November 13, 2009

Gadgets as Gifts

Finding that perfect something for the gadget-lover in your family that seems to have everything doesn’t have to be an onerous task.

This list of gadgets, gizmos and other gift ideas should help you find something for just about anyone.

Our picks here run the gamut, with list prices weighing in from $80 to $45,000, and ranging in size from something that can be stuffed into a shirt pocket to a gift the recipient will need to clear some space in the garage for. These picks may vary widely in cost and size, but they’re all gifts we’re sure the people on your list would love to receive this holiday season.

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Zagg Z.buds for Apple iPhone – $80

www.zagg.com

The Apple iPhone has only been on the market for about two years. In that short time, a entire ecosystem of accessories has emerged to support Apple’s popular smart phone, including cases, covers, battery chargers, screen protectors, speakers, and hundreds (if not thousands) of other innovative products.

One of the most promising is the Zagg Z.buds, a replacement set of ear buds specifically designed for the iPhone. The Z.buds include all the expected basic features, such as standard in-line audio controls and compatibility with all iPhone models. Bonus features such as extra-long cords and multiple ear bud adapters for differing ear sizes make the Z.buds a welcome upgrade from the default earphones that ship with every iPhone.

Whether the person on your gift list is looking to replace some misplaced headphones or upgrade the ones they already have, Z.buds are a good place to start your gift search.

Motorola Droid – $200 plus contract

www.verizonwireless.com

While the iPhone 3G S arguably reigns as the most coveted smart phone on the market these days, it may have finally met its match with the new Motorola Droid, at least on a feature-per-feature basis. The handset is developed by Motorola, the wireless network provided by Verizon, and the phone OS is Google’s Android 2.0. With partners and technology like this the Droid may just have what it takes to finally offer a viable alternative to the iPhone.

Unlike the iPhone, the Droid provides a slide-out physical keyboard for entering text messages and typing e-mails. The Android Market is Google’s answer to Apple’s ubiquitous App Store for the iPhone. While the Android Market only has a few hundred applications as of press time, a number of new phones running the Android OS are slated for release in the next few months, which should help the Android Market bolster its comparably anemic inventory of apps.

iRobot Looj – $130-$180

www.irobot.com

Cleaning gutters is always a thankless task, and is often a dangerous one: Hundreds of people are killed each year by falling off the roofs of their own homes while cleaning rain gutters filled with leaves, tree branches and other wind-swept debris.

The iRobot Looj (available in a variety of models, from $130 to $180) is a helpful gadget that takes care of this messy chore and helps keep your loved ones from handling the dangerous task themselves.

Here’s how it works: After charging the Looj, you simply place it in one end of a clogged gutter, detach the remote control and turn it on. The Looj travels down the length of your gutter while an auger (rotating at 500 rpm) powers through any obstructions.

The manufacturer is iRobot, a company which has made a name for itself by producing robots that handle everything from vacuuming your floors to disposing of bombs for the U.S. military. While the Looj isn’t a robot – it’s best described as an electric, remote-controlled gutter cleaner – it does fit well enough with the spirit of iRobot’s broader product portfolio, which includes offerings designed to handle dangerous or monotonous tasks.

HP Mini 311 Netbook – $399

www.hp.com

Portable computing has always been about trade-offs. Cheaper laptops may cost less, but are generally heavier and less powerful. More expensive laptop models had more capability, but eyebrow-raising prices have kept them out of reach for many consumers.

The arrival of low-cost netbooks over the last year or so have changed that dynamic, offering impressive computing capability at sub-$500 pricing. That said, even the most powerful netbooks have struggled to handle more taxing computing tasks such as video editing and playing 3-D computer games with respectable performance. Want to play World of Warcraft on a netbook? Good luck with that.

That all changes with the arrival of a new generation of netbooks powered by a speedy graphic chipset called ION, developed by chipmaker nVidia. The HP Mini 311 is one of the first of this new breed of super-powered netbooks, and ably provides improved performance with peerless portability.

Games like World of Warcraft and Call of Duty are finally playable on the HP Mini 311, while basic video and image editing tasks are easier to handle than on lesser netbooks. The netbook – as a class – still can’t match the most expensive desktops and laptops when it comes to computing capability, but mighty new netbook offerings like the HP Mini 311 are bridging the gap.

2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 – $44,155

www.dodge.com

Of all the items in this gift list, the 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 may seem like a low-tech throwback to a bygone era, a time when gasoline was 25 cents a gallon and the first personal computers and cell phones were at least a decade or two away.

The 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 does feature an admittedly low-tech power plant in the form of a 6.1-liter, overhead valve HEMI V8 engine with 425 horsepower and 420 pounds-feet of torque mated to a 6-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive.

The similarities to the muscle cars of old will have to end there, because this new vehicle is faster, handles better, gets better fuel economy, and is loaded with more technology than those classics ever had. Granted, the latest Subaru and Audi models may provide more technology for the buck, but I doubt you’ll experience the same slack-jawed admiration from onlookers, especially when rolling down Main Street with the burbling Hemi V8 exhaust note telegraphing your arrival.

You can get your Challenger equipped with GPS navigation, a CD/MP3-savvy audio system with a 322-Watt amplifier and 200-Watt subwoofer, and a host of other gadgets and safety amenities. I’d suggest you opt for the new-for-2010 “Plum Crazy” paint choice, which mimics the purple-hued Dodge and Plymouth vehicles of yesteryear.

Finding that perfect something for the gadget-lover in your family that seems to have everything doesn’t have to be an onerous task.

This list of gadgets, gizmos and other gift ideas should help you find something for just about anyone.

Our picks here run the gamut, with list prices weighing in from $80 to $45,000, and ranging in size from something that can be stuffed into a shirt pocket to a gift the recipient will need to clear some space in the garage for. These picks may vary widely in cost and size, but they’re all gifts we’re sure the people on…

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