Today is the last day of my week-long series on gadget gift recommendations and so, quite appropriately, it's the take-it-to-go edition. The theme is mobile and I've assembled a selection of portable technologies that will heighten the way you take on the world each day. A stimulating book, a convenient charge, a larger map, a silent world, and the power of voice commands all await you on today's list. 

Sony Reader Touch Edition

$350

The interest in eBooks has most certainly exploded this year, to the point where it felt as I was spending half of my time on TV and radio talking about them. With the arrival of the Amazon Kindle in Canada the options are certainly good, but after long and extremely careful consideration I have no doubt that the Sony Reader Touch is the device to buy. It's intuitive touchscreen, easy content management system, slick design, and an online store that includes French-Canadian books, independent authors, Google Books titles, and access to public libraries for borrowing make it the system with the most benefit. Add in support for both PC and Mac and it's the winner, well until next year's models arrive. 

Powermat Charging System

$100

Additional accessories - $30 - $40 each.

The Powermat is a docking station designed to charge nearly any type of portable gadget in your home. If it's a cellphone or game system, you can purchase an added case that will let you simply drop it onto the mat and charge it by touch, no wires involved. The technology is called induction charging and as long as the back of the case touches the surface of the Powermat pad, an electromagnetic field will charge it the same as if it were plugged into a wall. For other devices including GPS systems, headsets, eBook Readers, etc. the kit includes a small white block with a cable and a selection of adaptors which can be used to connect to almost any type of device.

The Powermat has been heavily advertised as a "wireless" system and the company has been doing some heavy pushing to get it onto wish lists and featured in the media. I was fairly skeptical of the sytsem because of its price and well, the fact that the use of cables meant it wasn't wireless. After several weeks of use I found it very handy simply because it eliminates the different AC adaptors that come with each gadget (in my case all but the new PSP go which has a unique charge cable). You can simply box up the whole lot and put them into storage, using this one pad and its white block for everything else instead. 

During my test period something unusual happened. I had the Powermat located near the front door and after my friends discovered it, they took on the habit of using it as soon as they entered my home. They'd enter, say hi, kick off their shoes and then plug their cellphones in. After their visit, they'd pick up their charged cellphones, put on their shoes and leave. They adapted to this very quickly, acting as if it makes complete sense that everyone should have a charging station near the front door for their guests to use. Perhaps there's something to that.

Sony Noise-Canceling Ear Buds

$150

If you travel at all - planes, trains, subway - you really need a pair of noise-canceling headphones. Microphones within the headsets listen to the world around you and then the system produces a counter frequency to cancel out the noise of jet engines, wheels on tracks, or the din of a train echoing against the walls of a tunnel. Without all that ambient noise to compete against, you won't have to crank the volume to compete, saving yourself potential damage to your hearing. The issue unfortunately is that such headphones average $300 - $500 in price which is fairly high for most people. Sony's Noise-Canceling Ear Buds are the first inexpensive solution. Lightweight and comfortable, these do an excellent job with the most common engine and jet sounds, the main noise you will want to cancel. The more expensive headsets can certainly cancel out more, but these buds do the job and offer an easy off switch so you can listen should someone need to talk to you for a moment and will work like a regular pair of earbuds should the batteries suddenly die. Runs off of a single AA battery and comes with a nice travel pouch. 

S1 Sun Visor Speakerphone

$120 

 

For those who can't see themselves sticking a headset into their ear or for families in need of a solution that can be shared amongst multiple drivers, the S1 is a speakerphone, similar to the kind used in board meetings. It clips into place on your sun visor and offers simple answer, call, and volume buttons within reach. It simply connects to your cellphone through Bluetooth wireless and then routes your calls to its speaker and microphone. Uses both noise and echo cancellation to keep call quality clear. Voice commands allow you to use simple functions without the need for your hands. When a call comes in simply say "Answer" to take it. If your phone supports Voice Dialing, you can use the S1 for the full range of commands. 

 

Additional features include multipoint, meaning it can connect to two cellphones, your business and personal for example, and if you have music loaded into your phone you can use the S1 to stream it to your car's speakers. This is done through the A2DP music streaming standard for Bluetooth which can also be used for voice prompts from your GPS application, such as the Tom Tom app for iPhones.

 

Tom Tom GPS XL-340

$240

 

 

Speaking of Tom Tom GPS systems, I've had a good listen to all of your feedback and you've made it clear you want a low-priced GPS system that works well and if possible has the latest features. You want a deal. Here you go. The XL-340 has the two top trends in GPS; a larger screen (4.3") and text-to-speech so that the voice prompts will include the street names. It offers the same intuitive menu system and display that TomTom is known for, full maps of Mexico, US, and Canada, and IQ Routes to help map out efficient routes based on the time of day. One of the biggest pluses is the EasyPort mount. It's always a pain to find a GPS that has the features you want at the right price only to discover it comes with a windshield mount only. With the EasyPort you can stick the system onto either your windshield or dashboard and then with a special folding design, just as easily remove it and compact it to carry in your pocket.