Give your gal some electronics

Mister Roboto
In a world full of electronics, there's got to be some device out there that will make for a good gift for your gal...right? Nothing like a vacuum cleaner or washing machine though. I mean some electronic device, gadget, or something-or-other that will make her jump out of her chair and hug your for coming up with such a wonderful gift.

Is this even possible with electronics, given their built-in drawbacks?

You remember of course that the more costly electronics tend to be fragile and easily broken. And if we're talking about anything with a computer inside, then it can get buggy after a while as well. Plus, in a few years time (and sometimes much less than that), it could become obsolete...turning today's great gift into tomorrow's doorstop.

And finally, are electronics even all that appealing to gals?

"Domo arigato for this wonderful...um...solar powered cell phone charger. I'll treasure it forever. And when I say "forever" I mean until my next cell phone upgrade."

No sweat my friend. Electronics can indeed make for excellent gifts, as long as you apply a little logic in deciding what to buy and when to give them to her.

Right and wrong occasions
As good as electronic gifts can be, they're never going to be romantic to a gal. This means you've got to take a hard pass on these for Valentine's Day and anniversaries.

You might come across some high-tech doo-dad that would seem to be the perfect gift for your 20th anniversary, but I'm telling you that nothing electronic is going to beat out a more traditional anniversary gift (like jewelry and a nice dinner). It's just not, so banish that feeling in your gut and save that gift for another time.

The occasions you want to shoot for when giving electronics are her birthday and Christmas. You can also get away with this kind of gift for Mother's Day, but only if you also give her the flowers and special meal that she's looking forward to.

Obsoletion
When I think of getting my gal something electronic, the first thing I wonder is...how long will this device last? It's a valid question and one you should consider...but with this in mind.

Lots of stuff besides electronics become obsolete, get worn out, go out of style, or get used up. Just a few gifts really last a lifetime.

Sweets gets eaten, flowers wilt, candles melt, and perfume bottles go empty. She can get holes in her clothes, find they don't fit the same one day, or decide that they're not her style anymore. Books and photo albums can go the distance, but even those can possibly become brittle and fade. And although vacations can build life-long memories, they're over as soon as you get back home.

Think a bit, and you'll find that most gifts go "obsolete" in one way or another...and I'm telling you that it's okay. In the end, gifts are just things that are meant to let your gal know that you love her and to bring her a little joy.

In fact, you should see this as a good thing that a lot of gifts don't last. Each year, you've got a number of holidays and occasions where you get to freshen up that message/feeling of love and make her happy over and over again.

So no, you don't have to worry that your electronic gift is going to be a dud simply because it may stop functioning one day. But there are other things to consider before making a purchase.

Exciting versus useful
Here's an example of a highly useful gift.

Steal your gal's computer and take it down to the local computer shop to have them soup it up with some extra memory and faster speed. Make sure they really get it humming, so when you give it back to her, she'll have a much better experience with it, whether she uses her computer for work or otherwise.

Now does that really sound like a good gift to you? I hope not. That's an awful gift, because there's nothing exciting about it. I doubt she'd even crack a legitimate smile when you inform her of what you had done for her.

Yeah, she'll probably appreciate the thought and she may notice that her computer is running more efficiently, but gals want gifts that are cute and awesome and that make them feel all giddy inside.

Remember that vacuum cleaner and washing machine I metioned at the start? Both are hugely useful items to have around the home, but neither of them are going to arouse any kind of giddy feeling in your gal.

I promise you, anytime she opens one of your gifts, she's hoping to find something fun and exciting inside.

So as long as you can find an electronic gift that will make her feel these things, then you've got a winner. Of course, if that device is also highly useful, it can only add value to her gift.

Examples
An AM radio from the dollar store won't cut it for a gift, but a really nice pair of high-end earbuds would. Quality earbuds always have a nice look to them, so she'll feel a little luxurious when she puts them in...and her music should sound great.

A new TV for the living room is no good, because that's really a gift for both of you...but an extremely nice stereo of her own could do the trick. Just let her know that your intention is for her to use it in a room/space that's solely hers.

A laser pointer might prove useful for your gal if she's a teacher, but it's boring. A little disco light that spins around with a bunch of colors (even a cheap one that plugs into her computer) would beat out a laser pointer as a gift.

To be clear, I wouldn't recommend a cheapie disco light as a main gift. I'm just using it here to make a point about how the qualities of "fun and exciting" always trump "functional."

Her approval
If you truly want to know what kind of electronic gift to give your gal, all you need to do is listen to her. With the abundance of electronics surrounding us, she's bound to mention something she likes during your regular conversation.

Keep an ear out for these clues and you'll end up with a small list of approved items before you know it. And if that fails, you can simply ask her what she'd like. I assure you, there's nothing wrong with this technique of "asking her" as long as you don't do this for every single gift. Gals like surprises after all.

Mini gifts
In your search for the right gift, you'll probably stumble across a good number of cute little electronic gizmos along the way. Although these may not be good enough to stand alone as "main" gifts, you could throw one or two in as extra gifts, along with whatever you're getting her for Christmas or her birthday. Or you could give these to her as "just because" gifts.

Now don't dismiss the importance of these "just because" gifts. They cost you practically nothing, but they send a big message to your gal. Giving her little gifts between holidays/occasions lets her know that that you think of her and enjoy doing nice things for her even when you're not required to...and that's the kind of stuff that'll make her giddy.

Last thought
It doesn't take much digging into the internet to see that that there's a huge variety of electronic gifts available, so you know there's some treasure to be found there. Just keep in mind that whereas guys are more impressed by how a device functions, gals want their electronics to look and feel both fun and exciting. Get her something that will put a huge smile on her face when she opens it and you'll be alright.