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Photos courtesy of (from left): Belkin, Neonode, Polaroid, iHome*

By N'Gai Croal
Jan. 21, 2008 issue

Even if you factor in the jaded streak that runs through most tech journalists, the oft-exchanged phrase at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show, “More of the same,” was a legitimate assessment of the gadgets on display. That said, we did manage to dig up some products worth highlighting. One was Jook, a hardware add-on for digital audio players that would permit you to broadcast your music wirelessly to other Jook-enabled music devices within 30 feet, or to listen to music being broadcast by other users and tag songs for purchase the next time you dock your player with your PC. Another was Seagate’s D.A.V.E., a Bluetooth- and Wi-Fi-enabled pocket-size hard drive that allows you to access any audio or video files on it from devices as varied as iPhones, laptops, car stereos and more. Here are some other products that caught our eye.

* Belkin Surge Protector, $50: This remote-controlled power strip lets you shut off devices without ducking under your desk.
* Neonode N2 Mobile Phone (price not announced): Its infrared-based touchscreen is more rugged than that of an iPhone or Palm. The device also plays music and movies.
* Polaroid Mobile Photo Printer, $150: Connect phones and cameras via Bluetooth or USB for two- by three-inch prints
* iHome iP47 Clock Radio, $150: iPod players with built in alarm clocks aren’t new, but the speakerphone for iPhones is genius. You can also stream MP3s to the iP47 from any Bluetooth device.

Our top picks for the week

Rent “Syndromes and a Century.” Our critic’s No. 1 movie pick of last year, this lovely Thai film about doctors, lovers and Buddhist monks is divided into two parts that mirror each other—one set in the city, one in the country—and is unlike anything you’ve ever seen.

Recycle your old cell phone with help from the Environmental Protection Agency’s new campaign. Go to epa.gov/cellphone for a list of drop-off locations, many at major retail stores. You’ll help lower greenhouse-gas emissions and keep reusable materials out of landfills.

Book a stay on the Underground Railroad. Visit bedand breakfast.com (click on “Press Room”) for a list of inns that helped slaves on their road to freedom. Many of the B&Bs are offering special packages for Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend and throughout Black History Month in February.

Buy Microsoft Office for Macintosh ($150 to $500). The first major upgrade of the popular Word, Excel, PowerPoint suite for Apple computers in four years brings your Mac up to speed.

Read “David Golder” and other novels in a newly published collection by Irène Némirovsky (Everyman’s Library. $25). The Kiev-born French writer died at Auschwitz in 1942 but scored an international best seller last year in the posthumously published “Suite Française.”