Technology Christmas gifts for the creative person in your life

Stuck for present ideas? Rapidly running out of time? We have pulled together come suggestions for the more creative people in your life.

Apple Pencil

This gift suggestion assumes that the intended recipient already has a fairly new iPad – otherwise, it’s going to get a bit more expensive. The Apple Pencil helps you turn your tablet into a digital sketchpad or notebook, unleashing your creative side. There are several versions though: the 1st gen pencil (€119) is only compatible with certain older iPads, mainly the ones with the Lightning connectors, the 2nd Gen (€149) works with the iPad Pro, iPad Mini 6th gen and iPad Air 4th gen and newer, and the latest USB C Apple Pencil is cheaper at €95, but strips out some of the more creative elements such as the pressure sensitivity – handy for drawing – and the hover function.

So choose wisely.

Where to buy: Currys

Sony WF-1000XM5 wireless earbuds: another leap forward in quality and comfort

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Fujifilm Instax Mini 99: The most creative and best instant film camera in the line to date

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Filterworld and Code Dependent: potentially devastating outcomes of algorithmic technology

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Virgin Media Streaming TV: Compact and convenient but you’re tied to the provider for broadband

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Cricut Joy Starter Bundle

The trend for personalising everything, or slapping a “Live, Laugh, Love” vinyl decal on every available wall doesn’t seem to be abating. The Cricut Joy is a mini digital cutter that will let you tap into your crafty side, creating designs on your phone or tablet and sending them to the machine to do all the heavy work. The Joy is an intro to the world of Cricut crafts, which run the gamut from making some cards for special occasions and small decorations for your home to designing logos for clothing and creating complicated shadow boxes and other home made paper crafts.

The Joy is the more compact machine, but it can cut a range of materials, including heat transfer vinyl. It’s a good way to dip your toe into things without committing too much money to the hobby.

The machine alone costs €190, but if you go for the starter bundle (€220) there is enough there to get your intended recipient crafting immediately.

Where to buy: Harvey Norman

You Star Content Creator Video Kit

Everyone wants to be a social media star these days. But not everyone has the right kit to get them started. At €40, the You Star Creator Video Kit is a less expensive way to give budding creatives a boost in their production. The kit includes a video rig for holding your smartphone, LED lights to ensure your subject is properly lit, and a microphone for decent audio. It is a content creator’s studio in a box.

Where to buy: DID Electrical

Boss Waza Air

At €489, the Boss Waza Air is not a budget gift, But if you have a music fan in the house – the kind who likes to collect guitars, amplifiers and so on – then it might be a good investment. The kit essentially is a wireless personal guitar amp system, that looks remarkably like a set of headphones and a transmitter. The bluetooth headphones go on, the transmitter plugs into your guitar and you can use the software to create customisable effects, with five amp types and 50 different effects, and stream music from your phone to play along with.

It also has a gyro sensor, which works to deliver natural “amp-in-room” tone, something that guitar players may miss with a standard set of headphones, and you can wander around the room, pretending that you are part of a live band, and while still getting the full effect of your practice sessions. And more importantly, no one else has to.

Where to buy: Music Maker, Dublin