Holiday comes to us: a review of NG-gifts for geeks

" Winter is near, " ladies and gentlemen. New Year is just around the corner, and it's time to think about gifts to friends, and at the same time not to forget about yourself, loved ones. Today we would like to present you a small selection of gadgets and souvenirs that would be nice to receive as a gift to any geek in the best sense of the word - a person who is passionate about modern high technologies.

The items chosen by us do not claim to be the most advanced and high-tech. We tried to find such gadgets that would be interesting and not raspiarenny at every corner. I hope we did it. Another caveat: not all of the gadgets presented here can be bought before the New Year, but we believe that they are worth being mentioned here. So let's go!

Hidden earHero headphones

Both conventional in-ear headphones and “plug” headphones have a number of advantages and disadvantages. However, for someone the main disadvantage may be their visibility. In the lives of many of us, there were situations when you want to listen to music or watch a video at the wrong time, for example, during a lecture or in the workplace. And even modern compact headphones can cause "failure" in front of the teacher or boss. In such cases, earHero earpieces may be the best choice.
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A very small speaker in a transparent case is inserted deep into the ear canal. Do not be afraid, it cannot fall completely deep, for this purpose there is a special stop, also made of transparent plastic.

The headphone wire also has transparent insulation to reduce visibility.

Of course, these headphones will be useful not only for students and staff-music lovers, but also for sports fans: earHero is much better in ears than any gagging headphones, let alone ordinary plug-in ones.

Specification:

Do not interfere with hearing surrounding sounds
Sensitivity: 103.5 ± 3 dB
Resonant frequencies: F1 peak: 2100 - 2500 Hz, F2 peak: 4500 - 5000 Hz
Impedance: 15.5 ± 1.8 ohms at 1 kHz
DC resistance: 12.8 ± 1.5 Ohm
Dimensions: 4.3 x 5.6 x 2.8 mm
Weight: ≤0.27 gr
3.5 mm plug
Note : These headphones perfectly cope with their purpose - to provide the possibility of wearing secret and listening to music while playing sports. Given the form factor, they are not designed for high-quality reproduction of powerful bass, ringing treble, etc.

Headphone cost: $ 149 excluding shipping.

Mycestro micromouse

It is probably wrong to call this device “mouse”, but the term “manipulator” sounds too clerical. Therefore, let it be a "micromouse." There are many examples of creating manipulators that can replace a traditional mouse. Mycestro has become one of the most successful attempts, embodying the compactness, ease and speed of access. Mycestro is simply worn on the index finger, the cursor is moved by a movement of the hand. The device itself tracks its position in three dimensions.

The touchpad, replacing the three buttons of the mouse and supporting the scrolling function, is controlled by your thumb.

The device is charged via the microUSB port. Working time is small and is about 8 hours, but this is quite enough for an ordinary working day.

In addition to the white version and the black one, Mycestro will be supplied in 4 more colors, but this is still a matter for the future:

Comes with software that allows you to configure the micromouse in the widest possible range:

The manufacturer has also taken care of left-handers, so you can order the device on your left hand.

Estimated cost of micromouse: $ 149 + $ 29.95 for international delivery.

Columns with built-in light fountain

In the novel The Idiot, Dostoevsky, through the mouth of one of his heroes, said that beauty would save the world. In the same novel, he wrote that "people can be beautiful and happy, not only in the afterlife." Our next gadget is about it: how can you become happy in this life with the help of beautiful things?

Bellagio’s small desktop stereo speakers were inspired by one of the most luxurious hotels in Las Vegas.

Of course, the columns were named after him. Each column consists of two parts: at the bottom is a speaker, electronics and pumps, and the top is a transparent tank. While playing music inside the tanks, there are small fountains illuminated by four multi-colored LEDs. Imagine how beautiful it will look in the dark, how the room or office will be lit!

Columns are supplied already filled with water and fully ready for use. Connect via USB, powered from the network.

The dimensions of each column: 22 x 6 x 6 cm.

Cost: $ 50 excluding delivery.

Neptune Pine SuperWatches

As in the case of the micromouse, the idea of creating a universal device based on a wristwatch is not new. It is very tempting to have a device on your wrist that can make phone calls, send SMS, take photos and videos, and also do a lot of useful things for its owner. Neptune Pine became one of the most successful implementations of this idea.

The list of features of this gadget is really impressive, especially considering its size:
• Phone calls and SMS sending (virtual QWERTY-keyboard is implemented)

• Web surfing via WiFi or 3G
• Photo and video with two integrated cameras

• Voice recognition
• Ability to install as a DVR like a camera GoPro

The stated specifications:

Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 1.2Ghz Dual-Core Processor
2.4 ”TFT screen, touchscreen, capacitive
Screen resolution 320 x 240
Wireless connection:
- 2G: GSM / GPRS / EDGE 850, 900, 1700, 1900
- 3G: UMTS / HSPA + / WCDMA 850, 1700, 1900, 2100
16 GB or 32 GB internal memory
Android OS Jelly Bean 4.1.2
Localization in 48 languages
Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n
Built-in GPS receiver
Bluetooth 4.0
Micro-SIM slot
Accelerometer, three-axis gyroscope, compass
Speaker and microphone
3.5 mm jack
Vibrating alert
5 megapixel main camera
2.4 megapixel front camera (VGA)
LED lights for both cameras
Built-in LiPo-810 mAh battery
- Voice: up to 8 hours on 2G, 6 hours on 3G
- Multimedia: up to 10 hours of music, 5 hours of video
- Internet: up to 7 hours on Wi-Fi
- Standby time: up to 120 h
IP67 water resistant

Comparison with competitors:

The estimated cost of the younger model with 16 GB of memory: $ 199 excluding delivery from Canada.

Universal Mobile Charger

The scourge of modern electronic gadgets - a short time. The capacity of the batteries (well, or the power consumption of the devices themselves, this is how to look) is today one of the main limiting factors in the development of wearable electronics. This is especially true for smartphone owners. Since science and industry in the near future do not promise the creation of a breakthrough technology in the field of batteries, we have to invent other ways to protect ourselves from being left without communication at the right time.

The charger, worn on the wrist, will help you recharge a variety of devices, such as smartphones and game consoles. The clear advantage is the mobility and convenience of this “charging” compared to conventional solutions: you can connect the device and use it on the go, you do not need to take the “charge”, hold it in your hands or in your pocket, it is always at hand and does not take place in bag.

Specification:

Li-Ion battery (1,500 mAh)
Input voltage: DC 5 V
LED indicator of operation and level of residual charge
On / off button
Dimensions: 256 x 34 x 12 mm
Weight: 82 g

Supported connectors:

Apple 30-pin adapter for devices:
- iPhone 4 / 4S
- iPad 3
- iPod 6
- iPod Touch 4
- iPod Nano 6
- iPod Shuffle 4
Mini USB adapter
Sony PSP adapter
NDS Lite Adapter
Nokia 2.0 mm adapter
Samsung F480 adapter

Equipment:

Charger
Mini-USB to USB cable
Cable for connecting rechargeable devices
6 adapters

Cost: $ 26 excluding delivery.

OSM: a toy for spatial manipulation

This thing is not a gadget, but it caught our attention for what reason. Many people have a habit of twirling something in their hands while thinking or during a telephone conversation. Usually it is a pen or some other item from office supplies. Many begin to click the knob button, which is very annoying to others. OSM (Object for spatial manipulation - an object for spatial manipulation) is not only an ideal candidate for the role of “turning in hands”, but also an excellent anti-stress toy.

You can put together several OSM, - by the way, this name contains a pun, the producer suggests pronouncing this abbreviation as “awesome”, and you’ll get a mesmerizing kaleidoscopic “twist” of even larger size.

I do not know about you, but we just “stuck” on this eternal “turning inside out”.

Cost: $ 10 excluding delivery.

Manuka gyro

Another negjadget on our list. Moreover, it will go on sale only in September 2014. However, this gyroscope at work looks so magically that I just want to say: “I do not believe it!”

Perhaps it will be one of the best anti-stress that we met. It will look very stylish even on the table at the CEO, especially if you buy a damn elegant stand for him.