Byteside gift guide 2024: fun, weird, wonderful, nerdy gift ideas

It's gifting season! If you're trying to look for something a little more interesting than a gift card, a game, or a nerdy T-shirt, then here's some ideas to get the juices flowing.

There are no affiliate links here. This is purely a fun list of ideas from products I've seen and thought about this year and think would be a high quality gift for yourself or someone you care about.

Gifts that keep on giving

These are the ideas that might not seem amazing on the day you open them, but come next Christmas season they'll be thanking you for how good that gift has been all year since.

USB-C to USB-A combo USB sticks ($25-$80)
This is as basic as it comes and yet it's something constantly overlooked because we always think we have plenty of USB sticks until we need one. This new style of stick that offers a USB-C connector on one end and a USB-A on the other is all someone will ever need to carry them long into the future. Grab a SanDisk 64GB Dual Drive for $26.50 for a nice little stocking stuffer.

Qi 2 portable batteries ($50-$80)
Until this year these have essentially been 'MagSafe' for iPhones but with the arrival of Qi 2 they're now ideal for new Android phones as the wireless charger format is adopted for the future. And it's great. Having a magnetic charger that you can 'clip' onto the back of a phone while you're on the go removes the cable hassle of a power bank and keeps you topped up constantly. The Belkin BoostCharge Pro 5000mAh power bank is a winner at $79.

APC Back-UPS Connect ($85)
Running uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for your home tech can get pretty expensive if you're trying to keep desktop computers or servers up and running. But here's an excellent and cheap option that just does your most important device – the home router. If you lose power isn't the Wi-Fi the most important thing you're missing? I have two because I have two routers and it's been a magical little investment.

Tech toys

It's tech but it's got a fun twist.

Oclean X Ultra S smart toothbrush ($450)
We've just reviewed this one and there is great value in getting a good quality electric toothbrush that is designed to spend a lot of time in a travel case when you're on the go. This one is expensive but is half price in Black Friday sales so they're not afraid of really pushing those price drops if you time it right. And if this one is just too expensive look for other models with travel case options. Give the gift of preventative dental maintenance!

DJI Neo ($300)
I've had a few drones over the years for testing and as exciting as they feel there is a lot of work in getting them running with confidence. It's felt like a category that excites the emotions but requires serious self-training to reach the fun part. With this year's DJI Neo launch we finally see a drone that launches from your hand and does a wide range of easy selfie style tracking options so you can get great results with minimal effort. And it's very affordable! Add the DJI Goggles N3 for $359 for immersive FPV flying too.

For those after a more serious selfie drone option, the HoverAIR X1 Pro and ProMax drones are available in Australia. They cost more and require a little more of that effort, but they have better transmission range, fly at up to 42km/h, and have better wind resistance. But for most people who just want some fun, the DJI Neo is a big leap forward for drones.

Kindle Colorsoft (~$420)
Other ereaders have had colour options for a while now, but for people with an extensive Kindle library this is the one they've been waiting for. Ereaders thankfully last a long, long time and the upgrade cycles don't often offer much that's new. The Kindle Colorsoft is getting great reviews and feels like a fresh new experience. The whole range had a solid refresh this year too, so it's a good time to buy one whether for the first time or for an upgrade on a long loved model if it's getting a bit sad (or, if you're like me, you're desperate to get rid of that last micro-USB charge port in your house).

Creative efficiency

Productivity tech can be a blessing when it's the best tool for the job.

Espresso monitor & Stand+ ($750 + $99)
Espresso is an Australian company making the world's best portable monitors. They really are beautifully designed and sit far ahead of other efforts to make a good second screen when you're working at a cowork space or running client presentations in person. The stand design is a big part of the magic and they've just updated it so your screen can now sit above your laptop monitor – another great little design tweak that shows how well they're thinking this through.

Elgato Prompter (~$310)
One of those "this changed my life" technologies, the Elgato Prompter is so much more than a teleprompter for your home office. With no fuss at all it acts as an additional monitor for your setup, giving you a nice little space for widgets or dashboards... and the perfect screen for taking video calls. Being able to look directly at the other people on a call on a prompter screen means you're also looking directly at the camera that's now sitting behind the glass. I've had so many comments about my setup because people notice there's just something going on that means I seem really present. It supports webcams and proper cameras in behind the glass. I have mine mounted on an Elgato pole mount that clips to the edge of the desk and sits just behind the monitor.

Rode Phone Cage (~$170)
I've played with a few gimble devices for stabilising a smartphone while you use it as a video camera and I finally gave up. Like the drone discussion above, they seem great but are actually very tricky to get working with confidence. Every time you turn it off, you need to reset the Bluetooth link and get everything attached again and stabilised and the fuss can take a good 5 minutes right at the moment you were hoping to just shoot a quick piece of footage. So now the Rode Phone Cage is my go to and I love it. It uses MagSafe to attach an iPhone, which means it should also attach a Qi 2 enabled Android phone. It then has a host of cold shoe attachment points so you can have it setup with lights, microphones, whatever, all there ready at any time. Slap on the phone and you're shooting in seconds.

OK, some actual fun

Sometimes it just has to be fun, right?

Dropout TV subscription (US$60/year)
As a nerdy nerd, there is no streaming entertainment service I get more value from than Dropout. I first signed up for the Dimension 20 live play roleplaying shows, but I've actually hardly watched those at all compared to the fun improv gameshows they run. Studio produced comedy designed for very nerdy people. One of the best is Um, Actually where contestants must pick what's wrong in statements about nerdy TV, movies, anime, games, etc. But you can't forget to say "Umm, actually" as part of your answer.

UNO No Mercy (~$15)
The whole point of UNO is to watch at least one person end up with more cards in hand than they can manage. No Mercy embraces the brutality. Draw 10 anyone? Give in to your dark side and crush your family.

Forbidden Island (~$35)
When UNO gets a little over competitive, Forbidden Island is an excellent cooperative game played on a tile-based board so it changes ever time. It's a tricky game of survival but easy to learn so you can work together to see if you can escape the sinking island while finding treasures. If you love this there's also Forbidden Desert and Forbidden Jungle from the same makers to expand your co-op game library.