Gadgets Blog » Gifts

Mothers’ Day Gift: Protect Her Gadgets with Old Photographs

Dan Evans — Wed, 05 May 2010 18:09:30 +0000

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.

The process is quite simple: upload any images you want on your skin, then use the in-browser editor to rotate the image into place. As you can see by the example screenshot, using a silly photo of some of my cousins, the application gives you a chance to see exactly how great the picture is going to look. That skin, made for a BlackBerry Storm, also includes an image file that can be set as the background on the phone itself, giving the sense of the image continuing across the screen.

With affordable prices (the BlackBerry cover is only $15 plus shipping!), this application is one of the best gift ideas I’ve seen in a long time. The intuitive operation on the website makes it a breeze for anyone to design custom gear, and the sheer volume of gadgets compatible with their skins is impressive to say the least! If you’re in a rush, though, it might be a bit too late to pick one out for Mum. But next time you’re in the market for a really fantastic and original gift, GelaSkins is a great first stop!

If you’re looking for some pre-made artistic GelaSkins, click here.

Cool Watch on a Budget: The Timex T5F851 Ironman Triathlete

Dan Evans — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:26:58 +0000

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.

Running just around $50, the watch might seem on the expensive side for an ordinary digital time piece. But the longevity of the Triathlete is unparalleled, making it a sound investment that will last years if taken care of. If you’re looking for a gift for an athlete in your life, this is an excellent option. It’s intuitive button layout enables the wearer to record and store up to 30 lap splits, making it ideal for a sprinter distance runner, coach, or swimmer. But even if you’re none of these, the Ironman Triathlete has something for you: it can even keep track of your golf score on the links!

Check out more men’s watches at Smarter.

Best and Worst: Valentine’s Gadgets for Men!

Dan Evans — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:10:11 +0000

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.

A Digital Picture Frame:

A good digital picture frame can contain numerous photographs, cycling through them to show off those great images resting on your hard drive. This makes for a great gift for that special someone, a compilation of photos to document time spent together, memorable vacations, or photos of your family. While there are many picture frames on the market, not all of them are created, equal. Some have excessive features that drive up their price tags, while others don’t have the resolution to display images clearly. Before you buy, check out the Smarter gadget blog’s guide to digital picture frames, and find something special for that special someone!

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/mozzercork/109582266

Holiday Spotlight: Star Wars Galore

colleen — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:50:29 +0000

So I talked before about these amazing Star Wars Plushie Talking Dolls being the best you could buy this holiday season for your Star Wars fan. But I think I may have been outgunned today by TheAwesomer.com, with the Star Trek gift of the season: a Star Trek Webcam.

The Webcam is in Star Trek U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 style design, with 300k pixel camera at 30 frames/second capture speed, perfect for skyping or capturing real-time video and audio for recording purposes. With a USB port, stylish bendable gooseneck mount, and an ample 4 feet of USB extension cable, this Star Trek webcam is both mac and PC compatible and the perfect gift for the family Trekkie.

Check it out!

Star Trek Webcam from ThinkGeek.com: $22.99, marked down from $29.99

Gift Idea: Plushie Star Wars Characters

colleen — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:15:56 +0000

Oh, lord. As if you thought Tickle me Elmo and Furbies would be the last time you’d give plushie toys to your loved ones (and you thought it ended under the age of 10!!) think again. The Star Wars fan we all know and love would DIE for this set of Star Wars Talking Plush Cuddly Toys. They talk, they cuddle, and they make Star Wars references that no one would understand unless you’ve seen all of the movies a 100 times and can reference them by heart. But who’s counting, and who cares? You found a delightful little holiday gift, and on sale too! What could be better?

Warning, the store selling the plush Star Wars cuties is based in England, so shipping is going to be hefty, or non-existent before Christmas. But it doesn’t matter–receiving these beauties a few days late is better than getting a tie with music recording button, for the fifteenth time. Not that I’ve given that as a present or anything

Star Wars Plushie Talking Characters from Gadgets.co.uk: 12.95 pounds each, marked down from 14.95 pounds.

Shop for Star Wars toys at Smarter.com.

Special Gift Ideas: T-shirts

colleen — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:36:17 +0000

We all love a well-placed digital culture/ inside reference on a vintage-looking t-shirt. While you may prefer to sift through the vintage lots around your hometown for those coveted gems of a t-shirt (like Granny & Pat’s 50th Wedding Anniversary Pig Roast with a pig roasting another pig on a spitfire on the front, or “Timmy Just Turned 1!” t-shirts with a very odd picture of Timmy with an over-sized head and miniaturized body) there are plenty of places online to get recent references with the same well-worn, distressed-font styling.

There are plenty of websites that support the vintage oddball t-shirt trend, but none like Loiterink.com. With some pretty suggestive designs, interesting relevant topics and form-fitting cuts, their t-shirts are for the elite among us. Averaging around $18, there are plenty of colors and T-shirt style cuts to choose from. Don’t miss out on some fabulous designs!

Top designs that made us laugh:

Myspace Tombstone T-Shirt from Loiterink.com: $18

That’s No Spoon T-Shirt from Loiterink.com: $1

Good Prices on Gaming Consoles

colleen — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:29:38 +0000

Everyone loves a good game, but sometimes the good games don’t come all for the same gaming console. While each console has it’s own specific market or specialty, there are always games on more than one system that you want to play and fit your personality. But now it can fit your budget! Smarter.com offers you the ability to search for the best deals enabling you to buy 2 or 3 gaming consoles for the price of 1! Whether you want a Sony PSP or a Nintendo GameCube, there are plenty of options for money-saving purchases through Smarter.com.

When shopping for a gaming console, always always ALWAYS look at the types and prices of games for each system. While Nintendo Wii games range from $49.99-$149.99, Nintendo DS games can be bought for as cheap as $10, or $30 for the new releases. You want to think about functionality, too–do you want a one player handheld console, or a larger system that many players can use at the same time? But no matter your final decision, make Smarter.com a part of your search for the perfect gift of gaming console this holiday season:

Some top money-saver purchases for gaming consoles:

Sony PSP : $169.99

XBox 360 : $199.95

Shop for more video game consoles at Smarter.com.

Television: Flight of the Conchords Not Coming Back

colleen — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 01:41:06 +0000

The Austrailian humor duo Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie are not going to make it back to HBO for a third season of their popular show, Flight of the Conchords. The show, which started in 2007 and has run for two seasons totally 22 episodes, will not be coming back to the air for ambiguous reasons–whatever the reason, I am sad to see them go, as I am sure many people are. They will hopefully continue to make music and do performances, maybe take their show in another direction, but for now no more TV for FOTC. The show had disappointing results at the most recent Emmy Awards, where they were nominated for best comedy and beat out by 30 Rock, Jemaine Clement was also nominated for best lead actor in a comedy series but didn’t seem to take home the gold. With this venture behind them, the duo is on to bigger and better things.

With Flight of the Conchords still fresh in our minds and hearts, think about giving the gift of laughter to your friends and family this holiday season. Jemaine and Bret sure brightened up my days, and now you can give them to someone else to enjoy:

Flight of the Conchords First Season DVD : $16.99

Or, for the big spender, Flight of the Conchords First and Second season DVD with a complete CD of their best tunes from Amazon.com: $38.49

Gift Games: Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box

colleen — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:03:55 +0000

We all like to get our favorite geeks and gadgeteers the best and most high tech gadgets of the season. This past summer, a beautiful little game for Nintendo DS came out called “Professor Layton and the Curious Village“. In the game, you help a professor and his young assistant solve mysteries in a small town–I won’t ruin the story, but I will tell you that the puzzles are challenging even for a senior in college who has years of experience in video games! This is not just child’s play, and the end resulting mystery is twisted and spooky for all ages.

A second video game in the series has come out just in time for Christmas! It is called “Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box“. With more than 150 mind-bending puzzles and additional puzzles available through Nintendo’s WiFi connection every week (for 33 weeks after the game has been released) this is a dynamic and cognitively-challenging game that makes you feel good to give and great to receive!

You can buy Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box at Amazon.com for $29.82. Don’t miss your chance to give this beautiful little game this holiday season!

Shop for more Nintendo DS games at Smarter.com.

Design Concept: Lightsaber, Anyone?

colleen — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:40:45 +0000

While the weather is transitioning from fall to winter, we get a lot of wet days. Lots of rain, or snow, or sleet, or “wintery mixes” as they like to call it in our middle-of-the-pack state, where it doesn’t stay warm, but it isn’t cold enough to have full-blown snow every time liquid starts to fall from the sky. The worst of wintery mix is the icy sleet balls that just seem to pelt your jacket, rip holes through your umbrella, and scratch your car. How can you ward off the wintery mix, all it’s damage, plus feel a little bit of power and hope every time you walk out the door? Think about investing in an lightsaber umbrella.

The Lightblade Umbrella, from iwantoneofthose.com, is a one of a kind design sure to brighten your day. It’s a perfect give too, for the Star Wars fan in your life. Selling for 19.99 pounds, this is a perfect example of British ingenuity. Take a walk on the wild side, the dark side, the bright side–you can make all sorts of jokes with this one.

Don’t forget to check out iwantoneofthose.com’s Christmas section, where you can order some pretty fun gadgets for the whole family. The website has organized it so you can shop by person or personality, with buttons for grandpas and grandmas, little kids, and him & her. Check it out!