Holiday Gift Guide 2010

In the game: Upping the ante on WiiMote and PlayStation Move, Microsoft has released Kinect for the Xbox 360 gaming platform. Unlike competing products, Kinect is remote-free and responds only to hand gestures and spoken commands. A sensor recognizes players' bodies and apes their movements, making them the controlling device. Kinect comes bundled with a game in which players jump and dodge through a series of exotic locales.
$150. Info: www.microsoftstore.com.

Auto heaven for 77: Aston Martin's newest sports car is so swank, it would make James Bond blush. The One-77 can push 220 mph and accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, courtesy of its V12 engine and 700 horsepower. Aston Martin builds the sleek supercar with handcrafted aluminum and employs specialty parts like Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires and Carbon Ceramic Matrix brakes. The manufacturer plans to produce a scant 77 of these cars.
About $1.7 million. Info: www.astonmartin.com.

Name that star: Galileo would be smitten with this clever new telescope from Celestron. Just point the CPC 800 XLT at bright stars or planets and it will ­provide their names. The 40,000-object database catalogs the night sky's most intriguing double, triple and quadruple stars, solar systems and asterisms. A GPS receiver automatically records the date and time from orbiting satellites and pinpoints the device's exact location, while the lens can display great detail on the surface of Jupiter and Mars. The 42-pound telescope comes with a sturdy tripod and a remote-control unit for hands-free viewing.
$1,999. Info: www.celestron.com.

Rolls-Royce of ranges: Celebrities like Brad Pitt, Robin Williams and Sandra Bullock are among the owners of ranges from French artisan manufacturer La Cornue. The ­company builds its Chateau stoves to order, using top-tier brass, steel and cast iron. Features include a wide selection of colored porcelain enamel finishes, solid brass burners, hot plates and dual ovens.
Up to about $44,000. Info: www.lacornueusa.com.

Floating free and clear: Hammacher Schlemmer's transparent canoe-kayak hybrid takes the glass-bottom-boat concept to a new level. The clear, 40-pound hull, made with the same material used on supersonic fighter jets, offers unobstructed views of aquatic life below. The two-seater is wider than most canoes, with adjustable seats that sit lower in the hull, creating better stability. The canoe-kayaks also come with flotation devices, double-headed paddles and water bailers.
$1,600. Info: www.hammacher.com.

Benihana at home: Japanese teppanyaki grills were once the domain of restaurant chains such as Benihana. But companies like Cook-N-Dine are selling ­handcrafted, German-made, solid stainless teppanyaki grills for home use. Stand-alone tables double as teppanyaki grill tops that allow you to prepare hibachi cuisine indoors or out. When in use, the outer band stays cold, while the inner surface drops slightly and heats for cooking. Once you turn off the grill, the center returns to use as a tabletop.
From about $2,000 to as much as $16,000 (for a custom-made unit with all the bells and whistles). Info: www.cook-n-dine-usa.com.

'Tis better to give: Can vacations be both sybaritic and charitable? Abercrombie & Kent thinks so. The luxury travel company offers a series of philanthropic ­journeys where travelers contribute to the local residents or the ­environment. From providing needed equipment to a science station in Antarctica to aiding schools in Tanzania to tracking cheetah as part of the Serengeti Cheetah Project, Abercrombie can customize your trip and add altruism to the itinerary.
Prices vary. Info: www.abercrombiekent.com.

Ready for takeoff: You spend hours in the air, why shouldn't your kids? Wildlife Creations has crafted a unique airplane-shaped swing made from recycled auto and truck tires that comes fully assembled and ready to fly. The 45-pound, handmade-to-order swing is packaged with an attached rope that can support up to 200 pounds.
$145. Info: www.bestpricetoys.com.

Linked in: Not all timepieces are made for your wrist. Swiss watchmaker Milus has engineered cufflinks that resemble a watch's interior, complete with rotating rotors. Available in white or rose 18-carat gold, the cufflinks have ­diamonds that total .63 carats. The pair is also available in gold plate or stainless steel without diamonds.
$9,300 with diamonds; $380 without. Info: www.lussori.com.

Suit yourself: Business jets and Kiton suits have something in common: once you get used to them, you never want a lesser alternative. Fans of the Italian garment maker's clothing say it fits like a second skin. The K50 line of custom-made suits is named for the 50 hours it takes tailors to create each suit and the number of suits sewn per year. Kiton uses its own fabrics of super-fine blends like cashmere-silk and vicuna that are purportedly wrinkle-free and extraordinarily comfortable, even after hours on an airplane.
$30,000 and up. Info: www.kiton.it.

Spa room service: Ever wish you could stay put after a massage and not have to return the robe and haul it back to your room? The Pavilions Phuket opened 24 spa villas in November-each with a fully equipped private spa room and adjoining steam and shower area, not to mention outdoor pool and stunning views. Massage therapists enter the villa via a separate side entrance. Two spa tables face windows overlooking a lush bamboo garden. The resort, part of the Relais & Chateaux chain, sits on a hilltop overlooking the Bang Tao area.
$900 per night and up. Info: www.thepavilionsresorts.com.

A real LiveRider: There are loads of bike computer apps, but not many that can accurately or conveniently track speed and distance traveled. New Potato's wireless cycling computer kit can do that. Called LiveRider, it turns any iPhone or iPod Touch into a bike computer by means of a sensor that mounts to the bicycle frame to measure speed, pedal cadence and other data. Slick LiveRider apps transmit information about speed and calories burned via a touchscreen, and the kit comes with a shock-resistant cradle to rest the iPhone or iPod on the handlebar. A Chase Rider mode enables cyclists to compete against their best time on a designated route.
$99. Info: www.newpotatotech.com.

It's a keeper: The Keeper system pumps nitrogen into open wine bottles, displacing oxygen and preventing prized vintages from oxidizing and turning sour. A stopper with a dispenser hooks up to a nitrogen canister that keeps unfinished bottles fresh. After serving, you can unplug the nitrogen hookup, recork the wine and refrigerate it.
About $100. Info: www.vintagecellars.com.

Sweet dreams: Private jet passengers will rest easy with the Kearsley Travel Set-a portable case packed with luxury linens that fliers can bring on board. The set includes Italian-made, 600-thread-count eye covers and a pillowcase (with either a down or synthetic insert); a cashmere/silk throw, woven in Belgium; and a cotton-sateen carrying case with stag-horn buttons.
$1,500. Info: www.kearsleycouture.com.