More and more people are choosing to cut down on their coffee intake in favor of switching to tea as their hot beverage of choice. Whether you prefer Oolong, Black, Green, or White tea, you often hear reports that tea is healthier for you than coffee, and the latter certainly can cause jitters if you consume too much of it. If you would like to make drinking tea part of your daily routine, what better way than by treating yourself to a high-end tea machine like the Breville One-Touch Tea Maker? It is not cheap but it’s one of those gifts that might actually make sense over the long term because of the sheer amount of usage you likely get from it. This model allows you an unbelievable amount of control over water temperatures you can use to make your tea (from 160 degrees to 212 degrees in five-degree increments), as well as making liberal use of glass and stainless steel in its construction. This is truly a first class tea making machine. The Breville One-Touch Tea Maker is on sale at Amazon for $249.95.
While we are making increasing use of online software and file distribution via the cloud, CDs and DVDs are not yet a thing of the past. Until they are we still need a single device that can play just about every single disc format that you throw at it-DVD-RW – DVD+RW – CD-ROM – CD-RW- and if you are in need of a replacement device I can personally recommend this USB 8 X DVD / 24 X CD Portable External Super Multi Drive from LG. It might just be the last disc player you ever need to purchase. It’s extremely lightweight and compatible with both Mac and Windows systems, and you can even run it off of a single USB port on your computer, rather than having to deal with another power cord. It is cheap and extremely versatile and the LG USB DVD/CD Portable External Super Multi-Drive is available from Amazon for only $33.99.
If you normally transport your laptop computer in a soft backpack you’ve probably experienced that moment when you set it down too abruptly or bump it into a wall a little too hard. Hopefully it didn’t damage any of the functionality of your machine, but one way to avoid moments like this in the future is to purchase a hard case for your laptop. Granted it may be a little more difficult to carry around than a backpack, but especially if you use your computer regularly for business or on client calls, you’ll enjoy a much more professional look than a casual day pack. This attaché case made especially for laptop computers is being offered at a very steep discount from Amazon right now so if you’ve been thinking about upgrading to a more grown-up, professional solution for carrying around your laptop computer take a look at the Brancas Aluminum Laptop/Notebook Computer Attache Case, marked down from $229.95 to $76.99 at Amazon.
Every home needs at least one totally reliable flashlight for those times when the power goes out unexpectedly, or perhaps for the glove compartment of your car, for emergencies. Granted, you may not actually need a high-end Strion LED Flashlight, but if you want the ultimate in flashlight reliability it’s hard to imagine getting much better quality than this. We are talking about a flashlight made from Anodized machined aircraft aluminum here folks, which normally lists for $180, but at the moment Amazon has it on sale for approximately half off. It has variable intensity settings and the battery life varies accordingly, and there is also a strobe setting. Sometimes it’s better to buy one quality tool then a series of them over the years and this is is exactly what you’d be doing by purchasing the Streamlight 74301 Strion LED Flashlight. Get it at Amazon for $94.03.
We are all spending a lot less time than we used to in front of desktop computers, at single desk. Spending so much time online means that laptops and other portable solutions are much more popular than they’ve ever been before, and for this reason there is a critical need for better solutions to sitting in different locations and positions with your laptop. Whether you’re on the couch or sitting on your bed this Lapdesk from Logitech could totally change the way you work and play on your laptop. Not only does it include a quiet cooling fan to keep your computer from overheating, it also features embedded high-definition speakers on both sides of the platform. Power is supplied to the unit via USB from your laptop. This is high on my list of gifts for myself, because I’m tired of sitting uncomfortably with a hot laptop on my thighs! I’d expect that keeping my machine cooler should also prolong its life. Take a look at the Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N700, currently very reasonably priced from Amazon at $54.28.
Sleeping problems seem generally to be on the rise for many people nowadays unfortunately, especially those of us who work with computers for most of the day. One way to combat any problems you might be having is to purchase at this wake-up light by Philips, which may not make it easier to get to sleep each night but definitely will make it more pleasant to wake up. The basic idea is a familiar one: for approximately 30 minutes before you need to wake up the light will increase until you are gently awakened by an audio alarm clock that you can adjust for volume and type of sound. Imagine being woken up by wind chimes or birds chirping each morning rather than the rude awakening of your current antiquated alarm clock. This wake-up was actually recommended by the National Sleep Foundation, to provide a more pleasant experience of waking up and increase the likelihood that she’ll get up on the right side of the bed more often. The Philips Hf3485 Wake-up Light Plus, from Amazon at $74.27.
Licorice: you most likely either love it or you hate it, but if you are in that special minority that does enjoy it take a look at these exotic Panda Blueberry Licorice Chews, which will enable you to indulge your licorice hankering on the cheap by buying in bulk. Chances are that if you are licorice fan you’re already well aware of Panda, a company that produces high-end licorice with no artificial flavors or coloring, and no preservatives. Let’s face it, there are a lot worse things you could be munching on during a 12-hour coding session then licorice, so if you want a low-calorie, fat-free treat instead of another chocolate bar, take a look at these Panda Blueberry Licorice Chews, available from Amazon for $24.25 for a pack of six.
If you’re like me, some of your best memories of childhood are of sitting around the dining room table doing 1000-piece puzzles with your family for hours on end. There’s a certain meditative state one gets into doing puzzles, and this huge jigsaw puzzle entitled “Balloon Bonaza” might be a great gift to your family to encourage everybody to spend a little more quality time together over the next couple of weeks. In the age of the Internet we all seem to be sinking into our individual devices and Facebook accounts, and it strikes me that games and puzzles such as this-that require basic human interaction-might become more popular as time goes on. At any rate, even if you sit and do a puzzle like this on your own it might be a great counterpoint to being occupied with 15 browser tabs all day long. The Balloon Bonaza 1000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle is available from Amazon for only $16.99.
If you or your kids are fans of big sharks or radio controlled devices, or both, you’ll definitely want to check out this amazing radio controlled flying shark from air swimmers. You may have seen these advertised but take a closer look at the video below: the shark is made from nylon and filled with helium so that it stays aloft easily, making maneuvering the shark simple with the included, battery operated controller. This toy is recommended for children eight years old and up but strikes me as much less dangerous potentially than a radio-controlled helicopter or other fast-moving device. The shark is advertised to remain inflated for weeks after its initial filling. I have a funny feeling that adults will get a lot of enjoyment out of this as well: why not liven your next cocktail party and impress the ladies by bringing it along with you? This radio controlled flying shark is available from Amazon and is on sale at the moment for $14.95.
Whether you are a fan of puzzles and brain teasers or you simply enjoy having interesting-looking functional art objects on your desk, you should take a look at these multicolored Magnet Balls as a gift or for yourself. Made from rare earth magnets, the myriad shapes one could use them to create are virtually infinite and if you ever played with them before you know how easy it is to spend time manipulating them. For this reason I can see these colorful magnets functioning well as a stress reliever at the office or simply placed on the coffee table as a recharge mechanism. It’s hard to pinpoint the reason that the Magnetic Rare Earth Magnet Puzzle is so addictive, but it is, and it’s available at Amazon for $27.95.
More and more people are choosing to cut down on their coffee intake in favor of switching to tea as their hot beverage of choice. Whether you prefer Oolong, Black, Green, or White tea, you often hear reports that tea is healthier for you than coffee, and the latter certainly can cause jitters if you consume too much of it. If you would like to make drinking tea part of your daily routine, what better way than by treating yourself to a high-end tea machine like the Breville One-Touch Tea Maker? It is not cheap but it’s one of those gifts that might actually make sense over the long term because of the sheer amount of usage you likely get from it. This model allows you an unbelievable amount of control over water temperatures you can use to make your tea (from 160 degrees to 212 degrees in five-degree increments), as well as making liberal use of glass and stainless steel in its construction. This is truly a first class tea making machine. The Breville One-Touch Tea Maker is on sale at Amazon for $249.95. 
