Have Yourself a Very Techie Christmas
Updated for 2019 on Dec 5, 2019
Need to find some Secret Santa gifts for techies? Looking for the best gifts for geeks? Or maybe you’re trying to figure out what are the best tech gifts for mom, parents or coworkers. Well, look no further! You’ve found the ultimate guide to The Best Tech Gifts, updated for 2019!
37 62 Top Tech Gifts for the Geek, Nerd, Remote Worker, Techie or Coworker in Your Life
I don’t know about you, but most of my family has never really understood my job. As a freelance Video Editor for a long time (and now with Bloggin’ Ninja) sure, they see me at my computer in my home office or lugging my laptop around to coffee shops or bookstores or to Groundwork.
But somehow I get the idea that my fam doesn’t think I’m really “Working with a Capital W.” They seem to think I’m just kind of… playing at working. At least that’s the way it feels when they react with incredulity (or disdain) when I answer, “A Staples gift card!” or “Oooo! Printer ink!!” in response to the perennial question “What would you like for Christmas?” (I mean, seriously, I would *love* either of those things, yet I never get ’em!)
So if you’re looking to give your self-employed, freelance, or remote-working friends or family some good tech for Christmas, here’s a big fat cheat sheet of all the fab finds techies like me *really* want: Top Tech Gifts for Christmas 2018 2019.
On-the-Go Power Supplies
Laptop warriors are always on the lookout for places to charge our phones, laptops, and tablets. And yet invariably we all wind up out in the world with a dead battery and no way to recharge. YIKES!
You know the scenario: you’re on deadline, furiously pounding the keys trying to make the client’s fifth revision happen, when your laptop shoots you the “ah-hem..! You have ten percent battery remaining” warning. You type furiously, eyeing the battery life tick down, and get the slightly chiding “Hey! Only 5 percent left..!” A low, cold panic starts to kick in. Not only could you miss the deadline, but how will you check email? Texts? Slack!?! Out in the world, without a tether to your digital life. Gasp!
With the right battery backup in their Techie Toolkit, they’ll never be caught out in a cold, disconnected void again. Here are four awesome options, each with their own bennies:
Power/Battery/Charger Gifts——
1. Nimble: sustainably made chargers
2. Omni Ultimate: Real 120W AC power with four plugs! (Outdoor office for four!)
NEW 2019* 3. OMNI13+: A new, more affordable version of the Ultimate above. AC power that you can run for 13-hours with a real plug!
4. RAVPower Quick Charge: phones from 0 to 80% in 60 minutes
5. Anker PowerCore: Can charge phones 7x, tablets 2x, or a full laptop
Computer… Gloves?!
Who knew this was a thing? I sure didn’t until a friend gave me a pair. If someone told me a couple of years ago that I’d be sitting here typing in hand-knit, fingerless “computer” gloves, I’d have said they were crazy. Yet, low and behold, here I am wearing one of my three pairs. And I love ’em. LOVE! They keep the joints warm as you furiously type. They cushion and support wrists against a desk. Or maybe they create a state of mind. Either way, I’m a computer glove convert.
And now you can convert your tech gift recipients too! While not a “usual” tech gift, typing gloves or computer gloves will be appreciated by anyone who types for a living, especially during a cold (New England) winter!
There are special heated gloves, support gloves, compression gloves. Or you can buy any regular ole fingerless gloves at any retailer that sells gloves (as long as they don’t have fabric at the ends of the fingers, so you can feel the keys).
Here are a few places you can get gloves and have fun with ’em, get serious/medical about it or simply support independent artists:
Computer/Typing/Touchscreen Gloves——
6. Etsy Computer Gloves: Handmade knit gloves
7. Amazon List o’ Gloves: A whole lot to choose fromPanda Hand Warmers: Because… well… heated pandas! (No longer available – sniff)
NEW 8. Heated Hand Warmers: Replacing last years Pandas… Toast and Butter!
NEW 9. BONUS Heated Slippers: Narwhal USB Heated Slippers! Keep your tootsies toasty while working at home.
NEW 10. Moshi Touchscreen Gloves: Has special conductive fibers to enable accuracy on phone
NEW 2019 Tech Accessories
From security to convenience, we Remote Workers can have unique challenges in our tech lives. Well, actually, everyone has privacy issues and security concerns these days. (And who knows what’s on the horizon — especially now that Sergey Bryn and Larry Page have left Google!) So up first, a couple of things that can help keep your digital life safe and secure.
Security——
While we know, love, and trust our fellow coworkers, we always need to be aware of the digital footprints we leave behind online. Here are a couple of things to help keep your info safe.
NEW 11. YubiKey Hardware Security Key: Stop phishing and guard your online accounts with two-factor, passwordless authentication.
NEW 12. VPN Subscription: Browse anonymously and securely (no matter where your office-o-the-day may be) with a Virtual Private Network.
Tech Gadgets——
NEW 13. Kensington Trackball: You have to set it up juusssst right, but this has saved me from Carpal Tunnel!
NEW 14. Night Cable: Stop fumbling for dropped cables! This one has an adjustable weighted knot & stays put on any flat surface.
NEW 15. iClever Tri-fold Bluetooth Keyboard: Compact, easy to travel with, yet full standard-size keys! Pair with your tablet, phone or laptop for easy typing anywhere.
NEW 16. iON Wireless Stand: Modern luxury charging stand for Qi wireless fast charge enabled smartphones, tablets & other devices.
NEW 17. Roku Streaming Player: So you can stream the new Disney+ service. Because… Baby Yoda!!!
Baby Yoda gettin’ his adaptogenic coffee on…!
Speaking of Coffee….
NEW 18. Carter Everywhere Mug: Amazing modern mug designed for true coffee lovers who like to fully EXPERIENCE their coffee.
NEW 19. Ember Mug: Keeps your coffee at an exact drinking temperature for hours! (Battery powered with a charging coaster)
Fun with food: Lunch at Work
Going out for lunch every day just isn’t practical or economical… even though it’s fun. So most days I bring food from home and work through lunch, eating at my desk as I type away. Over the years friends have given me a bunch of food gadgets and containers, some good, some great, and a lot useless. Here are the things I most consistently use and a couple that I want (which will hopefully be under my tree this year).
Lunch Containers——
20. Prepd Pack: Handcrafted bamboo case with modular containers
21. Thermo Pot: Sturdy, stylish vacuum food flask
22. Box Appetit: Modern, BPA-free lunchbox/food container
23. Dual Compartment Bag: The hot stays hot, the cold stays cold
24. Planet Box: Eco-friendly, stainless steel compartmented bento
Sticker Billboards — I mean, H2O Bottles!
We’ve all heard the advice “Drink 8 glasses of water a day,” right? But did you know that the Mayo Clinic recommends that men drink 3.7 liters (15.5 cups) and women drink 2.7 liters (11.5 cups) of water daily? Think about that: one GALLON of water for men and 3/4 of a gallon for women. Every day! So what better way to both up your daily water intake AND display your techie pride with stickers all over a great, healthy, BPA-free bottle:
Water Bottles——
25. Hydro Flask: The ULTIMATE insulated stainless water flask!!
26. Autoseal Chill: Stainless steel water bottle with spill-proof Autoseal
27. Nalgene Tritan: Wide Mouth BPA-free bottle with screw off top
And — even though it’s kinda cheating (because most programmers believe these should be “earned”) — here are some stickers for your bottles:
Sticker Starter Packs——
28. Developer Stickers
29. Programmer Stickers
NEW 30. Local Stickers: Grab a local biz sticker (like the ones for Groundwork or Bloggin’ Ninja at the front desk!) to show your New Bedford pride.
Lugging your life: Computer Bags
A great alternative to full computer cases or bags are laptop sleeves, envelopes or clutches. These slender options offer some protection without adding bulk to lug around. It’s a great option for protecting your laptop while hopping between meetings or when you just need to slip your laptop into another bag. Laptop warriors can always use multiple ways to carry their primary weapon, their laptop.
Laptop Sleeves——
31. Plemo Leather Envelope: Water-resistant leather laptop sleeve
32. DwellStudio Laptop Clutch: Sleek padded sleeve for laptop or tablet
But if you’re looking for a great new full laptop bag, look no further. With a commitment to fair business practices and quality design, these bags from NutSac rock! They’ve created some amazingly high quality, American made bags and proclaim they’re “leading the man-bag revolution” with everything from the “33. Man-Bag, Damnit” (“You carry lots of crap…. What you really need is a right-sized bag for your everyday carry.”) to the “34. Mag-Satch II” (“Mag-Satch is a unique option among satchels for men today. Go ahead, look around, you won’t find anything quite like it.”).
Computer Bags——
35. NutSac: Handmade computer messenger bags and other “man bags”
36. Everki Atlas: Checkpoint friendly water-resistant laptop backpack
But hum… I’m a girl. Woman. Female! So I say “who cares?!” to the “MAN bag” because I lust after the 37. Muy Grande laptop bag. Perhaps I should create a “Tech Gifts for Her 2019” list and show those NutSac guys that girls like ’em too!!)
Treat Your Ears: Headphones
Whether you’re flying or coworking, great headphones are a necessity in the out-and-about techie life. Sure, some people simply use the in-ear headphones that come with their phones. But most tech folks have multiple headphones, often one set for each type of use: noise canceling options for flying and coworking… noise-reduction microphones for taking calls on the go… over-the-ear comfort for marathon work sessions (Oi. How much do those in-ear things hurt after 10 hours?!). And how often are headphones left under hotel desks or between bookstore chair cushions?! An amazing pair of headphones will always be welcome.
38. Sony WH1000XM3: Noise canceling over-ear wireless headphones
39. Microsoft Surface: Lightweight, smart headphones with built-in assistantSoundcore Liberty Light: Small, light sport fit earbuds
UPDATED 2019* 40. Soundcore Liberty Neo: Small, light sport fit earbuds
41. Steelseries Arctis Pro: Gaming headset with chat/game audio controls
NEW 42. GranVela High Def, Wired Earphones: Noise-Isolating in-Ear Headphones (for people sick of loosing one AirPod!)
NEW 43. Twelve South Charging Stand: Elevate, charge & display micro-USB powered wireless headphones.
Fun Stocking Stuffers: Small Nerdy Gifts
Cord keepers, monitor cleansers, lint-free cloths, cleaning wipes, compressed air… anything that can keep our tech life in order, or get rid of greasy fingerprints and keyboard crumbs will all be appreciated if Santa leaves them in a stocking. (Oh! If you’re eco-conscious, skip the “canned air” and get something like the CompuCleaner — link below.)
44. Jelly Comb Organizer: case to manage/store all electronics accessories
45. MagicFiber Cloths: The microfiber cleaning cloths pros trust
46. Useful Thingy Screen Clean Kit: Clean any phone, tablet, or monitor
47. EasyGo CompuCleaner: Make your own Compressed Air! (to clean those lunch crumbs outta your keyboard!)
48. Avantree Cord Organizer: Reusable cable ties
NEW 2019: Fun and Games
Back when I worked at a software development company in Northern California, I was often the only woman in the engineering department. But nothing made me feel more like “one of the guys” than a raucous Game Night! So this year I’m including some downtime fun with this list of modern games that I’m sure we wouldda been laughing and drinking over back in the day . ;)
NEW 49. Superfight: The Party Game of Super Powers and Super Problems
NEW 50. Cover Your Assets: Seems simple (amass a fortune by collecting cards), but can get pretty cutthroat…! This is TONS of fun for teens & adults.
NEW 51. Cards Against Humanity: The “party game for horrible people,” this game isn’t for everyone (but it’s super hilarious for others!)
NEW 52. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza: Seriously. Just… trust me. :)
NEW 53. Unstable Unicorns: “Build a unicorn Army. Betray your friends. Unicorns are your Friends now.” This strategic card game can destroy friendships… but in a good way!
Hey… maybe we could have a little informal game night some time…! Anyone interested in having some after (Ground)work fun one night?
And now… something a little different!
And last but not least, here are a few of my favorite total geek ideas:
54. Tile Pro: Your techie tend to lose things? Help ’em find it with a rechargeable Tile.
NEW 55. Tile Stickers!: A waterproof Bluetooth tracker with adhesive back, 3 year battery & 150 feet range.
NEW 56. Chipolo Plus: A louder, cheaper, water resistant version of a Bluetooth tracker.
57. Ostrich Napping Pillow: (pictured) Sneak in a nap anywhere!!
58. Whiteboard Paper: Turn any wall or board into a whiteboard. (NOTE: I got some after doing this post last year, and it works GREAT!)
NEW 59. Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook: Classic pen-n-paper writing meets tech! (see below)
NEW 60. Travel Cable Organizer: Charge mobile devices without removing cables from the pouch, keeping cords neat and easy.
NEW 61. Gunnar Computer Glasses: Recommended by doctors to protect your vision & reduce eye strain from digital device use.
No matter what you choose from this tech Christmas list, always get a gift receipt (in case you don’t know what specs or prefs match their needs). Even if they have to exchange your gift, your tech lover will still really appreciate that you waded into geeky waters for them.
And remember, while they’re not terribly sexy or on the official list of “Top Tech Gifts 2018,” 62. Office Supply Gift Cards are a great addition to any list of 2019 tech gifts. :)
Happy Tech-mas, fellow Remote Workers!
- Where to Find Free Online Images for Commercial Projects - March 3, 2020
- How to Iron Out Your Content Marketing Strategy - February 22, 2020
- Top 10 Picks from the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show - January 16, 2020