Groovy gadgets galore
Posted on Sunday, December 2, 2007
Ho, ho, ho, time to go, go, go shopping. But trying to find the perfect gift for a gadget geek can make anyone want to toss in the fuzzy red hat and hope Santa and the elves come up with something better. Fear not, befuddled buyers. We offer a few suggestions that can make the Christmas season jolly again, even for the stressed shopper. So check out these potential gifts for the forthcoming holidays.
JINGLE BELL ROCK This Christmas could really rock with some of the musical gifts available. Let’s start with one of the most popular ways to rock — the iPod. Apple Inc. ’s iPod line rules the portable music player industry, and recent updates to the entire line make iPods hot items this Christmas.
Apple offers several models that cater to different needs: the 1 GB iPod Shuffle ($ 79 ); the new video-capable iPod Nano ($ 149 for 4 GB or $ 199 for 8 GB ); the familiar iPod Classic ($ 249 for 80 GB or $ 349 for 160 GB ) and the new iPhone-esque iPod Touch (8 GB for $ 299 or 16 GB for $ 399 ). These products are available at major retailers like Wal-Mart and Best Buy as well as online at www. apple. com. Speaking of the iPhone, it’s also expected to be a hot item this Christmas. The 8 GB iPhone ($ 399 ) includes the capabilities of the iPod with a touchscreen, chat capabilities and access to e-mail. The phone is exclusive to the AT&T wireless provider and requires a minimum monthly plan that runs about $ 60 a month plus taxes and fees, but it includes unlimited Internet access. The iPhone is only available at AT&T (formerly Cingular ) retailers or online at Apple’s site or www. att. com. Those who have iPods could be looking to accessorize them. Why not give them a few ways to share the music ? They can carry the tunes with the iMainGo portable music player ($ 39, electronics and major retailers or online at www. imaingo. com ) from Portable Sound Laboratories. This player fits in your hand but provides impressively rich sound, not to mention decent protection for most iPods. The iMainGo is made for the older iPods, but the iPod Classic and new Nano will fit in the device. Those who want something a little less portable but nearly as compact will enjoy the iCube II from Boynq. The iCube II ($ 69, www. boynq. com ) comes in black or lavender and features a speaker on each side, adjustable treble and base and a line-in port to connect other devices. It’s perfect for sitting on an office desk or in a teenager’s room. The iCube II is available online at Amazon. com.
Xtreme Mac let users wake to their favorite tunes on the iPod with its Luna dual-alarm clock radio. This device works with all iPods with a dock connection and features dual alarm clocks that can wake using the iPod, a buzzer or music from the builtin AM / FM stereo. The device charges the iPod as well. The Luna ($ 149. 95, www. xtrememac. com / audio / speakers / luna /) can be found online or at Wal-Mart and Radio Shack stores.
JOIN THE BAND The possibilities of a musical Christmas aren’t limited to music players. Several products this season can help the whole family get in on the action. You can rock the house and rattle the windows with the latest in a popular franchise. Guitar Hero III (www. activision. com ) comes with an amazing list of songs from bands ranging from Pearl Jam and Tenacious D to the Sex Pistols. The game comes on the Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PC, Macintosh and Sony PlayStation 2 and 3 platforms. The game comes alone for those who already own a Guitar Hero guitar, or you can get packages that bundle the guitar and game. Prices range from $ 49- $ 59 for the game alone or $ 79- $ 89 for the bundles.
If guitars aren’t your thing how about a piano ? Allegro Multimedia’s Piano Wizard ($ 99- $ 199 with keyboard, www. pianowizard. com ) lets you learn how to play the piano using color-coded stickers, easy software and a full-size keyboard that attaches to your PC or Mac computer. It comes in several models, including the Premier, which I tried. The Premier not only includes hundreds of songs, but it has access to hundreds of others via the Internet. The product is available through the Web site and at Amazon. com.
Perhaps you don’t want to play, and would rather get up and dance. Konami’s popular Dance Dance Revolution franchise recently hit the Nintendo Wii as Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party ($ 49 game only, $ 69 with dance pad ). This game will get your blood pumping as you move your feet to the music and try to keep up with this fast-paced game. It sure beats a treadmill. The game is available at most major retailers.
KIDS’ SMARTS Bright colors, blinking lights and pulsating sounds may grab kids’ attention, but that’s usually all they do. There are gifts out there that can be fun for children and... ssshhh... educational, too. The sooner you start the little ones on computers, the sooner you get free tech support. Get them started early with the LeapFrog ClickStart My First Computer ($ 59. 99, www. leapfrog. com ). The computer is shaped like a cute puppy dog and has a giant paw for a mouse pad. Yes, the mouse is included, and the dog’s face serves as the keyboard, complete with very colorful keys and a space-bar mouth. The game teaches colors, shapes, numbers and letters to 3- to 6-year-olds, and other cartridges can be bought to extend learning. The computer is available at major retailers. Older children can have fun showing off a very unique pen, yet can use the pen to keep up with notes and homework assignments. The FLY Fusion Pentop Computer writes like a pen, but it records what’s written and sends it to a computer later for translation into a text file. The FLY Fusion pen ($ 79. 99, www. flyworld. com ) can be customized with several software titles, sold separately. The titles range from mathematics and foreign languages to games. It even plays MP 3 music files. The pen can be used to impress friends, or more importantly, to complete homework assignments. The FLY Fusion pen can be found at major retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target.
STOCKING STUFFERS Maxell has a great stocking stuffer for computer users. The Digital Screen Cleaner ($ 6. 99, www. maxell. com ) is a cleaning solution and ultrasoft cloth combined in one package. It’s perfect for cleaning those delicate liquid-crystal display screens on laptops. It also works fine with monitors, televisions and whatever else you need to clean. The product is available at retailers such as Target and Office Depot, online retailers and at Maxell. com.
Boynq has a unique yet practical product. The Haspel 4-Port USB Hub ($ 19. 99, www. boynq. com ) is shaped like an old-fashioned alarm clock. The “face” has four USB ports, so you can plug more into your computer. There’s also a tiny knob to turn the face and retract the 6-foot USB cable. The Haspel hub is available at online retailers like Amazon. com. How about a little something portable ? The Lexar JumpDrive Mercury provides portability and security in one tiny drive. The JumpDrive ($ 59. 99 for 2 GB, $ 34. 99 for 1 GB, www. lexar. com ) includes PowerToGo and Secure II software that can run Windows applications from the drive and ensures files are encrypted, protected or destroyed, depending on what you want. The drive also includes a little meter on the outside that lets you know at a glance how much room is left on it. The drive is available at major retailers such as Best Buy and Wal-Mart.
OFF THE BEATEN PATH These gifts are nice, but they’re awfully normal. What if you’re looking for something a little left of normal ?
Time to go off the beaten path, folks. Some of these are real doozies.
Those who don’t drink coffee around the office probably partake in a few cold sodas instead. CoolIT Systems offers a perfect gift for soft-drink lovers — a USB beverage chiller.
The device plugs into a computer USB port, and the metal plate keeps soda cans and glasses cool to 45 degrees. The CoolIT Chiller ($ 29. 99, www. coolitsystems. com ) can be found at Amazon. com or the CoolIT Systems Web site.
What if your friend or relative works in a cubicle, or in an office where the door stays nearly shut to keep the cold air out ? Then they’ll love the Cubicaller cubicle doorbell from RingDing Electronics. The Cubicaller ($ 11. 99, www. cubicaller. com ) has 12 different sounds, including a doorbell, a knock, a cat meowing, a foghorn, an old car horn, a duck quacking and chirping birds.
If that isn’t wild enough for the cubicle, check out the new book from Make magazine. Eccentric Cubicle ($ 29. 99, www. makezine. com ) features some wild do-it-yourself projects for technology nuts. From a homemade bubble blower and a desk guitar to a guillotine, this book takes you step by step through some pretty odd projects. Your cubicle definitely will be the talk of the office. The book is available at major retail bookstores and online bookstores.
Want to recapture youth, yet move into the modern age ? How about the updated Rubik’s Cube ? The Rubik’s Revolution ($ 19. 99, www. technosourcehk. com ) is the newest version of that seductive, multicolored cube and has electronic games built into it. You can play games and get frustrated trying to solve the cube. What you can’t do, however, is cheat by taking the thing apart and putting it back together to “solve” it. The Rubik’s Revolution is available at major retailers including J. C. Penney and Toys R Us.
Retro game lovers will want to sneak a shot at the kids’ newer console for this one. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games ($ 49. 99, www. sega. com ) pairs characters from two of the most popular game franchises... in the 1980 s.
Still, the characters have endured, and now Mario from Mario Brothers and Sonic from Sonic the Hedgehog have brought their friends to the Olympics. There is a wide variety of games to play either individually or together in pursuit of a gold medal.
Sure, you’ll probably have to get the kids to teach you how to use that Nintendo Wii controller, but it will be worth it to relive the memories of your wasted youth in front of the old Nintendo NES or Sega Genesis. Welcome to the 21 st century. The game for Nintendo Wii is available at major retailers.
What about those tech-hungry friends or relatives who are all about the environment ? Here’s a great, environmentally friendly item for their iPod or cellular phone: the Solio Classic Hybrid Charger.
A few hours in direct sunlight will charge the Solio ($ 99. 95, www. solio. com ) via its three solar panels, then it will charge the more recent iPods. If they’re stuck indoors, they can whip out the power adapter and charge the Solio the old-fashioned way. As if that isn’t enough, the Solio also comes with adapters that let you charge most cellular phones.
Finally, if you’re willing to shell out the bucks, there’s a cool gadget that does a tedious housekeeping task for you. It’s the Roomba Robot Vacuum from iRobot Corp. This disc-shape device comes with a dock for charging. The press of a button sends the Roomba off on its cleaning journey. There’s no need to move furniture. It can go under tables, some chairs and even treadmills. New technology keeps it from getting caught on cords or other hazards, but it beeps if it gets into trouble. An enclosed “virtual wall” sends out a laser beam that keeps the Roomba confined to an area. Once finished or low on juice, it shuffles off back to the dock (for higher-end models that come with one ), backs itself in and chirps that it’s done. Prices retail from $ 120 for the older 400 Series to $ 399 for the 570, part of the new 500 series.
Whether you go off the beaten path or keep to the straight and narrow, we hope these suggestions help put a smile on the face of your loved ones, and yourself, on any holiday.
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