Tech toy buys for Valentine's Day

From Facebook's IPO filing to the best-selling Steve Jobs biography to dirt-cheap big-screen TVs in time for Super Bowl Sunday, everyone is talking tech these days.

In other words, geek is the new chic. And so why not resist the predictable Valentine's Day bouquet of flowers, corner store chocolates or fancy bath soaps and pick up a high-tech item for that special someone in your life?

Granted, a new e-book reader or pair of headphones will likely cost you more than a dozen roses, but isn’t your better half worth it? And wouldn't they get more out of a smartphone than eating a box of bonbons – not to mention less guilt?

Lovebirds who really want to impress over this year's Valentine's Day might want to consider one of the following tech toys:

Read between the lines: For bookworms, consider picking up the Kobo Wireless eReader ($109), an affordable e-book reader with 6-inch glare-free screen, adjustable font sizes, Wi-Fi connectivity (download a new book in a few seconds) and support for thousands of books between its internal memory and SD memory card slot. Available in lilac, silver and onyx, the Kobo is already preloaded with 100 free classics, plus you can shop 24/7 for new releases or -- something the Kindle can't do -- you can also borrow e-books for free from your local library. The Kobo Wireless eReader also lets you buy digital magazines and subscribe to daily newspapers.

Related: BlackBerry PlayBook just $200. Should you buy?

It's all in the wrist: If you're buying for an iPod nano owner (6th generation), the iWatchz collection (from $24.95) turns the square-shaped portable media player into a wristwatch. In fact, this iPod has 18 different watch faces to choose from, ranging from analog and digital options to Disney and The Muppets characters. This accessory is also perfect for those who'd like to exercise while listening to their music (with album artwork), hands-free, plus there's also a built-in pedometer, FM radio, stopwatch and support for podcasts. To use, simply press the back of the nano to open up its money clip-like hinge, slide it into the iWatchz and you'll hear a click to confirm it's locked and loaded. The Toronto-based iWatchz collection offers many different colours, styles and materials.

Music to your ears: Speaking of music, the Sculpted Eers by Sonomax (from $199.99) are the first earphones in the world that you can buy off the shelf (or order online) and then are custom-fit to your own ears. That is, you first need to wear a small contraption, release liquid silicone into your ears to take a mold, and four minutes later you've got a perfect fit and clear, well-balanced sound. Thanks to a microphone on the cord, the black earbuds can also be used to place or accept a call when plugged into a smartphone. A carrying pouch is also included.

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You drive: For digital packrats (you know who you are), the Seagate GoFlex Satellite ($199.99) is a portable hard drive – with a twist. A tad bigger than a deck of cards, this battery-powered 500GB hard drive can wirelessly beam movies, music, photos and documents to any nearby device -- such as any smartphone, tablet or iPod touch. Therefore, you could be on a road trip with your friends and up to three people can all watch something different at the same time. This all-black drive creates its own Wi-Fi hotspot, which everyone then joins via a web browser or free app and can select what to watch or listen to from the list.

Also read:

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