Affordable Tech Gift Ideas to Check Out in 2025

It's a new year! Do you have some techie people in your life? Or maybe you’re looking for some low hanging fruit to get your friends in to tech? The Lithios team is here to help. Here is our top 5 techie gift ideas for your friends and loved ones to check out in 2025:

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Air Tags

Unfortunately, this is just for the Apple friends in the bunch. But if they have an iPhone, this is a no brainer. The AirTag is a super convenient way to track and keep track of important items (like keys, bags, wallets, luggage etc.). The small circular tracker is also packed with features. It’s fully integrated with FindMy so that you can see its location live on a map. Unlike other items (like say the apple wallet) which just gives approximate location, the AirTag is built with Apple’s Latest U1 (Ultra wideband) chip that allows for extremely accurate location tracking down to the inch. As you approach, your iPhone guides you with a pinpoint arrow direction to help you navigate. Whats more, is through Apple’s secure network protocols, the location of the AirTag is continuously updated any time a passing iPhone gets within range. Therefore for the 100s of millions of Apple devices in the world are helping to provide real-time updates on the whereabouts of of your tag. Apple’s recently even partnered with Airlines to enable them to share lost items with customers who have AirTags, check it out here.

Are you an Android user? Never fear, checkout Tile as a similar alternative that works on both platforms.

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LIFX Smart Bulb

This is the perfect starting point for your future smart home. The LIFX Bulb offers all of the features of the modern smart bulb: turn on/off via mobile app, control brightness/dim ability, full multi-color changing options to set the mood to your liking. What's great about the LIFX bulb is that unlike other bulbs, there’s no other hardware needed. You just need your bulb, a working WIFI network, and your app and you’re good to go. But of course, it’s also able to integrate with Apple Homekit and other SmartHome networks so that you can control all of your devices from one spot. Additionally, you can set up advanced routines to automate your lighting experience. For example you can have the lights auto turn on at sunset or auto turn off at bed time. Or you can use location to have them turn on when you come back home or change colors when someone rings your doorbell!

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Wemo Smart Plug

Ok so if I want a smart home, does that mean I have to replace all my bulbs? Actually, no. The smart plug allows you to turn any traditional appliance into a smart appliance. The smart plug goes directly into your wall socket and can control the power supply to whatever is plugged into that socket. This allows you to turn on/off whatever is plugged in directly from their integrated app (that also works with Homekit). So now virtually any lamp can be a “smart lamp” just by plugging it into the smart plug. This is also true for any other appliance that you want to be able to turn on/off through a tap of your phone.

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Amazon Echo Dot

No home is complete without a handy smart speaker. The Echo Dot is a cheap entry level smart speaker that lets you utilize voice commands for daily needs. This gives you the power of smart assistance from anywhere in your house (to ask things like whats the weather or the name of the actor in that movie you just saw). It also serves a small convenient speaker for listening to music, playing ambient sounds, or calming noises. Importantly the smart speaker can integrate with any other smart home products (like the smart plug or smart light) to control your lights simply through your voice. It also comes with some fun audio games like “Guess the song/singer” that you can play with your friends (or yourself) when you're bored.

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DJI Drone Mini 4k

Ok this one is a bit more expensive and is for the real tech enthusiast.  Smart drones are currently all the rage for capturing engaging, cinematic, aerial video or photography. This entry-level drone comes with all of the basics but offers premium 4k video recording ability. The drone comes with a controller that connects directly to your phone, allowing you to use your phone screen as your flight navigator. Importantly, this drone comes with some pre-built algorithms to allow you to capture some cool shots with a tap of the button. This algorithm called “Quickshots” shooting mode include routines like Dronie (a drone selfie), Rocket, Circle, Helix, Boomerang, and Asteroid. The drone will lock on to you as the target, take off, record a cool video around you, then automatically land back at the takeoff spot. Finally, the drone falls right underneath the government’s weight restrictions for needing a drone license in the U.S. meaning anyone can fly without having to take a drone license test.

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Wrapping Things Up

‍Now that you've got some new tech to explore and shop for your friends and loved ones, you are educated and prepped to embark on your techie journey this 2025. What new tech are you excited to see come out this year? If you are interested in getting an app made for your IoT product, drop us a line here.

Happy shopping!