As a Crutchfield advisor, I'm often asked for gift ideas. In part 1, I offered up some gift suggestions for the dad thinking about an iPod (or who already has one). I listed a few things that might go well with his new flat-panel HDTV in part 2. But what's about the dad who's on the go? Here's what I recommend.

Garmin nuvi® 255W Portable Navigator $219.99

Maybe it's a guy thing, but most dads don't like to ask for directions — and many don't seem to appreciate them from other family members in the car. If that sounds like your father, the Garmin nuvi 255W can be a handy thing for him to have when he's in unfamiliar territory. The Garmin's large 4.3" color display makes maps easy to see, and the touchscreen keypad lets dad quickly enter his destination.

The 255W uses sophisticated text-to-speech technology to help keep dad's eyes on the road while driving. He'll hear the navigator call out the names of approaching streets, as well as turn-by-turn instruction. With a portable navigator, Dad won't have to ask anyone for directions, and family harmony in the car can be preserved.

Pioneer XMp3 portable XM satellite radio/MP3 player $149.99

If your dad has a long commute, or otherwise spends a great deal of time in the car, satellite radio can be a good way to pass the time. The Pioneer XMp3 receives XM Satellite Radio (with paid subscription) and offers a few more options.

Have you seen your dad sitting in the driveway waiting for a song or a show to end? The XMp3 can record up to 100 hours of XM programming, so he can come in for dinner and not miss a thing. And if dad insists on having his own road tunes, the XMp3 will played stored MP3 or WMA audio files from a microSD card.

And the XMp3's portable, so dad doesn't have to leave it in the car -- it can pick up a signal just about anyplace that's free of obstructions. And if not, there's always dad's personal playlist on the microSD card.


If your dad's had an XM Satellite Radio subscription for a while, the XMp3 is a good way to upgrade from his older receiver  If he's never been a subscriber, well, that might be a great gift in itself from another family member.

JVC KD-S100 CD Receiver $299.99

If your dad's a little more old-school (but still spends a lot of time in the car), then the JVC KD-S100 might be a better choice. It's an AM/FM radio that also plays CDs. So how is that different than the car radio that came with his car?

The sound. A sophisticated sound processor compensates for the sonic shortcomings of his car. The processor enhances frequency response, restores harmonics, maximizes bass without distortion, and all without overloading his car's audio system.

Even without replacing the factory speakers, your dad should hear a dramatic improvement in sound quality. And for anyone spending a lot of time in the car, that can make a big difference. 

And if dad gets more adventuresome with his listening options, you don't have to replace the unit. The KD-S100 has a front USB slot for music-loaded thumb drives, and works with JVC satellite radio tuners, iPod adapters and CD changers.

Nikon Coolpix S220  $139.99

Not every dad's seriously into photography — but even the ones that are can appreciate the advantages of a good point-and-shoot digital camera when they're out and about. After all, the best family photo ops come and go in an instant and a camera phone's hit-or-miss at best.

That's where the Nikon Coolpix S220 camera comes in. It's very compact and easy to tote around so that dad can have it with him wherever he goes.

And the S220 comes with settings that automatically adjust for many of the things that can spoil a photo (unlike said camera phone). Face-priority auto-focus and red-eye correction, for example, means dad's more likely to get the shot he's after right off the bat.

And if he's a proud new poppa, he'll probably appreciate the smile detector setting. It's tough to get a baby or toddler smile on cue — but the Coolpix will be ready when dad's pride and joy does flash that grin, and snap the image at just the right moment.

If you give your father a Coolpix, you might want to make sure that he's also well-stocked with SDHC™ memory cards that the camera uses for extra image storage. That way he will be ready to capture all the fun of summer vacation, the kids' big games, 4th of July picnic and fireworks, and those other special moments family memories are made of.