3 Tech Gifts That You Can Give Anyone

When you’re shopping for gifts, technology is hard to avoid. Sometimes, it seems like everything that you can buy is a “Bluetooth” this or a “smart home” that. And while this is OK for the tech-savvy friends and family members on your list, it can be a pain for the others — those parents, grandparents, and less-than-tech-savvy friends who you still seek gifts for.

We’re here to help. Some high-tech gifts are user-friendly enough to be worthwhile to your less tech-minded friends and family members. Happily, our picks are also useful enough and versatile enough to please the tech-crazed early adopters on your gift-giving list. Here are three tech gifts that you can give to just about anyone.

A cellphone signal booster

Here’s a gift for a specific person in your life: That one person who is always complaining about their cellphone or smartphone reception at home. Poor wireless network reception at home is a surprisingly common problem, but more surprising is how many people just resign themselves to living with it. “I guess my network is just bad in my house,” these people say, “but it’s too much trouble to switch providers.”

Here’s the thing: These people don’t have to switch providers. All they have to do is get purchase Hi Boost cell phone boosters, set it up, and forget about it. These network boosters amplify the wireless network signal that cellphones and smartphones use to communicate, and they can make apparent dead zones into oases of coverage. They’re the perfect gift for that friend who complains of poor coverage at home, and they’re so simple that you can give one to Mom and Dad (or even Grandma and Grandpa).

A mobile device stylus

Mobile devices are powerful things, and they get even more powerful with the right accessories. Many of those accessories tend to be things that tech-savvy people love, like Bluetooth accessories and virtual reality headsets. While cool, these are not things that your tech-illiterate uncle will find much use for.

But a stylus is a different story. A tech-savvy person might use a stylus to jot down notes or create incredible digital art. There’s a reason that Apple charges big bucks for its iPad-compatible Apple Pencil: Tech geeks love it! But, at the same time, a stylus can also be a huge help to the tech illiterate. The ability to use touch screens without actually having to touch with your fingers will help Grandma and Grandpa be more precise as they use their phone, making “fat-finger” input errors a lot less common. In other words, a stylus is a tech accessory that anyone can use.

A simple e-book reader

Tablets can be tricky for those without much of the way in tech skills. But e-book readers tend to be much simpler, in part because they are focused on just one task. While not completely foolproof, they’re much more accessible to the less tech-savvy among us, which makes products like the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite a great choice for seniors and others who populate the less tech-savvy portion of your gift-giving list.
It helps that some e-book readers, including the Kindle line, focus on avoiding harsh backlit screens. Though you can read e-books on tablets, it’s a lot easier on the eyes to use a dedicated e-book reader. That’s why even the most tech-savvy folks on your gift-giving list — including the ones who already have a multipurpose tablet — are likely to welcome the gift of an e-book reader. Having a separate, lightweight device to carry around and bring on vacation is a great thing. Not every device needs to be an overpowered behemoth, and even the biggest iPad Pro power users will appreciate having an awesome e-book reader to use in certain situations.