Affordable Gifts for the Holidays

Everyone's feeling the pinch this holiday season. While the December issue of here's how! magazine is chocked-full of holiday gift ideas in every category of technology (it'll be available soon!), I thought I'd offer up some small, affordable gadget gift ideas for those working on a really tight budget.

Belkin Rockstar: If there's a Hannah Montana-loving teen or tween on your list, this device will probably bode well with her. It's a star-shaped hub equipped with six 3.5 mm jacks for sharing music from a connected iPod or other MP3 player with a group of friends. Songs can even be mixed together using an optional second wire. At just about $25, it's certainly an attractive option for the budget-conscious.

NRG2 12-Volt Charger: If there's an avid business person on your list that's often on the road, this new charger will be ideal for him. The gadget can charge your phone (11 different models are available to accomodate 90% of the phones on the market today), but also charge a second device, like a Bluetooth headset or portable navigation unit, via a side-mounted USB port. It's convenient, and helps to reduce glove-box clutter! $35

Nintendo DS' Personal Trainer: Cooking: If you know an adult who owns a Nintendo DS gaming system, they might appreciate this cool "game" which not only feature hundreds of recipes from around the world, but also teaches you how to make them through written and video instructions. You can also learn how to perform basic tasks that someone foreign to the kitchen might not be clear on, like how to julienne vegetables (huh?) or properly chop an onion. The unit can also serve as a virtual shopping list, storing items you select (from recipes you plan to make, perhaps?) in a file you can later pull up at the store. About $20

HP Photo Books: When the economy is weak, people stay home. While watching TV and movies, and playing video games will be a popular past-time, others like to muck around with the PC and digital photos. HP's Photo Books are some of the neatest ones I've seen, mainly due to the bendable spine that lets you pop out and rearrange pages as you like. This not only helps with the creative process, but also allows you to continually modify your project until it's picture-perfect. Each book comes with software for creating visual masterpieces with not just photos, but also momentos, like ticket stubs, cards, and the like. $14.99-$24.99 (5x7 and 8.5x11 sizes)

Scosche passPORT: Last month, it was brought to my attention that the new, 4G iPods could not be charged with older-model accessories, like docks or FM transmitters. They would work, but just wouldn't simultaneously charge. While this might seem like a minor setback, many rely on that secondary charging function to keep an iPod going during a party, or keep the tunes coming in the car. An iPod-lover that just bought a fourth-gen model will appreciate the passPORT, even if he doesn't yet realize he'll need it. The small device sits in between the iPod and the accessory and facilitates the charging function. While the currently-available model only works with in-car accessories, Scosche is in the midst of developing a similar device that will work with home accessories, including speaker systems and docking stations. $30

Gene Simmons AXE Rock Band Guitar: Any KISS fan that likes to rock out on Rock Band or Guitar Hero won't be able to resist the wireless AXE guitar, which is designed as an exact (but smaller) replica of the original, and comes signed by Simmons himself. It works with both Rock Band and Guitar Hero for the PlayStation 2 and 3. A Nintendo Wii version is coming later this year. $80

Powerstick On-the-Go Charger: Made by environmentally-friendly company Ecosol Solar Technologies Inc., this gadget (depicted above) charges up via USB in about 90-minutes (for about 90% of its full capacity), then can be used on-the-go to charge a multitude of portable devices via nine connectors (included), like mobile phones or MP3 players. Since all its power is drawn from your PC, you're not using up additional valuable energy resources. $70

Roots Tuffskin for BlackBerry Bold: The BlackBerry Bold just came out this year, and early-adopters who have already picked one up (especially since the price has dropped considerably) are likely in the market for protective case. I particularly like this model because it offers simple protection around the perimeter of the device while still allowing you to access all of the functions. As a bonus, the included belt clip doubles as a desktop stand (via grooves in the metal clip) so you can watch a video on the airplane, or "dock" the device on your desk. $25-30

Samsung CLEO Mobile Phone: Any woman you know who loves everything feminine and pink will go crazy for Samsung's CLEO phone, which comes finished in the delicate colour, but also cleverly looks just like a make-up compact. While you'll need a contract through Bell Mobility (or Solo Mobile, but this carrier only offers the phone in champagne), the phone itself will cost $25 if you sign them up for 3-years. Not too shabby!

Belkin Mini Surge: Everyone knows someone who travels a lot for either work, fun, or a combination of both. Every time I walk into a hotel room, I'm hunting around for outlets to plug in my laptop, DSLR charger, video camera, and cell phone. Often times, they end up spread around the room (my phone in the bathroom!), or I alternate charging devices using the few outlets that are available. The Mini Surge turns one outlet into four power and two USB instantly, eliminating the issue, and letting you charge everything in one spot. $30

This only scratches the surface of "gifts under $100". Stay tuned to the Holiday issue of here's how! magazine for more gadget gift ideas, as well as more ambitious and pricy gifts, from flat-panel TVs to DSLRs and PC products. Also keep an eye out for our picks for Gear of the Year.

Accessory Incompatibility: My Old Accessories Won't Charge My New iPod!

Have you ever bought a consumer electronics gadget, purchased a bunch of accessories for it, and then discovered that once you upgraded to the latest model of your main device, the accessories no longer worked? I recall a few years ago, a colleague of mine complained of this very issue with his Sony Ericsson mobile phone: he had a proprietary 12-volt charger, a second AC charger, and even a desktop dock. But as soon as he upgraded to the latest Sony Ericsson model, he realized the company had changed its proprietary connector. All of his previously-purchased accessories were now useless.

The other day, we received an e-mail from a frustrated consumer with a similar problem. He had just invested in the latest, fourth-generation iPod nano. The connector itself hadn't changed. But he discovered that while his old Belkin FM transmitter and a speaker system from another manufacturer worked with the player, they wouldn't simultaneously charge it as they had with his old iPod. Angry and upset at the fact that he didn't know this prior to buying the new player, he came to us.

"I read an article that it was due a change in hardware but said nothing more," he wrote. "Maybe with the larger screen (smaller unit), more juice is being used and it cannot support the charge. But wouldn't it help it to hold a charge longer? And bottom line is that this issue does not seem to be addressed by Apple anywhere online."

Apple could not be reached in time for comment, but Greg Milkovich, Country Manager for Belkin Canada, confirmed to us that Apple did indeed change to 5-volt USB charging internally in October. Manufacturers were notified that Apple would be making this change so they had ample time to devise new, compatible accessories.

Milkovich says that all of Belkin's current power and FM transmitters use the 5-volt USB charging, but yes, some of the company's legacy products (and obviously legacy products from other manufacturers) will not charge the new models.

"This is the same for all manufacturers as we were all complying with the previous 12-volt firewire standard," Milkovich explains. "This is similar to the video change that Apple made last year where you used to have video out of the 3.5mm but is now out of the 30 pin."

So why the change? Sure, it works out well for third-party accessory makers (not to mention Apple itself) because they can market and sell a whole slew of fancy, new accessories (something they arguably would have been doing anyway). But it also leaves consumers who might have eaten up docks, transmitters, and other gadgetry like hotcakes frantically setting up eBay accounts to salvage some bucks from these now obselete items.

A third-party source (who asked not to be named) predicts two main reasons for the spec change: one being cost improvements, and the other being size. "The smaller size of the USB 5-volt allows for sleeker/smaller design," the source tells me.

So while dealing with incompatibility from one iteration of a product to the next can be frustrating, keep in mind that sometimes the changes made are essential for the manufacturer to make improvements to other aspects of the device. And with technology being so prolific these days, early adopters are bound to find someone who still has the previous generation product, and would welcome your now obselete accessory with open arms.

Back-to-School Gadgets: Part 2

I discussed a few back-to-school gadget suggestions last week. Here are a few more to whet the appetities of back-to-schoolers, and everyone that's shopping for them:

LCD/DVD Combo: Why these combo units haven't been more popular than they have been is beyond me. For a kitchen or a dorm room, they're the perfect space-saving, affordable option. Toshiba's 19" 19LV505C can support a multitude of DVD formats, as well as CDs, and boasts features like virtual surround sound and HDMI connectivity. $449

Wireless Keyboard & Mouse: Isn't it great to be able to write reports or surf sites while lounging on your bed or on the couch? A wireless mouse and keyboard makes this easy; especially if you want to use a big screen TV. I first saw the Logitech Dinovo Edge ($200) at a trade event back in April, and after a few minutes with it, I was hooked. What makes it so cool? The mouse is actually built right into the keyboard itself, making remote operation a breeze. The Bluetooth-enabled, full-sized keyboard (a mini version is also available) can also work with the Sony PlayStation 3.

Digital Photo Frame: Trendy students will want to look trendy, whether it's in a dorm room or a shared apartment. What do you do when you live with 6 roommates, but only have room on the wall for one photo or two? A digital photo frame lets you rotate images constantly from either built-in memory or an inserted memory card. A really neat model hails from eStarling, and lets you send updated images from the Web and via WiFi from a Facebook account.

Networking Adapters: Extra ports are always needed when you can't find them. In addition to the traditional power bar, USB hubs and other such devices can always come in handy. A neat device from Belkin called the Powerline networking adapters allow you to connect multiple Ethernet devices that might be situated in hard-to-reach spots. The top-of-the-line model has three Ethernet ports for connecting up to three devices, like a gaming console, set-top box, or PC, along with a single-port adapter that plugs into your router.

Portable Recording Device: Being able to record a lecture or discussion group is certainly helpful for any student. Belkin has a neat model in this area as well. Called the GoStudio ($120), it works in tandem with an iPod for recording audio, then easily uploading it to a PC, or simply playing it back right from built-in speakers.