If even their parps are tonally
pleasing, get the affirmed Music Geek in your life one of these melodic treats
and they will sing from your hymn sheet for ever more...
Vyconic Upcycled Electric Guitar Clock
Price: $255
Website: www.vyconic.com
Take an old guitar, remove the strings, fit
a clock where the bridge and pick-ups used to be and you’ve got the perfect
gift for a Muso. Or simply buy them a Vyconic clock. If they’re of a more vinyl
persuasion, these up cyclers also make turntable pieces such as a B&O
Clock. ($245, vyconic.com)
Rock Science Marshall Game
Price: $70
Website: www.rockscience.tv
It might not be as old as Xmas, but
Marshall is celebrating its 50th birthday this Christmas with this official
board game, which includes 1600 rock-based trivia questions.
Audioquest Dragonfly
Price: $340
Website: www.audioquest.com
Don't worry, this isn't a 200 buck USB
stick - it's a Digital-Audio Converter, or DAC. Plug it into a USB port on your
computer, hook up some headphones and it'll spruce up all of your tunes.
Philips Fidelio L1
Price: $355
Website: www.philips.com
If you appreciate music, you had better
have a pair of cans that do your tunes justice. The Philips L1s are comfortable
enough for long haul listening and vibrant to keep those songs sounding sweet.
They asked for Micro-HIFI
Have an audio-loving chum? Guarantee
yourself an invitation to their gadget-pad with one of the these tiny Hi-Fis
Not very expensive: Damson Cisor
Price: $130
Website: www.damsonaudio.com
Like a badger that’s swallowed a hand
grenade and a can of Flourescent paint, the Damson Cisor speaker is small but
not to be ignored. Coming in four stylish metallic finishes, its eight-hour
battery life and Bluetooth make it an ideal addition to any bag (or badger)
Fairly expensive: Beats by Dr Dre pill
Price: $230
Website: www.beatsbydre.com
Branded with Dr Dre’s well-travelled Beats
logo and shaped like a pill (hence the name), this Bluetooth speaker with AUX
input should offer up to 8.5 hours of portable tunes thanks to its rechargeable
battery.
Jolly expensive: Revo Axis XS
Price: $320
Website: www.revo.com
Satisfy your nephew’s esoteric music tastes
with this internet radio. Other than access to bags of music online via a 3.5in
colour touchscreen, it’s also got DAB and FM radio, Last.fm and network
streaming, and an iPod dock for the aural gannet.
They asked for Tablets
Not very expensive: Google Nexus 7
Price: $200
Website: www.google.com/nexus
This iPad baiting slate is a mere 340g, but
still manages to pack a quad-core Tegra 3 hitched to 1GB of RAM, along with the
all-new Android Jelly Bean under the hood. It’s certainly powerful, and with a
7in HD Gorilla Glass screen it’s supremely portable, too.
Fairly expensive: Toshiba AT300SE
Price: $355
Website: www.toshiba.com
Tosh’s new slate comes crammed with ports,
and a sleek silver casing that makes for a perfect first-time tablet (read: it
doesn’t scuff easily). There a 3MP snapper around the back, along with a 1.2MP
camera upfront) with a Tegra 3 processor to power a 1,280x800 IPS display.
Jolly expensive: Asus Vivo Tab RT
Price: $630
Website: www.asus.com
If you’re a fan on Windows 8, then Asus’
Vivo Tab is a corker. Essentially the Transformer Pad Infinity but with Windows
8 RT instead of Android. As with Microsoft’s Surface, you get Office bundled in
for those days when work takes precedence over Cut The Rope.
They're getting a Nintendo WII U
So Ninty's newest console is getting
shoved down your giftee's chimney? Here are the perfect partners for the next
gen console and its touchscreen GamePad controller
Wii U listen for once: Turtle Beach Ear
Force NLa
Price: $50
Website: www.turtlebeach.com
If proof were needed that the Wii U is a
more grown-up proposition than its kiddie-orientated forebear, the Ear Force
NLa is it. You’d hardly need a miked-up stereo headset with noise-isolating ear
cups to play Kirby’s Epic Yarn, would you?
Going Pro: Nintendo Wii U Pro Controller
Price: $65
Website: www.nintento.co.uk
The Wii U’s GamePad tablet controller is
its USP but if you’re after more specific control for your fragging then the
Pro Controller is a worthwhile investment. Its layout should be pretty familiar
to anyone with an Xbox 360, too.
Wii Blu: Sony BDV-N590
Price: $635
Website: www.sony.com
The Wii U doesn’t play DVDs or Blu-rays
although it’ll stream TV and movies from Netflix et al but it does support 5.1
audio. That makes this surround sound set-up with built-in Blu-ray player an
ideal partner. Go forth and listen.
Nintendormouse: Epson EH-TW5900
Price: $1,450
Website: www.epson.com
The bigger the telly, the more immersive
the game - but not even the largest TV is going to rival this Epson projector.
Quiet, 1080p-enabled and even 3D capable (via active-shutter glasses), it’ll
get you a 100in image for under a grand.
X Standing to Wii: Nintendo GamePad cradle
and stand
Price: $30
Website: www.nintendo.com
Depending on the bundle you buy, one of
these might come in the box - if not, make it the first upgrade you get. The
GamePad isn’t much use without charge and this cradle takes care of it
elegantly.
