14 essential Christmas gadgets for movie buffs
Smart gadgets and accessories for film fans
God rest ye merry gentlemen, 'tis the season for giving and we've delved deep into Santa's sack to come up with some choice gift ideas for the movie buff in your life.
Starting from an affordable £20, and going up to more expensive gifts, there's something here for every budget.
So whether you're after a stocking filler or something more expensive, here are 12 Christmas presents for movie fans.
1. Vuzix Eyewear
From £129.99
Watching movies on the go using glasses is nothing new, but until recently the options have been limited to ridiculously clunky goggles that look more like protective eyewear. Enter the new movie face candy from Vuzix, which incorporate built-in headphones.
Buy from Firebox
2. Panasonic Free Angle HDMI
Price varies
Having invested in a superslim screen that's not much thicker than a VHS cassette, there's nothing more frustrating than having to leave enough space behind it so that you can attach an HDMI cable. Regular cables stick out between 7 and 9 cm, making installation tricky. Help is at hand, thanks to this ingeniously simple solution from Panasonic. The version 1.3a HDMI cable comes in 1.5 and 3m lengths and has an innovative connector that can be angled so that it only takes up 3cm behind the screen.
www.panasonic.co.uk
3. Creative Zen X-FI
£110 (8GB)
For those who want to watch movies on the hoof, but shun the idea of wearing Vuzix-style glasses, Creative has come up with this stylish portable media player. With its 2.5-inch screen it can display video and photos, and there's an FM tuner and microphone for digital recording thrown in, too. Available with either 8 or 16GB storage, the players conveniently connect to your PC via Wi-Fi.
www.europe.creative.com
4. Lojoball: The Mustang
£99
There's nothing more frustrating than having to give up your favourite seat when you have friends come around to enjoy the football or when you have movie evenings, but now you no longer need to. The Mustang is a super stylish seat that is way more comfortable than any bean bag and can be zipped up so that it looks neat and tidy when not in use.
Buy it from Amazon.co.uk
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5. Ethos Popcorn maker
£45
If you're really going to recreate the at-the-movies experience in your living room, you're going to need a cinema snack, and popcorn makers don't come much more stylish than this retro offering from Ethos. With its classic Fifties jukebox design, it'll turn plain old kernels into hot, tasty popcorn using just hot air.
Buy it from Amazon.co.uk
6. SPYDER3 TV
£100
Most new TV screens comes shipped with the factory or showroom settings intact, making pictures too bright and garish for viewing in the home. While you can spend hours fiddling with the controls to improve the picture, the easiest answer is to invest in a screen calibration tool. This excellent option from Datacolor includes a light meter that is attached to the screen at one end and your laptop at the other. Plug it in, turn it on and let it do all the hard work for you. The results are stunning and ensure that your TV becomes more environmentally friendly, too.
www.spydertv.com
7. Goodmans GDB9
£20
Make the switch to digital TV with possibly the most affordable Freeview box we've ever seen. Costing not much more than a Blu-ray movie, this box of delights is way more stylish than you'd expect, has a 7-day electronic programme guide and boasts a pair of Scart connections (one Scart lead is bundled, too). It receives all the Freeview TV channels and radio stations, so you shouldn't be stuck for something to watch once the Queen's speech is over and done with.
www.goodmans.co.uk
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