It's that time of the year again when we all have to start thinking about Christmas presents.
Over the next few weeks, we'll bring you gift guides covering different price ranges.
On today's Pat Kenny Show, Newstalk's technology correspondent Jess Kelly offered her recommendations for best value tech gifts under €60.
While you might think €60 is not enough for a good tech gift, Jess said she “struggled to put this list together because there was so much choice".
Here are her top picks for 2021, ranging from phones to key trackers.
Zero Fog Wipes - 3-pack for €14.99
“These are reusable wipes - you can use each wipe up to 100 times.
"You rub it on your glasses, pop on your glasses, and there’s no steam. It actually works.
“It could be a good office Kris Kindle present, or one to shut certain family members up if they’re giving out about steam on the glass the entire time!”
YouStar content creator light - €24.99
“You may think it’s just a pandemic present, but it’s not.
“If you’re fed up of trying to look good on Zoom or Team calls, fear not. There are tripods out there that have ring lights attached. Good lighting can transform things.
"This is provided by an Irish company called Capti, and the brand is called YouStar.
“This is a tabletop tripod, with the light attached. You just slot the phone in the middle, and it lights you up. It has excellent build quality, and it works very well.
“If you know somebody who does a lot of presentations or is an aspiring content creator, this is a good choice.”
Apple AirTag - €35 / Chipolo - €25
“These are two key or item trackers.
“The idea is it pairs to your phone, iPad or laptop via Bluetooth. If you misplace your keys, for instance… you can then open up the app and it will tell you exactly where it is. You can also ring it.
“It’s great - you can pinpoint exactly where the [item] is and find it.
“Apple’s AirTags are €35 compared to the €25 for the Chipolo.”
The AirTag is compatible with Apple's 'Find My' app, as does Chipolo's ONE Spot product. The standard Chipolo ONE works with the firm's own app.
JBL Go 3 speaker - €39.95
“This is a little speaker. JBL is a brand I don’t think gets enough recognition.
“The sound can come out almost in a 360 degrees fashion, filling up any space that you have.
“It’s not cumbersome, battery life is great, it’s easy to charge and it pairs to multiple devices.”
Google Nest Mini - €59
“This is the smallest of the Google Nest family, formerly known as Google Home.
“It’s not that big at all, but the sound quality from the speaker is excellent.
“At its most basic, you can play music from it, ask the time, make shopping lists… but you can also get it to turn on the lights, turn on the TV and connect to different apps.
“You will find multiple uses for this. You can turn off the microphone if you don’t want it on the entire time… but I do.”
Nokia 6310 2G - €59.99
“This one makes my heart happy, and it’s not just for people who grew up with these Nokia phones.
“It is back, and 2G only - meaning it doesn’t have access to the Internet.
“It looks cute, it’s fun and it does have Snake. A lot of people are fed up with their smartphones and just want calls and texts - that is this phone.”
Onesonic BXS-HD1 wireless earphones - €60
“Onesonic is an Irish company - a group of people who came together to produce a suite of headphones.
“These are the original versions. They’re true wireless earphones, and are probably the most affordable and best quality earphones you can get.
“They have a new version called the MXS-HD1, which are €130. They offer active noise cancelling, and have the best touch control of any headphones I have reviewed.
“If you don’t want to spend that much, the €60 version are excellent. They’re incredibly comfortable.”
