Back to School Tech Product Roundup

Does it feel like the summer just started? Well, it’s already back to school time. Those are words that most kids dread to hear and most parents look forward to hearing. This has always been my favorite time of year because there are so many new tech products on the market. “Back to school” tech products don’t just mean cool school supplies and gadgets. There are many new products available that will make everyone, from teachers to executives, more productive.

Back to school time also means companies are beginning to release their new and exciting products for the holiday season. From virtual reality and drones to security cameras and 3D printers, these many new products are unbelievable. In this roundup of products, I have included everything from smokers for your Labor Day barbecue to fun drones that will make videography more fun for everyone in the family. Affordable 4K televisions for your college student and educational games that will keep everyone on their toes this school year. Why wait for the holiday season to splurge on new tech products? Check out this great list of exciting new gadgets.

Featured Laptop:

Huawei MateBook D – I’m a big fan of Huawei products (I love their phones) and this 15.6-inch notebook doesn’t disappoint. It’s the first lapper of this size to launch Dolby Atmos Sound System providing an immersive sound experience with Dolby custom-designed and tuned speakers. It’s so thin and light that all ages of students will be able to carry this powerful computer to classes each day. It has NVIDIA GeForce 940MX Graphics with 2GB GDDR5 video memory to ensure extraordinary work and entertainment experiences. Comes with Windows 10 Home and a i5 processor, with 1 year Office365 included. http://consumer.huawei.com/en/tablets/matebook-d/

Featured Phones

Moto e4 Phone – There was a time when young students weren’t allowed to take a phone to school, but no more. Now that our kids can have phones, we want to equip them with one that is powerful, but not too costly. This ridiculously inexpensive smartphone is sure to impress with its 5” HD display and compact design. Don’t let the price fool you because this phone has most of the same specs phones five times the price do. It has a fingerprint sensor to instantly unlock your phone, a quad-core processor and 4G speed. The camera lets you take sharp photos, even in low light conditions. The removeable battery, which is becoming more uncommon in phones, lets you swap a new battery after a couple years of use. It also has a selfie flash and its splash resistant. https://www.motorola.com/us/products/moto-e-gen-4

BlackBerry KEYone – A friend of mine who is a long time BlackBerry aficionado endured years of jokes at his expense for his seemingly outdated phones. He finally succumbed and switched to an iPhone, but that was a mistake. He should have waited for the KEYone to be relieased. This phone features a 4.5 inch 1650×1080 pixel resolution display with a Snapdragon 625 processor coupled with 3GB of RAM, 12 megapixel rear and 5 megapixel front cameras, as well as a long-lasting 3,505mAh battery. It has the BlackBerry standard full QWERTY keyboard, of course. At $549.99, it’s sure to give the iPhones a run for their money. https://us.blackberry.com/smartphones

Featured TVs

Hisense H8 TV – A generation ago many parents frowned on the idea of a TV in their child’s room because it was seen as an alternative to homework. Today’s generation of kids might spend time watching their favorite shows on Netflix, but they’re just as likely to be watching tutorials for school on YouTube on the 55” display hung on the wall of their bedroom. Hisense offers advanced HDR processing at an unbeatable price tag with brilliant picture quality, built-in wireless, Netflix, Vudu Movies, and YouTube for the latest in entertainment. The 65-inch model retails for $899.99 with smaller sizes offered for less. https://www.hisense-usa.com/electronics/tv

TCL S-Series HD-TV (4K) – While Samsung, Sony and Vizio might be the more popular names in the television industry, it’s brands like TCL that are offering high-end 4K models that are more affordable. TCL’s S-Series features Dolby Vision HDR and enhanced front-facing speakers to deliver premium picture quality and superior sound. With sizes ranging from 28” HD displays, perfect for a kitchen countertop, 43” Full HD models great for bedroom watching, to 65” 4K HDR resolution to help turn your living room into the ultimate entertainment experience. http://www.tclusa.com/products/home-theater/s-series

Featured Backpacks and Briefcases

booq SuperSlim 15 – I don’t leave home without my booq case that protects my Microsoft Surface Pro. It’s lightweight and comfortable to carry. The SuperSlim 15 proves to be the perfect companion for comfortable traveling and daily commuting with its polyester interior, functional pockets and padded lip inside its laptop compartment to protect laptops. It features booq’s Terralinq lost and found service and a five-year warranty. https://www.booqbags.com/

STM Judge Laptop Brief – Ideal for schlepping your laptop around campus, STM’s 15” laptop brief is teeming with pockets, zippers and compartments. The defining feature of the Judge is STM’s trademarked SlingTech technology, which not only guards your digital device but also suspends it above the bottom of the bag, where laminated dual density foam keeps it away from the impact zone. The briefcase also features the innovative Cable Ready cable-routing system that keeps you connected with cords conveniently stowed out of the way. https://www.stmgoods.com/

1 Voice NYC Backpack - Get your student ready for school with the 1 Voice Backpack. This innovative backpack will make busy days easier to manage. School is all about working hard, staying focused and being organized. The 1 Voice Backpack will make school semesters a little smoother. This wearable technology has a built-in 11,000mAH lithium-ion charger enough to recharge your phone 4 to 7 times! No more digging to the bottom of your backpack to find an item. This high-quality backpack has many compartments with easy access and is available in brown, navy blue, and black. http://www.1voicenyc.com

Beckmann Backpacks – I hadn’t heard of Beckmann Backpacks until this year and I’m impressed. These bags are full of pockets, straps and gear loops so that your child can stay organized while at school. The variety of colors and patterns allows kids to really express themselves. Beckmann, a Norway-based company, only makes school bags that are resilient and safe. http://beckmannofnorway.com/

The Ruck Backpack by Speck – I couldn’t believe this backpack is only $49.95. I’ll be equipping all my kids with one of these this fall because they are rugged, safe and look cool. The Ruck’s rear padded laptop sleeve holds up to a 15-inch laptop, and there’s extra space in the rear compartment for notebooks, books, and more. A second zippered compartment features a soft-lined tablet sleeve to secure and protect an iPad or e-reader. It also has pockets to store pens, charging cables, and a clip to keep your keys from getting lost. Best of all, the Ruck is backed by a three-year warranty. http://www.speckproducts.com/speck/backpacks/classic-ruck-backpack/SPKBP-RUCK.html

Tech Products You’ll Love this Fall

Varidesk Laptop 30 Standing Desk - This awesome standing desk will keep you moving all day and helps you stay loose. The compact design is perfect for any space and it is adjustable to accommodate many heights with its nine different height adjustments. The single, slim work surface is 30 inches wide, so it’s the perfect size for laptops or tablets. Best of all is that it’s fully assembled and ready to use right out of the box. https://www.varidesk.com

Mighty – I got so excited when I learned about Mighty because it really fills a gap in the music playing space. Mighty plays your Spotify music on-the-go without a phone. It works with Spotify Premium and pairs with Bluetooth headsets and speakers. It holds over a thousand songs and boasts a battery life of up to 5 hours. It’s also drop- and water-resistant. https://bemighty.com

Logitech MK850 – For years I’ve only been using Logitech keyboards. I find them to be comfortable, responsive and quiet. With the MK850 set, your keyboard won’t require new batteries for 36 months and your mouse stays powered for 24 months. You can connect wirelessly to your devices with Logitech Unifying USB receiver or pair via Bluetooth.The best part is that you can flawlessly switch from typing on your computer to your tablet with the touch of a button and the mouse pairs with up to 3 devices for seamless multi-tasking. Only $99.99 at https://logitech.com

Bang & Olufsen's Stylish New Speaker Cluster Impresses

A few years ago at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, I was invited to a small demonstration of Bang & Olufsen's new speaker. There were about half a dozen of us seated in the small room with twice as many B&O representatives eager to impress us with their Danish company's latest, greatest product. When the music was triggered my ears experienced something they never had before. The sound was truly amazing on a level I'd never experienced previously. At the end of the demonstration I asked how much a pair of these gorgeous speakers cost. When I was told I could have two for $85,000 (US), I thought I misheard the representative through his thick accent. Nope. That was the cost of the BeoLab 90s and I was left trying to think of the type of audiophiles who invested this much money in their speakers.

Fast forward to late March when I found myself on a guided tour of Bang & Olufsen's factory in the outskirts of Denmark. Aha, I thought to myself. I figured out how this company gets away charging as much as it does for its speakers. The craftsmanship, attention to detail and the number of PhDs contributing to the perfect sound quality all combine to make these the most impressive (and, yes, expensive) speakers on the market.

Courtesy: Bang & Olufsen

I was impressed with Bang & Olufsen's new BeoSound Shape speakers, which were unveiled to our group of tech writers (mostly European) the night before the tour of the aluminum factory and sound lab. However, what really impressed me was the commitment of the engineers to build a beautiful speaker (over the course of four years of development) that transcends the listener to another place. Such was the case with the new BeoSound Shape because they were setup in such a way to fill the room with music in a flawless fashion.

The unique quality of the BeoSound Shape speakers is its ability to be customized for ultimate sound quality. They are cool to look at over the sofa or conference table, but the most spectacular aspect is the sound that emanates from these colorful pentagon shaped speakers. The high quality fabric covers come in ten different colors, including exclusive wool fabrics from Kvadrat, Europe's leading manufacturer of design textiles. The Shape is controlled with the BeoSound Core connectivity hub, which lets you stream music directly from your phone or tablet via Chromecast built-in, Apple AirPlay and Bluetooth.

The BeoSound Shape will be available in August and as with most of B&O's speakers it will not be for the faint of heart. Figure standard setup will cost around $4,245 (US) and that's just for a few of these speakers. Had I not seen the factory in Denmark where B&O makes its magical sound products with my own eyes (and ears), I would still be scratching my head at their hefty price tags. Such is the price one pays for precise, crisp audio on a completely different level.

Now Hear This: The Best Audio Products of 2017

I've been an audiophile since I was a kid and discovered my father's over-the-ear headphones that plugged into his Sony receiver. Audio headsets have come a long way in the past 35 years. A significant change has been the move to wireless, but it's also worth noting that our headphones have become fashion accessories. We wear them at the gym, through the airport and just chilling at Starbucks. It's no longer unusual to see teens wearing a pair of expensive Bluetooth headphones around school as they listen to their favorite songs streaming on their iPhone. I've put together a list of some of my favorite personal audio electronics below:

OVER-EAR

Grado RS2e - This multi-generational family business takes their headphones seriously. Very seriously. Each pair is handmade and they're the preferred headphones of the likes of Neil Young, Phish and Aerosmith. The South Brooklyn factory is where the magic occurs. Grado's headphones are assembled in such a way to enhance their sonic qualities, with even the cord being constructed to diminish vibrations. Sold by Grado's official retailer 4OurEars, the Grado RS2e has an upgraded driver and the new 8 conductor cable design. It's made of beautiful hand crafted mahogany and boasts an overall sound that is like nothing you've ever experienced with a pair of headphones. Grado describes it as a warm harmonic color, full bodied vocals, excellent dynamics and ultra smooth top end. $495 4ourears.net

MASTER & DYNAMIC MW50 - Hands down, the best wireless cans you can put on your ears in 2017. The only reason I wasn't very surprised by the amazing sounds when I threw these babies on my head is because I've come to expect this level of quality from Master & Dynamic. I use the ME05 in-ears too and I've come to appreciate my music even more ever since. These over-ear phones are lightweight (a third lighter and smaller than last year's MW60 model), stylish and ridiculously comfy. If you're questioning why have to really splurge to get these, it's all about the premium everything that goes into these, but you'll appreciate them for years and years to come. $449 masterdynamic.com

3D Sound One - These wireless headphones offer high quality drivers (40mm) and a strong battery life (18 hours). They charge with a micro-USB connector and are lightweight enough to forget you’re even wearing them. These headphones are ideal for the gamer who anyone who loves watching movies with enhanced audio quality. $249 3dsoundlabs.com

VXi’s BlueParrott S450-XT - The first Bluetooth headset to give you both hi-fi stereo sound and clear conversations thanks to VXi's advanced noise-canceling microphone technology. Enjoy over 24 hours of music, movies or calls. Plus you can customize these headphones with the Parrott Button. $179.99 vxicorp.com

Hifiman Edition S - Hifiman is known as a producer of top-quality planar magnetic headphones. With the Edition S you get two headphones in one as you can switch from an open to a closed back. The incredible sound quality would lead you to believe these cans cost a lot more than they do. Prepare to be impressed and enjoy the comfortable sonic perfection of the Edition S. $249 store.hifiman.com

IN-EAR

Bragi Dash - The Dash, which is completely waterproof and comes in black or white, has been getting a lot of attention over the past year and deservedly so. It's actually a microcomputer that fits into your ear (yes, that sounds very futuristic and spy-like). The Dash stores and plays 1,000 songs without needing a secondary device. It boasts 27 sensors that measure fitness tracking including heart rate, distance cadence and breaths. It's compatible with Google Fit and Apple Health. With everything it does it's actually impressive that it gets four hours of battery life per charge. $299 bragi.com

Rowkin Bit Charge - Rowkin now offers a Mini Plus+ and a Bit in addition to the Bit Charge, which I tried out. Billed as the world's smallest stereo wireless Bluetooth earbuds, you can't help but feel that the future has arrived when you put these in your ears. The high fidelity listening experience you get with the Bit Charge doesn't make sense considering the size of the two tiny earbuds you just place in your ears. With the iPhone 7's headphone jack removal, Rowkin Bit Charge offers a fitting solution for users who want a completely cordless experience. All three of the Rowkin earbuds are exclusively available on Amazon in three colors: Space Gray, Silver, and 24K Gold Edition. $59.99 (single) $119.99 (dual) Search Rowkin on amazon.com

Earin M1 - I've been watching this company for years and was amazed by their Kickstarter campaign (one of the most successful campaigns on Kickstarter ever). These are ideal for anyone who is sick of cables and wires. These earbuds are as small and as light as possible to create the most immersive sound imaginable. They are built with high-precision balanced armature speakers for incredible acoustic detail and clarity to deliver a breathtaking audio experience. $199 earin.com

Libratone Q Adapt Lightning In-Ear - New for the holiday season, these in-ears are Powered by the iPhone's Lightning connector and come in four colors. The remote has four buttons to activate a hush function, access CityMix, play and pause. You can also take phone calls. One of the nicer features is CityMix, which provides four adjustable noise cancellation levels, letting you customize your listening experience from completely blocking out external noise to letting in just enough to stay safe. $149 (discounted from $179) libratone.com

Etymotic Research ER4XR - When you buy a pair of Etymotic headphones, you're buying the research that went into ensuring the best sound quality. For three decades, Etymotic has been producing noise-isolating, in-ear earphones. In fact, this is the company that invented it. These earphones completely seal your ear providing 98% noise isolation (reducing outside noise reduces the risk of listening to music at unsafe levels). Etymotic also makes a number of more inexpensive earphones, such as the MK5 and the MC5 models. $349 etymotic.com

Jaybird X3 - Ideal for working out, these secure-fit, sweat-proof premium sport buds deliver superior audio performance. The metal accented design is beautiful and you get 8 hours of play time for a full week of workouts. Estimate 15 minutes for an hour of play time. Comes with the Jaybird MySound App to save your sound profile. Available in four colors with metal accents: Blackout (Black and Silver), Sparta (White and Gold), Alpha (Military Green and Dark Chrome) and Road Rash (Red and Dark Chrome) $129.99 jaybirdsport.com

AfterShokz Sportz Titanium - I've been a fan of AfterShokz for years because I like that they don't really go in your ears. Rather, it uses  bone  conduction  technology  to  transmit  audio  waves  to  the  inner  ears through the skull, bypassing the eardrums completely. You simply place them on your cheekbones leaving your ear canals open to allow you to remain alert and aware of ambient sounds while you enjoy your music. Expect exceptional  sound  quality  thanks  to  PremiumPitch+, which delivers dynamic range and truly powerful bass. I'd happily pay twice as much for these. $59.95 aftershokz.com

ROAM GameON Earphones - After announcing a partnership with Atari over the summer, ROAM recently launches the GameON wired earphones for both gamers and music lovers. These earphones deliver extraordinary sound quality with a beautiful, brushed titanium exterior. Launched as an indiegogo campaign, these earphones boast the SureFIT ear tip horns to accompany the traditional silicone ear tips, providing up to 27 variations for maximum comfort and performance. $169 roamwith.com/gameon/

AUKEY Bluetooth Wireless Sport Earbuds - Not all earbuds have to be pricey to deliver great sound and the AUKEY line is proof of that. These lightweight and secure wrap-around earbuds sell on Amazon.com for under $20 and you'd never believe the price after listening to your music for a few minutes with them. You get 8 hours of playback or up to 160 hours of standy time, plus the microphone works really well for taking calls. AUKEY throws in an extra set of ear-tips and offers a 24 month warranty. $19.99 Search AUKEY on amazon.com

NOISE-CANCELLATION

B&O BEOPLAY H9 - What's that? I can't hear you (at all)! These are noise cancelling cans like you've never seen before. With the H9s you get Bang & Olufsen's Signature Sound plus amazing noise cancellation and the most comfortable over-ear headphones on the market. These are all about sound, comfort and luxury. With the soft lambskin and adaptive memory foam on the ear cushions, I promise you'll never want to take these off. Worth every last penny here. $499 beoplay.com

Plantronics BackBeat PRO2 SE- If Plantronics only gave you the immersive, high-res sound that would be enough. The active noise cancellation in these absolutely beautiful Special Edition headphones is the gravy. Boasting Class 1 Bluetooth power with an amazing range of up to 100 meters and up to 24 hours of continuous listening time on one charge, I keep kicking myself for not discovering Plantronics earlier ("Where have you been all my life?"). Like other quality noise cancelling headphones they fold flat for easy travel storage and comes with a handsome carrying case. $249.99 plantronics.com

SPEAKERS

Altec Lansing's Super LifeJacket - powerhouse with booming base with double power banks.
Everything-Proof: Certified waterproof, shockproof, snowproof – they even float! Built for On-the-Go: Your perfect everywhere speaker, equipped with power banks to charge other devices and 50 hours of battery life. All with Great Sound: After 90 years, Altec knows audio. Both speakers deliver powerful, omni-directional sound. $299.99 http://alteclansing.com/en/

B&O A2 Active - I absolutely love this portable Bluetooth speaker with True360 sound. The idea that you can now take a speaker with Bang & Olufsen's premium sound quality with you to the pool or beach is crazy to think. It's both dust and splash resistance and comes with two canvas straps. This little bad boy boasts up to 24 hours of battery life. Comes in sand stone or natural colors. $399 beoplay.com

Bluesound Pulse Flex - This two-way speaker delivers the best of performance and portability. It's truly a game changer. Simply connect the speaker to your Wi-Fi network and listen to all your music from anywhere in your home or office. Plus you can stream any music service or library directly from your smartphone, tablet or laptop in CD-quality with aptX Bluetooth. Attach the rechargeable BP100 battery pack and take your music with you. $299 bluesound.com

iClever Loud Bass (BTS09) - I am consistently being impressed by iClever's audio products. They are inexpensive, but not cheap products at all. Quality is clearly a priority along with providing amazing audio performance. The BTS09 speaker lets you stream incredible stereo audio from any enabled mobile device. It works flawlessly with a Amazon Echo Dot or Fire TV Stick giving Alexa a very nice output for sound. Charge time is about 2 hours. $79.99 Search iClever on amazon.com

Jam Audio Voice - This little speaker is powerful! Jam Audio's Voice is among the first non-Amazon speakers with Alexa Voice Service technology to learn your habits like calling Uber, control smart home devices, stream music and get the latest news. It streams from your favorite music services and gives you news, traffic and weather updates as well. $79.99 jamaudio.com

Kef Muo Portable Bluetooth Speaker - This speaker is truly packed with innovative technologies including Kef's Uni-Q technology, which provides high quality sound when streaming music wirelessly from a computer or mobile device. 12 hours of playback time and approximately 3 hours to charge fully. Has memory for up to 8 Bluetooth devices. Comes in 6 colors. $349.99 us.kef.com/muo

MUSIC STREAMING

Deezer - I use a lot of different music streaming services. For a long time I went back and forth between Spotify and Pandora. Then I shifted to Google Play Music and I continue to enjoy my SiriusXM mobile app to listen to Howard Stern. This fall, however, I was introduced to Deezer and I haven't looked back. Deezer is one of the world’s leading, on-demand digital music streaming services, offering a unique, personalized experience for every user. It is super easy to create the ultimate playlist. Deezer Premium+ gives you access to Deezer’s full library of 40M+ tracks (the world’s largest) and to FLOW, Deezer’s signature feature that functions as a personal assistant that intuitively knows what you want to hear and when you want to hear it. $120/year subscription deezer.com

2016 Graduation Gift Guide - Tech Edition

For the past several years at this time of the year I've put together technology gift guides for "Grads and Dads." It made sense since "dads" rhymes with "grads" and, after all, Father's Day does always fall around graduation time. This year I've realized that the tech gifts that an 18-year-old high school graduate or a college grad might like are not necessarily the same that your 60-something-year-old dad would want for Father's Day. So, I've gone through hundreds of offerings and put together two separate lists of amazing gifts -- one for the grads and one for our dads.

Today's high school and college graduates are difficult to buy tech gifts for. This is the generation that has grown up with their own smartphones and tablets. They don't know what it's like to ride in a car without GPS and texting their friends from their Apple Watch has become second nature. There are some ideal gifts for this cohort when you consider they care about style, enjoy listening to their music everywhere and they love taking and sharing photos.

Featured: HP Envy Curved All-in-One - This is the ideal all-in-one computer for the incoming college student or the recent college grad. There's not enough space in this article to fully explain how cool this product is, but I'm guessing that HP named it the Envy because the graduate who gets one of these as a graduation gift will be the envy of her friends. This model is the world's widest curved all-in-one PC and its 34-inch diagonal curved display will truly impress. As if the display isn't enough, the state-of-the-art audio by Bang & Olufsen turns this all-in-one into a rockin' entertainment system with dynamic sound. With a 6th generation Intel Core processor, up to 16GB of RAM, the Intel RealSense 3D Camera and NVIDIA GeForce 960A graphics, this is a powerful computer for a dorm room or first home. Available with Intel Core i5 or i7. https://store.hp.com/us/en $1,649.99 (i5)

Hurom HK Slow Juicer - There was a time when college students survived on Ramen noodles and soda. Today's students are more health conscious and eating healthy is a priority. This hi-tech slow juicer from Hurom would be a valued addition to any dorm room or sorority house. The Hurom has a patented Slow Squeezing Technology that operates at only 43 rotations per minute, which allows it to cold-press raw foods, extracting the smoothest, most delicious juice that is full of nutrients. The Hurom has a compact footprint and an elegant design. Available in Wine and Ivory colors. www.hurom.com $439

Parrot Bebop Drone 2 - College campuses are the ultimate places to capture beautiful video footage from the skies with a new drone. The Parrot Bebop Drone 2 would make a wonderful gift for the high school graduate looking to impress his friends at college this fall. I loved flying my original Bebop drone, but my only gripe was the short battery life. This second iteration of Bebop is the first leisure drone in the 500 gram category with a 25 minute battery life giving it almost twice the amount of flying time as its predecessor. With a reinforced structure and flexible propellers, Bebop 2 is sturdier too. It boasts a 14 megapixels camera and shoots 30 frames per second of video. Too bad they didn't have drones when I graduated high school! us.store.parrot.com $499.99

Behmor Connected Coffee Brew System - While a coffee maker has long been a staple gift at graduation time, it's the 21st century and that means young people should have a smart coffee maker with an Internet of Things (IoT) platform. This allows the college student or recent grad to customize her cup of joe and control it from her smartphone with accuracy. From anywhere on campus, the student can use the app to connect to the Behmor Brew System and make a personalized cup of coffee. www.behmor.com $299

STM Haven Laptop Backpack - STM makes the most stylish computer laptop backpacks around and they rolled out their new Velocity Collection earlier this year. Students schlep their laptops everywhere and that means across campus on a bike or on foot rushing to class. The STM Haven is a 15" backpack that comes in four colors, offers ample space and most important -- superior protection for the computer. It features STM's patented CableReady Organization and Air Channel Comfort technology to provide extra ventilation and comfort. I receive compliments all the time for my Haven backpack, especially at the airport. www.stmbags.com $99.95

Polaroid Cube+ HD Action Camera - Have a graduate on your shopping list who is active and loves sharing videos of their activities? The Polaroid Cube would be a fitting gift for them. With 1080p HD video, a 124 degree wide-angle lens and a long lasting battery with 90 minutes of life, a 128 GB Micro SD, and bumper case this is the ideal action camera. The magnet on the bottom of the Cube lets the user stick it to a helmet, skateboard or any metal surface for amazing video results. Accessories include a helmet mount, waterproof case and bike mount. This new model looks basically the same as the original Cube, but has some major improvements in its features like Wi-Fi. www.polaroid.com/cube $149.99

Ronin Element Phone Case by ElementCase - Not all phone cases are created equally. A nice graduation gift would be a sturdy and stylish smartphone case and these can be purchased for around $50. ElementCase, however, has designed a high-end case with highly refined style that is much more expensive than your average case, but worth every penny. The Ronin Element case is available in Bamboo, Walnut and features impact resistant Precision Modular Chassis, CNC machined wood side rails, a genuine top grain leather wrapped back plate and a matching top grain leather pouch included. Anyone fortunate enough to receive this case as a graduation gift will appreciate its design and craftsmanship. www.elementcase.com $199.95

weboost eqo Phone Signal Booster – Every high school and college grad has their own cellphone. It is 2016 after all! The biggest complaint these young people have is when they can’t get a good cellular signal for their phone. This could be their campus apartment building with old walls or a fraternity house with poor connectivity to local cellular towers. The eqo booster from Weboost solves this problem. With a 1500 square foot coverage area, urban gain strength and the fastest network speeds, this device will be a godsend for young people. It’s set up for multi-user so it will vastly improve cellphone quality for many individuals in the same house or apartment – everyone’s phone gets boosted automatically and it works with all devices. Setup is simple and quick (minutes). www.weboost.com $349.99.

BlackRapid Sport R-Strap – There’s no better gift for the photography aficionado who is graduating this spring than high quality accessories. Photography is an expensive hobby and lugging around a heavy SLR camera can get tiring. BlackRapid makes these best photography accessories because they keep both comfort and style in mind. The Sport R-Strap is perfect for the active photographer as it has an ergonomic fit and a “Brad” (underarm stabilizing strap) to keep the camera close during extreme adventures. www.blackrapid.com $73.95

Leef iAccess iOS microSD Reader – Young people love shooting videos and photos with their phone, often maximizing the amount of space. Rather than having to move all this data to a computer, the cloud or a storage device, Leef came up with the iAccess iOS microSD Reader. This memory solution is expandable in nature, allowing you to never be limited by the quality or quantity of footage you want to view or edit on your iPhone or iPad. Simply attach the reader to the iPhone or iPad and insert a mobile memory card.  Leef also sells iBridge Mobile Memory, a storage solution for iOS or Android that adds up to 256 GB to your device. www.leefco.com $49.99

Audio:

Master & Dynamic ME05 - A true music lover would really appreciate these high end earphones from Master & Dynamic. The company has developed a reputation for sound, durability, and style in only two short years in business. These beautifully designed earphones come with extra pairs of silicone ear tips, replacement acoustic filters, a leather storage box and a cable clip. Sure the price tag seems high for earbuds, but after the graduate listens to one song with the ME05s, trust me you’ll see the price was just right. Comes in brass metal, palladium, black metal and gunmetal. www.masterdynamic.com $199.99

BeoPlay H7 - After four or more years of hard work in college, your favorite graduate deserves premium headphones. This over-ear model from BeoPlay will cause any young music lover to realize that Beats by Dre might be the popular headphone choice, but it’s not the quality choice. These wireless headphones are comfortable and produce the most amazing sound quality you’ll ever hear. One charge and they’ll last an entire day. An intelligent battery-saving feature will turn the headphones off after 15 minutes of idle time. To control the headphones, simple finger gestures on the side will answer calls, switch music tracks and adjust the volume. www.beoplay.com $449

RIVA Turbo X Portable Speaker - Portable Bluetooth speakers are very hot right now. The ability to connect a phone to a portable speaker and let your friends enjoy your music is key for young students and grads. RIVA's Turbo X is a personal entertainment system that is compact, stylish and boasts beautiful sound quality. With RIVA’s ADX Trillium technology for truly immersive sound, Trillium Surround for an enhanced movie & gaming experience and a turbo mode to boost music up to 100 dB, this model is at the top of its industry. www.rivaaudio.com $299

3D Sound One Audio Headphones - These wireless headphones are priced more affordably than the BeoPlay model, but still offer high quality drivers (40mm) and a strong battery life (18 hours). They charge with a micro-USB connector and are lightweight enough to forget you’re even wearing them. These headphones are ideal for the gamer or graduate who loves watching movies with some audio privacy. www.3dsoundlabs.com $249

AfterShokz Trekz Titanium - I’ve been a big fan of AfterShokz headphones for years and for good reason. They are comfortable, boast high sound quality and have a unique design. They make a great graduation gift for anyone who is active. These headphones don’t go into the ear or even over the eart. They sit comfortably close to the ear using bone conduction technology so you can still hear your surroundings for safety. Trekz Titanium are lightweight, deliver premium music play and are designed with athletes in mind – sweatproof and secure. www.aftershokz.com $129.99

BlueParrott B350-XT Noise Canceling Bluetooth Headset – Hands down this is the best noise cancelling headset product based on both quality and comfort. VXI won a CES innovation award in 2015 for this headset. A special Parrott Button can be set to mute, speed dial and or several other options. When it’s noisy in a classroom, dorm room or apartment, these are ideal noise canceling headset that will cancel up to 96% of ambient noise. It’s easy to stream music or GPS directions to the headset and connecting to a phone is simple with NFC pairing. Battery life is 24 hours and the headset recharges with micro USB. www.vxicorp.com $129.99

Creative iRoar Sound Blaster Speaker - This has been billed as “the Most Intelligent Speaker on the Planet.” The Creative iRoar is designed to provide the best audio performance despite its small size. The sounds is clean and accurate, making this a definite favorite gift this graduation season. The best characteristic of this speaker is its ability to be personalized with a platform that allows for value-added third-party add-ons. With a huge 20-hour battery life, Creative iRoar is one of the best portable Bluetooth speakers on the market. No surprise it was honored with a 2016 innovation award at CES. us.creative.com $369.99

CordCruncher Tangle Free Earbuds - For those looking for a much less expensive option for the graduate, have a look at CordCruncher’s array of fashionable and colorful tangle-free earbuds. Using their patented tangle free cord management system, these earbuds are designed and engineered to never get tangled. No one enjoys taking the time to untangle earphones so this will make a practical gift. They are available in 4 colors: cobalt blue, glo green, poppin pink and gun metal gray. www.cordcruncher.com $20.99

Now Hear This

Talking to Jonathan Levine, the founder of Master & Dynamic, about crystal clear sound, gorgeous product design and his appreciation for high quality audio products begins to sound like a symphony playing in peak performance mode. Levine isn't your typical audio company head. He can talk endlessly about his collection of vintage headphones and the impressive sound studio he built at the headquarters of Master & Dynamic.

While there are a lot of expensive headphones on the market that look cool, a lot of times the sound quality is lacking for true audiophiles. Levine, a man obsessed with quality, is on a mission to only prioritize sound and style in his products. Master & Dynamic is finding tremendous success by sticking to Levine's commitment at a time when an increasing number of companies, musicians and celebrities are churning out costly headphones for listening to music on airplanes or at the gym, or simply to wear as a fashion accessory.

I'm not a very musical person (you don't want to hear me sing), but I have a good ear for high quality audio and appreciate listening to music emanate through a speaker or headphones that makes me get the chills when the sounds is superior. One of my favorite things to do at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is to sample the different over-the-ear headphones and try to determine which companies have successfully figured out how to get the richest sound quality from different audio devices. I also enjoy being invited into private rooms to listen to great music be played flawlessly through high end speakers from companies like Bang & Olufsen, Thonet &Vander and Bose.

The legendary Neil Young famously laments that it's impossible to get truly high fidelity sound quality from MP3s in our post-vinyl music age, but audiophiles don't need Young's Pono player to be fulfilled today. There are countless options available for anyone looking for higher quality than the free white  earbuds packaged with all Apple products, but for those with discriminating taste in audio quality and willing to pay premium prices there are some truly impressive audio products on the market -- from wireless headphones to Bluetooth  earbuds and from dynamic sound bars to high powered sound systems.

Here are some high end products I had a chance to sample (check the Web for pricing).


Earin - If you appreciate the clear sound of music, but don't want to deal with the wires (even wireless Bluetooth headphones have a small wire) you will love Earin. The extraordinary high fidelity quality of these Swedish-made  earbuds will excite every audiophile. These earbuds are placed in your ears like ear plugs and are comfortable with a surprisingly high quality sound. The design is beautiful -- even the packaging -- and Earn won the 2016 iF Design Award. In terms of battery power, I was able to get a full 10 hours of use from a single charge. A bass boost is available by downloading the companion app for iOS or Android. https://www.earin.com

Bose SoundTouch 10 - At a time when everyone in the family has their own personal music player with headphones, I've begun to miss the sound of beautiful music throughout the house. Bose will bring that magic back with its wireless music system. The SoundTouch 10 is small, but able to stream millions of songs from music services including Spotify, which has partnered with Bose. Using your home Wi-Fi network and Bluetooth devices, you'll be able to play any sound imaginable and introduce your kids to new music. Your smartphone becomes the remote control with the mobile app. https://www.bose.com

Master & Dynamic MW60 - These are the headphones that sit next to my bed and make bedtime something to really look forward to. Listening to music through the MW60 headphones will honestly make you hear music differently. The sound quality is in a class by itself. When I recently walked around New York City wearing these I was stopped a couple times with inquiries. I gently explained that Master & Dynamic's headphones were the major leagues to Dre's minor league Beats. These wireless Bluetooth headphones are built with only the finest materials and provide a rich, warm sound with a beautiful stainless steel componentry. They are durable, stylish and worth every dollar. http://www.masterdynamic.com