Holiday Shopping - Budget Buys for the Laptop Lover

Laptop Loot Under $25
1. Your laptop lover is bound to own numerous jump drives or USB devices for storing documents and important files. Undoubtedly, those jump drives end up wedged in the back of desk drawers with all those pencils that will never be used again. To solve that dilemma, get a CaseLogic USB drive shuttle. It stores six jump drives to make organizing and transporting jump drives a cinch. - $7.00

2. A wrist rest provides support and comfort during those long days typing and surfing away on a laptop. The Fellowes gel wrist rest has a rubber backing that keeps it in place while you're typing, and it offers all of the support and joint pressure relief that's expected with a quality wrist rest. - $15.00

3. The average laptop owner probably uses a generic rubber mouse pad, or maybe one with a grainy family photo on the surface. Go a step above the rest and buy your laptop lover a sophisticated and practical piece of computer art: a Lextra MouseRug. The MouseRug is designed after an original fine art rug, and one Viewpoints member described it as "inspired design for your desktop." - $25.00

4. The IKEA DAVE is the ultimate laptop table. It's perfect for doing work from the couch and it doubles as a side table in an office. The height is adjustable and the legs are flat so that the table sits close to you while you work. The top of the table also tilts down to make a more convenient workspace. "Exactly what I have been looking for," is how Viewpoints' JCNet described it. - $18.00

5. Personalize your laptop lover's machine with a GelaSkin - vinyl covers that stick to the surface of a laptop. Images include fine art prints and some pretty crazy contemporary designs. They're a great way to show off your individual style. - $25.00

Laptop Loot Under $50
1. Protecting a laptop en route to work, class or while traveling is a top priority for every laptop lover. Give the gift of safety and style with a Designer Sleeve. Thick rubber cushions the computer, the thin design makes it easy to tote anywhere, and the incredible variety of patterns makes it a blast to pick out just the right case. - $35.00

2. The office, dorm room and your own home are all susceptible to theft. Make sure no one runs off with your laptop lover's computer. Buy them a Kensington laptop lock. It's a cable and lock system that connects directly to the built-in Kensington security slot found on most computers, and it won't block charging slots, USB ports or other connecting space. - $37.00

3. Help your laptop lover keep it cool with a Belkin laptop cooling pad. Laptop processors produce a lot of heat that negatively impacts a computer's efficiency, durability and functionality. The Belkin cooling pad pushes hot air up and away from a laptop by using a single cooling fan that, coincidentally, is powered by the computer's USB port. - $30.00

4. Most laptop lovers own separate speakers for listening to music, watching movies and playing games, but many of the speakers are difficult to move from place to place. The JLab B-Flex USB speaker solves this noisy issue. It plugs into the USB port on any PC or Mac, so it requires no batteries or wires to work! The flexible design makes it easy to adjust the speaker for optimal sound. - $40.00

5. Organize and protect important digital files on a Pocket Safe. It's a USB-compatible smart drive that can be programmed so that only the owner has access to stored information. Features include PIN protection, military-grade encryption and a special shield that destroys a device's contents if a break-in occurs. - $40.00

Laptop Loot Under $100
1. Make airport security a breeze with a Skooba Checkthrough Bag. The Skooba isolates the laptop in a separate compartment that makes it visible through a clear window when the bag is unfolded. Plus, there are 20 extra pockets designed for storing tickets, passports, IDs and more. - $87.00

2. Give your laptop lover a reliable way to make sure all of their electronics are protected from power surges and electrical spikes. The PowerSquid from Flexity connects up to six outlets and has 3240 Joules of surge protection. There's also extra connectivity to protect cable and DSL modems. - $88.00

3. Staring at a computer screen all day is tiring for you and your eyes. Gunnar Optiks indoor glasses increase visual performance and protect your eyes from fatigue. They'll increase productivity and efficiency for your laptop lover - or at least extend Facebook or gaming time - by minimizing dry eyes, double vision, blurred vision and other side effects of excessive computer use. - $99.00

4. Save time and money on car maintenance by using your computer! The CarMD vehicle diagnostic unit plugs into your car and determines probable causes for that annoying "check engine" light. Also plug CarMD in to a computer and receive detailed reports about the car's engine, estimated repair costs and more. - $80.00

5. SPLURGE: If given the chance, who wouldn't want to preserve or restore old pictures? Turn hard copy prints, slides or negatives into digital images by using the Epson Perfection 4490 picture scanner. It's compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems and connects to laptops or desktop computers via USB. - $150.00