Father’s Day gift ideas | What the Tech?

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (WHAT THE TECH?) — Father’s Day is less than a month away and some of the hottest gifts this year for dads are electronics. Here are a few ideas:

• Surge protectors

Did you know you should replace your surge protectors every few years? It’s even more frequent for cheap ones.

Each time you have a blackout, the surge protector takes the hit for your big-screen TV. After taking those hits for a couple of years, these power strips won’t protect your TV.

Austere surge protectors have multiple AC outlets and fast-charging USB-C plugs. Two outlets are specifically designed to protect big-screen TVs and two for audio equipment such as surround sound systems.

Although, you can use them for anything that needs protecting from power surges.

Austere surge protectors replace the outlet cover and mount flush against the wall and look nice too.

• Surround sound systems

These systems are great but if dad or granddad has trouble hearing what people on TV are saying, just making the sound louder doesn’t work.

The ZVOX soundbars make movie dialogue easier to hear and understand. Rather than just increasing the volume, these sound bars can lower the sound of background music and special effects and isolate what the actors are saying and make it easier to understand.

• Vinyl records and turntables

These are retro no more. In fact, last year, they outsold CDs!

Audio Technica turntables are a good entry point into vinyl listening. These start at around $100.

For higher-end audiophiles, Marley’s ‘Stir it up’ turntable is a statement piece. It’s made from bamboo and looks as good as it sounds.

Some turntables like this one have built-in Bluetooth so they can listen over headphones, earbuds or a wireless speaker.

If they already have an old turntable, the new ones have many more features. If they have one, you can buy music from their favorite artists for birthdays, Christmas and, of course, next Father’s Day.