Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: Accessories
Stocking stuffers
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A solar-powered keyboard may not seem like the most sensible of ideas at first glance, but Logitech's K750 keyboard isn't exactly your regular type of solar-powered gadget. It's actually powered by ambient light, which Logitech says will keep it powered at all times even it never sees the actual light of day. As an added bonus, it's actually a pretty good keyboard too. |
Its "magicalness" may be a bit questionable, but Apple's Magic Trackpad does do a respectable job of replicating the experience of a multitouch laptop trackpad on your desktop, and it may be just the perfect gift for that Mac user in your life that has (almost) everything. |
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We don't ask for much in a Bluetooth headset: good sound quality, comfort, not-goofy-looking. Motorola's Oasis headset comes through on all three of those counts, and it goes beyond most in the comfort department — our own mobile editor, Chris Ziegler, describes it as "ridiculously comfortable." |
Oh, you shouldn't have
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A watch is a classic gift for any occasion, but those looking for something a bit more gadgety without going crazy with a watch phone or vintage Casio Databank can't do much better than an E Ink watch, and Phospher's new World Time models are among the best we've seen to date. At under $200, they also won't completely break the bank. |
Most folks may be able to get by without a standalone webcam, but integrated options can be a bit lacking for those that find themselves video conferencing as often as they're on the phone. We tested quite a few webcams this past year, and Microsoft's LifeCam Studio easily ranks among the best — it's far from the cheapest option, but you'll get HD video and great image quality even in dim lighting conditions. |
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Iomega eGo USB 3.0 portable hard drive – $130 Another of those less than exciting necessities — a portable hard drive is great for that person you know doesn't back up their data, and Iomega's latest eGo drives should be good for the long haul both when it comes to durability and connectivity (they're ready for USB 3.0 even if the computer of the person receiving it isn't). A 500GB model is also available, but at these prices we'd go for the full 1TB. |
Garmin nuvi 295W – $100 – $150 A GPS device may be a bit of an obvious gift choice, but Garmin's nuvi 295W should surprise even those that are expecting a nav unit. While it's a GPS first and foremost, Garmin's nuvi 295W also packs a built-in 3 megapixel camera and built-in WiFi that will let you check email and upload geotagged photos. Think of it as a Garminfone without the phone. |
We can't afford the rent now, can we?
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Alright, so a $500 set of headphone isn't exactly your average gift, but we'd be hard pressed to find anyone disappointed with a set of Shure SE535s. When it comes to headphones, the phrase "you get what you pay for" really is true more often than not, and the SE535s are no exception. |
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Storage may not be exciting, but the Drobo FS does its best to change that. Not your ordinary NAS, the Drobo FS accommodates five hot-swappable drives that can be mixed and matched in capacities, it boasts native Time Machine support and, well, it's a robot (of sorts). |
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