Can you believe it’s that time of year AGAIN? Well, I’ll be running a few of these guides over the next month that cover a few things from tech to games to food and anything else I can think of that won’t get me arrested. Read on and enjoy your consuming of mass quantities!

While big-ticket items are big business for plenty of manufacturers and retailers, it’s the small stuff you don’t usually think about that’s equally important. At least to my eyes. Sure, stuff like batteries, extra controllers and other no-brainer items are what most people think about (or don’t think about) when gifting a tech-related item. But some of the best products you may not have thought about at all are out there and sell themselves once seen and taken for a spin. Here’s a list of stuff I saw this year that’s practically guaranteed to get you reaching for your wallet whether you’re in line at a retailer or online in the comfort of your own home. Or office, as I know a lot of you shop when you’re supposed to be working (naughty, naughty!)…

Whoosh! Screen Shine ($5.99 – $20) – I’ve previously covered this wonderful stuff, but it bears repeating that you (and everyone else) out there more likely than not has a damn dirty device in your possession. Yuck. Whoosh! is a great way of not only cleaning your screens, but protecting them as well. That and the antimicrobial orange cleaning cloth that comes with your order does a heck of a better job that your shirt sleeve or some tissue you’ve whipped out of a pocket.

The Nest Earbud Case ($9.99) – if you’re an earbud user, Digital Innovations‘ The Nest is something you NEED. If you’ve ever experienced tangled cords and stuff caught in them because you just dump your buds into your bag every day, this little wonder has your name all over it.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out how to use it and getting into the habit of talking care of your stuff is always a good thing for kids as well as adults. DI also makes a bunch of other cool products, so make sure to poke around their site and see what’s what. I’m betting you’ll find a few things you need or never knew you needed…

Flygrip Gravity ($29.95) – It’s a good thing my current phone is a 2-year old Alcatel. Yeah, yeah, I know I need to upgrade, but that little thing is pretty darn sturdy and can take a lot of punishment. I’ve dropped it a few times since I got it a few months ago (hey, it was only $28 new and does everything I want it to), but it hasn’t slipped from my clutches at all since I got a Flygrip to try out. This handy little lifesaver sticks to the back of your phone or tablet (up to 10 inches), allowing you to use it one-handed. Phone and text away at your leisure and don’t be surprised if someone doesn’t stop you to ask how you’re holding your phone with two fingers and juggling whatever else in your other hand. Additionally, Flygrip acts as a “kickstand” so you can watch movies or do other things without propping your device against something unsuitably unstable.

Why this isn’t standard issue on any new device I have no idea other than manufacturers WANT you to drop that new tech toy and buy a replacement. Granted, the Flygrip adds thickness to your phone and may make it less “sexy” if you like showing off how slim your device is in those skinny hipster jeans. But sexy is relative, as dropping your phone or tablet automatically loses any sexy points you were trying to acquire. While this one’s a great buy, it’s not for every phone or device out there. At least the company acknowledges this right off the bat, a great thing along with the improvements they’ve made to their product since it was launched. Anyway, get one and use it – your phone will thank you (as will your wallet when you don’t need to replace that pricey device).

Velvetwire Powerslayer ($79.99) – Another product I covered previously, the Powerslayer is the smart charger that’s looking to revolutionize the way we get our stuff juiced up. Go read that piece and then go buy one of these babies.

Oh, and if saving money is your thing this year you’ll get 20% off until December 1st, so you may as well commit to being greener about ONE thing in your digital life, right? Right.

Boogie Board eWriter Tablets ($19.99 – $99.99) – Going paperless is tricky for some people, but take a Boogie Board for a test drive and you’ll be finding all sorts of ways to use one. I’ve been seeing them at a few trade shows and I can’t help but step up to the booth and start sketching away. While the Jot and Original models are quite handy for notes, lists, keeping kids busy while traveling (for starters), I like the Sync 9.7 the most. It’s got the ability to sync and share anything you create or write via Bluetooth as well as save loads of your work for future reference.

From an arty perspective, I love the “scratch board” look to artwork done on all of the models. It’s a good thing I don’t own one of these, as I’d probably do nothing but draw all day and maybe send out sketches to random people. Hey, you can’t make money on that, can you?

ChargerLeash ($19.99 – $34.99) – How’s this for cool and necessary? A device charger that has a built in alarm so you can’t ever leave it behind AND it also can alert you if some fool tries to pinch your tech as it’s charging? Yeah, I thought so. ChargerLeash was a product I laughed at as well as with as I realized how unique it was.

As someone who’s lost his fair share of chargers in common to oddball locations, I can see the need for this one getting into the hands of a wide range of people. Frequent travelers, forgetful librarians, kids (who seem to lose anything no matter how large it is), smart pets who own phones, and so forth and so on. I can very safely say after seeing this at a trade show that the alarm is something you’ll NOT want to hear frequently if you’re one of those people that always misplaces things, but that’s a good thing. You’ll definitely be getting trained when you have one of these in your possession to the point that it’ll be second nature to check for it whenever you’re setting out to work or wherever else you may need to roam.

I’ll stop here for now, but look for part II on Monday. Or Sunday if I’m around and have it ready to run…