Gifts for Music Lovers

Introducing the Logitech Squeezebox Boom, a high-tech boombox that CNET calls "the best all-in-one tabletop Wi-Fi radio (they've) seen to date, and well worth its $300 pricetag." Connect the Boom to your home network so you can enjoy all the music on your computer (on much better speakers), or connect it to the SqueezeNetwork, which gives you access to internet radio, Pandora, Rhapsody, Last.fm, and other music services. The device also has an alarm fuction, so you can wake up to your favorite playlists. And with a small footprint (it's just 5" high by 13" wide by 5" deep), the Boom fits nicely on a bookshelf.

How cute is this knit "Applepod" iPod Shuffle case? It's got happy rainbow stripes in the shape of an apple; fits 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generation iPod Shuffles; and has a hole in the top for your headphones. Yes, you can still use the clip function, so you can wear your iPod as a big brooch. Just $12 at Etsy.

Apple's iPod Classichas 120GB of storage. So does the new third generation Microsoft Zune. (120GB is enough space for approximately 30,000 songs, 25,000 photos, or 375 hours or video.) Both the iPod Classic and the 120GB Zune sell for about $250. So what's the difference? The Zune's a little bigger in actual size, for one, but it has a better screen for watching videos than the iPod. The iPod has better battery life, but the Zune has an (excellent) FM radio, and you can even tag songs you hear on the radio so you can download them later. Also, the Zune lets you update content wirelessly, share music wirelessly with other Zunes, and buy content from the Zune Marketplace. See all Microsoft Zunes.

This weekend we saw one of the best live performances we've seen in years, that of "gypsy punk" band Gogol Bordello, featuring guitars, violin, accordion, Latin percussion, and spastic frontman Eugene Hutz, who co-starred in Everything is Illuminated, and who is partially to blame for the return of the hipster mustache. But we forgive him for that because his band, which is made up of musicians from all over the world, is so amazing live. We just ordered their most recent album, Super Taranta. Highly recommended for people who enjoy rock, ska, folk, reggae, or any kind of Eastern European music.

Time magazine calls these Monster Beats by Dr. Dre headphones "Chronically good." Rolling Stone calls them "truly badass." And CNET says that, in addition to delivering on bass, the headphones are "nicely warm and balanced in the mids and truly impressive in their delivery of high-end detail." We say: They better be impressive for $350! The glossy headphones feature XL speaker drivers, powered amplification, active noise canceling, iPhone compatibility, and Dr. Dre's stamp of approval. And they ship with several useful accessories, including AAA batteries, a hardshell carrying case, two 3.5mm audio cables, and an airplane adapter.

Remember those Kohler WaterTiles from a couple years ago? They're panels for the sides of your shower, so water sprays at you from all directions like a human car wash. Kohler has taken showering to the next level with SoundTiles, matching speakers that stream your favorite music and Internet radio right into your shower. Kohler worked with Polk Audio to create these waterproof, coaxial, 4" x 4" speakers, which are controlled by the Kohler DTV II or any stand-alone home audio system. We hope for your spouse's/roommate's sake you have a good singing voice.

In case you haven't seen the graphic novels or clothes with her image, Emily the Strange is a fictional, hard-to-please, 13 year-old girl with 4 black cats, a dark world view, and one-liners like "wish you weren't here." And thanks to Epiphone, she's now got her own guitar. The limited edition Emily the Strange electric guitar is an Epiphone G-310 with Emily graphics all over it and the included guitar gig bag and strap. This is when we wish we had little sisters and nieces. More Emily the Strange products.

If you've been waiting for an excuse to buy the Logitech Squeezebox Duet, a network digital audio streamer that's similar to - but hundreds of dollars cheaper than - the Sonos Digital Music System, here you go: The Squeezebox Duet now comes with free access to Pandora, a music service that creates personalized radio stations based on your favorite music and artists. CNET gave the Duet high marks, saying it's "an ideal way to stream the full range of digital music--including files on your computer's hard drive, premium subscription music services, and free Internet radio--to your living room stereo system."

Expansive sound from a compact footprint. The Griffin Evolve is a wireless iPod speaker system with 3 parts: A charging base and two 5.5" cube-shaped speakers, each with its own on/off switch, that can be moved up to 150 feet away from the base station, so you can put them wherever you want and get real stereo sound. MTV.com says "If you're looking for a simple yet effective and incredibly designed wireless speaker system, you can stop looking right now -- the Griffin Evolve reigns supreme."

According to Belkin, more than half of all teenagers listen to their iPods at school. (And you thought they went to school to learn.) So Belkin created the RockStar to let them share their playlists with friends and also create their own music mixes. The RockStar has 5 jacks, which lets 5 people listen to one or more iPods (or other MP3 or DVD players). The device also has mixing and fade-in controls so you can mix songs together and pretend you're a DJ.