The holiday season is now upon us, and while things may look a bit different this year, that's not to say we can't have any fun at all. Whether you have family that you live with or loved ones that are far away, you can still use this time of year to spoil them with gifts and either give them in person or have them shipped out. Buying gifts in general can be a challenge depending on who you're buying for, but what if that person is an Android user/fan? Here are some tips on a few presents they're sure to love!
If you're buying a gift for an Android nerd this holiday season, you can't go wrong with a trusty portable charger. Whether it be more convenient charging at home or having a way to refuel devices while on-the-go, these little gadgets are immensely useful. This particular one from Anker has a large 10,000 mAh capacity, fast charge speeds, and comes with an 18-month warranty.
Out of all the various smartphone accessories that are out there, one of our favorites is the iOttie Easy One Touch 4. This is a phone holder that easily attaches to your car's dashboard or windshield, allowing you to easily see turn-by-turn navigation and other apps while safely keeping both hands on the wheel. If you have someone in your life that does a lot of driving, this is a fantastic pickup.
Although not quite as common as it was a few years ago, there are plenty of Android phones that still support expandable storage. If your loved one has an Android phone with this feature, a microSD card is a useful and affordable gift. The 128GB of space offered on this Samsung model allows for a lot of extra room for photos, apps, and games, and your gifting budget will be happy with it, too.
True wireless earbuds are everywhere these days, and with so many options to choose from, it's difficult to know what's hot and what's not. When it comes to affordable earbuds, one of our favorite options is the TOZO T6. They deliver great audio, 24-hour battery life, and have an IPX8 water resistance rating. Even better, they work with virtually every Android phone and come in at a great price.
Sometimes, music is better when it's shared with those around you. If you think your Android-loving loved one would rather have a Bluetooth speaker instead of wireless earbuds, you can't go wrong with the OontZ Angle 3. Despite being one of the more affordable speakers you can buy, the Angle 3 still manages to deliver big sound, a 100-foot Bluetooth range, 14-hour battery life, and an IPX5 water resistance rating. It also comes in a bunch of fun colors!
Google Assistant is one of the most powerful virtual assistants currently available, and every Android phone now comes with it built right in. Google Assistant is great on phones, but where it really shines is with devices like the Nest Mini. This small and affordable smart speaker sounds great, is adorably cute, and offers the same exact Google Assistant experience that your loved one is familiar with on their phone.
Most Android phones take great pictures these days, but if you know someone that's especially into photography, getting a lens kit like this could be a fun way for them to experiment with taking different types of photos. This kit offers a .45x wide-angle lens and a 15x macro lens, both of which go over an Android phone's built-in camera. It's affordable, easy-to-install, and a lot of fun to use.
Gaming on Android is better than it's ever been. From high-quality native games like CoD: Mobile to game streaming services such as Stadia and Xbox Game Pass, the options are virtually endless. With this controller accessory from IFYOO, the Android gamer in your life can kick their experience up a notch. Featuring a full-sized controller with a built-in phone holder, they have everything they need to dominate their favorite game!
We've seen Android phones get bigger and bigger with basically every year that passes. This allows for more impressive displays and longer battery life, but trying to comfortably hold a large phone can often be a pain in the butt. The PopGrip from PopSockets addresses that challenge head-on, attaching to the back of a phone and providing a much more comfortable way to hold it throughout the day.
While the next few weeks are a perfect excuse to indulge in delicious food and all kinds of tasty treats, the coming new year is when a lot of people make a commitment to themselves to be more active. Working out with an Android phone is a great way to listen to music or map an outdoor run, and an accessory like this armband case from TRIBE allows you to keep your Android phone safe and secure while breaking a sweat.
Speaking of getting in shape and meeting new year's resolutions, the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 is a seriously excellent gift if you know someone that's looking to be more active. Compatible with just about any Android phone, the Mi Band 5 tracks a variety of exercises, offers 24/7 heart-rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and a ton more. You can also customize it with 100+ watch faces and different watch band colors.
In 2020, a lot of Android phones support wireless charging. It's a lot more convenient than having to dig out a cable and plug your phone in every time it dies, and this bundle from Anker makes for a great gift if you know someone with an Android phone that supports wireless charging. Anker includes two different types of chargers, including a stand and a pad. Both work perfectly through cases and support fast charge speeds.
If there's one thing this year taught us, it's that you can never be too careful about combating germs and viruses. Smartphones can pick up a lot of gunk throughout a day of use, and that's where the HoMedics UV sanitizer comes in. Using powerful UV lights, this little gadget kills up to 99.9% of all bacteria/viruses that may be present on your phone. Along with phones, it can also be used with glasses, keys, credit cards, and more.
Streaming apps are everywhere you look these days. From Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and countless others, there are seemingly endless things to watch. Having so much to choose from can make managing these apps a chore, but the new Chromecast lends a very helpful hand. Along with offering 4K HDR streaming, the Google TV software bundles all of your services together into one easy-to-use layout. Plus, you can manage your watchlist and other settings from an Android phone!
If you're feeling a little overwhelmed with all of the possible gift options, there's no harm in playing it safe and just getting a Google Play gift card. This will allow your fellow Android fan to buy paid apps/games, movie or TV shows, e-books, and other digital content that's available on the Play Store. It's a great way for them to choose exactly what they want, and gift cards start as low as $25.
Happy gift-giving!
Any presents you buy for loved ones will surely be appreciated no matter what you get them, but if you can do a bit of researching ahead of time to buy the best gifts possible, you can help make their holiday that much more special.
You're bound to do well picking up any of the gifts on this list, but there are a few that stand out as being truly excellent — one of which is the Chromecast with Google TV. I've had the Chromecast in my living room for the past couple of months, and it's been one of my favorite gadgets of the entire year. All of my content looks great, the Google TV interface is the best I've ever used out of any streaming device, and having the companion Google TV app on my Android phone helps complete the whole experience. It's one of the more expensive picks on our list, but it's well worth every single penny.
Another great choice are the TOZO T6 earbuds. I've reviewed a lot of wireless earbuds here at Android Central, and the TOZO T6 continues to stand out as some of the more impressive. They're compact and built well, deliver surprisingly great sound, and even have features like IPX8 waterproofing and Qi wireless charging. Being able to get all of that at an affordable price tag is kind of insane, not to mention you can often clip a free coupon before checkout if you want to spend even less.
And again, a Google Play gift card comes out strong if you're looking for a quick and simple gift to give. The Play Store is filled to the brim with apps, games, and movies for Android users to check out, meaning the possibilities are virtually endless for what it can be spent on.
