Holiday Gifts and the iPad or Laptop Debate

It's that time of year where I get asked "What should I buy my niece, nephew, daughter, son, etc.?" It's one of my favorite questions and the answer is the same answer to all IT questions ... It Depends ...

But, there are a few helpful insights I can give you. I will do my best, but keep in mind each situation is different.

iPhone or Samsung?
iPhone. Unless you have someone who likes to tinker, stick with Apple for phones. Of course, if you are already an Samsung (or other Android) user and like it, stick with Samsung. For the record, I'm a Samsung S5 user.

iPad or Android Tablet?
iPad wins most every scenario. However, Kindle Fire is a great deal, especially for young kids and has a great deal of content available. I love my iPad.

iPad or Laptop?
Laptop. Yes, many people do work on an iPad and now that Microsoft Office is available for iPad it has the ability to be a contender. However, laptops are still a better value with more software and hardware options. I love my Lenovo Yoga touch screen laptop that turns into a tablet. Yes, Windows 8 is not as good as the iPad for touch screen, but it is better overall. I work more on my laptop and read more on my iPad. If you want to make an iPad a work tool, you need to buy a keyboard and ideally get a larger storage capacity quickly bringing the iPad cost closer to $1,000.

Laptop or Microsoft Surface
Laptop. Surface is cool and is a good buy for specific use, but a Lenovo Yoga with a Solid State Drive (SSD) is the best value for your money.

Other Ideas
Roomba: I am on a Roomba love fest. Get this for your loved one. These things rock.
NEST: Awesome thermostat. Well worth the money.
Power banks: Always a good gift and a great promotional product as well. Keep in mind, the bigger size, the more power it can provide.
Apple TV: If you are an iPad user, it is a great device to access your apple content.
Kindle Fire TV: If you are an Amazon user, Fire TV has a great voice search feature.