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10 Great Gadgets Every Girl Needs
Friday, 01 August 2008 00:00
We've compiled a list of great gadgets that every tech savy minx should have, and we're not talking about IPods..Technology isn't just for geeks anymore. With slick, sleek and super-cute devices at every turn, it’s virtually impossible to inhibit the mindset of a technophobe anymore. While the hip-to-be-plugged-in landscape was once only inhibited by Dungeons and Dragons addicts, silicon valley programmers and teenage wanna-be hackers, times have changed.
Current technology, devices and gadgets help us organize our busy lives, stay connected, enjoy our lovely leisure time and streamline our lives. Essentially, they help us maintain our sanity. Whether it’s our infatuation with our BlackBerry, GPS or I-Pod most of us can't imagine a life without our delicious devices. Here are some of the most fabulous and freeing devices that no woman should be without.

The Sanctuary Charging station lets you charge up to twelve devices while keeping it neat in the fabric finished tray. No longer a prisoner of multiple wires and confusing knots of cords and cables, you can charge almost anything. Fifteen hundred devices are supported, including Blackberries, Ipods, IPhones, Samsung, Motorola, Nokia and LG phones. Using one outlet instead of hogging them all, your cords will be hidden from view and you'll have a one stop shop for recharging your plethora of gadgets. $130 might sound a bit steep, but your inner interior decorator will thank you.

What is more frustrating than having your IPod die on you when you were just starting to get into the zone on your run, or your cell flat-lining during a Saturday night out? Enter the mini battery pack from Kensington. It’s tiny enough to carry in your purse or backpack, extends play time up to 30 hours and adds up to 3 hours of talk time. At fifty bucks, this hot little lifesaver isn't a one-shot deal — the rechargeable lithium ion polymer battery pack has a retractable USB charging cable for upping your charge on the fly.

Anyone who has ever experienced a loss of years of irreplaceable photos and documents understands how important it is to back up their hard drive. The Omega Super eGo 1TB External Hard Drive holds a monstrous amount of data — a whole terabyte (1000 GB). In a case the size and shape of a large flask, it’s a far cry from some of those other hideous and bulky external hard drives. The $250 price tag is unquestionably worth the piece of mind and the storage space. The worst thing to hear after losing all your college pics and travel photos is, "Man, you should have backed up."

True, rocking a Bluetooth can make you look like a self-absorbed jerk while chatting loudly in line at the supermarket. But safe in the confines of your car or your home, they're a freeing and fabulous tool that lets any phone-addict ramble without an uncomfortable plastic phone smashed to their cheek. The Aliph Jawbone 2 is quite possibly the Mercedes of Bluetooth. With an appealing design, comfortable fit and a range of noise canceling and voice enhancement technologies ("Noise-Assassin" technology), it has killer sound quality. Around $129, the tech gurus at CNET promise it to be the 'ultimate in Bluetooth headsets'.

Who doesn't love singing in the shower? Whether you love belting out Madonna's greatest hits or Kanye's newest jam while soaping up, the iHome Shower Station is your vehicle for endless water-logged vocal practice. At just $70, it houses your IPod, keeping it dry and protected in its case while providing external controls. Small and unobtrusive, this little guy will make your Saturday night pre-party prep a lot more entertaining. The best part is it may save you the embarassing exit when you're done with the shower and people are still trying to guess what you were attempting to sing.

Still packing those horrid default ear buds with your MP3 player? Previously only for the true audiophiles with hundreds to spare, these SE110 Sound Isolating Earphones clock in at just under a hundred bucks. The Balanced MicroSpeaker system delivers 'optimized, balanced audio'. They cut out more than 90 percent of ambient noise, like your roommates arguing or the crappy reggae on the next beach blanket over (They're even small enough to evade tacky tan lines).These cute earphones even come with a fit kit, to ensure just the right match and a comfy fit.

Any NetFlix addict will talk your ear off about how much they adore having a multitude of films at their fingertips. But waiting for the snail mail to deliver your eagerly-anticipated documentaries and chick flicks might not be your cup of tea. The smarties at NetFlix have created the Streams Netflix Watch Now box which will effortlessly stream unlimited movies from your PC to your TV. It’s a reasonable $100, plus you have to be a Netflix member which runs you $8.95 or more a month. Convenient and boasting a simple setup, it has 802.11 Wi-Fi networking and an ever-growing selection of movies. Enabling you to enjoy a lazy Sunday movie marathon in pj's without ever leaving the safety of your couch, it’s a must for the film-addicted female.

For fans of photography and instant gratification alike, the mini PoGo (Polaroid on the Go) is sure to please. It’s a mini printer that relies on ZINK (thats Zero Ink, to the uninitiated) which 'uses paper embedded with heat-activated dye crystals'. Using your cell phone or digital camera, you can send images in a matter of seconds to the pocket-sized printer. Unlike the old bulky Polaroid instant print cameras we all remember, these prints are waterproof and instantaneous. Portable and quiet, it retails at $150 — perhaps making it less than enticing to the casual snapper, but a dream-come-true for die-hard photogs.

The line of Voltaic Solar Bags are ideal for the green girl on the go. Charging virtually all handheld electronics, it’s lightweight and waterproof solar panels blanket the outside of the bag, using the suns mighty rays to power up your gear. Not just for IPods and cell phones, this baby can charge up your laptop too. They're outfitted with battery packs which stores surplus power, and can be charged using the included AC travel, USB and car charger on your sun-free days. Voltaic's different styles include backpacks and messenger bags, or for a more girl-friendly line, check out Reware's Juice line for eye-popping colors and a solar-powered beach tote. Ranging from $160 to well over $300, these bags might be pricier than your average backpack, but can your current canvas bag juice up your gear while you're sunning yourself in the park?

Dorothy, we're not in Kansas anymore — this definitely isn't your mom’s camcorder. The Flip Video Ultra Camcorder has a 1.5 inch screen, unbelievable resolution and an included 2 gig memory card that lets you capture up to 60 minutes of video. Billed as "the world’s simplest camcorder", it has a sweet little built-in USB arm to download your movies right onto your computer with no-installation software. Whether you're a budding filmmaker, a YouTube enthusiast or just want to record your friends doing the robot after a night at the bar, the $150 price makes it a steal.
Comments (1)
1 Sunday, 19 October 2008 18:38
Andrea Brown
I love the Sanctuary Charging Station. It is so minimalist in nature and beautiful. I luv it.. thanx for the tips.
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