Gifts for Geeks (Part I)

It’s that time of year again—time to select awesome gifts for geeks you love. All year long, I scout for geeky goods and services I think will appeal to geeks of all ages, and this has been a banner year. So, here are a few low-cost (and no-cost) ideas for your consideration.
Sharing is Caring
First, consider sharing your streaming media subscriptions to Netflix, Apple TV+, Disney +, Hulu, and such, with parents, children, or even good friends. The policies vary by service, but most allow at least two devices to watch simultaneously. So, why not surprise a loved one by hooking them up to share one or more of the streaming media services you pay for already?
Give ’em a Band
Many Apple Watch wearers enjoy changing their watch band to suit their mood or occasion. If your loved one is one of them, a new watch band might be just the ticket. Apple offers a wide array of beautiful bands starting at $49. If that’s too rich for your blood, visit Amazon.com and search for “Apple Watch band” to see tens of thousands of Apple Watch bands priced from $2.99 (and no, that’s not a typo).
Consider a Hand-Me-Down iPhone
Finally, if you’ve got a “retired” iPhone collecting dust on a shelf or in a drawer, consider gifting it to a loved one who is still using an older iPhone or (gasp) an Android device. My mom’s iPhone was nearly a decade old and unable to run the most recent iOS releases or apps that require those versions, including a Geico insurance app that could save her almost $200 a year on her car insurance. She’s frugal and didn’t want to buy a new iPhone, even if it could save her a few bucks on car insurance. She hardly uses her current iPhone and wouldn’t need the advanced features of an iPhone 12 or 13. And how would she adapt to using Face ID when all she’s ever known is Touch ID?
Our solution was to clean up and erase my wife’s recently retired iPhone 8 Plus and give it to mom. Then we migrated her apps and data from the old iPhone, set up her new Geico app, and showed her how to use CarPlay in her car.
She’s tickled, and I can’t imagine another gift she’d enjoy as much or as often.
By the way, if you don’t happen to have a spare iPhone, the Apple Refurbished & Clearance store offers refurbished Apple products with full warranties. While the iPhone selection is limited, you can save hundreds of dollars by getting an older iPhone model here.
Tune in next week for even more geeky gifts for tech fans.
Tags: Gift Guide