Video Games

For the second time in about three months, the Las Vegas Convention Center is buzzing with the activity endemic to a major international trade show. And while November is when the automotive aftermarket has its annual pow-wow, January is reserved for the consumer electronics industry’s biggest get together or the year: The Consumer Electronics Show, or CES for the abbreviationally-inclined.

Ironically, the Consumer Electronics Show is, like SEMA, not open to consumers. However, thanks to the seemingly limitless (unless SOPA and/or PIPA pass) power of the Internets, there are plenty of interesting words and pretty pictures pertaining to all the cool new gadgets and services debuting at the show floating around. But you’re not interested in reading one article for hours and hours, right? Of course not. That’s why we’ve limited the following list to the 25 gizmos we think are the coolest and most likely to attain “gotta have” status.

Unless you’re participating in a medical study involving sensory deprivation (And who doesn't love those?), we're quite certain you’re aware that the Holiday Season (known in simpler, allegedly more insensitive times as Christmastime) is upon us. And whether you’re proclivities during this time of year lean towards hanging tinsel and trinkets on an indoor conifer, symbolically lighting one candle in a stylish candle holder every night, or standing on your roof in the nude while banging a tambourine against your belly and whispering your prayers to the Cantaloupe King and his Magic Curling Iron (We don’t judge.), chances are there will be at least some gift-giving going on, if there hasn’t been any already.

With that in mind, we’ve concocted the following list of 25 great gearhead gift ideas. They fall into many categories, and into a wide range of price brackets, but they all have one unifying trait: An ability to bring a smile to the face of all but the most jaded car geeks. We’re pretty sure you’ll find at least one item that’s a perfect fit for the recipient you have in mind.