Hi-tech xmas: stocking stuffers

SINGALONG: The iKaraoke strips out the vocal on your iPod's tracks as it sends them to your speakers, letting you supply them.

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Playing Santa and stuck for ideas? You're not alone.

The Christmas shopping clock is fast running out and the stores are full of people wandering about, desperately hunting for the perfect gift. Or any gift, really, that won't be in the back of the closet by New Year's Day.

You've got enough to worry about, so here are a few ideas for last-minute gadget stocking stuffers that won't fry your credit card.

MP3 player  
Digital music players under $100 are becoming more and more common, and it's a great last minute gift idea. We recommend the Samsung U3 or Sansa Clip. Both are small MP3 players with FM tuners that are easy to use. 1GB of space will set you back $99 for each. If the person on your list has a Mac, try an iPod shuffle (no screen) which sells for $129 for 1GB.

Flash drives   
USB drives (aka Flash Drives, USB sticks, or thumb drives) are perfect for backing up important documents and or bringing work with you to the bach, as well as fun things like sharing photos. Nowadays you can get Flash drives in all sorts of shapes and sizes, from Star Wars characters to dogs doing rather rude things. You'll want to get at least 512MB. Try the Kingston DataTraveler Mini Fun Flash Drive (1GB for about $30).

SD card  
Budding photographers are always running out of space of their camera's memory cards for their photos, especially when they're travelling. An extra big memory card will be just the treat for them. Anything over 1 gigabyte (about $60) will be well-received, and you're best to stick to established brands like Kingston and Lexar. They cost a bit more but they're better quality. Your photographer may use another format, like XD or MemoryStick, so double check first.

Rechargeable batteries
Hi-tech toys and gadgets go through batteries like babies go through diapers, so a good set of rechargeable batteries will always be welcome. If they've got a charger already, make sure you buy a compatible set of rechargeables. If they're new to enviro-friendly batteries, or their charger is looking a bit tatty, then consider Sanyo's excellent Eneloop. They're a bit pricey but come pre-charged and keep their charge for longer. $40 for the charger and four AAs.

Download vouchers
CD vouchers are a great gift idea because people can buy the albums they want, not the ones you think they'll want. But CDs are a bit last century, and if your giftee has a broadband connection they'll probably prefer getting their tunes from a digital download shop like iTunes, Dick Smith's RipIt or Digirama. That way they can buy the tracks they want, instead of whole albums. You can buy gift vouchers for either on the site or in shops, depending on the service.

Earphones  
If the lucky person on your list has an MP3 player, or is getting one, they deserve to get decent sound out of it. They probably won't be able to do that with the earbuds that came with the player. Try a pair of Creative EP 630 earphones instead. They'll give good sound and the rubber earpieces help block outside noise to save sensitive eardrums too. They'll set you back only $39 too.

Singalong
The iKaraoke plugs into your iPod and sends your tunes to your stereo, but, true to the name, strips out all the vocals. You'll have to supply those with your own lovely voice, singing into the iKaraoke's microphone, assuming you can remember all the words (if you don't, just hum along). There are controls on the mic to pause and skip tracks. $75 from Mac retailers.

Travel speakers

Kathmandu's travel speakers will let you take your tunes with you when you're out on the trail. With a rugged design that should stand up to the nicks and bumps of a backpack, the speakers use two AAA batteries to produce much more, and much better, sound than you'd expect. No volume control knob on the device though, so you'll have to use your player for that. Currently on sale for $25 at Kathmandu.

- © Fairfax NZ News