Gallery: Girls Love Gadgets, Too: Gifts for Your Geeky Sweetie
01element-ring
Picking the perfect Valentine's Day gift for the woman in your life can be more fraught with fatal errors than a pirated copy of Windows XP. Roses are tired. Lingerie is always trickier than it should be. Diamonds come with too much baggage. Soap is soap. No matter how it's packaged, and no matter how many times you tell her that these super-special suds came from the rain forests of New Guinea, she knows what it is: It's soap. This year, take a hint from us and forgo the bath salts for something a little more thoughtful, a little more nerdy, a little more, well, Wired. __Above:__ Periodic Elements Ring ---------------------- Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but precious metal is her boyfriend. At least, that's the story according to Joe Johnson and Jeanju Choi-Johnson, the design duo (and real life couple) behind these elegant knuckle-dusters. It might not be the ring she was expecting, but with the atomic weight, number and symbol of the element from which it's made printed right on the face, at least she'll know it's not cubic zirconia. Each ring is made to order. They come in platinum, 14K gold or sterling silver. —*Ramona Emerson* __WIRED__ How many people can say their jewelry won an International Design Award? Extra points for being able to leave a super-nerdy mark on someone if you punch him in the face. __TIRED__ Bulky shape will be an obstacle to hand-holding. Comes in only three elements, none of them uranium. Pricey: Only the silver is actually affordable. $295-$6,000, [Itsnoname](http://itsnoname.com/)
02a-date-with-wine
'A Date With Wine' Wine Stopper ------------------------------- If your lady has ever failed to finish off the whole bottle of Sauv Blanc in one sitting, this ingenious wine stopper from designer George Lee may be just the thing for her. Made from food-grade stainless steel, the number dials -- reminiscent of old-school library date stamps -- allow her to indicate when the bottle was opened. So the next time she wakes up thirsty in the middle of the night, she'll know whether or not to reach for the Beaujolais. *—Ramona Emerson* __WIRED__ Never have to taste-test again. Rubber gasket ensures an airtight seal even if you lay the bottle on its side. Fits most wine bottles. Sleek design just looks cool. __TIRED__ Sticks up too far to stand upright in the fridge. She'll finally know once and for all how fast she's going through the vino. $45, [Le Mouton Noir](http://www.lemoutonnoirandco.com/)  
03playbutton
Playbutton ---------- The Playbutton is not your typical MP3 player. Even though the 1.75-inch pin has the same basic technology as your iPod, it functions more like a wearable CD or vinyl record. It's a new spin on digital music distribution, and each pin is permanently loaded with an album's worth of tunes. The music-player–meets–rock-n-roll fashion staple has a relatively small 245-MB memory card, which means it's a one-album-only device. Equipped with just the basic functions (it has play, pause, skip and volume controls on the back), the button runs on a 5-hour lithium battery. Recharge it by disconnecting your headphones and plugging the included USB dongle into the same jack. You have the option of jumping tracks, but much like a record player, the sequence of the album is nonnegotiable as an effort to retain the musicians' vision. The first three Playbuttons to hit the street include [Bubbles](http://bubblesmusicnyc.blogspot.com/)' self-titled album, a reissue of *Wind's Poem* by Mount Eerie and a special Valentine-themed compilation of love songs by Vampire Weekend, Magnetic Fields, Bjork, Matthew Dear and others. Keep an eye out for upcoming Playbuttons from Javelin, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, The xx, Dublab, Oval and Mark Borthwick. *—Liz Stinson* __WIRED__ Album art on the front makes it look cool. They'll be fun to trade with fellow Playbutton lovers once they catch on. Plus, you can't pirate it, which means good news for the people who make the music. __TIRED__ Going by standard album prices, the Playbutton is steep ($20 to $25, depending on the release). The controls are hard to get to, and unless you really love the album, you won't want to wear it forever. $20-$25, [Playbutton.co](http://www.playbutton.co/)
042unfold-laptop-bag
Hard Graft 2Unfold Laptop Bag ----------------------------- If there was ever a reason to stop transporting your laptop in a black Hefty bag, [this tote](http://shop.hardgraft.com/bags/2unfold-laptop-bag-brown) by venerable Austrian design firm Hard Graft would be it. The flexible design includes a multitude of pockets for your phone, tablet and laptop, and a convertible strap that allows it to be carried as a briefcase, a shoulder bag or even a backpack. But don't be put off by the practicality: This is not your bike messenger's Timbuk2. Each bag is handmade from the same naturally milled Florentine leather as George Clooney's face, ensuring that it only gets more handsome with age. That, coupled with the streamlined shape and the flexibility to fold into a surprisingly fashionable clutch, means this bag will take her from the morning commute to the evening meet-up with panache *—Ramona Emerson* __WIRED__ 100 percent wool lining means it's fairly shock-resistant. Interior can be easily wiped clean in case of Yoplait explosion — which happens more than you'd think. __TIRED__ Expensive — 390 is a whole lot of euro. 390 euro \[$535\], [Hard Graft](http://shop.hardgraft.com/)
05candyshell-card-case-for-iphone-4
Speck CandyShell Card Case for iPhone 4 --------------------------------------- You've spent what feels like a lifetime waiting on your girlfriend to fish around in the black hole of her purse for her credit card and ID. But don't fret. Speck's [CandyShell Card Case](http://www.speckproducts.com/iphone-case/iphone-4-case/candyshell-card-iphone-4-cover-black.html) — which combines its hard-shell iPhone 4 protector with a built-in card holder — is a practical, and decently stylish, way to take back those wasted minutes. The one-piece case has a side-loading slot that holds up to three cards without adding much bulk to the phone. The cards stay secure until you push the thumb release, making the case a viable alternative to a bulky wallet. Look at it as a win-win situation: It decreases her chance of losing her cards, and it increases your chance of never having to hold her purse again. Now if only you could get rid of the lipstick, gum, planner, extra pair of shoes ... *—Liz Stinson* __WIRED__ Practical and organizational without being a totally lame gift. Decreases rate of lost cards. Increases sanity. __TIRED__ Colors and design leave something to be desired. And at $40, it might just be cheaper to order a new ID. $40, [Speck.com](http://www.speckproducts.com/) 
06brother-entreprenuer-pro
Brother Entrepreneur Pro PR-1000 -------------------------------- Your crafty lady loves to hand-stitch creative patterns, but what can you give her to separate her from the rest of the Holly Hobbies? The answer: this massive, 10-needle embroidery machine from Brother. The [Entrepreneur Pro PR-1000](http://www.brother-usa.com/Homesewing/NextDimension/home.aspx), winner of a CES 2011 Design and Engineering award, is tricked out for professionals and has a price tag to match. But it also boasts some touches for novices: Easy-to-use software, an automatic needle threading system, and LED color guides (to tell you which thread spool goes where) all make stitching a snap. USB ports are hidden behind the touch-sensitive screen, so she can upload her own designs. There are also 110 designs preloaded on the machine, including the coolest cat we've ever seen. At embroidering speeds of up to 1,000 stitches a minute, she can sit back and watch as everything from hand towels and pillows to wall tapestries and leather car seats get the deluxe grandma upgrade. *—Allison Davis* __WIRED__ The hulking beast can handle huge projects and will have her sewing at full throttle. She'll go from hobbyist to the next big thing on Etsy just as fast. Instruction and support — from the Brother dealer — is usually included. __TIRED__ With a $14,000 asking price, she's going to have to sell a lot of subversively embroidered denim jackets. Image resizing, photo-to-pattern embroidering and other specific design needs require additional software packages. $14,000, [Brother.com](http://www.brother-usa.com/Homesewing/NextDimension/home.aspx) 
07macaroon-maker
At-Home Macaroon Maker ---------------------- You know the old saying: Give your beloved a box of delicate macaroons, and she'll down them in 10 minutes; give her an [At-Home Macaroon Maker](http://www.strapya-world.com/products/40238.html), and you might even get one. This adorable cookie factory from Japan makes whipping up these traditional French treats as easy as baking a box of Sara Lee brownies. Add a few ingredients, turn the crank, scoop out the mixture using the handy heart-shaped spoon, bake and voilà — colorful, flavorful French cookies that don't require a trip to [Bouchon](http://www.bouchonbakery.com/). *—Allison Davis* __WIRED__ Decidedly low-tech, the hand-cranked bowl mixer is super simple. Makes both traditional macaroons and little cookies shaped like bunnies and bears. __TIRED__ The recipes are written in Japanese, so novice bakers might want to avoid experimentation with different flavors. Pink, round and ornate design is too cute even for 10-year-old girls. The tiny contraption only makes 10 macaroons at a time — how is that ever enough? $28, [Strapya-World.com](http://www.strapya-world.com/products/40238.html)
08jambox
Jawbone Jambox -------------- Some relics from the '90s are meant to be saved: for instance, your girlfriend's favorite pair of Jordache jeans and her *Pete & Pete* box set. But when it comes to music, there's no excuse to not upgrade that clunky, outdated boombox. Enter the [Jambox](http://www.jawbone.com/product-jambox-overview), the ultimate wireless speaker from Jawbone, the mobile-lifestyle tech gurus. Even with an output capacity of 85 decibels (loud enough to start a punk rock picnic), 10 hours of continuous play and a surprisingly robust sound, the 6-inch Jambox will take up less room in her purse than her wallet. Which is a good thing considering the Bluetooth-enabled speaker is perfect for amplifying laptop movies and impromptu dance parties. Oh, and it works as a speakerphone, too — great for conference calls, just in case she's the working type. *—Liz Stinson* __WIRED__ Small enough to fit in her purse. Handsome enough to never want it there. Sound is top-notch for its size. __TIRED__ Costs more than an iPod Nano, which could be an issue if you're on an earbud budget. $200, [Jawbone.com](http://www.jawbone.com/)
