Power up the holidays with hot tech gifts

Just in time for the holidays, here’s more electronic goodness than you could ever fit in a stocking.

Video games

Two games from last year are worth buying again because they’re now available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Grand Theft Auto V isn’t just graphically enhanced, it also includes a new first-person perspective. Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition, from Vancouver’s United Front Games, is a remastered version of the crime drama set in Hong Kong and includes all downloadable content from the original release.

As for new releases, the best of the bunch are Dragon Age: Inquisition (PS3, PS4, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One), the third game in the fantasy role-playing series from BioWare in Edmonton, and Far Cry 4 (PS3, PS4, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One) from Ubisoft in Montreal.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection (Xbox One) and Assassin’s Creed: Unity (PS4, Windows, Xbox One) are buggy but astounding when things hang together. While Destiny (PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One) lacks depth, it’s a game players won’t be able to put down.

For the kids, you’ll need to decide between Disney Infinity 2.0 (PS3, PS4, Wii U, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One), which introduces the Marvel superheroes to the game, and Skylanders: Trap Team (3DS, iOS, PS3, PS4, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One), in which the villains can be trapped and put to work for the heroes. There’s also Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham (3DS, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Wii U, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One), which allows players to unlock some 150 “minifig” versions of DC Comics characters.

And for the Wii U, pick up Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros., both of which are essential and work with Nintendo’s new Amiibo toys.

Cameras

The Nikon 1 J4 ($500) may be a point-and-shoot in terms of size, design, and ease of use, but it performs like a DSLR. It can shoot at an astounding 20 frames a second in raw format, and its autofocus keeps up with the action. It can also connect to your smartphone for easy sharing of snaps, or to use your mobile device as a remote.

Of course, most of us just use the camera in our smartphone. To give your shooting the professional touch, check out the Nova portable flash ($60), which is slightly larger than a credit card. You control the colour and brightness of the light its 40 LEDs emit.

Carryalls

Booq has long produced the best bags, backpacks, and sleeves. The sleek Cobra line is designed to carry a laptop, tablet, and smartphone, as well as the accessories all that gear requires. The Brief and the Pack (each $330) differ only in how they’re meant to be carried.

Tablets

Because of the depth of apps available from Apple’s iTunes, the iPad is still the best overall tablet available. The iPad Air 2 ($549 to $899) and the iPad Mini 3 ($439 to $799) are the latest upgrades. The larger screens on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus may make them viable options for some users, especially mobile gamers.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S ($420 and $520), meanwhile, has a display that’s unmatched. With a resolution of 2,560 by 1,600 pixels, the Super AMOLED screen shows stunning colours, making the Tab S ideal for watching movies.

Headphones

The BackBeat Pro model from Plantronics ($300) is about as full-featured as you can get. The over-the-ear headphones are wireless and can connect via Bluetooth to two devices at a time, meaning the movie on your tablet will pause so you can take a call on your phone. The microphones on the outside that enable active noise-cancelling also allow users to adjust the level of outside noise, so they’re safe to wear when biking or hiking. And the 24-hour battery life is drastically extended by a sensor that automatically puts the headphones to sleep when you take them off.

Commuter tech

Every cyclist can stand to be more visible, and with Revolights Skyline (US$200), you can have your visibility built in. A ring of LEDs connects to the rim of the wheels and syncs up with your speed to create a headlight and taillight. Water- and theft-resistant, the LEDs are bright enough to make you visible from any angle.