iPad mini 7th Generation
I will not spend any time on my favorite piece of new technology, the iPhone 16 Pro Max, as I am confident that everyone reading this column already has a smartphone. If you want to upgrade this year, look at the iPhone 16. You are fine with any of the models of the 16. The standard 16 probably represents the better value for your money. The Pro and Pro Max represent the better and more sophisticated phones.
I will spend a few sentences discussing a newly released Apple product that did not come out until after we finished the gift guide. Apple finally upgraded its iPad mini, giving it a faster A17 Pro processor and the option of doubled memory (512 GB as opposed to the 256 GB maximum on the previous model). The newest mini (7th generation ) comes with an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, True Tone, P3 wide color, and ultralow reflectivity, making text sharp and colors vivid. Like all the products Apple released this year in its phone and tablet lines, Apple juiced up the mini 7 to handle artificial intelligence (which Apple is trying to relabel “Apple Intelligence”). You can check out the technical specifications for the mini 7 on Apple’s website. Note that the mini 7 works with two models of the Apple Pencil, should you want that feature. The mini 7 starts at $499. If you upgrade the memory to 512 GB and get the WiFi + cellular version, the cost jumps to $949. You also get to choose among Space Gray, Starlight, Purple, and Blue for case color.
I gave up carrying my Kindle a few years ago and substituted my mini 6 with the excellent Kindle App, as it gave me everything I needed from the Kindle and much more in a pocket-sized package that did not take up much more space nor weigh much more than the Kindle. Now I get to substitute the new and more powerful mini 7 and retire the mini 6 (actually, I traded it in for the mini 7). For some things, you will still want the larger and more powerful iterations of the iPad, as discussed in the GPSolo “2024 Tech Gift Guide.” For convenience and portability, I strongly recommend that you look into getting a mini 7. Mine comes with 512 GB of memory and both WiFi and cellular connectivity.
reMarkable Paper Pro
Given my recommendation of the iPad mini 7, the next recommendation may surprise you. Some time ago, I acquired a reMarkable 2 tablet (starting at $379). The reMarkable 2 is larger than the iPad mini 7, at approximately 7.4 x 9.7 inches. It does fewer things than the iPad, but it was designed to serve a more limited function. It uses an e-ink technology that lets you make handwritten notes using a separately purchased pen, saves the notes on your tablet, and lets you upload them to the cloud and/or transfer them to your iPad or computer using email. It can transfer the image of your writing or translate it to printed text with surprising accuracy. I especially liked that translation ability and the fact that writing on the reMarkable 2 felt more like writing on paper than writing with an Apple Pencil on the iPad. The reMarkable 2 was okay, and I enjoyed using it. But I would take the iPad if I had to choose between it and an iPad.
This year, the reMarkable folks released the reMarkable Paper Pro. The Paper Pro is bigger, better, and, with a starting price of $579, more costly than the reMarkable 2. I just received my review unit and plan to do a more comprehensive product review early next year. My initial reaction and observations are that the Paper Pro is easier to read (brighter) than the reMarkable 2, feels more like writing on paper, and has added color to the package. The color is functional but different from an iPad’s color. I would describe it as a washed-out watercolor in terms of vibrancy. That said, it is the first time I have seen color on an e-ink tablet, which adds to its functionality. I would rather have the color than not, as I think it adds a significant dimension to the usability of the tablet by letting you use color to differentiate among different parts of your notes and highlight critical information.
I recently read several articles (see here and here) reporting on studies that concluded that humans usually remember something much better if they make handwritten notes about it than if they use a keyboard. My own experience leads me to believe these studies, making me want to do more in handwriting than I have done for many years. reMarkable also has made a keyboard ($229) available for separate purchase for the Paper Pro should you want to go that way. While I sincerely doubt that any tablet will ever provide the tactile feeling I enjoyed when writing with my fountain pen using quality ink on high-quality paper, this represents a helpful compromise. I expect to take most of my notes on this for the foreseeable future.
Plaud Note
The next device I want to talk to you about comes from Plaud. They call the device the Plaud Note. The device is a functional recorder that fits in an included wallet to attach magnetically to your phone (similar to the ones Apple sells for its magnetically endowed phones). The recorder can record meetings, telephone conversations, and your notes and comments. The Plaud and case cost $159. It has software powered by AI that makes good use of GPT-4o and Claude 3.5. The device with the accompanying software can record an event and generate notes summarizing it for your convenience. Consider using it to take notes in a client meeting, a settlement discussion, etc.
Plaud’s Starter Plan subscription comes free with the purchase of a Plaud Note device and includes 300 minutes per month of ChatGPT-4o and Claude 3.5 transcription and summarization. Plaud’s Pro Plan costs $79 for the first year when purchased in a package with the Plaud Note device; the Pro Plan gets you 1,200 minutes per month of ChatGPT-4o and Claude 3.5 transcription and summarization for 12 months. If you need more, you can buy the $89 Transcription Quota, which gives you another 6,000 minutes that must be used within 36 months.
In case you are interested, Plaud has announced the release of the Plaud NotePin, which is currently available only for preorder. I have neither seen nor played with it yet. From what I can tell, it does the same thing as the Note but takes a different form. As I have no interest in wearing it as a pin, a pendant, or a bracelet, this form does not appeal to me, but it may appeal to you. The website lists the NotePin for $169 and says that the next batch should be shipped somewhere in November or December 2024.
DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Vlogging Camera
The next recommendation I have comes from the folks at DJI: the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 vlogging camera with a 1-inch CMOS sensor and 4K/120fps video, three-axis stabilization, fast focusing, face/object tracking, and a 2-inch rotatable touchscreen ($519). DJI introduced the Osmo Pocket series to fill a niche for compact, stabilized cameras that users could operate with one hand while delivering high-quality video. The original Osmo Pocket (2018) was revolutionary, combining DJI’s advanced gimbal technology with a tiny form factor. It featured a small 1/2.3-inch sensor and a three-axis gimbal that set it apart from other handheld devices. DJI’s Osmo Pocket 3 represents a significant leap forward in hardware and software from its predecessors. This all-in-one gimbal camera is designed for content creators, vloggers, and travelers needing a lightweight, highly portable solution for capturing stabilized video footage without compromising quality. I like the size, the configuration, how easily it handles, and how well it works. We talk about it in the GPSolo magazine “2024 Tech Gift Guide,” so I won’t repeat the details here, but instead, refer you to that article or the DJI website for more information and specifications.
Apple AirTag
My last recommendation mixes high tech and low tech. Most of you likely know about Apple’s AirTag ($29 for one AirTag or $99 for a four-pack). I have found it helpful to buy lots of them and attach them to everything except my Apple devices, as they have the same technology built into them. The growing list of things to which I have attached an AirTag now includes my Kindle, reMarkable 2, reMarkable Paper Pro, my keys, my wallet, speakers, backpacks, cross-body bags, briefcases, my beagle, and my Labrador retriever. The AirTag, in most cases, requires the use of some kind of case or holder (you can slip it in the pocket of a purse, briefcase, backpack, or the like, but I prefer using a holder attached to the bag). When I first tried to use the AirTag with my wallet, I slipped it inside the wallet and used it that way for a while. Ultimately, I decided that it did not fit well and made the wallet too bulky. I decided to get a new wallet, so I got a newer style with a rigid slot to hold credit cards. The one I got came with a silicone band with a slot to hold an AirTag and also functioned as a money band to hold cash, as the wallet had no other place for cash (not that anyone uses cash much these days). I found that it worked exceptionally well and have since discovered that you can get replacements (or a silicone band with an AirTag slot to put around your existing wallet) from Amazon.
Okay, that’s my list. You can give any of these as gifts to others, but you ought to treat yourself to them first. Enjoy your holidays.
