MacRumors Holiday Gift Guide: Reader Picks

by Juli Clover

Over the past week, we've been sharing some of the favored Apple-related accessories that our editors and writers use on a daily basis, but we also wanted to highlight the best products that our readers and forum members use on a daily basis.

We asked for your suggestions in our MacRumors 2015 Holiday Gift Guide Master List post, and then organized those picks by category. We're going to keep building this list, so make sure to mention your favorite product in the comments and we'll add it to the guide.

We've organized this list into categories by product and added a short description of each item.

iPhone

Tech21 Cases - Tech21 is known for its high-quality, highly protective cases, which are also sold in Apple Stores. Available in a range of price points, there are cases to fit the iPhone 4s and up. Prices range from $45 to $100, for the company's battery case. Tech21 also makes cases for Macs and iPads. Tech21 products are available from Apple and some are available at cheaper prices from Amazon.


MyCharge Rapid Recharge external battery - Recommended by our own Arnold Kim, the Rapid Recharge is a 4,000 mAh external battery that fits in a pocket and has outlet prongs built right in. It's priced at $70. There's also a larger 8,000 mAh version for those that need more power, priced at $120.


Zagg InvisibleShield Glass Screen Protectors - Recommended by MacRumors forum moderator Maflynn, Zagg's InvisibleShield screen protectors are available for a wide variety of devices, from the newest iPhones to the newest iPads. The glass version is made from fortified tempered glass for superior scratch protection and better clarity. Prices for Zagg's screen protectors start at $35 on its website, but can be often be found cheaper on Amazon.

Anker PowerCore 20100 - This Anker battery pack is good for charging your iOS devices, iPads, and more. At a 20,100 mAh capacity, it's going to be good for several uses, and it has dual 2.4 amps ports to charge two devices at once. The best part? It's super affordable at $40. Get it from Amazon.

iPad

Apple Smart Cases - Apple's Smart Cases are available for the earlier iPad minis and iPad Air 2. They offer full front and back protection for the iPad, merging a Smart Cover with a protective back case. There's a similar case for the iPad Pro, but it only protects the back of the device and needs to be paired with a separate Smart Cover. With prices starting at $69, Apple's Smart Cases aren't cheap, but they're high quality and make for a nice gift.


Logitech AnyAngle iPad Air 2 Case - Also a pick from Arnold Kim, the Logitech AnyAngle iPad Air 2 case offers full built-in protection and multiple viewing angles for watching videos or typing. Arn says it's a bit heavy and bulky, but stable enough to allow for typing on the screen and versatile enough with the adjustable cover. There's also a version for the iPad Pro and the iPad mini 4. The AnyAngle for the iPad Air 2 is priced at $60 and it's also available from Amazon.


Joli Originals iPad Sleeves - Joli Originals makes high-quality Dutch wool and Italian leather sleeves for the iPad mini, iPad Air, iPad Pro, and older iPad models. Each one is unique and handcrafted in Amsterdam, and they're available in several different colors. This one ships from Europe, so order early if you want to get it as a gift. Pricing starts at $63 and goes up to $99, depending on model. Joli also makes sleeves for MacBooks and iPhones.


Logitech K810/K811 Keyboard - The Logitech K810 and K811 keyboards were popular with MacRumors readers for their versatility. They're able to connect to up to three Bluetooth devices at once and switch between them as needed, plus they have built-in backlighting. The K810 works with Windows, Android, and iOS devices, while the K811 works with Mac and iOS devices. The K810 is available for $100 from Logitech, but you can get it for $74 on Amazon. The K811 is available for $99 on Logitech's website or $84 on Amazon.

Apple Watch

Monowear Apple Watch Bands - Monowear sells a wide selection of bands designed for the Apple Watch, at prices cheaper than Apple offers. There are attractive bands made from leather, nylon, and metal at prices that start at $60.

MacBook

Mountie iPad Mount - TenOneDesign's Mountie is designed to allow an iPad or iPhone to be mounted on a MacBook's screen using a clamp, where it can be used as a second display. This was a particularly popular product on the forum and it works with the iPhone 4 and later, the iPad Air 2, all iPad minis, and all MacBooks. The Mountie is available for $19 from TenOneDesign or $18 from Amazon.

General

Pencil from FiftyThree - There's an official stylus for the iPad Pro, but it doesn't work with other iPhones or iPads. While there are a lot of styluses to choose from, FiftyThree's Pencil is a standout that was recommended by a MacRumors reader. The Pencil integrates with a bunch of iOS apps, including FiftyThree's popular Paper app, offering pressure sensitivity and palm rejection. It's priced at $50 from FiftyThree, but available for as low as $40 on Amazon.


Astro Bluetooth Speaker - The forum member who recommended the Astro Bluetooth Speaker liked it for its Pure Audio feature that controls distortion through hardware instead of software. The Astro Speaker is slim and attractive with a price tag of $179.


Make sure to check out our other gift guides, each curated by a MacRumors staff member, and keep an eye out for a few gift guides we still have coming next week.

• Juli's Gift Guide: Philips Hue, UE Roll Speaker, Pressed Flower iPhone Cases, Canvas Smart Desk, and More
• Joe's Gift Guide: 64GB iPhone 6s on T-Mobile, V-MODA Crossfade Wireless Headphones and More
• Mitchel's Gift Guide: Pad & Quill Accessories, HoverBar for iPad, Beats Pill, and More