Posted on Sun, May. 11, 2008

Gadgets for Graduates

By Gregg Ellman

Star-Telegram staff writer

A phone-book-size dictionary might have been a great graduation gift when Mom and Dad were kids, but today's grads are tech-savvy, and the gifts should be, too.

Odds are that they have a a personal digital assistant, preferably with an unlimited text-messaging plan, and an MP3 player, but there's plenty more to choose from. Here are some hot new items that could be great graduation gifts:

Macally PowerTune

What it is: A portable four-in-one iPod speaker with Li-ion battery charger, protective case and stand. This system has two 500-milliwattspeakers along with a volume control, and it works best for close listening.

The battery will double the iPod play time and is recharged from a computer's USB port. The PowerTune supports fifth-generation (video) and the classic (video).

Information: www.macally.com, $34.99

Better Energy Systems Solio Hybrid 1000 charger

What it is: An energy-efficient, portable and environmentally friendly charger for most PDAs, MP3 players, digital cameras, portable game players and other devices so you won't have to carry a charger for each device. All you do is switch the adapter tip for the device needing a charge. The tips included are a USB port replicator tip for devices such as iPhones and iPods; a mini-USB tip for devices made by Motorola, Blackberry and Garmin; and a Nokia tip. The water-resistant device uses a solar panel and an enclosed battery in a compact (about 7 3/4 inches by 25/8 inches by 1/2 inch) case. A solar charge takes 10-12 hours. Or an included USB cable can be hooked to a computer for a six-hour charge. One hour of sunshine will give a cellphone about 15 minutes of talk time or an MP3 player 40 minutes of music. Once the unit has a full charge, the power is stored as long as a year.

Information: www.solio.com, $79.95.

Maxell HP/NC-IV Noise Cancellation Headphones

What it is: Although other companies make this type of product, some cost about what a house payment can be. Maxell's is somewhat less. Users can expect a few full days of life from the batteries (two AAAs), which are stored hidden in the ear cup. The headphones are designed with comfort and style - padded cups fit comfortably over your ears, a switch on the cord has volume settings for low, medium and high. Most importantly, they produce excellent sound for the price. A hardcover travel case is included as well as gold-plated cords and extensions, which are used in most every portable media player as well as airline seat ports.

Information: www.maxell.com, suggested price $129.99

Brite Strike Lightning-Strike Flashlight

What it is: This is a 70-lumen flashlight designed by a police officer for self-defense with a Tri Strike Crown on both ends. White light can light an area or temporarily blind an attacker. It's housed in a 3.5-inch case, and is rugged and compact since it is made of aircraft-grade material. One AA battery will power the device, which also has an alarm.

Information: www.brite-strike.com, $79.99

Digital Foci Pocket Album digital keychain

What it is: Your graduate can carry his or her favorite photos in a digital photo frame, which has a 1.5-inch color LCD screen in a device that weighs only 1.2 ounces. The frame holds up to 74 digital photos.

Images can be viewed manually or with an adjustable slide show. Included is photo viewer software to convert and resize JPEG and BMP images from your computer (Macintosh or PC) to the device, which runs on a rechargeable lithium battery for about nine hours of battery life.

Information: www.digitalfoci.com, $29.95