This Father’s Day, help the important men in your life get productive and fit with these tech-based gift ideas.
TEXT: MELODY TAN
PHOTOS: UNSPLASH
When it comes to job descriptions, dads have a long list of duties – chauffeur, chef, bedtime story-reader, playtime and exercise buddy, breadwinner or family provider, listening ear, advice giver, and even resident pest-buster.
This Father’s Day on June 18, help the man in your life to multi-task more efficiently by giving him the gift of tech devices and apps to improve both fitness and productivity.
EXERCISE IN STYLE WITH A SMARTWATCH
If Dad’s always in switched-on mode because of work, or prefers a device that can multitask, he’ll appreciate a smartwatch that offers advanced health and fitness features while also providing handy notifications from his phone.
The Apple Watch Series 8 not only comes with an enhanced workout app with multisport functionality and health features like the ability to measure your blood oxygen level, it’s also available in a number of stylish materials, case finishes and strap types – perfect for fashion-savvy Dads.
Not to be outdone, Garmin offers a range of sports-oriented smartwatches from its Forerunner 955 – a premium GPS running and triathlon model – to the Descent GI Series, which boasts a dive computer, and the MARQ Golfer (Gen 2), which includes useful features like a virtual caddie, hazard view, wind speed and direction, and more.
FOCUS WITH FEWER DISTRACTIONS
Sometimes you need the opposite: Instead of relying on more features, having a dedicated workspace free of excess notifications might just be what Dad needs to be at his most efficient – leaving him with more time to spend with the family.
Old-school Dads who miss pen and paper will appreciate a digital notebook like reMarkable, which describes itself as a ‘paper tablet’. The award-winning device allows you to scribble notes and ideas on its surface, which are then converted to typed text and organised for easy reference. Enthusiasts praise the unique textured surface, which makes writing by hand a deeply satisfying task.
If the kids are loud and Dad works from home, get him the Logitech Zone Vibe 100. Covered in a comfortable knitted fabric, the lightweight wireless headphones come with a noise-cancelling, flip-down microphone boom for meetings, as well as 40mm speakers that deliver a rich audio experience when Dad’s enjoying his downtime gaming or watching movies.
APPS THAT CUT DOWN ON CONFUSION
Is Dad juggling multiple projects and tasks at work? If he’s overwhelmed by his to-do list, the right app can help him stay on top of things. Gift him a subscription or sign him up for a trial so he can discover the functions he prefers.
Trello promises a ‘productivity powerhouse’ on their website, in the form of boards, lists and cards that help keep big projects with lots of moving parts organised. Using the boards function, he and his team members can see project timelines and upcoming tasks, while lists allow users to break down a task into its different stages. Cards are for storing information, ideas and more, and can be moved across lists for easy access and recall.
Another popular productivity-oriented platform is Asana, which is useful for Dads doing cross-functional work, or Dads who run their own businesses. Users can add the same tasks to multiple projects automatically, monitor the progress of multiple teams, and build personalised visualisations with custom fields and charts. It also integrates well with frequently used platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Adobe Creative Cloud, Tableau, Google Drive and more.
For Dads who need to keep up with non-fiction reading – whether for work or out of interest – but who just don’t have the time, there’s Blinkist. The popular app distils non-fiction books and podcasts into 15 succinct minutes, allowing users to glean insights from fields like money and economics, career and business, inspiration and personal growth, creativity and others.
WORK OUT AT HOME
For those ready to splurge, a smart home gym will allow Dad to exercise without setting foot outside the house – perfect for squeezing in a quick workout between meetings or starting the day with a 10-minute jog on the treadmill before his shower.
The Bowflex Treadmill 56 comes not only with extended grips equipped with heart rate sensors and a large high-definition touchscreen display that can stream your favourite entertainment, it can be paired with the JRNY app that offers adaptive workouts and scenic runs.
For a smart free weight machine, there’s the Tempo Fitness System which taps AI and 3D mapping technologies to provide real-time form suggestions as you work out. It also counts your reps, offers personalised recommendations and performance tracking.
You can even have an at-home personal trainer with lululemon Studio Mirror, formerly known as The Mirror. It’s a fitness system housed in – you guessed it – a smart mirror. Dad can choose from the range of workouts offered, such as cardio, yoga or strength training, and enjoy personalised coaching with workout modification suggestions designed to help him perform better.
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