Best Tech Gadgets for Teens by Age and Personality
Back in 2009, the Pew Research Institute found that the majority of teens got their first cell phones between 12 and 13 years old. In a world driven by the latest tech advances where most teens know more about Tweeting and texting than anyone, it doesn’t come as much of a shock. Teens love staying abreast of the latest tech. They don’t just want it, they need it. If you’re interested in giving your teen a new tech gadget make sure you’re choosing one that fits their age and personality.
Laptops and Ultrabooks
Nine out of 10 teens have a computer or access to one, according to Pew Research, and it’s assumed parents will give their teens a laptop for school work.
Photo by Janitors via Flickr
A lightweight ultrabook fits the bill—it’s thin, compact and easy to store in book bags without weighing active teens down. It’s also powerful enough to handle the vast majority of computing tasks, whether it’s typing essays, watching high-definition video or editing graphics for special projects.
Best for: Active Teens
Ages: 14-18
Portable Hard Drives
A slim, compact portable hard drive is a great way for teens to back up important school work and save media files, especially when working across multiple computers at school and home. The WD My Passport Slim offers up to 2 TB of storage space in a sleek, compact form. It’s perfect for keeping up with a wide variety of media, from documents to video and music files.
Photo by Sinchen.Lin via Flickr
Best for: Tech-loving Teens
Ages: 16-19
Phablets
Is it a phone or a tablet? Actually, it’s both. Phablets split the difference between the average smartphone and tablet, giving users handy features of both. Teens can still talk and text, and the larger screens offer better, clearer images. T-mobile has a phablet—Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3 offers a handy S Pen stylus that allows for freehand writing and drawing.
Photo by Janitors via Flickr
Apple doesn’t have a phablet yet, but the ever-innovative company is preparing to unveil a bigger iPhone, as a recent Wall Street Journal report notes. According to the report, the new iPhone is likely to debut in 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch versions. Both will feature Corning’s durable Gorilla Glass and thanks to the lackluster reception toward the iPhone 5’s plastic case, future models may come exclusively with metal chassis.
Best for: Artsy Teens
Ages: 13-16
High-quality Earphones
Chances are your teen enjoys music. If he or she is always plugged in, it might be a good idea to gift them a pair of safe earphones. A study done by the University of Leicester found that high-level volume on earphones and headphones can damage the coating of nerve cells located in the ear. Fortunately, you can avoid this by purchasing earphones that contain micro speakers specifically designed for the human ear, like the earHero.
Best for: Music-loving Teens
Ages: 13-19
