Christmas is as common time to gift tech to family (or yourself), especially with the Black Friday deals on tech available in November (often now all through November too) giving decent discounts if researched carefully. Try not to get caught out with false discounts where prices are inflated in the run up to the sale though.
Tech for Christmas covers a great variety of products, from laptops and desktop PCs to Smart Home Tech, TVs, Smart Lighting etc – it all depends on the intended user.
Christmas may be the ideal time for a new laptop or gaming PC for your kids, but spend some time and research what you need, or it could be an expensive mistake. For gaming, consoles are the easiest way to get a consistent experience, but it depends on the titles they want to play – Xbox, PlayStation or PC all have titles specific to them so it’s better to ask in advance where possible. If purchasing a laptop or PC and you have any intention of using for study or work, be sure to remember your Office licencing if you don’t already have it. Office 365 is available as a single or family subscription for a fair price, and because it is industry standard, it makes sense as an addon.
What about a new Smart TV for Christmas? There is nothing better than watching Christmas TV in front of a new TV with all the streaming apps built in. TV technology has come on massively in the last few years and with 4k crystal clear displays, built in Wi-Fi for streaming, and amazing sound (or pair it with a soundbar or surround setup) – perfect for Santa Claus The Movie or Die Hard.
Smart lighting like the Nanoleaf sets make an interesting colourful addition to a home and would brighten up a study or bedroom over the festive period, but there are loads of similar sets with differing options and functions available. Integrate them via an Amazon Alexa, Google Home, HomeKit etc to allow clever control, timing, and scheduling, or simply add smart plugs to your existing lighting and set your Christmas Tree lights to come on at dusk automatically.
Digital eBook readers are available from a host of companies. A favourite for its simplicity is the Amazon Kindle. Pair one of these with a subscription for Kindle Unlimited and you have your reading sorted month after month, with the benefit of also being able to use the Kindle app on your phone to pick up your book wherever you are if you have a spare 5 mins.
There is a massive amount of tech available that would be ideal as Christmas gifts, from wireless headphones to Bluetooth speakers, mobile phones and tablets to PCs, laptops, and gaming consoles. Retro sound kit such as radios and record players, to modern home music systems. Wearables like watches, cameras, fitness trackers and VR headsets.
Just don’t forget the batteries!