Trying to find just the right holiday gift for that special tech person in your life can be a real chore, so the crew at The Mac Observer put together a list of some cool ideas to help out. In part 2 of our gift guide, there's more ideas for Mac and iPhone users, tech travelers, and more.
Technocel PowerPak Sometimes you're lucky enough to grab an iPhone and hit the road. But sometimes you have to travel with a whole collection of gadgets, any one of which might run out of charge at the wrong time. Technocel's PowerPak is the answer: it's a wall charger and external battery pack rolled into one. With a USB port, and the included adapters for most phones, you can extend your gadget-teering, and when you do get to a power outlet, you can charge up both your device and the PowerPak at the same time. The PowerPak is priced at US$49.99.
Xtand Cooling Bar The Xtand Cooling Bar is unlike any laptop stand you have seen before. It's a solid aluminum cylinder, 15 inches long, about 2.5 inches around, and one "side" is flat and holds a rubber pad to prevent slipping. Think of it like an orchestra conductor's baton. It's stylish, light weight, and doesn't take up much room, but it holds your laptop firmly in place, providing good airflow. Everyone who sees it will notice it. The Xtand Cooling Bar sells for $39.99. Check out our review for more information.
AViiQ Portable Laptop Stand This new product from AViiQ is perhaps the perfect gift for the traveling man or woman. It's a portable laptop stand that weighs 5.5 ounces and folds into a compact 12.75 x 2.75 x 0.25-inches. It will hold any laptop computer up to 17-inches, and provides a 12 degree keyboard angle when open. It's easy to use and very sturdy, although it is also flexible. A cloth carrying bag is included. The AViiQ Portable Laptop Stand sells for $79.95, and be sure to check out Nancy Gravley's review for more information.
iTunes Gift Cards Sometimes finding the right gift for that special someone can be a little harder than we'd like, especially if they have different tastes in music. iTunes gift cards can solve that problem by letting your friends pick out just what they really want at the iTunes Store. The gift cards can be used to buy TV shows, movies, videos and iPhone and iPod touch applications, too. Gift cards are available in $15, $25 and $50 amounts, and they're available at electronics stores, grocery stores, convenience stores, and even Apple's own retail locations.
Kensington Windshield/Vent Car Mount with Sound Amplified Cradle for iPhone This iPhone car mount kit comes with attachments for your windshield and vent, is compatible with the iPhone 2G, 3G and 3GS, and includes an iPhone sound-amplified cradle and swappable rubber inserts to fit the three models with and without cases. The sound is amplified acoustically and it can increase the sound coming from your phone 100 percent. It's extremely sturdy, and it's easy to transfer the cradle between the window and vent mounts. The iPhone pops in and out of the cradle with one hand. The system sells for $39.99. Be sure to check out TMO's review for more information.
Magic Mouse Apple's Magic Mouse is more than just a mouse thanks to it's iPhone-like multi-touch surface. Like the multi-touch trackpads on Apple's MacBook lineup, the Magic Mouse supports gestures for scrolling and navigating through documents, and it won't get tangled up with other devices because it connects to your Mac via Bluetooth. It supports one or two-button clicking, and it supports left handed mousers, too. Apple's Magic Mouse is priced at $69.
UNIEA U-Suit Intrecciato Leather Case and Leather U-Pouch for iPhone 3G and 3GS Either of these iPhone cases will make for a classy gift for your favorite iPhone user. The Intrecciato has the look and feel of woven leather, offers a very slim profile that fits over the back and covers the corners of the phone with an impact resistant plastic shell, and adds only .6mm thickness to the phone while providing excellent protection. It sells for $34.95.
The Leather U-Pouch is available in a soft suede or smooth leather with ready access to ports for listening and docking, and is priced at $22.95. Cases from UNIEA can always be depended upon to be high quality products; gifts you can be proud to give. Check TMO's review for more information on both of these cases.