Insert your favorite holiday cliche here. Go ahead. Do it. I won't judge. 'Tis the season. Deck the halls with something something. It's that time of year again.
We're starting our annual holiday gift guides. And this year, we're personalizing them. Perhaps you've already seen Jerry's glazed ham? (OK, who hasn't seen Jerry's glazed ham.) Now it's my turn.
Read on for my must-have Android-related gifts for 2012.
The Google Nexus Q
I don't care that the Nexus Q was shelved before it ever really went on sale. I don't care that we don't know if it'll ever return in its current form. I do know that a few shipped, and I love this little orb. With it I can get YouTube, Google Play movies and Google Music piped into my home entertainment center. (And don't forget it'll serve as a standalone amplifier, too -- no TV necessary!)
You can still find the Nexus Q for sale online. EBay's got it for $200 or less. And for me, that's not a horrible price. A little bit of a splurge for something that might well be defunct. But, dammit, the Nexus Q still works, and it works well. If you can find one, get it. [Nexus Q on eBay]
SIM card cutter
These are cheap but indispensable. You might not think you need one -- until you find you need one. It's simple: Insert your mini-SIM card, and squeeze the handle. Out pops a micro-SIM. Or maybe even a nano-SIM, if that's how you roll. Your cutter likely will come with some adapters, too. Trust me, it's $4 or $5 well spent if you want to save time somewhere down the road. [Amazon]
Rechargable Bluetooth speaker
I'm still surprised at how much I use a speaker around the house. In the kitchen. Out back. On the front porch. And if you're not a Bluetooth fan (it can still be a little bit finicky), just plug in. No muss, no fuss. I've been using the Supertooth Disco 1 for what feels like forever now. If you've got some extra money to burn, step up and check out the ever-stylish Jawbone Jambox. [ShopAndroid]
Headphones
I'm a bit of a headphone hog -- different sets for different uses. Cans for desk work. Less comfortable noise-canceling plugs for long flights. But my day-to-day travelers are the Bose MIE2i headsets. Good sound, a comfortable fit, and a price that, while not cheap at a little more than $100, doesn't break the bank. Plus it's got the talk/end button for calls (and that button does double duty for music apps, too). [Amazon]
A major award
OK, this is only the 20-incher. (The full 45-inch leg costs three times as much.) But c'mon, it's a major award! [Amazon]
Reader comments
Android Central 2012 Gift Guide: Phil's holiday wish-list
No Red Ryder BB rifle on your list?
His wife said no because he'd shoot his eye out... ;)~
With that lamp, "you'll shoot your eye out!"
Ooooo I want a Nexus Q... but I don't know how much I would actually use it. I guess that is the thin line between want/need. :)
Root the Q and you'll find a powerful tool for you TV (Think netflix, HBOGO, FB, etc). That's all Google needs to do to sell it is to open it up to let people turn their tv into a tablet.
Google really just needs to re-release the Nexus Q as a full on Google TV orb running Jelly Bean. Take out the amp and add in other coolness. Just make it powerful enough to run Google TV without a hitch and they'd have a winner.
Tonight Tonight Tonight, hot damn tonight! Fragile, that must be italian... Phil I'm going to send you an email, I have a few nexus Q's kicking around.....
I'd love one for free too! Please.
A lot of those links don't work. FYI.
Better than cutting sims, just always get a mico-sim and go buy a sim adapter for use on those phones that need a mini-sim.
No cutting accidents, and easier to revert. And you will need the adaptor to revert anyway.
Your carrier will give you the micro sim instead of the mini if you ask. But when buying a new phone that takes mini, be prepared with the adapter ahead of time.
Hey Phil, last link is broken.
Missing the "h" in http :P
He's too excited he forgot lmao
"while not cheap at a little more than $100, doesn't break the bank" Must be nice, that would break my bank.. :)
If that major award could be a powered USB hub we'd have a winner.
http://www.amazon.com/Bose-326223-0120-MIE2-Mobile-Headset/dp/B007WQ9LSC...
How about the android version of the Bose.
To go with the Bluetooth speaker, if you're looking at the Jawbone definitely also take a look at the Jabra Solemate, both of them are on sale right now, both are impressive for their size. I found I preferred the Solemate to the Jawbone and some others (Beats Pill & Monster Clarity HD) in this price / size range. If you want to go all out the Bose or Big Jam box are both really nice too, I just wanted something a little more portable and a bit less expensive. I also found the Soundfreaq to sound pretty good at Target for $99 but my hesitation on it was the moving piece in the back , I just imagined sand getting stuck in there and causing a lot of issues.
Please, please, go to headfi.org and do some research on headphones before you go throwing you money at Bose or worse something like Beats..
Agreed, Klipsch S3s are pretty sweet when they're on sale. Got mine for $20.
Please please please realize that sound quality isn't everything.
I too usually go to head-fi and do research before I buy a set of headphones too- as I certainly want the best for my money.
But, in my search for a great pair of buds/IEMs, I found that the Bose IE2s were the perfect choice for me.
Sure, you can get better sound quality for the price, but IEMs never stayed in my ears properly, and I just didn't like how they felt.
The sound quality is absolutely fine, and the fit is AMAZING and super comfortable.
I'm just as aware of Bose being a rip-off in general as the next guy, but those IE2s are a very special case. And they are fantastic for my situation.
I really want a Nexus Q and a Google Chromebook 3G +Wifi
Seeing that others have begun listing their wish list for no reason (as if someone would go out and buy those items for them), I would like a 16GB Nexus 4 and a white Samsung ATIV Smart PC 500T.
Not sure how you're going to fit the leg lamp in the stocking!? Doesn't it come in a crate with 'FRA-GI-LE' on the side?
My neighbor has two of those major awards hanging on his front porch. Makes me chuckle every time.
F-R-A-G-I-L-E. it's Italian. Lol. Thanks for the laugh Phil.
The Nexus Q lives!
When I received my Lloyd t-shirt that I won in the Million Members giveaway, I joked to my wife that I had just received a "major award!"
The lamp please! We need more light!
I want to mount that major award on the top of my christmas tree - stars are so yesterday. That`s Man Cave...
Really Phil, the nexus Q?
"OK, this is only the 20-incher. (The full 45-inch leg costs three times as much.) But c'mon, it's a major award!"
And it's Italian ... "fra-JEEL-ay."