Fun Gadget Gifts

Elgato Turbo.264

High definition video is hard to work with if you do not have the right equipment. Transferring high def video to a computer or a web site or your iPod can be time-consuming. Elgato Turbo.264 HD is a great solution to speed up the process. Convert any video into all popular formats and play it on your iPhone or share on the web. The result is a high-quality H.264 file in standard or HD resolution in a small file size. Beware, however, that the quality is not as good as you can achieve using QuickTime Pro or iMovie applications.

You can process your footage as well: preview, crop, and combine clips into one movie, or batch process multiple videos. It allows you to upload video into your YouTube account. Unfortunately, it works only on a MAC. Price: $129.95.

We’ve dropped the price on the BenQ M2700HD 27-Inch LCD Monitor by 33%. Discount reflected in the current price on the product detail page.

Expires Aug 1, 2010          Go to deal

Logitech is known for good mice for computers. But this little gem is absolutely unbelievable. Logitech’s Anywhere Mouse MX is very compact and fits comfortably in your hand. Plug in a little nano receiver into your computer’s USB port and that’s it! No tweaking, I promise – it just works. The receiver is small and can stay on your laptop forever. Piggy-back up to 6 Unifying compatible device using the mouse receiver, like a keyboard. Super fast scrolling will satisfy even the most speedy critics. Spin that scroll wheel and fly through documents. Flip through web pages using back and forward buttons.

Logitech’s Anywhere Mouse MX works on all kind of surfaces, even on glass. On glass! It uses the dark-field laser tracking. I bet, it will work in space. There is an on/off switch at the bottom of the mouse which also serves as a protection flap for the sensor. The Anywhere Mouse MX uses 2 AA batteries which makes it a bit heavier.

It is a great device for a laptop. No need to carry your mouse pad with you.

Get it for $69.95

Grandparents of the 21 century have embraced technology. Seniors are no longer using quills or smoke signals. Most grandparents are on the internet sending email, checking pictures of their grandchildren and using Skype. Electronic gadgets have permanently entered their homes, but let’s not assume it is easy to pick a gadget gift for a grandparent.

Independent seniors can use most of the electronics, but they still sometimes have hearing problems, vision problems and just general allergies to video games. They might play bowling on a Wii, but that’s as far as you can push them.

Here are some suggestions that require no effort on your part, a little setup help and a lot of help. Good news is that you are not going to go broke.
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Squeezebox is a new wi-fi radio from Logitech. It is a step down from Squeezebox Boom but has more to offer than your standard wi-fi radio. Just so we all on the same page, it plays internet radio and music without being connected to a computer. And it will play music stored on your computer too. All you need to have is a wi-fi connection at home. You turn the Squeezebox Radio on and it finds and connects to the network.

The radio is global and gives you access to stations from all over the world. And that, my friends, include all sports channels too. Let me tell ya – you will be addicted.

The design is fantastic. Many radios try to combine navigation and volume in one knob which can get confusing. Not this radio. There is a big wheel for navigation and a separate knob for volume. All buttons on the front are intelligently placed.

The front LCD display is full of information goodness. You get info about radio stations, music tracks and even album art on the display. Like any wi-fi radio, Squeezebox can access thousands freely available internet radio stations. It supports online music streaming services, like Pandora, Rhapsody, Last.fm, Slacker and SIRIUS Internet Radio. Of course, it will play the music stored on your computer. Squeeze Center software comes with the radio and works with Mac, PC, and Linux. And if that is not enough – plug your iPod in it and enjoy.

Made of plastic, Sqeezebox has a glossy black finish, which will attract fingerprints. There is a little handle in the back which makes it easy to carry it around. On the bottom of the radio there is a battery pack compartment. The remote and battery pack are sold separately.

Squeezebox Radio has an app gallery (new feature). You can download different apps – Flickr, Facebook, etc. You can recommend music to your Facebook friends instantly from your Squeezebox. If you are still not impressed, I see your point. Maybe, it is not too useful just yet, but having apps on Squeezebox opens the door for Logitech to expand these features in the future.

All gadgets come complete with their own website these days. Logitech Squeezebox Radio is no exception. Navigate to mysqueezebox.com online service, sign up for free, and select your favorite stations and artists. Your tastes will become the tastes of your Squeezebox in the matter of seconds.

As an alarm clock, it is really customizable. You can set which days you want the alarms to go off. There is support for multiple alarms. If you get bored with all the standard waking sirens, Squeezebox has a huge bank of sounds you can select from as your alarm ringer. In addition, you can queue up a song or pick a radio station you want to get turned on in the morning. If you cannot keep the days of the week straight, choose a different station for every day of the week as a reminder.

For an ultra-compact radio, the sound is very good. You will not get distortion when you turn it all the way up, like you might find on a lot of other wi-fi radios.

This is one of the best wi-fi radios on the market right now and the most fun to play with.

Pre-order it on Amazon for $199.99.