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Eight Tech Gadgets To Add To Your Gifts List

It's that time of year again; food, shopping, holidays, and more shopping. Combining the theme of holiday shopping with Southern California's technology industry, here are eight electronic gifts from local companies to add to your shopping list this season.


1. Sonos Play:3

Sonos has set the standard for high quality, easy to use, whole-house music systems which seamlessly connect to your smartphone, PC, and streaming media services. The company's all- in-one Play:3 lets users control their music wirelessly, and stream from your music library, music services, or radio stations. Sonos is based in Santa Barbara.


2. Mint Plus Cleaner

No one likes having to clean the floor. But, it's awful fun when it's a robot doing the work for you. The Mint Plus Cleaner--which was developed in Pasadena by Evolution Robotics, the robotics startup spun out of Idealab--uses cleaning cloths to tidy up your hard floors. Now owned by iRobot.


3. Vizio CoStar

Have an HDTV, and wish you could browse the web or stream content from the Internet? Vizio has that handled with the Vizio CoStar, a device which makes any TV a smart television. The CoStar features an interface powered by Google TV, and delivers both the web and streaming entertainment through a touchpad remote. Vizio is based in Irvine.


4. olloclip

Have an iPhone? Are you into photography? olloclip has a clip-on lens for the iPhone which takes your photos to the next level, with a 3-in-one fisheye, wide angle, and macro lens. The lens--which works with the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5--is the ultimate accessory for the iPhone photo enthusiast. Olloclip is based in Huntington Beach.


5. MiFi Liberate

Need a wireless hotspot, but can't find one anywhere? Bring your own, with Novatel's new MiFi Liberate--available through AT&T--which lets users create their own wireless hotspot using 4G LTE networks. The latest generation of Novatel's MiFi hotspots features a touchscreen display and support for up to 10 Wi-Fi enabled devices, plus 11 hours of battery life. Novatel is based in San Diego.


6. WD TV

Access your media collection, connect to the Internet, stream video from Hulu, NetFlix, YouTUbe, and more. WD's WD TV does all of that and connects your television to the Internet. WD's TV Live Hub also features built in storage for all of your media. WD is headquartered in Irvine.


7. Phorus PS1 Speaker

Have an Android phone or tablet? The Phorus PS1 speaker, from Encino-based Phorus, provide high fidelity audio in a compact package, with direct connection to your Android device.


8. Mattel Puppy Tweets

Is your pet dog a social media maven? Your puppy can be, with this device sold by El Segundo-based Mattel, which uses an electronic tag with sensors to tweet your dog's moves, barks, and more to Twitter. The device uses a USB receiver and wireless tag to make your dog the owner of their own, Twitter stream.


Did we miss your favorite electronic device, widget, or gizmo from a local high tech company? Comment below!

Image courtesy BigStock.