The 2025 Holiday Gift Guide #3 continues in Part 2 with standout picks from Jill McKinley, Joe Kissell, Brett Terpstra, and Chuck Joiner that include cold-weather car gear, compact wireless microphones, iPhone phone cases, powerful charging gear, organization tools, speakers, and a timely tech-culture book. (Part 2)
In the Take Control Books Black Friday sale, you can save 25% on all full-price titles. Or, save 50% on all ebooks, including upgrades, for a full year with a Take Control Premium membership for $14.99. Plus, if your order total including Premium is at least $34.99, you'll get a free ebook of your choice! The sale runs through December 3. For complete details, go to takecontrolbooks.com/blackfriday25.
Show Notes:
Chapters:
[0:00] Gift Guide intro and sponsor [0:20] AstroAI car jumper for winter reliability [3:40] Transition to audio gear [3:45] Blue Yeti setup and need for wireless mics [5:37] Hollyland Lark M2S wireless mic overview [9:18] Battery life details [10:13] Round three wrap-up [10:40] Open Case MagSafe-ready phone case [12:53] Cable labeling for workspace organization [14:55] Take Control Books Black Friday info [16:20] Round four begins [16:31] Anker S3 conference speaker [18:43] Cory Doctorow's Inshittification [23:30] High-power StarTech USB-C charging block [26:19] 12-outlet long power strip pick [29:38] Discussion of extension-cable alternatives [30:09] Closing remarks and guest contact links
Links:
Jill McKinley
Govee RGBIC Neon Lights, LED Smart Neon Rope Light 2 Works with Matter, Alexa, Google Assistant, Custom DIY Neon Strip Lights for Bedroom and Wall Decor https://amzn.to/49xSwyP
Anker PowerConf Speakerphone, Zoom Certified Conference Speaker with 6 Mics, 360° Enhanced Voice Pickup, 24H Call Time, Bluetooth 5.3, USB C, Compatible with Leading Platforms for Personal Workspaces https://amzn.to/4ibeCcy
Timbuk2 Never Check Expandable Backpack, Jet Black https://amzn.to/4pAqeZb
Brett
OpenCase iPhone Case https://theopencase.com
StarTech.com 4-Port USB-C Charging Station, 240W GaN Charger Block https://amzn.to/4obIKWI
Pyle 19-Outlet 1U Rackmount PDU Power Distribution Unit - 15 Amp Surge Protector - USB Charging Port - Ground Lift - Circuit Breaker - 15FT Cord - 3 Front AC Outlets - 16 Rear Power Cables https://amzn.to/44uwDNh
Chuck Joiner
32 Pcs Cable Labels, Multi-Color Write On Cord Label, Wire Labels, Cable Tags, Wire Tags for Electronics, Computers Cable Management and Identification https://amzn.to/4pqNt82
12 Outlet Long Power Strip, 2100 Joules Surge Protector, 6FT Power Cord, Wide Spaced Outlet Power Bar, Overload Protection Switch https://amzn.to/4rvwvaq
Guests:
Joe Kissell is the publisher of Take Control ebooks, as well as the author of over 60 books on a wide variety of tech topics. Keep up with him if you can on his personal site, JoeKissell.com, on Bluesky, and Mastodon.
By day, Jill McKinley is an IT professional with deep experience in enterprise hospital software, server administration, and digital workflow optimization. With decades of hands-on work—from Windows environments to Apple ecosystems—she combines technology, usability, and human-centered design to make systems work smarter for real people.
Outside of tech, Jill is the creator and host of multiple YouTube channels and podcasts, including Start with Small Steps and Buzz Blossom & Squeak. Her shows explore personal growth, productivity, and the wonders of the natural world—all through the lens of curiosity and exploration.
Whether she's automating her home, unpacking the meaning of ancient texts, or nerding out over bird migration, Jill brings energy, insight, and just the right amount of geekiness to everything she does.
Brett Terpstra is a coder, writer and web developer. He works behind the scenes at blogs including Engadget, Joystiq and The Unofficial Apple Weblog. He also writes for The Unofficial Apple Weblog, and contributes to Macworld. Brett develops Marked for Mac and recently co-authored "60 Mountain Lion Tips" with David Sparks for the iBookstore. He discusses all things "nerd" on his podcasts, Systematic and Overtired.You can find Brett as "ttscoff" on Twitter, and at his website, brettterpstra.com.
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