Giving the gift of gadgets can be a sure-fire way to put a smile on someone's face. But a quick survey of the most sought-after items, such as iPhones, Beats headphones, Playstation 4 gaming consoles and a seemingly endless parade of smartwatches, quickly reveals what we all know is true: tech is expensive. Before you heave a sigh and return to an old stand-by like a cozy sweater, we've got good news: there is a great variety of gadgets out there that don't require a second mortgage to buy.
Moving memories
USB flash drives have been a popular stocking stuffer for years. But with our increasingly mobile-centric lifestyles, transferring files between computers isn't nearly as popular as transferring from phone to computer, or perhaps even more appropriately, phone to phone. Which is why this Lightning iFlash Dual Purposes 32GB HD Drive ($32.89) is such a handy device. With an iOS compatible Lightning tip on one end and a standard USB tip on the other, this flash drive can share files between a huge number of devices including iPhones and iPads. Its generous 32GB of storage space is ideal for moving large collections of photos, videos or music and it's a way more convenient solution than using cloud-based services like DropBox or Google Drive.
Liquid courage
We live in an imperfect world when it comes to our phones. We want to protect their screens, but screen protectors inevitably create tiny bubbles, increase glare or decrease sharpness. Plus, you can always see the edges -- especially on today's curved-glass models like the iPhone 6 or the Samsung Galaxy 6 Edge. Kristall's Liquid Phone Screen Protector ($23.92) conveniently does away with all of these compromises by increasing your phone's glass hardness to the equivalent of Sapphire (the second hardest mineral after diamond), and does so with a one-time application that you buff into the screen. There's no visible layer thanks to the material's nano-particles, and it works on any phone that has a glass screen (it does not work on plastics). While its protective qualities diminish over time and will require an annual re-application, unlike plastic protectors, it will never peel, crack or get hazy. For larger screens, there's also a tablet version for about $10 more.
Sounds great
The earbuds your smartphone came with likely aren't very comfortable and they don't sound particularly good either, which is why so many people are switching to larger, over-the-ear headphones like the super trendy line of Beats models.
But there's a fundamental problem with this solution. Although they are capable of delivering much better sound, they require more power and smartphones don't usually send enough juice through their headphone jacks to drive the bigger speakers. The FiiO E6 Portable Headphone Amplifier ($42.99) is designed to supplement the power of your smartphone or media player using its internal rechargeable battery, thereby giving your headphones the boost they need to sound their best.
At 16 grams and a teeny 41mm square in size, the E6 can slip into any pocket, or even hang from a keychain.
Portable power
Your headphones aren't the only things that need more power. All of our portable electronics do. These days, that makes carrying a battery pack essential, especially if you'll be away from power sources e.g. while on a plane or while camping. This Patazon 8,000 mAh power bank ($29.99) not only packs enough juice to recharge an iPhone 6 twice -- with room to spare - -it's splash, dust and shock-proof, making it much more robust than typical power banks. It also has its own on-board solar panel for times when there's no access to a power outlet. It features a built-in LED flashlight (fairly standard on most power banks) and a 4-LED battery charge level indicator to take the guesswork out of how much power is left. It's the perfect accessory for a high-tech traveller.
Looking for your keys
Some people always know where there stuff is. For the rest of us, hunting for wayward keys, wallets or phones has become an almost daily ritual. Bluetooth trackers are the newest, high-tech way to keep us connected to the belongings that matter most, and the TrackR ($16.99) is one of the best.
pproximately the size of a few coins stacked together, the TrackR uses a free companion app on your smartphone or tablet, so you can locate it within a 30-metre radius. Attach one to your car keys, or perhaps stick it to the back of the TV remote control that always seems to go missing.
The app lets you trigger a notification sound from the TrackR (to help you find it, when it's within earshot) and it also remembers the device's last known location. Finding objects that have been misplaced outside of the home or office is also possible thanks to the TrackR's Community feature -- anyone else who is using the app can become your eyes and ears, acting as a relay for your TrackR's Bluetooth signal.
It works the other way too--press the button on the TrackR to make the connected phone emit a chime. Unlike other trackers, the TrackR has user-replaceable batteries, which extends its useful life indefinitely. Now, if only you could find those batteries!
Don't throw in the towel
For some reason as yet unexplained by science, our highly sensitive pieces of electronic gear seem to be magnetically drawn to bodies of water that could cause permanent damage. Sometimes it's a pool. Sometimes it's a lake. And sometimes it's a toilet. Regardless which water source reaches out to grab your phone, make sure you have the remedy on hand in the form of a Kensington EVAP water rescue pouch ($6.99). Simply shake (or sponge) off all the visible water from your gadget and then immediately seal it inside the EVAP.
Within 24 hours, the desiccant agent inside the pouch will remove moisture 700 per cent more effectively than the homespun alternative (rice), which might just prevent your phone from becoming a $500 paperweight. At this price, it's worth buying a few to keep on hand for those sodden emergencies.
Hold it!
Know someone who has become a Waze or Apple Maps addict? Maybe you're one too? And why not… driving can be a huge hassle, especially in rush hour traffic.
Drivers know, however, that if your phone is perched precariously in a cup holder, or worse, just sitting on the passenger seat, that helpful app can quickly become a hazard. That's why I'm a big fan of the Kenu Airframe ($34.99). It's a spring-loaded mount that attaches to the vanes of your car's dashboard air vents and keeps you phone at perfect distance and height for glancing at its GPS directions.
That might sound like a lot of money for what is basically just an overgrown butterfly clip, but if you've ever been disappointed by the cheap build quality of other similar solutions, you'll adore the Airframe. It grips your phone firmly (with or without a case) yet you can still insert and remove your phone one-handed. When not in use, its minimal size all but disappears, which will please those who take their car's interior design seriously. Oh, and just because your phone is now within easy reach, please do not be tempted to text and drive. We don't want this holiday season to be your last!
