A high-tech Valentine's Day gift might seem unromantic to some, but not to you and your significant other.
After all, you use technology to keep in touch all the time, whether you're FaceTiming from opposite ends of the country or texting from the other room. There are times when it can have a less-than-desired effect on your relationship (put the phone away at that Valentine's Day dinner, please), but it can also bring you closer. Just look at couples-centric apps (yes, they exist) like Between.
For now, you need to know what to buy. Don't give in to flowers and the standard box of chocolates. Check out a few tech-inspired gift ideas below.
Get Moving
Animated GIFs are art and you can be the artist with the Infinite Objects and Giphy collab. Go to create.infiniteobjects.com to upload any video clip and turn it into a moving video print to display anywhere.
Duly Noted
A note by any other name would smell as sweet, provided it arrives in a Lovebox. Gift the box and fill it with love notes through its app that lets you send text messages or drawings that appear on a screen inside the box. When your message arrives, the heart on the front of the box will spin.
Cameo de Bergerac
People say love is just a energy. If your beloved wants words, though, let someone else do the talking for you this Valentine's Day. Like, say, Redman. Find their favorite celeb on Cameo and send them a video message.
There Are No Words
Conversation hearts can only say so much. Make your love known the old-fashioned way: with chocolate and emoji. My Mood M&Ms are available in five emoji. For more of a mixed bag of mixed messages, Love Xpressions Valentine Emojis are a sweet way to say...something.
Picture Perfect
If photography is your love's sweet hobby, get them a chocolate Nikon. For those whose idea of love is video games, put a chocolate Xbox controller in their hands.
Wrapped Around Your Finger
A 3D-printed heart ring is a modern way to express a timeless sentiment. The best part is that they come in a range of prices, styles, materials, and colors. (This particular one is from Archetype Z Studio.)
Love Light
How do you know it's true love? Technology will tell you. The kissing love tester determines the fidelity of your heart by lighting up (or not) when two people hold onto it and kiss. It's about as reliable an indicator if you're truly meant for each other as a Magic 8 Ball, but it's still fun (though not for the faint of heart).
Every Rose Has a Pwn
Real flowers perish, 8-bit is forever. This Lego rose approximates the look of 8-bit and—like your love—will never die.
I Love You Like a Love Song, Baby
Share and Share Alike
If your relationship is suffering from a power struggle, this dual heart iPhone charging cable can help. It lets you each charge your phones, avoiding arguments about who is more in need of the Lightning cable.
Stay In Touch
These lamps are an illuminating way to tell someone you're thinking about them. Buy a pair and keep one lamp for yourself and give another to someone special. Once they're both connected to Wi-Fi, a tap on either of them will light up the other, no matter how far apart.
To the Moon and Back
Give them the moon and stars. Pair this mini moon that comes to life with an AR app with a personal planetarium that uses AR to bring a guided tour of the galaxy to them.
Spell It Out
Remind them of your love every day with this LED-powered light that literally spells out how you feel.
I Woke Up in Love This Morning
Even if you're thousands of miles away from your sweetheart, you can still hear each their heartbeat with Pillow Talk. Each partner gets a wristband and speaker, which transmits and receives the other's heartbeat.
Love Daze
Create calendars, stickers, and more on Social Print Studio with your favorite photos. The daily calendar can be created in three formats. (And be sure to check out our inside look at the company's San Francisco HQ.)
Hooked on a Feeling
There shouldn't be shame with sex, provided everything is between consenting adults. But a warning: if you want to avoid having your most private data exposed, don't use an internet-connected sex toy. That said, Lovesense makes a line of them for men and women; they can be used from across the room or across the world.