Gift Guide Day 12 Portable Surge protector

How is this for an exciting gift. The mail equivalent of a vacuum cleaner. I know you don’t want to get tossed in the dog house but guys really don’t care about that stuff. They would probably like this better than a new tie anyway. Since surge protectors are such a person thing I give you a choice if 3. These can be really helpful when sitting in an airport or at a hotel room when you need to plug in your phone, computer, ipod, camera, etc… Both the Belkin and the Kensinton have the edition of USB plugs so you can also charge your phone or ipod with out taking and additional plug or having to lug along another charger.

1st up is the Monster Outlets to go. Nice small form factor available in black or white and from 3 to 6 plugs.

Number 2 is the Kensington Portable with 2 USB ports. I like this one because it has a short cord in case you have to use the plug behind a desk or bed.

Number 3 is the Belkin Mini surge. Not as small as it looks but still quite useful. Plugs straight into the wall but does have a rotating plug so you can use in the vertical or horizontal position.

DAY 12 Portable surge protectors

“Monster MPOTG300BKEFS Outlets To Go

Kensington Portable Power Outlet with 2 USB

“Belkin Mini Surge 3OUT Wall Mount 75K 918J with USB Charger”

Gift Guide Day 10 Magnetic Photo Rope

Photos, photos, photos! You have a digital camera and snap, snap, snap you go. You have hundreds or even thousands of digital photos on your computer. Sure you can share them on photo sharing sites like Flickr, SmugMug, Picasa Web Albums , Zooomr, etc… but what about those who don’t have a computer? I know that is an urban myth. Everyone has a computer, play along with my for a moment.

In the old days people used to get their film developed and printed on paper. They would then put these in a book or hang them on a wall. Now you can too! Check out the Magnetic Photo ropes from Photojojo. If you are not familar with Photojojo you really need to check them out. My favorite service is called Time Capsule. Setup the free service by connecting it to your flickr account and twice a month you will get an email with the best photos from a year ago at that time.

DAY 10 Magnetic Photo Rope

Gift Guide Day 8 Nike ID Gear

I like custom things. I wish I could get everything custom. Ask my wife I am impossible to shop for. Something has to hit me just right before I will buy it. If I could get everything custom this wouldn’t be a problem. This brings us to the selection for day 8. Nike ID gift card. The perfect gift for someone like me. The recipient can design their own shoes, clothes, bags or a number of other items from Nike. Just don’t be a cheapskate on this one. The cards start at $50 and the shoes start at about $100. If you are giving a gift card make sure they can buy something without selling out a lot of their own dough.

DAY 8 NIKE ID GIFT CARD

Gift Guide Day 7 iStik

Do you have to buy a gift for a runner, walker, biker or just mobile ipod user? Check out the iStick. Great product as tested by my running fanatic wife. She is my tester for all things running. She used to wear a Nike ipod watch remote for her Nike iPod system. She loves the way it works. Just stick it where you want and it stays in place through the magic of magnets.

DAY 7 iStik ipod holder

Gift Guide Day 6 Gladwell Books

For the sixth day of my gift guide I thought I would go with something that will make you smarter. Well maybe not smarter but at least it will make you think. Rather than just recommend Malcolm Gladwell’s new book Outliers: The Story of Success I will recommend his previous books which I have read. They will make you look at the world a little differently.

DAY 6 Malcolm Gladwell Books

“The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference”

or maybe the Blink audio book?

“Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking [AUDIOBOOK]

“Tipping Point/Blink Bundle

Been there done that?

Then get the new one. I know it will be part of my New Years reading.

“Outliers: The Story of Success”

Gift Guide Day 4 iPod Touch

For day for of the gift guide I go the obvious route. The iPod Touch. These devices do the opposite of most consumer electronics, they actually get better with age. Every few months Apple updates the system software for free or a nominal charge and users gain new functionality. The iTunes store gives users music, TV shows, Movies and over 10,000 applications to choose from for little or no cost. Every few weeks a new application comes out that make my it better and I get the new toy feeling all over again.

The iPod Touch can make a very pocketable replacement for a laptop for checking email surfing the net, checking stocks, weather or finding directions. Sure you can’t do it everywhere with the touch but the same applies with a laptop and it is much easier to carry.

DAY 4 iPod Touch

Don’t even think about it. Grab one from Amazon now. 8 GB, 16 GB, or 32 GB, Make sure you get the 2nd Generation

Gift Guide day 3 Custom Sunglasses

Today brings us to something custom. I thought I should get this out of the way since you need time for custom items. This may not be the most ideal Christmas gift unless you really know what the recipient likes but I thought it was cool.

First a little back story. You don’t see a new Porsche in my driveway right now because I spent all my Porsche money on sunglasses over the years. I was happy with my last pair but apparently they weren’t happy with me. They left me one day, never to be seen from again.

Anyway I went to replace them at my local sunglass shack/hut/emporium and I couldn’t find exactly what I wanted. Even though I liked the pair I had I wanted to get them without the polarized lenses. Sure polarized glass is the way to go for water sports and such but not so hot when trying to read lcd displays including those on the back of my camera. Not a problem said the clerk, we can order then for you. Great! I thought to myself. We flipped through the virtual pages of the on-line catalog in the store and found the right make and model. Slight problem though. The frame colors weren’t the same. The Polarized models had 3 color choices and the non=polarized models had 3-4 other choices. I decided I would wait and search the net when I got home to find a better option.

DAY 3 Custom sunglasses from Oakley

1. First choose from over 30 frame styles. – I went with the Fives

4. Choose your logo color – Gun Metal

5. Get a custom engraved lens – I had my email address engraved. Maybe the next time I lose them someone will see this and email me so I can retrieve them or at least send me pictures of them wearing them as they travel the world. If you are annoyed by things on the glass don’t get the engraving. It looks just like it does on screen and you can see it while wearing the glasses.

6. Pay for your glasses and wait for shipping. Only took at few days and still cost less the off the shelf polarized model.

Gift Guide Day 2 – Tiki Bar DVD

For day two of my gift guide we take a turn towards the wacky. Get your mind off the economy with some Tikibar TV. This Collector’s Edition Double Disc Set of Seasons 3 & 4. 20 Episodes for the FIRST time in FULL RESOLUTION! Admittedly you should be in the right frame of mind when watching Tiki Bar but it can be quite entertaining when you are in a sophomoric mood.

DAY 2 Tiki Bar Collector’s DVD