As commencement season comes upon us, a lot of your favorite grads may have already amassed a fortune in gadgets and electronics. But as 2008′s gadget of the year begins to age and the student loans start to come due, you can bet your class of ’12er won’t be running around to buy the latest and greatest anytime soon.

So we put together this little gift guide. Give them one last thrill, will ya?

IoSafe Rugged Portable SSD

Speed, security, and reliability are the criteria for purchasing any hard drive, especially an external one. The ioSafe Rugged Portable is a 500GB USB 3.0 SSD drive, and it’s one of the best on the market. It is durable and reliable, and will work even with 2.5 tons of weight crushing it. It will work even if it’s soaked in fuel, oil, water, left out in the sun, sunk in salt water for three days, frozen in ice, or left in a dust storm. This is the Glock of hard drives, and your data will thank you when it’s not lost in damage or failure.

It’s also a solid-state drive, so it’s fast to boot. Technical reviewers like Maximum PC have given the IoSafe high marks. It takes a sledgehammer to break one of these babies. The sleek milled-aluminum (titanium available) case also looks great in a workspace.

Warpia ConnectHD

This may be a better gift to give to the student entering college, but either way it’s a good one. The Warpia ConnectHD is one of the better ways to communicate online over a great distance. It’s a product that looks business but is all personal when you get down to it.

The ConnectHD lets you have live, high definition video conferences online while giving you the power to stream that conference to your living room television, so you’re not stuck sitting in front of the computer to talk to your parents back home. It enables more personal communication over these long distances, and it might help empty nesters, too.

The product features 1080p streaming, HDMI output to your television, a crystal clear multidirectional mic, and 16-bit audio. While you’re running the video conference from your laptop, you can stream up to 30 feet away to your television. Setup is quick and easy, but it’s PC only.

Turtle Beach Ear Force XP400 wireless headphones

For the audiophile who has everything, we offer this. The Turtle Beach Ear Force XP400 is an uber-high quality headset that, while wireless, will not interfere with your WiFi. The set features adjustable Dolby Surround Sound with virtual 5.1 audio, digital/analog connections, and adjustable bass/treble/midrange effects.

The XP400 also features dual Bluetooth pairing, allowing you to game on your Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 while answering calls on your smartphone if need be.

At $219, they are an investment, but you’d be pressed to find better headphones.

MUNITIO 9mm Billet earphones

It’s hard to believe, but most people I see walking around, jamming to their tunes on their iPhone or other portable device are using the default earphones/earbuds that came with the phone/iPod.

Fair enough, but allow me, if you will, to propose an alternative.

MUNITIO 9mm Billets are machined from aircraft aluminum and deliver a clear, well-defined sound that outperforms default earbuds and similarly-priced competitors. They are comfortable and produce remarkably tight bass with little distortion on the highs.

And for those of you who multitask, there is a microphone built in for on-the-fly phone conversations.

With the holidays upon us, you may be struggling to find something for that frequent traveler or music junkie on your holiday buying list. These may have you covered.

Any frequent traveler will agree that there’s nothing worse than trying to relax to your favorite album or movie, only to have that audio be replaced by the roaring sound of the plane’s engines or a crying baby. Look no further than to a pair of noise canceling headphones, which may be perfect companion for that frequent traveler, music junkie or anyone wishing to hear the beauty of their collections without background noise getting in the way.

The first thing any shopper should be concerned about is the price and at $79.99, JVC’s HA-NC120 noise canceling headphones are a steal for the quality of sound they deliver and their overall performance.

As you set your eyes on a pair of these NC-120 headphones, one can’t help but notice the compact and sleek design of the product with its an all black and shiny, mirror like finish with chrome trim running along the outline of product. There are two switches on the device, which can be found at the bottom each individual headphone and enable/disable volume limit and function as a power switch. Under the left headphone, the product features a nice retractable 3.5 millimeter headphone cord which can be extended by simply pulling out on the cord and retracted by pressing a small button which sucks the wire back into the headphones where it is stored nicely and out of the way. This feature alone is great because it makes for easy and quick stowage by virtually eliminating the cord, saving you the time and hassle having roll and pack away the cord.

My favorite feature is that they can be folded down to about half their original size, allowing for easy portability. When not in use, the NC120 headphones can be folded in half and the individual headphones can then be swiveled and folded inward condensing the product to fit easily in a small purse, glove compartment or forward set compartment.

Sound quality was overall very good, considering the relatively low price and the small design of the product. When in use, music sounded crisp and lifelike, and the base levels were much better than I initially expected from a product in this price range.

JVC claims these headphones are capable of 88 percent ambient noise reduction, and I decided to put this claim to the test and take these headphones along with me on an eight hour flight to Europe and see just how well they blocked out the loud engine roar and passenger cabin noise. The results actually stacked up to be pretty well, and I found the headphones did a decent job at removing background roar. One thing to keep in mind with these headphones is loud background noise is only eliminated when music is playing, so you might find ear plugs to be a better solution if your trying to sleep in say a noisy environment.

In conclusion, I was very much impressed by both the performance and design of this product for its price range. At $79.99, this product is definitely worth the money and is an overall great set of headphones that sound excellent, look great and are a breeze to travel with for the money.

Aren’t you tired of us just, literally, pouring stuff down your throats for free all the time? The games, the movie passes, the electronic gizmos. When will it stop?

The next item up for free: Wicked Audio: Wicked Little Buds.

The Wicked Little Buds are the next evolution in earphone design. They are noise-isolating yet super-small.

We have two, and they will be yours. Oh yes, they will be yours.

You know the drill. Register as a Blast user. Comment on the story. Two random comments will win. Post by Thanksgiving, and you’ll get these badies shipped over on Black Friday.

About the Wicked Little Buds:

• Petite earbuds feature a semi-glossy finish and feature tiny Wicked Logos on the ends of each bud
• Fiber-like cord enhances the aesthetic appeal and gold-plated tip prevents corrosion
• Light weight form provides a “barely there” feeling for the ultimate in comfort
• Available in 4 stylish colors: Black, Blue, Purple and Silver
• 5.8 mm Driver, 20-20,000 Hz Frequency, 1.2 Meter Cord
• Price: $29.99

Christmas shopping for your favorite gremlins that trash your house on a daily basis and may at times deserve a lump of coal in their stockings but always manage to sucker you into a heap of presents under the tree can be exhausting. Here are 10 gifts that just might peak their interest on Christmas morning and may offer you with your own chance to have your belly shake like a bowl full of jelly or at least have those 5 minutes of uninterrupted time to yourself.

Twilight Turtle Constellation Night Light $24.99

For your little buddy who needs a lovey, a modern take on the beloved glowing creature from our childhood, the Twilight Turtle gently transforms nurseries and bedrooms into a starry sanctuary that comforts and calms children by projecting a complete starry night sky onto the walls and ceiling of any room. Choose any one of three soothing color options blue, green, and amber to create magical, tranquil environments. Auto shut-off; 45 minutes sleep timer.

Playskool’s Alphie $34

I remember this toy growing up along with Teddy Ruxben so I was delighted to see it brought back for my own boys. The new Alphie is just an improved version of our classic Playskool favorite. The small robot provides fun and engaging entertainment by teaching your child letters, math skills, special reasoning, cause and effect, sings and plays music and features light up buttons while using double-sided cards to improve your preschooler’s abilities from a different point of view. Additional cards can be bought to add additional lessons for a broad range of activities.

Fisher-Price iXL 6-in-1 Learning System (Blue/Pink) $79.99

If you’re not ready to splurge for a hand held game device and your child wants something that is multipurpose then the iXL is the way to go. This handheld learning tool has 6 different features that allow your child to use the digital reader, game player, note pad, art studio, mp3 player and photo viewer. The iXL comes pre-loaded with software for the various applications so there is never any need for additional cartridges. It opens just like a book revealing a 3.5” color screen with a built in speaker, action button, tethered stylus, headphone jack, SD memory card slot and built-in memory.

Live Butterfly Garden $19.99

If you just happen to be around the TV with your child when this commercial comes on then you know the response, I WANT I WANT I WANT! Aren’t you a little curious to see the butterflies too? Witness one of nature’s most spectacular transformations up close by watching butterflies metamorphosis in the convenience of your own back porch. The kit includes a reusable, collapsible habitat with a feeder, five butterfly larvae, food and complete instructions.

Scientific Explorer’s Mind Blowing Science Kit for Young Scientists $19.99

Winner of Parents’ Choice Approved Award and Dr.Toy One of the 10 Best Educational Products 2005 Award this kit contains a variety of experiments and instruction guide with scientific explanation. Spark your child’s curiosity in science while they are young! Learn about colors, learn about volcanoes. A great family kit with experiments that will intrigue several ages and may promote several of unwarranted experiments at least in my own home but all in good fun.

FINIS: Wyland Dolphin Tail $29.

Do you just happen to have a little girl in your life that is quite certain she would be the prettiest mermaid ever? The Wyland Dolphin tail allows your child to turn into the mermaid with their monofin that slips onto both feet and secures with an adjustable Velcro strap so they can mimic a dolphin swimming technique. A portion of all Wyland’s sales goes to their ocean preservation efforts so you can ensure that one day your little princess might have the chance to search for her very own thingamabobs.

Think Geek: Kids Guitar & Drum Kit Electronic T-Shirts $29.99

My boys play air guitar to Guns and Roses, true story. So when I saw these shirts I thought how perfect they would be at providing countless hours of entertainment over objects that neither could snatch out of each other’s hands and then proceed to beat each other with. These shirts produce authentic sounds for rocking out wherever they may be. The shirts are based on real playable instruments with each button on the shirt’s guitar neck representing a major chord. Strum the guitar by waving the magnetic pick over the strings and clip the amp speaker to your belt. The drum shirt features 7 different drums and sounds with an embedded speaker with volume control. The shirts are available in children’s sizes as well as adult sizes small – 2XL to satisfy even your biggest kid.

Coloud: Marvel Comics Headphones $40

Between the handheld devices that bleep constantly and the road trips filled with DVD players blaring the latest movie craze, there are times that silence is more than golden; it’s a damn necessity in order to keep mom from losing her mind. That’s where the Coloud headphones come in hand. Unlike ear buds on your child that sometimes have an issue with remaining in or comfortable, Coloud headphones are easy for your child to place on or remove into any 3.5mm jack, including iPod, without needing assistance. Coloud offers several Marvel characters there will be no mixing up who owns which. The sound quality is pretty awesome too for those impromptu jam sessions that we parents just need to sneak in while the ones who make the most noise are fast asleep.

GigaBall $49.99 (for the 51” version available in a variety of colors)

It’s a known fact children love two things; being outdoors and balls. What could be better than one that combines those two plus allows your child to climb inside of the ball for an all around good time? The Gigaball allows you to bounce it, climb it, get inside it and roll around with endless possibilities and hours of entertainment. It hasn’t been determined who will laugh more, the children or the parents watching this roll around their yard but it’s a guaranteed good time to be had by all. With weight capacity 150lbs, there is a good chance you just might get a chance to try it out for yourself while providing that adult supervision of course.

World’s greatest Shelby slot car racetrack $249 (verify pending 2010 Holiday catalog, check site for details)

I admit that this toy is entirely for me and has nothing to do with my children much less the ones in your life. When I found this last year while searching for toys, I immediately thought of the badass slot car track I had when I was 8 and how cool it would be to own this one now. I kick myself for not splurging on it not caring that it would have taken up the entire living room in my apartment, I would have a slot car track again dammit! It proves to be an impressive track with twists, turns and 63 feet of track. The cars come equipped with neodymium ground-effect magnets and extra-long guide pins so while in a heated race you don’t have to worry about the cars flying off the track. Included in the set are two cars, two controllers, grandstand and pit, power pack and of course the track. The Restoration Hardware site states the item is sold out however per their customer service department neither denied nor confirmed that the track will be back in their 2010 Christmas catalog so keep a look out for it when they release it later this month.

So we’ve all been in one of those frustrating and utterly annoying situations when you are forced to sit next to some loud annoying person, whether it be at on the bus, train, airplane, doctors office, commute to/from work or even sometimes at home. But before you decide to pull your hair out, or even ask that person if they would mind keeping it down so you can hear your self think or be able actually listen to some of your favorite tunes consider a longer look at our review of ableplanet’s True Fidelity NC300 noise canceling headphones.

Out of the box, the NC300 headphones include everything you need to get started using the headphones — except the iPod or MP3 player of course. The box contains the NC300 headphones, a hard protective carrying case, airplane adapter, AA battery and a 1/4" home stereo adapter. With this, you will be glad to find that everything packs away easily in the included hard protective case for easy portability, so there wont be any lost cables or accessories.

The first question with headphones is always “how do they sound?” In my experience, after using the headphones for a while, I wasn’t all that impressed with the audio quality and noise cancellation for the $150 price tag. I found the audio when using the headphones to have more bass than normal and at times the voices were almost suppressed by the low tones. While keeping in mind that people often like heavy bass, it just seemed somewhat overpowering toward the vocals.

I did like the design of the product. The build quality of the headphones seems to be solid, besides the battery door being a little flimsy, but this shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

But I can’t say I’m impressed by the noise cancellation either; while it does filter out slight noises, you can still hear some background noise. There was also a slight hiss when using the noise cancellation, which was less noticeable when you’re listening to something loudly.

ableplanet’s True Fidelity NC300 noise canceling headphones are available for $149.99 in either white or black online from ableplanet’s website. Audio quality wasn’t horrible, but I did feel it wasn’t on par of what you expect with a product in this price range. I feel the $150 price tag is way too steep for the product and the most I would pay for these headphones would be around eighty dollars. If your still interested in the NC300s, I definitely recommend you try them for yourself before you buy. You may even find the added base to be a plus, however for me, I don’t think I’m ready to dump my $10 JVC Gumy earbuds for the NC300 headphones just yet, although the solid build quality, comfort and the light weight was definitely a plus.

There’s a certain musical element in the air today at Fenway Park, and it’s not just “Sweet Caroline.”

Producer/artist Dr. Dre, music industry legend Jimmy Iovine and basketball phenom LeBron James will be at Fenway Park today to unveil the Red Sox Beats by Dr. Dre headphones from Monster.

We had an early chance to check out the officially licensed Red Sox Beats. These full-size headphones were pitched to us promising audiophile-quality sound and all the fashion that a diehard Sox fan could ask for.

We tested them out after unboxing a set yesterday of these headphones, which had been a secret until now. They sound great and are very comfortable.

And they should. After all, the headphones were designed by the legendary artist and producer Dr. Dre and Interscope Geffen A&M chairman Jimmy Iovine, who know a thing or two about good audio.

"The Red Sox are one of the most historic and respected franchises in all of professional sports," Iovine said about why he decided to run with the Sox as the first and right now only set of Beats sports headphones. Iovine and Dr. Dre have designed custom headphones for athletes like King James in the past, but this is the first officially licensed professional sports team to have a set of Beats.

A few drawbacks — the headphones need two AAA batteries to operate. It can be a bit of a nag to take off the battery cover and replace it.

They come with a protective carrying case, two 1/8-inch cables and a 1/4-inch adapter. The Red Sox logo and name look good on the phones. The luxury sports market is a tough nut to crack, but these look and sound great.

Also, these Beats are an investment. At $399.99, they’ll run you about as much as a day at Fenway for two with hot dogs and beer, so be ready to make an investment if you want to listen to tunes and movies on that new iPad while showing off your team pride.

Chances are good that if you use headphones with any kind of regularity, you’re hurting your ears. Subway too loud? Crank up the volume. Playing your Nintendo DS or Playstation Portable in the same room as someone watching TV? You’re probably constantly turning things up to block out the noise around you. The same goes for PC gaming; sometimes you’re in a loud environment, and your natural reaction is to turn things up.

Able Planet, as they have always looked to do, is looking out for your ears and your future hearing, and developed the PS500MM headphones for PC gamers. As you can see in the image, these are a small pair of headphones–you don’t have to carry around or store a big, bulky pair like you find in many noise-canceling headphones–and may be a necessary expense for those of you that game on PC’s often.

The noise-canceling effects built into the headphones means that you don’t need to turn up the volume in order to hear over your environment. They work well too–I’ve tested them on my PC playing some old-school games where sound is important to the experience, I’ve used them in my Nintendo DSi, and I’ve even checked them out on a plane, flying back and forth from Seattle to the Penny Arcade Expo. In each instance, I found that you never needed to put the volume all the way up, as you could hear the sounds and music with great clarity. This is nice for someone like me that has bludgeoned their ears with years of playing guitar with their amp turned up to 11, as I can still hear things without damaging my ears any further.

If you plan on traveling with them as I did, they come with a soft-carrying pouch to stick them in. The microphone that comes with the headset is very flexible, so the headphones fold up nice without any parts sticking out when you need to put them in the bag. Additionally, if you don’t need the microphone, it easily bends out of your way.

The headphones are comfortable as well, thanks to their being very light. The adjustment band on top is thin as well, so unlike some massive headsets, you won’t feel these on your head that much when you wear them. The headphones weigh in at 2.64 ounces, and to make things even nicer, the ear cups are leather and made to fit on your ears, not completely around them. I wore them most of the way from Boston to Seattle and back, and unlike when I use ear buds, I didn’t mind keeping them on for that length of time thanks to the way the cups fit.

A pair of PS500MM ships with a USB adapter in addition to your standard headphone and microphone jacks. You can pick up a pair of PS500MM headphones from Able Planet for $99. You can find them through Able Planet’s website, along with their other audio products.

Blast Factor: Headphones can be pricey, but $100 isn’t too much to ask for when it comes to saving your hearing. If you’re an avid gamer for PC titles–or even someone like me who spends a lot of time with a DS or PSP in their hands–then the PS500MM headphones are a comfortable and worthwhile addition to your gaming accessories.

Nicole Cullop is used to traveling across the continent to compete against guys, yet her most recent venture against the opposite gender was a bit different than her usual escapades.

Cullop, or LethalxPrincess as she’s known to many, is a pro-gamer by trade. For years, Cullop crisscrossed the nation with Major League Gaming (MLG) immersing herself in a cutthroat world while breaking stereotypes in the process. Her squad, Team Foxy, is considered the top female team in the gaming community.

Not surprisingly, it was actually gaming that connected Cullop to the Sound Tour. Sponsored by the popular headphone company, the tour, which we previously told you about, is a reality show pitting Cullop and a team of four other female contestants against a squad of all men.

“I heard about the Sennheiser Sound Tour through the gaming community. Sennheiser is a great product that is highly recognized for its quality in the professional gaming world. When the tour was announced, the word spread quickly in the E-Sports community” Cullop recalled.

With the ultimate goal to promote the Sennheiser headphone product base, the two teams have spanned North America participating in a variety of challenges. From meeting celebrities to getting on tour buses, Cullop admits it’s been a whirlwind ride.

“Personally, there are many highlights of the tour that I have enjoyed such as traveling, experiencing new communities, and meeting new and exciting individuals” said Cullop. Ever the gamer, she admits that for her personally, the best part of the tour has not been meeting a person or going to a particular place, but rather it’s been a simple truth.

“The biggest highlight of the tour so far has been the fact that the girl’s team is in the lead. We have won three challenges and the guys have only won one. I am a very competitive individual and I am confident we will take home the grand prize” she confided.

Along the way, both teams have been faced with the challenge of going up to people on the street to promote Sennheiser. While in some cases they’ve been shut out and rejected, most people have been willing to step in front of the camera according to Cullop.

“Generally people are accepting and don’t mind the camera, we actually seem to get better responses if the cameras are out and rolling. I think people want to know what’s going on with the cameras, the tour, and the product” said Cullop.

One of the Sennheiser girl’s most memorable visits was their trip to Boston. Between crashing a few weddings, visiting the Salem Witches Cottage and partying it up outside the Paul McCartney Fenway concert, the ladies got their fill of Beantown. Cullop says it was easily one her favorite places on the tour.

“My time in Boston was amazing; I literally fell in love with it the moment I arrived. Boston is now on my top five places to move. What I remember most about Boston was the atmosphere in the air, I went to Fenway Park, Faneuil Hall, and shopping on Newbury Street. Everywhere I went people were alive with spirit; they were helpful, and even entertaining. I would love to live in an area like Boston because it has so much to offer” she said.

With the tour winding down, Cullop admits she misses her Xbox, controller and gaming in general. Save for a few hours of gaming in NYC, she has not gotten a chance to play much while on tour. Despite this, Cullop contends she wouldn’t trade her Sennheiser Sound Tour experience for anything “" or any game “" in the world.

“The one thing I will bring away from this trip is the experience. No matter how the team does and no matter how I personally do in the competitions, I will always remember the new places, people, and experiences I have encountered along the way” concluded Cullop.

Able Planet unveiled a new high-fidelity multimedia headset for BC gamers that is safer during playback while continuing to provide the optimal gaming experience. Able Planet’s new PS500MM delivers quality audio and easy control for volume and microphone functionality.

The technology embedded in the PS500MM can preserve hearing loss by allowing users to lower the volume while still preserving the full and rich sound of the audio. It is based on the company’s breakthrough micro-technology which was developed for people with mild to severe hearing loss. It’s ideal for heavy PC users and Gamers alike. The noise cancellation technology improves sound clarity while the lightweight device makes it easy to carry around. It ships with a USB wireless adapter and comes with two 3.5 mm jacks to extend the compatibility of the PS500MM.

Able Planet has won over 20 awards for their patented LINX AUDIO technology and will have this headset available in mid-December and it will retail for $ 99.00. It is just another of the many ways which Able Planet has devoted themselves to keeping ourselves safe from the adverse health effects of listening to music and gaming for extended periods of time.