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It’s that time of year again, time to get your holiday tech gift list in order. With everyone you need to buy for, there’s a tech gift that will delight and amaze them. You may even find some gifts to add to your own wish list!
Power to the People
With tech comes a need for charging. Devices tend to be portable, whether they are laptops, tablets or phones. Even if you live your entire life near wall chargers, you may still need a tech gift to keep you charged.
Cables
Whether you plug your phone into the car, a computer or a wall outlet, you could probably use some extra cables for charging. If you are buying a cable for a loved one, be sure you know which devices they use so you get the proper cable.
- iPhone/iPad 2012 or later – Lightning cord
- Android, Kindle ereader, Fire tablet – micro USB cord
Inexpensive cables may do more harm than good. Make sure the cable you buy has been certified so it doesn’t overheat the device it’s charging.
ChargeTech Keychain Charging Cable
Always have a charging cable handy with the ChargeTech Keychain Charging Cable. This handy accessory clips onto your keychain so you can carry it with you wherever you go.
This cable is available in both micro USB and Lightning models for $20 each at the ChargeTech website.
iXCCC 3-Pack Micro USB Charging Cables
These micro USB cables are perfect for those on your gift list who have Android devices, Kindle ereaders and/or Fire tablets. These cords charge as well as sync data at high speeds.
This 3-pack of 3 ft. cables is available from Amazon, on sale now for $6.99, marked down from $19.99.
Amazon Basics Lightning Cable
Amazon Basics has an Apple-certified lightning cable for iPhones and iPads to charge and transfer data. The 3-ft. cable in white starts at $6.49 on the Amazon website. Other colors are available at a higher price.
Battery Packs
Why is it that batteries always seem to run out of juice at the most inconvenient times? With a spare battery pack you don’t need to worry about finding an outlet to charge your battery.
Gatcepot 24,000mAh Portable Charger 3-Port Phone Charger
This portable battery pack has three ports to charge up to three devices. The powerful battery can charge an iPhone 7 more than seven times and takes about two to three hours to charge.
It has a display to show how much charge is left in the battery pack and comes with two LED lights to illuminate your world.
The Gatcepot 24,000mAh Portable Charger 3-Port phone charger is available in three colors from Amazon, beginning at $29.99.
ChargeTech Laptop Battery Pack
The ChargeTech Laptop Battery Pack is a heavy-duty battery pack that can charge your laptop and up to four other devices. This 36,000mAh battery pack has four additional ports for your cables so you can charge your phone, tablets and ereader while charging your laptop.
This ChargeTech Laptop Battery Pack is available in black and silver for $149 from the ChargeTech website.
A Little Help, Please?
Digital Assistants may be just the gift your loved one doesn’t even know they want. Google and Amazon have digital assistants inside smart speakers, that respond to your voice commands. Control smart devices in your home, get questions answered, set alarms, play music, get news briefings and more.
Choose an Amazon digital assistant if your loved one is an Amazon Prime member. Choose Google Home if your loved one has an Android phone or tablet.
Amazon Echo/Dot/Tap
Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant lives inside the Echo, Dot and Tap. Each of these has its unique features to help you in your daily life.
See, Echo Dot and Amazon Tap: 2 New Ways to Ask Alexa Anything, Anywhere to learn more.
Choose your Echo, Dot or Tap gift for your loved one based on your budget and the functionality of the device. The Echo is the safest choice, as it does the most, but also costs the most.
Look for Amazon to run specials on these devices during the holiday season.
The Dot is available from Amazon for $49.99, the Tap is available for $129.99, and the Echo is available for $179.99.
Google Home
Google Home is a new device that houses Google Assistant, a digital assistant from Google (hence the name Google Assistant). Use this device to play music using Google Music, YouTube, Spotify, Pandora and TuneIn, or from your phone when you connect it via Bluetooth.
You can ask Google Home to search for facts and control your smart home devices, such as your Nest thermostat. With the My Day feature, you can ask Home what appointments you have for the day, what the traffic will be like on your way to work and what the weather will be.
Find out more about Google Home at Google Announces New Phones, VR Viewer and More.
Google Home is available for $129 at the Google store and from local retailers such as Target and Best Buy.
Printing Pics
If your loved one loves taking photos but never manages to print them out, check out the Polaroid ZIP Mobile Printer w/ZINK Zero Ink Printing Technology. This portable printer doesn’t use ink and connects to Android and iPhone/iPad to print pictures on the go.
Photos print on ZINK paper that is waterproof and tear-proof. Connect your phone using Bluetooth or NFC and download the Polaroid Zip app. Edit your photos on the app before you print them by adding filters and stickers.
The Polaroid ZIP Mobile Printer is available in four colors at Amazon, beginning at $99.99.
For Your Listening Pleasure
Dongle
If your loved one got an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus this fall, they are missing a headphone jack. This makes listening to music, podcasts, audiobooks and phone calls more challenging.
Help them overcome the transition by getting them a gift to help them with that void in their lives. For $9 you can get your loved one an extra dongle they can keep in their car or purse so they’re never stranded without one. This converts the lightning port to a headphone jack so any headphones or earbuds can work with the phone. The Apple lightning to earphone jack dongle is available from the Apple Store.
Note that this is only for owners of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. Anyone else in the world will not need this.
Wireless Earbuds
If your budget is bigger, you can get your loved one wireless earbuds to go with their phone. Bluetooth earbuds may be a good gift for anyone who listens to their phone a lot to free them from annoying wires.
While Apple’s AirPods have been delayed, you can still get other wireless earbuds that have clips on them to stay in your ears. The Powerbeats3 automatically connects to your Apple devices, have 12 hours of battery life and can charge for one hour of battery life in only five minutes.
Powerbeats3 are available in five colors from the Apple Store website for $199.95.
Bose Soundsport Wireless Headphones
These wireless earbuds connect via Bluetooth and NFC for easy pairing. If you have a phone with NFC, you can tap these headphones to your phone to pair them.
You can get six hours of battery life from these earbuds and they work with the free Bose Connect app that lets you control the earbuds from your phone.
The Bose Soundsport Wireless Headphones are available in 3 colors from Verizon Wireless for $149.
Pixel Phone
If your loved one is in need of replacing their Android phone, consider getting the Google Pixel phone. This latest phone from Google has an advanced camera and includes Google Assistant.
The battery has quick charging and in 15 minutes can charge up to seven hours of battery life. Included with the Pixel is a cable to transfer data from the iPhone, in case you want to make the switch.
The Pixel phone is available from Verizon Wireless, starting at $649. Currently, Verizon Wireless is offering a special deal, to buy one Pixel and get the second one for 50% off (so you can get one for yourself and gift one to your dearest friend).
Fitness Tracker
No. Just don’t get a loved one a fitness tracker, no matter how much you think they might need one, unless:
- You want to end the relationship immediately, or
- They have asked you for one and specified exactly which one they want
If you want to get them a fitness tracker, but don’t want to look as if you’re getting them a fitness tracker, then consider getting them the Apple Watch (but first be sure that they have an iPhone).
Apple Watch
There are many reasons to give an Apple Watch as a gift, beyond its fitness tracker capabilities. Your loved one will have no excuse for missing your calls and texts because the Apple Watch will notify them.
They can see the weather, next calendar appointment and sunrise/sunset times from the face of the Apple Watch. The Watch can show them the nearest gas station with the lowest fuel prices, show local movie times and give news notifications. With thousands of Apple Watch apps available, the Watch has become more functional than ever.
The Apple Watch comes in many different models, ranging in price from $269 to $1299. The Apple Store online has an Apple Watch comparison chart to help you decide which Watch is best for you. If you don’t need the Watch to have GPS apart from your phone, save your money and get Apple Watch Series 1.
See, 13 Reasons Why the Apple Watch May Be Your Best Fitness Tracker and 10 Gift Ideas for Apple Watch Fans.
The Apple Watch is available from the Apple Store and other local retailers, beginning at $269.
The Amphibious Sub-Surface Watercraft
Want to explore the briny deep? You and a friend can head underwater with this Amphibious Sub-Surface Watercraft.
Drive this vehicle down a ramp into the water where part of it will submerge and the other part will remain above water so you can see the best of both worlds.
This video shows how much fun you can have diving deep into the sea:
https://youtu.be/Rka5PuJBfVU
This watercraft is powered by a battery that lasts up to 110 hours in the water and 8 hours on land. Travel at speeds up to 6 knots and turn 360 degrees for unlimited viewing.
This Amphibious Sub-Surface Watercraft is available for $300,000 from Hammacher Schlemmer.
Rose Gold Jet
Have you been looking for a private jet to match the color of your rose gold phone? Look no longer, Neiman Marcus has you covered. They are offering a rose gold Cobalt Valkyrie-X piston aircraft that holds the pilot and four passengers.
This plane can travel at speeds up to 230 miles per hour, with a range of up to 1,150 ground miles, using its 350 horsepower engine. Above the cockpit is a one-piece canopy for unobstructed views.
The flight controls are also colored rose gold and the seats are covered in cream toned leather. Free technical support is provided for two years after purchase.
If you want to travel in style, this Cobalt Valkyrie-X Private Plane in Rose Gold can be yours from Neiman Marcus for a mere $1,500,000. (Pilot’s license not included)
Your Thoughts
Which of these gifts are your favorites? Did you find any tech gifts for your loved ones? How about for yourself? Do you already have a private jet to match your phone?
Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!
Tip: Feel free to share this article with others to give them a hint about what you want?
* Gift image (edited) courtesy of bykst via Pixabay and Creative Commons
Hi Carolyn,
I thought the watercraft was a model until I watched the video! I think the most useful gift is the phone charger! I do like to keep my phone charged and if I forget I charge it in the car. I’m still planning on buying a new phone, but changing my car is now a priority! I will think more about the camera this time. I have seen some good photos taken with phones recently. On one occasion an iPhone coped better with fluorescent light than my camera did. The photo had a very slight blur but that was quite flattering for the people in the photo and I learned another lesson, sharp photos aren’t always desirable. I’m going to shoot more with soft focus from now on! We switch on the town’s Christmas lights on Friday so I’ll be photographing Santa, local singers, reindeer and of course the lights!
Hi Mike, Nope, both the watercraft and aircraft are actual full-sized products, not toys. I’m thinking for those prices they would be quite expensive toys!
Yes, phone cameras are getting much better now so you may one day be satisfied with the quality of a phone camera.
Charge cords for phones are something no one has enough of. Either someone borrows yours or you leave it behind or you need a spare for your car. Finding quality phone cords that are inexpensive is important. These cords can make a nice gift for someone or yourself.
I look forward to seeing your Christmas card photo again this year, Mike!
Hey Carolyn,
I have always been a big fan of the tech. And the gifts you have mentioned in the list are cool.
Wireless earphones and the Google Pixels are the two most innovative products of this year.
It’s good to know about other products.
~Ravi
Hi Ravi, That’s great you’re a fan of tech too! Yes, these products can be great gifts both for fans of tech and non-fans of tech. This list includes the whimsical and the practical.
I hope you find some useful gifts for others and yourself, Ravi!
Hi,
Thanks for sharing this awesome post, I never knew about Google Home. I had seen the Amazon Alexa but this is news for me. I will check it out, it looks interesting.
Thank you.
Hi Ali, Yes, Google Home is a very new product, launched this month by Google. If you’re thinking of getting a smart speaker with a digital assistant, you should check out Google Home.
Hi Carolyn
I like the way you arranged these gifts in the post that itself is an art to showcase most beneficial on top and then a little lesser beneficial.
I like the gadget Printing Pics because working for a few print mag sometimes I need a printer to give pics to printers manually instead of sending online.
In holiday season people many times get confused where to go and what to buy. So this list is a good guide to keep them compose and get the most important one without any hassle and also receive a gift with it.
Many thanks for sharing this wonderful list
Hello Mi, I’m so glad you enjoyed this list of tech gifts. Yes, quite a few readers have liked the idea of giving a portable photo printer this year. Often people don’t print out their photos, but this printer makes it easy to do just that.
Hi Carolyn,
The stuff you have shared is amazing. I am going to bookmark this post for future reference for sure.
thanks for sharing.
Hi Robin, That’s great. I hope you find some great gifts for your loved ones, and for yourself!
Yes, I’m going to get myself a Amphibious Sub-Surface Watercraft this christmas! Always wanted to go to work in my own submarine, how awesome is that!
Hi Roger, I am so very delighted that The Wonder of Tech can help you fulfill a life-long dream! Have fun with your new watercraft, Roger, and Merry Christmas to you.