Posted by Eric Benderoff at 4:30 p.m. Gadget Gifts 2008 If you like to support family businesses in your neighborhood, I offer a trio of useful accessories made in the Chicago area that will improve your gadget-using (and giving) experience.  ~ The SideQuik is great for students (and journalists) if you take a lot of notes and fumble through them as you try to write on a laptop.
~ For the iPhone or iPod Touch, the Soaripod will mount the player on almost any surface so you can watch video hands-free. ~ Or if you travel frequently, jog or just like to tread lightly, check out the PortaPocket line of cases for carrying a phone, mp3 player or your credit cards on your body.  The SideQuik, frankly, is my favorite because it's the most useful for what I do. Plus, it's amazingly simple to use.
When attached to the back of a laptop, the SideQuik slides out to reveal a panel for clipping notes or hanging a notebook. You can slide it to the left or right. It attaches to any laptop with gel tape, but this is not intended to be a transferable product between laptops. Once attached, it is not easy to remove. You can remove it, however, and the company includes extra gel tape if you want to transfer to a new laptop. I used it on my Mac laptop, and the grip was extremely firm. The SideQuik felt as though it were built into the laptop. It sells for $22 and you can buy it at the Highland Park company's Web site, SideQuik.com. The SideQuik was invented by Sunshine Voelker. It will brighten someone's holiday, I'm sure.  The Soaripod, from George Papadakis of Papadakis Technologies in South Barrington, sells for $30. You clip an iPhone or an iPod Touch into the top of the Soaripod and then adjust its flexible, 12-inch neck to any viewing position you like.
I've had it clipped to my desk as I watched videos. But you can just as easily attach it to a tray table on an airplane or somewhere in the back seat of a car and use it to distract the kids during a long road trip. I tested it with an iPhone 3G, and it worked great. The iPhone sat snugly into the plastic holder, and I never felt like it would fall out. You can buy it here. If you're unsure of how you may use it, check out the photo gallery.  Finally, Kendra Kroll of Prospect Heights developed a line of strap-on cases for phones, mp3 players and other items. Called PortaPocket, the basic product ships with a strap you can attach to your arm, thigh or waist. A detachable case then attaches to the strap.
It seems simple and clever, though I have not tested this product. The basic model includes one case and it sells for $20, available here. Kroll reports the product so far has been more popular with women ("mainly because men's clothes generally have more pockets") but people are finding it useful for money, keys and even inhalers. All three companies assure this writer that their gadget accessories can still be delivered in time for the holidays if you order soon. | 
