If you have a musician on your holiday shopping list, whether young or older, they’ll probably be thrilled with the VOX MINI3 portable amp.

It’s amazing all the features VOX was able to pack into the portable amp:

• Eleven on-the-money amp models, covering a broad range of authentic tones
• A new non-distorting clean model – ideal for acoustic-electric instruments and keyboards
• A broad palate of effects including compressor, chorus, flanger, tremolo; plus reverbs and delays
• Built-in tuner – never play out of tune!
• Dedicated mic input with separate volume and reverb/delay controls – ideal for vocals
• AUX input jack – connect your MP3 player or other audio source and jam along
• Headphone output for silent practice – any time, any place
• Dual power options (included AC adaptor or six AA batteries) for up to 30 hours of portable power

Everyone loves gadgets, but it’s still great to see people play real musical instruments. With this amp a kid with a guitar and really have a field day. Check out the video below for more information.

We’re always looking for great T-Shirts, so we were very happy to receive some samples from WornFree.com. Their shirts inspired my music greats like Bob Marley and Joe Strummer and the designs are some of the best we’ve seen.

The Bob Marley classic from above was included with the samples sent to use. Apart from the cool design, the first thing we noticed was the super-soft, pre-washed and shrunk all cotton feel of the shirts. The comfort and fit were excellent so we were very happy with the product.

Browse through the selections of t-shirts, hoodies and sweats and it’s like browsing through the classic rock section of your music collection, with designs inspired by John Lennon, Joey Ramone, Iggy Pop and so many more.

The collection is so cool that we added it to our Father’s Day Gift Guide for the dad with excellent taste in music and t-shirt design!

We’re big fans of Lugz shoes, like the canvas shoes we reviewed last year. So we were happy to try out the new Changover Perf style that comes in white with black trim. The shoes have the look and feel of sneakers with super-soft leather and subtle but distinctive styling. The perforated leather on the sides with the four side-stripes give the shoes a high-end look. The shoes are super-comfortable with a padded tongue & collar and cushioned insole, and the soles are thick with traction grooves cutting across the sole for a jagged look.

These won’t replace your cross-training sneakers but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more comfortable shoe for walking, making them a great option for everyday use. They’re great for the summer as they fit well with a wide variety of shorts or jeans. With Father’s Day coming up, the new Changeover Perf can make a great gift for dad.

With so many portable devices playing music, we’re seeing more and more options for portable speakers. We tested the new BRAVEN speakers and the sound was excellent. These units are loaded with other features and have a very slick design as you can see in the photos above, but sound quality is the most important feature and the Braven speakers deliver. The BRAVEN SIX Series speakers have two custom extended-range drivers and 3 watt speaker output providing high-fidelity stereo audio with left- and right-channel passive sub woofers.

You can take this speaker unit anywhere so you can share music with friends. It’s perfect for impromptu parties or just hanging out by the pool.

It’s also loaded with other cool features. Each device offers the ability to charge USB devices and daisy chain multiple speakers together through 3.5mm audio in and out jacks. The internal duplex microphone allows for hands-free speakerphone calls with most any Bluetooth cell phone as well as compatibility with FaceTime, iChat, Skype and other apps. Battery life ranges from 12 to 20 hours and the speakers allow continuous wireless play up to 33 feet away.

The line includes a rugged speaker built for durability in sporting and outdoor settings, as well as two striking aircraft-grade aluminum models. We tested the Stealth Black BRAVEN 625s which is encased in a rugged, shock-absorbing exterior with aluminum grills. The BRAVEN 625s is ideal for sport, travel, and outdoor experiences as it’s equipped with a waterproof bag, USB flashlight, and up to 16 hours of continuous play.

This also makes a great gift for music-loving dad on Father’s Day as well, or for anyone who is on the phone a lot and like to use the speaker phone option.

Check out the video below for a demonstration.

With Father’s Day coming up, men’s grooming products are always reliable favorites for dad. I remember giving cheap after shave as a kid, but now you can step things up a bit with high-quality products at stores like The Men’s Shop at ULTA Beauty.

The site has a great selection of gift ideas at any price point. The experts at ULTA have identified this season’s hottest items from classic colognes to lighter body sprays perfect for gym bags and traveling, and Father’s Day favorites including shave gels and hair sculpting clay. ULTA is also gifting a free insulated tote or roll-up picnic blanket with any $30 fragrance purchase for dad!

They sent us several samples to try out, including the Lacoste Rouge Eau de Toilette pictured above and the Dolce and Gabbana The One Sport Eau de Toilette pictured here to the right. Both are excellent fragrances that would upgrade the cologne collection for most men. This Lacoste fragrance for men has a clean, crisp, fresh scent with a light and cool feel. The Dolce and Gabbana product is also a fresh, clean fragrance with “light and energetic top notes accompanied by an unmistakable Mediterranean aroma of rosemary, the freshness of water and saltiness of the sea. The middle notes feature sequoia wood enhanced with the energy of cardamom. Patchouli and musk naturally compliment the fragrance’s base notes.” Basically, it also will make you smell great!

Check these and other products out and find something cool for everyone on your list this Father’s Day. Check out our guide for more ideas.

Father’s Day is coming up on Sunday, and in the gadgets section of our Father’s Day Gift Guide we’re focusing on stuff beyond the obvious choices like phones and iPads.

The Meteor Mic from Samson fits that criteria perfectly. It’s an incredible device that is chrome-plated and beautifully designed so that you can record great sound or use it as a speakerphone on services such as Skype. It looks like an old school mic, but it’s also portable as the three legs of the stand all fold up perfectly to make it easy to store in luggage or a briefcase.

Most importantly, the sound quality is so much better than what you’ll get from tiny mics or the mic built into computers. Features include:

- One of the largest condenser diaphragms (25mm) of any USB mic available to produce rich, CD quality recordings

- Fold-back leg design allows for the optimal positioning for any recording application

- A stereo 1/8-inch headphone output, no latency monitoring, and headphone volume knob give user complete control

- No drivers are required, allowing users to start recording right out of the box

It’s a great gadget for anyone and a great gift idea as well, so check it out online or at Best Buy.

With summer here it’s a great time to stock on on new athletic gear, and the new Double-Dry T-shirts and Shorts from Champion offer a great option. They’re incredibly comfortable and they look great. The moisture-wicking, built-in systems keeps you cool and dry and the soft, ultra-light fabric feels as good as it looks with a silky smooth interior and a mesh textured exterior.

The Men’s Champion’s Double-Dry T-shirt features sleek ergonomic seams provide a more streamlined fit. They’re triple-stitched for strength and flat-locked for non-chafe softness. We were impressed with this feature in particular as the shirts are much more comfortable than previous Double-Dry versions. They’re just as comfortable as a premium cotton shirt. The tag-free fabric-taped neck also keeps its shape, wash after wash, and the easy raglan sleeves allow flexible range of motion.

The shorts feature mesh side panels provide ventilation for added cooling power and the sleek ergonomic seams and Four-needle elastic waist ensure maximum ease of movement. You can follow Champion of Facebook for more information on their products.

This line is engineered to make you comfortable while working out, but you’ll also look great as well. With Father’s Day coming up these would also make a great gift for the dad who still likes to get out there and play some hoops or work out, or for the dad who needs a subtle hint!

With Father’s Day coming up we’re all looking for gift ideas, and shaving products are always a good option. Grooming Lounge has put together a luxurious gift set around a luxurious dark leather travel bag created exclusively for them by renowned leather goods maker Mulholland Brothers. They stuff the bag with some great shaving products, including Mug Cleaner Face Wash, Beard Master Shave Oil, Beard Destroyer Shave Cream and Best for Last Aftershave. But my favorite item is the Ivory razor with chrome stand. As someone who just leaves his razor lying on the sink counter, the weighted chrome stand is perfect for holding your razor. Check it out along with other gift ideas at Grooming Lounge.

It’s summertime, so you’re going to need some casual shoes to go with shorts or slacks that you can comfortably wear without socks. Flip flops are great in the summer but you can’t wear them everywhere, and the leather sandals just aren’t in style any more. We tried several new styles from Crevo including the Boone Dock shoes pictured above, and both were incredibly comfortable and looked great.

The Boone Docks have a unique feel with the fleece lining. It’s a little warm sometimes but the comfort level is fantastic. The shoes feature a cow suede upper, padded collar for extra comfort and fit and a cushioned EVA footbed, along with a lightweight and flexible non-slip rubber outsole. I love the look of this pair and they dress up your look while keeping it casual.

I tried out the Crevo Nepal in black and also loved this super-casual shoe. It’s super light and comfortable and great for everyday use when it’s warm. Slipping this pair on and off is super easy. They also look great with the white bottom sole that is becoming popular with casual shoes so they’ll definitely upgrade your style over your sneakers. The garment-dyed twill provides a well-worn and washed-out style and the shoes are ultra light.

You don’t need to toss your sneakers and sandals, but you can update your summer look considerably with the new Crevo styles. Check out the website for more selections, and keep them in mind as a gift idea with Father’s Day coming up soon.

We love Ron Abuelo rum, and with Father’s Day around the corner we’re were very happy to get a Father’s Day Gift Set to check out which bundles a 750ml bottle of the Ron Abuelo 12 Años rum with a stylish and convenient travel kit. Along with the awesome rum bottle, the kit includes a leather wallet, magnetic money clip and key chain.

It’s a great gift set, but the rum bottle is the highlight of course. Ron Abuelo rum is produced entirely from estate-grown sugar cane in Panama by the family-owned Varela Hermanos. The company dates back to 1908 when Don José Varela established the first sugar mill in the recently-formed Republic of Panama, the San Isidro Sugar Mill. Almost 30 years later, Varela began the distillation of alcohol from their sugar cane crop in 1936. Currently run by the third generation, Varela Hermanos has approximately 1000 hectares of land devoted exclusively to the cultivation of sugar cane. Today, the range is composed of four authentic dark oak-aged rums: Añejo, 7 Años, 12 Años and the limited edition Ron Abuelo Centuria.

Sip it straight or make up some killer cocktails. Either way this stuff is a great addition to your bar and makes a great gift as well.