Christmas is just around the corner, which means it's almost time to get out your credit card and start shopping. From new gaming devices and wearable fitness gadgets through to household tech and mobile speakers, technology always plays an important role during the holiday period. Let's take a look at some of the best tech products available this year, to give you some ideas for gifts to place under the tree.

Health and fitness products always make good gifts, after all, everyone wants to lose some weight and improve their general health. Gone are the days when a new pair of running shoes or socks hit the mark, however, with the fitness world now very tech-oriented. The Fitbit Alta HR is a great place to start, with this wearable device helping you to track your steps, distance, active minutes, and calories burned. The ultra-slim design is ideal for active people and the ability to display call, text, and calendar notifications comes in very handy.

Also from Fitbit, the Versa Smartwatch features a more rugged design, with its large display able to provide personal coaching through online videos. The Versa offers more than four days of battery life and can monitor practically any physical activity you can imagine. Keeping with the high-tech watch theme, Series 3 of the Apple Watch is also worth looking into. While not just a fitness watch, it too features a number of ways to monitor your physical activity and provides useful feedback along the way. This amazing product still sets the bar for smart watches, with users now able to input a Smart SIM into the watch and leave their phone at home.

Christmas is always a good time for gaming, especially if you have kids running around the house. While there are no new consoles coming out this year, all the big names have options on the table. While the Microsoft Xbox One X and Sony PS4 Pro are the most serious gaming devices on the market, the Nintendo Switch continues to make a big splash. The Switch is a unique handheld/home console hybrid, and the only way to access Nintendo's fantastic characters and games on the big screen. The new Nintendo 2DS XL is also a great option if you're looking for a handheld device, with the Nvidia Shield continuing to change the game with its media streaming service.

If you're looking for serious household tech, 4K OLED TVs will be a big hit this year with the more affluent end of the market. The Philips 9000 series offers unique Ambilight technology and a razor-thin design that needs to be seen to be believed. The 55-inch LG OLED55C7 also looks great, with its thin design and simple operating system hiding some of the best TV tech on the market. OLED TVs really are another level, with contrast, brightness, and colour all improved as every pixel produces its own light. Bluetooth speakers should also be popular this year, from small novelty designs for the Christmas tree through to large bass-pumping machines. 

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