Gadgets Blog » Accessories

What do you need to get home safely? You need all the safety protections, plus the correct directions to get you from A to B. To do that, sometimes you need a device that’s a little smarter than the print out from the Internet or your memory. You need a GPS system.

The GPS market is flooded with gizmos and gadgets to get you exactly where you want to be. Here are a couple of the top GPS products for you to test:

Garmin Foretrex 201 Portable Navigator: $107.29

AVIC-S1 GPS from ReFurbDepot.com: $ 129.95

Shop for more affordable GPS systems.

Memory is the most valuable thing, in life and in your electronics. You never want to lose the records for your games, your homework papers, your financial figures, etc. So, what do you do? You need to back up your files on an external device to make sure, even if your computer crashes, your memory can still be retained. Think of all the valuable photos from years of vacations, papers and job applications, your resume, your address book, all of those things would be lost if your computer suddenly crashed (which they do, all the time. Believe me!) Smarter.com features some of the best external hard drives at the lowest prices. Take a look:

Verbatim 160GB External HardDrive: $61.16

Iomega UltraMax Hard Drive with 500GB Memory: $118.99

Shop thought a variety of discount external hard drives at Smarter.com.

Radio just isn’t like it used to be, so what do you do when you have long car rides or commutes to work ahead of you? Don’t backtrack with burning CDs, it’s not vintage enough to be cool just yet (like tape decks have started to be, ironically). Look into buying an iPod adaptor for the car; you can charge your iPod and get some funky, personalized tunes to amp up your long morning, afternoon, or late night drives. You can personalize your iPod playlist to any commute if you like (though you know that already). Let’s check out the recent gadgets that help you have the most entertaining commute you can have:

Belkin Dual USB Car Charger for iPod (Black): $16

Pretty cheap, this charger keeps your iPod running but doesn’t necessarily get you hooked into your car’s speaker system; it just keeps your iPod juiced while you listen to it from the local speakers.

Kensington Car Charger Deluxe for iPod; iPhone 1G, 3G: $34.02

This is the design I have; it fits iPods and iPhones and taps into an unused radio station to broadcast your music through your car’s speakers. Awesome!

Kensington Power Port Car Mount for iPhone and iPod: $22.95

A little less sturdy of a model, this power port still gets the job done.

Shop for more iPod adapters for your car at Smarter.com.

For those of you who don’t have to go back to school until the middle of September, check out ABCNews.com’s list of “10 Great Gadgets for Any Student“.  You can find most of these on Smarter.com for great prices:

1.  MacBook Pro 13″:  $1,199

It’s a great size with plenty of memory.  Apple will even give you a free 8GB iPod Touch with purchase.

2.  Acer Aspire 4810 Timeline 8480: $699.99

Comes with 4GBs of memory (320GB hard drive) for awesome performance.

3.  Trend Micro Internet Security Pro 2009: $57.99

Make sure your computer can perform at it’s best. Block spyware, block image spam prevent unauthorized input of personal information and much more.

4. Logitech Z520 Speaker System:  $120.99

Watch school presentations and educational videos with the 360-degree sound.

5. Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 4000:

This cool wireless mouse comes in a variety of colors.  The last thing you need is another code to clutter your desk area.

6. Belkin CushDesk: $23.99

Work on homework and school projects while sitting on comfortably on your couch.

7. FreeAgent Go Dock: $14.94

Another gadget that helps with code clutter!  Take this dock anywhere for easy access to your files.

8. Griffin Technology’s Cases for the iPhone and iPod Touch: $20.05

This case will protect your precious Pod from all the elements while biking to school or training with the team.

9. iMM153 Dual Alarm Clock With Bed Shaker for iPod: $42.18

Yes, this shakes your bed. It’s perfect for you kids who need a little extra help getting up in the morning.

10. JBL/Roxy Reference 420 Over-the-Ear Headphones: $69.95

These cool colored headphones are comfy and easy to store.

Nintendo Wii Remote: From: $35.99

One of the best things about the Wii is its wide appeal across age groups.  Adding a whole new level to family game night, the wireless, motion-sensitive remote has fast become a household standard enjoyed by kids and their parents alike.

One of the most versatile designs for interactive game play on the recent market with its many applications, it can be used as a bat, sword, steering wheel, drumstick, tennis racket, etc.  Equipped with Bluetooth technology, it puts you right in the middle of the action where you belong from as far as 30 feet from the Wii console.

The only drawback, if it can be called one, is the need to exchange back and shoulder rubs after a night of highly competitive play.  With this remote, there’s no sitting on the couch as you must perform the motions to play.  And, don’t forget the wrist straps!  You definitely don’t want to get carried away during an intense competition and send your remote flying across the room.

But, if something should happen to your remote or you’re just looking to get another one, you can find them for affordable prices at Smarter.com.  Get four for a complete set and connect for maximum multi-player enjoyment.

*Get it at Newegg and get free shipping on select items and a free gift with select purchases.

Find Nintendo Wii controllers and more deals on gaming accessories at Smarter.com.

HP 92/93 Inkjet Print Cartridge Combo Pack: From $36.10

For deals on discount printer ink, online is where to shop.  The HP 92/93 Inkjet Print Cartridge Combo Pack with Vivera ink is just one example.

HP’s Vivera ink is known for its true-to-life image print quality color.  With superior fade resistance and efficient ink usage, this combo pack comes with one compatible recycled HP 92 (black) and one compatible recycled HP 93 (color).  Estimated yield from the manufacturer is 220 pages black and 220 pages color, depending on specific printer and usage.

Easy to install and compact for convenient storage, these cartridges can hang tight on your shelf for a while (usually about a year); check the expiration date on the box) so you can stock up and have some replacements on hand for those late-night print crises that like to come up right around finals or before the big 7:30 a.m. presentation.

And while you’re stocking up on refills, don’t forget the printer paper!  If you decide to purchase from CameraWorld.com, get Free shipping w/ $100 purchase plus no sales tax - no coupon code required.

Find at Smarter.com: Shop for more discount printer ink.

The Radeon 4870 X2 has 2 GB, 750 MHz, GDDR5:  From $369.99

Graphics cards, also called video cards, can be an awesome PC accessory, especially for serious gamers, but aren’t a necessary component to operate a system for simple daily use.  If you want to see more than just 2-D, graphics cards enhance the visual experience and can handle 3-D displays better than the standard system options.

With tons to choose from, the basic requirements are simple.  Though the graphics cards are sold by different manufacturers, like ASUS and EVGA, they will generally have chipsets from either NVIDIA or AMD/ATI.  These graphics giants are constantly one-upping each other in terms of mods and pricing, keeping the market competitive and consumers on the lookout for the latest equipment developments.

Cost:

They can cost from around $50 for a simple upgrade to $500 for the latest and greatest, but unless you’re an animator, designer or even a hardcore gamer, something in the cheaper category will probably suffice.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285 has 1GB, 648 MHz, and GDDR3. From: $339.99.

System Requirements:

When buying a graphics card, take a look at your system requirements and choose one that fits with them.  You might find that you need to boost your power supply as graphics cards can consume a lot, possibly taking the majority of your system’s supply.  If you’re truly a dedicated gaming fan, after boosting the power you’ll most likely want to link two cards together with an SLI bridge for even better performance.

Ports: PCIEG/AGP/PCI

Most systems will have an AGP (accelerated graphics port) which allows for better performance. However, if for some reason your computer is dated from the 1990s, the graphics card will use the PCI slot on your motherboard instead of a dedicated port.  The AGP is currently being replaced with the PCI Express x16 or PCIEG, which transfers twice as fast.  You’ll find the PCI Express format to be standard on the latest graphics cards coming to market as of 2009.

Memory:

Always a factor, the more memory a graphics card has, the better it should work.  The NVIDIA or AMD/ATI chipset is partnered with DDR — high-speed memory known as double-data rate memory — and rated in MB, with GB likely becoming more common very soon.  Advances in memory have given us DDR2, GDDR4 and soon GDDR5 on newer cards.  You’ll want at least 128MB for standard use.  Higher end cards will have 512MB for those complex 3-D images.

Speed:

Another vital spec, the faster the graphics card’s memory, the better the performance will be.  Sounds familiar, right?  It makes no sense to get a card with tons of memory and no speed to apply it properly.  Clock rates are effectively between 400 MHz and 3.8 GHz.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more graphics cards.

Sources: Anandtech, HowStuffWorks , EzineArticles

Kingston 64GB DataTraveler 150 Flash Drive: from $144.36

At 64GB, the Kingston DataTraveler 150 Flash Drive is an awesome accessory for keeping sensitive data safely backed up on a remote source or keeping it easily accessible and transportable right in your pocket.   Especially if you often work on multiple computers, toggling between the office and home with large files, this is a great alternative to carrying that portable but sensitive HDD back and forth.

The convenient USB port plug-in makes for simple click-and-drag access to your documents, spreadsheets, photos and other data.  Cap rests on end when in use to prevent loss or misplacement and the drive’s red color immediately lets you know it’s important.

Compatible with Windows Vista, Windows XP (SP1 and above), Windows 2000 (SP3 and above), Mac OS X (10.1 and above) and Linux (2.4 and above) operating systems, the Kingston 64GB DataTraveler 150 Flash Drive lets you store and carry more files than ever before with a high-speed 2.0 USB interface.

If 64 gigs is too much drive for you, Kingston also has a 16GB flash memory version available.

*Get it at CameraWorld.com and get free shipping plus no sales tax on your purchase. No code required.

Shop this and more flash memory at Smarter.com.

For those of us who feel handicapped leaving our iPods behind when we indulge in summer fun of the dirt, water and grime variety, here’s a portable iPod outdoor speaker designed to “withstand the rigors of outdoor recreation” guarding our precious iPod from crashing waves and blowing sand once we dock it behind its clear, watertight door.

Exterior buttons help us take charge of the play backs.  Just pack it in your beach bag along with some sunscreen, your sports gear and of course your iPod and you are ready for a vacation!  Other features include:

• Shockproof poolside speaker has a durable rubber exterior to protect against knocks and bumps
• Water- and dust-resistant to IP53 standards
• Operates on 4 C batteries (not included) or uses the included AC and car adapters
• Compatible with iPod Classic, Nano, Mini, and Shuffle (via line input)

Retails for $ 99.50 and comes with a 1 year guarantee.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more portable iPod outdoor speakers.

When it comes to GPS accessories, there are plenty.  Most systems for automobile use will come with a dash or windshield mount and power cable, and handheld systems usually include the necessary cables and wrist strap or belt clip.  But you might find, just like the GPS systems themselves, that your GPS accessory needs differ from person to person and activity to activity.

For use inside vehicles, getting a system with weatherproof covering or a waterproof design probably isn’t as important as if you wanted to use the system while hiking.   Likewise, having a spare battery is probably more applicable with a handheld rather than an auto unit that can run off the car’s battery through an AC adapter.

Since most systems will include an instruction manual, video or software in-box, data cards are most likely what you’re going to want first.  These cards hold maps and information for a specific region that you choose, or they can be purchased blank for info uploading from map software.  Which one you’ll need depends on which GPS unit you have.

Helpful items to have on hand for backup power are the spare battery mentioned previously and a battery charger or maybe a car power adapter.   A cradle or docking station with charging capability would also fit the bill.  And to combat lost connections, antenna kits will help your GPS system better receive signal inside your vehicle.

While transporting your system, belt clips, holsters, neck lanyards, wrist straps and carrying cases can aid in keeping your handhelds easily accessible.  Dashboard and windshield mounting systems and mounting locks will keep your system secure inside your vehicle.

You also might find that you want a screen protector or front cover to keep the display from becoming scratched from wear and tear.  Other helpful items are remote controls (for vehicle use), stylus, external speakers and microphones.

Keep an eye out for GPS accessory combo packages.  A complete essentials kit could knock out a few of these extras all in one box.  Here’s one for Garmin Nuvi and TomTom One units for an affordable price:

GPS Combo - Car & Wall Charger + Travel Case: $34.99

Like anything else, look at what’s included with your GPS system; there should be an itemized list on the package.  Then based on what your intended uses are, decide on your GPS accessories.

Also, as an important side note, practice with your new system in a familiar place like around your hometown or another well-known area before taking it out on the cross-country road trip or adventuring through the trails and hills.   Be prepared.   Get used to it and know its functions before the critical moment arrives.

Shop for these GPS accessories and more at Smarter.com.