Photo: Hyoung Chang / Contributor (Getty)
What would the holiday season be without a proper holiday gift guide? Mandatory has compiled a list of, you guessed it, mandatory gear items for the upcoming holiday season.
Several of the biggest names in tech have debuted new and exciting products in the past year. As always, a few of these ideas fell flat, but a fair number have found a place in our homes. From 3D printer pens, which provide new creative avenues for artists, to alarm clocks that simulate the sunrise in our bedrooms, there is no end to the new items perfect for holiday gift giving.
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To help you navigate on your holiday shopping, we’ve put together a gallery of 10 mandatory items that have quickly captured the attention of tech enthusiasts, which we highly recommend make it into the stockings or under the tree. Welcome to the Mandatory 2018 Holiday Gear Gift Guide.
Holiday Gift Guide | 10 Cool Tech Gadgets That'll Make You Happy You Live In 2018
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Philips Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock
$49.99
One of the biggest trends in tech gifts this year are light-based alarm clocks. The Philips Wake-Up is one of the most popular of its kind, gradually illuminating the room to match the natural effects of a sunrise, aiding the body to begin every day in the most healthy way possible. Stop waking up to a loud explosion of noise and try using light as your guide, just like your ancient ancestors.
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Yuneec Mantis Q
$499.99
As technology advances and further shrinks down, drones are becoming more and more feature-packed than ever. But usually the drones with the most features, also cost a fortune and have a massive profile. Not the Yuneec Mantis Q drone. The 10-by-8-inch drone folds down to 7-by-4, meaning its perfect for taking on trips without sacrificing cargo space. The Yuneec Mantis Q also can fly indoors, film in 4K, recognize voice and even faces, all while flying for up to 33 minutes on a single charge. It also weighs as much as four quarter-pound burgers from McDonald’s.
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Polaroid Draw 3D Printing Pen
$59.99
The Polaroid Draw 3D Printing Pen has earned the attention of young artists around the globe. Using 3D printing technology within a small pen, it's a versatile tool that makes neat ideas come to life. What you draw isn't just color on a surface, it's a physical object you can use as an ornament, fridge decoration, or frisbee to hit your friend with.
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Lenovo Smart Display
$249.99
The Lenovo Smart Display is the ultimate technology solution for your home. Its 10" screen and high-quality speaker not only support Google Assistant voice commands, but allow you to make video conference calls, watch cat videos, and anything else your futuristic mind can imagine.
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Microsoft Universal Foldable Keyboard
$99.99
Typing on a smartphone and tablet is a bit of a chore. Microsoft understood that when it came to designing the Universal Foldable Keyboard, a bluetooth solution that makes a full-sized keyboard available everywhere you go. Have you ever typed out a full-length email while in an outhouse? Well, now you can. This device will neatly fold into your pocket until the next time you have to hit the John.
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Mophie Powerstation 3XL USB-C
$199.95
The Mophie Powerstation USB-C 3XL is the perfect travel companion. Charge this sexy power brick once for up to 85-hours of iPhone X power, or 18-hours of runtime on a MacBook. The Powerstation 3XL offers up two standard USB ports for charging, alongside a 45W USB-C port for fast-charging devices that are capable of the convenient feature.
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Nest Cam
$199.99
Wireless camera home security solutions have been around a while, but have only recently become affordable. Nest is the biggest name in the business thanks to its best-selling camera that provides a speaker and microphone solution for your home. Check on your doggo to make sure he's safe, and maybe bark at him a few times for entertainment purposes, all from the freedom of your smartphone.
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Oculus Go
$199.99
Virtual reality has finally entered the mainstream with Oculus Go, the world's first standalone VR device. This headset includes everything needed to enjoy a fully immersive experience of video game and video content. The future is here; real-life is so yesterday.
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Lume Cube Creative Lighting Kit for iPhone
$149.95
These days, almost no one carries a dedicated point-and-shoot camera unless they are a professional photographer. But given the growth of visual-forward social media platforms like Snapchat, instagram, or even Youtube, people still want quality photos. The Lume Cube creative lighting kit for iPhone turns the regular iPhone into portable studio-quality lighting system, complete with a bright, 1500 lumen flicker-free adjustable LED.
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Wireless Beanie
$19.99
We've entered an era where just about everything has a speaker on it. Case in point: the wireless beanie. You thought hearing people talking to you with a beanie on was hard? Try having a conversation when your beanie is playing The Rolling Stones "Paint it Black" at 60 decibels.
