It is highly likely that you know of someone who has either expressed an interest in switching to Apple products, or have already switched. As an upstanding citizen of the Mac and iOS user base, you may feel the need to grease the wheels and help this neophyte along in the ways of Apple, and what better way to do that is there than to spend some money on extremely useful gifts to make their transition as smooth as possible?
As someone who this year switched back to being a Mac user after spending a few years on Windows (and
documented my process for your enjoyment), I'm probably in a better position than most to advise on what things would be welcomed by those who have switched, and those about to take that crucial first step. Sure, some of these may seem a bit "basic," but they all help the migration process in different ways, and are all worthwhile things to consider as gifts.
Apple Hardware
This may seem to be a bit obvious, but for those yet to switch from Windows to Mac or Android to iOS, maybe actually buying the hardware for them will get them over that final hurdle into embracing Apple. Considering that you can buy a
Mac mini for as little as $500, effectively the cost of a decent Windows notebook, the Mac mini itself could be a gift. Heck, even an
iPad mini 2 is cheaper than a current-generation game console. Entry-level Apple hardware may actually be a thing to get.
If your intended recipient has already acquired a Mac or an iPad, think about buying the other thing. Despite being different platforms, the entire Apple ecosystem works closely together, so giving them the ability to move between tablet and desktop computing is a pretty decent thing to do.
KVM Switch
One of the biggest bugbears I had (and to a point, still have) is the need for multiple peripherals when I'm straddling between Windows and Mac. On the desk I'm typing this out on, I have separate keyboards and mice for the PC and the Mac mini, with each system plugged into my monitors and switched between sources via the menus built into my screens. The keyboard and mouse I'm not currently using gets shoved to the side, making the desk untidy and wasting space.
A KVM switch solves this problem quite handily, by reducing the number of keyboards and mice in use down to one of each. The controller box handles switching between the platforms, handling the connection between the peripherals and display with each system, simplifying the entire process. One example would be the
IOGear 2-Port HD Cable KVM Switch, which also handles system audio and uses HDMI for video as well.
External Storage
One thing we at
MacNN repeatedly shout at the top of our lungs is for everyone to back up their data. Even though they are likely to have only just got the Mac relatively recently, it's better in the long run if they put into practice some form of back-up plan now rather than later. The last thing anyone playing around with a new, unfamiliar computing platform wants is to utter the word "oops" while all their data heads to the great tape drive in the sky.
The most obvious thing to do is to grab an external hard drive. The
WD Elements 2TB USB 3.0 drive is probably more than they need right now, but it will give them room to expand in the future. If you want to expand the concept to cover backing up of data on multiple devices on their network, consider the
WD 4TB My Cloud Personal NAS.
Whatever drives you get them, also add in a few minutes of teaching them why backing up data is a good idea, and set something up. It doesn't have to be too major a process, just turn on Time Machine for them, as the main thing is to at least get some level of data security in place.
Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac
While many switchers will have relatively few problems finding adequate apps for their Mac to replace Windows equivalents, there are some who are either too attached to the Windows versions, refuse to pay out for new licenses, or have software that simply doesn't exist on OS X yet. A simple answer would be to go through the process of installing Windows via Bootcamp, but that requires the user to completely switch operating systems all the time, with no ability to run both simultaneously.
Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac solves the issue by virtualizing Windows on OS X. The latest version includes support for Windows 10, which can run as an entire desktop or in a "Coherence" mode that just displays the Windows apps within OS X without the Windows desktop. This gives the benefit of being able to transfer work between the two platforms quickly and easily, all while keeping the switcher within OS X.
Your Time
Depending on how you look at it, this is possibly the cheapest or most expensive gift you can provide them, in both money and time. When you first used a Mac, you had questions you wanted answering, and inevitably someone would give you an answer, or you would give up and look at some documentation.
Today, it's a similar situation. If someone needs to ask something, they inevitably try their luck on Google in the hope the result they're looking at is giving decent advice that won't break their computing setup. Failing that, they look to family members and friends for help, or worse, end up paying a company to solve their computing query.
In the spirit of being good to your fellow user, why not take some time out of your busy holiday schedule of shopping and chewing on Christmas dinner, and instead become the switcher's temporary agony aunt or uncle. You explaining and doing things they ask about on their own Mac is far more effective than them trusting search results or paying for someone to do it, with the added bonus of this piece of time making you look like a saint to others. Who knows, maybe this will inspire them to solve their own problems and become a more independent user.
Just make sure to heavily stress to the switcher and anyone else you know that this was a gift of education, and not a sign you want to start doing familial tech support. You may already help others to some extent, but the last thing you want is for everyone to treat you like their own personal Geek Squad. Besides, you're busy. There's stuff left to eat and drink...
-- Malcolm Owen (
@MalcolmOwen)
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