Hot high-tech Father’s Day tech gifts

It's that time of the year, when you want to show your 'ol man how much you appreciate him. But rather than buying a tie (yawn), cologne (he won't use) or golf balls (he'll lose), consider a high-tech gift this year.

Hey, it's 2012 after all, so don't you think he'd prefer a cool gadget over knee-high socks?

The following are a few assorted ideas, covering a wide range of products and prices.

A is for Android

Out this week for only $30 on a 2-year Fido plan, Sony Mobile's Xperia U is a smart smartphone powered by the Android 2.3 ("Gingerbread") platform, including access to the Google Play store for hundreds of thousands of downloadable apps. Unique to this phone is a "transparent element" near the bottom of the device that changes colour to match your album artwork or photo gallery. Along with access to Music Unlimited (15 million songs) and Video Unlimited (TV shows and movies), the Xperia U can also beam media to a nearby DLNA-compatible television.

Read between the lines

Dad could use a new e-book reader — but he might also like browsing the web, reading email, listing to music, playing games, watching video and accessing Facebook and Twitter. As the name suggests, the Kobo Vox eReader Tablet ($179.99) is a 7-inch colour e-reader that doubles as a multimedia tablet for when you want to do more than read books, magazines and newspapers (including the option to digitally borrow books from your local library!). This Wi-Fi-enabled device lets you download and install more than 15,000 Android apps to expand its customizability and functionality even further.

Lap it up

If dad is in need of a new laptop, perhaps the family can go in on the latest "ultrabook" model. While the Toshiba Satellite Z930 Ultrabook (starts at $900) boasts a 13.3-inch LED screen and backlit QWERTY keyboard, the entire computer weighs just 2.5 pounds and is just 0.63-inches thin. Powered by a third-generation Ivy Bridge Intel Core processor and a 128GB solid state drive, this ultrabook also gives you serious performance, fast boot up times (mere seconds) and an 8-hour battery.

Privacy, please

Speaking of computers, why not give dad the gift of security and privacy with SurfEasy ($59.99), a plug-and-play USB device that launches a web browsing session encrypted with the same technology used by banks. Whether you use this on your own computer (PC or Mac) or on a public computer at a café, hotel or airport lounge, SurfEasy lets you browse anonymously -- to give you the peace of mind your online identity is shielded from snooping websites or malicious types. Nestled into a credit card shape to carry easily in your wallet, the SurfEasy USB key includes one year of the Essential Protection Plan — after that it's $5 per month.

Shine on

Give dad a high-definition multimedia projector he can bring to the boardroom or the family room: the Epson MegaPlex 850HD ($799.99) is a powerful but portable 720p HD projector with a 30-pin connector to dock your iPhone, iPod touch and iPad — and beam video or photos on a wall or screen up to 12 times larger than a 40-inch television. Of course you can also connect a computer, DVD or Blu-ray player, video game system or cable or satellite box. The MegaPlex 850HD also has a handle for easy carrying, twin 10-watt speakers and 2800 lumens for bright, clear projection.

Wild about Wi-Fi

Explain to dad he can take much better photos with a standalone camera than his cell phone — and then gift him the Canon PowerShot ELPH 320 ($289.99). This compact 16.1-megapixel point-and-shoot -- with 28mm wide-angle lens, 5x optical zoom and 1080p HD video recording -- has built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, therefore his captured memories can be wirelessly transferred to his computer for safe keeping or uploaded to his favourite social network, such as Facebook, Twitter or YouTube. Canon's new Face ID technology lets you tag 8 of your friends or family members on the camera, so you can easily see who's in your pix and even search by name.

Call me maybe

Ever hear your pa complain about the phone bill? Of course you have. The Ooma Telo can help in this regard. This $240 black box connects to your high-speed modem or router, then plug in any landline or cordless phone. Now you can make free calls to anyone in Canada — or to any other Ooma Telo in the world. Ideal for cottagers and snowbirds (as you bring your phone number with you), this Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service boasts exceptional audio quality, includes 911 emergency support and also ships with premium services such as call waiting voicemail and call display. All you need to pay is less than $4 a month for taxes and fees.

This Workforce is a workhorse

If dad takes his work seriously, help him upgrade his aging home office printer to the Epson Workforce Pro 4540 Printer ($399.99). Along with the ability to print, copy and scan, this multifunction inkjet printer is the world's fastest two-sided printer and costs less to print — about 50 percent less per page than colour laser printers. The Workforce is also wireless, therefore multiple devices in or around the home can print directly to the unit, including computers, tablets and smartphones. The 580-sheet paper tray (with second tray in the back for alternative paper types and sizes) and extra large ink cartridges ensures you can let this beast do its thing without requiring much hands-on maintenance.