If you have one or more Apple fanatics on your holiday shopping list, then this post is just for you. Not everyone is an Apple fan, but those who are tend to end up with more than one iDevice and an unbridled love for the Cupertino, CA company. If the fanboy on your list already has a Mac, an iPhone, and an iPad, we have narrowed down our favorite accessories and gifts so that you don’t have to resort to buying an iTunes gift card (although those do always come in handy). These products will without a doubt enhance the Apple experience and put a smile on your giftee’s face.
We like this backpack for its sleek, modern design and its Apple compatibility. The bag has fun red accents, a simple clean aesthetic, and features a padded laptop compartment for your 15-inch MacBook Pro, an iPad slip pocket, padded straps, and various other organizer pockets.
Cases are usually a pretty personal choice so we wouldn’t always recommend them as a gift, but the cases that Grove makes are special enough that they would make a great gift if they suit your Apple lover’s taste. The iPhone 4/4S case is as slim as bamboo cases come, is available with either a black or bamboo bezel, and can be customized with your choice of laser-engraved artwork. The iPad 2 case is made from the same beautiful bamboo, but also includes a leather smart cover (also functions as a stand) that can be laser-engraved as well.
These award-winning earbuds were made with Apple products in mind. The a-Jays Four headphones feature an Apple-friendly three-button remote with mic, quality sound, and flat, tangle-free cables. The earbuds are available in either black or white and come with five different sizes of washable earbud sleeves to ensure a perfect fit.
While this Apple-loving brand only recently jumped into the headphone market, we’re impressed with both the sound quality and the design of these cans by Incase. The Sonic headphones have a great-looking minimal design (with fun pops of color), offer excellent sound quality for the price, and are some of the most comfortable over-the-ear headphones we’ve worn. They also come with an integrated Apple remote and mic.
If the Apple lover you’re buying for is a fitness buff, something like the Wahoo Fitness Pack will make their workouts and adventures a little more interesting. The pack includes a small ANT+ dongle and a soft heart rate belt; combined with a free app, the fitness pack will help you accurately monitor things like your heart rate, distance run, or calories burned at the gym.
We’re always on the lookout for laptop and iPad cases that are a little bit out of the ordinary but have great design. The styles from Pack & Smooch incorporate cozy natural wool felt with vegetable-tanned leather for a look that adds a little warmth and sophistication to your high-tech device. The thick wool provides excellent protection and each sleeve (available in different sizes and color options) has an extra front pocket big enough for extra earbuds or a charging cable.
Read our hands on with Pack & Smooch cases for iPad and MacBook Pro.
This keyboard and case hybrid is the perfect gift for the business traveler who likes to keep things in order via the iPad 2. The Logitech Keyboard case functions beautifully as a slim Bluetooth keyboard, making typing on your device a breeze. And it also converts into a protective case when you snap your iPad 2 into place face-down.
Instagram prints/calendar CanvasPop Print ($30) or Keepsy Calendar ($20)
If your gift recipient is a budding Instagram photographer, there are now several good ways to turn creative iPhone snaps into great gifts. If you want to print your own photos for a loved one or friend or can get them to login to their account for you, then CanvasPop makes great stretched canvas prints straight from a user’s Instagram stream. If you don’t have access to your friend or loved one’s account, you can include your own photos and their photos (provided they are following you on Instagram) in a fun calendar from Keepsy.
This gift is perfect for the iPad owner who loves to cook and use the high-tech device in the kitchen. The Chef Stand comfortably holds your iPad (with or without a case) in either portrait or landscape mode, and the stylus (with holder) makes it easy to swipe through recipes or browse the web without having to wash your hands or put a dirty finger on your ‘pad. It also makes a great home base for the iPad, where you can watch videos or quickly check the time and weather.
This small device is perfect for Apple lovers who are always on the go and running out of juice. The ZaggSparq 2.0 portable power charger can fully charge your iPhone via USB four times without any other power source. Plug the device into a wall outlet to recharge and you can charge your iPhone four times again while you’re out and about. The charger has two USB ports and while it’s optimized for all Apple products, it will also give a charge to most other smartphones and electronic devices that charge via USB.
Libratone
Libratone Live ($699)
If you’ve got money to spare and want a quality Airplay-enabled sound system that comes in one beautifully-designed piece, the Libratone Live is a great choice for any room in the home. The speaker features a modern Scandinavian design surrounded by high-quality cashmere, and can fill even a large room with great sound. Airplay technology allows the user to wander with playlist at-hand on their iOS device, and the clever handle makes moving the speaker from room to room easy.
Whether your giftee simply needs an easy home audio solution or is heading off to college, the iA100 speaker dock from iHome is a versatile choice that provides solid audio and features abound. The dock works with any iOS device and features dual alarms, iHome app-enhancement, the ability to wirelessly play tunes via Bluetooth, an included remote control, and even an old-school radio function. It’s not the most luxurious dock we’ve ever seen, but it’s one of the most versatile and is sure to be appreciated by any Apple and music fan.
How to enable picture-in-picture for YouTube on your Mac
If you want to have a bit of music playing in the background or want to have your favorite YouTube video running in the corner of your screen, then the picture-in-picture YouTube feature needs to be on your radar. This allows you to turn your YouTube videos into a tiny pop-up window that can be moved and repositioned around your screen.
Mac users have several ways to activate the feature, including support on both Safari and Google Chrome. There's also a nifty Chrome extension that simplifies the task to a single button press. Here's a look at how to enable picture-in-picture for YouTube on your Mac.
Changing your Gmail password is incredibly important for your online security. If you're anything like the average user, your Gmail account is linked to dozens of other organizations and programs – and if your account gets hacked, there's no telling what sort of damage can be done.
Because of this, it's crucial to change your Gmail password at regular intervals. Google makes this a rather painless process, and it should take no more than a few seconds from start to finish.
Best Buy deals: Save on laptops, TVs, appliances, and more
Best Buy is always a great retailer to turn to if you’re looking for some savings. There are almost always Best Buy deals taking place on TVs, appliances, and devices we use to navigate the digital world. In fact, right now at Best Buy you can find some of the best TV deals, best laptop deals, and best phone deals that can be shopped, and we haven’t even mentioned the deals on tablets and home audio equipment currently taking place at Best Buy. We’ve rounded up all of the best Best Buy deals you can shop right now and categorized them for your convenience below, so read onward for some great opportunities to save.
Best Buy TV deals
There may be no better place to purchase one of the best TVs than Best Buy. There is almost always some huge savings to find on TVs at Best Buy, and that’s certainly the case right now. You’ll find deals top TV brands like Sony, Samsung, and LG, and more budget-friendly brands like TCL and Hisense are in play, too.
