Technology and electronics will again be the staple of many holiday shopping lists. Whether you’re a tech head or not, compiling the list can be a challenge. Here’s a little help – some suggestions for larger gifts that most anyone would enjoy, plus a few ideas for stuffing those stockings.
Soul by Ludacris SL150 headphones
Headphone choices are endless, but they make the perfect gift for anyone on any occasion. The Soul by Ludacris SL150 Pro Hi-Definition on-ear headphones are a great choice.
Aside from the awesome sound, flowing with lots of ear catching bass, the comfort is as good, if not better, than anything available.
They come with all the accessories you need, including a hard carrying case and standard headphone cables for any connection. The connectors are gold-plated to ensure a seamless signal transfer for the highest sound quality.
The Soul headphones are certified iPhone Ready, which means they work to control iPhones, iPads and iPods.
When connected to an iPhone, an in-line remote control lets the music stop for calls. The remote also controls the music choices, pause and volume.
You get a choice of chrome-on-black or white-on-black color combinations. They work the same but look a little different cosmetically.
– www.soulbyludacris.com, $199
Woogie 2 iPhone case
Last year, the Griffin Technology Woogie Huggable Case and Media Player for iPod touch and iPhone was one of biggest hits for the holiday season and even sold out in some locations.
So get a jump on this year with the Woogie 2, which has an updated design and vibrant new colors.
Designed for children ages 3 and up, the case enables parents to let kids play with the expensive media players with the peace of mind that if it falls or is even tossed across the room, the device shouldn’t get damaged.
The media player fits securely in an integrated pocket, which is secured shut with Velcro but still gives users full access to all the device’s controls including the LCD screen with its touch-through screen protector.
Five fuzzy legs are used to prop it up for easy viewing or to just rest it on a lap.
The Woogie 2 is made with certified non-toxic materials and is available in blue or pink.
– www.griffintechnology.com, $17.99
Energizer iSurge Travel Charging Station
The Energizer iSurge Travel Charging Station is obviously designed for traveling but works great in any location – hotels, home or work.
The item’s description calls it “The Ultimate Charging Station,” and when you see it, you believe it.
Just plug it into an AC wall outlet and your family’s pile of power hungry gadgets has instant access to more than enough power charging options.
The iSurge includes an Apple 30-pin charging dock on top, three front facing, surge protected AC outlets, one USB charging port on the side and a front-facing nightlight.
– www.energizer.com $59.99
New Helium portable hard drives
Backing up your digital data, specifically priceless family photos and videos, is something very few do.
The typical person allows digital photos to sit on their computer – or even worse, in their cellphone – and only realize they are gone when the phone or computer hits the landfill.
New Helium portable hard drives from Iomega are a great gift choice for anyone to make a priceless backup of this data.
The USB 2.0 powered portable drives are made with a rugged and durable metal enclosure and feature the Iomega Drop Shock feature, which helps the drive withstand drops up to 36 inches.
– www.iomega.com available in 500GB ($99.99) and 1TB ($149.99) capacities
iHome iDM15 speakers
The iHome iDM15 is a space-saving (5.4-by-3.07-by-2.48 inches), travel-friendly portable set of respectable-sounding speakers designed to work with an iPad, iPhone, iPod or any other Bluetooth enabled device.
Cellular calls can be answered on the speakers since they include a built-in speakerphone equipped with iHome SoundClear Voice echo cancellation and conveniently located answer/end buttons on top.
A travel case is included to hold the speakers, a charging cable and a small amount of your other accessories. What makes it great, though, is it doubles as an iPad/iPad 2 stand for easy hands-free viewing.
The speakers are charged via USB and while one main speaker makes the Bluetooth connection to your device, the other is connected for sound with the included cable.
– www.ihomeaudio.com, $99.99
Tech-minded gifts easily can fit into a stocking and thosechoices are endless, just like the bigger boxed items. Here are afew favorites:
– Microsoft’s Arc Touch wireless mouse is one of the coolestlooking you will see. Microsoft’s BlueTrack Technology allows itto work on any surface and scrolling is done with the touch of yourfinger on the touch scroll strip. $59.95
– The PressReader app from NewspaperDirect is second-to-none fornewspaper reading on iOS or Android platforms. Once you havesubscribed to the papers you want, every morning once the app islaunched, the papers will automatically download. Plans include theoption for single downloads for $0.99 or all you want to read for$29.95 per month. www.pressreader.com
– Scosche’s clipSYNC Charge and Sync Cable for iPod and iPhonehas spring-loaded carabiner clip to attach it to a backpack, beltloop or keychain to ensure you always have a charging cable. IfApple isn’t your thing, there is a Micro and Mini USB modelavailable. $19.99
– Flash drives are available in a fun way with the Disney ClubPenguin series. The series includes Cadence, Gary the Gadget Guyand Captain Rockhopper themed flash drives with 4GB of storage oneach. $14.50
– The Enercell 2400mAh universal portable battery will ensureyour electronic gadget won’t go powerless away from home, at leastfor a short period of time. The battery provides up to eight hoursof portable power with most anything that takes a USB charge, butthe time can vary depending on the device being charged. $49.99
