Last minute gift ideas for tech lovers: These items are all under $50 - USA TODAY

1 year ago 60

Marc Saltzman  |  Special to USA TODAY

The holidays are rapidly approaching, and if you're inactive connected the hunt for large gadget gifts – but budgets are somewhat tighter this twelvemonth – instrumentality comfortableness successful knowing there's inactive immoderate chill tech you tin bargain without breaking the bank. 

From useful tracking devices and wireless chargers to Bluetooth earbuds and astute speakers, determination are immoderate large stocking stuff-priced tech toys worthy considering. You could adjacent people a brand-name Android telephone connected the cheap.

Whether you're buying for loved ones oregon privation to dainty yourself to something, the pursuing 5 suggestions are $50 each oregon less.

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Phone it in

Especially perfect arsenic a tween's archetypal phone, the Samsung Galaxy A03s ($50, via Tracfone, spot below) features a ample 6.5-inch HD+ Infinity Display (virtually edge-to-edge viewing), a side-mounted digit sensor to securely entree the device, and a camera strategy comprised of 3 lenses (main, depth, and macro).

Under the hood of this 4G Android 11 smartphone is simply a 5,000mAh artillery for up to 40 hours of speech time, an octo-core processor (2.3GHz), 32GB of retention (but expandable with up to 1TB microSD cards), and 3GB of strategy representation (RAM).

Tracfone says the telephone indispensable beryllium purchased with a minimum of a 30-day pre-paid plan, starting astatine $15, and if you privation the telephone unlocked, it's astatine slightest an further period astatine $15. But that's it. To sweeten the deal, Tracfone is adding a brace of wireless earbuds, upon acquisition (but won't disclose the marque arsenic it tin change, says the carrier).

Lost and found

Products similar Apple Airtags ($29, for iPhone owners) oregon Tile Pro ($25, for iPhone oregon Android users) tin assistance you way your items, specified arsenic a purse, car keys, and mislaid luggage.

These small tags broadcast a wireless Bluetooth awesome to assistance it beryllium located via a companion app. When the tracker is successful scope of your smartphone – up to 400 feet with Tile Pro – you tin marque it ringing loudly for you to travel the sound, and it shows you the item's past known determination connected a map.

Unlike Tile, AirTags besides usage ultra-wideband exertion to pb you much precisely to it, with a directional arrow that points you to its determination (and however acold distant it is). Plus, Apple's Find My web tin assistance way it down, by leveraging astir a cardinal Apple devices astir the globe, it tin observe signals from an AirTag and relay the determination backmost to you.

Power play

For nether $30 – and adjacent little by clicking to use a 20 percent disconnected coupon astatine Amazon.com, the Anker Foldable 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station with Adapter can simultaneously foodstuff up a smartphone, wireless earbuds, and smartwatch. Anker says you tin support the telephone successful its case, too, truthful agelong arsenic it's little than 5mm thick.

Designed for Apple devices but besides works with different Xi-supported devices, specified arsenic Samsung and Pixel products, this achromatic charging presumption saves abstraction connected your table oregon nighttime table.

If you privation to spot your telephone portion it's charging – possibly for video calls – you tin prop up the adjustable aboveground without impacting charging times. It includes a USB-A to USB-C charging cable, and removable adaptor to plug into an AC outlet.

Sound advice

For great-sounding and comfy yet affordable audio, and to consciousness bully astir the materials it's made from, the Champion True Wireless Earbuds ($50) from House of Marley wirelessly pairs with a adjacent Bluetooth instrumentality for well-balanced music, wide podcasts, and stereo dependable connection for telephone calls.

Like different House of Marley products, the earbuds were "consciously crafted" from bamboo and earthy fibre and House of Marley's exclusive Regrind silicone, portion the braided charging cord is made of 99 percent post-consumer recyclable polyester.

Battery beingness tops 8 hours betwixt charges, oregon up to 28 hours full with the charging case. A "quick charge" diagnostic provides 2 hours of show with conscionable a 15-minute charge.

Speak to me

For arsenic debased arsenic $25 you tin bargain your archetypal (or next) voice-activated astute speaker, specified arsenic the 2nd Gen Google Nest Mini oregon 5th Gen Amazon Echo Dot.

As you apt know, alteration your instrumentality with its "wake" connection – "OK Google" for Nest Mini oregon "Alexa" for Echo Dot -- and past inquire a question oregon springiness a command. Your trusty virtual companion volition reply you intelligibly successful a affable voice, portion pulling up upwind info, sports scores, your favourite music, jokes, news, recipes, games, and overmuch more.

Just link it to your Wi-Fi, motion into the companion app, and you're bully to go. You tin adjacent marque escaped telephone calls to immoderate North American 10-digit landline oregon mobile number.

Both astute speakers are disposable successful a fewer antithetic colors to lucifer your country decor.

Follow Marc connected Twitter for his "Tech Tip of the Day" posts: @marc_saltzman. Email him oregon subscribe to his Tech It Out podcast. The views and opinions expressed successful this file are the author's and bash not needfully bespeak those of USA TODAY.

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