If one of the first things you do when you wake up is log onto a social network to see what's going on out there, then you probably noticed that today's not just an ordinary day. Today's one of those days we've blocked off for celebration. The target for today? Fathers. That's right, it's Father's Day, so I thought I might put together a quick list of gadgets and devices that might be worth a look for a cool gift for dad.
I'm just going to go ahead and open up with a device you can't actually buy right now, but can pre-order. I know, I know, who wants a pre-order for a present, right? But unfortunately Samsung didn't time the release of their brand new Tab-branded tablets with Father's Day, so this is what we're forced to work with.
The Galaxy Tab S comes in two variations: 8.4- or 10.5-inch, but they share every other spec between them. That includes a Super AMOLED display that boasts a resolution of 2560x1600. Under the hood you'll find either an Exynos 5 Octa (1.9GHz quad-core and 1.3GHz quad-core combo) or 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, both of which are impressive enough. An 8MP camera on the back and a 2.1-megapixel shooter on the front. They come with 3GB of RAM, and you can pick up a model with either 16GB or 32GB of storage (with a microSD card slot that supports 128GB cards for good measure). They'll launch with Android 4.4 KitKat, too.
But, if you prefer to go with something you can actually use today, then go ahead with an iPad Air. An incredibly light tablet with a Retina display that measures in at 9.7-inches and a resolution of 2048x1536. You can pick up models with storage ranging from 16GB to 128GB, with a 5MP camera on the back and a 1.2MP camera on the front. It'll be running iOS 7 out of the box. There's an A7 64-bit processor under the hood, with an M7 motion coprocessor for good measure.
This one's going to be pretty obvious.
If your dad is looking for a new smartphone, and you want to give him something that's both super stylish and packed with features, then the HTC One M8 is one of your safest bets. A device that boasts a 1080p HD 5-inch display, a metal body, a 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor under the hood, and a 4 UltraPixel camera on the back, with a 5-megapixel camera on the front. It's running Android 4.4 KitKat out of the box, along with HTC's newest version of Sense UI.
Of course, we can't forget Samsung's Galaxy S5, a device that brings all the good things from the Galaxy S 4, and manages to ditch plenty of unnecessary stuff from previous devices as well. Featuring a new design for the plastic back, the Galaxy S5 has 5.1-inch 1080p HD AMOLED display, a 2.5GHz quad-core processor inside to keep everything ticking along, with a 16MP camera on the back and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. It has 2GB of RAM, comes in a variety of models with different built-in storage options, and runs Android 4.4 KitKat out of the box.
Look, in any normal situation I'd probably tell you that you should consider picking up an iPhone 5s, and list the specs and call it a day. However, it's the middle of June and we've seen what Apple's got planned for iOS 8, which means the next iPhone is right around the corner. With a new device coming in probably less than three months, I couldn't recommend an iPhone 5s as a proper gift.
An honorable mention goes to LG's G3, but since it won't see a release until late July, and pre-orders can't even be made yet, that's all I can do for now: mention it.
There is a whole laundry list of gadgets I could include here, but I wanted to keep the list small and focused. Smartphones and tablets are still some of the coolest devices out there, but they're obviously not the only ones. Hopefully you can find something to pick up for your dad, or for yourself if you happen to be a father and are looking to treat yourself. Just be sure to let me know what you're picking up today!
