17. Myvu Made For iPod Fully Loaded

What the Myvu does is easier to understand when you see or experience one than it is to explain using mere words. In the plainest of terms, the Myvu lets you connect up a 30 GB, 60 GB or 80 GB iPod with video to this personal media viewer. Images are displayed heads-up on two video screens inside what looks like a pair of clunky but stylish sun glasses. Because these stereo images are positioned so close to your eyeballs, the result is a large-screen viewing experience that is also hands free and completely portable (you wear this gear, so it naturally goes wherever you do). A pair of built-in earbuds find their way into your ear canals to provide audio to go with the video, and you're ready to watch and listen to anything your video iPod can pump out.

When old people wear glasses like these, it's to block out the sun; when iPod owners wear these, it's to block out the humdrum, everyday world.

Though the myvu looks something like Cyclops eye coverings from the X-men, it's actually nicely packaged and engineered. The designers even crafted the unit's battery pack - which provides up to 8 hours of non-stop viewing, and even longer for audio only adventures - to do double duty as a hard protective shell case for the viewing glasses, when folded up and ready to be tucked away. A pair of nose pads lets viewers adjust where the glasses sit on their noses for best viewing results, and you get extra ear bud covers to replace the initial set when they wear out or become too nasty for public display. Three AAA batteries provide the power for this nifty little unit. The video signal may be either NTSC or PAL and offers resolution of up to 320x240 at a 4:3 aspect ratio.

The pendant control module measures a mere 1.4" x 0.9" x 0.2" (3.5 cm x 2.3 cm x 0.5 cm) and weighs less than 1.1 ounces (30 g). The maker claims that the viewer is built to allow users to both see around (move your eyes up or down, and look over or under the frames) and see-through (look around the two tiny LCD displays right in front of your eyes, and through the frames). Most users report a period of adjustment in learning how to use their eyes for real-world navigation while also viewing video content (presumably, for entertainment). The glasses themselves weigh only 2.4 ounces (68 g) and offer a viewing experience like watching a 27" or bigger screen, yet are only 0.6" (1.52cm) thick (top to bottom, that is).

At $299.95, the Myvu is a bit heftier in price than most iPod accessories, but it certainly has lots of "Gee Whiz!" technology to offer its recipients. Whether or not students end up zoning out to movie in class as a result of receiving a Myvu is a deeply personal decision that gift-givers must consider. That said, students with long commutes will surely appreciate the diversions that the Myvu can deliver anywhere, anytime. For more information on this personal video viewer, please visit the vendor's products page.