Freaking Out About Finding a Special Gift? Here are the Fab Five!! @Lelo_Sweden @JamSpeaker @Office365 @TrellieConnect

The holidays are always a good time to let someone special know you are thinking of them. If you’ve been in a relationship for a long time, you probably already know what your special someone likes, but if you are jut at the start of a relationship, ” to gift, or not to gift” can be fraught with anxiety  (Read:  I Got Him A Gift, But He Didn’t Get Me One. Now What?  ).  Both Tony and I agree that (as Tony put it best) “Gifts are like hugs. They acknowledge our existence and worth, and  they make us feel warm and happy.”). Any gift you give, no matter how small or how spectacular, should be given in the spirit of love and generosity.  With that in mind, here are a few ideas that while range from practical, to  intimate.   You can always re-tweet/pin/email/copy/Faceboook, etc.  this page with your favorites marked and hope someone takes the hint, or get what you want for yourself.

 

Bluetooth devices from HDMX make music sound great, listening a lot more fun (and fashionable).  You get quality and decent sound, for very reasonable prices. Bluetooth music devices make great holiday gifts but some of them really are very pricey. Thank heavens HDMX has plenty of them at down to Earth prices. For example, this HDMX Jam Party Wireless Bluetooth Stereo Speaker (Srp. $199.99).

The mini boom box with retractable, rubberized handle isn’t much larger than a box of crackers, but it delivers great sound from your iPod, smart phones or other such devices from up to 30′ away, and the rechargeable battery lasts for up to 12 hours, making it the perfect party partner. This Jan Party Wireless Bluetooth Stereo Speaker is easy, and chic.

Even the outer box it arrives in is re-useable and good for travel. The controls are super simple with a power button, play, forward, reverse, and volume controls plus a battery light indicator. There is a little, flip out stand for stability. And the jam party comes in party colors, like hot pink, bright blue, yellow, and  chic grey. Pairing was so easy, it took literally,s econds. If your device isn’t bluetooth enbles, there is a cable to connect it to the box. As to the sound, it’s not quite the same as concert hall, but two stereo speakers deliver a nice bass and quite a bit of volume, enough to annoy your neighbors!  This is one you can justify getting for yourself for that holiday party you’re about to have, or for that intimate gathering, just for two.

To get this and other innovative HDMX audio products, visit http://www.hmdxaudio.com/products.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The other day I saw some pay phones in an airport. I had to do a double-take to remember what they were. Most everyone just uses a mobile or a smart phone now. In the old days, “high tech” meant getting a box that could amplify the sound of the land line phone, turning it into a speaker phone. In the digital age of smart phones, the Audiovox Soundflow Soundboard  is an easy way to make your smartphone into a speakerphone that actually sounds good, and you don’t even need a hookup, You just put your phone on the board.  This is a clever gadget that doesn’t cost a lot, and would be a fun gift for someone who is constantly on the phone (Read: Her Phone Won’t Leave Us Alone ).  The Soundflow Soundboard makes it easy to get big (or at least, bigger) sound by simply pressing  play on your smartphone, place it on the soundboard, and et the music, play! It is sleek, and doesn’t take up a lot of room on your workspace. It’s $29.99 and is available in black, white or wood grain to match your  decor. It works with any smartphone with an external speaker and is compatible with iPhones, iPods, and Android devices (there is an enclosed cable to hook those up if needed). It is also a good speakerphone. There is a built-in passive radiator to (moderately) enhance bass effect. Other bells and whistles include a LED power indicator, Volume controls, 3.5mm Aux input, Power Options: Micro-USB input or 3 x AA batteries (sold separately). and includes the Includes: Soundboard, 3.5mm aux input cable, Micro-USB cable. There is also a 1-year limited warranty.

Check out the Soundflow Soundboard at: http://store.audiovox.com/

 

 

 

Software is always a great gift for those who like tech toys and things to make life easier and more fun, too.  One gift that keeps on giving, is Microsoft Office 365 and you can share it on several computers.   The home version is compatible with Windows 7, Windows 8, and Mac OS X 10.6 or later and you get the software for  5 PCs or Macs plus a few other devices. You get Skype (60 minutes of Skype calls per month), and +20GB SkyDrive storage.  If your special someone travels a lot or is overseas, SKYPE is a really great bonus. The Home Version is  $9.99 per month or $99.00 per year.  I love the fact that you can open PDF files as word document. That makes it so much easier (especially as a writer who gets a lot of PDF files, but needs to take content off  PDFs all the time).  There is a student version as well, and it includes includes everything in the home version, which would be Word, Excel, OneNote, PowerPoint ….makes an  which makes an affordable gift (see below –but anyone can get a month free trial — consider it a a free gift for yourself! The home version is compatible with Windows 7, Windows 8, and Mac OS X 10.6 or later and you get the software for 5 PCs or Macs plus a few other devices. You get Skype (60 minutes of Skype calls per month), and +20GB SkyDrive storage. This version is $9.99 per month or $99.00 per year. I love the fact that you can open PDF files as word document. That makes it so much easier (especially as a writer who gets a lot of PDF files, but needs to take content off PDFs all the time).

What’s really great about Office 365 is that you can get so much DONE with it. In fact, recently Microsoft had events all around the world on Novenber 7th deemed Get It Done Day, to spark action for people who seek to balance life’s demands on their own terms. From the streets of New York to Paris, Canada to Mexico, Asia to Australia, and online. Microsoft got people sharing their stories and photos to inspire others with how technology can help them get things done. You can read a survey about using technology to be more productive. I attended an event in Times Square and it was cold (but the Microsoft guy with the big orange “Get it Done” arrow was all smiles). And if you are worried about losing stuff (I have had many a rough night with a rogue document that I really needed but couldn’t find), All your work is stored automatically in the cloud with SkyDrive for easy access and you can also share it with others, from anywhere.  This would make a great group gift, too.  

You can find all the versions of Office 365 and lots more in the Microsoft Store:http://www.microsoftstore.com/

 

 Trellie ($54.99).  sounds like it might be a furry little creature of the sort you might have seen in a Star Trek episode, but while it’s a bit “space-age-y” it’s not a pet. It could become a new best friend accessory, however, or one that you’d want to give to someone special for the holidays The Trellie is a Bluetooth-enabled device that you hang from your purse, tote, jeans, etc. What it does is sync to your phone, so when you get a phone call, a light blinks to tell you so. There are times when you can’t hear your phone. but when you see the light flashing on the Trellie, you’ll know because Trellie will tell you that you have an incoming call to your mobile phone through blue and white flashing LED lights. Miss a call and Trellie switches to a slower intermittent blue flash. This will continue until you place or receive a new call/ You manually stop it by pressing the Trellie button on the device or after one hour has elapsed. The Trellie works with any phone that has Bluetooth technology (for a complete list, click HERE). Trellie runs on two standard, replaceable “AAA” batteries. Pairing took seconds following easy instructions. The slim trellie is not much larger than a lipstick tube, and it’s lightweight. You can suspend it from the keychain it comes with or hang it from a ribbon or whatever you wish. It comes in gold or silver. The day after I got my Trellie I hung it on my purse. I went to an luncheon event and while I was eating, I got a call. I couldn’t hear it, but the editors around me saw the light. It caused a minor sensation! It’s a novelty, but one that makes life easier — you never know, that phone call you see blinking on the Trellie might be the one that changes your life — and you don’t want to miss it!  Never miss your lover’s calls again beause Trellie is, effective, and frankly, fun to use. 

You can get Trellie in a number of places, but the official web site is : http://trellie.com/

Personal relaxation devices (call them vibrators if you must) are very intimate gifts, but they will make an open minded woman’s eyes light up (if only in private). Consider that this might be the one gift you can justify giving yourself, as well. There are many different types, and of course, different price points. You can find them for men, women and couples, of course. But LELO is a very special company that makes devices so beautiful, they are literally works of art. The company calls them “personal pleasure” devices. I’d have to agree that they offer pleasure to all the senses.

The new LELO Ida ($199.00) is not just beautiful, it is unique in some very specific ways. For starters, it’s made to be enjoyed by couples, worn by a woman, while she and her partner are making love. It is the world’s first remote-controlled couples massager that rotates and vibrates. The round remote-control has SenseMotion™ technology, which means that the person controlling it feels the same thing that the woman wearing the vibrator, is feeling. There are 8 Stimulation Modes (6 Standard, 2 Motion-Sensitive). There is a travel lock on it so you don’t get quizzical looks from security at the airport, or anywhere else. The LELO Ida has a smooth and soft, body-safe silicone covering that is 100% Waterproof & Rechargeable via wall socket (90-day standby time and 2 hours use) and it has a 1-Year Warranty & 10 Year Quality Guarantee. The Ida comes in rose, cerise (cherry) and black with elegant gold hardware. It is so attractive to look at, you might be tempted to just keep it out on your night-stand as an object d’art.

You can also a similar model to the Ida called LELO Tara ($149.00) that has some of the same functions, including a circular g-spot massage for her and 6 synchronized rotation and vibration patterns operated with a 2-button interface, USV rechargeable with a 90-day standby time and 2 hours use, and 100% waterproof and submersible to a depth of 3e feet. Tara is available in deep rose, black and midnight blue. But it doesn’t have the remote, which makes it less interactive, although still fun for him and her.

We will reviewing additional “Pleasure Objects” from LELO in 2014, The LELO IDA or TARA would make a special gift for a couple to give each other. For more information and to order visit:   http://www.lelo.com