Some items are regularly personalised, such as mugs, t-shirts and socks, but this is less common with tech. However, if you know where to look, there are some truly great options if you’re looking to gadgets that can be customised to users specific tastes. Of course, the vast majority of phones, tablets and laptops can be personalised to some degree, but the options here allow your to tailor your tech gifts on a deeper level.
Apple Engravings
If you’re looking for high quality tech personalisation, Apple should be your first port of call. Its engravings cover multiple iPad models, the latest iPod touch and Apple Pencil, but we’re particular fans of the personalised AirPods. Apple’s reluctance to introduce alternative colour options means everyone’s wireless earbuds look the same. Help your case stand out with a high quality engraving of your choice. These are available across the lineup, including the recently introduced AirPods Pro, at no extra cost. You can buy them for the regular prices of £249/ £199/ £159, but be sure to specify your engraving preferences at checkout! See all the personalisation info here. Apple’s Black Friday sale means you’ll get a £20 gift card when you buy the regular AirPods, with or without wireless charging.
Google Nest Hub
Smart speakers like the Google Nest Hub are personalised from the ground up, so make for a great option if you want to tailor your tech. The Google Assistant can inform you of the weather, let you know what’s on your calendar and play music and radio from a wide variety of providers. The key advantage here is that it is able to show as well as tell. For displaying photos and home video, we’d say this is a better option than the Echo Show or other digital photo frames, thanks to its Google Photos integration. Unless you really want a camera (complete with increased security concerns) or high-end audio the Nest Hub should provide everything you’re looking for in a personalised gadget. This is among the most affordable ways to get a smart speaker with a screen, but if you’d like something bigger the Nest Hub Max is currently available for £189 with a Black Friday discount. If you’re considering getting Vodafone broadband, get a free Nest Hub Max if you buy before 2 December. Google’s Black Friday sale means you can pick up the Nest Hub for an even more affordable £59/ US$79. See our round-up of the best speaker deals.
Nuraphone
We were skeptical at first, but the audio from the Nuraphone completely blew us away. They’re not for everyone, hence why they don’t top our best headphones chart, but a ranking comfortably in the top 10 should give a good indicator of their quality. Where they truly cannot be beaten, however, is in personalised audio. A dedicated companion app offers a fine-tuned experience with noticeable idiosyncracies specific to you. From here, you can also customise the amount of bass and external noise. Add to that their immense comfort and class-leading noise cancellation, and they offer a truly compelling package. The main caveat here is that you will have to fork out for a NuraNow subscription if you want all the latest updates, currently £9.99/US$9.99 a month. However, this will also get you the option to upgrade to Nura’s latest and greatest every 24 months, and it will not impact day-to-day usage if you don’t want to pay. These headphones have been discounted for Black Friday, so you can buy them now for £279.20/ US$319.20 See all our headphones deals here.
Personalised Power Bank
Personalising your power bank not only provides a nice aesthetic touch, it should mean it’s less likely to go missing. Perfect Gift Shop’s offering is ultra-compact and lightweight, so perfect for on-the-go. At 2200mAh, it’s ideal for giving your phone a quick top up when in need. Charging is simple via the included micro-USB port. Your name or message will be engraved onto the device using lasers, with 10 different fonts to choose from. See full details here. You can buy it now for £11.99 in black, blue, silver, green or pink variants. If you want even more from a travel gadget, just £1 more will get you a power bank and torch rolled into one.
Personalised Camera Strap
If you know a keen photographer, it’s likely they’ve already got a camera that they enjoy using. While an upgrade in this department will cost hundreds of pounds, there’s much more inexpensive way to leave a personal touch. Swapping out the default camera strap for a personalised one This one from notonthehighstreet.com offers a vintage look that provides a great fusion of old and new when paired with a a modern camera. The super-strong antique leather material is designed to withstand the elements, while the strap itself is easily adjustable to your liking. In terms of personalisation, you have a choice of two fonts: one large with a limit of four characters and one smaller with a 15-character maximum. The text is available in gold, silver or blind (taking the colour of the material) and will be embossed onto the shoulder pad. There’s even the option to add a symbol of your choice, with a number of options including star signs and famous landmarks. However, do not that this will set you back an additional £2.50. You can buy it now for £45. As the resident expert on Windows, Senior Staff Writer Anyron’s main focus is PCs and laptops. Much of the rest of his time is split between smartphones, tablets and audio, with a particular focus on Android devices.
