Hey there! Do you tend to forget certain people during Christmas? I sure do! Because of that, I thought of making this list. In case of emergency, we are sure to get something that they can use. Without further ado, here’s my list of Last Minute Budget Tech Gifts 2017!
NOTE: The prices of the tech stuff in this list DO NOT EXCEED P2000. All Lazada links are affiliate links.
Charging Cable
A modern smartphone always comes with a charging cable in the box (usually with a USB-A port on one side and a micro USB / USB-C / Lightning port on the other). More often than not, the included cable breaks easily! (unless it’s nylon-braided. Good for you!) Good thing a lot of third-party accessory makers make charging cables on the cheap (Lightning cables cost more thanks to Apple).
Product I Use: Anker PowerLine series
I’ve heard great things about Anker products from reviews on tech sites and friends. After buying a few PowerLine Lightning cables, I can see why they’re a brand that I can trust. The micro USB and USB-C cables cost less than P600 each!
Buy cables here: PowerLine II Lightning | PowerLine Micro USB | PowerLine USB-C
Powerbank
My iPhone 7 is just bad at keeping its battery life. I used to get through a full day, but now I can barely make a half day. Good thing powerbanks exist in this day and age. You can basically find one in the hand of someone who owns a smartphone! From small ones like the one up there to those with a battery capacity of 26,800 mAh, you have a lot to choose from. This time though, I recommend something slim and light.
Product I Use: ASUS ZenPower Slim
ASUS makes a lot of powerbanks lately, but this one may be the most stylish in their lineup. The ZenPower Slim may have one of the smallest battery capacities in a powerbank, but its slim profile makes it way better than most powerbanks for portability. I could fit this and my iPhone 7 in my right pocket! I recommend this to people who need a powerbank without the insane heft. Just make sure your smartphone won’t end up draining the ZenPower Slim before it fully charges.
Buy the ZenPower Slim in Lazada (Current price as of this writing: P529)
Bluetooth Speaker
So you’re sitting there and enjoying your Christmas when you suddenly want to play some music. You wouldn’t just want to use your phone speakers (even though they’ve been better lately). Bluetooth speakers are also a good last minute budget tech gift. Not only you can listen to better-sounding music, but you can also share it with your friends and let them connect!
Product I Use: Logitech X50
This speaker surprised me. I thought I was going to get subpar to decent sound with this. Logitech really did a good job with the sound quality of the X50 for the price. The Bluetooth range is so good. I bring it with me to the shower and I can still hear the audio. I can recommend this to people who are on a budget.
Buy the Logitech X50 in Lazada (Price: P1,140) or Data Blitz in SM malls
Pocket WiFi
The internet is more vital than ever in 2017. It sucks that the Philippines only has two major mobile internet providers in Globe and Smart. A pocket WiFi is a great companion to a laptop and you don’t need to rely on crappy free Wi-Fi. Both telcos have pocket WiFi devices for the same price (P1,295).
Product I Use: Globe LTE Mobile WiFi
I live in Cebu. More often than not, Globe consistently gives me good (not great) internet. This is why I use Globe’s pocket WiFi over Smart’s. Your mileage may vary though so base your decision on how good Globe’s or Smart’s signal is in your area.
GCash MasterCard
Don’t have a debit card but want the benefits of one? Get a GCash MasterCard for your loved one! After cashing in your GCash, you can use this card in any place where MasterCard is accepted! You can get this card for just P150 after getting verified with GCash.
Multi-Port USB Power Adapter
Last but not least, you can’t go wrong with getting your loved one a USB power adapter. Sometimes the power adapter that comes in the box doesn’t charge your phone fast enough. (I’m looking at you, Apple.) Good thing there are third-party power adapters out there. I lost the cheap one that I got and I looked for another power adapter. Here’s what I found:
Product I Use: Anker PowerPort 4
Anker really proved itself as a top accessory maker. Thanks to their Lightning cables, I convinced myself to buy another product from them: the PowerPort 4. There are other models which have more ports (try 6) but I chose this one due to its ability to charge devices that accept 2.5A of current! This is honestly my best tech purchase to date.
That was my list of Last Minute Budget Tech Gifts 2017! Do you like anything on this list? Do you disagree with some items? Leave them in the comments below!