The holidays are fast approaching and we’re running out of time to get gifts for those we love. Sure, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are passed, but that doesn’t mean that we’re out of luck. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best products that have passed through our doors here at AndroidGuys as a list of things you should consider for this holiday season.
Smartphones and Accessories
Smartphones are generally our favorite gadget. Here’s our pick for the smartphone you should grab this holiday season and some great accessories to go along with it.
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus has always been known as a company that sells good phones for a good price, but this year’s OnePlus 6T is its best phone yet. At under $600, the OnePlus 6T offers class-leading specs, a great UI, and fantastic build quality. The device is topped off with an under-display fingerprint scanner, one of only a handful of devices to feature the unique scanning technology.
You can grab the OnePlus 6T at OnePlus’ website and at T-Mobile.
Spigen Rugged Armor cases
If you’re looking for protection, there’s not a better name in the game than Spigen. The company makes several lineups of cases, but our favorite is the Rugged Armor line. It combines great looks, solid protection, and a slim feel for the perfect case. You can find it for just about any phone and it at only $12, it’s a steal.
You can get the Spigen Rugged Armor on Spigen’s website or Amazon.
Olloclip Multi-Device Clip
Smartphone cameras are getting better every day, but there are certain things they can’t do. To up your game, you may want to consider the Olloclip Multi-Device clip. It allows you to shoot in super-wide, ultra-wide, telephoto, fisheye, macro, macro 7x + 14x, and macro 21x with optional lenses. It is truly the jack of all trades when it comes to smartphone photography.
You can read our read our whole review here or pick one up from Olloclip’s website.
Wearable tech
Not all tech needs to live in your pocket. Here are some of our picks for our favorite tech you can wear too.
TicWatch Pro
There are a ton of Wear OS devices out there, but the TicWatch Pro is one of our favorites. It features two displays, your standard display that allows you to swipe through notifications and reply to text messages. But, the magic happens when that display turns off and the second display shines through. It’s an OLED display that only shows the time and a few other vital pieces of information. It’s a real battery saver! You can read our full review of the TicWatch Pro or pick one up Mobvoi or Amazon.
HUAWEI Band 3 Pro
If a smartwatch is a bit much, you may want to consider the HUAWEI Band 3 Pro. It comes in white, black and blue and offers smartwatch-lite features. You can still get notifications from almost any app you choose and notified of incoming messages. You can even decline calls right from your wrist.
But the true power of the Band 3 Pro is its tracking features. It has built-in GPS, heart-rate tracking, and sleep tracking. Add in that it’s incredibly comfortable to wear and tracks your sleep and you have a winner. You can grab the HUAWEI Band 3 Pro from Amazon and B&H Photo for about $70.
TYLT Traveler Power Bag
Not all wearable tech fits on your wrist! That’s where the TYLT Traveler Power Bag comes in. With a ton of pockets for your everyday essentials, some hidden compartments for your valuables and an included battery, the TYLT Traveler Power Bag is perfect for the techie on the go. It comes with a 5,200 mAh battery and included cables. That should be enough to charge up your phone, but if you need a bit more, you can grab a bigger battery and swap them out. The compartment is big enough for a large 20,000 mAh battery! Between the battery and the incredible build quality, we can’t recommend this bag enough. You can grab one from TYLT or Amazon.
Staying powered up
Sure, you could just use the charger in the box or grab a $10 battery off Amazon, but if you want real power, check out these options.
Anker PowerPort II
Anker is widely known as one of the best accessory makers in the world because they produce high-quality products for an affordable price. The Anker PowerPort II is our choice for the best wall adapter out there right now. You get the fastest possible speeds and a design that can stand up to a beating. I routinely carry one of these in my bag and have never had one issue with it. Plus, with the dual-port design, you can help charge up your friend’s device or the tablet you’ve brought with you to watch some YouTube videos! You can grab one from Amazon.
Blitzwolf BW-TC10 USB type-C to USB type-C
These days it’s not just high-end phones that rely on USB Type C for charging. The MacBook, Nintendo Switch, Pixelbook, and a whole array of devices also use the new standard. Compatible with Quick Charge 2.0, QC 3.0, and a host of other fast charging technologies, it’s the one you want for your phone or mobile devices. But, given the length of the cable and its shielded, protective coating, you’d be forgiven for outfitting your entire household with them. Attractively priced, you can find the cable for under $7 at Banggood. Go with a standard coating and you can scoop one up for under $3 right now.
Jackery PowerBar 77Wh/20800mAh
If you’re looking for the ultimate battery, look here first. The Jackery PowerBar has everything. The massive capacity means it can charge most modern smartphones up to four times before depleting its reserves. The solid design means it’ll stand up to whatever abuse you throw at it and the AC plug means you can power up your laptop, a fan, or whatever else you’d normally plug into a wall. This thing is large, in charge, and will have your back whenever you need it. You can get it from Amazon.
VPN & Internet Security
Whether you want to watch region-blocked Netflix videos or simply beef up your Wi-Fi connections, you’ll need a VPN for help. Here’s a few we love.
Windscribe Lifetime Pro Subscription
Windscribe is much more than a VPN. It’s a desktop application and browser extension that work in conjunction to protect your online privacy, unblock websites, and remove ads and trackers from your everyday browsing. With Windscribe, you’ll never mess with confusing settings and options menus again; just turn it on on your desktop once, and it’s good to go in the background forever. $59 at AndroidGuys Deals Store
Adguard Premium: Lifetime Subscription
Block annoying and potentially dangerous ads with this advanced Internet filter and ad blocker. Adguard protects your computer and other vulnerable devices from malware, phishing, spyware, and other scams so you can browse the web worry-free. $30 at AndroidGuys Deals Store
VPNSecure: Lifetime Subscription
Internet threats are a real thing – and surfing the web on a public connection can result in your personal data falling into the wrong hands. While most VPNs will help you surf undetected, some still maintain logs on your browsing movements, defeating the purpose of getting one in the first place! $20 at AndroidGuys Deals Store
Better, Smarter Home
It’s damn near 2019 which means you should have started on your smart home by now. Here are a handful of cool products to help enhance your daily living.
Auri
Auri is an all-in-one solution that smartens up you bedroom and looks gorgeous in the process. It’s what happens when you combine an Amazon Echo Dot, 36W wireless speaker, smart lamp, and charger, but at a fraction of the cost. Currently offered on Indiegogo, the light can simulate thousands of different environments such as rainforests, beaches, islands, oceans, and more. Back it on Indiegogo for $129
Gourmia Cold Brew Coffee Maker
Who wants to stand around waiting for coffee to brew? Not us. What’s more, nobody we know is in the habit of hanging out while a cold brew is readied. We’re talking hours for that experience. Not any longer. This iced coffee maker that brews a pot in as little as ten minutes. Seriously. In the time it takes for you to go through your afternoon emails or check your favorite subreddits, you could have a pot of cold brew coffee. $28 at Best Buy
NVIDIA SHIELD TV
There simply is no better lean-back experience for the home than this Android-powered console. What’s more, a strong line of steady updates and enhancements — 20 so far — make this unit better with time.
Cast to it from your phone, play killer games, or binge on your favorite networks and series. Or, get your Google Play Music, YouTube TV, and Plex on. The reasons to own one are innumerable.
The overall footprint of the unit is small enough that we pack it with us when we travel. Plug it in, connect to a network, and enjoy all of your content. And, if you’ve got one of the gaming controllers, you’re taking in tier-one video game titles. $180 from NVIDIA or Amazon.
LEVO G2 Deluxe Floor Stand
Whether you’re sitting on the couch, relaxing in bed, or enjoying coffee in a chair in the den, the stand aims to please. It wheels into place, articulates, and holds your tablet in either portrait or landscape orientation.
Reading a book on your Fire HD tablet or binge-watching a few shows on Hulu is much more enjoyable if you can free up your hands. That’s exactly what happens here; you can sit back, relax, eat, or fiddle with your phone.
The LEVO G2 stand is a really sturdy solution that can roll under the edge of your bed or couch. The arm swings at two places, giving you an exact, comfortable placement. Moreover, the head twists and tilts on multiple angles so you end up with the angle that works best for the moment. All of this, of course, moves and adjusts on the fly so there’s zero hassle. $190 at levostore
