to someone’s collection check out Steve’s reviews on our site…

Marvel’s Midnight Suns  (reviewed on PS5)

God of War Ragnarök (reviewed on PS5)

Gotham Knights (reviewed on Ps5)

Splatoon 3 (reviewed on Nintendo Switch)

Saints Row (reviewed on PS5)

Turrican: Anthology Vols. 1 & 2 (reviewed on PS4)

Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course (reviewed on PS4)

The Quarry (reviewed on PS5)

Silt (reviewed on PS5):

The post TECH the halls gift guide! appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

What is your business called and what does it do?

FABRIQ is a Toronto based speaker brand that we launched in October 2016. With style infused in their soul, our speakers are designed to stand out from a sea of black and grey mesh without falling short on substance.

What made you want to do this work?

We’re a passionate group of music lovers that has been designing and developing speakers for over 15 years. We thought it was strange that music, a form of personal expression, was so often played through mass-market speakers suffering from a major lack of personality. With this in mind, we went to the drawing board to create a line of unique audio products that is packed with innovative technology at an affordable price.

What problem does this solve?

In the tech space, price always seems to be a big barrier to entry. We wanted to make sure that our products were accessible to everyone so we built a supply and distribution strategy that would allow us to offer our products at very affordable prices without cutting down on quality.

Who are your clientele/demographics?

Our customers are music lovers who want to stand out from a sea of black and grey!

How does your business make money? How does it work?

Start-ups are supposed to make money? Well our products are at Target stores, our website, and Amazon.com in the US. In Canada, FABRIQ speakers are available on Amazon.ca and www.ca.thefabriq.com

Where in Toronto can we find your profession?

Our head office is located in Scarborough but we’d like to think we can be found anywhere!

Why FABRIQ speakers?

We tell them that not only can you connect up to 10 speakers at once and turn your living space into a “whole house music system” with virtual assistant Alexa around every corner (waiting to respond to your request) but also the great patterns that are available to choose from.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

We love being a scrappy little start-up in an industry that has been traditionally dominated by big brands. We’re proud to offer consumers a great new speaker alternative that allows them to better express their personality while giving them access to try out some great new technology.

The worst part (or most challenging) is that we’re a scrappy little start-up in a world dominated by big brands with big budgets. It’s a love-hate relationship!

What is your favourite jokes about your own profession?

We just ask Alexa!

Alexa! Tell me a joke

Alexa – What’s worse than finding a worm in your apple? Finding half a worm.

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another Toronto business that you love?

We love EcoBee. It’s a Toronto based automation company that makes thermostats which you can control with Alexa. You should checkout their latest Ecobee Switch+.

Learn more about FABRIQ and order your WiFi and Bluetooth speakers on their website.

The post FABRIQ makes great Wifi and Bluetooth speakers for your home appeared first on Toronto Guardian.