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Dec 09, 2016 By Mark Redfern

In part 5 of Under the Radar‘s 2016 Holiday Gift Guide we offer up some technology and apparel items. They may not seem like obvious bedfellows, but our lead tech item is a wearable speaker system that fills your body with sound. There is also a speaker designed for streaming music and some fun geeky clothing and jewelry.

Also check out the first part of Under the Radar‘s 2016 Holiday Gift Guide, which centered on music reissues, box sets, and vinyl, as well as part 2, which covered adult board games, part 3, which got into collectibles and toys, and part 4, which featured some of 2016’s best DVDs and Blu-rays. Still forthcoming is our gift guide relating to graphic novels and comic books.

Technology:

SubPac M2 (Wearable)

SRP: $349.00

Here’s a crazy cool and unique peace of technology for diehard music fans, especially those into dance music. The SubPac M2 is a device you strap onto your back and hook up your audio device (phone, iPod, what have you) to for an extreme and satisfying strong bass sound that inhabits and rumbles through your body while your ears take in the rest of the music via your favorite pair of headphones. It also works well for more immersive video game playing or action movie watching. Here’s how the SubPac website describes it: “Used by the top music producers, DJs, bass players, athletes, and celebrities who love to feel music, our patent-pending technology combines our proprietary tactile transducers and vibrotactile membranes to enable full experiential sound for music, gaming, and virtual reality entertainment. Powerful and accurate physical audio in a wearable form factor that is quiet to the outside world.” When you wear the thing you feel like a cyborg or some sort of futuristic cop from Minority Report. The SubPac lets you be in the music like never before. (Buy it here.)

Sonos PLAY:1

SRP: $199.00

The Sonos PLAY:1 is a small but powerful speaker that plays music direct from over 30 streaming services. It’s got Class-D amplifiers and custom built drivers for a strong and clear sound. Via a WiFi connection and the Sonos app (which is a free download) you can access music and Podcasts on Soundcloud, Spotify, Pandora, Google Play, Deezer, Napster, Bandcamp, Hype Machine, TIDAL, MixCloud, SiriusXM, and more. You can also pair it with other PLAY:1 speakers if you want to set them up around the room or house, all controlled by the one app on your phone, tablet, or home computer. Plus it is a humidity resistant, making it the perfect accompaniment for singing in the shower. Sonos is currently having a sale on the PLAY:1-until December 31st it’s $30.00 off and only $169.00! (Buy it here.)

Apparel:

Doctor Who TARDIS Necklace, Sonic Screwdriver Necklace, and Other Jewelry

SRP: $12.90

Not sure what to get for that girl in your life who’s really into an iconic long running British TV show about a mysterious time and space traveling alien? How about some Doctor Who jewelry from BBC, SG@NYC, and Hot Topic? There’s a TARDIS necklace and a Sonic Screwdriver necklace (plus a ring, some bracelets, and some TARDIS and Doctor Who logo earrings). Allons-y! (Buy the TARDIS necklace here. Buy the Sonic Screwdriver necklace here.)

Doctor Who Varsity Jackets

SRP: $59.99

For Doctor Who geeks who want to blend in with the jocks, check out these handsome varsity jackets from Ripple Junction. There’s a burgundy one for the guys and a navy blue one for the ladies. Each has the Time Lord Academy of Gallifrey emblem subtly on the top left. The ladies one has a hood and both are super comfortable and warm. Acquaintances who don’t look closely might think you’re supporting a college sports team or went to a fancy school (and maybe you did), but you’ll know you’re really repping The Doctor! (Buy the men’s here. Buy the women’s here.)

Pee-wee Herman on the Moon T-shirt

SRP: $19.95

Paul Reubens’ Pee-wee Herman character finally returned to screens earlier this year in the new well-received Netflix movie produced by Judd Apatow, Pee-wee’s Big Holliday. Pee-wee may have never made it to outer-space in his movies, but in this delightful black & white shirt from Ripple Junction he goes all the way to the moon and back. (But it here.)

Rick and Morty T-shirt

SRP: $19.95

The premiere date for the third season of Adult Swim’s outlandish semi-Back to the Future parody, Rick and Morty, has yet to be announced, but it’s expected next year sometime. In the meantime check out Ripple Junction’s fun Rick and Morty T-shirt that shows alcoholic scientist Rick and his out of his depth grandson Morty looking badass with a bunch of the show’s crazy creatures. (Buy it here.)

Other Fun T-Shirt and Apparel Companies:

There are lots of fun apparel companies out there as well as Ripple Junction that have amusing geek-themed T-shirts, shirts, jackets, and Christmas sweaters. Here are links to some we like:

Her Universe

Last Exit to Nowhere

Merchoid

Middle of Beyond

Ripple Junction