148Apps 2014 Holiday Shopping Guide for Power Users
Other 148Apps Holiday Gift Guides: for [Health Nuts] [Socializers] [Creative Types] [Gamers]
Today’s guide is for the intense “power users” you may know. Business folks, diehard Apple fans – anyone who tends to push their device’s battery to the limits every day, mostly. If you’re looking for something to make their trips easier, help out at the office, or even just keep their iPad running for a few more hours, check out our list below for some ideas.
Slingbox M1
What makes the Slingbox M1 ($149.99) so desirable is the way it can help alleviate (or even eliminate) arguments over TV use. If you or a family member need to watch a DVD or Netflix, it’s easy to use the Slingbox to stream cable straight to an iOS device. In other words, if somebody is watching the Big Game and you want to make sure you don’t miss Adventure Time, you’re covered. It’s not just for local use, either. If you’re away from home but want to watch some local TV, you can do that with the Slingbox and the SlingPlayer app (for iPhone or iPad) as well. [Our Review]
Seidio Innocell Plus Combo
Batteries run out of juice. A lot. And it happens even more often when you use your iPhone often. Which is why the Innocell Plus Combo ($79.95 - iPhone 5/5s) is so handy. The case is quite well-constructed, and can keep an iPhone going for hours - even during heavy use. It’s also easy to tell at a glance how much power the Innocell Plus has left by pressing the button on the back and watching how many of the four LED lights turn on. Unfortunately it can take a bit to charge the case back up to full, so it’s best to leave it charging overnight when possible, but it can definitely be worth the wait. [Our Review]
Pretty much any apps that require or encourage extended use will benefit from the Innocell Plus. Video and photo apps like Camera+ and Plex are a good fit, and entertainment sources such as Netflix and Crunchyroll can keep the movies and shows coming. And for a special holiday consideration, little ones will be able to use ReindeerCam right up until they pass out.
RAVPower Wireless Filehub/Media Drive
Despite the handiness of keeping everything on portable devices like iPhones and iPads, sometimes we still need access to additional storage. That’s where something like the RAVPower Wireless Filehub ($44.99) can save the day. It’s not just a drive you can carry around to store your file overflow; it’s also a wireless hub that can transfer or stream data from external memory cards. It can also act as a recharging station for your devices when you connect them directly. [Our Review]
Really, any apps that can lead to the creation of a lot of individual files could make great use of the RAVPower Wireless Filehub. Whether you’re digitizing documents with TurboScan, saving contacts from CamCard, or compiling work in PDF Expert 5, it’s a great way to store (or transfer) all those extra files.
Feel free to peruse our Editor’s Choice selections for more top-rated fitness app ideas.