Back in the day when you were too short to ride the tilt-a-whirl or dance comfortably with a member of the opposite sex, your mother always said that good things come in small packages. We couldn’t agree more, especially when it comes to electronics. We want gadgets that are small, portable and attractive. We want them to make our friends jealous. We want them to make complete strangers stare with envy on the train. And we want them to make us feel a little (okay, a lot) like 007.
Our latest tech lust list will accomplish all of the above and then some. You see, we also have an undeniable thing for ’80s neon, and these techno-brights are the most covetable of the latest look-at-me gear. Plus, they’re proof that bigger isn’t always better, even though brighter definitely is.
1) Flipping Out: We know, we know. When it comes to shooting video, you could give Spielberg and Scorsese a run for their money. Weighing in at only 3.3 ounces, the Flip MinoHD video camera has all you need to create instant YouTube classics. Need more reasons to cough up the $199 it takes to call one of these tiny wonders your own? How about the opportunity to show off your artistic side? Flip is now giving you the ability to completely customize the look of your video camera with the design of your choosing—or the many clever designs available on the site. (We’re partial to the blue boombox and Charlie Brown throwback.) Could you be more ready to shoot the next Evolution of Dance masterpiece? Flip MinoHD, theflip.com.
2) Built to Rock: We recall our Lego days fondly. And we maintain that there is no shame in admitting that, if we still had a tub of Lincoln Logs, we would build a log McMansion that would make Davy Crocket’s coonskin hat spin. It’s no surprise that we would proudly celebrate our love of building blocks with this iPod brick, a stereo speaker that plugs into your iPod and pumps out amazing sound with its active bass system. The little Lego o’ love works with the iPod (3-5th Gen), iPod Nano (1-4th Gen), iPod Mini, iPod Classic and iPod Touch. Building Brick iPod Speaker, thinkgeek.com.
3) Yes, That Is a Computer in My Pocket: The Sony VAIO P Series notebook is the ultimate go-anywhere computer. It not only weighs a mere 1.4 pounds, but it’s also roughly the size of a business envelope, which means it’s built to fit in a jacket pocket. Translation: Unlike the bulky, overstuffed George Costanza wallet, it’s as slim as most cell phones, so you won’t even know it’s there. Throw in an eight-inch LED backlit ultra-wide display and a convenient quick-boot option for lightning-fast access to the web, email and more, and you’re enviably wired. VAIO P Series Lifestyle PC, Sony.
4) Do the Shuffle: If the iPod Shuffle continues the never-ending disappearing act—the newest iteration is now half the size of the last generation—it may get lost among all of our pocket lint. When the folks at Apple dubbed the Shuffle “the world’s smallest music player,” they weren’t joking. It’s smaller than a house key, and it now talks to you, giving you all the info you need about song titles, artists and playlists. Plus, the Apple geniuses moved the controls to the earphone cord—no more fumbling when you want to skip or hit pause. So, clip it on, turn it up and tune out. We know we will. 4GB iPod Shuffle, Apple.
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These are on my Christmas list fo sho. I’m really digging that boombox Flip, and you can’t beat Lego anything. Sweet stuff and awesome write-ups.