7 housewarming gifts for the tech-obsessed

7 housewarming gifts for the tech-obsessed

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SALT LAKE CITY — Buying a home is an exciting milestone for any adult, and many commemorate the occasion with a housewarming party.

Guests will often bring housewarming gifts to help spruce up the new space, but traditional options like small appliances and home-improvement store gift cards can get a little boring.

If you want to spice it up and make an impression, try one of these high-tech toys that are sure to put a smile on any new homeowner’s face.

1. Sonos Sound System

A nice sound system can really bring a new home to life, and it’s hard to beat the convenience of a wireless speaker. Sonos is a leader in this arena with its lineup of attractive speakers that can stream music from a variety of sources, including favorites like Spotify and Pandora. Controlling the speaker is easy with Android and iOS apps.

2. Streaming TV box (or stick)

A streaming TV box like Apple TV or Amazon’s Fire TV Stick makes a great housewarming gift. Just plug one of these wonders into the HDMI port on nearly any modern TV and connect it to Wi-Fi to open up a whole world of streaming options.

You can access services like Netflix or Hulu, and movie rentals are available from stores like iTunes or Amazon, depending on which box you opt for. This is the perfect excuse to pare down that giant DVD collection that’s been taking up valuable shelf space.

3. Smart lightbulbs

Smart lighting is a great energy-saving gift. Smart lightbulbs like the Philips Hue and Belkin WeMo offer nearly endless color choices at the touch of a button and are long-lasting and energy efficient.

Most smart lightbulbs offer convenient features including timers, remote toggling with your smartphone and built-in dimming.

7 housewarming gifts for the tech-obsessed

4. Nest Learning Thermostat

Smart thermostats are a cool addition to any home (pun intended) and Nest makes one of the best: the Nest Learning Thermostat.

The Nest learns which temperatures you prefer and when you prefer them, then makes sure your home is always "just right." It even knows when you’re not home and adjusts the climate to save energy. With a colorful display and several finishes to choose from, the Nest Thermostat integrates beautifully with surrounding decor.

7 housewarming gifts for the tech-obsessed

5. Merkury Innovations Keychain with USB cable

New homeowners need a place to keep their keys, and this handy little keychain is a great option. The spring-loaded key ring lets you easily add and remove keys and has a 3-inch lightning-to-USB cable attached for charging an iPhone or iPad. A sturdy keeper holds the cord securely in place at both ends.

7 housewarming gifts for the tech-obsessed

The keychain is available in white or black.

6. Smart door locks

Smart door locks, like the August Smart Lock, are another useful home automation feature. They allow homeowners to lock and unlock their doors with their smartphones and users can create temporary “keys” for visiting guests.

The locks can also be controlled using Siri on an iPhone or iPad.

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7. Amazon Echo

No list of home gadgets would be complete without Amazon Echo. The Echo is a voice-activated speaker that connects to Amazon’s voice-activated digital assistant, Alexa.

Together, the Echo and Alexa can tie all the other smart features of your home together in a single, futuristic interface. For example, if you have Philips Hue smartbulbs and an Echo, all you’d have to do is say, “Alexa, turn on the lights." Boom, lightbulbs on.

The Echo can also stream music from sources like Spotify and Pandora, provide useful information like weather and calendar information and interface with a variety of apps and services like Uber.

7 housewarming gifts for the tech-obsessed

While there are plenty of high-tech gift ideas out there, these seven can get you started. You may even find something you want yourself.

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