Considering the current economic climate, I'm guessing more workplaces then ever are employing a secret santa policy when it comes to gift giving this year. If you got stuck organizing volunteered to do it for your office, you might want to make use of Elfster, a nifty website designed to help keep all the details straight (so you won't find out who is buying yor gift unless they tell you!)

Input the details of participants (along with any extra info such as gift exchange date and price limit) into Elfster.com and it will, assign gift-givers and email them all with the details. The only thing is can't do is take responsibility if you don't get what you wished for...

It seems even the normally inconspicuous mouse-pad can sometimes make itself indispensable - not because it might be essential to extend the comforts of one to your mouse, but because one like the Roll-up Mouse Pad is sure to leave you impressed. And hooked.

This portable Roll-up Mouse Pad works exactly like it sounds - once you are done with the pad, you can roll it over completely and take it along wherever needed. Wondering why anyone would be interested in taking a mouse-pad around ? Because this little device also hosts a 4-port USB hub and dual speakers that can be connected to your MP3 players. Now that makes sense, doesn't it ?

Plus, consider the "cool" factor - you would look much like a sleuth rolling out a scroll for your next clue as you set up your roll-up mouse pad. Wonder if anybody could beat that. Available from Gadget4all for $22.

Via bookofjoe.

I am clueless as to why the sight of a pocket watch always brings to my mind a vivid picture of Hercule Poirot, the Belgian detective. I probably have to attribute it to a childhood heavily influenced by the adventures of the fastidious gentleman. And I also believe - for whatever unconnected reason - that people who use pocket watches are always punctual. I mean, if you have the patience to fish out a watch from your pocket to check the hour, time must be a pretty important aspect of your life, huh.

Anyway, time-conscious or not, the Mr. Christmas Musical Animated Train Pocket Watch could be well worth adding to your collection if unique time-pieces interest you. This pocket-watch has two miniature handpainted locomotives chugging along a circular track that is embedded within the dial. While the trains chug along the track, the watch also plays the the tune "I've Been Working on the Railroad", just to add to the spirit.

Now thats one train which is guaranteed to always be "on time". Available from QVC for around $20.

Via Boing Boing Gadgets.

A Japanese company called Landport has taken speaker portability to a minimalistic extreme by recently announcing the launch of the Cube Speaker. The Cube speaker is so tiny that it fits well within a small portion of your palm and measures a cubic side of 26mm, with an output of 0.8Watts. That's portability or what.

Connection to an external device (iPod, other mp3 players, and CD players) is via a small, antenna-like 3.5mm jack positioned over the speaker. And you can charge the speaker by connecting it to a computer via the USB port at the back. The playback time is pretty decent as well - you get four to five hours of playtime after a two-hour charging session.

We think the iPods look rather uncomfortably perched over the speakers, but thats only because being small brings along its share disadvantages too. If you want to give the midgets a go, the Cube speakers are to be available in Japan (only) by December and will be priced at $25 a cube.

Via Gearlog.

Proving once again that smartphones aren't only the provinces of Windows Mobile, RIM (Blackberry) or Apple (ooh, what's it called again...?), Nokia this week unveiled the new N97 in Barcelona. For those of you who love to text or email on the move, this device has a QWERTY keyboard as well as a 3.5-inch touchscreen. Plus there's a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and video and a huge 32GB of memory (expandable to 48GB with a MicroSD card).

It's on the chunky side, but there's not much it can't do. Plus, it's pretty.

We should see it shipping early in 2009 (and will no doubt find out price and contract details nearer the time, too).