The best tech for people who appreciate practical gifts

When you’re a kid, practical gifts are the worst. Sure, you needed those pens for school, but you asked Santa for Nintendo or a Ninja Turtle, not office supplies. They might as well be vegetables. But, things are different when you’re an adult. Practical gifts become pretty great. You get useful gadgets that improve your life without having to shell out your own hard-earned cash. This carefully curated collection of products will turn you into Santa’s much more sensible brother, Tom, who brings useful, handy presents to the people in your life who can appreciate the value of a good pair of tube socks.



1. Anker 10 Port USB Data Hub
Computers are getting slimmer, but that means they’re also getting stingier with their USB ports. This 10-port dock has seven high-speed USB-3 data and charging ports, as well as three high-power 2.1 Amp charging-specific ports for faster top-offs. Not bad for a device the size of a candy bar. Note: Actual candy bars also make good gifts, but they’re not very practical. $39.

2. Google Home Mini

Once you’re addicted to bossing around a digital assistant, you want it in every room of your house. Now, Google offers a mini version of its Home device that costs just $50, putting it in prime gift-giving territory. It has a built-in speaker, so it can play music, answer questions, make whale sounds, and control your smart home without taking up a lot of space on a night stand or dresser. $50.

3. Lifx A19 Smart Light Bulbs

There are lots of smart light bulbs on the market, but the Lifx bulb simplifies the process of upgrading. They don’t require a hub like most of the other Wi-Fi bulbs, they throw out the equivalent light of a 75-watt bulb, and best of all, they work natively with all of the different smart assistants, like Google Assistant, Alexa, and Apple HomeKit. $52.

Read more at: https://www.popsci.com/practical-tech-gift-guide#page-3

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