Gadgets

Regina Lee Blaszczyk, a professor of consumer culture and design history, says her neighborhood coffee shop is a perfect example of how the laptop experience has become the accessory of the age, and she's not kidding. At Chapterhouse on Ninth near Bainbridge, there is a shelf of books available for customers, but on nearly every table, most occupied by a person and a latte, is a laptop. Most feature a shiny apple on the cover. "May I share your outlet?" is about all that passes for conversation between tables.

For Lynanne Whiteman, the hardest exercise at her new gym may have been walking through the doors. Whiteman, 49, says she has struggled with her weight since she was 8 years old. When family members bought her a gym membership about six years ago, she gamely ventured where she had never gone before. "I was kind of intimidated with all of the machines and the weights and the guys that were there," says Whiteman, who lives near Pittsburgh. "I'm this fat person walking into a roomful of guys who are half my age, looking buff and [who]

SEARCHING FOR some cool stocking stuffers with a techy edge for under $30? How about a battery-enhanced toothbrush that sings like Justin Bieber, a protective case for a smartphone, or a vibrating magic "bullet" that turns a carton of eggnog into a loudspeaker? You may not have to go far for such cute stuff. Even stores not known for gadgets stack 'em high this time of year. Of course, goodies galore also await online for those who act fast. BEYOND BEYOND: A good example of living past its image is Bed, Bath and Beyond, notwithstanding the goofy "Dancing and Singing Rabbi" ($14.99)

NEED TO TELL your Aunt Sarah you don't need another knitted sweater this holiday season? Clip out this all-purpose gift list and slip it into her handbag. Maybe she'll get the hint. FOR THE DIYER: The Complete Homebrew Beer Book by George Hummel (Robert Rose, $16.47). With 200 easy recipes, anyone can brew lager, mead, fruit beer - you name it. Order it with a homebrewing kit directly from the author ($150 at www.homesweethomebrew.com ). FOR THE BOOKWORM: " The Oxford Companion to Beer " (Oxford University Press, $65)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - This was one frantic finish the New York Jets might consider a turning point if they end up pulling off another late-season playoff push. Mark Sanchez threw a career-high four touchdown passes, including the winning 16-yard score to Santonio Holmes with just over a minute remaining, as the Jets kept pace in the AFC playoff race with a 28-24 comeback victory over the Buffalo Bills yesterday. "He's at his best," coach Rex Ryan said of his quarterback, "in big moments.

Joe Metzger suffers from a curse - the curse of the baby-proofer. If he enters any house that contains young children, he immediately sees hazards. Even when he's off the clock. "I'm always noticing something," says Metzger, who co-owns Safer Babies, based in Media, with his wife, Jennifer. On this day, he's working a job in Kennett Square, and he has his eagle eyes wide open. This is the digital age, and that means a whole set of new worries for parents of young children.

Mary McCarty writes for the Dayton Daily News It was a quirk of the 24-hour news cycle that the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, one of the lions of the civil rights movement, died the same day as Apple founder Steve Jobs. The New York Times wrote a glowing tribute, but on TV news, Shuttlesworth's death was somewhat eclipsed by that of the iPod inventor. Many commentaries focused on the way that Jobs' inventions transformed our everyday lives. His original partner, Steve Wozniak, compared Jobs to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in terms of his social significance.

NEW YORK - It wasn't just the latest iPhone that drew people to Apple stores Friday. Many consumers waited in lines for hours - sometimes enduring chilly temperatures and overnight thunderstorms - to remember Steve Jobs, Apple's visionary who died last week. The company's first iPhone release since Jobs' death turned into another tribute. Some customers even joked that the new model 4S stood "for Steve. " Tony Medina, a student from Manhattan, stood outside Apple's flagship store on New York's Fifth Avenue for nine hours, waiting through rain.

School bells are chiming again. Is your student ready with cool tech tools to help get the job done? BUY A VIDEO GAME SYSTEM, GET A FREE COMPUTER: OK, so maybe I have this current offer (as advertised on TV!) backward. But one might argue that Xbox 360 game systems are more appealing to students than a new Windows PC laptop. Here's how the deal works. Buy a student a Windows 7 laptop priced at $699 or more at participating retailers and get a free Xbox 360 console. The latter, a basic, $199 model with 4GB flash drive, is good for more than playing games, ya know.

IF NECESSITY is the mother of invention, beer is its wild-eyed uncle. You know, the one who corners you at family reunions with his latest can't-miss scheme, one that will revolutionize society and earn a bazillion bucks if you want to invest a couple thou. No doubt fueled by a sixpack or two, inventors and assorted crackpots fill the archives of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office with off-the-wall ideas to enhance consumption of our favorite beverage. Grand ideas such as: *  Party Goggles , application No. 12/927,974, by Bruce Riggs of Helendale, Calif.