We are in the final stretch of the 2016 Holiday season and what better way to show your affection for a spouse or young child than the last-minute purchase of the latest and greatest technological product? We narrowed down the dozens of new products on the market to the top five sports technology five, which include wearable fitness technology, fun gadgets and other consumer products.
1. Hyperice
HyperIce, a technology company that sells high-performance and recovery products, recently launched the VENOM, a new wearable back device that incorporates heat and vibration to warm and loosen sore muscles. The digitally-connected product, which launched in early October, gives athletes and gym-goers the ability to customize the temperature and vibration pattern, too.
It currently sells for $249 on the company website and for those that order before midnight on the 22nd, they will be guaranteed to get their VENOM for Christmas. A number of current athletes, such as Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin, American alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn and Arizona Cardinals defensive back Patrick Peterson, are shareholders and brand ambassadors of HyperIce.
2. BLINK QU4TRO
The BLINK QU4TRO from ACTON is the world’s first hub motor four-wheel electric longboard and available for pre-order at $1,699.
However, it won’t ship until March 2017. If you’re looking for a holiday gift that can stretch into a birthday and/or graduation present, too, this may work for you.
Users can pair the BLINK QU4TRO with the ACTON app via Bluetooth, so you can record your trips, track routes and log your miles on the road. Additionally, the QU4TRO remote also doubles as a handle to carry the longboard.
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3. Apple TV (with recent sports-related upgrades)
If you know someone who doesn’t have an Apple TV yet, now might be the time to purchase one for him/her, especially with recent upgrades geared towards enhancing the live viewing experience for fans. With the new features, consumers can call upon Siri to direct them to the sports events within the app on Apple TV. The additions also include live scoring updates and real-time statistics.
Sports fans can also watch live video by just saying the name of the app.
With the Apple TV integrations, fans can experience tweet commentary alongside the live broadcast of NFL’s Thursday Night Football, a 10-game deal the social platform secured for the current season.
4. Fitbit
Wearable technology company Fitbit, which recently acquired key assets from startup Pebble, released two new editions of fitness trackers this Fall: the Charge 2 and waterproof Flex 2.
The former is available online for round $130 while the latter ranges anywhere from $70 to $100.
For those loved ones you know looking to shed a few pounds in 2017 or just continuously stay active, either of the trackers might be your best.
5. Nikko Air DRL Drones
The newly-created Drone Racing League recently announced a three-year licensing deal with Toy State, a toy industry company for the past 30 years. Through the partnership, both companies will work together on creating a co-branded racing toy drone from Toy State’s future drone line, Nikko Air.
The Nikko Air DRL Drones will hit shelves next Fall following the DRL’s second season, which wraps up in the summer of 2017. Still, if you need to get your drone fix in now and can’t wait until then, the DRL has you covered. Until this Sunday, drone enthusiasts can participate in an online drone simulator to see who will compete in Season 2 of the DRL as the Bud Light Pilot, part of the sports property’s first major partnership deal.