For everyone who already has everything: smart last-minute gifts

8. December 2022 Published by Raphael Doerr

“We don’t need anything, we already have everything” – a well-used sentence at Christmas. But if there is something under the Christmas tree, it still brings a lot of pleasure, especially if it’s a gift that wasn’t expected. We present three technology gifts that make life a little bit more pleasant.

Someone’s always at home with a smart doorbell

Advent is the time for gifts – and parcels. The parcel services have added extra staff and additional vehicles. The major plea to recipients: Specify where to leave the parcel so that it can be delivered on the first attempt, even if you’re not at home. If you don’t want to do that, or it’s not possible, then a smart doorbell may be useful: Devices like the Gigaset Smart Doorbell also let you know who’s at the door when you’re out and about. It sends pictures and videos to the smartphone and also enables direct voice contact with visitors – or the courier. If the kids forget their keys again, the combination with a smart door lock is especially helpful. The Smart Doorbell from Gigaset is compatible with the Nuki Smart Lock: Check the smartphone display to see who’s at the door, and use your fingertip on the key icon to open the door remotely. The Gigaset Smart Doorbell costs just under 170 euros (RRP).

Giving the fixed-line phone a new lease of life

Ever since the introduction of the mobile flat rate, fixed-line phone have been gradually disappearing from the home – especially among the younger generation. And that’s even though the contract with an Internet provider usually already includes a fixed-line connection. And many routers have an DECT base – all it needs is the right phone. The stability and voice quality of the fixed-line network are still incomparable and, unlike smartphones, the level of radiation at home is very low, yet still allows calls to be made even from the furthest corner of the home. Stylish handsets like the Gigaset COMFORT 500HX or the Gigaset CL390HX are compatible with Deutsche Telekom’s Speedport routers or the FRITZ!box. Prices start from just under 50 euros (RRP). One of the best gifts someone could wish for!

Digital detox: flip phone instead of smartphone

Read news, listen to web radio, stream videos, do online banking, takes photos, do research or play games – modern smartphones can do almost anything, anywhere. Sometimes almost a bit too much. For more digital well-being, operating systems like Android or iOS now draw users’ attention to their screen time. Less is more in this case. Yet many people find it difficult to let go. They consciously opt for digital time-outs – and more and more often for technical devices that help them do that. The Gigaset GL7 is one such device: The clamshell phone can do more than a mobile phone, but it’s not a smartphone. Selected useful apps like WhatsApp, Google Maps or Facebook are available, but the focus is on telephony. A clever approach with a retro feel to it that fits well into the current digital detox trend. An ideal gift idea not only, but also for older people. The price: 109 euros (RRP)