Great tech gifts for less than $100
Amazon Fire TV Stick
Get it: If you want to liberate your video streaming from your computer
Skip it: If you have a game console, Chromecast or other streaming device
$40
Jumping into the weirdly competitive world of little sticks that make your television smarter, Amazon has come in with a welterweight. The Fire TV Stick, like its competitors, lets users stream video from a smartphone, a tablet or other type of computer to a television, by way of this little receiver that plugs into a set's HDMI port. The Fire TV Stick has access to all the biggies - Netflix, Hulu and, of course, Amazon Instant Video - plus access to a limited range of games. If you have a Google Chromecast, Roku or gaming console, this isn't a must-have gadget to add to the pile. But if you've been holding off, it's a good option to get videos off the small screen and onto the big one.
RAVPower RP-PB19
Deluxe 15000mAh External Battery/Portable Charger
Get it: If you're always looking to stretch your battery a little bit more
Skip it: If you need power, fast
$40
Getting sick of not being able to reach your loved ones on their cellphones because they're out of power? Consider an external battery pack, which can give the extra jolt of juice they need to make it through the day. RAVPower's RP-PB19 Deluxe pack is great for long trips or any other time you need extra juice for a gadget battery. Yes, it's another thing to charge, but this battery pack provides a lot of extra power - though it's best suited for plugging into before you hit a battery emergency.
Quarterly Subscription Box - Technology
Get it: If you want to fully live a techie lifestyle
Skip it: If you hate surprises
$50-$100
Gift boxes have become one of the most interesting retail trends of recent years, and Quarterly is keeping techies in the loop by offering its own take on the idea. Tech enthusiasts can sign up for one (or more) of a handful of boxes of items curated by noted names in the tech, science and innovation fields such as reddit's Alexis Ohanian or Bill Nye the Science Guy. The items aren't always gadgets, but they do have the tech and innovation vibe - even if it's a book (like, a real one) or just a goofy doodad that your curator likes. Boxes range from $50 to $100 a pop; you can subscribe to have one sent every three months.
ThinkGeek: The Bag of Holding messenger bag
Get it: If you always carry a lot - and like a sly DnD reference now and then
Skip it: If you're a minimalist
$50
Sure, this isn't strictly a gadget - OK, not at all - but it is the answer to one of the biggest questions we face in a multi-device world: How on earth do you carry it all? ThinkGeek's Bag of Holding, which gets its name from a Dungeons and Dragons reference, has four main pockets, plus plenty of nooks and crannies to store things. The bag will fit laptops up to 17 inches in a padded compartment, expands to backpack depths and, in a pinch, can work as a travel bag for short trips. It has a thick nylon strap that's comfortable even when it's full.
Misfit Shine
Get it: For a stylish and discreet way to track your fitness
Skip it: If you need a screen on your wearable
$100
Compatible with iOS, Android and Windows Phone
Wearables are the trend that didn't quite take off this year. One problem with most smartwatches, fitness trackers and other devices is that they lack, well, any sort of style. That's not the case with the Misfit Shine, a sleek fitness tracker that works alone or can be incorporated into any number of accessories from necklaces to watchbands. The Shine itself is a small disk - sort of like a macaroon - that comes in a number of colors. There's no screen on the Shine; users set goals on their smartphones and a series of lights on the Shine let you know how close you are to reaching them. You can share goals with Shine-owning friends for some friendly competition, if that's your thing.