Thrifty gifts for under $50 a perfect fit for tech freaks
Posted on Saturday, December 20, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Style/247188/
Here's an under-$50 tech gadget gift guide:
Under $10:
BudFits for iPod /iPhone earbuds ($8.99, budfits.com): Love the iPod/iPhone, hate the earbuds? Next time those buds start falling out of your ears - particularly at the fitness club - don't think your only option is a new set of earbuds. The BudFits adapter, attached to Apple earbuds, wraps around each ear for a secure fit that doesn't look too dorky.
Monster iClean ($9.95, mon stercable.com): Don't use Windex or any cleaning solvent on an iPhone, Touch or BlackBerry touch screen. Water and a lint-free cloth work in most cases, but iClean removes grimy fingerprints, doesn't streak and comes with an antimicrobial cloth that removes bacteria.
FiiO E3 headphone amplifier for iPod (under $8.50, dealex treme.com): When I tested it in the fall, I called the FiiO the cheapo accessory of the year. Now I'm ready to drop the cheapo. This tiny batterypowered (one AA) amplifier fits between your iPod (or any digital music player) and earphones. With most earphones, it makes everything sound better, richer and more detailed. It also extends the iPod's battery life. It's shipped (free) from China, so you need to have ordered early for Christmas giving.
Under $25:
Pogo Stylus for iPhone/ Touch ($19.95, tenonedesign. com): Being all thumbs used to be an insult. Now it's a lifestyle, typing messages on a touch screen. But what if you're not all-thumbs? The Pogo Stylus, an aluminum shaft with an electrostatic tip and plastic travel clip, can be your savior.
Agent 18 protective case for second-generation iPod Touch ($24.95, agent18.com): Agent 18 has the first cases for the second-generation Touch. For the environmentally conscious, the EcoShield 2G is made from recycled plastic bottles (the ClearShield 2G is standard plastic). The softsilicone FlowerVest 2G comes in purple or blue, each with a floral design.
Duracell Mobile Charger
(about $20, duracell.com/pre charged): A new generation of rechargeable nickel metal hydride batteries comes charged and holds that charge up to a year, far longer than conventional NiMH batteries. This mobile charger, which comes with two AA batteries, also replenishes any USB-enabled device, such as a BlackBerry or iPod.
Under $50:
SkipDr Premier Disc Repair System ($45, digitalinnova tions.com): This device repairs scratches and other surface blemishes that cause a CD to skip. It's especially valuable for people transferring CDs to their computer. If a computer has trouble reading a lot of your discs, it might be the tiny scratches that somehow didn't bother your player. Digital Innovations also has repair systems for DVDs and videogame discs. At the Web site, look under support for some cleaning-repairing frequently asked questions.
RadioShack Analog Sound-Level Meter ($45, radioshack. com): If your technically inclined guy has a hot home theater, surprise him with one of these and tell him it's time to calibrate his surround-sound system's audio. He'll love you for it, even if he doesn't know what you're talking about. Tell him it's the best way to make sure the output of each speaker is properly matched for optimum surround sound. (Use the calibration tones from an audio-video receiver or a test disc.) Get the model with the analog meter, not the digital.
For kids:
Samsung YP-S2 digital music player ($40, samsungusa. com): This cute little 1-gigabyte player, better known as the Pebble, beats Apple at its own game - it's cooler, 20 percent less expensive and more stylish than the Shuffle. It glows when it's awake, too. Any kid with a Pebble is making a statement: Apple is not the boss of me!
Coosh earbuds ($20, coosh. com): It's tough to resist earbuds named Coosh packaged in a round plastic pillbox. These aren't ordinary earbuds, either, because silicone hoops that extend behind the ears keep the buds comfortably in place, unlike some other buds we know. Coosh, from the pen-lightershaver people at Bic, are available in white, black and pink. They're not just for kids, either. Coosh sounds surprisingly good for $20 earbuds.
Hannah Montana DVD Game, High School Musical DVD Game
($30 each, disneydvd.disney. go.com): Can't afford a Wii this year? These interactive games are playable on a DVD player, using the remote control as the faux joystick. Among the activities in Hannah Montana, players take over for their onscreen favorites at a virtual concert, audition for Hannah's band and participate in singalongs. Likewise, High School Musical has 11 activities.
Make a book of memories (Blurb.com, $12.95 and up): Young parents or anyone wishing to preserve Christmas memories can become do-ityourself book publishers by downloading the Blurb.com software, arranging photos and text, then ordering the final product in book form. The soft-covers start at $12.95, the hard-bound books at $22.95. While you're at it, how about gathering Grandma's recipes and making a family cookbook?