Over the years, our dads have dusted us off when we’ve fallen down, taught us about life, and told us the best of the worst “dad jokes”. This Father’s Day, be sure to thank the father figure in your life for all the times he’s been there for you by making sure the right tech is there for him, when he needs it.
We’ve singled out five great devices we think dads will dig. Spot your dad in the list below, or if you’re a dad, pick something awesome for yourself!
Got an even better idea for a gift? Tweet it with the hashtag #DevicesforDad and let us know!
Mr. Pragmatic
Let’s get down to business – this dad is all about practicality when it comes to their device of choice, and the device has to simply work, and work well.
For getting down to the grind with minimum fuss, the Dell XPS 13 is sure to please.
The smallest 13.3″ laptop currently available in market, the Dell XPS 13 is exceptionally thin and light, yet manages to have the longest battery life of any 13-inch product. The Dell XPS packs a punch in its ultra-sleek frame, making it the ultimate productivity partnter for dads on-the-go.
Mr. Pragmatic Dad will be further impressed with its solid performance features including 6th Gen Intel® Core™ processors and the latest Intel HD graphics for speed and reliability. Equipped with Windows 10, your pops will also have access to all his favourite and familiar Windows features, so no time will be wasted on adjusting to a new interface.
Windows 10 Tip: Search faster on Windows straight from the taskbar – you can easily get help or access your apps and files immediately. Simply type and search. With Cortana enabled[1], you can also use voice to search for information that you need simply and quickly.
Mr. Family Man
Honey, I’m home! To this dad, being there for family is what matters most, from helping with homework to household chores. He already has a laptop for work, but would love a personal one for family moments after he hangs up the suit and tie.
Make the Lenovo Ideapad Miix 700 part of the family. Just as Dad takes on multiple roles throughout the day – transforming from “employee mode” at the office, to “dad mode” at home – this adaptive device features a detachable keyboard and distinctive watchband hinge that lets it flip effortlessly between being a laptop or tablet.
Powered by Windows 10, this 2-in-1’s intuitive Tablet Mode automatically adapts on-screen features to finger-friendly sizes for easier touch navigation as soon as you snap off the keyboard.
So whether Dad’s managing household spending via OneNote or Excel in Desktop Mode, or getting ready for some friendly gaming rivalry with the kids in Tablet Mode, the Lenovo Ideapad Miix 700 prepares Dad for the most important mode of all – family mode.
Windows 10 Tip: Windows 10 makes it faster than ever to add family members to each Windows 10 PC when you sign in with your Microsoft account. Family also lets adults keep kids safer online, where you can see reports of their activity online, and limit how long they use the home Windows device.
Mr. Achievement Unlocked
To de-stress after a long day at the office, this dad gears up for even more boss fights – the virtual kind.
Help your gamer dad dominate any battlefield with the ASUS ROG G752, and he just might let you have a turn after he’s finished with his dungeon raid.
This 17-inch gaming notebook is the latest in ASUS’ award-winning ROG G752-series, and features a 6th-generation Intel® Core™ i7 processor, up to 64GB DDR4 RAM, the latest NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX™ graphics and Windows 10 for insanely fast performance, realistic graphics and an altogether exceptional gaming performance.
Best of all, Windows 10’s Universal Windows Platform is bringing exclusive Xbox One titles to PC, such as Quantum Break, Forza Motorsport 6 and Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, for the ultimate all-rounded gaming experience.
Games such as Killer Instinct also enable multiplayer cross-play between the Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs, so that you can enjoy gaming with Dad at the same time. There’s no better way to thank Dad for being the best Player 1 to your Player 2.
Windows 10 Tip: Bring your friends, family, games and accomplishments across Xbox One and Windows 10 devices on the Xbox app. Gamers can stay connected to the Xbox Live community, see what fellow gamers are playing, view achievements across devices, and even stream games from the Xbox directly to their Windows 10 PC.
Mr. Jetsetter
A frequent business traveller, your dad is often wheels up all around the globe. He may be attending a conference in Berlin while simultaneously sealing a business deal in Beijing. To stay on top of his hectic schedule, he’ll need a mobile powerhouse in his pocket to stay productive and efficient.
With a super-fast processor, large capacity battery, as well as in-built Office Mobile apps, the Microsoft Lumia 950 or Lumia 950 XL is perfect for the globetrotting Dad who wants the power of a PC without having to lug one around.
With the Lumia 950 or 950 XL, Dad will now be able to make his phone work like a PC simply by connecting the Lumia device to an external monitor such as his hotel or conference room TV, and plugging in any portable keyboard and mouse.
Continuum for Phones will ensure that Office apps such as Outlook or Word scale up to create a big screen-optimized work environment for maximum productivity.
As a Windows 10 device, the 950 range also works seamlessly with Windows 10 PCs, keeping Dad’s files, photos and reminders synced across devices, so he can keep in touch while keeping up with his portable performance needs.
Windows 10 Tip: Recent research found 54 percent of firms believe that non-executive staff have lost a device, and 49 percent have reported a phone or tablet stolen[2]. A good way to protect Dad’s Windows 10 device while he travels is to enable Reset Protection, a free service for Lumia users that provides an extra layer of protection so that if his phone ends up in the wrong hands, it can’t be easily reset or reused.
Mr. Inventor
This dad is a creative soul and artist-at-heart, whether he’s drawing graphic novels, annotating architectural blueprints, or detailing the schematics of his latest creation.
Surface Pro 4 is the perfect gift to capture all of Dad’s “Eureka” moments. This 2-in-1 device comes with a Surface Pen that combines 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity with low latency, for a real pen-on-paper feeling.
Surface Pro 4 is also built with Palm Block technology, so Dad can rest his hand on the screen to write naturally, just like on a pad of paper. Combined with Microsoft’s PixelSense™, a true-to-life screen technology designed for beauty, touch and pen, Surface Pro 4 offers one of the best writing and drawing experiences around.
Bonus gift: throw in the Surface Pen Tip Kit for a creativity boost! It comes with four nibs of different weights to simulate everything from the familiarity of a No. 2 pencil to a ballpoint pen.
Windows 10 Tip: If your dad is left-handed, you can actually help change where the menus appear on the Surface by indicating which hand he writes with. Here’s how:
Step 1: Select the search box in the taskbar, enter hand, and in the search results, select “Specify which hand you write with”.
Step 2: Under Tablet PC Settings, select Right-handed or Left-handed > Apply > OK.
[1] http://business-reporter.co.uk/2015/11/09/half-of-firms-senior-executives-have-lost-a-mobile-device-in-the-last-year/
[2] Available in select markets.
