Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera – Sony a6000 – Sony is one of the leading makers of mirrorless cameras, a system that provides the quality of some of the best DSLR’s but at a fraction of the size. Sony has renamed what had been its NEX line and folded it into its Alpha line. The a6000 boasts a sharp electronic viewfinder, super fast auto focus so you won’t miss a shot, and Near Field Communications (NFC) and WiFi so you can share pictures on a smartphone or tablet with a touch. Price $550
Smartphone – Samsung Galaxy Note 4 – We’ve always liked the big screen Samsung Note line because of its “S” Pen feature that allows you to create handwritten notes that you can store or convert to text. You can use the “S” Pen to highlight and move text, as well as to make notes on photographs. The latest version has a Quad HD screen, a better design build, and multi-tasking capability. Because it’s from Samsung, it integrates easily with the rest of the Samsung ecosystem including tablets, TV’s, smartwatches and more. You can get it from either AT&T or Verizon for $300 with a two year contract. We’ve seen the unlocked version priced anywhere from $600 and up.
Hybrid Laptop/Tablet Computer – Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro – This is the latest in the Yoga line, named for its flexibility to be used as a laptop, tablet, tent, or display stand. The Yoga 3 makes use of an innovative hinge design to make it thinner, and it has a new chip from Intel that draws less power and generates less heat. Because of its capabilities, this one machine can function quite well as both a touchscreen laptop and a Windows 8.1 tablet, and for some of us that means one less device to carry. Price begins at $1300.
Computer Bag – Eagle Creek Convertabrief – This is the most versatile computer bag we’ve seen. It can be carried as either a shoulder bag or a comfortable backpack. It has one padded pocket to carry a laptop computer and tablet that can be zipped open so you don’t have to take anything out at airport security. It has a big central pocket that can carry clothes for an overnight trip. And it has other zipped internal and external pockets for accessorites like chargers, music players, cables, headphones, and plenty more. What’s more, almost every one of the external pockets can be locked. Price $175.
.Hi Res Portable Music Player – Astell&Kern AK 120 II – With the advent of digital hi-res music formats, audiophiles are no longer limited to collections of vinyl records. But hi-res music files take up a lot more room than the MP3 files on your iPhone or other music player. The AK 120 II has the capacity to handle 256 GB of music between the device’s internal drive and a mcro SD Card like the 128 GB SDXC card from SanDisk. The output quality is superb, especially into a great set of Hi-Res headphones. The AK 120 II is also a gorgeous piece of industrial design, with a solid aluminum body and a bright touchscreen display. Price is $1699.
Wireless Digital Audio Converter – Audioengine D2 24 Bit Wireless DAC – Hi Res audio is hot. It’s a way to get great quality digital music that’s head and shoulders better than MP3’s. The problem is that you get it and store it on your computer, but need to play it on your (often antiquated) stereo system. The Audioengine D2 provides a high quality solution at a reasonable price. It allows you to wirelessly send your high quality music from your computer to your stereo. You can use multiple D2’s to set up a multi-room music system, and it doesn’t rely on your home’s WiFi router. Price $399.
Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones – Plantronics BackBeat Pro Headphones – Plantronics made its name with telephone headsets for the office, but the company hasn’t been sitting still. These are technically sophisticated phones that deliver as much as 24 hours of music play time. They have all the features you need to play music and answer calls from your smartphone. It will let you sync with two devices so you can watch a movie on your tablet, then jump over to answer a call on your smartphone. Great for blocking out noise in trains, planes, and automobiles. Price is $250.
Tablet Computer – Google Nexus 9 by HTC – This is Google’s latest flagship tablet, the first to run the Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system. The tablet features a premium build, a stunning HD sreen, and a fast processor. Two front facing speakers make it a great platform for watching entertainment. It has solid battery life, probably about ten hours’ worth of wi-fi browsing. The 8.9” screen makes it large enough to be comfortable watching movies yet small enough to fit in almost any bag. It is also built for productivity, with easy multi-tasking, and an available keyboard/folio (for an extra $129). Price for the entry level wi-fi only version is $399.
Remote Video Player – Slingbox M1 – Whether you want to watch what’s on your home television from a tablet, or in a hotel room half way around the world on your laptop, Slingbox can connect you to all of your favorite programs including your hometown sports events. The Slingbox M1 is easy to set up, and requires an Internet connection so you can find it on your tablet, smartphone, or computer, no matter where you roam. You can use it to watch a second television channel at home, or access your favorites from overseas where licensing agreements can otherwise block your normal cable based on-demand service. Price $150.
Wireless Router – Asus AC2400 – RT-AC87U Router – The wireless router is the backbone of your home network, and the more devices that are hooked up to it, like computers, smarthome sensors, music systems, etc., the more power it needs to handle the demand. The latest top end router from Asus can handle just about any demand a home network can place on it, and it will automatically monitor the traffic going through the network and optimize how the streams can be optimized. It has four antennae to maximize coverage on a combination of bands. We’ve seen it priced from about $270. to $303.
Photo and Document Printer- Epson Expression Premium XP-860 Small-In-One – This all-in-one does just about everything you’d expect but with a very small footprint device. It delivers professional quality borderless photos up to 8”x10”. Of course it can fax, print and scan as well. It has lots of ways to print wirelessly from your home wi-fi network or its own wi-fi direct capability. And you can print from almost anyplace using your smartphone or tablet. It has a document feed system that will let you print up to thirty pages of two-sided copying automatically. Price is $250.00
Tripod and ball head – Vanguard Alta Pro 254CT and Vanguard Ball Head BBH-100 – With the development of carbon fiber as a replacement for aluminum, tripods have gotten a lot lighter. This tripod has a center column that can pop out and become a horizontal bar, allowing 180 degrees of motion. It weighs about 3 ½ pounds. Price is just about $300. The BBH-100 ball head is lightweight, flexible, and has a very smooth motion for shooting panoramas and video. It can also support as much as 22 pounds of gear. When you couple it with the 254CT you get a system that has three bubble levels, so your shots can always be level. Price for the ball head is about $170.
Secure photo bag – PacSafe CamSafe Z16 anti-theft camera bag and 13”laptop case – There’s no such thing as an entirely theft-proof camera bag. But PacSafe makes a line of bags that will slow the bad guys down and may save your gear. This bag features reinforced straps that will impede strap slashers. It has an internal metal mesh that prevents cutting. And it has interlocking zipper pulls to stop a pickpocket, and an RFID pocket that can prevent identity theft.. The bag has enough padded pockets to hold most of the camera gear you’d near for a full day of shooting and is ideal for a mirrorless or DSLR rig. Price is $250.
Smartwatch – Motorola Moto 360 – This smartwatch uses Google’s Android Wear operating system, which allows it to integrate with many of the recent Android smartphones on the market. Unlike many other smartwatches, this has a traditional round face and offers a variety of attractive leather and metal interchangeable bands. It is voice capable so you can interact with Google Now to ask for directions, check on weather, traffic, etc. It also provides timely notifications for calendar events as well as text and e-mail. It has fitness tracking, and it has wireless charging so you don’t have to worry about plugging it into a cradle or carrying a cord. Price starts at $250.
Rolling Luggage – Eagle Creek ORV 30” Trunk – We’ve been using Eagle Creek’s rolling trunks for more than twenty years and taken them around the world with never a problem. The latest iteration of their ORV 30” trunk features a Stowable Equipment Keeper™ that holds gear and outerwear on top of the bag, a detachable cargo net that can hold gear outside the bag or serve to compress it insidei, external access expandable Bi-Tech™ Wet/Dry Compartment, multiple grab handles on top, side, and bottom, and multiple external lash points for securing gear and lashing it to a vehicle. It has lots of pockets both inside and out, making it a breeze to find the little things you need. Price $350,
Wireless External Storage – WD My Passport Wireless – On the road, or at home or in the office, the WD Wireless storage device makes it easy to backup your data without wires. It also comes with a built-in SD slot, something we’ve not seen on a portable hard drive. That means when you’re traveling you can easily back up a day’s photos, It will work with computers, tablets, and smartphones, and will interface with WD’s MyCloud service so you have a second copy of your data. If you do want to wire it up it uses a fasst USB 3.0 port. it has enough storage to easily keep all your photos together, or take a movie collection and your tunes library with you when you travel. Price for 1TB version is $180. Price for the 2TB version is $220.
High Performance Portable Flashlight-Extreme Beam S.A.R.5 – This pocket flashlight was designed for the battlefield, but will get you through a tough spot, with a bright 150 lumen light that can deliver a beam 450 feet. It has an hour of run time. It also has a feature that automatically dims the light when the battery starts to run low so you can finish whatever you need to get done. At about 3 1/2” long, it will fit comfortably in your pocket, a drawer, your glove compartment, or anyplace else you’re likely to need a reliable light on short notice. Price is just about $60.
Powered Speaker System – Audioengine A2+B Powered Desktop Speakers – We’ve been using these Audioengine desktop speakers for a few months now and couldn’t be happier. This pair of well-reviewed powered desktop speakers fills the room without taking up much space. They are a step above most of the wi-fi and Bluetooth speakers we’ve heard. But it you hook up the Audioengine D2 DAC, you will be able to get great hi-res audio streamed from your favorite devices and do it wirelessly to the speakers, though the speakers do have a wired connection to on another. That way you don’t have to worry about running wires across the room from your computer to the speakers. Price is $249 for the pair.
Miniature Drone – Parrot Rolling Spider MiniDrone – Why should the kids have all the fun? The Parrot Rolling Spider can crawl up walls or across the ceiling. Take off the removable wheels and it’s a full-fledged mni-drone, with speeds up to 11 mph. You can use the free app on your Android or iOS device to fly it at a distance of up to 60 feet. It does a variety of acrobatic tricks, and is very stable when it’s hovering in one place. It takes great pictures along the way. Price is $100.
BBQ Tank Monitor-GasWatch BBQ Tank Level Indicator Digital Scale – Picture this – a summer’s afternoon and the family is gathered to grill up steaks, or burgers and dogs. Things are going along swimmingly and then, poof, there’s no more gas in your tank. How embarrassing. How annoying. How unnecessary. The GasWatch tank level indicator digital scale will not only show you how much propane is in your tank (by weight), but can be used as an alarm to go off when you’re getting low. It’s easy to setup, the tank simply rests on the GasWatch scale and the meter itself is movable. Price is about $25