Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: Accessories

Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! The team here is well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties of the seasonal shopping experience, and we want to help you sort through the trash and come up with the treasures this year. Below is today's bevy of hand curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season.

What luck. The Secret Santa recipient that you drew already has everything, so there's little you can buy him / her that they'll actually be impressed with. Thankfully, the peripheral market is here for you, and while some may considering these things "trinkets," others will be downright giddy to unwrap 'em. And whether you'd care to admit it or not, these are easily the most fun to shop for. Yeah, we said it -- what of it? Hop on past the break for a few recommendations on knickknacks, or "accessories," as it were.

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Stocking stuffer

Logitech Portable Lapdesk N315 - You'll need a rather large stocking if you're planning to stuff this one down, but Logitech's Portable Lapdesk N315 is an ideal product for improving ergonomics and ensuring that your special someone spends more time in the den and less time at the doc's office. 'Course, you may also want to consider throwing in a travel mouse to really complete the package, but that's far from necessary.

$25 - Shop for Lapdesk N315

PowerGenix NiZn rechargeable AA batteries - It may not be you who gifts someone with a device that requires AA batteries to operate, but it'll happen. Guaranteed. Be it a new remote, the newest version of Tickle Me Elmo or just some new potato slicer, there's no one you'll come in contact with this holiday season that couldn't benefit from having a 4-pack of AA batteries that last and last (and last).

$26 (with charger) - Shop for PowerGenix NiZn rechargeables

MovieWedge - Looking for a real stocking stuffer? How's about a $10 doodad that's sure to bring a smile to the face of any smartphone owner? The MovieWedge isn't exactly elaborate, and there's a good chance you could actually make this yourself with a few raw materials and a sewing machine. That said, it's probably a whole lot easier to just drop $9.95 and wait for it to show up in the mail. Stratch that -- it is a whole lot easier.

$9.95 - Buy MovieWedge

Oh, you shouldn't have

PhotoTrackr Mini - In the end, the only thing that really matters is the memories you make (or so they say), so it's probably wise if you hook your best bud up with a geotagging solution in order to more accurately capture your simultaneous endeavors. The all new PhotoTrackr Mini won't bog you down (it's pretty small and light, you know), and it'll work with RAW images and Mac systems. And hey -- you can probably even wrap it in a used gum wrapped if you're strapped for cash.

$68.95 - Shop for PhotoTrackr Mini

nio Bluetooth security tag - Unless you're lucky (or is it unlucky?) enough to live next door to all of your family members, there's a decent chance that you'll be giving a gift to someone who'll be traveling shortly after receiving it. nio's Bluetooth security tag is just about perfect for the jetsetter in the group, enabling them to keep tabs on their luggage and be immediately alerted if it manages to run off somewhere.

$69.95 - Buy nio Bluetooth security tag

Wi-Fire - We're as skeptical as anyone when it comes to range extenders; by and large, those made for specifically for cellphones are entirely ineffective, but we managed to have some pretty good luck with this one. Designed to extend the range of your WiFi module, all you'll need is a laptop (or desktop) with a USB port and a hankering for an internet signal that's a fair distance away. We won't endorse the art of sniffing or anything, but this sure makes the process easier.

$60 - Shop for Wi-Fire

We can't afford the rent now, can we?

Sony IPT-DS1 Party-Shot - If there's ever been a gift that you needed to bestow upon someone early, this is it. After all, what good is giving this thing to someone after the Christmas party has already wound down? Just make sure someone's also giving them a compatible camera, else an ear-to-ear grin will quickly turn to tears.

$126 - Shop for IPT-DS1 Party-Shot

Razer Mamba - Tired of hearing that one co-worker kvetch about his / her "awful mouse" and blame it for his / her mounting loss record against you during late-night deathmatches? Prove your superiority once and for all by gifting 'em with one of the nicer gaming mice to hit this year, and if you're feeling really generous, the Megasoma surface ($50) makes a delightful add-on. But don't blame us if they really do improve.

$110 - Shop for Mamba

Apogee Electronics GiO - Who says it takes a room full of equipment and a knowledgeable staff to lay down a few licks? Apogee Electronics' GiO USB / MIDI board is a solo artist's dream come true, enabling foot switches to toggle software effects, amp models and pretty much anything else that a basement dweller would need when hoping to become the next Owl City.

$395 - Shop for GiO