3. Sleek Headset
Too sexy for your ears: Jabra's JX20 Pura.Describing a headset as "sexy" is kinda like calling braces "cool." The two words just don't mix. Yet Jabra's latest is, indeed, one sexy hunk of metal. Introduced at CES, the JX20 Pura is the follow-up to the company's stylish but aging JX10. Crafted by acclaimed European industrial designer Jacob Jensen, who has devised numerous products for Bang & Olufsen, the JX20 Pura exudes luxury from every brushed anodized titanium pore. Weighing in at less than half an ounce, the $179 Pura (due out in May 2008) comes with a matching desk stand, two different ear-hook sizes, and your pick of ear-gel inserts (various sizes and shapes) so you can find the most comfortable fit. The headset lasts for about 6 hours of talk time on one charge, and the earpiece itself rotates to power the device on or off, thereby preserving the minimalist design.
4. Uber Charger
Callpod's Chargepod has more arms than a starfish and is perfect for charging multiple devices on the road.For gadget fiends, packing for a trip is like preparing a picnic lunch for a group of kids with different food allergies. There's a lot to keep track of, and inevitably you forget something vital (cell phone charger, gluten-free bread, etc.). The Chargepod, from Callpod, simplifies things.
This $50 dongle sports six charging stations, so you can juice all of your portable electronics from one outlet, without having to lug a tangle of cables and chargers in your carry-on bag. Besides the springing for the Chargepod itself, you'll have to invest in adapters for your various gadgets. At $10 a pop, they're not cheap, but adapters are available for a multitude of devices, including iPods and iPhones; most brands of cell phone; Sony and Nintendo gaming handhelds; and Bluetooth headsets from companies like Jabra, Plantronics, and Motorola. If you don't mind spending the dough, it's a great way to lighten your load.
5. Sweet Speaker
Samsung's YA-BS900 wireless speaker features three embedded 10-watt speakers for superior sound production from mobile devices.Who says you have to play your mobile music through a tin-can-quality cell phone speaker? Samsung's YA-BS900 wireless speaker, due out in March 2008, will jump you to the opposite extreme, pumping out great-sounding tunes from your cell (or Bluetooth-equipped MP3 player) through its trio of high-end 10-watt speakers. Samsung also touts the speaker's "three-channel surround sound," which is supposed to make you feel as though you're standing at the center of your music. A 2008 CES Innovations award winner, the BS900 comes with a remote control, and line-in and USB ports for hooking up other music sources. It also allows you to turn down the volume if you get a call, and it can turn itself on whenever you walk by it with a paired device in hand. Though Samsung hasn't yet settled on a price for the speaker, the BS900 is unlikely to be a bargain when it arrives--but what other device even knows when you're in the room?
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