5 fun and useful holiday gifts for tech-smart teenagers

The holiday season is approaching fast, with Christmas and Hannukah both falling in December. This is the time of year in which to express your love and gratitude to your nearest and dearest – and one way to do so is through the tradition of gift-giving.

While some members of your friends or family might be easy to buy the ideal gift for, teenagers can be a difficult nut to crack. With an ever-evolving and complex set of needs, combined with constantly shifting technology trends, you might be stumped as to your teen’s wish list this holiday season.

If you have teens in your family who appear difficult to buy for, you aren’t alone! Here are five useful holiday gifts for tech-savvy teenagers.

1. 3-in-1 phone, headphone, and watch charging station for multiple device-users

If your teenager is already decked out with the latest kit, including an Apple Watch, AirPods, and iPhone, why not help them maintain these devices with a three-in-one charging station?

Using just one wall plug, these charging stations allow users to keep the battery life on all three devices topped up simultaneously. Plus, many of them are small and sleek, using wireless charging for ultimate user-friendliness and reducing clutter at the same time.

This could be an especially helpful gift for teenagers who spend long days at school or college – each morning all their devices will be ready to go with plenty of battery to last the whole day. You might also feel reassured that your child’s devices are less likely to run out of battery if they’re travelling alone and using public transport.

Affordable and sleek, these three-in-one charging stations may be a much-needed addition to your teenager’s suite of technology.

2. AI notetaker for conscientious students

Although artificial intelligence (AI) might seem alien to many people, young people are embracing its useful qualities across the board.

Plus, AI could actually help your teen with their education. An AI notetaker, such as the Plaud AI Voice Recorder, can help them to make accurate notes during classes or lectures, providing transcriptions from which they can study later. This helpful tool may allow your teen to concentrate harder in class and participate more willingly, knowing their notetaker is creating a usable document they can refer back to.

If you have a diligent teenage child or grandchild who wants to make use of AI for their academic studies, a notetaking device could be of huge benefit to them this Christmas or Hannukah.

3. Wall projector for film, TV, and gaming enthusiasts

Small devices can have a huge impact on a person’s movie-watching experience. If your teen loves films and TV but mostly uses their small laptop or phone screen to watch their favourites, why not buy them a wall projector?

Smart projectors connect to any streaming device using Bluetooth or connective wires, enabling the user to create a “home cinema” effect with very little equipment. This could prevent your teens from squinting at small screens and encourage them to invite friends for film- or TV-watching nights in.

What’s more, your teen could connect their game consoles to a smart projector, giving them the perfect setup to game alone or with friends. All they need is a bare wall to create this all-encompassing big-screen experience.

4. GoPro Hero for outdoor adventurers

GoPro creates portable cameras that can be attached to backpacks, helmets, bikes, and even vehicles, for an easy on-the-go filming experience.

If your teen loves playing sports, hiking, or going on outdoor adventures with friends, a GoPro Hero could be the perfect gift for them. What’s more, it weighs just 86 grams, making it easy for your child or grandchild to capture 4K video without lugging a larger piece of equipment around.

So, whether your child is planning a trip abroad with friends or simply loves filming their day-to-day excursions, the GoPro Hero might be at the top of their wish list.

5. The Apple AirTag for disorganised teens

If your teenage children or grandchildren are always losing or forgetting their belongings, the Apple AirTag could provide the perfect combination of technology and organisation.

Designed as a key ring or magnetic clip, the AirTag can be connected with an iPhone or iPad then attached to a belonging your teen wants to keep safe – be it travel luggage, a set of keys, their school bag, or valuables like their laptop or gaming console. If they lose it, they can simply use their phone’s GPS tracking software to locate the tag.

Purchasable as a single unit or a set, the AirTag might make the ideal addition to your teen’s tech set this Christmas or Hannukah, enabling them to track down lost items and saving your family plenty on expensive replacements.