Nothing Succeeds Like Accessories For the Technology They Already Have

Sparkling high-definition TV sets and sizzling Core 2 PCs may be high on wish lists this year. But sometimes, the most welcomed gift is one that makes a cherished tech toy work or look better. And these don't have to break the bank.

Just by asking a few questions or maybe doing some yuletide spying, you can arm yourself with dozens of ideas for techies -- and those who don't realize they're techies -- on your gift list.

Do their cellphones have Bluetooth connectivity? Are they travelers who never leave the laptop at home? What's the condition of the mouse, keyboard and monitor on the home computer? Are they constantly transferring digital pictures from a maxed-out memory card? Are they trying to video chat without a webcam? And what's with those iPod earbud headphones with the frayed wires?

When it comes to the iPod, there are accessories galore.

For the iPod:

Some MP3 players can broadcast digital music to your car or stereo, but the iPod can't. Griffin Technology fixes this with the iTrip Auto ($70, http://www.griffintechnology.com), which includes a car charger. It works with a wide range of iPods, letting your passengers enjoy your tunes while you drive. Griffin's $50 iTalk Pro enables high-quality stereo recording directly onto the iPod's hard drive. Griffin also makes a $50 iKaraoke microphone that fades out the voice track on most digital audio files and blasts the music plus your stunning vocal performance from your stereo via cable or wirelessly over FM.

Good iPod speaker sets can cost hundreds of dollars, but the compact Logic 3 i-Station produces terrific sound for only $100, complete with subwoofer. iPods are notoriously easy to scrape, and screen scratches on an expensive video iPod are catastrophic. Fortunately, iCleaner ($15-$35, http://www.ipodcleaner.com) restores much of the original luster and clarity.

Enhancing the sound: Creative's Xmod ($80, http://www.creative.com) is an impressive gadget that will clean up digital audio tracks, eliminating hisses found on many compressed MP3 files. This small device plugs into the PC's USB port and converts the audio quality using technology from Creative's Sound Blaster X-Fi. The Xmod substantially improves the sound of MP3s and other PC audio.

The headphones that ship with most portable music players do not do justice to well-encoded MP3s. The Creative Zen Aurvana ($100) keeps out ambient noise and delivers clear, rich audio rivaling much more expensive, high-end headphones. The sound of the JVC HA-FX33 Marshmallow earbuds ($20, http://www.jvc.com) is not as impressive, but they are a significant improvement over the iPod earbuds at a stocking-stuffer price.

Hands-free gabbing: Bluetooth phone owners who lack a wireless headset are missing out on the best part of the technology -- the small, hands-free device that clips onto the ear and wirelessly transmits the call to and from the phone. The Jabra BT125 costs $40 ( http://www.jabra.com), and though it lacks features found on its $200 relatives, it does exactly what it needs to: answer calls and adjust the volume without requiring you to take your phone out of your purse or pocket. And Parrot's Minikit, a Bluetooth hands-free speaker phone, ( http://www http://.parrot.biz) http:// delivers the functionality of a pricey built-in car speaker phone for $125.

Mice and more: Many PCs come with mediocre mice and mushy keyboards. Upgrades can make computer work more enjoyable and less fatiguing. The Logitech G11 Gaming Keyboard ($70, http://www.logitech.com) has backlit keys with action crisp enough to satisfy demanding typists and fast enough for gamers. It sports a volume wheel, media playback controls and 18 extra programmable keys to make short work of commonly executed commands. And it looks sharp paired with the Ferrari of mice, Logitech's innovative $100 MX Revolution-- an extremely comfortable, high-precision cordless mouse with a rocker for easy task-switching and a responsive scroll wheel that can both click and spin freely for faster, more intuitive navigation through big documents. A smaller laptop version, the Revolution VX, is $70.

Small gifts, big capacity: Storage may not seem like a dazzling present, but just about everybody could use more memory for their digital cameras, MP3 players or smart phones. The price of postage-stamp-sized Secure Digital (SD) cards have plummeted, bringing the cost of two gigabytes of storage down to less than $100. SanDisk has added a useful new twist to its card. Bend the Ultra II SD Plus USB in the middle to reveal a working USB plug built right into the card ($35 for 512MB, http://www.sandisk.com). Share your photos with friends who don't have an SD card reader without having to hunt for the camera cable or buy an adapter.

USB drives are old news, but they have become so inexpensive that you can hand them out like candy canes to everyone on your list and be pretty confident they'll be used and appreciated. The Lexar JumpDrive Mercury ($75 for 1GB, http://www.lexar.com) packs in some excellent features, including password security and encryption so no one else can read your files, the ability to install and run programs from the drive, and a convenient, always-on readout showing how much storage capacity is available. Verbatim's Store 'n Go Pro flash drive ($60 for 1GB, http://www.verbatim.com) protects data with a 128-key encryption.

If your gift recipients tend to break cheap, plastic USB drives, try ATP's shock absorbent and water resistant ToughDrive ($90 for 1GB, http://www.atpinc.com). If they cringe at gunmetal-gray gizmos as gifts, ATP offers the Petito, a line of USB drives that look like fashion accessory pendants in a range of metallic colors ($60 for 1GB).

On the move: If the techies on your list are always on the road, on a plane or working remotely, consider accessories that will help keep them connected. The Energizer Energi To Go ($20, http://www.energizer.com/energitogo) is one of several emergency cellphone chargers. Plug it into you phone, and you're ready to talk within a minute. Let it charge for an hour or so, and you're juiced up for a few hours of talk time.

The international traveler might be glad to see the Kensington Travel Plug Adapter ($20, http://www.kensington.com), an all-in-one adapter for use in more than 150 countries. For an extra $10, the unit comes with a USB charger for use with iPods and other devices that will draw juice via USB.

Save some energy: Finally, if all of these gadgets in the house have you worried about their impact on the electric bill, consider the Kill A Watt Electric Power Usage Monitor from P3 ($40, http://www.p3international.com). It tells you how much money your appliances are really costing you to run every year. Sometimes you can save money by throwing out an item and buying a newer one.