With the year winding down and 2010 looming on the horizon, December is the perfect time for reflection. Of course, with Hanukkah already upon us and Christmas just around the corner, you may be too busy with shopping for gifts to think about the past year. With that in mind, I have put together a list of my personal favorite gadgets that I reviewed in 2009 to help give you some cool ideas for your techie friends.



Stocking Stuffers: The Flashlight-er (theflashlighter.com) is quick-charging car charger that comes with a built-in, ultra-bright flashlight. Not only can it keep a charge in a cell phone for emergencies, it can help find fallen keys or offer some illumination while changing a tire. It may not seem like much, but it could be a real lifesaver.

The Blue Microphone Eyeball (bluemic.com), an ultra-portable webcam made by people who know professional microphones, is perfect for podcasts or making a videophone call to family across the country. The self-contained design also makes this the perfect audio/visual recording accessory for the techie on the go.

If the convenience of a keychain USB drive with clippers and a flashlight or laser pointer isn’t worth it, the coolness factor of saying, “Yes, this is a Swiss Army Knife USB Drive” is. The Victorinox Swiss Flash (swissarmy.com) would make a great gift for former scouts or the tech-minded handyperson in your life.

Admittedly, this review was from 2008, but as a techie, I couldn’t recommend this product enough. The Zibra Open It! (enjoyzibra.com/openit) is a combination razor and scissors with a screwdriver in the handle, making it the perfect opening tool to take on the ever-increasing frustration of obsessive packaging. While other gifts may come and go, the Open It! will be a cherished tool for years.



Gifts for the Ears: ZAGG (zagg.com), the makers of the InvisibleShield, made two very strong entries into the personal audio industry. ZAGGphones are high-powered headphones that offer a full acoustic experience in a comfortable shell without the high price. For a more portable product, the Z-Buds are an in-ear alternative that adds a microphone to the high quality audio.

While iFrogz EarPollution’s Fallout and NervePipes lines of headphones (ifrogz.com/earpollution) may only have about average audio, they offer some of the coolest free customization options. While you can buy them pre-made, buying these headphones from the Web site gives you the power to choose colors and materials. If you don’t mind some strange looks at fur ear padding, it may be the most comfortable headphones you will ever wear.

Los Angeles has long been a radio wasteland, but there is hope. The Livio Radio (livioradio.com) connects to a wide variety of Internet radio stations without having to be hooked into a computer. Of course, if channels from around the globe still don’t suit your musical tastes, you can also log into your Pandora station and tailor your own custom channel.

Perhaps Los Angeles is the only place where it wouldn’t be so strange to suggest a swimming accessory as a holiday present. The SwiMP3 (finisinc.com) works by vibrating the cheekbones, allowing the wearer to hear their tunes better underwater than above. Whether your gift getter is a competitive swimmer or just someone who loves the pool, this self-contained MP3 player is a real “wow” gift.



Holidays for the Home: The Human Touch HT-1470 Back Massage Pad (humantouch.com) is a big gift, but it is a great one. By strapping the Back Massage Pad onto any high-backed chair, the user can get an intense massage experience, complete with a heating pad. This can be the perfect gift for anyone who either has to sit in front of a computer for hours on end or just chooses to sit in front of a computer for hours on end.

There are many iPod chargers on the market and many of these come with speakers, but iHome’s iP41 (ihomeintl.com) is perfect for iPod owners who love video. When this charger/speaker is turned on its side, the time on the display switches to fit, meaning that you can watch small screen video with amazing sound without ever losing track of the time. The alarm slowly fades in and plays the current track on your iPod, giving a great way to start the morning.