This article was published on December 5, 2013

Gift guide: Quirky gadgets and accessories for geeks


Gift guide: Quirky gadgets and accessories for geeks

What do you get for the gadget geek with seemingly everything? Here are some ideas for gifts that offer something a bit different and have their own unique sense of style.

Slate Mobile AirDesk

Designed for the kind of person who prefers to work from the sofa rather than the office, the Slate Mobile AirDesk is cut from premium bamboo and includes holes to keep your laptop cool and a slot for a smartphone. $110.

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Slate Mobile AirDesk

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Pocket Projector Slim Collection

Whether it’s for watching a movie with friends or sharing photos from your vacation, the Pocket Projector Slim Collection is ready. It uses a standard HDMI connector so it’ll work with anything that supports HDMI-out, too. It comes with a 25 lumens bulb and promises 3.5 hours’ battery life. Charging over USB, it doubles as a portable charger for your other gadgets – a two-in-one gift. $199.

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Pocket Projector Slim Collection

P.A.C.O Gesture Control Speaker by Digital Habit(s)

Gesture control is becoming increasingly common when it comes to TVs. This Bluetooth speaker takes the concept to audio, letting you control playback by waving your hands above it. $611.

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P.A.C.O. Gesture Control Speaker

Spotter Multipurpose Sensor

Want to check on what’s happening at home while you’re away? Leave this sensor there and it’ll let you monitor motion, loud noises, light, temperature, and humidity from your iOS or Android device. $55.

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Spotter Multipurpose Sensor

Beat Bottle

The two things most people need at the gym are a drink to stay hydrated, and a smartphone to stay in touch with the world and to play music from. The Beat Bottle means you’ll only need to carry one item around with you. Pour in your (cold) drink, slot in an iPhone and you’re good to go. $20.

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Beat Bottle

Cabelet Charging Bracelet by Kyte&Key

Smartphone batteries don’t last as long as we’d like them to, meaning that a USB cable to let you charge from a computer is a must for many people when leaving the house for more than a couple of hours. It’s easy to lose that cable, and the Cabelet Charging Bracelet is a neat solution – you wear it on your wrist. It’s available for devices that charge with either Apple Lightning and Micro USB connectors. $70.

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The Cabelet

PowerCurl Mini

If you prefer to charge from the mains, this space-saving solution helps keep US-style Apple 5W USB power adapters neat and tidy. $10.

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PowerCurl Mini

Wireless Shower Speakerphone

Don’t want to miss important calls during your morning shower? The Wireless Shower Speakerphone essentially uses the tech from Bluetooth headsets but makes it suitable for hanging in the bathroom. It doubles a speaker for playing music, too, so you can have a dance in the shower. Don’t slip! $90.

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Wireless Shower Speakerphone

Diana F+ Metropolis Camera

For someone looking to get into the world of Lomography, this eye-catching recreation of a classic camera is an ideal gift. Shoot square retro-tinged images on 120 film in two sizes with this quirky analog device. $99.

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Diana F+ Metropolis Camera

Mist Screen Cleaning Blocks

Keep your computer screen clean with this combined spray and sponge, available in orange or green. $23.

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Mist Screen Cleaning Blocks

Egg Minder Smart Egg Tray

For the kind of person who takes egg-eating very seriously, the Egg Minder Smart Egg Tray is a perfect gift. It connects to a smartphone wirelessly to let you track the number of eggs you have and when they’re going bad. $70.

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Egg Minder Smart Egg Tray

iRecorder iPhone Speaker

Tape decks like this used to be sought-after items. While no-one is keen for a return to the days of ‘Press record, play and pause together’, the iRecorder is a neat retro gift for an iPhone-loving friend or loved one with a long memory. Slot your iPhone into the ‘cassette slot’ and it acts as a speaker. $50.

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iRecorder iPhone Speaker

Pivot Acoustic Amp by Koostik

If you’re looking for a portable iPhone speaker but don’t want to have to worry about charging it, the Pivot Acoustic Amp will use its own wooden body to boost the sound of your phone’s in-built speakers. It’s designed for the iPhone 4, 4S, 5 and 5s, and even promises to work with cases up to 0.5 inches thick. $75.

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Pivot Acoustic Amp by Koostik

Nimbus Smart Dashboard + Clock

If you’re a data fiend, these customizable desktop gauges could be just the trick. Each one can be assigned to track a variety of different types of data. The time; calendar appointments; traffic and commute times; weather; the amount of email you have to deal with; Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram activity; FitBit data and more can all be displayed. $130.

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Nimbus Smart Dashboard + Clock

Bag Light

This is a simple but brilliant idea for people who keep losing things in their big bags. The Bag Light clips onto a bag strap, ready to be called into action next time you can’t find that important charging cable in the dark at an event. $12.

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Bag Light

Apple ID Tags by Buoy Tags

“Whose cable is this? Oh never mind, I’ll just take it,” is a common thought in modern-day homes and offices. These clip-on ID tags let you protect your own cables. They’re designed to look particularly good when attached to Apple cables. $15.

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Apple ID Tags by Buoy Tags

TaskOne iPhone Multi Tool Case

Smartphones can do so many things these days that you could call them modern-day Swiss army knives. However, if you’d like your phone to actually double as a Swiss army knife, this iPhone 5/5s case is for you. It packs in a 2.5″ knife with serrations, a 1.8″ saw blade, a bottle opener, six Allen wrenches and much more. $90.

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TaskOne iPhone Multi Tool Case

Disclosure: While we only ever write about products we think deserve to be on the pages of our site, The Next Web may earn a small commission if you click through and buy products from this guide.

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