Are you from the time before being glued to a smartphone was considered normal? Here’s a list of tech products that make great gifts and also don’t need a Master’s degree to operate.
Kindle Paperwhite (2018)
From R3,000 / connecteddevices.co.za
If you are, or you know, someone that likes to read in the bath or around the pool, you probably know that water and books don’t get along well. You don’t need to worry about that with the 10th gen Kindle Paperwhite. It’s a lightweight tablet-looking thing that is waterproof up to 2m for 30 mins and comes with 8GB or 32GB of space to store ebooks.
Listen here
You’re also able to download and listen to audiobooks if you connect a set of Bluetooth headphones.
Would you look at that
The Paperwhite comes in a pleasant plum, a silky sage, or a tranquil twilight blue colour. Or black, if you’re boring.
Quite spacious
Available with 8GB or 32GB, the 8GB option should be more than enough seeing as the average ebook is only a couple hundred kilobytes.
DStv Explora Ultra (with installation)
From R3,300 / dstv.co.za
If all these new streaming services seem a little confusing and you’re struggling to keep track of what show is on which platform, why not stick to what you know? The DStv Explora Ultra is a familiar platform and it’s been updated with streaming services as well as support for 4K HDR, Dolby Atmos and built-in WiFi.
Samsung Galaxy SmartTag
R500 / samsung.com/za
Keep losing things around the house or out and about? If you’ve got a Samsung Galaxy device, tag that thing to know where it is at all times. Setup is seamless. Tag anything you might lose, like luggage, keys, or your pet.
Big Button Phone
R1,700 / phoneforelderly.co.za
Big, clearly numbered buttons, a dedicated flashlight button, a pre-programmable speed dial feature and an SOS button make this phone perfect for those folks that can’t be bothered with all the frills of smartphones or that aren’t able to use them.
Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop
R5,200 / takealot.com
The Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum is useful for people who either aren’t able to clean for themselves or just couldn’t be bothered. You control it from a mobile app so you’ll need a smartphone to use it, but once setup is done, it’s just a case of staying out of its way.
Google Nest Hub
R4,000 / takealot.com
If you want all the perks of modern technology but don’t feel like dealing with the hassle of learning how to use it all, Google’s Nest Hub lets you issue voice commands without needing to navigate through tons of menu screens.
Brother PT-P300BT
R1 450 / takealot.com
The Brother PT-P300BT label printer is a great gift for any craft artist. You don’t need to learn complicated design software to make labels of any sort, just use the app on your smartphone, connect wirelessly, view the preview and label away.
Instax Mini Link
R1 800 / takealot.com
If you would rather print pictures than labels on the fly, then this compact pocket printer also connects wirelessly to your smartphone and the app allows you to create all sorts of designs and collages to share with friends.
Romoss Zeus 40000mAh Power Bank
R1 140 / takealot.com
Load shedding got you down? Tired of running out of phone juice? This absolute unit of a power brick gets you around eight charges for a smartphone. You can even charge more than one device at once. Suck it, Eskom.
Xiaomi Mi Smart Air Fryer 3.5L
R2 100 / mia.africa.com
Did you ever think a virtual assistant would be able to cook for you? Seems like we’re nearly there. This air fryer pairs with your smartphone where you can control or monitor the prep of your healthy air-fried meal.
Fitbit Inspire 2
R1 600 / incredible.co.za
If you’re looking to get in shape and need some sort of monitoring device but don’t want a full-fat smartwatch, the Inspire 2 will track your steps, heart rate, calorie burn and sleep cycles. Battery should be good for at least a week.
Asus Dual-Band Wireless Adapter
R480 / takealot.com
For some people, keeping up with the latest technology just isn’t worth the effort. Those people are probably still running Windows 7 on their creamy white desktop PCs. If those people need to connect wirelessly, they need one of these. Plug and play, baby.