Top Ten Reasons Smartphones Make Better Gifts Than Ties

By Masud Syed, Senior Technical Marketing Engineer, MHL, LLC

To all you dads out there, how many of you have opened up a gift only to find a wildly patterned necktie or cologne that smells and sounds so outdoorsy it makes you feel like you have to go outside and chop wood with your shirt off to earn the privilege of wearing it. Let’s be honest, you don’t want another paisley tie…gadgets are what’s on your wish list. After all, with more smartphones and tablets being released that are packed with more processing power, better cameras, and sleeker designs, they make MUCH better gifts. Here’s why…drum roll please…

The Top Ten Awesome Things To Do With Your New Android Smartphone or Tablet

Number 10. No more surprise visits from your mother-in-law. Simply connect your MHL®-enabled device to a TV and she can see her darling grandchildren annnnny time she wants using Skype™ or a similar video chat service. 

Number 9. You always beat your friends’ scores when gaming on your mobile device; now show them how it’s done on the big screen.  Connect your MHL-enabled Android phone or tablet to your TV and wirelessly pair a controller for the ultimate gaming experience. There’s no lag and the TV charges back your mobile device while you play.

Number 8. Give your kids their own personal tutor. More and more education classes can be found online covering topics such as science, math and English. Instead of driving your kids to a tutoring center access these online programs on your MHL device and view it on a big screen to learn from the comforts of home. 

Number 7. The next time your know-it-all friend thinks he/she knows it all, prove them wrong.  Let’s say you are listening to the radio and they insist it’s one artist and you know it’s another just plug your Android device with MHL into the nearest TV, launch an app like Shazam® or SoundHound that will instantly identify the song, artist, along with any other metadata available for the track. Show them just how “wrong” they are when the “right” artist pops up on the TV screen. You’ve just earned yourself bragging rights for the rest of the day.

Number 6. Travel on the road –without the extra baggage! It’s hard enough that you’re away from your family when you’re on the road, but when you have to carry a bulky laptop and power cord life is even tougher. Why not just bring your smartphone or tablet, an MHL adapter, a roll-up keyboard and portable mouse, and connect it to a TV screen in your hotel room. Instantly transform any screen into a monitor to work your way!

Number 5. Work on your golf swing.  With MHL and a good MacGyvered tripod, you can record your long ball swing while your golf pro explains how to make it better.  Watch your progress on each swing in full HD on the nearest TV.  FOUR!!!

Number 4. Get a new first base coach.  If you happen to coach a little league, or act as assistant coach with all the rest of the parents, you can be the hero and show the umpire it was a BALL AND NOT A STRIKE.  If he still doesn’t agree, it’s a good thing you captured the entire play on your MHL phone! After the game, invite all of the parents over for a BBQ to replay that bad call and vent. 

Number 3. Show them you can rough it, without really roughing it.  Planning a camping trip with your family and not in the mood to repeatedly hear, “I’m bored, when are we going home?” Get a 3M projector, connect it to your MHL device and use your RV’s side wall to project the image. Get some camp chairs and snacks and have movie night in the great outdoors.

Number 2. Capture your kid’s first bike ride, marching band competition, beauty pageant, or soap box derby on your MHL phone. Instead of passing the phone around, share these moments with all of your loved ones on the big screen at the same time. They can enjoy seeing your boy scout win his pinewood derby, or your little star twirling in her ballerina skirt all in glorious HD, courtesy of your magical MHL device.

And the Number 1 reason why a smartphone is better than a tie is that many devices have MHL technology – in fact, there is an installed base of over 260 million products that enable all of these fun activities!

Consumer website: www.meetmhl.com

Business website: www.mhltech.org