2016 Holiday Gift Guide
Each year at the holidays, we’re faced with what to get that lovable nerd in our life. If you’ve got an Apple user in your house, these are some picks that are sure to please.
Hardware
- Studio Neat’s Material Dock has quickly become our favorite iPhone dock. Both the iPhone-only and iPhone/Apple Watch models are made from walnut and cork. It’s an amazingly clean, mature look that looks great anywhere from the nightstand to the desk. It has micro-suction feet, so the dock stays planted in place, making it a secure base for any iPhone you may have. The adjustable design means you can use any case with your phone, and it will be adaptable to any future size of iPhone that Jony Ive may be working on in secret.
- The BackPack for iMac is a product designed to help keep your desk nice and tidy. It clips onto the stand of any iMac or Thunderbolt display, and provides a shelf for anything from an external hard drive to iPhone or even keyboard. Coupled with the in-stand cable management Apple’s iMac has had for years, this is a clever way to stash some clutter behind your display.
- If you are a notebook + external display kind of Mac user, the Rain Design mStand Laptop Stand is a must-have. Made from a single piece of aluminum, it comes in silver, Space Gray and even Gold to match the Apple notebook you have. The mStand raises your notebook six inches off the desk, helping match its height to an external display. It even has integrated cable management, which is always a plus.
- Real talk: Apple’s Magic Mouse 2 isn’t for everyone. For those who want something more ergonomic, the Logitech Wireless Performance Mouse has been a favorite for a long time. Its laser tracking works on all surfaces, including glass, it has a built-in rechargeable battery that lasts for weeks, and, most importantly, it’s comfortable for those long hours at the desk.
- The Western Digital 4 TB USB Hard Drive is a great choice for backing up your mac via Time Machine or SuperDuper. 4 TB will give you plenty of breathing room, and we just love the look of these new WD drives.
Software
1Password
1Password is the best way to keep up with your passwords and other sensitive data. Passwords can be a real pain, yet are the cornerstone of safety in our modern digital existence.
1Password saves your data to the cloud in a secure way, so your passwords, credit cards, and more are just a Touch ID or password away on all of your devices. 1Password can be downloaded for the Mac and iOS devices. There are also versions for Windows and Android.
Day One
Day One is our favorite way to journal on Mac, iPad, and iPhone. It’s a flexible and powerful system that allows you to save text entries, and embellish them with photos, activity data, location and weather information, and more.
With the holidays and then the new year around the corner, there’s no better time to start logging memories away with this great app. Get it for the Mac and your iOS devices now.
If you want to go even further with the app, be sure to check out our ebook on it.
Overcast
Overcast for iOS is an excellent — and free! — podcast client for your iPhone and iPad. It’s well-designed, fast, easy to use, and packs the best features in what has become a very competitive corner of the App Store.