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gift guide

Samsung no longer has an exclusive on the oversize smartphone. "Phablets," a portmanteau of "phone" and "tablet," are everywhere. And all those Apple users who have upgraded to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are finding that the docks and covers that they've been using for a few years now need to be replaced. Which provides you with many great gift opportunities:

(iPhone 6: $40; iPhone 6 Plus: $45)

Best case for that new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus

The new, bigger iPhones are fresh enough that there aren’t many aftermarket cases available for them. Apple’s own leather and silicon cases are fine, but if you want something with a bit more protection, and some help holding on, you want Speck’s CandyShell Grip. The textured case gives your fingers something to grab, and they will help keep your iPhone safe in a fall. The Grip comes in a range of colours, and is also available for smaller iPhones and other smartphones, too.

(Stand with mount: $30; mounts separately: $20)

Best phablet tripod

Joby’s GorillaPod tripods were the first highly flexible – and highly usable – accessories for photographers. The Griptight GorillaPod Stand comes with a tripod and a GripTight mount, which can also be used with any other tripod with a quarter-inch thread. Mounts are also sold separately. The spring-loaded mount folds flat and has rubber contact points to keep your phablet secure without scratching it. The GripTight Regular works with phones up to the size of the iPhone 6. Anything larger, including the iPhone 6 Plus and the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Note 4 require the GripTight XL.

($60)

Best portable flash

The best camera is the one in your hand, which is why your smartphone camera has become central to documenting your life. Take better pictures with the Nova portable flash. Small enough to fit in a wallet, the Nova flash connects to your phone camera via Bluetooth. It uses 40 LEDs to give you a range of lighting options. You can control the brightness and colour of the light individually, or use one of the presets to make it easy to snap photos that look a little more professional.

($35-$53)

Best iPhone 6 case for the design conscious

Designed in the Netherlands, Mujjo crafts lucious leather iPhone holders in black and tan. Lined in suede to protect the metal surface of the iPhones, the two designs hold a couple of cards in addition to your device. The cases slip over your phone while the sleeves give it a nice pocket to perch in. The company also makes cases for smaller iPhones, as well as leather sleeves for iPads and MacBooks.

 ($90)

Best lens-adapting attachment

The optics on smartphone cameras gets better with every generation, and that’s certainly true for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. But as good as those lenses are, they can’t deliver the kind of picture that a DSLR can. Unless you’ve got an Olloclip. The lens system has been re-engineered for Apple’s new smartphones and delivers four different lenses in one clip-on design: fisheye, wide-angle, 10X macro, and 15X macro. The 4-in-1 for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus adapts both front- and rear-facing cameras, too, so you can take fancier photos and selfies. There’s also a 4-in-1 lens for Samsung Galaxy phones.

($25-$35)

Best case for working out

Whether you’re riding your bike or going for a jog, the Sport-Fit armbands from Belkin will keep your smartphone safe and secure. They come in a range of configurations for whichever device you use, including the Samsung Galaxy S5, the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus.

($99)

Best remote control toy that teaches 

At first blush, the Ollie from Sphero is nothing more than a remote-control robot that your kids (okay, you) can wreck the house with. And don’t be afraid to take it outside, the cylindrical vehicle can travel up to six metres per second (that’s 14 mph) and is ruggedly constructed. You can even get different tires for different environments. Ollie is controlled with an Android or iOS smartphone; it has a Bluetooth range of about 30 metres, so you might have to run to keep up with it. The robot can do jumps, spins, and flips. Here's where the teaching comes in: you can create combinations of moves and you’ll soon be able to program the device with software development kits in 14 different coding languages.

($80)

Best accessory for gamers on the go

The SteelSeries Stratus is a Bluetooth controller that gives players more discrete command over the games they love to play. With two analog sticks, a directional pad, four buttons on the front, and four shoulder buttons, the Stratus brings console-like gaming to smartphones. Small and light, it’s as portable as can be, and has a battery life of about 10 hours.

Kanex Multi-sync keyboard (top, $75); QODE Ultimate Pro from Belkin (bottom, $150)

Best keyboard peripherals

Phablets are big enough to actually get some work done on, but even with the new keyboards that are possible with Apple’s iOS 7, you’ll still be more productive with an external keyboard. The Kanex Multi-sync keyboard (top part of picture) connects to three different devices using Bluetooth, and you switch between them with the touch of a button. It’s styled after Apple’s keyboards but unlike them, the Kanex has a full numerical pad on the side. ($75)

And if you want to package your iPad with a keyboard, look to the QODE Ultimate Pro from Belkin (lower part of picture). It connects to two devices simultaneously, and the keyboard and iPad case can be detached. The case can also mount to the keyboard horizontally or vertically. The keys have three levels of backlight in the event you’re working in low light. And the QODE turns itself on and off as needed, delivering up to a year of usage on a single charge. ($150)

($60-$70)

Best durable iPhone 6 case

The Defender series of cases from OtterBox protect against drops and, thanks to a built-in screen protector, scratches too. These are for those who want to guard against all accidents, and are willing to let their smartphones be even bigger for the privilege. With three layers of protection, it also comes with a holster that can be attached to any belt or strap you have.

($330, find on amazon.ca)

Best backpack design

The new Cobra Pack from booq has been designed with sleeves on the straps of the backpack that are perfect for the iPhone 6 (the iPhone 6 Plus also fits, much more snugly). It’s also been constructed of tough ballistic nylon with a waterproof coating and water-resistant zippers to keep your other stuff dry and secure. Zippered side pockets expand to hold a water bottle or umbrella. The company’s Cobra Brief has similar styling with an easy access exterior pocket for iPads and iPhones.