Tech it out: Gifts for gadget-lovers

Text by Sarah Rufca

November 27, 2009 at 12:05 AM

The holidays are here again, and CultureMap has got just the thing for every giftee on your list. We've scoured local stores and online sources for things that are interesting, fun and unique: sometimes frivolous, sometimes functional, from stocking stuffers to splurges. Check all our lists (twice!) to see what goodies abound to give... and receive.

Meet the cutest iPod docking station and speakers we've ever seen, the iPig. If oinkers are not your thing, there's always the iPanda, the iPom (a chic apple) and Pac-Man baddie iBoo. iPig by Speakal, $130, at Sears, amazon.com, newegg.com. Barnes & Noble has an answer to the Kindle, and it's called the Nook (a far superior name, we think—much more connotative of curling up with a good book). The spiffy device has a color touch screen, 2GB of expandable storage and lets you lend books to friends for free. Pre-orders available now for delivery in January 2010. Barnes & Noble Nook, $259, barnesandnoble.com This gift for the green-minded is fueled by the ions in regular ol' tap water and runs for up to eight weeks without batteries or electricity. A memory chip even keeps track of the time while you swap out the agua. Now, if only these geniuses could figure out how to run my car the same way. Water-powered clock by Bedol, $16, at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. The latest breakthrough in personal transportation, the YikeBike is the world's first super light electric folding bicycle. Oh, and it looks supercool, too. YikeBike, pre-order available at yikebike.com, first deliveries start mid-2010. Total price between €3500-€3900 (approx. $5,200-$5,800), deposit €100 (approx. $150). With two shutters set eye-width apart, the Fujifilm Finepix Real3D digital camera takes photography to a new level with three-dimensional images that burst off the screen (or page). The additional viewer ($400) and online prints ($6.99) make this far from cheap, but there's nothing on the market like it. Fujifilm Finepix Real3D W1 10MP digital camera, $600, japandirectshop.com, japangadgetshop.com, electron-world.com. May all your Harry Potter fantasies come true (the PG ones, at least). Control your world, or at least your entertainment center, with this universal-remote-turned-magic-wand. With a flick of the wrist or a swish or a twirl (13 motions in all) you can become master of your domain. Magic Wand universal remote by Kymera, £49.95 (approx. $83), thewandcompany.com A pocket-sized stunner, we love the 4GB special edition iPod shuffle in gorgeous stainless steel. $99, exclusively at the Apple store, apple.com. Chargers are so not pretty. Cover yours up with this faux-grass charging station, and let your tech toys imagine they're enjoying an afternoon on the lawn. Grassy Lawn Charging Station, $25, thinkgeek.com. Technology and nature collide in this rustic charging dock. When you just can't look at anymore sleek chrome shininess, plug your phone into this handy stump. Feel's like you're camping already, huh? Enchanted woods iPhone dock, $98, anthropologie.com. Beware, sleepyheads. Snooze too long and Clocky will jump off your bedside table and hide until you get up, find her and turn off her alarm. Chrome Clocky by Nanda, $45, at Nordstrom, Kuhl Linscomb, Bering's, Impromptu, Events. The Polaroid is dead. Long live the Instax! Sure, digital is great, but when you want funky, slightly messy images and instant gratification, there's no cuter option than the light, easy Fuji Instax, which delivers credit card-sized shots in seconds. Fuji Instax Mini, $85, at Urban Outfitters, amazon.com. Finally, a custom home audio system without the hassle of custom installation. The Sony Altus system streams music from your iPod or iPhone through up to 10 premium speakers throughout your home, and can even be split among multiple music sources. Sony Altus Wireless Music System for iPod, $700 for the complete system, at Best Buy, sony.com. Now any bar (or shower or car) can be a karaoke bar with the iKaraoke. Plug it into any iPod or iPhone and turn up the tunes: It minimizes the vocals so nothing interferes with your inner Aretha. iKaraoke, $49.99, at the Apple Store, RadioShack, Fry's, Best Buy, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond. Forget blades—the newest Dyson fan looks like something out of a Sci-fi movie. It uses "air multiplier" technology to draw in air and amplify it, resulting in a smooth breeze. Dyson Air Multiplier Fan, $300-320, exclusively at dyson.com.

Holiday Gift Guide 2009

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