The holiday season is a time to take step back, relax, and spend time with loved ones. Entrepreneurs, however, are notorious workaholics with serious detachment issues when it comes to their businesses.

In my experience, entrepreneurs are prone to using the soft glow from a Menorah to compose email, taking elevator pitches door-to-door instead of singing carols, or writing code beneath the Christmas tree. As many of you with close friends, family members, or significant others building a startup know, it can take serious plotting to attract their attention.

With that in mind, here is our list of 10 gifts sure to please even the most dedicated entrepreneur. But act quickly — you have less than a week until Christmas.

‘Hackers & Painters: Big Ideas from the Computer Age’

Paul Graham is a entrepreneurial guru. His words ricochet across the startup community and are eagerly adopted as dogma by legions of eager followers. In his book Hackers & Painters: Big Ideas from the Computer Age, Graham offers a glimpse into the “intellectual Wild West” of the tech industry and the forces that make it hum. He also discusses practical ideas about the importance of good design, how to strike it rich, and the benefits of breaking rules. It is a must-read for any aspiring entrepreneur. The book is available digitally or in paperback or hardcover. $5-$30.

Coffee maker

Coffee is a vital part of the startup ecosystem. Entrepreneurs commonly spend extended periods of time in coffee shops before they are able to afford an office and meetings commonly happen over espresso. You will be French-pressed (ha) to find an entrepreneur who isn’t fueled by copious amounts of caffeine. As much as I would love to furnish the entrepreneur in my life with a state-of-the-art, revolutionary, four-tap coffee brewer complete with a self-cleaning milk foamer that delivers an exquisite cup of coffee in 15 seconds (did I mention it connects to iPhones?), it is just not feasible. Unfortunately, the Scanomat TopBrewer is not yet available for sale in the US and outrageously expensive.

Perhaps the Chemex Classic Glass Coffeemaker is a slightly more reasonable gift. These coffeemakers are simple, elegant, and effective — the way all good software should be. They make it easy to brew delicious, high-quality coffee and look good in an office to boot. Plus, maybe the hourglass shape will remind the receiving party that there is more to life than the square of a computer screen. $35-$43.

Portable Ping-Pong table

Ping-Pong tables are a staple of startup offices. A rousing game of table tennis is a good way to stimulate blood flow through the body, bond with coworkers, and most importantly, provide mental space for brilliant “Eureka” moments. Plus you can convert it into a beer pong table for Friday happy hours. This Stiga mini-pong table is lightweight and foldable. It fits deftly into tiny, bootstrapped work spaces, and can you can easily transport it to different offices as the team grows (or dwindles). Along with the table, the set includes the net and post, paddles, and two balls. Because to be a successful entrepreneur, you gotta have balls. $108.

Wardrobe staples

It may be acceptable in Startup Land to pair socks with sandals and sport an endless collection of swag, but keep in mind that “acceptable” and “attractive” are two entirely separate and distinct concepts. Every young CEO should have at least one presentable outfit that is well-made and fits well. Chances are good that at some point there will be investor dinners, swanky events with influencers and potential high-profile clients, or maybe even a nonbusiness occasion to dress nicely for. Like a date, for example.

Blank Label offers customized hand-cut, hand-stitched, hand-pressed tailored shirts. Customers can either browse the site’s collection of stylish shirts or choose every detail. They then answer 10 quick questions to help with tailoring because “you’re better than the pro fitting shirts in your wardrobe” and the shirt will be delivered. The result: instant style. Gift-givers can either design the shirt for their entrepreneur, or purchase a gift card. Shirts range in cost from $75 to $150.

For female founders, Bow and Drape is a fashion startup where women can custom design classic dresses and have them made-to-order. $200 to $400.

Powerbag

Running out of power is a major anxiety point for entrepreneurs who rely on their phones, tablets, and computers for, well, everything. With meetings all around town, long rides to the South Bay, and crowded coffee shops with limited electrical outlets, staying charged up can be quite the challenge. Enter Powerbag, which sells a line of backpacks, messenger bags and briefcases that come equipped with a complete charging system. Each bag has a battery, Apple connector, USB connectors and ports, and power adapters. It can charge up to four devices at a time. $140 to $250.  

Subscription services 

Manpacks is a subscription service that provides “manly basics” like socks, underwear, razors, toiletries, and condoms every three months. Each guy picks the specific items he needs on a regular basis so he doesn’t have to waste precious hours visiting the drug store. As it says on the site that this allows more time to “slay dragons.” In honor of the season, Manpacks is selling one-time delivery gift packs. For this particular scenario, I advise the CEO Giftpack. It includes boxer briefs, Windsor socks, V-neck undershirts, and shoe-shine wipes. $75.

A bevy of subscription services are out there for women, but we (for the most part) prefer to buy underwear ourselves, and something about a tampon subscription service seems inappropriate for the holidays. Beauty subscription service Birchbox has some excellent holiday offerings for the lady-on-the-go, including travel-sized scents, dry shampoo, and eye cream to mask those dark circles.

Noise-cancelling headphones 

When starting a company, buzz is usually a good thing. Unless it is a distraction. Whether it is to block out chatty coworkers or hunker down to work with some serious electronic music, noise-cancelling headphones are a godsend for anyone trying to focus. The Bose QuietComfort model can be controlled from iPhones or iPods, include a mic for hands-free calling, and have a long battery life, which is great for long-distance flights. Or for three-day work-athons when your entrepreneur doesn’t leave the office for fresh air or supplies. $300.

iPhone 5 case and card holder

They may forget to shower, and they may forget their keys, but few entrepreneurs will go anywhere without their iPhones. These devices are like an extension of their body, so you may as well give them something attractive to keep it in. Hard Graft offers a range of drool-worthy wool and leather tech accessories. This phone case not only sheaths the latest Apple product, but also has a pocket in the back to carry along credit cards, cash, and of course, business cards. Hard Graft also makes products for iPads and iPad Minis, every size of the Macbook, and the 11-inch Air. $90.

Nike+ FuelBand

Paul Graham advises the founders going through Y Combinator to focus on three things: talking to customers, building product, and exercise. This does not leave much room for family, friends, or significant others, but it does provide a valuable gift suggestion. Sitting at a desk all day is detrimental for physical health, and working out is a great way to relieve stress. Buy the entrepreneur in your life a Nike+ Fuelband to help them get the physical activity they need to stay on their A-game. Plus, the quantified self movement is gaining ground within the tech community and any entrepreneur is sure to get excited about the latest gadget fad. Nike is even targeting entrepreneurs with its Nike+ Accelerator to drive innovation in fitness technology, powered by TechStars. It’s both a functional accessory and a business opportunity. $149.

Whiskey

Whiskey is an entrepreneur’s best friend. It is a drink to help unwind at the end of a long day and a drink to calm nerves. It is a drink to celebrate with and a drink for drowning sorrows. Furnish your entrepreneur with a Whiskey Disks Tasting Set, which includes two crystal tumblers and four soapstone disks. After putting these disks in the freezer, they will chill the beverage without diluting the taste. (Preventing dilution is a good thing for whiskey and founders alike.) Also consider pairing it with a bottle of Kings Country Whiskey. This distillery is “hacking” whiskey-making through its unorthodox approach to production. $55 for the tasting set; $28 for a 200 ml bottle of the booze.

Forget light-up balls and electronic doggie doors. Here’s some dog-related technology that’s actually cool. These toys range from totally useful to cute and slightly absurd, but we promise your dog (or your dog-loving friends and family) will love them.

Best of all, most of these gadgets won’t break the bank and will add something significant to the recipient dog’s health, well being, and peace of mind.

DogTV

OK, OK. Buying a subscription TV channel for your dog sounds a bit … much. But DogTV is the kind of programming your dog wants to watch; it’ll keep her engaged and curious while you’re at the store or at work. And an engaged dog is a dog that isn’t eating your furniture or “crying” loudly enough that the neighbors write you nasty email.

DogTV is available from some cable providers and as a Roku channel.

About: “DOGTV’s 24/7 programming helps stimulate, entertain, relax, and habituate dogs with shows that expose them to various movements, sounds, objects, experiences and behavior patterns, all from a dog’s point of view.”

Perfect for: The dog who loves puppy videos on YouTube.

Price: $10 a month

Doggie DNA Kit

For the curious or scientifically minded pet owner, check out these Wisdom Panel DNA kits. With a simple cheek swab, you can find out what breeds went into making your lovable mutt the gorgeous creature she is — or you can certify your high-dollar designer dog as the bona fide offspring of two purebreed parents.

About: “Where does Buddy get his curly tail from? Why does he love digging holes in the backyard? Could I be doing more to make him happier and healthier? Your dog may not be able to tell you the answers — but his DNA can. … When you understand your dog’s natural tendencies, you can tailor a training, exercise and nutrition program to his needs.”

Perfect for: Mixed-breed dogs and their owners, especially for newer pets.

Price: $75 for mixed-breed reports

A Laser Tower

Dogs don’t have thumbs, so remote-control toys are right out, but this laser tower from Sharper Image is the next-best thing. It shoots the (harmless, we’re told) laser in 16 pattern, with a 360-degree scope for maximum play benefits.

About: “Safe, automatic rotating laser provides hours of active fun for dogs and cats. It projects a safe laser dot across the floor in unpredictable patterns that oscillate, stop, and change directions. It’s been proven to tempt even the laziest ‘couch pet-tato’ to hunt, play, chase, and pounce.”

Perfect for: The dog who’s already obsessed with laser pointers — or the dog who has to spend a fair amount of time alone at home.

Price: $30

Dog Pedometer & Cloud Health System from Fujitsu

So, you know Fitbit and Nike’s Fuelband, right? Well, Wandant is basically like that but for dogs. Fujitsu’s latest gadget is a tag and collar that track your dog’s every move, including footsteps, shivering, and even temperature changes. All this info uploads to a cloud-based health diary; all you do is hold the tag near a computer or smartphone. In the service, you can also input details on diet, exercise, and “dog business,” aka bowel movements. The link above will get you to Amazon’s Japanese site, where you can buy the device now; Fujitsu hasn’t yet said when Wandant will wag its way to other markets.

About: “The Wandant tag uses a three-axis accelerometer and automated inference technology to count steps based on detected foreleg movements, the speed of foreleg movements, and leg length, resulting in the pet care industry’s first automatic pedometer fully adapted for dogs. This results in highly accurate pace counts, measured automatically.”

Perfect for: The health nut and his or her companion animal.

Price: ~$120 plus $5/month for the cloud service

Tagg, the Pet Tracker

What’s sadder than a lost dog? Let’s not even dwell on it; the holidays are not the time to ponder such depressing hypotheticals. Instead, let’s all buy one another Taggs for our roaming-prone pets. This device takes some of the pain and stress out of one of the scariest parts of pet ownership: despite your best efforts, the dog has wandered too far out of sight during off-leash playtime or has somehow escaped through an unseen hole in the fence. Tagg clips onto a collar and provides GPS tracking for your pet. It also monitors your dog’s exercise levels.

About: “Tagg, the Pet Tracker, is a purpose-built pet tracking device that uses advanced GPS and wireless technology to track your pet’s location and activity from your computer or mobile device, 24 hours a day. If your pet strays from your Tagg zone, the Tagg system alerts you by email or text message, so you can find him on a map and bring him home.”

Perfect for: Anxious pet parents or wandering dogs

Price: $100 and $8/month

Puppy Tweets

Puppy Tweets is a weird novelty, but it’ll be the all-time perfect gift for that person who lives in the overlap of the Venn diagram of “social media whore” and “totally devoted dog owner.” Basically, it’s a clip-on device for your dog’s collar that tracks their activity — sounds, movement, eating, playtime — and posts to Twitter on their behalf.

The sad part: It looks like the maker is slowly going bye-bye. Grab the last few units on Amazon and eBay and set up your account while you still can!

About: “If your dog is barking, you might get a Tweet like ‘Bark … and the whole neighborhood barks with you!’ When she’s sleeping, look out for ‘Had a wonderful dream about you. You were bringing me snacks!’ And at lunch your puppy might say ‘You at lunch? Remember the two most beautiful words in the English language: DOGGIE BAG!’”

Perfect for: See above: “Social media whore” + “devoted dog owner”

Price: Check eBay and Amazon for listings.

Images courtesy of Jolie O’Dell, DogTV.com, Petsmart.com, Sharper Image, Fujitsu, PetLoveShack, and Puppy Tweets

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

I love my parents, and I always I do whatever I can to upgrade their daily dose of technology whenever I can. But when it comes to watching television, they’ve made one thing abundantly clear: They’re not cutting the cord.

So for them and several others with loved ones who feel the same (siblings, brother- and sister-in-laws, best friends, and so on), I’ve put together a gift guide to help the proud cable TV subscribers upgrade their viewing experience. We’re not talking about replacing cable TV with Internet video here — just augmenting it.

Upgrading the remote: Samsung Galaxy Tab + Peel app

Most universal remote controls are overly complicated and contain an exuberant amount of buttons, most of which are unnecessary for each device. Instead, I suggest picking up a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 ($199-$349), which contains the same IR technology used in remote controls. And once you’ve done that, make sure to download the Peel Android app (free).

Peel lets you set the channel guide to your local TV provider’s channel lineup. You can then track only the channels you actually watch. Instead of the standard grid-guide view, Peel shows you only the shows you’re interested in, grouped into genres and using familiar artwork. It even goes a step further and lets you stop tracking the shows you never, ever, ever want to watch (like the majority of all reality television shows and major sitcoms).

Upgrading the DVR: Boxee TV

You know those commercials DirecTV is playing that emphasize the growing strife between couples who are unable to adequately record all the TV shows they want to watch? Well, the Boxee team sympathizes, which is why it pivoted its company to start producing a new Boxee TV set-top box ($99) that allows you to record an unlimited amount of shows for one monthly fee ($15 per month). All your shows are available “in the cloud,” so you’ll need to have an adequate Internet connection. That shouldn’t be that big of a deal for anyone already spending $100 a month on their cable bill. Check out our hands-on of the Boxee TV for a closer look at how it works.

Upgrading the cable box: Xbox 360 + Xbox Live

If you’ve already got an Xbox 360 around the house that isn’t getting as much use as it should, this could be a good option for Comcast and Verizon FiOS subscribers. (If you don’t have one, a new Xbox starts at $199.) Microsoft has teamed up with these cable providers to essentially replace their own cable boxes with the Xbox 360 console. That means the channel navigation is faster and much prettier than what’s usually offered on the standard box. And as a side note, the Xbox can also give you access to HBO Go, Hulu, Netflix, and more. You’ll need to sign up for an Xbox Live Gold account, which costs $45 for a year.

Upgrading movie rentals: Roku

I can’t be the only person in the world who automatically cringes when I see my parents spending $6-$8 on a movie rental through their cable provider. I’ve suggested they use Redbox as an alternative or break down and buy a set-top box. Well, this year I’m just going to go ahead and buy my folks a Roku ($50-$100), which gives them plenty of options to rent and buy new releases from a variety of providers. The few come to mind immediately are Vudu, Amazon Prime, Flixster, and M-Go.

Upgrading photo/video sharing: Apple TV

If your family members are exclusively iPhone/iPad users, the Apple TV ($99) is a no brainer. You’ll be able to rent or buy movies/TV shows from iTunes, watch Netflix and Hulu, and, probably the most important part, share all your photos, videos, and such on a big screen TV via Apple’s Airplay feature. It’s very easy to use, so I’m guessing you’ll only have to walk your family through the process once before they get the hang of it.

TV upgrade image via iQoncept/Shutterstock

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

The single hottest tech gift category this holiday season will undoubtedly be tablets. While Amazon’s $199 Kindle Fire kicked off the budget tablet trend last year, this year we’re seeing many more options available, and they’re also much improved over the original Kindle Fire.

It’s not difficult to find a fast and well-designed tablet this year that won’t break the bank. In fact, you’d probably have to try hard to get stuck with a truly bad tablet.

I was never a big fan of big tablets. Even as Apple’s large iPad slimmed down its weight and added much more powerful hardware over the years, it has always seemed like a device that’s not as convenient for content consumption as smaller tablets, and not as useful as a laptop for actually producing content.

But this year we saw tablets that truly showed the potential of the entire category.

Best overall tablet: iPad Mini

When it came to deciding on the best tablet of the year, the choice was simple. I love the iPad Mini. It’s everything that the large iPad isn’t: light, convenient, and preciously tiny. It packs in the power of the iPad 2 in the weight of your average paperback book, and it still manages to be the cheapest iPad offering yet at $329 (compared to the big iPad’s standard $499 price).

Sure, it doesn’t have a sharp Retina Display, and its hardware is admittedly dated, but it’s one of those devices that you need to touch and feel to truly appreciate. Once you use the iPad Mini for a day, it’s almost impossible to go back to anything bigger.

The Android-powered Nexus 7 is a much better deal for $199 (more on that below), as is Amazon’s 7-inch Kindle Fire. But both of those tablets lack the iPad Mini’s superior assortment of apps. Apple clearly isn’t trying to compete with other smaller tablets when it comes to price.

If your budget’s tight, it may be tough to justify the iPad Mini compared to its pint-sized competitors. But if you don’t mind spending a bit more, the iPad Mini will undoubtedly be your best tablet choice (until the iPad Mini 2 comes out).

Best Android tablet (and best budget tablet): Nexus 7

Prior to the iPad Mini’s debut, Google’s 7-inch Nexus 7 was my favorite tablet. It’s fast, portable, surprisingly stylish (for something built by Asus), and best of all, it’s freaking cheap at $199. With the Nexus 7, Google blows away Amazon’s original Kindle Fire and proves that it’s possible to build a cheap tablet that doesn’t stink.

I raved about the Nexus 7 in my review, and it’s only gotten better with Android’s recent updates. It’s the perfect tablet for newcomers because it can accomplish most basic tasks — like web browsing, email, and media consumption — without killing your wallet (which also makes it the perfect gift). If you’re already a heavy user of other Google services, like Gmail and Google Calendar, it’ll sync up with those painlessly too.

In general, I’m not too hot on Android tablets. Google has been slow to make Android truly tablet-friendly, and there’s still a surprising lack of decent tablet apps. But the Nexus 7 is cheap and functional enough to even make me recommend it. (If you really need a large Android tablet, the Nexus 10 is also nice — but you don’t really need a big Android tablet.)

Amazon’s revamped Kindle Fire is another decent budget tablet option, but since it can only run a limited selection of Android apps, I think the Nexus 7 remains a better choice.

Best big tablet: iPad 4th gen

Okay, so you don’t agree with me that small tablets are truly the best. Or you just have to have the most horsepower available. Or perhaps you work in digital photography and need an incredibly high-resolution tablet screen. Then Apple’s latest iPad ($499), which adds a blazing fast quad-core graphics on top of last generation’s gorgeous Retina Display, is the best choice for you.

In general, if you absolutely need a big tablet, then go for the latest generation iPad. Big Android tablets have historically been too expensive and lacked the features and apps that have made the iPad so popular. Microsoft made a noble attempt at taking on the iPad this year with the Surface, which better bridges the gap between tablet and laptop. But as I explained in my review, the Surface simply has too many compromises for me to recommend to anyone aside from hardware geeks.

Best kids’ tablet: LeapFrog LeapPad2

LeapFrog’s first LeapPad proved that it could create a tough, inexpensive, and educational tablet for kids. With the $99 LeapPad 2, it raised the bar even higher. The new tablet for children features more memory, front and rear cameras, and a recharger (because relying entirely on AA batteries can get expensive).

It still plays the same cartridges and downloadable apps as the original LeapFrog, which includes games, videos, and e-books featuring popular characters.

I haven’t had much time to play with the LeapPad2, but in my exploration of kid-friendly tablets it’s clearly the best option.

Wrapping up: Finally, there’s a tablet for everyone

The one major takeaway for tablets this year is that there are finally enough options to satisfy everyone — including a tablet critic like me. Small tablets entered the market in full force and showed that their portability and lower prices make them hard to ignore.

I suspect we’ll see less hype around big tablets over the next few years (just look at how Apple unceremoniously unveiled the fourth-generation iPad at the iPad Mini event). Instead, we’ll likely see more devices like Microsoft’s Surface trying to make tablets more useful, and laptops more like tablets.

For more information on the tablets above, as well as other tablets on the market, check out our tablet comparison chart, with data supplied by FindTheBest, below.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

The sad reality of the technology world is that many of the best gadgets are also really expensive. Tablets, smartphones, game consoles — the high end of the gadget world is dominated by some really awesome devices that come with equally scary prices. And this makes them awful as gifts. (Though, admittedly, we have a gift guide for tablets as well.)

The cure, then, is clear: Go cheaper. Plenty of devices on the lower end of the price spectrum do some pretty impressive things, and the gadgets you’ll find below are some of our favorites.

For the failed home gardener: Koubachi Wi-Fi plant sensor

Some people are really good at taking care of plants. For everyone else, there’s the Koubachi Wi-Fi plant sensor. Once placed in the soil of a plant, the sensor gives forgetful botanists the low down on all the plant’s vitals, including moisture levels, light intensity, and temperature. All this information is fed to the Koubachi app, which lets you see how your plants are doing — even when you’re out of the country. Something tells me the house plant mortality rate is about to drop precipitously. $100.

For the kids: Furby

With every holiday season comes that one toy parents scratch each other’s eyes out over in toy stores, and this year it’s the Furby. Furbies have always sat on the divide between cute and creepy, but the latest revision is something else: super high-tech. Along with the toy, Mattel has created an iOS app that kids can use to both feed Furby and figure out what the heck the thing is talking about. $80

For the writer: Moleskine’s Evernote Smart Notebook

Being a writer is tough nowadays: Do you stick to paper or fully embrace the promise of the cloud? The Moleskine Evernote Smart Notebook turns that conundrum into a compromise: Not only can it be used as a regular old notebook, but the included smart stickers let you upload your notes (and automatically tag them) simply by photographing them. Comes with two free months of Evernote Premium. $30

For the eco nut: Square water bottle

There are about as many water bottles on the market are there are drops of water in the ocean — but the Square is different. Solving one of the central problems with water bottle sanitation, the Square opens at both ends, allowing owners to clean it with unparalelled ease. The best part? It won’t roll away if you drop it. $45.

For the bibliophile: Kindle Paperwhite

With the Kindle Paperwhite, Amazon has once again improved on a fairly spotless formula: Create a well-designed device and attach it to a seemingly infinite ecosystem of content, and you have a device that’s pretty tough for the average book lover to pass up. And by giving its latest eReader a backlight, Amazon has made the whole package that much more compelling. $120

For the music lover: Jambox

There are a lot of Bluetooth speakers out there, but none rise to the level of elegance of the Jambox. Deceptively small, the Jambox blows out some pretty powerful sound for a device that’s just 1.6 pounds. Oh, and it comes in four colors. $130.

For the fitness fanatic: Jawbone Up

If personal sensors are the future, let’s hope that future looks a lot like the Jawbone Up. More than a fitness tracker, the Up is capable of tracking your whole life: hours slept, calories burned, distance traveled — everything falls within the Up’s purview, which makes the device not only comprehensive, but wicked smart, too. The Up’s insight engine means that the device can also learn things about how its wearer lives and help that individual develop new habits — in theory, anyway. (To get a sense of how well it works, check out our review.) $130

For the cable cutter: Mohu Leaf

For anyone whose severed their relationship with their local cable provider, devices like the Mohu Leaf are a godsend. The super thin HDTV antenna gives owners clear access to local over-the-air programming, which, for a lot of people, is all the television they need. $40

For the hardware hacker: iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit

The gadget teardown wizkids at iFixit are good at what they do, and with the  iFixIt Pro Tech Toolkit, a lot of other people can be too. The kit gives you access to a wide range of indispensable tools, including openers, tweezers, a spudger, and 54 screw driver bits. For anyone who’s always wanted to crack open their electronics, there’s probably no better gift than this. $60