The Geek’s Holiday Gift Guide for the Spy Who Loves You

Thanks to Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, Jay and I got a chance to snuggle up on the couch, with an abundance of popcorn, and watch Jason Bourne give a serious beat down on some baddies. Serious beat down.  This guy has some moves, whoa. While watching the pre-release copy of the film, I was continually surprised at how much tech our favourite spy/assassin used that is widely available on the consumer market today. Tech that would also happen to make for great Christmas gifts for your loved ones. Awesome, right? Do you know someone who wants to be a spy? Maybe it’s you?  Check out these spy-worthy items out that will get you snooping like a pro in no time.

Tracking Devices Are a Thing Now

Easily keep track of your car, bike, passport, bag/purse, smartphone, or even your TV remote control.

A Spy undoubtedly travels a lot, and should keep track of their luggage at all times. Adding a Tile Mate disc to one of the inner pockets will keep you informed of where your luggage is, even if it wound up half way across the world without you!

Never lose track of a thing ever again with the Tile Mate, and its app, in hand.

Hidden in Plain Site

Life of a Spy, means handling top secret information, without anyone else catching on. It could be tax information; a master password list, (’cause honestly are you having an easy time remembering them all?); or even that Christmas pudding recipe that has been handed down from generation after generation.

The last thing you need is your nosy neighbour finding out what that secret ingredient is to making that moist, deliciously steamed pudding full of carrots, just taste so good.

A Spy is very much in need of artfully designed USB drives, that could hold the secret password to their MySpace account, without anyone catching on.

Here are some of my faves:

Check out the USB Flash Drives that looks like a stone (perfect if you have a desktop rock garden), LEGO Characters, and one that is embedded in a pen!

Learn How to Live Like a Spy by one of the best, Jason Bourne

Just in time for holiday gifting, Jason Bourne will be available in 4K Ultra HD, Blu-Ray, DVD and On Demand on Tuesday December 6, 2016! With such a recent release date, there is a very good chance your Spy hasn’t picked it up for themselves yet, woot. Way to go looking like the loved one that is on top of it all.

Have you seen the movie yet? It’s really hard to choose, but this one just might be my fave out of the five. Bourne is back after living off the grid for nearly 10 years. The CIA is once again attempting to establish a league of enhanced spies, and they’re afraid that their best result and failure will come out of the woodwork to stop them. The government also still has secrets of Bourne’s past, and it’s time for him to take them back.

Just look at the DVD cover; Bourne is not playing around.

This is why I love buying DVDs, over streaming digital releases:

BONUS FEATURES.

The bonus features for Jason Bourne are impressive, and a great reason alone for picking up a DVD package for yourself or a gift (or both!)

• Watch Matt Damon discuss his love of boxing, and how he prepared for those bare-knuckled fight scenes.
• If you were left as gobsmacked as I was watching the final fight scene, because whoa, intense, right? You’re going to want to watch the behind-the-scenes action in Close Quarters.
• What’s a spy movie without an incredible car chase? Shutting Down the Strip gives you an in depth look at how they made that magic happen.

Love the movie already? Keep up with cool features, and status updates by following Jason Bourne all over the web!

Reach out on your favourite social channel: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and/or catch up on all things awesome using the #JasonBourne hashtag.

Lock It All Down

A Spy’s life is all about gaining secrets, and then not letting anyone steal them away.

There are many ways to lock your tech down, which is something that we should all be aware of really. Here are some cool tech toys and software to improve the safety of the knowledge your computer has on you away from the rest of the world.

1. It might sound like a weird item to gift, but if you have a family member who is not using a paid-for anti-virus protection package, then get them one.This truly is a priority as it is the key to stopping anyone from hacking into your computer when they REALLY want to. I get that free versions do well at protecting, but they’re not the best. It’s impossible to be the best, unless you have financial backing to have the best working for you.I personally love Norton software, and McAfee. Either way, your Spy will love you for keeping them safe from their digital archenemies.
2. NFC tags – lock down your computer and local WiFi connection like a boss with help of NFC technology. These little gems can be coded to unlock your computer when its nearby, or setup your WiFi connection without you having to lift a finger.Imagine having a 20-character long WiFi password, and not having to worry about remembering, because the NFC tag will take care of the login for you. A single tap to the NFC tag will set you up with your home WiFi, so that neither you, nor any guests will need to know the password.
3. Make your own, personally protected, WiFi hotspot. This is something I care deeply about. Free WiFi is not safe when you leave your phone unprotected. You could be unwittingly sharing everything on your phone or computer (including your passwords, if you’ve logged into an account) while on an open WiFi network.Bring your own, TP-Link credit card sized mini travel router that will have you logged into your own personal WiFi network that no one but you will have access to. It’s like being in your own little WiFi world, where your rules go.

Practice Much Needed Roof Running Skills at an Adult Jungle Gym

A Spy always finds themselves on top of a roof at some point, and will need proper training and agility to stay on that roof (or fashionably get down from one, without so much flailing involved.)

If you live in Toronto, you must check out Pursuit OCR. It’s fun and adventure, and if you happen to exercise while climbing rope fences and ball pits, heh, bonus.

 

Learn how to say, “Is there an upgrade available?” in Fifteen Different Languages

A good spy knows multiple languages, so that they’re not caught off-guard on their travels. It’s also good to not accidentally remark that a person’s “mother is a goat”, when trying to buy lunch. Introduce your spy to the Duolingo app, available for both iOS and Android smartphones. The best thing about this gift? It’s free.

It’s the thought that counts right?

Make Spying Adventures More Memorable with Video

Did an adventure really happen if there isn’t photographic proof to back it up? Let your fledgling Spy showcase their own adventures, by bringing the all-terrain-friendly Go Pro Hero 5 with them!

 

Your Spy Cred is in the Mail

With all of these tools in hand, you or your loved one will totally be the next world renowned spy, way to go! <3

Have you always wanted to live in the world of secrets and mayhem? Or does that sound like a normal Tuesday for you?

This post was sponsored by Universal Home Entertainment. All opinions are my own.