8 Cool Tech Gifts that GenX and Baby Boomers will love

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Remember the old cliché of an older person needing their young adult child, or even a teenager, to help them program the VCR? Those “kids” programming these newfangled gadgets that was society’s first introduction to on-demand viewing was none other than GenX.

Think about that, GenZ

We master everything from AI to our Apple Wallets, never muttering “We’re too old for this” and rarely needing help understanding how to use new apps. Whether we’re using our smartphones to make dragons fly or to stay connected with loved ones, we embrace technology for fun and productivity. Here are some of the best tech gifts from Uncommon Goods to put on your own wish list or to buy for the special over-50 people in your life.

All-in-One Golf Smart Course Companion

Looking forward to retirement to spend more time on the golf course? You’re not alone. And, with this all-in-one golf smart course companion, you’ll always have a digital buddy along to track your game. The all-in-one golf smart course companion delivers real-time data with easy-to-read visuals and helpful insights. It includes 45,000 golf course maps across the world and displays live front, center and back yardages for any shot. The 8-inch tablet mounts on your golf cart magnetically, with battery-life for 72 holes. It’s also weatherproof so you can focus on your swing rather than worrying about the tech that’s tracking your game.

Retro Games Coding Advent Calendar

Advent calendars are no longer just candy. You can find variations for people with every hobby, interest, or even favorite foods and beverages. The ideal Advent calendar for the retired techie in your life, the Retro Games Coding advent calendar offers 24 different electronic components to build a circuit-based game each day leading up to Christmas Eve. Recommended for ages 14 and up, this is a great family gift for your favorite 50+ with teens still living at home, too.

Long Distance Touch Bracelet Set

I first learned about these long-distance touch bracelets from my TikTok savvy teens and they struck me as the perfect gifts for parents sending their kids off to college or grandparents and grandchildren who may not see each other every day, or even adults with older parents. It’s also a sweet way to say I love you to a working spouse.

Faster than a phone call or text, these bracelets send a quick signal that you’re thinking of your loved one each time you tap it. You can even send special messages with a sequence of taps. This is the thoughtful and practical gift you didn’t know you needed. (Sold in sets of two and can be shipped to different addresses.)

Dad Joke Every Day Interactive QR Mug

Are you the dad who takes every opportunity to share a dad joke? Or perhaps you know someone like that. The interactive Dad Joke mug delivers a new joke a day for a full year when you scan the QR card. Next time your dad says, “I’m thirsty,” tell him, “Hi, Thirsty, I’m [your name].” Then hand him this mug, full of his favorite beverage, of course.

Created exclusively in-house by Uncommon Goods, the Dad Joke Interactive QR Mug is just one in a series. You’re sure to find an interactive mug for everyone on your list, from baseball fanatics to bibliophiles.

Create Your Own Reel Viewer

When nostalgia meets technology, you’ve got a winning gift on your hands. Gen X parents and grandparents, alike, remember the View-Master. But you might not realize this gadget goes back to the 1939 New York World’s Fair and was initially used as an alternative to postcards to share scenic displays. By the 1960s it became more of a kids’ toy, showcasing favorite cartoons.

The technology has come full circle, with a new Reel Viewer that displays your favorite photos: Vacation memories, children’s milestones, pets and more. Choose 7 photos for your first reel and submit them via the redemption code included with the viewer. The Wooden Collector’s Edition reel holder (sold separately) stores up to 10 reels.

Outdoor Safe Smart Wristband

You’re never too old, or too young, to want to feel safe – and to want the same for your loved ones. Whether you’re hiking, mountain climbing, riding dirt bikes or doing other activities many people claim aren’t meant for those of a certain age, this Outdoor Safe Smart Wristband has you covered in an emergency.

The bracelet stores your blood type, allergies, and other medical conditions professionals may need to know, while remaining HIPAA compliant. It doesn’t require charging and is water-resistant for tough outdoor conditions. The wristband connects to Android and iPhone 7 and other phones, allowing you to let loved ones know you’re safe with a simple tap.

Long Distance Friendship Lamp

Getting older often means our best friends move away. People retire, move closer to their adult children and grandchildren, or leave for states where they can find a lower cost of living on a fixed income. But that doesn’t mean your friendship ends.

Social media makes it easy to stay in touch with far-flung loved ones. But sometimes there’s no time for a lengthy chat or even sending memes back and forth. This WiFi-enabled lamp lights up whenever you touch it to signal that you’re thinking of your loved one. The lamp cycles through colors, or you can set specific colors for different people.

Ideal for grandparents and their grandkids, older parents and adult children, or best friends who live too far apart for weekly brunch, the lamps are made in the US by small business owners John Harrison and Vanessa Whalen.

LED Self Watering Multi Herb Garden

For the retiree who recently downsized and misses their garden-fresh herbs, this self-watering herb garden solves the problem in a small space. This compact herb garden grows basic, parsley, chives, and thyme in a space that’s just over a foot long 7 inches deep, and 15 inches high.

Built-in LED grow lights and the self-watering function make this a low-maintenance garden that offers fresh herbs for favorite family recipes in as little as four weeks.