8 Great gifts for anyone working from home – TechCrunch

Welcome to TechCrunch’s 2021 Vacation Present Information! Need assistance with reward concepts? We’ve obtained a lot of them. We’re simply beginning to roll out this 12 months’s reward guides, so examine again from now till the tip of December for extra! 

As soon as upon a time, I used to jot down TechCrunch’s vacationers’ reward information. It was enjoyable and other people preferred it. Folks love journey devices! After all, the occasions of final 12 months left many people grounded for an prolonged interval, so we shifted to a distant work reward information — assuming that, by 2021, we’d be again to touring.

One of the best laid plans, and so forth.

For many of us with workplace jobs, distant work goes to be the default for the foreseeable future — for higher and worse. In actual fact, it’s a protected guess that the pandemic goes to transform the way in which many companies take into consideration working. Because it’s greater than only a passing fad, what higher time to make the house workplace a bit extra snug for the distant employee in your life?

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Apple iMac 2021

I included an Intel iMac mannequin in final 12 months’s roundup, so I’m going so as to add the M1 mannequin launched sooner than this 12 months. Downsides out of the way in which first: 1. It’s smaller, at the moment solely out there in 24-inch. 2. It wants extra ports. I really need an SD card reader again (been eyeing this one from Satechi). 3. Not all apps are supported by the brand new M1 chip.

That stated, the brand new iMacs are highly effective, compact and look nice. If you wish to splurge on somebody who’s been struggling to adapt to working from residence, this can be a welcome addition to any residence workplace.

Value: Starts at $1,259 on Amazon

Twelve South Curve Laptop computer Stand

If an all-in-one desktop isn’t their factor, a terrific laptop computer stand makes a giant distinction. There are a ton of various choices on the market (and you will get one for pretty low-cost). It’s a easy product on the face of it, so largely you’re selecting between aesthetics. Twelve South’s stuff is at all times stable, so this can be a good place to start out.

Value: $60 on Amazon

HUANUO Adjustable Laptop computer Stand for Desk

Talking of stands, this can be a intelligent (to not point out extraordinarily reasonably priced) standing desk converter. A full standing desk would possibly effectively be out of your finances — to not point out the price and pains of delivery one thing that dimension as a present. This sits on high of a desk and provides as much as 16.5 inches in peak for laptops as much as 15 inches.

It’s a pleasant technique to take a break for thus many consecutive hours of sitting. Haven’t you heard? Sitting is the brand new smoking.

Value: $38 on Amazon

Sony WH-1000XM4

For those who observe me on Twitter, that the previous year-and-a-half has been…a battle to work at home. My problem of 5 concurrent development initiatives in ear shot is perhaps a really New York one, however all of us battle occasionally with undesirable noise — significantly these of us in huge cities. A great pair of noise-canceling headphones could be a life — or no less than sanity — saver. Critically.

There are many nice earbuds available for a good worth, however for those who actually wish to drown out the sound, look into an over-ear mannequin. The pure sound-muffling cups pairs effectively with built-in energetic noise canceling. That’s doubly the case for those who plan to put on them for an prolonged interval — they’re way more snug and the battery lasts so much longer. Most fashions ought to get you thru greater than a day of use on a cost — teleconferencing conferences included.

There are many good choices. Bose simply launched new Quietcomforts, for instance. However whereas the Sony WH-1000XM4 are a bit lengthy within the tooth lately, they’re nonetheless the reigning champion — no less than till the M5 come out. They sound nice, have stable noise canceling and are extraordinarily snug. For those who’ve seen me do any digital interviews for TechCrunch, you’ve seen me with the M4s on my head.

Value: $348 on Amazon

Larq Pitcher

Are you able to inform I ended ingesting? I’m, like, tremendous into water now. Final 12 months I sung the praises of the Aarke Carbonater. This time, I’m again to let you know in regards to the Larq Pitcher. A Kickstarter success story from the identical people who made these wildly in style UV water bottles, the pitcher relies across the identical precept.

Together with a carbon-based filtration system discovered in additional conventional pitchers, Larq blasts the water with UV-C for an added degree of purification. I’ve been utilizing it for just a few weeks as of this writing, and I dig it. We’re blessed with good faucet water right here in NYC (ask the individuals who make the bagels), however added peace of thoughts isn’t a foul factor.

Just like the Larq bottle earlier than it, I used to be impressed by the design language right here. I’ve by no means given a second thought to how pitchers work (it mainly lives in my fridge), however hey, that’s a handsome pitcher. I’ve additionally by no means thought-about the necessity for a related app to let me know the filter’s well being, however not a foul factor to have, both.

Value: $148 from Larq

Hyken Mesh Job Chair

An amazing residence workplace chair is one thing I believe lots of people didn’t take into consideration previous to the pandemic. Today, nevertheless, it’s a lifesaver. Actually, that is in all probability the primary buy I’ve made in the course of the pandemic when it comes to my productiveness and posture.

Made by Staples, it appears to be like nice and is solidly constructed (requiring some meeting, naturally). It presents a ton of assist and luxury (together with a headrest) at a superb worth. It’s straightforward to pay three or 4 occasions that for a good chair, and hear, we’re not made out of cash right here.

Value: $200 from Amazon

Elgato Facecam

The factor about built-in webcams is that they’re largely horrible. It’s simply not one thing most producers take into consideration, at the same time as smartphone cameras have continued getting higher and higher. That’s begun to vary a bit in the course of the pandemic, however except you’ve obtained a more recent system, you’re in all probability out of luck.

Today, anybody with a desk job has spent extra hours than they’d care to confess on digital camera, so they may as effectively make themselves look nearly as good as doable. For a majority of oldsters, there’s no cause to go all-in on, say, a DSLR for digital conferences. Elgato’s newest is a pleasant plug and play answer that’s extremely customizable utilizing the digital camera hub app.

Actually, the system could have extra firepower than most individuals want, capturing 1080p video at 60 FPS, however for those who’re gonna be on digital camera so much, you would possibly as effectively look good.

Value: $200 from Amazon

Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB Cardioid Dynamic

Lots of people ask me which microphone I take advantage of for my podcast. Since shifting digital, I’ve recorded every little thing on the Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB Cardioid Dynamic. It additionally doubles as my assembly microphone. It’s a terrific sounding unidirectional mic that appears like a traditional stick mic. The again has each an ordinary XLR and USB-C out, the latter of which connects simply to desktop.

That is about as plug-and-play as desktop microphones get, with few settings to fiddle with. These settings are what are likely to get most individuals in bother. Simply bear in mind to show the facility on (a mistake I’ve made greater than as soon as).

Value: $99 from Amazon