Dads, Grads, & Cool Do-Dad’s 2011

by Lori Cunningham

It’s June already!  That means graduating students are congratulated and Dads are celebrated.  A busy month indeed.  Looking for unique gift  ideas to get the Grad or Dad in your life, that s/he is unlikely to already have?  I scoured the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) floor to find the best bets for Dads and Grads at varying price points…

Spiderpodium

Now this is just plain cool.  The Breffo Spiderpodium is a “lifestyle accessory” that gives you an extra hand in holding your phone, small camera, or small camcorder…or really, anything else for that matter.  Made of a lightweight and flexible material, the Spiderpodium works great for standing upright on a desk, attaching to your cars vents for GPS navigation, attaching to a bicycle or stroller, holding a video camera to a fence to film your kid’s baseball game, and more.

The Spiderpodium Tablet offers even more flexibility with its larger size.  The Spiderpodium Tablet holds large and small tablets easily, offering the height of customization options.  Besides offering the ability to stand your tablet upright on your desk or next to your bed, attach your tablet to your car’s headrest to entertain the kids on long rides.  Use it on the kitchen counter to make new recipes.  Try it on the workbench to guide Dad through DIY projects.

The Spiderpodium can be bent and reused numerous times without worry of wear.  It can be spread out completely flat for easy travel.  The Spiderpodium Tablet sells online at Breffo for $34.99 plus shipping (($5.23 to CA) and Spiderpodium, for phones and small cameras sells for $19.95  plus shipping ($3.95 to CA).

TRTL BOT STAND 4

For those iPhone Grads and Dads who prefer “green” gifts, the TRTL BOT STAND 4 iPhone 4 case is the perfect accessory for their phones.  Made of at least one recycled plastic water bottle, the TRTL BOT STAND 4 offers a lightweight case with built-in stand.  The built-in stands offers much versatility as you can prop it up to watch movies, use FaceTime with others, or as a tripod to take self-portraits.

If the built-in stand isn’t your Grad’s or Dad’s thing, TRTL BOT also sells the Minimalist 4 for iPhone 4 which holds 1-3 ID/credit cards along with the phone.  For guys who don’t like to have much in their pockets, the Minimalist 4 is the way to go.

The TRTL STAND 4 and the Minimalist 4 is available in black, white, grass green, pink and sky blue for $29.95 at www.trtlbot.com.  Minimalist 3G/3GS versions are also available in black and white for $24.99.

iGrill

The iGrill is a cool device for the grill that allows you to “enjoy time with family and friends without compromising the quality of your cuisine!* No more burnt burgers or blood red steaks, the iGrill will help your favorite grillmaster grill meat to perfection without stress or worry.  The iGrill works with the iPhone/iPad/iTouch via Bluetooth to alert the cook when the meat has reached the proper temperature.  The iGrill app for Android will come out sometime later this year.  The cook can be up to 200 feet away and still be notified when the meat is ready.  However, the iGrill can’t turn the meat for you, so you still need to turn the meat to ensure it is cooked thoroughly.  The iGrill comes with the iGrill module and one meat thermometer.  The iGrill supports one additional meat thermometer when cooking steaks or meats for different states of doneness.  For a demonstration to see how it works, click on this video link.

The iGrill can be purchased online at iGrill.com in either white or black for $99.99.  If you prefer a second probe, the set can be purchased for $114.99.

DRY CASE

For the Grad or Dad who loves the water, the DRY CASE waterproof vacuum seal case is the perfect accessory for their phone, camera, or mp3 player.  DRY CASE is the only vacuum-sealed waterproof case on the market.  It allows you to see images on your gadgets with crystal clarity while at the same time enabling touchscreen functionality.

Now you can take your phone or camera with you in the water (waterproof up to 100 ft.) while you swim, snorkel, jet ski, kayak, surf, sail, or even run in the water.

Matched with its accessory, DRY BUDS, you can even hear your tunes while swimming or any other favored water sport.  The DRY CASE is ideal for the beach or pool, when you’re around water and sand but don’t want your gadgets to ruin.  The DRY CASE comes with an adjustable, buoyant armband to keep your gadgets closeby.  For those with tablets, DRY CASE just introduced last month their new iPad DRY CASE which securely protects iPads, tablets, and eReaders.

I tested the DRY CASE and DRY BUDS, and it really works.  I could easily scroll through the screens of my phone, look at pictures, take pictures, and hear my music and videos.  The DRY CASE sells online at drycase.com for $39.99, the DRY CASE iPad for $59.99, and the DRY BUDS for $29.99.

For more great ideas, see the WellConnectedMom.com’s top products from last year: Grads, Dads, and Cool Do-Dads 2010.  What will you be giving the special Grad or Dad this year?

During CES, I was supplied with a TRTL BOT 4, Spiderpodium, a DRY CASE, and DRY BUDS after requesting them for my Grads, Dads, and Cool Do-Dad’s article.  I was given these items in exchange for my honest review.

* http://www.igrillinc.com/