Give the gift of technology this season

By Matt Traum, Staff Writer

Portable Charger

Know someone whose phone battery is always low? A perfect gift for them is a portable charger. Carry one around and you will never run out of charge. Available on Amazon, a charger that can recharge an iPhone around 4 times is only $25. When buying, look for the amount of mAh, the more the better. Around 2500mAh (milliampere hours) is needed per phone charge. This gift is so useful, you might even want to gift it to yourself.

Google Cardboard

Google Cardboard is the cheapest way to gift the experience of virtual reality. Made of cardboard, this product fits any budget, with the cheapest version at only $10. Google Cardboard works by placing a compatible smartphone inside the cardboard box. With the size of cell phones constantly increasing, it is important to make sure the phone will physically fit in the Google Cardboard before purchasing.

Phone Polaroid Printer

The Polaroid Zip Mobile Photo printer, available on Urban Outfitter’s website, allows you to print Polaroid photos using the Polaroid Zip app on your smartphone. The app allows you to add text, drawings, or even emojis in addition to your photos. This gift is perfect for photography lovers or even for printing a collection of pictures for a photo album to give to a friend.

Tile Bluetooth Tracker

If you know people who often lose their winter coats, wallets, keys, or other valuables, the Tile is ideal for them. Tile is a Bluetooth tracker that can be placed on personal belongings. When an item is missing, the free Tile app plays a sound to find it. The object’s current location is also displayed on a map in the app. For example, you can use the app to find your backpack in the Grille Room.