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Holiday Gift Guide 2016

Long ago, many in the world decreed that the end of the calendar year should be a time to give people gifts. Some partake in this tradition with Christmas gifts, or gifts for Hannukah, Festivus, or even Oatmeal Muffin Day (December 20th, don't forget). Some celebrate via white elephant parties, family gatherings, or just because so many things were on sale on Amazon so why not? Whether you need something big for your best friends, meaningful for your mom, lavish for yourself, or a cheap $20 whatever for a distant Facebook buddy who sent you a gift card, The Verge is here to help. Our holiday gift guide is full of ideas handpicked by The Verge staff. Enjoy!

At Home

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The Folio Society Edition of A Wizard of Earthsea

The Folio Society edition of A Wizard of Earthsea is a beautiful hardcover edition that includes new illustrations to Ursula K. Le Guin's fantasy classic. Other new editions are available at the Folio Society's site.

$52.95 at The Folio Society

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Absinthe Making Kit

Why make moonshine out of old cleaning supplies when Absinthe is an option? This kit gives you the freedom to create your personal poison, complete with a very cute bottle. Think of all the alcoholic things you could put in there.

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AeroPress Coffee Maker

I know everyone’s into drip coffee these days, but the AeroPress Coffee Maker is the best single-cup coffee maker on the market, hands down. The cleanup is effortless and the coffee just tastes better. And unlike other trendy single-cup coffee makers like Keurig, you can rest assured that your morning cup of coffee isn’t destroying the environment.

$29.95 at Amazon

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Amazon Echo Dot

Amazon's Echo Dot takes the same always-on Alexa voice assistant from the Echo, and puts it in a smaller, cheaper form factor so that you can use it with your own speakers or scatter them around your house for a simple smart home solution.

$49.99 at Amazon

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BenQ HT2050 projector

For your next movie night, try a projector. The BenQ HT2050 takes up much less space than a regular TV, is easily portable, and can make an absolutely massive 180-inch screen.

$799 at BenQ Direct

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B&O Play BeoPlay H6

The second generation of the BeoPlay H6 are the best portable headphones on the market today. They look beautiful, with leather-clad ear pads, aluminum construction, and striking Scandinavian style, but what sets them apart is the dynamism and sheer joy of their sound. 2016's subtlest surprise.

$299 at Amazon

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Cifra 3 Flip Clock

Solari di Udine is a company famous for its flip clocks. The Cifra 3 is considered the pinnacle of its industrial design, and is perfect for adding some retro / modern style to your life.

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Como Audio Solo

The Como Audio Solo takes the wireless and Bluetooth internals of today's modern speakers and pairs them with the elegant wooden cabinets and physical knobs of classic speakers to give you the best of both worlds when it comes to style and sound.

$299 at Amazon

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Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer

Dyson's bladeless fans are a futuristic way to cool down a room. The Dyson Supersonic adds that same high-tech bladeless technology to your hair dryer.

$399.99 at Dyson

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EveryDayCook

Alton Brown is known for combining science and humor to explain not only the how of cooking, but also the why. This is all present in his new cookbook, but it’s really more focused on the recipes, techniques, and equipment that he personally finds himself using most often. Also if you weren’t sold on it yet there’s a recipe for breakfast spaghetti.

$23.09 at Amazon

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Guillermo del Toro: At Home with Monsters

As a director and a stylist, Guillermo del Toro has almost certainly inherited the mantle of one of the greatest horror masters of the 20th century. He gave us Pan's Labyrinth, Pacific Rim, and even Blade 2. Guillermo del Toro: At Home with Monsters offers a look at the director's creative process and where he draws his inspiration for his creepy creatures. This book is a must-have for any horror fan.

$19.49 at Amazon

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Lenovo Yoga Book

The Lenovo Yoga Book is a new type of tablet computer, complete with a touch-sensitive keyboard panel that you can write on with a stylus or even digitize notes taken with pen and paper.

$499 at Walmart

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NASA Grand Tour posters

NASA's space tourism poster series are beautiful visions of our interplanetary future. And all of the designs are available for download for free from NASA's website, making it easy to get a copy. A signed version of the Grand Tour poster is also availible for purchase from the artists at Invisible Creature.

FREE at NASA

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New Mac candle

There's nothing quite like getting a brand-new computer. And while you may not be ready to upgrade your Mac just yet, you can at least enjoy that "New Mac" smell anytime with this scented candle.

$24 at Twelve South

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No Man's Sky: Music For An Infinite Universe vinyl boxset

This No Man's Sky vinyl collection skips the burden of space travel and offers the game’s electric tunes all in one package. If you’re not already the proud owner of a record player, consider its artistic value and try mounting it.

$33.24 at Amazon

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Petcube Play

The Petcube pet camera makes sure you never have to spend time without your cat, offering a controllable laser and 1080p video camera so that you can play with Mr. Mittens from anywhere in the world.

$199.00 at Amazon

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Roku Ultra

Cable TV is the way of the past. The Roku Ultra will get all your streaming services on your TV, with full 4K and HDR support. And Roku's huge library of content channels means you'll always be able to find something to watch.

$129 at Amazon

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Sonos PLAY:1 smart speaker

Whether it's used as a single speaker on a desk or a house-spanning Sonos set, the Play:1 is a great option for anyone who wants to get started with wireless speakers. Oh, and it sounds great, too. Note: The Play:1 shown here is a limited edition color that's no longer sold. The Play:1 is still available in black and white options.

$199 at Amazon

At Play

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Anki Cozmo

The Anki Cozmo is a tiny toy robot that's more or less your own personal WALL-E. But it's also a highly advanced AI with a robust SDK that you can use to control and modify the robot's actions.

$179.99 at Amazon

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Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders

Atlas Obscura's jump from website to travel book compiles some of the best off-the-beaten-path travel sites from around the world. It's a great read, whether you're planning your next globe-trotting adventure or are just curious to find something new nearby.

$21 at Amazon

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AgIC Circuit Marker Set

No silicon chips? No problem. AGIC's circuit breaker pen lets you draw fully working circuitry on special sheets of paper, making it easier than ever to design the electronic device of your dreams.

$47.53 at Amazon

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Crosstalk

What if people could read each other’s minds? That's the question at the heart of Crosstalk, a new novel that combines mind reading, romantic comedy, and the exploration of how much today's technology makes us share about ourselves.

$18.95 at Amazon

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Etch A Sketch

It’s not easy or fun to draw things on an Etch A Sketch, but you can be rid of your hideous work in one second with a vigorous shake! This classic toy will take you back in time to the long afternoons in your grandma’s basement.

$25.95 at Amazon

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Fatboy Lamzac

Beanbag chairs are wonderful clouds of joy, but they take up a lot of space and make your apartment look like a dorm room. An inflatable lounger, on the other hand, is great for both crashing in front of the TV but can be easily stashed away when you have company over.

$59.99 at Fatboy

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GoPro Hero 5 Black or Session

When it comes to action cameras, GoPro is the name to beat, and it's latest Hero 5 models are no exception. Whether you go with the flagship Hero 5 Black or the smaller Hero 5 Session, you'll get voice commands to control the camera, 4K video at 30fps, and up to 33 feet of waterproofing for recording your next adventure.

$299 at Amazon

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Hamilton: The Revolution

Tickets to actually see Hamilton are still nigh-impossible to get. But Hamilton: A Revolution, which catalogs the behind-the-scenes development and full lyrics of the Broadway show, is the next best thing to being in the room where it happens.

$27 at Amazon

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UE Boom 2

Bluetooth speakers can help make even the dullest holiday party or family get-together fun. And the UE Boom 2 is the best Bluetooth speaker you can buy.

$158 at Amazon

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Otamatone

The Otamatone is the most strangely adorable musical toy instrument made by Japanese art group Maywa Denki. It takes a while to master, so hopefully you have a high tolerance for squawking mouth friends.

$23.46 at Amazon

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Overwatch

Overwatch is a team-based competitive multiplayer shooter with a wildly diverse group of characters, each with their own unique weapons and abilities. So grab some friends, group up on the payload, and remember: no team ever needs three different Hanzos.

$54.58 at Amazon

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NES Classic Edition

Nintendo is bringing us back to the '80s with the NES Classic, a miniature version of the NES that adds HDMI support and includes 30 of the best games ever released on the original console built right in.

$59.99 at Amazon

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PlayStation VR Launch Bundle

PlayStation VR isn't the most cutting-edge virtual reality system on the market. But it's easy to use, it works well, and it's leagues ahead of anything you can do with your phone. It's also got a lineup of games (albeit a small one) that can please just about anyone. Just make sure to get the bells and whistles along with the headset.

$441.76 at Amazon

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Spaceteam card game

The IRL version of the game app features just as much yelling, flailing, and hilarity, and much less futzing with connectivity issues. Cooperative team-building exercise or an excuse to scream at your friends for withholding the tools you need? You decide.

$24.99 at Amazon

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Swing Time

Swing Time is award-winning author Zadie Smith's fifth novel, and it continues the work delving into class and race that Smith started with her first book, White Teeth. Here, two girls dream of becoming dancers, but things get complicated when those dreams manifest in different yet deeply connected ways.

$17.53 at Amazon

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Teenage Engineering OP-1

The Teenage Engineering OP-1 is a portable synthesizer with a great design and a host of accessories so you can experiment with music and lay down sick beats from anywhere.

$849 at Amazon

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The Big Book of Science Fiction

The Big Book of Science Fiction is exactly what the title suggests: it's a massive, 1,200-page tome featuring some of the best work from science fiction's greatest authors. Want to get into the minds of Arthur C. Clarke or Octavia E. Butler? Or are you just a lover of cyberpunk and space operas? Start here.

$15.99 at Amazon

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The Book: A Cover-to-Cover Exploration of the Most Powerful Object of Our Time

The Book, by Keith Houston is, in a rather meta fashion, a book about the history of books. Perfect for the booklover who likes reading, history, or just wants to know how we got from clay tablets to libraries full of paperbacks.

$17.82 at Amazon

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The Fifty-Year Mission

Star Trek turned 50 this year, and there's no better way to catch up on the long and storied history of the sci-fi phenomenon than this complete, two-part oral history that dives deep into the making of the franchise.

$19.49 at Amazon

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The Lego Animation Book

Don't just build Lego sets, animate them. The Lego Animation Book is a guide to turning your stationary Lego into stop-motion works of art, with advice on everything from building to filming.

$14.76 at Amazon

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Lego Technic Porsche 911 GT3 RS

This ain't your childhood Lego set. With more than 2,700 pieces and functional steering and transmission, the Porsche 911 GT3 RS Lego Technic set is nearly as complicated as the car on which it's based. The 500-plus-page instruction manual doubles as a coffee table book that examines how the project came to be. A must-have for any car / Lego enthusiast.

$299.99 at Lego

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The Queue

Set in a Kafka-esque alternative world Egypt where an authority known as “The Gate” must give permission for almost everything, The Queue is a study on the nature of authoritarianism and how people respond to it.

$9.96 at Amazon

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Time Travel: A History

Time travel doesn't exist (yet some people hope) and, according to James Gleick, it cannot. But that hasn't kept people from dreaming about it. Gleick's book is a fascinating look at the cultural (and scientific) history of the idea, from H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine to the philosophy of cyberspace.

$17.27 at Amazon

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United States of Japan

Intended as a successor to Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle, United States of Japan imagines a world where Japan won World War II. Also, there are giant mechs.

$10.19 at Amazon

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Wilson X Connected Football

The Wilson X smart football connects to your smartphone and can track the velocity, spin, spiral efficiency, and distance of your throws. It's got everything you need to go pro.

$199.99 at Amazon

At Work

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Apple MacBook Pro

Apple's new MacBook Pro has a crazy new Touch Bar instead of function keys, a slimmer design, and the most powerful hardware ever put into an Apple laptop.

$2,799 at B&H

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Beats Solo3

The first version of the Beats Solo wireless headphones released since Apple's acquisition, the Beats Solo3 offer 40 hours of playback and are some of the first headphones to ship with Apple's new W1 chip for reliable wireless audio.

$299.95 at Walmart

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Bioluminescent aquarium

Taking care of pets is a lot of responsibility. Taking care of bioluminescent plankton, on the other hand, is relatively easy. And the fact that the aquarium is dinosaur-shaped is really just an added bonus.

$59.95 at Uncommon Goods

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Bitty Foods Cricket Flour Cookies

By 2050, nearly 10 billion people will live on this planet. To feed them all, we might have to start eating insects. So to prepare my parents and relatives, I'm planning on giving them a pack of these cookies made with cricket flour. They have a nutty, earthy flavor, and don’t leave antennae sticking out of your mouth! Yum!

$9.99 at Amazon

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Cyberoptix ties

Cyberoptix's ties don't come in boring checkered patterns or solid colors. Instead, they spruce up your look with chemistry equations, blueprints, and other cool STEM-inspired designs.

$36 at Cyberoptix

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Field Notes Kraft Ruled 3-Pack

Perfect for quickly jotting down thoughts, ideas, or even grocery lists, Field Notes' memo books have quickly become the gold standard in on-the-go note-taking, and with the high-quality paper and attention to detail that goes into each one, it's easy to see why.

$9.95 at Amazon

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Hobonichi Techo

Sometimes you just need a physical day planner, and it’s hard to find one better than the Techo. It’s compact and has an aesthetically pleasing and functional design. If you aren’t a fan of the black exterior they have specially designed covers, which not only make it look better, but add pockets, two bookmarks, and a pen holder.

$39.99 at Amazon

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HP Spectre 13

The HP Spectre 13 is HP's attempt to make the thinnest laptop on the market. And somehow, it still packs ultrabook-quality specs into the incredibly small case, making it one of the most powerful computers of its size.

$1,069.99 at HP

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Lamy Vista Fountain Pen

Fountain pens make everything you write feel fancy, and the Lamy Vista has the added bonus of letting you see how the internal ink mechanism actually delivers ink to paper.

$37 at Amazon

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Pad and Quill Attaché bag

Pad and Quill's Attaché bag is made out of full-grain leather, holds up to a 15-inch laptop, and has a timeless look that's perfect whether you're carrying your college gear or working on Wall Street.

$465 at Pad and Quill

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Philips Hue Go light

The Philips Hue Go is a battery-powered light that's compatible with the rest of the Hue wireless lighting system. It can work as a table lamp, interesting party piece, or just add some light to an outlet-deprived corner of a room.

$69.77 at Amazon

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Void cufflinks

The VC1 cufflinks are milled out of aluminum on a CNC machine, with a design meant to invoke the angles of the drill bits used to construct them. Their elegant and minimalist look will add a classy touch to any outfit.

$40 at Void

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TaoTronics Garment Steamer

Ironing clothing is a necessary evil of life. But next time you need to get a few wrinkles out of a shirt, try a fabric steamer instead. It's fast, easy, portable, and most importantly, doesn't include the possibility of burning yourself on a hot iron.

$19.99 at Amazon

On the Street

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Anker PowerCore 20100

The simplest solution to combat short battery life on your mobile devices is more batteries. The Anker PowerCore fits a 20100mAh battery and 2 USB ports in a portable package, making sure you'll have plenty of power for all your gear on the go.

$39.99 at Amazon

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Apple Watch strap

The newly refreshed Apple Watches are kind of a lackluster update for someone who already owns one. Try switching up the look on an older Watch instead with one of Apple's new bands.

$49 at Target

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Boosted Board

Boosted Board just released its second-generation electric skateboard, adding extended range, water resistance, and improved connectivity. And with a maximum range of 12 miles and top speed of up to 22 mph, it sure beats walking.

$999 at Boosted

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Bose QuietComfort 35

Are you actually talking? That’s what you would say if you were wearing these headphones. The Bose QuietComfort 35’s offers the best active noise-canceling technology on any headphones. It’s also wireless, in case you don’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack.

$349 at Amazon

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Crocs Classic Realtree

Crocs showed up on a runway during London Fashion Week and were styled on fashion blog Man Repeller this year. Do you trust "trendsetters" to tell you what's cool? Crocs are a great gift because you can be ahead of the trend, the cool person in the friend group, without fiscal commitment.

$39.99 at Crocs

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DJI Mavic Pro

This is the first drone that packs all the high-end features you want on a flying camera into a portable package that you can easily slip into your backpack or purse.

$999 at Amazon

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Curlers Sublimated Tee

There’s a Selena fan, an iced coffee fan, and a comfy white T-shirt fan in all of us. Kill ‘em with kindness, and an extremely good shirt!

$50 at Selena Gomez

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Glacier Glove fingerless fleece fishing gloves

Touchscreen gloves in general are always hit-or-miss, and most don't work with the iPhone 7. So embrace your inner '90s cyberpunk hacker and grab a pair of fingerless gloves instead.

$14.10 at Amazon

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Finn Universal Bike Mount for Smartphones

Being able to use your phone while biking is great, and the Finn phone holder is a low-cost option that will work with any phone and any bike.

$15.99 at Amazon

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Fujifilm X70

The X70 takes some of the best things about Fujifilm’s other cameras — amazing image quality, big image sensor — and fits it into a body small enough that it almost fits in your pocket. The X70 is light enough that you can keep it around your neck at all times, and the tilting touchscreen on the back lets you shoot from all sorts of new angles.

$699 at Amazon

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Garmin Forerunner 735XT

Your average fitness tracker may be good for a run, but the Garmin FR 735XT goes way beyond that. It offers GPS and activity tracking for tons of sports, including running, biking, swimming, cross-country skiing, strength training, and more.

$449.99 at Garmin

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Impossible Project I-1

The deeper we go into the world of digital, the more people seem to miss analog. Vinyl records made a comeback, and now it might be time for film to do the same. The Impossible I-1 is the sleekest instant film camera you can buy — and not just because it's also one of the only ones available.

$299 at Amazon

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Kindle Paperwhite

The new Kindle Paperwhite can hold a library's worth of books, has an illuminated display for reading at night, and has the same incredible display as Amazon's top-of-the-line Voyage and Oasis models for nearly half the price. Paper books are now obsolete.

$119.99 at Amazon

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Klokers KLOK-01-KLINK-01

The slide-rule-inspired KLOK-01 doesn't have any fancy smartwatch features, just an accurate Swiss-made quartz movement, and a head-turning design.

$435 at Klokers

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Covergirl Outlast Stay Luminous foundation

Rated by The New York Times as the best selfie foundation, Covergirl actually designed and tested the Outlast Stay Luminous foundation with iPhone cameras to make sure your selfies shine.

$11.99 at Ulta

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Peak Design Everyday Backpack

Peak Design got a lot of attention for its messenger bag a few years ago. But its real masterpiece is this Everyday Backpack, which reintroduces the modular divider system in a more convenient shape and size. Our favorite backpack of the year.

$259.95 at B&H

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Samsung Gear IconX

Truly wireless headphones are the future of music, and Samsung's Gear IconX are the best ones yet, with voice commands, fitness tracking, and a battery case to recharge them on the go.

$179.99 at Amazon

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Skagen Hagen Connected smartwatch

The Skagen Hagen Connected is a great compromise for anyone split between buying a smartwatch or a mechanical timepiece. It combines the design of Skagen's slim titanium watches with Bluetooth-connected smart technology.

$215 at Zappos

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Verge Merch T-shirt

What better way to show your appreciation for the truly finer things in life than with one of The Verge's newly minted T-shirts? Featuring the all-new Verge logo design and made of what is probably the softest material ever spun, The Verge T-shirt is a perfect gift for anyone on any occasion.

$30 at Verge Store

Contributors

Ashley Carman, Angela Chen, Megan Farokhmanesh, Jordan Golson, Andrew Hawkins, Dami Lee, Mark Linsangan, Sean O'Kane, Kwame Opam, Ben Popper, Alessandra Potenza, Adi Robertson, Tasha Robinson, Vlad Savov, Kaitlyn Tiffany

Credits

Editorial Leads: Michael Moore, Chaim Gartenberg, Ross Miller

Photography: Amelia Holowaty Krales, James Bareham

Retouching: Rosy Warren

Copyedit: Kara Verlaney

Design: Frank Bi