Mobile phone holiday gifts for you and for others
This post is sponsored by Xfinity. All opinions expressed are my own.
Know someone on your holiday shopping list who owns a mobile phone? Perhaps, it’s an iPhone, Samsung Galaxy S9 or one of the dozens of other smartphones available today. Here’s a list of holiday gift ideas for that special smartphone lover in your life. But first, I want to let you in on a secret. These holidays gifts also make great gifts for YOU!
Phone cases
Sure, your gift recipients probably already have a case for their phone. If they don’t, get one for them immediately!
But, even if they do, what kind of shape is it in? Are they in need of a replacement?
Or, you might know someone who treats their phone case like an accessory. One phone case for the workday and another for a Saturday night out on the town.
A simple search on Google for phone cases—or a quick visit your local Xfinity Store—will give you hundreds of ideas. Just make sure you get a phone case that fits the smartphone (check the product description for the exact models supported).
Xfinity Mobile
This one is more suited for you and your family. Consider switching your smartphone’s mobile plan over to Xfinity Mobile. It’s the gift that can save you money!
With Xfinity Mobile, you can get up to five lines of unlimited nationwide talk and text included with your Xfinity Internet at no extra cost, so all you pay for is data.
Plus, you can choose how you pay for data—by the gigabyte or unlimited—and customize your payment plan per line and per person based on usage.
If you are not familiar with Xfinity Mobile, it’s a hybrid mobile solution that combines Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots with America’s largest 4G LTE network.
The best part is that, when you switch to Xfinity Mobile, you can keep your phone number. All you need to do is to visit your local Xfinity Store where they will initiate the porting of your cell phone number from your current provider to Xfinity Mobile.
Extra charging cables
A charging cable is included with most new phones. But, after a while, the rugged wear and tear on the charging cable can take a toll and eventually cause it to stop functioning correctly. You know what that means. No charging cable, no charging your phone.
A multi-pack of charging cables make a great holiday gift. Not only will your gift recipients have a spare charging cable for when their current one stops working, but they can also use the additional charging cables to keep in different charging locations. Personally, I keep one in my office, one on my bedroom nightstand and one in the car.
Like the phone case, make sure you get the right type of charging cable. Newer iPhones use lightning cables while newer Android phones use USB-C cables. Older Android phones likely use a USB-B cable.
You might also want to look into braided charging cables. The braided design means they stand up better to bending and tangling.
USB Power Adapters
What goes hand-in-hand with needing extra charging cables? Extra USB power adapters. These are the little “blocks” that you plug your charging cable into which then plugs into the wall.
In my experience, these are the most misplaced and lost items when it comes to smartphone accessories. You’re better off to always have an extra USB power adapter ready to go when you need it.
Trust me, no one will ever unwrap a USB power adapter and tell you that they didn’t really need it because they already have one.
Portable chargers
Having extra charging cables and USB power adapters is great but what happens when you need to charge your phone and there isn’t a nearby electrical outlet in sight?
This is where portable chargers save the day. These battery “blocks” store their own power which can be transferred to your smartphone when it’s running low on battery. Depending on the size of the portable charger, it may be able to fully charge your smartphone multiple times.
These portable chargers can also charge any other USB-charged device like your iPad or wireless Bluetooth speaker.
A portable charger eventually needs to be re-charged itself, but if you play your cards right and keep your portable charger charged and near your side, you’ll always have that extra boost of power your smartphone needs to make it through the rest of the day.
Now is the time
If you are considering one of the above-mentioned mobile phone accessories for that special person in your life, the holiday season is the perfect time to buy. It’s also the perfect time for you to enhance your mobile plan and stock up on your own accessories.
