Gadgets Blog » Gifts

Any serious piece of computing is a serious investment, which is why such a strong market for gadget-protectors exists.I personally have my MacBook fitted with a plastic casing to protect it from scratches. My iPod, however, has a far more personalized case. My friend Jessy, for my birthday several years ago, knit me a multi-colored pouch that has kept the iPod safe from harm for quite some time now.

While not everyone has the patience or skill required for a personalized gift of that caliber, the company GelaSkins has upped the ante for protective gear, allowing the customer to select from a wide variety of artwork, or to submit their own photo for use.

The process of selecting a case at the GelaSkins website is straightforward and shows off the remarkable variety in store. First, you can browse through pre-existing artwork, finding cases specifically made and designed for your sought piece of hardware. Laptops, phones, and cameras are all included, and it’s a breeze to hunt something down, even for some obscure gadgets.

Few industries have the remarkable history and technological developments as the creation of timepieces, clocks, and watches. One of the hallmarks of civilization is the concept of time, with ancient watches utilizing the sun in order to keep track of the day. Since then, it’s been a steady embrace of technology, through mechanisms and gears to the modern day computer. While a watch can be a stylish way to augment an outfit, others, such as today’s Cool Item on a Budget, have a variety of functions making them great gadgets as well as great watches.

The Timex T5F851 Ironman Triathlete watch was designed with the serious athlete in mind, and it bears a host of features aimed at a variety of aerobic functions. With several modes of operation, the watch can be programmed to fulfill virtually all aspects of a regimented fitness program. The Triathlete has three preset alarms which can be programmed to go off on specific days of the week, great for if you need to roll out of bed early to squeeze in a run. In addition to this alarm function, there’s an ordinary stopwatch, a timer that counts downwards, and an exciting interval feature, allowing you to program two different timers running back to back.

The build of the Triathlete is sharp and modern, making it a great watch for everyday clothes as well. A sturdy rubber band stretches and bends while under stress without being in danger of outright breaking. It’s casing makes the watch waterproof up to a staggering 200m of depth, making it one of the most durable digital watches on the market. The watch has a button devoted to lighting up the display with Indiglo technology if it’s dark out, and during the day the white reflecting background makes it easy to see the number, regardless of the amount of sun.

I’ve often heard complaints from my gal-friends that boys are insufferably difficult to shop for, especially for the love-it-or-hate-it celebration of love that is Valentine’s Day. Some of this difficultly can be understood. After all, men always have the triumvirate of chocolate, flowers, and jewelry to fall back upon in case all other creative gift ideas fail.

As a young tech aficionado, I’ll admit that it can often be hard to shop for someone who’s into gadgets and electronics. When buying a device for myself, there’s often a rigorous investigative process that goes on, comparing reviews, checking out the unit in a department store, and finally shopping around for the best price. This usually takes several weeks, depending on how much free time I’m willing (or able) to sink into it. However, just because I’m pretentious about this stuff doesn’t mean there aren’t some great (and inexpensive!) gifts for your man on the most loving day of the year. You pretty much can’t go wrong with one of the following.

Netflix Subscription:

Netflix is one of my favorite online distribution companies, and this subscription is a great investment. Forget the entry level subscription; the real asset to Netflix these days is the ability to stream movies and TV shows to your computer, video game console, or Blu-ray player. There are some drawbacks to this system so far, such as a limited availability of new titles and a limited selection of titles one can instantly watch, but the good news is that the streaming accompanies the regular Netflix subscription, meaning your man can watch Lost on his computer before sliding The Departed into his Blu-ray player (all via the same subscription).

A Networking Hub:

For those unfamiliar with these devices, a good networking hub will serve several purposes. First and foremost, it will allow for all computers and office electronics in the house to have access to each other via a wireless signal. This is incredibly useful, as it allows you to do things like print a document while you’re sitting in the living room, or easily transfer files from one computer to another. Also, a hub can greatly increase the strength of your wireless internet signal, allowing you to surf the web regardless of where you are in the house. It may require a little installation, but the results can be both conveinent and a great asset to your computing.