We’re prepared to bet that there’s someone in your family who, like us, is permanently glued to his or her laptop. A tall order to buy for you might think – after all, you’re hardly going to buy them a whole new laptop, no matter how cheap Asus Eee PCs keep getting.
Au contraire: there’s plenty of extra kit you can equip them with on the 25th, in every price range. Whether it’s stylish bags or mice you can take anywhere, there’s something for the lappy lover in your life, and we’ve got the cream of the crop right here, selected by our bunch of tech experts. Read on, and be stumped for ideas no more!
While we wait for those VAT cuts to filter through to the shops, you can still save money right now on some extra cheap, extra quality laptop accessories – here are our picks
Gembird Mini Notebook Microphone
Most notebooks comes with some form of microphone built in – that doesn’t mean they’re any good. This is though, and it sits happily in the line-in socket without any tangly wires, so it’s perfect for bloggers, anyone trying to lay down a demo in GarageBand, or those fed up with faint and echoey Skype calls. Oh, and it’s a steal at £7.99 from Amazon.
The laptop sleeve that never forgets
The logic that putting i before a word makes it a good product actually holds true here. The iStuff isn’t just your regular sleeve – it’s choc full of memory foam, the space-age padding with a brain. Developed by Nasa, the material remembers the shape of the laptop and cushions it from damaging blows. Several sizes are available for less than a tenner from laptopstuff.co.uk.
USB powered silliness
It’s cold right now. So cold in fact that typing this gift guide is proving a struggle. Your loved ones needn’t suffer the same fate though. Grab these USB Heating Slippers and they’ll be able to make use of their laptop’s spare port to toast their feet. They’ll even work with a games console too. Geeking out has never been so comfy! £15 from mobilefun.co.uk.
Here are the presents for the people you’re prepared to spend a little extra on – the top accessories for under £50.
Festive Freeview
Sticking with USB gizmos, if your loved one refuses to be separated from their laptop, how about teaching the machine a new trick? The Pinnacle PCTV DVB-T STICK Nano is a tiny Freeview adapter. Plug it in and their laptop will receive Freeview telly while they ‘work’. Perfect if they’re on the go, or demanding a programme on the telly, and then tapping away throughout it. At less than £30, it’s cheaper than a new TV too!
Mix it up on a laptop
Are you buying for a budding DJ? Most mixing equipment will set you back a bundle, but the M-Audio X-Session Pro USB mixer (£61.65 from musiconmypc.co.uk) provides proper knobs and dials to push and pull as songs are mixed, and will turn their laptop-based turntablism into the realms of the professionals.
Mobile mice
Trackpads are rubbish, so give your laptop-addled loved one the gift of cursor control this Christmas! Microsoft’s Explorer BlueTrack mouse uses laser-beating technology to work on any surface. And we mean any surface. We tried it on a bit of old wood, some carpet and a mirror, neither of which foxed its clever sensor. What’s more, the mini version comes with a snap in transceiver to cut the cords. It’s available now on ebuyer for £30.
Got money to burn? If you can almost afford a new laptop in itself, you can still save a bundle with these accessories over £50.
Smart suitcases
Make that special someone the smartest guy in the IT office with the Pierre Cardin Leather Laptop case. Granted, it won’t take much of a beating and can’t guarantee to protect their machine, but this leather briefcase will hold any notebook up to 15 inches while convincing others of the owner’s immense wealth and importance, and it’s still great value at £69.99 from LaptopStuff.
Phone charging laptop bags have been knocking around for a while, but Voltaic’s Generator is the first efficient enough to charge a laptop battery – one full day of direct sunlight will max out most. Brace yourself though. That convenience will knock your bank balance back a massive $599. Visit the official website to get on the mailing list, as it’s shipping very soon.
Big screen spender
If you’ve ever seen them using their laptop on a desk, chances are they’re frustrated by its tiny screen, but adding more resolution and desktop real estate has never been easier. Plonk down £200 for the Samsung SM940UX monitor from Dabs and you’ll get a 19 inch screen that hooks up using USB alone. They’ll instantly have more room to work, and they they go on the road they can leave it behind.
