Gift Guide 2005, Part II

Amanda Webber, Andrew Shalat, Terri Stone, Gene Gable, Pariah Burke, Sandee Cohen contributed to this article.
Inspire and Impress
I idolize Los Angeles designer/historian/teacher Jim Heimann, who, along with German publisher Taschen, has created All-American Ads, a wonderful series of books on great American advertising. They’ve been extremely valuable to me in writing my “Heavy Metal Madness” column. Each book in the series covers a decade of ads.
Benedikt Taschen began his publishing empire in 1980 with a comic-book shop in Cologne, Germany. Taschen is now the undisputed king of vintage, pop culture art, and nearly every book the company produces is well worth the cover price. Any creative pro will enjoy looking through the massive Heimann advertising books. Plus, they’re really heavy, so when you give them as a gift the recipient will be much impressed! –Gene Gable
$40 for each book
https://www.taschen.com

There’s a boatload of great ideas and just plain fun in the All-American Ads series.

Make a Photographer Smile
Photographers in the field want to take a lot of pictures, but they don’t always want to lug around a laptop to store the files until they return to the studio. Make the photographer on-the-go happy when he or she unwraps an Apple iPod and the iPod Camera Connector. The latest-generation iPod that’s capable of video has the best-quality screen. Simply plug the camera’s USB cable to the Camera Connector and transfer the photos; when you’re back at your computer, mount the iPod. It would be nice if the Camera Connector accepted memory cards directly so you wouldn’t drain the camera’s battery during transfer, but one bonus is that if the camera supports USB 2.0, the iPod and Camera Connector transfer photos lickety split. –Jeff Carlson
Apple iPod with video, $300 for the 30GB model and $400 for the 60GB model
iPod Camera Connector, $30
https://www.apple.com/ipod

Photographers will enjoy the high quality of the video iPod’s screen.

Sexy, Scratch-Free Protection
The lucky sods who already have iPods will appreciate it if you help them protect their investment, and the best way to do that is with something that covers their baby yet looks good doing it. The RadTech PodSleevz protects an iPod with a suede-like optic-grade material that doesn’t add bulk and can also be used to clean laptop screens. A PodSleevz has a clear screen protector, a cut-out for the dock connector, and easy earbud and hold-switch access. The surface is de-bossed for the controls, and your iPod can detect button-presses and Click Wheel spins through the fabric. The sleeves come in a wide range of colors and sizes to fit most iPods, including the mini, nano, and video-capable iPod. –Jeff Gamet
RadTech PodSleevz, $9.95 to $16.95
https://www.radtech.us

Pick your color, pick your size: the RadTech PodSleevz offers many options.

A Simpler Life
People who travel with a computer, iPod, and phone can have up to six separate power cords: three AC cords plus three airplane chargers. Give these travelers the iGo everywhere130 power adapter and they’ll have everything they need in just one device. Change the tips on the power supply and the same adapter works for a computer, a PDA, an iPod, phone, digital camera, portable GPS system, gaming device, and on and on. –Sandee Cohen
iGo everywhere130 Power Adapter with Dual Power Accessory, $150
https://www.igo.com/product.asp?sku=2701967
Veer Away from the Ordinary
You can’t go wrong with merchandise from font and image seller Veer. This relatively young company quickly emerged as one of the best when it comes to great self promotions and inspiring catalogs. In addition to type and design-related t-shirts and other clothing, you’ll find toys, office equipment, portfolios, decals, and books. –Gene Gable
Creative Cares t-shirt, $22
Kern sweatshirt, $69
Picola lamp, $130
Aluminum portfolio case, $129
https://www.veer.com

The Kern sweatshirt (left) is both witty and warm. Buy the Creative Cares shirt (right) and you’ll not only have a nifty gift, but you’ll be raising funds for U.S. hurricane victims.

Veer merchandise isn’t limited to clothes. Offerings range from leaning lamps (left) to shiny portfolios (right).

Picture This
Whether they’re taking shots for print or Web projects or simply gathering ideas and inspiration, designers need cameras. But digital SLRs are a pricey present, and many people who aren’t pro photographers don’t need or want that level of complexity. Thankfully, today’s digital point-and-shoots produce high-resolution images and still fit in a pocket. Canon’s SD450 and SD550 are excellent choices for gifts (or for yourself). While neither is an SLR, they open and shoot in an instant, and their 2.5-inch displays are accurate and clear.
The Canon PowerShot SD450 Digital ELPH is an ultra-thin 5.0 megapixel point-and-shoot camera in an all-metal body. It also shoots sharp video with sound at 30 fps. The PowerShot SD550 Digital ELPH is a 7.1 megapixel camera that records video with sound at either 30 fps or 60 fps. Both cameras have software features, such as color swapping, and good white balance controls. –Andrew Shalat
Canon Powershot SD450 Digital ELPH, $399 (or as low as $319 on some Web sites)
Canon Powershot SD550 Digital ELPH, $499 (or as low as $406 on some Web sites)
https://www.canon.com

Pretty and powerful, these cameras are a great choice for people who don’t want or need digital SLRs.

Smallest Gift, Biggest Smiles
A digital camera’s no good without plenty of storage for all those pictures. Now that 1GB media cards are available for MultiMedia, Compact Flash, Secure Digital, and xD, everyone can enjoy their benefits. Just make sure you match the card to the camera! –Amanda Webber
Cards are available from many, many sources. The following is merely a sampler of what you’ll find online and in stores.
ATP 1 GB MultiMedia Card, $79.95
https://www.flash-memory-store.com/atp-1gb-multimedia-card.html
1 GB SanDisk Ultra II Secure Digital Card, $81.44

1GB SanDisk xD Picture Card, $109

Lexar Media 1GB 4X Compact Flash Card, $79

Software Salvation
Do you know a creative pro who’s a little… disorganized? Someone who loses rulers or misplaces color charts? The Art Director’s Toolkit 4.2 is just the present that person needs, and because it’s software, it can’t get thrown out with the trash. This Swiss Army Knife of an app includes eight essential utilities that convert units of measurement; reveal and modify RGB, CMYK, and Pantone colors; scale images; and more.
These tools can save hours of frustration and pencil scratching. My favorite is the ruler, which lets you measure lengths directly on the screen. I use it a lot for Web design. One caveat: this software runs only in Mac OS X. –Andrew Shalat
Art Director’s Toolkit 4.2, $29.950

Home

The Art Director’s Toolkit combines several handy utilities into one program.

Everybody Needs a Squid
At the office, in your home, in the workshop — everyone has plenty of uses for the Power Squid Outlet Multiplier. Its unique design gives you five outlets where only one existed before. With grounded, adapter-ready outlets, a 4-foot power cord, master switch, and 15-amp circuit breaker, the Squid is eminently practical. And with three color choices (yellow, black, and silver), it’s even a bit ornamental. –Amanda Webber
Power Squid Outlet Multiplier, $15
https://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/77e6/

Unlike the long, skinny power strips of old, the Power Squid Outlet Multiplier can accommodate up to five bulky power converters at once.

Expand Their Reach
Here’s a goodie for the restless techy in your life. With up to 1,000% more wireless coverage and speed than standard 802.11g, the NetGear RangeMax Wireless Router lets the recipient of your generosity work and play anywhere in the home or office. It includes seven internal Smart Antennas that adapt in real time to interference, a wizard to ease installation, and protection against unauthorized usage. And it’s not just about performance — NetGear paid attention to looks, too. The router is a sleek, white, rounded-edge rectangle that can be positioned both horizontally and vertically. When its antennas adjust, three blue LEDS rotate. –Amanda Webber
NetGear RangeMax Wireless Router, $99.99
https://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1264882&CatId=0

Pretty and practical, the NetGear RangeMax Wireless Router eliminates dead spots in your home or office.

Tattoo You
Tattoos are nothing new — sometimes it seems like every creative pro has at least one flowered ankle or wire-encircled arm. Help your friends stand out in the crowd with tats that proclaim their love for their work. For example, the Japanese-inspired purple butterfly ascending into a rainbow sky that represented Adobe InDesign 2.0 was stunning and poetic. Although Adobe branding has since evolved into the abstract, you can still keep the 2.0 butterfly near as a tattoo, fluttering in ink on your shoulder, back, or wrist. — Pariah S. Burke
Software tattoo, about $150 at your local tattoo parlor

Butterflies are a common tattoo, but I’ll bet nobody else in your town is flaunting the InDesign butterfly!

All Wrapped Up
By now, you’ve surely found something suitable for every creative pro on your gift list. But you’re not quite finished. These are visually oriented people who care about the details, so make sure your wrapping paper is as snazzy as what’s inside it.
For people who celebrate Christmas, I recommend House Industries’ Holiday Wrap. Each pack from this irreverent type foundry contains three 25″ x 39″ sheets. If you prefer your gift wrap to be less specific, you can’t go wrong with the large selection at Kate’s Paperie. Beware that prices range from reasonable to breathtaking, so don’t blindly order everything you like if the holidays have depleted your bank account. –Terri Stone
One pack of Holiday Wrap, $10
https://www.houseindustries.com
Kate’s Paperie gift wrap in various sizes and prices
https://www.katespaperie.com