Black Friday and the official start of the holiday season is upon us. iTechGear is dedicated to helping everyone find the best gifts for their loved ones, be they technology-based or just a really good gift idea.  Each week between now and December 22, 2023, we’ll publish our editor’s picks to help you find the perfect gifts!  This week, Chris G. has pulled his five top Black Friday picks.

Anker 733 Power Bank
$99.99 (currently on sale for 69.99) at anker.com
I bought this device earlier this year to use on a business trip I was taking. This device has the ability to act as both a charger and a battery, so it’s really flexible. Another concern I had was that it be TSA-compliant for a carry-on. Anker make s bigger unit that is still compliant, but it’s really big, and I didn’t want to have to carry something oversized around. This device, for me, was the perfect combination of portable and powerful. It’s a 65W GaN charger that also acts as a 10,000mAh portable charger when needed. I found it a great compromise, and it did a great job keeping me functioning as I bounced from meeting to meeting. I think most of the Anker power devices do a great job, and your personal mileage may vary, but for me, this device proved to be a great combination of charger/battery. It was exactly what I needed for my trip, and I can easily recommend it.

 

Apple Silicone Case
$49.00 at apple.com
The Apple Silicone Case is a clean, simple case offered by Apple for its iPhones. I’ve been using one or another of the Apple Silicone cases for many years now. The case is reasonably durable, and it has a nice, grippy feeling that helps me not drop the phone. These cases also allow the use of Magsafe or Qi charging – no interference. They fit well, and they come in a variety of colors. These cases are my go to for all my Apple phones over the years and will be as long as they are available. I highly recommend them.

 

Air Pods Pro (2nd Generation) – USB-C
$249.00 at apple.com (often available on sale at various places)
I recently picked up a set of these to replace some aging earbuds I had. They have multiple ear tip sizes, so you can choose the size that fits you best. For me, this was a big deal – It’s always been a challenge for me to find comfortable in-ear devices, but these work very well for me. They offer Spatial audio and have active noise cancellation. They are really easy to pair with Apple devices, and they even work with other non-Apple devices via BlueTooth. They have soft controls for answering calls and for adjusting the volume. And they sound great! I love these earbuds. Worth a look!

 

OnePlus Open
$1699.99 ($1499.99 or less with any trade-in at oneplus.com)
I debated adding this to my list. Foldable phones are still less durable than their candy-bar counterparts, and they are still really expensive. Still, I’ve found this device to be the best combination of size and features that I’ve run across so far. I love using it. It’s got a fast processor (Spandragon 8 Gen 2), it has 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, and it has the flattest, least-visible inner screeen that I have seen to date. It has a really good camera system, especially when compared to other available foldables. Its battery is decent, and it makes it though a day for me without problems. Additionally, it’s not as heavy as the Pixel Fold or the Samsung Z Fold, so I get a little less fatigue when using it than some of the other options out there. You can read more about it in my first thoughts article, but if you are in the market for a foldable, I really recommend you take a good look at this device.

To see my additional comments about the OnePlus Open, both the great and not-so-great, take a look at my Initial Thoughts and my follow-up a few weeks later.

 

Microsoft Designer Compact Keyboard
$69.99 at microsoft.com
I bought this keyboard a while back. It’s a Bluetooth keyboard powered by 4, CR2032 watch batteries. It lasts for months on a set. It’s small and light, and it will pair with up to 3 devices with easy switching between them. I use it as my daily work driver, and I through it in my bag when I need to go somewhere because it’s so light and thin and portable. It’s not for people who like the feel of a full mechanical (or near to that) feel, though. It’s definitely a thinner keyboard, but it has a really great feel, in my opinion, for its thickness. I find it really easy to type on. If you’re using it with a Windows computer, it even has a number of specialty keys, including an emoji key – yup, an emoji key! It’s a really great keyboard and worth considering if you need a small, light, portable Bluetooth keyboard.

 

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