Last Minute Gift Guide

Thanks to internet shopping, there’s still some time to get someone a last minute tech gift. Here are some items that I use every day that would make a great stocking stuffer or gift exchange present:

• Travel USB Wall Charger with Foldable Plug: Every family trip, this charger is the first thing to go into the luggage. The folding plug makes it easy to pack, and it has 4 ports so everyone just has to remember their charging cable and not bother with separate, single-port chargers. Knowing that my family is very likely to forget charging cables too, I also grab…
• Magnetic USB Charging Cables: These cables make my mobile life so much easier. Basically, a small magnetic insert goes in your device’s USB or Thunderbolt port, and it will connect to a magnetic USB charging cable (no data, just AC) that just magically connects when they are next to each other, no fumbling around trying to get the charging cable into the device. The convenience really shines in the car and on your nightstand.
• Battery Pack with Flashlight: The only time my phone gets charged is when I’m in one place longer than 15 minutes at a time AND if I happen to remember to plug it in. When I’m on the go and expect to be nowhere near an AC outlet for any stretch of time, I bring a battery pack like this one, either in my backpack or in a jacket pocket just in case. This particular model has an extending light which can turn this battery into a mini lamp or book light, perfect for dark restaurants or camping trips.
• Flexible Arm Mobile Phone Holder: at first this seemed kinda silly, but I came to really like the bendable arm that clamps to my desk and holds my phone up at eye-level. Added bonus is that my magnetic charging cable sticks to it, making it easy to snap on to my phone when I eventually come to roost at my desk. They also make models for tablets and ones that will clamp to you dash or seat in your car. Quite literally very handy!
• Neoprene Laptop Sleeve: My laptop is probably the most expensive thing I carry with me on a daily basis, and it is shoved in and out of my backpack like a Japanese subway commuter. I keep it protected by storing it in a sleeve that maybe cost me $10, and it is probably the best $10 you can spend to protect something that might literally costs a hundred times that. Totally worth it!