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Tech gifts that say `I love you, Valentine' |
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Written by Eric Gwinn, McClatchy-Tribune
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Sunday, 11 February 2007 |
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The average consumer will spend $119.67 on Valentine's Day, according to the National Retail Federation.
They'll shell out mostly for cards, flowers, candy and an evening out. But after the food's all gone, the flowers are wilted and the cards are read and tossed aside, what do you have?
Better to give some gadgets that keep on giving. Our gift ideas will remind your sweetie of your thoughtfulness with every press of the Play button.
For girls:
—Show her you dig her mind, too: Playaway audiobooks ($19.99-$54.99; Borders; Playawaydigital.com).
Playaway audiobooks are small, easy to use, and come with a pair of earphones. A Playaway unit - which comes preloaded with one of about 250 titles - costs about the price of a hardcover book, is smaller than a deck of cards and runs on one AAA battery. There's nothing to download; just press Play and listen.
After listening to her book, she can mail in her Playaway and get a new title for half-price and free shipping through the RePlay program.
Titles range from "Charlotte's Web" to "The 9/11 Commission Report." Your sweetie can control the narration speed without making the narrator sound like a cartoon chipmunk.
I only wish that the Playaway came with an FM transmitter installed, so she could play the book through the FM radio as she rides in her car. Still, the RePlay program makes Playaway a gift that can't be forgotten.
—Show her you think she's a good listener: V-MODA Vibe earphones ($101; Apple retail stores on North Michigan Avenue and other locations; Virgin Megastore, Bloomingdale's; v-moda.com)
V-MODA is known for colorful earphones that deliver good mid-range presence - great for rock tunes. Bass is adequate and can be boosted with the EQ settings of your listening device. They are lightweight and come with a sexy gold leather pouch and different size earbuds for a good fit. The V-MODA Vibes aren't just earphones, they're jewelry.
—Show her you have taste: Hanns Lounge 37-inch HDTV ($1,699, plus $90 shipping to Chicago; Hanspree Beverly Hills, 310-288-0208)
Here's a 1080i television that looks like a piece of fine furniture. She'll be proud to invite her friends over to show it off, and it looks so good that she might not mind that this gift is really for you. Spring for a pair of sexy Duo torchiere wireless speakers ($300 each, plus $199 for a wireless transmitter; duolamp.com, 800-372-3029). The Duo sounds great even when you walk 360 degrees around the lamp. The transmitter sends the signal on one of four channels, to lessen the chance of interference with your wireless broadband network or your microwave or your cordless phone. She will think you've thought of everything.
For guys:
—Show him you think it's OK to cry: America's Games DVD pro football documentaries ($19.99; nflshop.com)
If he's an NFL fan who's 30 to 40 years old, these DVDs of his Super Bowl heroes will tug at his heartstrings. Each DVD covers a different Super Bowl champion, telling that team's rise to glory with insights from coaches and players set to soaring music, slow-motion replays and somber narration by actors ranging from Donald Sutherland to Laurence Fishburne. NFL Films has perfected its technique of having the player stare right into the camera, so it feels like he's talking to you alone. By the end of the hourlong episode, your sweetie will feel like he was a member of the team. I'm a longtime NFL Films fan - I can recite from many of their DVDs - and even I am blown away.
—Put his movies and music on TV: Apple TV ($299; Apple retail stores; apple.com/appletv).
At every party he hosts, he's hooking up his computer to his stereo and playing deejay via iTunes. Instead, Apple TV lets him connect to his television and use his Wi-Fi network to send iTunes music and movies straight to his TV. It's convenient, easy and stylish. Everybody wins.
—Treat him like a king: Voce mobile phone service (voce.com; $500 signup fee, $200 a month with no overage charges).
This is how the rich boys live. Voce not only gives him unlimited long-distance calling and other familiar cell phone offerings, but also adds a signature touch: 24-hour personal assistants. Need hard-to-get dinner reservations? Voce gets them (you have to pay for the meal, but at least you have the reservations, right?).
Visiting New York City and want theater recommendations? Voce helps you decide. It's a great service for people who travel a lot, especially considering you get to use phones that stand out from the crowd. Your sweetie can think of it as his Bat Phone. | Only registered users can write comments.
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