{"id":3898,"date":"2025-12-15T18:59:41","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T18:59:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=3898"},"modified":"2025-12-15T18:59:41","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T18:59:41","slug":"gift-guide-techcrunchs-favorite-things","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=3898","title":{"rendered":"Gift guide: TechCrunch’s favorite things"},"content":{"rendered":"


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We\u2019re tech journalists. We have a lot of opinions. Throughout the year, we\u2019re constantly trying out new products, and trust us \u2014 we\u2019re a hard crowd to please. So if we really like something, it\u2019s probably good! That\u2019s why we\u2019ve assembled a list of our favorite things, spanning computer accessories, headphones, productivity apps, and odd little knick-knacks.<\/p>\n

Sure, we can be tough critics at times. But we\u2019re in this gig because we truly love technology, and every once in a while, we stumble upon an app, gadget, or piece of hardware that we\u2019re dying to talk about. Our recommendations aren\u2019t your typical gift guide fare \u2014 everyone already knows that AirTags are useful! \u2014 but we\u2019re hoping that we can help you find something a little different and delightful. Whether you\u2019re looking for the satisfaction of setting up your own at-home media server, or if you\u2019re trying to stay cool in a crowded subway, we\u2019re sure you\u2019ll find something you like.<\/p>\n

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Image Credits:<\/strong>Shokz (opens in a new window)<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These open ear, bone conduction earphones allow me to listen to music while running but they don\u2019t cover or insert in the ears, so I can still hear the environment: bikes wanting to pass, cars or people behind me, etc. They deliver shockingly good sound quality (pun intended) without having to fuss about getting them in a perfect spot on the outer ear. They work great with sunglasses and a hat, all adjacent to each other. And they don\u2019t leave me with that uncomfortable am-I-losing-my hearing feeling from earbuds that pipe sound directly into the ear canal.<\/p>\n

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Image Credits:<\/strong>Brain.fm<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Brain.fm subscription is the perfect gift for the easily distracted. It\u2019s a streaming service that plays scientifically engineered music \u2013 with no distracting lyrics \u2013 that helps my scattered mind stop bouncing between tasks and stay focused. Extra points for the timer function so I can combine it with the Pomodoro Technique<\/a>!<\/p>\n

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Image Credits:<\/strong>Focus Friend<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hank Green\u2019s Focus Friend is Google Play\u2019s app of the year<\/a> \u2013 and it\u2019s also one of my favorite finds. It\u2019s the perfect balance of silly and useful<\/a> to keep me focused, and the free version is enough to get started, but as a gift, I\u2019d recommend splurging on the lifetime version.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Image Credits:<\/strong>Omnilux<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Omnilux Contour is one of my favorite things. It\u2019s a red-light therapy mask that reduces redness, improves overall skin texture and tone, and is supposed to also reduce wrinkles (but I haven\u2019t been using it that long to see whether that\u2019s true). It\u2019s cordless so I can walk around and do stuff and the charge lasts for a really long time. I keep it at my desk and can use it while I check emails in the morning.<\/p>\n

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Image Credits:<\/strong>Audio Hijack<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If there\u2019s one tool I can\u2019t live without, it\u2019s Audio Hijack<\/a>, a Mac app from Rogue Amoeba. Like many people, I spend a lot of time on calls, and because I\u2019m a journalist, I almost always record them. (With consent, of course!) Audio Hijack makes recording audio from any source a snap, and I can limit what appears on the recording to a specific app \u2014 no more reminder dings popping up in the background. I typically send audio from my mic to one channel and that of my source to another. That way if we\u2019re talking over each other, I can isolate one or the other channel to figure out what was said. And with inline transcription and the security of local files, Audio Hijack has pretty much everything I need. Now if Apple would only make it easy for Rogue Amoeba to make an iPadOS or iOS version \u2026<\/p>\n

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Techcrunch event<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSan Francisco<\/span>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t|<\/span>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOctober 13-15, 2026<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"Ozlo
Image Credits:<\/strong>Brian Heater<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ozlo\u2019s Sleepbuds<\/a> are comfortable, if a bit pricey, earbuds designed for use specifically while sleeping. (They\u2019re currently on sale for $274 but retail for $349, the website says).<\/p>\n

Whether you need to mask outside noise, like street sounds, or closer disruptions like a snoring partner or noisy roommate, these earbuds can help light sleepers more easily get through the night without waking.<\/p>\n

Of course, at this price point, Sleepbuds feel like a luxury \u2014 especially given there are more affordable solutions. You could just play music in your room or sleep with your AirPods on, for instance; but neither is ideal. The former won\u2019t mask all the noise and the latter is uncomfortable and even painful. The Sleepbuds, however, offer squishy, soft in-ear earbuds that can stream a variety of built-in sleep sounds or music or audio from your smartphone.<\/p>\n

Even if you\u2019re a side sleeper or toss and turn, they don\u2019t fall out, I found. You can also set the Sleepbuds to pause streaming when you fall asleep, which is great if your sleep issues are more around falling asleep than staying asleep. (This can be useful for those who like to doze off to audiobooks too!)<\/p>\n

The product has not been perfect, I should warn. Unfortunately, the Bluetooth connection and streaming can be wonky at times and one earbud or the other sometimes doesn\u2019t charge properly, requiring a device reset. Plus, if you\u2019re streaming via Bluetooth, the phone and Sleepbuds case have to be placed in close proximity for the best connection. The provided sleep sounds can load directly onto the buds themselves, which tends to work better. Still, the overall experience of finally being able to quiet the world \u2014 comfortably \u2014 and get some real sleep made them a worthwhile purchase for me.<\/p>\n

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Image Credits:<\/strong>Kidee<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My favorite gadget of 2025 is the neck fan from Kidee<\/a>. Priced at $33.99 on Amazon, it has been a lifesaver for keeping me cool all year long, whether I\u2019m power-walking in NYC during the summer heat or coming home from the gym on the crowded 4 train in the dead of winter. It\u2019s fairly quiet, with just a low hum on the first setting. I\u2019ve even had people approach me, mistaking it for the latest pair of headphones. It\u2019s the gadget I never knew I needed, and now I won\u2019t leave home without it.<\/p>\n

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Image Credits:<\/strong>Western Digital<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I can\u2019t recommend buying your own network-attached storage (NAS) box enough. If it doesn\u2019t change your life, it\u2019ll certainly save you money. Synology and Western Digital are decent places to start. A NAS box isn\u2019t just a glorified internet-connected hard drive that lives in your closet; it doubles as its own self-hosting server that can run your own apps, services, and data at home. You can host your own recipe planner, news tracker, photo gallery, to-do lists, and more. You can set up an ad-blocker to cover every device on your home Wi-Fi network; install your own at-home media streaming platform; and create, edit, and store your personal documents with free alternatives to Google Docs and Microsoft Office. Plus, if you want, you can access your data from anywhere in the world using a secure VPN that only you control. NAS devices are designed to make it easy for most users to get started. Sure, things can sometimes get a little technical at times and may require searching forums and Reddit threads for answers, but you will learn things along the way, and that\u2019s both fun and rewarding.<\/p>\n

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Image Credits:<\/strong>BenQ<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The BenQ ScreenBar Halo 2 is objectively unnecessary \u2014 it also makes my monitor sag a bit under its premium weight \u2014 but the satisfyingly tactile touch controller and the vibe of looking like I\u2019m running a cybersecurity operation from my bedroom make it worth every penny. (In reality, I mostly use it to feel like a hacker while writing stories way too late into the night.)<\/p>\n

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Image Credits:<\/strong>Amazon (opens in a new window)<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When the dread of winter set in last year, I made a purchase I was not proud of: an automatic page turner for my Kindle<\/a>, along with a fluffy, circular pillow with a stand jutting out of it that holds up my Kindle in bed. I felt like this was bound to be a colossal waste of money \u2013 it was the kind of purchase you make when you\u2019re craving dopamine, then never use. But one year later, I can confidently say that this thing rules, and it doesn\u2019t only work for the Kindle. It comes with magnetic rings that let you equip basically any e-reader or tablet-sized device on the stand.<\/p>\n

My Kindle stand and page-turner have become part of my nightly routine (at least, on nights when I can summon the willpower to prioritize sleep hygiene over playing Pok\u00e9mon on my phone<\/a>). I place my phone on my nightstand, turn on sleep mode, set my alarm, and then pivot to what I call \u201cKindle donut time,\u201d since the Kindle stand is kind of shaped like a donut. I get under my heated blanket, grab my remote-control page turner, and read until I can\u2019t keep my eyes open. This is a sacred experience. Long live Kindle donut time.<\/p>\n

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Image Credits:<\/strong>SpaRoom via Target<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As someone who never really understood the appeal of candle warmers, I was gifted a SpaRoom<\/a> this year and ended up really liking it. I like that there isn\u2019t a fire risk with an open flame and that I can enjoy the scent of my candles without any smoke. Plus, as someone who hates \u201ctunneling\u201d in candles, I like that the wax melts evenly with a candle warmer. I also think there\u2019s a stronger and more consistent scent when using a candle warmer as opposed to lighting the wick.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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