Ted Kritsonis

VR, or virtual reality, is a big deal, not just at CES 2016, but in its sheer potential to wow users with the expansive content it’s capable of producing. The HTC Vive is getting closer to reach for consumers, and is among the most intriguing devices at the show this year. I got some extended hands-on time with it, coming away with a good impression.

Parrot has already shown its latest fixed wing Disco drone at CES this year, but there’s also the Bebop 2, a successor to the company’s previous quadcopter that came to Canada last year. Parrot did a neat synchronized demo with about eight of the drones at the company’s booth. A smaller frame and more capable flying mechanics make this an interesting unit.

Parrot is known for drones, and has generally stuck to the quadcopter design—until now. The Disco is a fixed wing drone that not only looks completely different from what came before it, but will also fly differently, too. The new model was showcased to a select group of journalists prior to CES, and I got some face time with it.

The 2016 Consumer Electronics Show—or CES as it’s more commonly known—is upon us, and poised to show off more cool technology to wow attendees. The show is largely an opportunity for vendors to introduce what’s possible, like proof of concepts, prototypes and ideas that may never be available to you, the consumers. Still, much of what is there does make it to retail, like Best Buy, and in 2015, that was certainly the case.

Virtual reality is a real thing now. Yes, it has existed for some time, but the concept of immersing yourself in it in a portable way at home and on the go is one major difference. As is the quality of content. Samsung’s Gear VR is a headset with the imprint of Oculus, arguably the most popular company in the VR space today. It’s not the Oculus Rift, of course, but the Gear VR can open up some new worlds with the right smartphone inside.

Buying a tablet for someone is one of those functional gifts that should get great mileage and plenty of use. There are more than a few to choose from, so weaving through the 150 models and options available at Best Buy requires thought and research to get the right fit. This isn’t as hard as it sounds, and you can look like a genius once the gift-giving starts.

Buying a smartphone for someone is a very generous gift, in and of itself, though being such a personal device, you naturally want it to be the right fit. With so many handsets to choose from, breaking down the bevy of options to go with something that suits a particular loved one requires some patience, and maybe even some stealthy investigating. The good news is that it’s easy to get the goods and make a more informed buying decision.

This year’s duo of Nexus smartphones has been the best Google has come to market with thus far, offering the best marriage of hardware and software to date. The Nexus 5X is the more affordable option between the two, though it benefits from having some of the same internal components. It also sports the same untouched version of Android 6.0 Marshmallow, making it far more open to customization.

If you have a Google Chromecast already, then you likely know what it’s capable of. If you don’t, then you may interested to find out. The small, affordable device is known for being able to stream YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, NHL GameCenter and much more directly from a smartphone or tablet, and is capable of doing some other cool things with the right settings.