Welcome to SoundByte and seasons greetings! For the second year, this special issue will be dedicated to gift giving. A poorly curated list of 10 gift ideas for the tech lover in your life or for yourself when the sales come.
In this issue
Christmas Quiz and Christmas Party
- Let yourself in
- Sleep like a princess for a king’s ransom
- Maybe the best smart glasses today
- Sounds like Apple but cooler
- Charge it like it’s 2024!
- Clean your palate!
- Stick your music on!
- Watch your music
- Clean those pipes!
- Enter 2025 with Wellness
Christmas Quiz
Join us tonight for our Christmas Quiz. We’ll be online in Zoom from 7PM. Gather your festive cheer, Mac trivia skills, and holiday spirit for an evening of fun, laughter, and some friendly competition. Whether you’re a tech wizard or just love a good quiz, there’s something for everyone. 🎅✨. You will have received the link to the quiz at your membership email address.
Christmas Party
This year we are having an in-person Christmas party in the London Docklands on December 9th. This event is for members only and you should have received an email requesting that you RSVP last Monday. Check your inboxes and join us if you can! Limited spaces are available!
Also, this is your last chance to vote on the winner of our photo competition. Your vote not only celebrates the talent of our community but also helps inspire others to see the world through their lens. So, what are you waiting for? Dive into the gallery, pick your standout shot, and make your voice heard! 🌿📷
The Photo collection to chose your winners can be found: Here
Dont forget to email your 1,2,3 choices to: [email protected]
Let yourself in
Particularly if you live in a flat (or you’re an adventurous house owner), why not consider a smart door lock that you can open with your iPhone? The Aqara Smart Lock U200 does just that with its support for Apple Home Keys. Have a look at this entertaining video about it from Paul Hibbert:
Sleep like a princess for a king’s ransom
Yes, this one isn’t cheap at all, but if you want the money no object ultimate sleep with smarts built in, this might be it. Eight Sleep make a smart mattress that will ventilate or heat you to ensure you get the best sleep conditions. It will also monitor and report on your sleep quality. Jerry Rig explains it here.
Maybe the best smart glasses today
We are a long way from smart glasses replacing our screens. In the meantime, the most popular iteration of smart specs comes from Ray Ban via Meta. These could be sunglasses for smarter travel. It has cameras and an AI built in to help you along (so long as you have a strong 5G connection-ED). Have a look at this review below before you buy:
Sounds like Apple but cooler
If you only watch the Apple Keynotes, you might only hear about AirPods. However, Apple owns Beats and Beats make their own versions, and maybe cooler. Instead of AirPods Pro, maybe look at Beats Studio Buds +. Think Different eh?
Charge it like it’s 2024!
This year, QI2 chargers have come into the mainstream. QI2 is the industry standard version of Apple’s MagSafe charger, which is completely compatible with MagSafe. Have a look at this 3-in-1 from Belkin for charging the trifecta: Phone, watch and AirPods; all in one neat package.
Clean your palate!
London water is safe to drink and you should drink lots of it to stay hydrated. But does it taste funny to you, or are you concerned about what might be in it? If so, there’s a new water filter that claims to solve all kinds of problems. At worst, perhaps it’s harmless. And it appears to be a DIY solution to add to your taps. Have a look more on the Water2 website.
Stick your music on!
Playing music out of your iPhone is pretty good. It could be better with a bigger speaker. Why not MagSafe one onto the back on your phone! If that appeals to you, have a look at the BoomCan MS.
Watch your music
Speaking of playing music, is it not a shame that that artwork is usually hidden on your iPhone? A product has been invented to solve that by showing an image of the artwork on a digital picture frame. Have a look at the Tuneshine, if that intrigues you.
Clean those pipes!
The ports on your Apple devices are prone to dust. One way to clean them is compressed air and there are a variety of other methods. But here we’re looking at a gift to keep your Apple device ports in tip top condition. Have a look at the PurePort cleaning devices for ports and AirPods!
Enter 2025 with Wellness
A colour changing smart lamp is a great accompaniment to a journey towards wellness. It can help create a calming atmosphere for meditation or just set the right mood for contemplation. It could even complement your morning alarm with subtle lighting. Have a look at this Meross Smart Light.