Mastering Christmas Morning: Bypass Gadget Frustrations with These Tips!

After investing a considerable sum on Christmas gifts, the last thing you desire is finding yourself in a pinch due to absent batteries or a depleted gadget on the special day.

If you’re unfamiliar with a specific brand or tech item, it can be simple to neglect common challenges such as registration prompts, memory card issues, and data transfers.

Fortunately, we’re here to assist you. We provide our comprehensive advice on ensuring Christmas Day is as smooth as can be concerning organizing your tech presents. Now all that’s left is to avoid incinerating that roast.

Batteries not included

This may seem like an obvious recommendation, yet it’s often missed: Verify and purchase your batteries.

Numerous gadgets still depend on standard disposable batteries, like speakers, gaming controllers, remote-controlled cars, and a sleigh full of electronic toys.

Thus, confirm you have enough batteries for your presents. Some devices, including drones, vacuum cleaners, and cameras, come with their own swappable batteries, allowing for extended usage between charges. Furthermore, alkaline batteries have a lifespan of approximately 5 to 10 years, so it’s wise to check whether those accumulating dust in storage are still functional.

Moreover, think about inserting batteries before exchanging gifts. It could prevent you from having to wrestle with your screwdriver on Christmas morning in front of a restless little one while tangled in wrapping paper.

Thanks for the memories

While premier smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S24 or iPhone 16 rely entirely on integrated memory, many cameras, drones, and dash cams necessitate memory cards to operate, but these cards frequently aren’t included. You’ll need to verify not only what types these devices are compatible with — most accept either SD or microSD cards nowadays — but also which capacity might be optimal. For instance, a 64GB card might not suffice for a 4K dash cam.

Some gaming consoles can manage for a while without extra memory. Nevertheless, if you’re splurging on a PS5, genuinely contemplate boosting the SSD memory, as the base model has around 667GB of usable space — not a substantial amount when titles like Horizon Forbidden West hungrily consume nearly 100GB.

Lead the charge

First-world dilemmas, we acknowledge, but few things are as infuriating as needing to connect your brand new tech for hours when all you want is to start enjoying it. With that in mind, it’s always beneficial to plug in devices and let them reach that perfect 100%.

This applies to accessories too. For instance, the Meta Quest 3 incorporates a rechargeable headset through USB-C, but its controllers are powered by disposable batteries. Plus, always charge console controllers, and if you’re gifting a Nintendo Switch, remember that both the console and detachable Joy-Cons require charging.

While we’re discussing this, even though most modern smartphones come with a charging cable (which is almost always USB-C), they typically don’t include charging plugs, so ensure you have enough compatible sockets available. 

Additionally, earphones — once a common addition with new phones — are no longer included, so if you want your loved one to enjoy Tay Tay without bothering others, perhaps consider investing in some Bluetooth headphones.

Version control

Tech items that have been sitting in their packaging for months, eager to meet their future owners, will likely require software updates prior to usage. Fortunately, most devices will auto-update once connected to the internet, but planning for this in advance will help you dodge the rush (and congested bandwidth) on Christmas Day as everyone else grapples with updating their devices.

As a general approach, you can ascertain your device’s version by navigating to the settings menu and selecting the “About device” or “Software version” option.

As of now, here are the latest software versions for some of the most popular smart devices:

iOS and iPadOS: 18.2

macOS: 15.2

Windows: 11

Android: 15, although this is currently available only for Google Pixel phones and select OnePlus devices — non-Google phones are still on Android 14

Upon acquiring a new gadget, you often must undergo an extensive setup process, which can be either a hassle for tech experts or genuinely nerve-wracking for those not tech-savvy. Do them a favor — connect these devices to your Wi-Fi, ensure they’re fully updated, and create a new account for them so they’re ready to use with minimal hassle.

If you’re transitioning from one generation of device to another, verify if you can transfer data from the old to the new one. For example, migrating accounts between phones saves considerable setting up time for logins and apps, while moving save data between consoles allows for uninterrupted gaming.

When it comes to children’s tablets, you might want to implement screen time limits and activate parental controls, to prevent any wanderings onto the Game of Thrones’ Red Wedding episode.

If you’re gifting a gaming console, e-reader, or music player, it’s wise to spend a bit more on a voucher for that device’s software library. This way, the fortunate recipients can start purchasing and enjoying media from day one.

On the download

Today’s games can hit the market riddled with bugs, and it’s not uncommon for them to be unplayable without at least a “day one” patch. Fortunately, consoles usually update them automatically without requiring you to initiate downloads.

For digital games, downloading a title might take several hours depending on your internet speed, so ensure it’s on that hard drive before the anticipated day. Naturally, confirm there’s sufficient space on there — your console will typically alert you if you need to rearrange things beforehand.

Physical editions of games will require consoles to transfer data to your hard drive, so ensure you complete this to start playing immediately. Updates can also be sizable, so allow your console ample time and space to download and install them. If you’re feeling extra sneaky, you can configure a machine’s settings to download updates in standby mode and leave it to its tasks overnight. Then it’ll be primed and ready to go on Christmas morning as if a certain jolly red fellow has visited the console.

App time

From dash cams to doorbells and digital coffee makers, an app exists for almost everything.

For instance, the Meater probe, which assists you in perfecting your roast with a wireless thermometer, employs an app that notifies you when the turkey is ready.

Similar to the Meater, certain devices simply won’t function without a linked phone app, so it’s always wise to check. You can also aid in adjusting app settings — for example, a smart robot vacuum may require you to outline its cleaning area through the software.