As our lives become ever more connected to the digital world, technology creates new ways to help us get work done and to unwind with a bit of play at the end of the day (or whenever you can squeeze in a few minutes). Here are some of the best gifts you can give to anyone in your life who works hard and plays hard.
A good Chromebook for work and play
The most capable devices on the market today are Chromebooks, as they offer the best of both work and play. No Chromebook exemplifies this more than the Lenovo Yoga Chromebook C630, with its high-powered, laptop-grade Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM, and 15.6-inch convertible display.
To help you get work done, Chromebooks are fantastic for the web and G Suite apps like Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Or for those who need to get more intense work done, Chromebooks can also run full Linux applications, including developer apps like Android Studio.
When it’s time to play, Chromebooks have access to almost every Android app and game in the Play Store. The Lenovo Yoga Chromebook C630 is also available from Best Buy and direct from Lenovo with a 4K display, making it the perfect screen to watch your 4K movies, TV, and games.
Assistant headphones to stay connected
One of the best ways to stay focused while working is to reduce nearby distractions and set the mood with some good music or a podcast. A good set of headphones with the Google Assistant built in, like the LG Tone Flex HBS-XL7, offers a way to change up the music, get quick answers to questions, and even manage your smart home without touching your phone.
Unlike your average headphones with a simple button to invoke your phone’s voice assistant, the LG Tone Flex offers direct Google Assistant integration. For example, with the push of a button, the Assistant can give you a briefing of the time and your phone’s notifications, read aloud certain notifications as they arrive, and even reply to text messages with your voice.
Even without the prowess of the Google Assistant, the LG Tone Flex HBS-XL7 make a great gift for both work and play, thanks to their 10-hour battery life and incredible sound quality, powered by Meridian Audio.
Moleskine notebook to keep organized
As our smartphones become able to do more and more, they can become a source of distraction instead of productivity. As 2020 rolls around, remember to take time to disconnect from the digital world.
My personal favorite way to disconnect is to keep my thoughts and life organized in a Moleskine notebook or planner. The time spent carefully penciling in thoughts and agendas may very well improve the ability to recall them — without relying on Google Calendar and/or Keep Notes.
To get the best of both worlds, Moleskine also offers a “smart writing” set that can digitally save your handwritten notes.
Google Stadia to play hard
It’s simple math to know that the harder and longer you work, the less time you have left over to unwind. This holiday season, Google has created an answer to that with their game streaming service Google Stadia.
Once your loved one is done with a hard day’s work, this gift lets them instantly play AAA video game titles directly on their Chromebook, Chromecast, or Pixel phone, as long as they have a decent Wi-Fi connection. By running the game on a machine in Google’s cloud, Stadia saves you the time of downloading and updating your games, allowing you to simply jump in.
The only way to give the gift of Google Stadia this year is to purchase the Stadia Premiere Edition, which includes three months of Stadia Pro, a Chromecast Ultra, and a Stadia Controller. This bundle is only available directly from the Google Store for $129.
Google Play gift card for apps and games
A Google Play gift card is the most multi-purpose gift you can buy for anyone who works and plays hard. Beyond being the central hub for Android apps, which can also be installed on a Chromebook, the Google Play Store offers movies, TV shows, eBooks and audiobooks, and music.
Additionally, if your loved one has Google Stadia, games for Stadia can be purchased with this same Google Play credit. They’ll need use an Android phone to do so, though, as the iOS app only allows direct credit card transactions.
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