’Tis the Season: Tech Gift Ideas (Updated!)

With the slow delivery time of just about everything, it’s best to firm up your picks soon for holiday giving. Here are some tech gift ideas to get you started.

Smart Toilets (Yes, you read that right!)

This one is a little impractical for Secret Santa and they’re technically  not on the market yet – but they’re guaranteed to make for some fun holiday party conversations. The smart toilet will have a scanner (yup) that can recognize whoever is sitting on it and be able to analyze many things about them such as weight, blood pressure, etc. and analyze urine and feces. 

Okay, too much information and probably too expensive to give employees, but here’s the link in case you’d like to read about this upcoming analytical device: The smart toilet era.

Mesh Network

Once you’ve unwrapped all the new internet-dependent presents that will be exchanged in your home this holiday, you’ll probably be wishing for a better wireless system. Enter the personal mesh network that ensures internet connection through every nook and cranny of your home. Our personal favorite is Eero.

Sound Systems

It’s not the holidays without music. Enjoy it in every room with a wireless speaker system. Plus, set up your TV to run through the system and you’ll be able to keep track of the game whenever you have to step away from the screen (trips to the kitchen, bathroom, to accept the pizza delivery, etc.). Our favorite home wireless speaker system is Sonos. There’s even a portable option so you can take the music outside when gardening, hanging by the pool or washing the car.

Cyber Security Tech Gift Ideas

Why not take the opportunity to show people how much you value cyber security with one of these tech gift ideas:

USB Data Blockers

These inexpensive blockers are useful for any employee but especially those who do a lot of traveling or take their computer, smartphone or tablet to visit friends and family.  Public charging stations, such as those at airports, are not secure. Devious people can hack those public charging stations and once they do, they have all your data information forever. Phone numbers, contacts, texts…everything.

USB data blockers prevent that. There are many on the market. Just type in “USB data blockers,” and you will see many products including ones that come in colors. Most cost less than $10 and can be bought in sets. Amazon is a good place to start looking.

USB Port Blocker

Port blockers are similar to data blockers. The difference is that some use a physical key to lock and block a port on your device and do the same to unlock it. The blockers physically prevent anyone from damaging the port.

The other keyless models are just as protective for data blocking, but not if you’re around a curious toddler who decides to stick a Lego piece into one of your ports.

Portable Power Banks

Port blockers make it safer to charge your devices using public outlets. But you can bypass this need entirely with a portable power bank. These battery devices range in price from $5 to over $100 depending on the number of times it can charge a device before needing a recharge and how many devices it can charge at once.

Portable Security Locks for Devices

Similar in looks to a bicycle lock, these devices can lock a device to a stationary object. Typically they have a four-digit locking code that the user creates and is resettable. No one can pick up your laptop and walk away with it while you’re ordering your coffee. They run under $50.

Password Manager Subscription

A subscription to an online password manager that also offers free versions is a great gift.  Some have family plans (perfect for encouraging kids and grandparents into better security habits). Once your one-year gift subscription expires, your employees can revert to the free version instead of the paid subscription.

Hardware Password Manager

These physical devices are small, like a key fob or the size of a flash drive. They will securely save all your passwords. Instead of using a cloud password manager or committing them to memory, you can use this.  All of them encrypt your password and cost about $50. Some even have multi-factor authentication. 

Choose carefully to find one that works with the platform you need and your preference for fingerprint or PIN number access.

Backpack It All Up

The last of our tech gift ideas is extremely functional for most employees: A backpack that is configured with a USB port and RFID anti-theft protection. Make sure it’s also weatherproof and large enough to fit most laptops. Careful, though: Some airlines have banned these bags if they have lithium batteries that cannot be removed.

These backpacks serve most people as an overnight bag. But for your employees who bring their work with them wherever they go, it will hold everything needed, including a hardware password manager, a data blocker or two, a port blocker, a cable lock for the laptop and also a change of clothes.

As always, if you need some IT help or advice, contact your account manager. Not a client? Contact us or book an appointment for a free, no-pressure consultation. Happy gifting!