The Syfy Online NetworkSCI FI WireDVICEFidgit

We love technology. We want to know about it, write about it, and shake it till it breaks. Part of the Syfy Network, DVICE has a worldwide team of writers who constantly immerse themselves in the tech world, distilling the sometimes-excessive information out there to bring you only what you need to know.

Video
 
12 DAYS OF GADGET GIFTS

Related Sections: Gift Guide  Kitchen  Lists

7 gadget gifts that will never go out of style

7 gadget gifts that will never go out of style

It can be hard to give a gadget as a good gift. Finding that thoughtful addition to someone else's high-tech arsenal means giving something they'll always have a use for. It's daunting, sure, but with a little forethought the awkwardness of a useless gizmo as a present can be easily avoided.

Or, hey: skip the forethought and let us do it for you. Click Continue to see seven gadget gifts that will never go out of style.



Click on any image to see it enlarged.



Gift-guide-style-Polk-LSi25-Speakers.jpg
1. Polk LSi25 Speakers
Audio technology comes and audio technology goes, but one thing remains the same: fidelity. Over the years, audio has gone from vinyl records to DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby TrueHD and beyond, but speakers have remained generally the same — a voice-coil moving a diaphragm through air. These LSi25 speakers add quite a bit on top of that, using a mirrored layout for accurate stereo imaging with a built-in 150-watt powered 10" subwoofer, two 5-1/4" woofers, and a 1" tweeter to produce a frequency range of 20Hz to 27kHz. While technologies exist that produce higher frequencies, only your dog will hear them, so for us mere humans, these beauties by Polk will be relevant for years to come. Even if wireless speakers become the norm, the reliability and robustness of good wired speakers won't let your giftee down.
Price: $2,800 for the pair



Gift-guide-style-Leatherman-Damascus-Wave-Multi-tool.jpg
2. Leatherman Damascus Wave Multi-tool
A multi-tool is truly a gift that never stops giving, whether the lucky recipient is heading out on a hike, bike ride or just a working around the house. So why not splurge for a good one? The Damascus Wave is a 17-tools strong, with the usual bits such as Philips tips and eyeglass screwdrivers, and Damascus steel knife blades that are forged and etched with a distinctive wavy pattern and function like switchblades to make it quick and easy when you need to cut something. The Wave comes with a leather sheath that — appropriately — will only improve with age.
Price: $550



Gift-guide-style-LX200ACF-Telescope.jpg
3. Meade 12-inch LX200ACF Telescope
Stars have been around for eons, and will be around for eons to come, fueling mankind's endless fascination with the galaxy and beyond. The Meade LX200ACF is an advanced coma-free telescope with lock-down features to produce great photos even with very long exposure times. It comes with a GPS receiver for accurate location and time/date information to make alignment a snap. It also comes with the Meade AutoStar II Hand Controller for access to a database of 145,000 celestrial objects. To future-proof the telescope, it can be updated with software upgrades and new information about things like comets, or any asteroids headed for our fair planet.
Price: $4,500



Gift-guide-style-Patek-Philippe-Star-Caliber.jpg
4. Patek Philippe Star Caliber 2000G
Nothing is as timeless as a well-made watch, and few watches are as well made as those by Patek Philippe. The Star Caliber 2000G is a manually-wound timepiece available in white, yellow or rose gold bodies, or platinum. All versions have two faces: one with the earth in its galaxy, and one with more information than you could imagine on an analog watch face, such as the season, leap year and sunrise/sunset. It even plays the chimes from London's Westminster clock (otherwise known as Big Ben) as a testament to its design. Only two watches are produced a year with over 1,000 parts in each. A watch like this will be a valuable asset forever for anyone, if you can afford it.
Price: Upwards of $7.5 million, if you can find one



Gift-guide-style-Bodum-New-Kenya-Tea-Press.jpg
5. Bodum New Kenya Tea Press
Coffee gets too much of the spotlight — tea is where it's at. The beverage has been around since a leaf blew into a pot of boiling water in ancient China around 10,000 BC and is still going strong, so it's easy to see its lasting power. The Bodum New Kenya Tea Press is a simple way to brew the perfect cup of the timeless elixir, with a carafe made from heat-resistant glass, protected by an elegant plastic frame. A glass container is ideal for brewing tea because you can see how dark the brew is — perfect for determining strength. Once you squish the leaves, the brewing process stops, keeping your tea from getting bitter. Tea — and tea brewing — hasn't changed much in centuries. "If it ain't broke," well, you know the rest.
Price: $34



Gift-guide-style-MoMA-cups.jpg
6. MoMA Adjustable Measuring Cups
What aspiring chef doesn't have a collection of useless gadgets cluttering up every drawer in the kitchen? Specialized gadgets that are used once a year, if ever. However, a good set of measuring cups is indespensible, and will always be handy. These measuring cups from the Museum of Modern Art in New York elevate the simple measuring device into, well, art. Instead of a bunch of different sized cups, this is one cup that can be adjusted for liquids or dry goods. Even if one doesn't cook, having an accurate measuring cup will help anyone keep portion sizes under control — which is just a healthier way to prepare food, besides.
Price: $18



Gift-guide-style-Custom-Luna-Cycles-Bicycle.jpg
7. Custom Luna Cycles Bicycle
New ways of getting around are thought up all the time, but for a ride that will fit you for the rest of your active life, consider a custom bicycle. If you've been trying to get your girl to cycle with you but she's never comfortable, a custom-built bike is the way to go for a ride that's truly designed for her. Luna Cycles are built by a woman for women. It's more expensive than a stock bike, but since it's built for the rider's body dimensions, it can be significantly more comfortable and will be right for a lifetime, from the get-go.
Price: Frames starting at $1,500



Click on any image to see it enlarged.

Need more ideas? Then check out one of our other gift guides, part of 12 Days of Gadgets here on DVICE:

Day One: 7 gadget gifts that will never go out of style
Day Two: 6 tech gifts billionaires are giving each other this year
Day Three: Giving a Kindle? Check out these 8 other e-readers first
Day Four: 8 offensive gadget gifts for the frenemies in your life
Day Five: 6 absurd gadget gifts your girlfriend will dump you over
Day Six: 5 classic sci-fi gadgets guaranteed to please your geekiest beloved
Day Seven: The DVICE guide to buying an HDTV in the off season
Day Eight: 7 awesome tech toys you can't buy in America
Day Nine: 7 gifts steampunks are giving each other this year
Day Ten: 6 gifts for if we lived in the retro tomorrow of yesterday
Day Eleven: 7 tech gifts you'll have to wait until next year to buy
Day Twelve: 5 holiday tech gifts that just might save the planet

 
Send-A-Friend
(8) COMMENTS

slyfx:
if some one gave me that watch i would use it to rule the world....More »


Comments

By Daniel at 10:02 AM ON 11/23/09

If someone gave me that watch as a gift I would sell it and buy a house and retire.

By processfive at 11:21 AM ON 11/23/09

That MoMA adjustable measuring cup seems like a great idea, but in practice it completely sucks. the adjustable bottom doesn't seal properly, so unless you're only measuring very thick liquids, the contents tend to drain out of the main section into the area beneath the adjustable bottom... making for inaccurate measurements unless you're really quick. The adjustable bottom also doesn't hold in place under pressure, so you can't really use it to scoop and measure ingredients... you have to spoon them into the measuring cup, or scoop and then readjust, sending excess content over the edges, making a mess in the process.

Finally, the thing is a pain in the ass to clean.

It may never go out of style, but it will also never get much use. I would never give one to someone that I like.

By 7Gadgets at 1:45 PM ON 11/23/09

7 is my lucky number :)

By Dvice Reader at 3:32 PM ON 11/23/09

Well, something that's always handy, for me, is a pen. And I like simple, well-designed ones, such as the following:

http://www.magnet-pen.com/en/index.php

By Truthteller at 12:02 AM ON 11/25/09

Yes, because most people who read this blog can afford 'splurging' on $550 knives, let alone 1500 for a freaking bike. Jee-sus.

By sherpa at 7:22 AM ON 11/25/09

uh... 1500 for a bike is low mid range.

but enjoy riding your walmart bikes before they come apart on you.

By sigmoid59 at 2:40 PM ON 11/27/09

look closer, that is $1500.00 for the"FRAME"

By slyfx at 12:25 PM ON 11/30/09

if some one gave me that watch i would use it to rule the world.


Leave a Comment


Type the characters you see in the picture above.

(Please be patient, it may take a moment for your comment to appear.)

Get the latest tech news
on your cellphone!
Text DVICE to 72434
DVICE on your iPhone
Follow DVICE on Twitter
Editor: Peter Pachal
editor@dvice.com
©2010, Syfy. All rights reserved.