By Gregg Ellman
@greggellman
The tech world has an endless supply of gift choices for this season’s dads and grads celebrations. The only problem you’ll have is narrowing your choice so I’ll make it easier with my random list.
Portable devices are great but many limit the amount of storage for digital files. Kingston’s wireless pocket sized Wi-Drive extends the capacity of your portable devices up to 128GB.
The drive lets you store digital files including documents, videos and photos on the handheld device, which can be shared with up to three users simultaneously.
The Wi-Drive creates a WiFi network between the devices and once connected your streaming is just like the content is on your device itself.
To load data onto the drive, plug it into a computer via USB and it acts like an external drive.
A rechargeable battery is good for up to four hours of use before a USB charge is needed.
www.kingston.com/us 128GB $149.99, 64GB $89.99, $32GB $84.94
Canon’s PIXMA MX922 Office All-In-One (AIO) printer does it all, including my personal favorite feature _ an AirPrint wireless printing from an iPhone or iPad.
It’s built with a seemingly endless number of features including printing (WiFi, up to 8.5 x 11-inch borderless and PictBridge), copies, fax and dual sided scanning.
Scanning and copying can be done directly to a flash drive connected to the front side USB port or connected to a computer (Mac or Windows).
A 3-inch LCD is easy to read and navigate for setup and general use. It has a five-ink system with two blacks, cyan, magenta and yellow.
One of the black inks is a high-yield pigment black. This allows more documents to be printed without having to change the pigment black ink nearly as often.
Other features include direct CD or DVD printing, a 250-sheet paper tray along with a separate tray for 4-by-6 or 5-by-7-inch paper.
www.USA.Canon.com $139.99
The pocket sized Lyrix Duo is a 2-in-1 Bluetooth speaker, which comes along with a removable receiver.
Once the receiver is connected to any Bluetooth enabled device, the speaker can be placed up to 33-feet away for crystal clear sound. Volume can be controlled on your device or on the receiver.
The speaker has a suction cup to secure it to any flat surface including windshields for handsfree calls while driving.
A built-in battery charges up with a USB connection and will last for about 4 hours of sound.
www.digitaltreasures.com $49 available in red or blue
Kensington’s Contour overnight backpack ($78.58 ) is well made with a numerous number of pockets, which even includes a built-in liquid pouch.
You can fit up to a 15.6-inch laptop in a checkpoint-friendly design. All you do is unzip the compartments and lay it flat for the X-ray machine without having to remove the laptop.
In the front is a pocket organization system with multiple compartments to keep smaller items organized and padded’ adjustable straps let you get the right fit so you can avoid neck and shoulder strain.
Garmin’s nüvi 3597 personal navigation device has a 5-inch high-resolution (800 x 480 pixels) display that is only an amazing half inch deep.
The company has incorporated the “pinch and zoom” technology we have come to use in many of today’s smartphones, to give you a quick magnified view of specific information.
It comes with detailed maps of North America and HD Digital Traffic along with free lifetime updates for both.
Every feature you would want from a handheld GPS is built in, including Bluetooth, easy to understand driving directions and it works with Garmin’s Smartphone Link free mobile app for iPhone or Android.
This app allows the 3597 to share information with your phone such as where you parked and whether you are using your phone’s existing data plan.
www.garmin.com $349
If you go iPhone or iPad case shopping, your head will spin when you see the choices.
The Ainos wallet flip leather case is true to the word when a company representative described it to me as elegant, with its perfect design and glossy leather finish.
Just slide your device in; you’ll keep full access to the screen, ports and controls. The flip is built with a built-in magnetic system to keep the device closed when needed or easily opens.
The back of the case has three slots for credit cards, a drivers license or even cash.
www.mapicases.com $59 available in black, brown, red, tan and white
If power is your need, Mophie has a solution starting with the Mophie Juice Pack Helium ($79.95) iPhone case.
The ultra-thin case has a 1500mAH built-in battery that can give your phone a few charges.
Talk time can increase up to six hours, up to 30 hours of audio playback or seven hours of video watching.
A LED power indicator is on the back shows when the battery needs a charge (USB), which will also simultaneously charge your phone when they are connected.
Mophie’s Juice Pack Powerstation PRO ($99.95) has a 6,000mAH internal battery, which is capable of charging just about any portable USB device including power-hungry devices needing a 2.1amp charge.
It’s built with a tough design, which has an impact- and splash-resistant design that has been designed to international standards for dust and water resistance.
The Juice Pack Powerstation Duo ($99.95) also has a 6,000mAH battery and a pair of USB ports to charge two devices simultaneously, including 2.1amp devices.
The Duo doesn’t have the ruggedness of the PRO model and instead has a black soft-touch exterior.
The KeyFolio Expert is a multi-functional iPad case with a standard keyboard built into the case.
Just slide your iPad in the built-in bracket and pair the keyboard with Bluetooth. The keyboard has an internal battery (microUSB charged, cable included) good for an incredible 80 hours of use or 60 days of standby time.
Typing on the keyboard’s plastic keys is comfortable and makes a great replacement for the virtual keyboard on the tablet. It also has shift keys on both sides and two programable keys for iOS devices.
www.kensington.com $99.99
Contact Gregg Ellman at greggellman@mac.com.
Follow him on Twitter: @greggellman.
2013, Gregg Ellman.
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