Dad-Friendly Gear Picks

Even if you’re up at 3 a.m. with a colicky baby, Roku, $99, will at least make sure there’s something decent on TV. The tiny device streams video to your television over your home wireless network from a variety of sources. Roku is best when combined with a Netflix subscription, giving you access to a huge catalog of movies and TV shows, ready when you are (or, more accurately, when the baby is).

HD model available, $129, roku.com.