MASTER LOCK BLUETOOTH SMART PADLOCK
$49 to $59

There's an app for that padlock

Master Lock makes a Bluetooth padlock with its own smartphone app, a great gift option for students or someone who works out at a gym. You can use your phone to open the lock. You can also unlock it with physical buttons on the lock if you lose or don't have your phone.

There are two models — indoor and outdoor. The batteries should last up to two years.

DALLAS MORNING NEWS

I-xtm charger
$27

Organizing your charging needs

It's that time of year when I drop hints for gifts of gadgets.

So here it is: At the end of the day, they all need to be charged, meaning not only will I have to plug each one into a separate electrical socket, but I will be without their use as they gobble up energy. The tangle of cords looks like an old-fashioned telephone switchboard as they snake their way into a power strip plugged into a wall receptacle.

There is a better way. A charging bank has up to six USB ports and one power cord. That's huge when your surge-protected power strip is crowded with other gadgets and even a few other non-USB-charging essentials.

The I-xtm charger is smart enough to know whether you're charging an iPad or an iPhone (they have different sizes and wattages). It knows when the device is nearly fully charged and slows down for the last couple percentage points. It won't overcharge your device. It comes with a USB cord that's plugged into the charger, with three cords on the other end for newer and older iPhones and a lot of Android devices. There are dozens of other choices on Amazon that are cheaper or even more expensive.

Imagine you're in an airport and there's only one outlet available near your seat in the boarding area. Whip out your portable charging station, and you can charge your iPad and your iPhone at the same time, while also inviting a neighbor to charge her Android phone. Imagine, a gadget that promotes goodwill.

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