By Nizar Kerkeni (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Everyone knows at least one. That guy or girl who simply can’t put the phone down. Whether at dinner with friends, during a movie, or while taking in the great outdoors, he or she just won’t stop texting, gaming or taking photos. But even that type of person needs a present around the holidays, so, in lieu of starting a fund to help cover the costs of the inevitable carpal tunnel surgery, here are some gift ideas to help the phone-addict in your life get more use, fun and even productivity out of his or her phone.
First, let’s start with a few basic necessities that no phone-obsessed guy or girl should be without:
Mophie Juice Pack Plus for iPhone 5/5s
The first problem any guy or girl who is always on the phone will encounter is that you can only play Candy Crush for so long before running down your battery. That’s where the Juice Pack Plus comes in. In addition to being a durable protective case, the Juice Pack Plus sports more than 120% extra battery, providing up to an additional 12 hours of phone operation. That’s plenty of juice for even the most dedicated phone-gamer. Heck, the guy or girl’s thumbs will wear out before the juice runs out. (It’s also available for Samsung Galaxy 4.)
Joby GripTight Micro XL Stand for Smartphones 2.7 to 3.9″ Wide, 8.8oz Capacity, Black/Gray
Spare that guy or girl’s wrist some wear and tear with this portable stand from Joby. With durable zinc alloy legs and a machined mini ball joint for maximum adjustability, the GripTight Micro XL stand is sturdy and sizeable enough to hold even an iPhone 6 Plus, yet designed to fold up compactly enough to be carried on a keychain. The GripTight Micro XL turns any smartphone into a mini entertainment center, allowing for hands-free movie-watching, Skyping or Facetiming anywhere there’s a flat surface. That guy or girl won’t know how he or she got along without it.
Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker, Up to 30 ft Wireless Range, Silver
If you’re looking for high quality, portable audio, look no further than the Bose SoundLink. At just over 7 inches wide and weighing a mere one and half pounds, the SoundLink offers extreme portability without compromising the legendary Bose sound. Hassle-free bluetooth connectivity will ensure that this guy or girl will have no problem playing his or her music. There isn’t a guy or a girl in your life would be happy to unwrap one of these this holiday season.
Privacy Screen: OtterBox Clearly Protected Privacy Screen Protector for Apple iPhone 5/5s
For the paranoid guy or girl, who nonetheless can’t stay off his or her phone, we offer this Otterbox screen protector to keep prying eyes from peering over personal details (or butting in on that game of Words with Friends), in addition to providing scratch-protection to his screen. Dry application ensures quick and easy installation. And if your friend has a Samsung S4, Otterbox has a version for those too.
And what would the phone-obsessive be without photography? For the compulsive Instagrammer with pro photographer delusions, here’s some gifts to help ensure that if you must look at all of your friend’s vacation photos, they can at least be well-shot ones.
Olloclip 4-in-1 Combo Lens for iPhone 5/5s, Space Gray/Black Clip/Clear Case
The easiest way for anyone to up their smartphone photography game is with some new lenses, and the Olloclip 4-in-1 provides four new ways to view the world through your screen. Included in the set are a Fisheye lens, for your friend to recreate the look of his or her favorite 90s hip-hop video; a wide angle lens to allow for https://www.adorama.com/alc/node/add/articlethe inclusion of more background or friends in his or her selfies; and a pair of macro lenses to allow for extreme closeups with amazing detail. The lenses simply clip on to the phone, securely aligning the new lenses over the phone’s existing lens. There are also versions for the iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy S4.
GRIP&SHOOT Bluetooth Smart Grip Wireless Control for iPhones and Android, Black
Help that guy or girl get a grip on shaky video and blurry photos once and for all with this handy phone handle. The included JAWZ adapter is designed for Android and iPhone, and able to accommodate any phone up to and including the iPhone 6, the Grip&Shoot features a comfortable handle for support and image stability, the addition of a trigger for the shutter and start/stop recording functions, and even +/- buttons for zooming in and out. The grip can be removed to allow for that attachment of a tripod, at which point the grip because a handy remote control for photo and video.
Picture Printer: Fujifilm Instax Share SP-1 Instant Film Printer, 254dpi Resolution, White
Maybe this is just for the old-timers, or the ones who want to see what photos used to look like, but Fujimax Instax Share wireless photo printer prints your camera photos on Fujifilm’s Instax instant film. That’s right, actual photos printed on actual film. Fuji’s Instax SHARE app provides all the required photo-editing and filter tools, and the Share SP-1 itself offers five different templates for the creation of everything from simple photos in a basic frame to frames that include dates and times and even a frame that includes the number of likes and profile image from social media sites.
The end all and be all of smartphone camera upgrades, the Kick LED light will put that guy or girl’s photos head and shoulders above the rest. With a bright white LED lamp which allows for adjustments to the warmth or coldness of the light, as well as adjustable full color will bring a whole new dimension to his still photos, while a an array of motion effects–like strobe, rainbow, or even “lightning storm”–will bring new life to videos. The accompanying free app even allows the user to create brand new, totally unique lighting effects, and operate the Kick via WiFi.
For those outdoorsy sort of guy or girl who prefers to check Twitter from lakeside, we’ve got a couple of ideas, as well:
Adorama 100% Waterproof Case iPods & Mobile Phone
The one thing that’s for sure about a guy or girl who never gets off his or her phone–even one who likes the outdoors–is that he or she is certainly not about to leave that phone in the car when you get to the beach or the lake or other vacation destination, but will be no less beside themselves than when the inevitable water or sand finds its way into the phone. So get the guy or girl this 100% waterproof case that keeps out sand, dirt and grime, while providing waterproof protection in water up to 6 meters deep. That’s more than 19’ of water. Of course, getting it back from that kind of depth is that guy or girl’s own problem. The silicone screen cover even allows you to still use the touchscreen while underwater, allowing access to your camera or other apps.
Scosche handleIT Bike Mount for Mobile Devices
Don’t text while cycling, and don’t let that guy or girl who won’t get off his phone do it either. The Scosche handleIT Bike Mount securely mounts any mobile device to the handlebars of a bicycle. The rotating and pivoting head allow for any viewing angle required. Extra handy for listening to music while keeping track of your mileage via any of the many apps out there aimed at the tech savvy and cycle-crazy.
For the guy or girl who should probably be practicing scales rather than checking the band’s Tumblr, here’s a few ideas to help him or her be more creative and productive:
Apogee Electronics JAM 1 Channel A/D Guitar Interface for GarageBand on iPad, iPhone and Mac
If that guy or girl happens to be a musician, this little device will help make productive use of all that time spent staring at the phone. This pocket-sized powerhouse allows one input of Apogee’s high-quality digital conversions and PureDigital instrument preamp. And while designed for guitar, the JAM allows that guy or girl to plug in a bass, keyboard or even a dynamic microphone. Coupled with GarageBand or other recording software, that guy or girl can record an entire pop masterpiece on a phone. That is, if he or she can stop looking for vintage gear on eBay for a minute.
IK Multimedia iRig Mic Field High Definition Stereo Field Recording Microphone
The iRig Field microphone is the perfect tool for recording a band practice, live gig, or just a song idea, quickly and in high-quality stereo. The two condenser microphones lead to a 24-bit stereo A/D converter, operating at a 44.1 or 48kHz sample rate. That might all sound like gibberish to you, but that guy or girl will understand that means high-quality stereo recording anywhere at any time. Included is IK Multimedia’s powerful iRig Recorder app allows plug-and-play functionality. If that’s not enough, the iRig Field has also been designed to provide high-quality soundtracks to all your mobile videos.
