Welcome to TechCrunch’s 2021 Holiday Gift Guide! Need assist with reward concepts? We’ve acquired a number of them. Check again from now till the top of December for extra!
Less than two weeks left till Christmas! Got your buying carried out? No? Yeaaaah me neither.
Want to purchase somebody an important gadget however don’t need to break the financial institution? You’ve acquired choices! Down under you’ll discover a checklist of a few of our favourite gadgets that (A) you need to nonetheless be capable of get in time for Christmas and (B) gained’t cost you extra than $100.
This article comprises hyperlinks to affiliate companions the place accessible. When you purchase by way of these hyperlinks, TechCrunch might earn an affiliate fee.
AirTags
Image Credits: Matthew Panzarino
Earlier this yr, Apple debuted the AirTag — a little bit puck-shaped widget meant to be thrown into your bag or hooked up to your keys to trace their location. Know your bag is in the home someplace however simply can’t discover it? Tap a button, make it beep.
And, nicely, this stuff are fairly good! I purchased 4 anticipating to not discover a use for all of them, then just about instantly went again and acquired 4 extra. I put one in my pockets, one in my pool bag, one in my favourite jacket so I by no means lose it at a celebration, one in my automotive as a result of I’m dangerous at parking heaps and extra. The battery lasts a very long time and is definitely replaceable.
One catch: They really solely work with iOS units, so think about options for Android customers.
Price: one for $30 or 4 for $99
Wireless headphones
Image Credits: Brian Heater
Apple didn’t invent the idea of totally wi-fi headphones with the AirPods — however they undoubtedly helped to blow up the class.
Lots of competitors has since hit the market, a lot of it price testing. Our personal Brian Heater checked out Nothing’s $99 Ear (1) buds (pictured above) and located them to be “solid”; Jabra’s Elite 3 in-ear wi-fi buds, in the meantime, are primary (don’t anticipate a lot in the way in which of noise cancellation) however good.
If they particularly requested for AirPods, you’re gonna have to leap again a technology to get’em for underneath $100. Gen 2 AirPods are nonetheless fairly good, however in comparison with Gen 3 they’ve acquired a special design, weaker battery life, no water resistance and some different key variations.
Price: Nothing’s Ear (1), $99 | Jabra Elite 3, $80 on Amazon
Hue good bulbs
Image Credits: Philips
I began tinkering with Philips Hue good bulbs just a few years in the past, and so they’re slowly taking up my home. They’re a lifeless easy and comparatively inexpensive strategy to make any room really feel manner fancier, permitting you to tweak the lighting (brightness, shade, temperature, and so on.) right away along with your telephone or, in the event you’ve acquired good audio system round your home, your voice.
I’ve acquired a dozen of them round my home now and so they’ve been completely rock strong for years. Want extra good house reward concepts? Check out our good house starter information right here.
Price: Three for $90 on Amazon
Kindle
Image Credits: Amazon
There are a zillion e-book readers on the market … however, for most individuals, and as a lot because it pains me, it’s arduous to advocate something over a Kindle. They’re nicely constructed, polished and the method of getting a e-book onto it’s about so simple as could possibly be.
If you’re making an attempt to remain underneath $100, the $75 base mannequin Kindle will get the job carried out. You gained’t get the waterproofing or a lot brighter LEDs of the $140 Kindle Paperwhite or the $250 Kindle Oasis … but when what you need is a tool that’ll allow you to carry round a zillion books directly with a battery that lasts days/weeks, the bottom mannequin checks all of the containers. Plus, if advertisements on the house display screen don’t look like a giant deal, they’ll lower the value all the way down to $55.
Price: $55 with advertisements or $75 with out from Amazon
Artiphon Orba
Image Credits: Artiphon
“This $99 gadget helps you make music, no skill required,” writes Brian Heater.
Artiphon’s Orba is principally a handheld/moveable synthesizer, offering a easy interface for throwing beats collectively on the go. Check out Brian’s hands-on with it right here.
Price: $100 from Artiphone
Longer, higher charging cables!
Image Credits: Anker
The charging cables that include most telephones aren’t nice. They’re too fast to crumble, and manner too brief — particularly in the event you like to have a look at your telephone in mattress. Is taking a look at your telephone in mattress a good thought? Nope! Do all of us do it anyway? Yep!
Anker’s woven cables are an enormous step up. They’re good and lengthy (6-10 ft), are available lightning or USB-C types, and the woven nylon cable lasts manner longer, in my expertise, than the quick-to-fray plastic of the included cables. I maintain just a few of those round as stocking stuffers and again up items.
Price: Lightning cable, $20 for two from Amazon | USB-C cable, $16 for two from Amazon
Anker’s PowerCore Fusion
Image Credits: Anker
Speaking of Anker, I’m a giant fan of their PowerCore Fusion backup battery.
It’s not the highest-capacity backup battery by any means, however it’s acquired a neat trick: It’s a wall charger and a backup battery, all-in-one. It’ll cost your telephone first, then cost its personal inner 10,000 mAh battery — so, assuming you employ it as your common charger, you’ll by no means attain in your backup battery to seek out that it, too, is lifeless. This factor has earned a ceaselessly spot in my journey bag and has saved my butt a number of occasions.
Price: $50 from Amazon
Streaming sticks
Image Credits: Google
I friggin’ love streaming sticks. They’re ridiculously inexpensive for all of the companies they’ll push to your TV (Netflix! Hulu! Paramount+! Disney+! HBO Max!) and are nearly at all times far far higher than the apps constructed into most good TVs.
I just like the Chromecast rather a lot — each the usual $30 Chromecast and the $40 Chromecast with Google TV — as a result of I primarily management my TV by way of apps on my telephone. If you need 4K help, Apple TV+ help, or a distant management, go together with the latter possibility.
Alternatively, Amazon’s Firestick vary and Roku’s streaming sticks are all fairly good.
Price: Chromecast, $30 | Chromecast with Google TV, $40 | Firestick 4K, $35 from Amazon
Nest Hub
Image Credits: Brian Heater
Basically a Google good speaker with a show, the Nest Hub hits far above its weight. I put one in my kitchen a yr or so again and now use it nearly each time I cook dinner — for asking Google “what temperature is medium rare?” for the thirty seventh time, beginning timers with out touching something or for taking part in one thing from Hulu (learn: “Bob’s Burgers.” Always “Bob’s Burgers”) when making a recipe I’ve made one million occasions earlier than. Plus it’s on sale proper now.
Price: $60 from Google, normally $100
JBL GO 2
Image Credits: JBL
I’ve been driving manner less because the pandemic began. No commute/less socializing will do that.
The sudden facet impact? My podcast listening time plummeted. Turns out I really solely listened to podcasts within the automotive or on the bus.
A couple of months again, although, I began listening to podcasts within the bathe with one in every of these simple-but-solid JBL GO 2 waterproof audio system, and I find it irresistible. It takes me like 4 showers to get by way of an episode I used to hearken to in a single commute, however hey — I’m again to listening!
I have a tendency to only throw this speaker in my bag and take it with me wherever; one thing I can’t say of the numerous, many Bluetooth audio system I’ve owned earlier than it. It’s small, feels indestructible, the battery life is good sufficient that I don’t really fear about it and it’s loud sufficient to offer tunes at a picnic with out annoying everybody else on the park.
Price: $40 from Amazon
Backbone
Image Credits: Backbone
This factor turns the iPhone into a correct gaming machine, and it feels manner nicer than I’d have guessed from the value tag.
Expand controller, drop iPhone in, play. It’s my go-to machine for Apple Arcade video games (I’ve performed manner, manner an excessive amount of Sneaky Sasquatch with this factor) or for streaming PlayStation/Xbox video games to my telephone once I’m in one other room.
Price: $99.99 from Backbone
