GIFT GUIDE: 10 Cool & Useful Tech Gadgets For Families

By Sonya Davidson

While wandering through the Toronto Eaton Centre with my son last night before a show and remembered that there was a new Telus concept store. Since the kid had NOT given any hints as to what he's going to ask Santa for, this was a good opportunity to see what would make his list. 

If you've been to the newly renovated level recently (located just below the future home of Nordstroms) you'll find this new full shopping experience store. Telus is branching out even more to become more than a service provider and accessories retailer to the devices they carry. You can read about it here.

This store has more (way more) lifestyle and wearable tech items as well as fun gadgets available now for consumers. And the staff is super friendly and helpful. For example, if you have your eye on a new wireless speaker or want to check out a few headphones but don't know which one is right for you, visit the interactive sound bar and go ahead and make your own comparison or staff is ready to answer all your questions. 

Here are our favourite 10 Tech Cool & Useful Gadgets we've just added to our wishlist and we hope Santa is paying attention!...and yes, all of them found at this one store!

The boys are all about cars and when we spotted R.E.V. Robotic Enhanced Vehicles by WowWee we knew we had to get our hands on them. The app controlled cars let you go head-to-head with friends to see who's the best in play or go against the ruthless CPU drivers in a series of battles. 

As we've already been inundated with everything Star Wars, I was surprised to find the Sphero BB8 edition here along side the many other options of the very fun app controlled Sphero toys and accessories. 

You'll find a range of Nest products at the Telus store including the new Nest Learning Thermostat to keep your home energy efficient even after you leave. The Nest has an auto-schedule feature and will learn your comings and goings to program itself. Paired with your mobile device, you can also control the thermostat anyway via wifi. Use the "away" mode and adjust the temperature easily after you leave. 

BEATS BY DRE Studio Wireless in limited edition matte black: pairs and plays via Bluetooth with 30-ft range, dual mode adaptive noise cancelling. Take hands-free calls. 

For running or working out, we love the Jabra Sport Wireless+ AE Bluetooth Headset that allows anyone to exercise with freedom. Listen to your playlist and even take calls during training. Control the volume and skip tracks with a tap on the headset. 

This Rebecca Minkoff Leather Case Mate Wristlet is ideal for carrying cellphones as well as just a few essentials for those times when we don't need to carry a full purse. It's modern, slim design has space to also hold 2 credit cards and has in integrated stand. 

I'm lusting over this smart kitchen gadget as a at home chef. Since I'm a heavy iPad user in the kitchen to follow recipes, this DROP is brilliant. This device helps you accurately measure ingredients, convert measurements and can even scale a recipe according to the number of people you need to feed. There are also interactive recipes with the app.

Heading on a family roadtrip? You've got your tablets ready for the long haul and movies all uploaded for the kids entertainment needs. We've found support stands very useful for these situations. The Felix RoadShow Universal iPad car stand will hold the device in securely in place should your child fall asleep (hopefully). If you've ever opened your car door and have their tablet slip out of their hands and onto the driveway, you'll totally understand why it's another good reason to own this. 

For peace of mind, back up battery chargers are a thoughtful gift ideas that anyone with a mobile device will appreciate. Yes, you can get a Mophie but for the stylish fashionista, I choose the Kate Spade extermal battery case.

 I'm constantly losing my keys in the bottom of my handbag (aka the Abyss) and spotted this great little stocking stuffer idea. The CHIPOLO attaches to your keychain and with the help of the app and Bluetooth -- because we never seem to misplace our phones-- it will help locate your keys quickly. It actually can attach to many items like backpacks, coats, wallets, pets, luggage and more. Great for busy moms, kids, grandparents, and travellers too. The more I think about it...the more I need them. Available in a variety of colours.