Christmas Gift Ideas For Her.

One of the sweetest parts of giving a gift to someone you care about is that excited, “I love it!” response, especially when you know that it’s genuine. Sadly, it can be surprisingly elusive this time of year. With so many gadgets on your loved one’s must-have lists, how’s a holiday shopper to find the perfect gift that won’t get added to the return or exchange pile? Don’t resign yourself to that tired gift card. I humbly offer for your consideration my “Buy This, Not That” picks for the women in your life. Not to worry if your husband is harder to buy for than your mailman, next week will be dedicated to the gentlemen.

If your lady loves to curl up on the couch with her TIVO and surround sound, but curses when she’s trying remember that the stereo needs to be set to Video 1, don’t pick up just any universal remote. Make her love you more every time she turns on the TV and get her the Logitech Harmony 700 universal remote ( $90). Push the button labeled "Watch a Movie" and the remote turns on your TV, stereo and DVD player. Even better, it turns them all to the right channels and inputs. If something isn’t working correctly, press the "Help" button for a series of easy questions to solve the problem. The remote buttons also automatically control the correct device. For example, if you press the volume button it will adjust the stereo, not the TV. Press "channel up" while watching TV and it knows to change the channel on your DVR, not the TV. Switch from watching a movie to watching TV by pressing one button. The Logitech Harmony 700 Remote is simply the best universal remote you can buy for under $100. It recognizes up to six devices, has rechargeable batteries, and a sleek ergonomic design.

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Every year her New Year's Resolution is to shave off those "last 5 pounds," but short of taking the doughnut out of her hand (and possibly getting bitten in the process) is there any way to help her meet her goal? Instead of sessions with a personal trainer, consider the Fitbit Ultra ($100). The small, 3D clip-on exercise monitor tracks all of your daily activities, from steps taken to distance travelled, even number of floors climbed. The data is converted into an activity score based on goals you set, and seeing your score is surprisingly motivating. Wear it to bed to track sleep patterns, or use the Smartphone app to quickly record what you ate for lunch, and your overall health is translated into charts and graphs, including calories burned vs. calories consumed. Your data uploads wirelessly so you can track your progress over time and compare your stats with friends or the Fitbit Online community. I tested it out last year and found that it really did encourage me to take the stairs instead of the elevator, just to see my improved stats at the end of the day.

For the woman who has a bevy of gadgets (and these days, who doesn’t?), don’t just grab a universal charger at the electronic store check-out counter. The XeMilo ( $100) and perfect for anyone needing reliable power for an iPad (or other tablet), Smartphone, MP3 player, or any of more than 3,000 other gadgets. Charge up to two devices at once using an outlet, car, computer or even the sun. Smaller than the average paperback, it will likely fit in her purse. Need something beefier? Revolve is promising the release of the XeMax any day now, which will be the smallest universal battery charger capable of boosting a laptop (a rare find) and will retail at about $130. Never running out of power on a car trip with a cranky toddler may just be the best gift she gets this year.

Andrea Eldridge is CEO of Nerds on Call, which offers on-site computer and home theater set-up and repair. Based in Redding, Calif., it has locations in five states. Contact Eldridge at www.callnerds.com/andrea

 photo by:APM Alex