Apple @ Work

9to5Mac Gift Guide: Christmas gift ideas for IT professionals

Bradley Chambers | Nov 30 2019 - 6:00 am PT

IT professionals are known for having all of the latest technology products, so they can be hard to buy for during the Christmas season. In my Apple @ Work post for this week, I want to run through a handful of products that would make for an excellent Christmas gift ideas for the IT professionals in your life.

About Apple @ Work: Bradley Chambers has been managing an enterprise IT network since 2009. Through his experience deploying and managing firewalls, switches, a mobile device management system, enterprise-grade Wi-Fi, 100s of Macs, and 100s of iPads, Bradley will highlight ways in which Apple IT managers deploy Apple devices, build networks to support them, train users, stories from the trenches of IT management, and ways Apple could improve its products for IT departments.

RAVPower Portable Charger 20000mAh

A few months ago, I had no portable batteries. I now somehow have five of them. I went to a conference and received a number of them as vendor giveaways. Of all of the external batteries I own, The RAVPower Portable Charger is by far, my favorite. If you’re needing a Christmas gift idea for an IT professional in your life, I cannot recommend this battery enough.

Tech Specs.

18W Output
20,000 mAh Battery Capacity
PD USB-C Input & Output Port
QC 3.0 Output Port
Multiple Device Charging

The RAVPower Portable Charger includes an LED display to show its remaining capacity, which is very handy when traveling. Thanks to its quick charging technology (and power output), you can recharge your iPhone up to 50% battery in 30 minutes. It includes USB-A and USB-C outputs. My favorite feature by far is that it can be charged from a Lightning cable, so it eliminates one more cable when traveling (most batteries are charged with USB).

Netool.io

One of my favorite networking tools is my Netool.io. With this device, you can plug it up to an ethernet port and get a lot of information about what is on the other end. You can see what IP, gateway, DNS server, and subnet it’s receiving. I used it just a few weeks ago to confirm why a new IP camera wasn’t showing up online.

You can also learn all of the information about the switch you are plugged into (port, hostname description, etc.). For how tiny and affordable it is, it’s a must-have, in my opinion. It pairs with an iOS or Android app, and then it just goes to work making your life easier. There is also a macOS app in beta. Netool.io would make a fantastic Christmas gift idea for an IT professional. Every time they solve a problem with it, they’ll remember that you gave it to them.

USB-C Accessories

I picked up my first USB-C MacBook Pro last summer, so I’ve had to repurchase a lot of adapters. Some of my favorite ones are the RAVPower Mini SSD Hard Drive, RAVPower 60W 6-Port USB C Charger (great for a nightstand or while traveling), and the Anker USB C Hub Adapter, PowerExpand+ 7-in–1 USB C Adapter. With all of these in my bag, I feel like I’ve made a smooth transition from USB-A to USB-C.

Backblaze Membership

I’ve been a Backblaze customer for many years, and it’s an easy thing to send to someone as an e-gift. Backblaze is the best online backup service for macOS, and it offers unlimited storage for just $6 per month. Backblaze always does a great job of keeping up to date with all the latest changes in macOS, so it’s my go-to back up recommendation. If you’re wanting to help out a family member this Christmas with a simple gift, you can’t go wrong with the gift of keeping their home computer backed up.

Audible Gold Membership

I am a huge fan of Audible, and I’ve been a customer off and on since 2008. If your favorite IT person doesn’t like to read physical books but enjoys podcasts, they would likely love an Audible Gold Membership. It will give them twelve credits that can be used right away. Most books are just one credit, so the credits will last them for months. The Harry Potter books are particularly well done on Audible if you are looking for a recommendation.

Another reason why an Audible membership is a great Christmas gift idea for an IT professional is that you can listen to books on almost any device including iPhone, iPad, the web, Android, Apple Watch, and all Echo products.

Christmas Gifts Ideas for IT professionals Wrap Up

Did I miss any of your favorite products that would make great Christmas gift ideas for IT professionals? Let me know in the comments, and I will take a look. Don’t forget to check out the rest of our gift guides.

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