This might not have been an ordinary year, but if you’re buying for someone who found themselves in the extraordinary position of being a new parent, there are some gadgets that might help.
Amazon Echo Dot with Clock
Price: $99
Capable of a little more oomph than previous models, the Echo Dot is a friendly circular smart speaker made for small rooms, complete with a clock to remind mum and dad what time it is.
There’s also a model without the clock for about $20 less, but both of the new 2020 Echo Dot models bring together a small speaker in a friendly spherical design, complete with a microphone to let you talk to it and command music, with buttons on top to quickly turn the volume up, down, and to turn the microphone off.
Withings Thermo
Price: $179
Every parent needs a thermometer, and while the in-ear models are typically the ones to go for, new mums and dads might want to consider one that works simply by waving it over the head of someone you use it with.
Using 16 infrared sensors, the Withings Thermo can take a temperature reading simply and easily, and send it to a phone or tablet, building a profile in an app.
IKEA Fyrtur Smart Blinds
Price: from $199
Looking to close the blinds and help the little one get some sleep, but do it without exerting really any energy at all?
IKEA’s Fyrtur offers an electric blind system you can get connected in your own home, and one that talks to IKEA’s smart home system, which means if you have a smart speaker, you can command it to open without lifting your hands, or even being in the same room.
Arlo Baby
Price: $299
One of the friendliest looking security cameras, Arlo Baby hides in a child’s room looking very much like a bunny or a bird or a puppy, and yet keeps track on a child with 1080p Full HD video.
Working day and night, and able to pick up on the temperature and air quality, not to mention including a small speaker for the child as well as a night light, the Arlo Baby is basically an all-in-one gadget security camera made for a child’s room from early days until they’re even a bit older, too. If you already have Arlo security cameras in or outside your home, it’ll fit in nicely with those, too.
Owlet Smart Sock 3
Price: $479
The latest edition of Owlet’s health tracker for babies, the Smart Sock 3 can monitor a baby’s heart rate and oxygen level while they sleep through one foot.
It’s the sort of information a parent will rely on at points, with alerts warning you if a baby goes past safe zones, all the while tracking sleeping trends and working for up to 16 hours. The latest version supports newborns to kids aged 18 months, and will have your phone buzz you when your child needs you.
