Gift suggestions for all kinds of dads this Father’s Day
Here are a few Father’s Day gifts that could help get Dad’s through this difficult time. From Kokoon sleep aiding headphones to the Auro personal training app for the fitness loving Dads and even gaming accessories or a new phone to keep connected and entertained.
FOR THE STRESSED OUT DAD
Kokoon – The world’s first sleep aiding headphones – Available from Kokoon.io for £349.99/$349
Kokoon was founded with the mission to become the non-pharmaceutical, digital ‘go to’ for helping people relax and sleep easier. The Kokoon app features techniques, tracks and concepts developed with sleep professionals to optimise the chances of falling asleep. Many of these techniques feature in a form of talking therapy known as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT. CBT is an evidence-based therapy generally regarded as the gold standard treatment for insomnia with a proven success rate.
Kokoon uses these techniques to help users by delivering a customised content experience developed for the individual using the sensor data gathered from their body and environment. For example, as a wearer falls asleep in a headphone, audio changes in response, fading out the content and introducing white noise to mask out disturbances. The system also tracks what’s working for a user then personalising content for greater effect. The Flexmould™ Comfort patented design helps Kokoon headphones mould to the shape of the users head to be comfortable wherever they are worn and thanks to the high quality natural fibre fabric, air flows easily through the ear cups to keep the wearers cool and comfortable. The ear cushions can also be detached and washed to be kept fresh and clean. Also useable as regular Bluetooth 4.0 headphones, the Kokoon Relax features premium acoustics from a 40mm electro dynamic driver and active noise cancelling making them ideal for listening to music or watching movies whilst travelling or simply relaxing. At just 350g/12.03oz they make the perfect travel companion with folding earcups and an included carry case.
FOR THE FITNESS LOVING DAD
Auro – The Personal Training App – Available from App stores for £11.99 a month of £59.99 annual subscription (Equivalent to 4.99 a month)
The Auro app is a personal trainer in your ear from London based fitness technology startup, Auro. The app includes motivational audio workouts that are guided by expert trainers and tailored to an individual’s fitness goals and level. Within the app, there are hundreds of world-class workouts and recommendations are provided for suitable classes based on the users own ability. Using the app means that there is no reason to skip a workout anymore as all the classes are on-demand so all that is required is a set of earphones/headphones and a smartphone. Classes can even be downloaded in advance so can still be done when Wi-Fi isn’t available. For an affordable monthly subscription fee, Auro users can have the benefit of a fitness studio or personal trainer at times, locations and a price that is better for them. The fitness classes available on the Auro app include outdoor running, walking, treadmill, X‑trainer, strength training, spin, rowing, yoga and stretching and are curated with a killer playlist but users can also overlay their own music from Spotify if preferred. The personal trainers offer professional fitness advice throughout the class and guide users through their workout to keep motivated and using the right techniques. Using AI based algorithms, Auro analyses multiple input streams to hyper-personalise fitness experiences like a real PT. It also integrates with Apple Watch, Garmin, Myzone and a range of other wearables to provide detailed heart rate based analytics and personalisation.
The audio based style of the app is to encourage users to learn the correct form and technique but afterwards allows users to concentrate fully on the activity without having the distraction to look down or at a screen as they are exercising.
FOR THE DAD WHO WANTS A NEW HOBBY
ShiftCam MultiLens patented slide & shift photography lens case for iPhone 11 / Pro / Pro Max – Prices starting at £79.99 from ShiftCam
The Shiftcam MultiLens case is an ideal accessory for those with time on their hands looking to start a new hobby or to keep the kids entertained in the garden or whilst walking. With close up photos of insects, spring flowers and family shots a source of endless fascination.
The ShiftCam MultiLens Case is a compact, integrated MultiLens iPhone case that switches lenses in fractions of a second. Incorporating 4x Telephoto*, 10x Macro, 20x Macro* and 180 degree fish eye lenses, plus a CPL filter to polarise ultra-wide photos, the ShiftCam MultiLens case adds unparalleled versatility and quality to your iPhone 11 camera.
Designed to simplify the external mobile lens experience and make it convenient for everyone, users can shift seamlessly and instantly between lenses with a simple slide-and-click motion. All your lenses are always ready on your phone with no bag, box, or case needed. To protect the lenses, the case features a hinged cover, and its 2‑metre drop protection makes the toughest iPhone even stronger.
FOR THE GAMER DAD
Trust Gaming GXT 488 Forze Headset for PlayStation®4 (PS4™), Available from GAME for RRP £29.99. Available from Power City, Smyths Toys and Euronics in Ireland.
An officially licensed product for PlayStation®4, the GXT 488 Forze is designed to enhance video games with powerful, immersive sound. With a stylish design that matches PlayStation®4, the headset is the ideal way to enrich the gaming experience. With 50mm speakers, the Forze deliver ultra-clear dialogue and powerful bass so, whether on a battlefield, racetrack or in a stadium, gamers can be fully immersed into the game.
The headset’s design combines comfort with sturdiness to ensure that those wearing can be comfortable even during long gaming sessions. With soft earpads, an adjustable headband that is metal reinforced and available in three finishes: black, blue camo and grey camo, they both look and feel good to wear. Easy to set up, connect it by simply plugging the 1.2m nylon cable into the DUALSHOCK®4 wireless controller. Thanks to the inline remote on the cable, it is also quick to adjust the volume or mute the microphone without having to go into a menu.
The Forze can also be used with tablets, smartphones and laptops.
The PuroGamer Volume Limiting Gaming Headphones – Available from Amazon for £89.99/$89.99 on Puro Sound Labs website
The PuroGamer headphones are designed specifically for gaming with a slick design, high quality audio through both sound and an omnidirectional, noise cancelling microphone. They are also volume limited to 85dB to ensure that there is no damage to gamers’ hearing health when there are explosions or other noises in gameplay. Featuring a 7.1 surround sound technology, the headphones allow gamers to immerse themselves into the world of their games and the 50mm graphene driver and response equaliser provides a balanced and safe sound. Additionally, the headphones have 82% ambient noise isolation at 1kHz to shut the rest of the world out. The Puro Balanced Frequency Response Curve also allows the PuroGamer’s to sound great even at lower listening levels and the game dialogue and sound effects to be heard clearly against the full spectrum of audio.
Trust Gaming GXT 258 Fyru USB 4‑in‑1 Streaming Microphone, Available from Amazon for RRP £119.99. Available from Power City, Smyths Toys and Euronics in Ireland.
The sleek Trust Fyru 4‑in‑1 streaming microphone takes recordings to the next level whether recording a podcast, music track, streaming or gaming. The multi-purpose mic features excellent audio quality with both voices and instruments which are crystal clear and rich to a near-professional studio quality whilst still being amazingly easy to use. The Fyru allows for recording in 4 different ways, optimized for any situation. Use cardioid for a clear recording without background noises e.g. individual recording or bi-directional for a duet or interview. Stereo is the go-to for a stereo music setting or omnidirectional pattern for a group-podcast. A simple plug-and-play USB connection to instantly connect to a PC or laptop and makes it the ideal gadget for various purposes. With a zero-latency headphone monitoring port, recordings can be perfected and listened to in real-time. Furthermore, settings can also be regulated with convenient microphone gain, mute and headphone volume knobs on the front of the microphone and the internal pop filter filters out plosives and fricatives (unwanted sounds from letters like P and F) to make even smoother recordings.
EKSA E900 Stereo Sound Gaming Headset – Available from £30/$35.99 direct from the EKSA website or £38.99 on Amazon UK and $43.99 on Amazon.
The EKSA E900 stereo sound gaming headset is the ideal choice for gaming and is multi-platform compatible (PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch and any device with a 3.5mm jack including mobile and tablets). The headset was developed by pro gamers and game designers to deliver clarity and detail at every frequency and volume level. It provides immersive studio sound, clear treble and deep bass from its 50mm neodymium speaker drivers to allow users to completely immerse themselves into the game. The E900 also have a high-sensitivity detachable and flexible microphone with omnidirectional noise reduction and isolating ambient background noise. The breathable and super-soft protein foam earmuffs with adjustable headband also mean they are comfortable for long gaming sessions. Boasting a two-year manufacturer warranty, they are built to last.
FOR THE CONFERENCE CALL OR STREAMING DAD
PAPALOOK PA452 1080P Full HD Plug and Play USB Web Cam with 65° wide angle – £85.99 from Amazon
Full HD – Make widescreen calls, record and stream true to life HD 1080P video at 30fps in clear, and deliver sharp, smooth video for Skype chats and YouTube recordings.
Built in microphone – The omni-directional mic filters out external background noise and make the sound clearer. It’s a good choice of video conference to output sound clearly in noisy environments.
Plug & play – Enjoy easy USB port connectivity to PCs or Macs and seamless compatibility with your family video apps.
Auto low-light correct – Automatically corrects low-light settings, high pixel-count cmos sensor ensures high definition and stable performance, record clear videos even in dim light.
Stream live webcam – Supports streaming video on OBS, Facebook, Youtube, XSplit, Mixer, Twitter and other social gaming and media platforms (Google Hangouts, Amazon Chime, Face Time etc)
AUSDOM AW615 FHD 1920×1080P Webcam with Noise-cancelling Microphone USB Camera – £69.99 on Amazon
Full HD 1080P 2MP Network camera with more video frames per second than other HD webcams and video recording and video calling in 16:9 widescreen. Includes manual focus.
Snap and Share Clear Pics – High definition 1920*1080p full high definition picture taking functionality. 2.0 super-large Aperture and Luxury HD five glass coating lens, producing amazing picture quality.
Built-in Noise-Cancelling omnidirectional microphone with noise reduction function to filter out external background noise for clear sound even in a noisy environment.
USB 2.0 connector for plug-and-play, easy to use. Designed with a flexible bendable clip, it’s suitable for multi-angle placement needs for monitors, laptop, desktop, desk or other flat surfaces.
Useful Extensively – Work on most social media platforms, Skype, MSN Messenger, Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo Video Messenger, etc.
FOR THE PHONE ADDICT DAD
DOOGEE N100 Unlocked 10000mAh Battery Smartphone – Available for £159.99 from Amazon
Enjoy the ultra-long battery life of 10000mAh high density battery. With the quick charger, 10000 mAh is charged in just 3.5 hours. OTG reverse charging can also be supported. The N100 also uses super stable Sony IMX230 stacking image sensor. The combination of 6P lenses and F2.0 aperture shoot beautiful photos. You can see the same camera setup on Huawei flagship phones. DOOGEE also applied the large F/2.0 aperture on N100 for any light condition, even in the night.
In order to get the perfect balance of low power consumption and powerful performance, DOOGEE applied the upgraded Octa core 5oc processor. The performance cluster clocked at up to 2.0GHz and the integrated ARM G‑71 MP2 GPU is clocked at up to 770MHz. Together with the ATL high density battery, the N100 offers the perfect experience for heavy users.
The N100 features a large display provided by LG. With the LTPS technology on board, the display is sharp and vivid for great quality gaming and photography. DOOGEE have included Full HD +(1080×2160) LPS LCD inside of the body of N100 and maintains a luxury leather design on the back.
Moshi Otto Q Wireless Charging Pad – Available from Moshi for £44.95
Complement your desktop while enjoying fast and convenient wireless charging with Otto Q. Thanks to Moshi’s proprietary Q‑coil™ module, Otto Q can charge through cases up to 5 mm thick while also supporting both Apple (7.5 W) and Samsung (9 W) fast-charging standards. A non-slip surface ring keeps your phone in place and Otto Q features efficient circuitry to protect against overheating.
Moshi SnapTo™ Magnetic Wall Mount with Wireless Charging for iPhone 8 upwards – Available from Moshi for £19.95
Moshi’s SnapTo™ magnetic wall mount provides the ultimate in hands-free convenience. Keep your screen in view while you’re streaming your favorite TV show, video calling with a friend, or learning a new recipe in the kitchen. The mount rotates in both portrait and landscape mode, and securely attaches to any clean flat surface using extra-strength 3M adhesive strips rated to 2.2 lbs (1.0 kg). The mount includes two SnapTo™ metal tabs which are compatible with wireless charging, and designed to work with these Moshi cases: iGlaze, Vesta, and Altra.
FOR THE SECURITY CONSCIOUS DAD
EZVIZ Full HD Indoor/Outdoor Battery Cam– Available from Very and eBuyer from £142.98
The EZVIZ HD Indoor/Outdoor Battery Cam can be used in the home or outside thanks its IP65 rated weatherproof housing and is hassle-free with no wires to get tangled as it’s a stand-alone camera with a battery life of over three months. The extended battery life is thanks to the long life 5500mAh rechargeable lithium battery which is unlike any other camera in the EZVIZ range. In addition, if users add on the EZVIZ W2D base station they can prolong battery life to up to nine months1. The HD Indoor/Outdoor Battery Cam is also compatible with voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The HD Indoor/Outdoor Battery Cam is designed to monitor in all conditions and light levels and is equipped to alert homeowners of any activity thanks to its Smart Human Technology which notifies, using PIR technology, any people approaching the property. There is also a two-way talk function so if a visitor arrives whilst the occupant is not in the house, it is easy to communicate with them via the app. A helpful feature to have deliveries placed in secure locations, save a friend from waiting in the rain or to say thanks to the dog walker!
The camera has an ultra-wide angle lens enabling a large expanse of the property to be monitored; whether that’s in a particular room or outside on the driveway, in the garden or at the front door. With its HD 1080p wide-angle lens, the HD Indoor/Outdoor Battery Cam has a 126° view and at night can clearly deliver a crisp picture up to five meters away. The device also smartly switches between day and night modes automatically. High resolution images are available here.
