For a student…

They're years away from getting a proper job, but at least they can receive some proper presents.

Axe murder

Whether your school- or college-age recipient has an Xbox 360, Sony's PS3 or a more physically exerting Nintendo Wii, you can help boost their musical prowess this festive season by grabbing them this neighbour-bothering gift of kings. Guitar Hero is the name of the axe-shaped hardware, and Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is the latest software offering in a line of titles that's arguably brought more fun to console land than any other. Just be kind, and buy their housemates some earplugs okay?

Prices vary, www.guitarhero.com

Bag of tricks

New in Virgin Megastores this season, Skullcandy's Link Streetpack will tick all a student's connectivity boxes and - thankfully you might feel -will also give them a kick in the fashion pants too. A backpack with a truly techie edge, the Streetpack is described as a fully-integrated, digitally- enhanced, techno-fashion item'. Indeed. What this means in plain English is that your pal can operate their phone and iPod from its straps, making all that unstylish rummaging a thing of the past.

$82-136, www.skullcandy.com

USB Desk Vacuum

Book-bothering students are arguablly to cleanliness what Mike Tyson is to romantic ear nuzzling, so help out your hygienically-challenged chum by buying them this novel desktop vacuum. Just eight inches high and adorned in ultra-retro brown and beige colouring, this USB grub gatherer features a moveable handle that lets it go from upright to almost flat, just like the real thing.

$19.99, www.whateverworks.com

Engineer some help

Dweeb-friendly, time-consuming and guaranteed to see your student friend's grades plummet (unless they're studying computer engineering that is), Lego's Mindstorms NXT is a tech-lover's dream. This gathering of Lego hardware combines a programmable NXT brick with sensors, servo motors and Lego Technic bits and pieces (such as axles, beams and gears), the idea being that your recipient uses the NXT-G graphical programming environment (PC software) to code programs, which can then be downloaded onto the NXT. For instance, they might teach their shiny new robot-shaped friend to walk, or have it pick up their piles upon piles of empty pizza boxes. Hey, yeah that's it, by buying them this you're helping them to keep their room tidy! So your conscience can rest easy...

$440, www.lego.com

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