Friday Blog Question: Shameless Tech Christmas Gifts

Special thanks to Chris Sietsema for sending me this article for today’s question: “7 gadgets that make you look like a jerk.”

The Apple MacBook Air will doubtlessly get a deluge of comments from the Apple Political Action Committee, but then again, they are the only ones who will care. After all, the economy has pretty much assured us all that by the time any of us are buying any of these things, it will be outdated anyway.

So the list is good, but frankly a bit short. Only 7!?! These days I see guys with their pants barely staying up from all the technology around their belts. It’s like a BestBuy threw up on them.

While I could build up this list until everyone who’s ever pressed a button and liked it hates me, I’d rather turn this over to you and the staff here at Off Madison Ave:

What other indescribably un-cool technology is missing from the list above?

These speakers for $1000, made from acrylic and are apparently bulletproof, because, um, speakers need protection in case any stray bullets happen to be passing by.

Renee Airo

Sometimes it’s in the combinations. I saw a guy with an iPhone, a bluetooth headset in one ear and one earbud of his white iPhone headphones hanging from the other. Huh?! Susan Baier

Actually, it was Justin who sent the link initially. Thanks, J-Dubbs.

Chris Sietsema

Twitter — Its neat, but the people that use it act like it is the end all be all of everything. Also who cares what you are doing this very second (or the second after that).
Flip Cameras (or any of the other cheap video cameras that are on the market right now) & the people that insist on recording everything that they do like anyone really cares about their sorry life. Apple TV — Completely useless, spend a few more bucks and put a real computer in your entertainment center. Personal/Home Servers — Microsoft @ other companies have started selling “servers” for the home so you can store & backup the pictures that you took of your cat that only you care about. This is just one more computer to become part of a botnet used for sending me spam. Thanks.
Justin Wilson

I disagree with TiVo, but the rest of it is solid. Other include:

iPhones in holsters (SUITS SHOULDN’T HAVE IPHONES, DAMNIT)

Portable GPS devices anywhere but the wilderness (what, you can’t find your way around your house?)

Zunes

People who carry two devices, say a Touch and a cell phone

Windows 64 bit edition

Tyler Hurst

Clip-on cell phones are right up there with the bluetooth. The business equivalent of a fanny pack, imo.

Wii Fit – can people not run around the block to break a sweat anymore?

Those tiny smart cars – maybe they’ll save the environment, but not your life.

Also, the SkyMall-esque coffee mugs with the built-in, bedazzled clock are pretty bad as well.

Chris Sietsema

So I know with more and more states passing laws banning cell phone use while driving that hands-free gadgets are necessary, however, nothing is more obnoxious than dudes who walk around town with the headset in their ear all damn day. I especially loathe the ones that have the annoying blue light that blinks. It's as if they think they are beaming out a message to all the ladies that says, “I am soo important people call my all day and I can’t be bothered to pick up my damn phone.” Michelle Zimmerman

About the Author: Eric Reid

I am the Social Media Services Manager for Off Madison Ave. I've been with the company since 2006, when I was hired to do SEO, and link building in particular. When social networking sites started cropping up, at first I started using them to create backlinks - but they weren't the best for that, given all of the "nofollow" attributes. However, I did see the potential for all of the direct referral traffic they represent. Since then I've been actively pursuing both tactics for clients: Links that can help them for search, and social postings that get them involved in the conversation. It's about the coolest job you could ever get. ;)