Tech Guide '08: Perfectly Plugged In

THIS YEAR, small and retro is the new black. OK, so that's a bit of a mouthful, but our picks for 2008's hottest tech gifts seem to have one thing in common: They're teeny. Check out the slim MacBooks, mini (we mean paperback book-size) Eee PCs, the printer that's smaller than a bread box and more. You'll find gizmos here for gearheads and casual tech users alike — Mom can finally get her e-mail on the go, while your brother can turn his commute into a video game with the oddly named PLX Kiwi, which tracks a car's miles per gallon directly from the diagnostic port. Futuristic! Last, it's not a tech guide without some sweet toys, so we rounded up the porkiest iPod dock we could find and a new, updated-for-the-millennium version of the '80s classic Lazer Tag. Get the latter for your favorite kid (or childish adult), and watch the holiday light show fly.

» Range Rover
The Cell Ranger ($150, Getcellranger.com) boosts your signal when you're short on bars. The one here attaches to your car antenna for rural drives; another USB version could work in basement apartments.
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» Mini and Mighty
Teeny Pico D USB drives ($23, Newegg.com) from Super Talent fit on a key chain and hold up to 8 GB of docs and tunes. Just don't lose the itty bitty thing; it's just 1.5 inches tall!
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» Special Delivery
CrackBerry addicts will turn up their noses at the tiny Peek ($79.95 plus $19.95 monthly fee, Getpeek.com), but we bet Mom would love a way to get her e-mail on the go and still keep her pink Razr.
Pictured above.

» In the Quick of Things
Get wireless Internet access without having to hide the router. Linksys' WRT610N ($200, Amazon.com) is easy on the eyes and has dual-band 802.11N frequencies — in English, that means fast ($199.99, Amazon).
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» Gas Perfect
The PLX Kiwi ($300, PLXKiwi.com) plugs into your car's diagnostic computer to track fuel efficiency on a detailed level, making it easier to save the planet.
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» In the Key of Cool
The T-Mobile G1 ($179 with two-year plan, Tmobile.com) sports a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and easy access to all things Google.
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Written by Express contributor Rachel Kaufman