Still trying to think of some goodies to add to your Christmas Wishlist?
Well, you’re in luck as we’ve got some cool tech that can definitely make its way onto yours! We’ve been keeping an eye out for all the latest and greatest tech, and we’ve also taken note of the gadgets and upgrades that can make an impact in your household!

Whether you’re shopping for yourself, dropping hints for family, or hunting for the perfect gift for the tech lover in your life, this list is packed with ideas. They are practical, fun, and genuinely useful. From small accessories to bigger purchases, these are the tech items we’d happily recommend, and maybe even add to our own wish lists this Christmas.

Meta Quest 3S 128GB – $485

If you’ve never stepped into the world of virtual reality, the Meta Quest 3S is an incredible place to start. It’s a standalone VR headset with no need for a PC, no cables, and no fuss. Just put it on, and you’re instantly immersed. It’s lighter and more comfortable than earlier models, with sharper visuals and smoother performance, making everything from games to videos feel more real and engaging!

What really sets the Meta Quest 3S apart is everything you can do with it. Yes, gaming is a big part, but there’s so much more. You can explore virtual worlds, watch movies on a giant virtual screen, or even get moving with fitness and workout apps. One standout experience is the WorldLens app, which allows you to travel to different cities using Google Earth 3D. This is a cool way to explore or get a taste of where you want to travel, you can even go back in time!

If you’re thinking about adding something unique to your Christmas Wishlist, this gadget transforms ordinary downtime into something truly special. Pick one up and see for yourself! 

Steam Deck OLED Handheld Gaming PC (512GB) – $1,249

If you love gaming but don’t love being tied to a desk, the Steam Deck OLED is an absolute game-changer! It’s a handheld gaming PC that lets you play your Steam library wherever you like! Whether that’s on the couch, in bed, or while travelling, wherever you are, you’re able to play. Even if you’re not deep into PC gaming, the Steam Deck is surprisingly easy to use, and the OLED screen makes everything look stunning, with deeper blacks, brighter colours, and smoother motion.

What makes the Steam Deck OLED a great Christmas present is how much power has been packed into a handheld device. You’re not just limited to simple mobile games, this thing can run full PC games, from indie favourites to big AAA titles. The controls are built in, the layout feels natural, and you can jump in for a quick session or lose hours without realising it. This OLED model also brings better battery life and a more premium feel. Making a noticeable difference when jamming games for longer.

The Steam Deck OLED is perfect for anyone who wants flexibility without sacrificing performance. So do you know someone who might want this?

Sony WH-CH720N Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-Ear Headphones – $155

After a gift that will get lots of use every single day? Look no further than the Sony WH-CH720N Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-Ear Headphones. I know, long name, but these headphones are the real-deal budget find this summer! These are over-ear headphones designed for comfort.  Featuring soft ear cups and a lightweight feel that makes them easy to wear for hours at a time. Whether you’re working, studying, commuting, or just trying to relax at home, they’re built to fit seamlessly into everyday life.

The noise cancelling is where these really shine. With the press of a button, background noise fades away, helping you to focus on music, podcasts, or calls without distractions. They connect wirelessly via Bluetooth, have an impressive battery life, and support quick charging. Which is perfect for those moments when you realise you forgot to charge up before heading out. The sound is clear and balanced, with enough bass to feel immersive but not overpowering. The Sony WH-CH720s are the kind of tech gift that quickly becomes a daily essential. Could they end up on your Christmas Wishlist?

Polaroid Go Generation 2 Instant Camera – $135

Want to be able to snap photos of Christmas memories and stick them right on the fridge? Grab a Polaroid Go Generation 2 Instant Camera! It’s one of the smallest instant cameras out there, but still packs a punch. Features include a selfie mirror, self-timer, and double exposure mode. With a larger aperture and a sharp light sensor, your photos come out brighter and clearer than you would expect from something so compact.

What makes it extra gift-worthy is that it is rechargeable via USB-C, comes with a handy wrist strap, and even uses 30 per cent recycled materials, making it great for anyone who is eco-minded. You can pop it in your bag and be ready to capture laughs, cool holiday moments, and spontaneous snapshots wherever you go. This camera brings a touch of nostalgia to everyday life, put it on your Christmas wishlist!

ANKER 621 Magnetic Wireless Charging Power Bank 5k mAh – $69

Do you or someone you know have some exciting missions planned for Christmas, and can’t have your phone die on you? Snag an Anker Magnetic Wireless Charging Power Bank and have your worries disappear!

Designed to snap neatly onto the back of compatible iPhones, it charges wirelessly while you are on the move, no cables required. With 5,000mAh of power, it is perfect for topping up your battery during busy days, long trips, or even a doom-scroll session, without adding bulk to your pocket or bag.

What really makes this one shine is how slim and simple it is. It feels more like a phone accessory than a power bank, and Anker’s solid build quality means it’s meant to last. Whether it’s for a commuter, a frequent traveller, or someone who is always running low on battery, this is one of those gifts that you’ll find super handy!


So if your Christmas wishlist is still looking a little empty, consider this your sign. From immersive VR and handheld gaming to everyday tech essentials, these picks cover a bit of everything. They’re the kind of gifts that Santa will have his elves working overtime for!

Whether you’re treating yourself or casually sending this link to someone with gift-buying duties, any of these would be a good addition under the tree. Happy wish-listing, happy gifting, and here’s to a Christmas powered by tech you’ll genuinely love using long after the wrapping papers gone!

Galaxy AI uses Google’s Gemini AI model for some features, including Circle to Search. If you’re a fan of AI we’ve got a list of what cool tools you can expect to see.

Circle to Search

Circle to search allows you to search for an item on your phone using simple gestures without the need for switching apps. For example, say you’re scrolling through your favourite social media app. You see an image of an outfit you love and you just have to know what shoes the person in the photo is wearing! Instead of wasting time investigating on Google, simply circle the item and get more information right there. When you’re finished, just swipe away and return to your scrolling!

Live Translate

Travelling the world, conducting international business or speaking to the in-laws? Whatever the reason, an instant translation of a live phone call has been an unobtainable dream for many years. With the Samsung Galaxy AI feature, Live Translate, that is now a possibility!

Whether through messaging or over the phone, speak in your own language and Live Translate will translate your speech in real time into the other speaker’s language. Afterwards, this handy tool will translate their reply back into your language, making communication easier than ever before!

Chat Assist

Ever struggle to find the right words when typing out an important message? Chat Assist can help you formulate a message fit for any occasion. From a professional business text to a heartfelt message to a friend, Chat Assist helps with crafting the perfect message! It offers suggestions to improve grammar, syntax, vocabulary and overall structure.

Photo Assist

Taken a snap on your phone but want to quickly touch it up? With Photo Assist’s AI-powered editing capabilities, you can easily retouch your photos without bringing them into a separate editing app. Photo Assist lets you move or remove subjects in your photo with just a few taps. Subsequently, the tool will then fill in spaces with the assistance of AI-powered intelligent filling. Now you can create the photo you want ed without being an editing genius.

As we move out of lockdown many Kiwi’s will be readjusting to office life. So we’ve put together a list of Office Tech Must-Haves to keep you productive, comfortable and ready to work! Even if you aren’t returning to the office just yet, these gadgets can help make working from home easier as well.

Office Tech – MOUSE

Logitech MX Master 2S

If you want to be more efficient and have the ultimate in hand comfort then the Logitech MX Master 2S is the one for you. The slick design has a thumb rest and a second option that allows you to scroll and click right or left. This advanced feature allows you to move between monitors seamlessly. This mouse provides exceptional comfort and control with precision and customisation.

Our Marketing Assistant, Lexi loves this mouse! She recommends it to those of you who have lots of multitasking to do. It‘s particularly useful for design and editing!

Office Tech – GEL WRIST REST

Kensington Ergosoft Wrist Wrest

It’s super common for office workers to get tired wrists. The Kensington Ergosoft Wrist Wrest is a small gel-filled wrist pad that you can place in a position that suits your wrist. The wrist rest also has a sticky bottom so that it doesn’t slide around whilst you are busy working.

Our CEO Matt says that his wrist is so much more relaxed because it keeps it in a natural position. He strongly suggests that you get one!

Office Tech –  WEBCAM

Logitech C920

Whether you’re in zoom meetings, are starting your own podcast or are hosting a weekly quiz with your colleagues, the Logitech C920 is the webcam you need. Recording in 1080p quality this webcam comes with a stand that allows you to clip on to monitors, laptops and tripods. And if you like to get really technical, you can use the enhanced control and filter options. Our CEO Cathy loves how you can physically move the camera from one screen to another as required and the great visual quality means she hasn’t been missing her face-to-face meetings with family and friends too much!

Office Tech Must Haves – STAND UP DESK

Refold Standing Desk

It’s proven that sitting down all day is bad for your posture, so if you feel like mixing it up and supporting a New Zealand business at the same time then the Refold standing desk will be your new best friend. The awesome Refold standing desk is foldable, portable and recyclable. The fact it is made from cardboard means that it only costs $200 and the simple design means that the standing desk is easy to assemble, transport and store. The only problem is keeping your drinks and food away! As it’s made from cardboard it is possible to damage it but this is easily preventable by getting a waterproof top for just $60.

Office Tech – MINI FRIDGE

Black+Decker BCRK25B

When you have a lot of colleagues the fridge in the lunchroom can get super full. Solution? Purchase your own mini-fridge! Finding the right fridge to fit can be challenging however which is why we have chosen the Black+Decker BCRK25B fridge. Even though the fridge is just a compact 27 inches in height (meaning it can fit under the average office desk) it has an ice cube tray, two glass shelves and two full-width door shelves that can fit a 2-litre bottle and a stack of cans.

Office Tech  – USB HUB

HooToo USB C

With laptops and tablets becoming thinner and more portable, having a USB port on your actual device is becoming rare. So we recommend a USB hub allowing you to plug in multiple USBs at a time. For Mac users, the HooToo USB C Hub is the most Mac-friendly design of any USB data hub on the market. It has 3 USB ports so you can use it for a keyboard, USB stick and plug in your phone. It also has an HDMI port allowing you to plug in a monitor and an SD card slot. The slick design means that it will fit right in with your other Apple products and it can even be used as a 4K video adapter, allowing you to stream 4K UHD video!

Office Tech  – NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES

Sony WH-1000XM3

As zoom meetings become more and more necessary, noise-cancelling headphones can really help in conversations even if you are in a busy meeting rooms or have kids running around at home. The Sony WH-1000XM3 are the best noise-cancelling headphones on the market. They have super comfortable padding along the bridge of the headphones, can be used with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, and can even allow you to listen to music while vacuuming!

HARDRIVE

ADATA SE800

If you need a waterproof, dustproof virtually indestructible external hard drive then the ADATA SE800 is for you. Although a little expensive, it is still a great value. It is super-fast, sleek and compact (1.4 ounces, measuring 0.4 by 2.8 by 1.7 inches). This hard drive even has dual USB cables so your USB-C and USB-A needs are covered without resorting to easy-to-lose adapters.

Office Tech – KEYBOARD

Logitech MX Keys

If you’re after a full-sized, sturdy and comfortable keyboard then the Logitech MX Keys is a great option. We love this keyboard because the keys are sturdy and light making them great for typing long documents. This keyboard can be connected to your device through Bluetooth or a wireless USB receiver. You can even connect it to more than one device making it great for multitasking. If you tend to work in dark environments the keyboard even has a funky backlight with brightness control. The Logitech MX Keys comes with a list of preset commands but you can also customise them when using Windows or MacOS.

Need help setting up your devices, WiFi or simply need advice, book a geek now.

So, now that we’ve got you all set up to be more productive, comfortable and alert in your working environment (at the office or at home), we’d love to hear what technology you swear by.

Head to our social media and let us know! Stay safe! Sincerely,  The Geeks.

Microchipping your pet

When you take your pets to the vet, more often than not you’ll be asked whether you’d like to have them microchipped. These microchips can carry your pet’s details and owner details, so that in the event they go missing or become ill, the vet will know what to do and who to return them to. The microchip itself is a small piece of technology, about the size of a grain of rice. It’s inserted to the scruff of the neck via syringe, and only takes a few seconds to administer. It’s increasingly more common for cats and dogs to be microchipped, but you can even microchip your guinea pigs, rabbits, or horses!

Microchip Cat Doors

Cat doors are a common household fixture. There are the standard cat flaps that you can set to swing one way, or both, and there are the slightly more sophisticated magnetic ones that require your cat to wear a magnetic bauble on their collar to grip the cat flap as they move through the cat door. But things are getting slightly more sophisticated for cats and their owners.

Microchip pet doors like the Sureflap work together with your pet’s existing microchip to allow them exclusive access rights to your installed cat door. This is a great way to stop neighbourhood strays entering your home when you’re out, and you don’t have to worry about remembering to reset the entry/exit options on your cat door.

Microchip pet feeder

If you’ve already got a microchip operated cat door, why not look at a microchip pet feeder? These are ideal for households with both a cat and a dog, especially when your dog is the kind to steal from the cat bowl. Once you’ve synchronised your cat’s microchip or RFID collar tag with the feeder, it will only open for them, and automatically close as soon as they move away. Also a great way to stop the toddlers getting into the cat biscuits!

Fitness wearables for your dog

The FitBark monitors your dog’s every habits, from exercise to sleep, and allows you to track their progress. It’s much like the FitBit, only instead of a smartwatch around your wrist, there’s a small, battery powered sensor you attach to your dog’s collar. The FitBark can be synchronised to your iOS and Android devices, so you can monitor your dog’s activities from your iPhone or tablet. Some benefits to the FitBark are getting to know your dog’s long term behavioural trends, and using that data to compare your dog with other dogs. You can start to see different patterns in their behaviour based on their location or even what they’ve had to eat that day.

SHRU – an intelligent companion for your cat

Everyone knows that cats are one of the fussier domestic animals. You buy them expensive toys from the pet shop only to find they favour digging into your lounge furniture or rugs. Well, the SHRU is the answer to your furniture’s prayers. This cat toy has a range of “play modes” to keep your cat entertained. From hyper energetic phases to gentler or noisier ones. The SHRU mimics a small animal’s movement and sound, a little like a mouse, to challenge your cat’s concentration.

The CleverPet

This one is for the dog owners out there struggling to keep up with their demanding pup. The CleverPet is designed to help your dog with separation anxiety and boredom once you’ve left the house for the day. The CleverPet gives your dog a range of incentivised challenges based on light, sound and touch. As the dog goes through the activities it is rewarded with food. Like all great pet tech, this allows you to set up your smartphone or set up your tablet to synchronise with the CleverPet. You can then use the CleverPet app to monitor your dog’s activities from afar.

And the best part? You can put the CleverPet food dispenser straight into the dishwasher when it’s ready for a clean.

Pet Friendly House Alarms

This one is great whether you have pets or not. The HomeMonitor system helps you protect your home through camera surveillance and cloud computing. The best part is that the in-home camera is connected to a HomeMonitor portal, cloud based storage. You can access the portal on PC, Mac, iPhone or Android devices, enabling you to check in on your home at anytime.

If you have a troublesome terrier that keeps escaping during the day but you’re not quite sure how, then check in on them with the HomeMonitor portal. You’ll have their escape route pegged in no time.

GPS Tracker

Haven’t you always wondered what your pets get up to when you’re out for the day? Wonder no more. There are a range of pet GPS trackers out there, that when used in combination with a GoPro or other camera, you can see exactly what they’ve been up to.

1 in 3 pets will go missing in their lifetime, and attaching a GPS tracker to them is just one way you can make sure they come home again.

Petrek

The Petrek GPS is the first NZ made Pet GPS to be sold in stores. Using an Android or iOS device you can install the Petrek app to pinpoint the exact location of your pet. A little bit like using Find My iPhone to find your lost iPhone, the app shows you a map of your beloved’s location.

The Petrek can be used on cats or dogs, so long as you can fit it snugly on their collar.

Cat Tracker NZ Project

An academic at Victoria University of Wellington has been busy GPS tracking domestic cats to see just how far from home they wander. The cat tracker project has already tracked 45 cats, and has seen a huge disparity in the home range of each individual tabby.

Best cat scratcher pole ever

And for something a little different… One dedicated cat owner has built a custom AT-ST Walker, Star Wars inspired cat playhouse. The AT ST is flanked by two climbing posts, making for ultimate cat entertainment.

Get geeky with your pet tech

We use technology for parenting, so why not use technology to help with our pet ownership? Our highly trained technicians can help you set up your new devices to work with your new pet technology. If you need to set up your laptop to work with a wireless monitoring system or maybe your dog has taken to your computer and you need computer repairs, then get in touch today.

Further reading

• 7 Pieces of Pet Tech http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-06/16/pet-tech