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Cheap holiday gifts: tech gifts under $20
Richard Howard • December 19, 2019
Remember when you were a kid, and all you had to worry about was getting gifts when the holidays rolled around? Those were the days. While we’re all about combining budgeting with mindful and reasonable shopping, the fact remains that there are some loved ones that, if you didn’t get them anything, you’d feel like a bit of a jerk. You can have the best of both worlds though. And since everybody loves a cool tech gift, here are some of the best cheap holiday tech gifts of 2019 under $20. Get that special someone a great gift that won’t break the bank – leave the socks for your annoying cousin. That’s for spoiling Avengers: Endgame, Jerry.
NANAMI Qi-certified wireless charging stand – $15.95
When it comes to the big names, wireless charges can cost a pretty penny. However, there are quite a few wireless chargers on the market that are reasonably priced and have received excellent feedback from users. One of these is this NANAMI Qi Certified Fast-Charging Wireless stand. With 2 coils, it charges 1.4 times as quickly as a standard wireless charger, and looks considerably classier than many conventional lie-flat models.
UBeesize Tripod S Flexible phone tripod – $17.99
These flexible phone tripods are all the rage right now, and for good reason. Not only can your phone or smaller camera spin and swivel from the head of the stand, but the flexible legs allow you to position it at nearly any height or angle you desire. Heck, you can even wrap the legs around a branch! The stand also comes with a remote that pairs with your phone to allow hands-free photography. Easily one of our best tech gifts, this one’s currently discounted so we’d suggest you get giftin’ while the going’s good.
Tile Mate – $19.99
Are you an impeccably organized individual that always knows where everything is? That’s excellent. Some of us, however, are what is commonly known as “a hot mess” and literally never know where our phone or keys are when it’s time to leave the house. For my fellow sieve-brained folk, the tech gift known as the Tile Mate is a lifesaver. Simply attach the little square to your keys or other items you regularly misplace (some of us are clearly going to need one of the multi-packs). Once you’re within 200m of the tile, you’ll be able to make it ring using a smartphone app. And before you ask, yes, it’s a two-way system. When you can’t find your phone, pressing the tile will make your phone ring. On those days where you lose everything, well, you’re on your own. But our chances are greatly improved!
Kasa Smart WiFi Plug by TP-Link (2-Pack) – $19.99
You’ve seen the ads: super cool folk confidently striding into their homes and commanding their lights to turn on or ovens to start preheating. At one point, it was necessary to retrofit your home in order to use smart devices. However, it’s now possible to inexpensively get on the smart device train through smart Wi-Fi plugs. That’s why this clocks in as one of our favorite cheap holiday gifts. This two-pack will allow you to control lights and other fixtures/appliances through voice commands as well as set schedules for them to power on and off.
Case-Mate Metal Linked Band – $19.99
Apple Watch is, without a doubt, a nifty-as-heck device but I think we can all agree that the plastic sport bands that come with it aren’t exactly fashion-forward. If you want to class up your investment a bit, the Case-Mate metal linked band does a great job. Take note that this one is for 42mm case sizes (i.e. the larger watch face). A quick search will show you similar options for 38mm watches.
Tribe, Star Wars BB8, 32GB USB Flash Drive – $18.41
With the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker just before the holidays, this USB flash drive designed to look like the franchise’s cutest bleep-blorping robot (sorry, R2-D2) is the perfect gift for that Star Wars fanatic in your life.
VIOTEK Spectre Folding Virtual Reality Headset – $12.99
We’ve got to give it to Google for Google Cardboard – their combination of a simple app and a headset literally made of cardboard brought an affordable smartphone VR experience to millions. Building on this idea, VIOTEK’s collapsible offering adds a few tweaks and becomes one of our favorite tech gifts under $20. Using an open face design to secure your 4.5”-6” phone leaves your camera exposed, allowing the possibility of augmented reality VR. A capacitive touch button makes the headset compatible with Google Cardboard games and apps, and there are sliders to adjust focus for different eyesights.
There’s a lot to love about the holiday season, but for most of us, the shopping portion isn’t on that list. We’d just like to remind you that there’s a less stressful and more mindful way to shop, and that you can bring joy to your loved ones while keeping to a reasonable budget. And don’t forget – we’re always here if you want to save on your cell phone bill as well. Not only will you save throughout the year by paying only for what you use, but you can also make those overseas holiday greeting calls worry-free thanks to Ting charging $0 extra for international calls to over 60 countries.
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