Gifts, Gadgets and Tech for the Holidays

The Ultimate Hands-Free Headset
Whether you work in a traditional office or a home office, you aren’t always at your desk. A wireless hands-free headset can give you the freedom to move around, while still being connected, and the new Plantronics Voyager Pro HD is taking this convenience several steps further. With Smart Sensor technology, the phone knows when to send calls to your headset or your mobile device, plus it has the very cool Vocalyst service that lets you manage email, voicemail, text, check the weather and even update Facebook. (TV voice: But wait, there’s more!) The Voyager also offers voice alerts, brilliant HD music and podcast streaming, and multipoint technology for managing two phone devices at the same time. ($99; www.plantronics.com)

Backed Up, Even On-the-Go
Even when you’re on the road or working from multiple computers, it’s critical to make sure that your work is secure, protected and backed up to a reliable location. The Echo 8GB Backup Drive from Lexar offers added assurance, providing a high-performance flash drive that easily plugs into a USB port and can automatically back up and store your important files, sporting 128-bit AES encryption. Users can also restore previous versions of files, and the handy gadget can work with PCs and Macs. ($29.99; www.lexar.com)

Give the Brush-Off with Dust-Off
What is it with gadgets and home electronics that attracts dust and grime? Whatever the cause, keeping them clean can be important not only for visual quality, but also to help extend the life of your devices. Don’t clean them with window cleaners or other solvents, though, since different devices use different materials that can be harmed by those harsh detergents. Be safe and use one of the Dust-Off solutions from Falcon, which include cleaners and microfiber wipes specifically designed for cleaning smartphone screens, computer monitors, tablet screens, and LCD, LED and Plasma televisions. ($2.99-$9.99; www.falconsafety.com)

Keep an Eye On Things
You can’t be everywhere at the same time, and when you’re mobile, you leave your home and office unattended. You can keep an eye on things, though, with iZON Remote Room Monitor, an elegant, “app-controlled” video camera that connects via Wi-FI, allowing you to view live or recorded encrypted video and audio from an iPad, iPhone or iPod. The camera can also alert you when it senses motion or sound. Great for the home, office, baby’s room or even aimed at the front door. ($129; www.steminnovation.com)

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JUST FOR FUN

The Future’s So Cool, You Gotta Wear 3D Shades
The latest big development in home entertainment is 3D, and prices are coming quickly into the realm of mainstream consumers. While that’s great news, even better is that you don’t need those old blue and red paper glasses that were staples of 3D movies from the 1950s through the 1990s. Better yet, the new Perfect Vision 3D Glasses from Polaroid are truly cool. With custom women’s and men’s models tailored to the latest design trends, they may not look like 3D shades. But they really deliver and are RealD certified to give you the highest quality experience. And if you want to wear the fashionable specs outdoors, they also offer full UV protection. Polaroid also offers slip-over shades for eyeglass wearers. (From $45; www.polaroid-eyewearstore.com)

Add Some Culture to Your Holidays
Have you considered adding a Vincent van Gogh to your living room? Or perhaps one of Cézanne’s works? Now you can, and without robbing a bank or “borrowing” them from a gallery. With the Museum of Modern Art (DVD and Blu-ray) from Screen Dreams, you can enjoy 50 masterworks from New York’s MOMA, including paintings by modern and contemporary artists … accompanied by classical musical performances. This is an excellent addition when hosting friends and family, or for relaxing when the rush of the season has passed. ($15; www.screendreamsdvd.com)

Hydrate!
With all of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it’s easy to forget one of the keys to healthy living: Hydrate! Instead of carrying around plastic disposable water bottles, add some style to your fluid intake with one of Contigo’s BPA-free AutoSeal Bottles and Insulated Mugs. They come in several sleek designs and sizes from 16 to 32 ounces, such as the Blue Addision, which features a push button AutoSpout, or the West Loop Stainless Steel vacuum insulated travel mug, which can keep cold things cold for up to 16 hours, and hot things hot for up to six hours. (From $13; www.gocontigo.com)