Whoever devised this universal wrist charger: get out of my head, you can’t afford the rent. Also, thank you.

Group road-trips can create a unique quagmire. Most cars come equipped with fewer cigarette lighters than the car actually seats. Fine for smokers, since it’s a given they’ll all probably have their own lighters. For everybody else, that creates a whole different problem: charger usage.

Everyone’s phone will need charging eventually. As conversations drift, people will whip out iPods, portable game systems and the like. You know what eventually happens, though: batteries die. Sometimes, they die fast. When various devices croak simultaneously, every passenger has an impassioned and convincing argument for why they should have a lease on the cigarette lighter. And woe betide those who have no charger, once restlessness sets in and License Plate Bingo has reached the end of its natural 15 minute lifespan of interest. Mario, like a hover-board over troubled water, can’t save you without power.

This Universal Wrist Charger has a lithium-ion battery, and like almost any good gadget worth its salt, charges up with a USB plug-in. Once it’s juiced up, it will charge any mini USB-compatible device, including an iPhone, PSP, Nintendo DS Lite and DSi, to name just a few. It comes loaded for bear with the USB wrist-band battery, a mini USB cable, charger output cable and nine connectors for various devices.

Forget adapters. Adapt yourself.

  The Universal Gadget Wrist Charger ($40)

Way back in the second season of The Office (otherwise known as the Best Season Ever, way before marriages and babies and the heinous invasion that was Will Ferrell), there was a scene between Jim and Pam that I’ll never forget. Capping off an impromptu dinner date of sandwiches on the company’s roof, watching Dwight and Kevin set off fireworks, Jim lent Pam one of his earbuds and they self-consciously swayed together to the strains of the Travis tune “Sing”. It was perfection in its awkwardness, and ever after, the idea of sharing earbuds with someone seemed like an utterly romantic notion.

But let’s be real here: earbuds can be all kinds of funky (and I don’t mean in the “get down wit yo bad self” way), so it’s often one instance where sharing is decidedly not caring. But all hope is not lost! Instead, get your randomly romantic groove on with the Robot Headphone Splitter Jack key chain.

   

Plug the little guy’s noggin into your iPod’s headphone jack (the device works with any music player/phone that has a standard 3.5mm jack), then plug two individual sets of headphones into its eye sockets. And before you can say “easy peasy, fresh n’ freezy”, you’ll be sharing your playlist with your favorite partner in crime – or swaying, as the case may be. Grilled cheese sandwiches and multiple seasons worth of sexual tension not included.

  “Roboth” Listening Headphone Splitter ($15)

Now we’re talking! This is an application for alternative energy I can truly get behind. I’m a renter who can’t afford solar paneling and lives nowhere remotely near the closest hydro-electric or wind-powered source of juice. But show me a convenient way I can harness solar energy and keep my personal-electronics party going, and my attention is yours for the taking!

The FreeLoader Portable Cell Phone Solar Charger weighs only 6.5 ounces and measures 4.7 inches long by 2.4 inches wide by .67 inches thick. But with a full charge, it will power an iPod for 18 hours, a PSP for 2.5 hours and a PDA for 22 hours. The Li-ion rechargeable battery can be powered up via USB adapter in as little as three hours or up to eight hours via the solar panels, but takes three to four full charges before it reaches its optimum capacity. Once reached, though, it can store that juice up to three months – endurance that few cell phone solar chargers can boast.

The device includes a master cable with 11 adapter tips compatible with devices ranging from iPhones to standard cell phones and PDAs; digital cameras to GPS units; and it also supports several portable gaming systems including the Nintendo DS Lite and PSP. So let the sun shine, already! I’m cheap, and solar power is free.

  FreeLoader Portable Solar Charger ($39.99)

The world has remade, rebooted, rehashed, reimagined and redone so many already great things, but often times nothing whatsoever was actually improved from the original to the updated. On the other hand, sometimes brilliant advancements and evolutions arrive whose appeal we can’t deny enjoying, even if the old stuff always holds a place in our hearts.

Take recording technology, for example. Vinyl never completely died. Hipsters, discerning audiophiles and the fortunate ones who remember the halcyon days of Hi-Fi appreciate that stalwart recording technology’s unique nuances (and limitless, nostalgic iconography of music history’s greatest days) and will forever embrace it. On the other hand, this is the information age; portability and instant accessibility is king, and a Hi-Fi-tricked-out Prius would just price anybody right out of ever owning one. But here’s one hot hybrid well worth setting your sights on.

The Crosley USB Record Player means you’ll never have to make up your mind, picking up one and leavin’ the other behind. This portable throwback is encased in a stylish black or tan case with all the simple character of a vintage component. The three-speed, belt-driven turntable will play 33.33, 45 or 78 RPM records with a diamond-stylus needle and dynamic full-range stereo speakers and adjustable tone control.

But here’s your real kick in the head: should you feel so inclined, plug in the equipped USB cable to any computer and use the included software suite to convert your vinyl treasures to portable mp3 back-ups, or your CD collection.

If you treasure your vinyl library, don’t ask yourself, “is this worth the price?” Don’t even necessarily ask those musical treasures’ collective monetary worth. Ask yourself, would my heart break if losing those records cost me more golden musical memories than any dollar amount could buy back? Maybe you can’t afford not to have a USB turntable converter in your home audio equipment collection.

  Crosley Keepsake Record Player & Converter ($169.99)

Something about the Donkey Kong legacy has always rubbed me just a little bit the wrong way. Remember, Mario started out a do-gooder playing defense, making a beeline to Princess Pauline and avoiding Kong’s barrels but never so much spoiling for a fight. Then came Donkey Kong Jr. That chunky plumber went on the offensive and kidnapped the Simian Superman, leaving a young ape all alone facing the world. Come on, that’s making things personal. That’s involving family. Don’t be that guy, fat man. Don’t be that guy.

That’s why I’m not really sure I could abide by the unique, alternative rules of Jenga: Donkey Kong Edition.

It’s a pretty standard Jenga game overall that most people have played at least once. Pull the blocks, replace the blocks, don’t send the tower tumbling. Ah, but scope out the original Donkey Kong tower of girders along the one side in glorious 8-painted-bit glory! The ball’s now in your court: play by Jenga’s traditional rules, or spin the spinner and advance the “Mario” piece up the tower and once more into a smack-down with a certain tradesman who just never knew when to back off.

At the very least, Donkey Kong Jenga is a nice little collectible showpiece. But I just can’t help but wish someone had fashioned some alternate rules wherein one player keeps advancing Mario upward, and another player is tasked with removing strategic pieces one by one, until imaginary ton after ton of rubble and girders hurdle downward onto the douche’s melon. Maybe it’s just me. ;)

  Donkey Kong Jenga ($19.99)

I simultaneously revere and pity precious few intellectual pillars quite as I do librarians.

When popular culture isn’t snapping to the stuffy, fuddy-duddy characterization of Buffy The Vampire Slayer’s librarian Rupert Giles, they’re marginalized into repressed (but inwardly slutty) sexpots always one down-low tingle away from letting down that tightly-bun’d hair, flinging aside those bookish Lisa Loeb horn-rimmed glasses, and busting a perfectly good blouse’s buttons.

(Wow, you’d think I’d pondered that last image a few times. Consider especially that I initially typed “bustons,” then wonder where my mind really drifted …)

But I digress; I know at least one librarian very personally myself. What she endures, I wish upon nobody. She shoos wily preteen boys from scoping out porn using library computers, and on at least a few occasions, has sent homeless folk scuttling from bathrooms. All the while, she probably wonders fairly regularly: “Are any of you people actually here for the damn books?!”

She once showed me a comic strip that might appeal at least as much to cynical bookworms as to the librarians who service their collective book-learning jones: Unshelved. The comic strip by librarian Gene Ambaum and cartoonist Bill Barnes first ran on February 16, 2002, and chronicles the misadventures of Mallville Library’s staff, their misfit ape-mascot Buddy and various assorted and odd patrons. The humor can be as dry as a Nevada summer heat, but if you’ve ever felt like the one-eyed king in the land of the intellectually blind, it will strike a chord.

Thousands of strips like these are collected in eight volumes available for prices ranging from $11.95 to $36.95 each. For a small extra charge, the creators will even sign your copy. In fact, splurge for the autograph and give it randomly to a librarian. Say “thank you” in a way he or she will appreciate. And pay your damn fines, while you’re at it!

(By the way, the website also posts fresh strips Monday through Friday, making it well worth “bookmarking.” And yes, that is amongst the last library puns I will ever attempt. I apologize. Truly.)

  Unshelved Comic

I was surprised to find that we’ve been receiving a lot of new Geek Gems visitors who were looking for Xbox 360 and PS3 controller holders, as I thought for sure that these types of storage systems existed in abundance. But in actuality, other than the video game controller holders we wrote about over a year ago, the type of product is a rarity. While the aforementioned wall clips are a great option, those looking for a more streamlined rack system are in luck with The Armory video game controller rack:

  

Each controller holder will store up to 4 PS3, PS2, Xbox 360, and/or GameCube controllers – either wired or wireless. But perhaps the biggest draw to these controller holders are their versatility. They can be mounted on most vertical surfaces; so if you prefer not to wall mount, you could easily attach one to an entertainment center or inside a closet. Additionally, the holder arms can be rearranged to accommodate items like the Guitar Hero and Rock Band guitars.

I haven’t been able to find anything else like this online, so if organizing your video game controllers is a priority, The Armory racks are inexpensive and well worth a look!

  The Armory Controller Rack ($14.99)

I have a confession to make: I’ve got a serious fetish for earbuds. Affordable earbuds, to be precise. But even with my reverence for those tiny, but impressive bastions of surround-sound, I have terrible luck keeping them around for long. Whether stolen, lost, sucked up into the vacuum, gnawed in half by a determined cat … my earbuds never seem to last for more than a few months at a time, so low cost is where it’s at.

If you’re a music-lover like me, the idea of inexpensive earbuds offering serious sound quality may seem like a paradox; so here at Geek Gems, we’re on a quest to change your mind with our Best Affordable Earbuds Roundup! Here were the qualifiers to make the list:

- Under $30 in price;
- A minimum of a 3/5 stars quality rating;
- Bonus for the inclusion of customizable sizes (ie, earbuds for small ears, like mine)

So without further ado, here are our top recommendations for the best low cost earbuds:

   
JBuds Hi-Fi Noise Reducing Earbuds (left) and Coby CVE92 Isolation Stereo Ear Buds (right)

I’ve owned multiple pairs of these best-selling, low cost earbuds – and for good reason. Despite their under-$10 price tags, they both provide premium sound quality, deep bass, and excellent durability. I give slight favor to the JBuds pair, as I personally prefer black to match my iPod (the Coby ear buds only come in white), and the JBuds also come with three variable size silicon earbud tips, making them some of the most affordable and best earbuds for small ears. However, I found the Coby pair to be very comfortable in my ear when sleeping, as a more snug fit was less necessary.

Both the JBuds and Coby ear buds have been at the top of the bestsellers list for months, so they’re highly recommended!

  JBuds Hi-Fi Noise Reducing Earbuds ($9.95)

  Coby CVE92 Isolation Stereo Earbuds ($5.59)

   
Skullcandy INK’D Earbuds (left) and MeElectronics Sound-Isolating Earbuds w/ Mic (right)

Skullcandy is another brand I’ve had great luck with in the past. One day my earbuds quit as I was on the way to the gym (and gymin’ it up without tunes to listen to is a near tragedy!) So I swung by my local Target and picked up a pair of the INK’D earbuds and was very pleased with the quality. They have a slightly larger speaker driver than the Coby’s, and they come with 3 silicon sleeves for a customized fit. Best part for me was the wide range of colors they come in, easily making them the most stylish affordable earbuds on this list!

The MeElectronics Earbuds are a more specialized variety; they are some of the best inexpensive earbuds for iPod Nano, iPod Touch, and iPhone users. The built-in mic works with iPod’s voice recording capabilities, and also controls the play/stop/next/previous functions, making it an excellent option for those who like to use their iPods as they walk or jog. These earbuds also come with 4 variable size tips and a “frustration free” cord that’s tangle resistant (always a huge plus!)

  Skullcandy INK’D Earbuds ($10-12)

  MeElectronics Sound-Isolating Earbuds w/ Mic ($15.13)

   
JBuds J2 Premium Hi-Fi Noise-Isolating Earbuds (left) and JBuds J3 Micro Atomic In-Ear Ear Buds (right)

Jbuds make the list twice more with their J2 and J3 styles. The J2 Premium Noise-Isolating Earbuds have a more rugged durability and a slightly larger housing, which means they may not be ideal earbuds for small ears, although they do come with 3 silicone tips for a customized fit. Otherwise, they’re essentially the upgraded version of the Jbuds model shown above, and the fact that they come in many different colors will be appealing for those who like to go beyond basic black.

The J3 Micro Atomic Ear Buds are a pricier selection at $24.95, but are also arguably the highest quality and our most recommended small earbuds for small ears. They boast an “ultra slim, ergonomic profile” along with 4 sizes of silicone tips. They have aluminum housing and titanium drivers for enhanced sound quality, and they’re one of the few sets on this list that comes with a swanky travel case, an option I appreciate as someone who tends to wad up her earbuds in a random pocket in my travel bag, only to spend ages untangling them later. Oops!

  JBuds J2 Premium Hi-Fi Noise-Isolating Earbuds ($15 and up)

  JBuds J3 Micro Atomic In-Ear Ear Buds ($24.95)

   
Sony Ultra Lightweight In-Ear Headphones (left) and Sony Active Style Headphones w/ Soft Loops (right)

Sony’s styles may not look like the typical ear buds you’re used to, but both of these in-ear styles have their own unique attributes that make them worthy additions to this list. Primarily, these are excellent options for people who either don’t typically like traditional earbuds, or who have issues with fit that cause them to fall out too easily.

The Ultra Lightweight In-Ear Headphones offer a small size with a very slim, comfort fit headband that’s reminiscent of traditional over-the-ear headphones. They have a super light, comfortable feel in the ear – perfect for those just getting used to in-ear buds – and there’s no lack of sound quality either: the sound driver is 13.5mm, considerably larger than most earbuds, for a fuller sound. They do have a somewhat shorter cord than other pairs on our list (3.5 feet vs. 4+ feet), so keep that in mind when purchasing.

Sony’s Active Style Headphones were my go-to choice when I first started going to a gym, as I had yet to discover the joys of variable-size earbud sleeves, which meant the constant frustration of pausing a workout to reposition my earbuds. These are therefore our #1 recommendation for those who are very active while using their earphones, as they not only offer larger 13.5mm drivers like the pair above, but the soft ear loops help them to stay in place through even the most vigorous workout.

  Sony Ultra Lightweight In-Ear Headphones ($8.21)

  Sony Active Style Headphones w/ Soft Loops ($15.10)

   
Sennheiser CX300-B Stereo Earbuds (left) and Panasonic Lightweight Headphones w/ XBS (right)

Rounding out the Best Affordable Earbuds Roundup are two sets that don’t quite meet the criteria of this list, but were too strong to pass up for inclusion. The Sennheiser CX300 earbuds were my all-time favorite earbuds before I discovered the JBuds series, and I still think they offer some of the best sound quality of any earbuds I’ve tried. At the time of this writing, they’re barely squeaking in at $29.99 (just under my $30 cut-off), but their price tends to fluctuate so they may be more expensive when you come across this post. Still well worth a look (and they come with some of the smallest silicone tips I’ve found – perfect for my fellow small ear souls!)

There’s no denying that the Panasonic Lightweight Headphones are decidedly not earbuds, but at under $5.00 and with a near perfect 5-star rating, I couldn’t resist a mention. What especially intrigues me about these headphones is the XBS port – a true rarity in low cost earphones that results in enhanced bass response and a fuller, richer quality of sound. While I wouldn’t recommend replacing a nice pair of Sennheiser or Sony headphones if you wear them often for gaming or listening to music on your computer, these Panasonics are an excellent, extremely affordable option for those who appreciate the traditional over-ear style.

  Sennheiser CX300-B Stereo Earbuds ($29.99)

  Panasonic Lightweight Headphones w/ XBS ($4.59)

I have vague memories of two reality shows that aired years ago. Both were for American inventors; one offered a cash prize, and the other offered a contract to sell the invented product on QVC or HSN, I believe. I remember watching in rapt awe, so inspired by the creative minds behind these unique products and gadgets. Sure, some leaned more in the direction of garbage over genius, but just as the quality of artwork or music is vastly subjective, I think the value of an idea or invention can also be measured by varying merits, depending upon who’s viewing it. For example, I have no use for a Snuggie (and NEITHER SHOULD ANYONE), but a Whovian TARDIS or a Trekian transporter? Yes, please!

In like kind, Steve Greenberg’s Gadget Nation book celebrates the weird and wacky world of inventions and their inventors, and it does so with touching appreciation rather than point-and-smirk attitude. The product showcase alone is worth seeing, but Greenberg also offers tips and insights to the world of inventing. Well worth a look for gadgeteers and imagineers alike!

Gadget Nation: Journey Through the Eccentric World of Invention ($10.30)

I can’t believe I’ve had my iPod for almost 6 years now and have only just stumbled upon the magical world of external speakers. I know, I know! A slave to my earbuds all this time, when I could have been feasting my eyes and ears upon this super cute miniature hamburger speaker. It has a lithium-ion battery that charges via USB, and connects to a 3.5mm stereo jack – making it compatible with just about any mp3 player, laptop, or desktop PC. The sound quality may not shatter eardrums with bass-heavy goodness, but where else can you get a hamburger that will make you shake your hips, versus putting calories on them? I’d call that a yummy compromise!

Hamburger Speaker ($11.99)