The best Father's Day gifts for dads just getting into tech

With its exceedingly simple, tactile interface and hardware design, the modern ereader just may be the ultimate piece of technology to help the dad in your life bridge the gap between analog and digital. Of course, Amazon makes the most ubiquitous ereader in the world, the Kindle, and it's so widely known for a lot of great reasons.

Naturally, a lot of this gift's appeal depends upon whether they're much of a reader, however sometimes just the right delivery method is enough to turn someone into a bookworm. With access to thousands of books online and the onboard storage to hold hundreds of them, the instant access and gratification alone could be enough to make it their favorite gift this year.

Plus, the Kindle lasts for days on a single charge, and it's quite affordable at just $89.99 for the entry-level model. Whether it's historical biographies, conspiracy theories, alien investigations, or football stories (sorry, personal experience), there will be countless books for your dad on a Kindle, available in an instant. – Joe Osborne, Senior Technology Editor

They may be difficult to find right now, but if you can, definitely consider giving the dad in your life a Nintendo Switch – especially if they ever had been a gamer at some point in their lives or have shown an interest in gaming. If that dad you love reminisces every once in a while about playing Super Mario Bros. or Pac-Man as a kid or with kids, then they'll likely love Nintendo's latest console.

The Nintendo Switch is the ultimate plug-and-play game console for however people want to play their games: on an HDTV, in their hands, or wherever they can share a game session with the console's removable controllers and kickstand. Countless game developers have also ensured that the Switch is the best console for nostalgia-starved retro gamer dads like myself. Plus, there are dozens of brand new entries in 30-year-old franchises to be introduced to, starting with Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Again, it might be difficult to find a brand-new Nintendo Switch (or even the cheaper, mobile-only Switch Lite) given current events. So, consider buying one used or refurbished from a reputable retailer. – Joe Osborne, Senior Technology Editor

If the time is right for Dad switch to a smartphone from a "dumb" phone, Apple's latest $400 iPhone SE released just this March is the first on the short list.

It's inexpensive, compact, simple to use as it runs the iOS operating system, takes great photos, and it has the potential to last a good, long time since it's running on the same powerful chip as the $700-plus iPhone 11 series. And if anything goes wrong with it, there's a clear and obvious place for him to bring it for repairs or troubleshooting if you're not around — the Apple Store.

The iPhone SE can do almost anything the flagship iPhone 11 series can do. But rather than potentially overwhelming Dad with "all the cool things you can do" with the iPhone SE, your best bet is to focus on a few simpler things that are truly meaningful and improve connecting and communicating, like FaceTime for video calling. Or, if the rest of the family are mostly on Android, Google's Duo video calling app is available in the App Store.

While you're at it, you'd do well to get a nice, simple case to add to the iPhone SE's durability. No need to go crazy here; Apple's own silicone or leather cases are slim and protective.

Honorable Mention: If iPhones are out of the question for whatever reason, I'd recommend Motorola's $250 Moto G Power. It's a larger phone with a larger screen, and it runs on a milder mid-range chip that will still work great for pretty much anything your Dad would want to do on it. The main appeal of the Moto G Power is it's unbeatable battery life. If battery life is a "thing" with your Dad, get this phone. — Antonio Villas-Boas, Senior Tech Reporter

Smartwatches don't have to be anything more than simple health monitoring and fitness tracking devices.

The Apple Watch is the best smartwatch for pretty much anyone, including those who place technology towards the bottom of the priority list. Every Apple Watch can notify the wearer of higher and lower-than-normal heart rates and irregular heart rhythms. The Apple Watch Series Series 5 comes with tech for more advanced ECG heart monitoring, as well as fall detection.

All Apple Watch models also do an excellent job of tracking activity, fitness, and workouts — from simple daily steps to HIIT training.

Thankfully, you don't need to get the latest and greatest Apple Watch to get the majority of those features mentioned above. In fact, you're better off getting a slightly older model like the Series 3, and even one that's been refurbished by Apple itself, to save some money and make sure dad likes — and uses — his new Apple Watch.

Honorable Mention: Using the Apple Watch is dependent on whether Dad is using an iPhone. If he's on Android, or doesn't own a smartphone at all, the Apple Watch won't cut it. If he's on Android, your best bet is Samsung's Galaxy Active Watch 2. It's among the best smartwatch for Android devices. — Antonio Villas-Boas, Senior Tech Reporter

Picking a new 4K TV can be a daunting task, especially if it's for someone who's making the jump from an older HDTV. There are a lot of options to choose from, but if you're looking for an ideal 4K set to buy your dad for Father's Day, few models balance performance, price, and simplicity quite like TCL's 6 Series. The 55-inch model is currently available for just $549.00, and the 65-inch model is on sale for $749.99.

First and foremost, this display boasts a 4K resolution panel with four times the number of pixels found on a Full HD display. This fact in itself isn't all that impressive anymore, as most new TV models feature Ultra HD by default. More than just a run-of-the-mill 4K display, however, the TCL 6 Series also happens to boast full-fledged support for high dynamic range (HDR). This feature allows the TV to produce enhanced contrast and colors when playing HDR videos. Local dimming is integrated as well for deep black levels. This means the picture won't look washed out when Dad dims the lights for movie night.

When it comes to smart TV functionality, the TCL 6 Series uses the Roku platform with built-in access to a huge selection of apps. This includes many popular streaming services, like Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN+. There's even a voice remote so Dad won't have any trouble finding his favorite shows and movies.

There are cheaper entry-level 4K TV models out there, but none of them offer the image performance you'll find on the TCL 6 Series. In fact, this display rivals many much more expensive displays from the likes of Samsung and Sony. If you want your dad to get the most out of his first 4K TV, this is easily one of the best options to start with. The display's HDR performance really makes it a worthwhile upgrade from any older HDTV. — Steven Cohen, Technology Editor

Though they get the job done for casual viewing, speakers built into most TVs are plagued by subpar sound quality. These integrated audio systems tend to offer a disappointingly flat sound with limited range, making it hard to hear dialogue. If you're looking for a simple audio upgrade to enhance your dad's movie-watching experience, Vizio's SB3621N soundbar is an ideal solution.

This simple 2.1-channel system features a 36 inch soundbar unit and a wireless subwoofer. While you won't get an actual surround sound experience, the soundbar's speaker drivers should offer a sizable upgrade in clarity and stereo separation over the wimpy TV audio your dad is probably used to hearing. The dedicated 5.4-inch subwoofer will also provide solid kick during explosions in action films, bringing some genuine heft to weekend movie marathons.

When it comes to connectivity, the system uses a simple Toslink optical cable to connect to your TV, and Bluetooth is also supported for wireless music playback from a mobile device. The soundbar's design is nothing special, but it's low 2.1-inch height allows it to easily fit in front of most displays. You won't find support for HDMI video pass-through or any fancy audio formats here, but for $179.99 the SB3621N packs in a lot of value.

If you think your dad is up for something a little more advanced, then Vizio's SB36312 is also worth considering, especially for its current sale price of $269.99. This 3.1.2-channel soundbar offers a simple way to experience Dolby Atmos audio thanks to special up-firing drivers designed to bounce sound off of your ceiling. Though the technology can be a bit hit-and-miss, when it works, it creates the sense that effects are coming from above your head without the hassle of installing in-ceiling speakers. The subwoofer also features a special slim design, making it easier to slide out of the way. — Steven Cohen, Technology Editor

If your dad hasn't picked up a smart TV yet, a low cost streaming stick can provide a major upgrade to his home entertainment setup. For $35 Google's Chromecast can bring popular streaming services like Netflix, YouTube, Disney Plus and HBO Max to any TV with an HDMI port.

Chromecast is a bit cheaper than Roku Streaming Stick and the Amazon Fire Stick, and it brings some long term utility, like support for new apps like HBO Max. Along with adding streaming services to your dad's TV, the Chromecast will let him cast apps and web pages directly from his phone or computer to the TV for easy viewing without having to manage the device directly.

The Chromecast will require a home wi-fi connection to setup, but it's easy to control from your phone using the Google Home app. If your dad already has a 4K TV, you can upgrade to a Chromecast Ultra at $69.

The only drawback is that the Chromecast doesn't have a remote, so if your dad doesn't like using smartphone apps, consider a Roku or Fire TV Stick instead.

Depending on whether you're into the Google ecosystem or the Amazon ecosystem, there are a couple good options for a smart display that can be used as a hub for video calls.

Amazon's $230 Echo Show comes with the Alexa smart voice assistant built-in, and it's a good introduction into the world of smart voice assistants, at least into Amazon's Alexa ecosystem.

If there's no interest in using a voice assistant, the Echo Show can purely be used for video calling other Amazon devices, including other Echo devices, Amazon Fire tablets, and it works with Skype, too.

Honorable Mention: The same thing goes for Google's ecosystem, which will have more relevance in someone's day-to-day life if that person has a Google account and uses Google services like Gmail, Google Calendar, and so on.

For Google's ecosystem, Lenovo's $150 Smart Display offers a great balance of quality, features, and value. It'll handle phone calls via Google Duo, which is more versatile than Amazon's Echo Show, as Dad can make video calls using Google Duo to more devices, including iOS and Android devices. — Antonio Villas-Boas, Senior Tech Reporter

Smart speakers are some of the best gifts for Dads with any level of tech proficiency. But whether he'll like it or use it is a different matter.

If you're unsure whether he'll actually like it, your best bet is to start off with an inexpensive and compact that can do just as much as the more expensive ones. I'm talking about smart speakers like the $40 Amazon Echo Dot. With a little help, you can set up a little smart home ecosystem that lets Dad control smart lights and smart thermostats with his voice.

Or, if you want to keep it simple, at least to start with, these smart speakers can play music, answer some basic questions, and tell you commonly searched information like the weather forecast.

Honorable Mention: If you know Dad will appreciate good sound quality for streaming music, check out the $200 Sonos One. The sound is incredible, and it supports both Amazon's Alexa and Google's Assistant. — Antonio Villas-Boas, Senior Tech Reporter