Cool gadgetsfor 11/12

ACCELL ULTRAAV HDMI 4-1 SWITCH

$149.99 at frys.com

High-definition devices — HD-DVD players, game consoles and digital cable boxes — frequently employ HDMI connections for transmitting superior image quality. But many home theater buffs are forced to shuffle wires because their HDTV has only one HDMI input.

The Accell UltraAV solves that problem by easily routing the audio and visual signals of up to four devices to one display. A signal booster makes it possible to use cable lengths of up to 65 feet, which could be handy in commercial applications. Remote control included.

LOGITECH Z-10 INTERACTIVE SPEAKERS

$114.85 at amazon.com

Computer speakers don't have to be ugly. The visually striking Z-10 desktop speakers from Logitech are solid sonically, but what really makes them sing is the USB connection used to display information (song title, band name, time, date and more) on the right speaker's LCD screen and the touch-sensitive controls that make it easy to control the volume or change tunes.

A headphone jack and auxiliary input for portable music players are easily accessed on the right speaker too. Windows-based PC required.

George Mathis writes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.