Dads are difficult to buy for. Husbands too. They always say they don’t want anything, then sulk when they get socks. It’s not our fault that they always buy things they want as soon as they want them. Why can’t they just wait a while?
Fortunately, a truth that has long stood the test of time is that a homeowner loves a bit of DIY. He also loves a bit of tech. With some of the products we have on offer, you’ll be able to give a gift that can combine these passions, meaning the excitement of getting his hands dirty and getting acquainted with some new shiny gadgets will have him pottering about with even more energy than usual on Christmas morning.
Making Remote Working Easier
We’ve written before about how to create a reliable home network that will help you work more productively and efficiently by swapping out your ISP-provided hub for a business-grade network router, some wireless access points and perhaps a network switch or two. With remote working firmly here to stay for many of us, tech that makes it easier to do the work that puts food on the table could be the most comforting gift of all.
Ubiquiti’s AmpliFi and UniFi ranges of networking hardware are perfect for the discerning tech power user and the worker-from-home who just wants an internet connection they can really rely on. The AmpliFi range, perfect for home networks and the UniFi range, perfect for business/office or the home if you really want the best of the best, will give your home-bound worker all of the control they could possibly want to endlessly tweak, change and otherwise play with your home network.
With the UniFi range, he’ll even get the UniFi network management software to use to monitor and manage every single one of his devices. This is not only great for keeping him busy, but it’s great for child-safety, too. You’ll be able to monitor the online activity of your children if you wish to and restrict certain kinds of content. It’s also a great learning environment for learning more about networks in general. Give access to your kids, and a future career in IT management could be on the cards!
If ultra-high power, plug-and-play/set-and-forget style hardware is more his style, then the AmpliFi line is the way to go. Foregoing the deep, granular management experience of the UniFi network controller software, the AmpliFi line reduces everything down to app management, meaning setup is fast and intuitive whilst delivering connectivity and speeds that will blow your hair back.
The AmpliFi Instant home wireless router is a great place to start for one-device simplicity, while the hugely popular UniFi Dream Machine, an all-in-one router, network switch, wireless access point and host for the UniFi controller software, lends new meaning to the phrase ‘value for money’.
A Sound System for Everyone
Lithe Audio ceiling speakers don’t just sound great. Though with their titanium tweeter and Kevlar woofer that, with some wearing-in over time, will only ever produce a richer and more complex sound, they certainly sound fabulous. They’re also incredibly easy to install.
A welcome contrast to the typical ceiling speaker installation story; that of home-renovation proportions, builders on-site leaving half-drunk mugs of tea everywhere. With these, it’ll only be your resident weekend warrior you’re clearing up after.
Keep the audiophile in him happy while he shows your children, standing-by either obediently or begrudgingly, how to drill a pilot hole and safely saw a hole in the ceiling. Once it’s done you’ll be able to blast the Christmas tunes from every room of the house that has one or a pair of these installed. With IP44 rated ceiling speakers, there’re even options available suitable for bathrooms and indoor swimming pools.
Unless you’re powering these from a power outlet already situated in your ceiling space, though, we highly recommend getting an electrician in. No one wants an accident over Christmas, after all!
Give The Gift of Security
As protector of the realm, he feels it’s his job to keep you safe. With the UniFi UCV-G3 Bullet security cameras from Ubiquiti, he’ll have a high-tech home security solution that will keep him entertained, intellectually stimulated and content in the feeling that he’s doing his duty to keep his home and his family safe.
If you already own any of Ubiquiti’s UniFi equipment, you’ll be able to use the same management software to manage your UniFi cameras. With the same clean aesthetic as the rest of Ubiquiti’s products, these are cameras you’ll be proud to have seen on the walls of your home, whether interior or exterior.
Conclusion
Gift buying isn’t always easy, but any one of the products mentioned here will give you a boost in your network performance and/or home security that you’ll actually be able to feel and benefit from too. The joy of such a gift won’t end with its utility either. These gifts will keep on giving in forms as varied as better, more immersive home entertainment (Lithe Audio ceiling speakers); a faster, more fluid and stable home network connection (Ubiquiti network hardware from the UniFi or AmpliFi lines); better home security (Ubiquiti UniFi IP cameras).
If you’re interested in upgrading your home to become ‘smarter’, start with a solid foundation by investing in solid networking hardware so your network is stable, reliable and capable.
