Great Gadget Gifts

Bob's Technology Gift Giving Guide

Sometimes when I'm shopping for electronics, I get Diner Syndrome. You know that feeling, when there are just too many choices on the menu? If you're looking to purchase a cell phone, music player, Blu-ray player, PDA, pocket video cam, digital camera, or GPS, then you'll find my "Top 3" approach below a handy guide. I scanned the Net for you and found the best deals for the money, as well as the most reliable brands in each category. Of course there are LOTS of worthy contenders that couldn't make my cut, but that's what the comments section is for!

Music Players

• ZUNE - Microsoft can definitely compete with Apple for the top spot and with their latest upgrade to the Zune it is my #1 pick. Microsoft has recently reduced their prices on both the units and accessories, have some incredible designs available to make yours unique and, best of all, their Zune Pass subscription at $14.99 allows unlimited music downloads, with 10 tracks a month that are keepers.
• IPOD - Of course, iPods still take second place as they have sizes for every budget and the iTunes store has tons of fun, with my fave being the nano. It can hold 2,000 - 4,000 songs and doubles as a game player.
• FUZE - The Sansa Fuze starts at $79, but you can find them for less at online discounters. They come in 2GB, 4GB and 8GB sizes, and include a sound recorder, FM radio tuner, and a 1.9-inch video screen for pics or movies. The Sansa players have one big plus that all the other non-iPod players have, and that's a docking station with speakers that cradles and recharges your player. Look for the Altec Lansing inMotion iM413 dock for your Sansa Fuze.

Cell Phones

• HTC TOUCH - Unfortunately, the cell phones available to you are usually limited by your choice of mobile phone service. But the new HTC Touch 3G is top of the line, and is available from most major carriers. It not only looks modern, it features a 2.8" QVGA touchscreen with TouchFLO 3D GUI. The smartphone also features 7.2Mbps HSDPA (mobile broadband), web browsing, a 3.2 megapixel camera and supports Bluetooth. Small and lightweight, take your pick in one of four colors at prices ranging from $150 to $400, depending on your mobile carrier. Verizon Wireless sells this phone as the XV6900, and Sprint markets it as the Sprint Touch. AT&T and T-Mobile offer the phone with the HTC Touch branding.
• MOTOROLA RIZR - For a basic, but very functional phone, choose T-Mobile's Motorola RIZR Z3 which slides open, includes a 2 megapixel camera, full media, texting and IM, and is free with online purchase. T-Mobile will toss in a free Bluetooth headset for a limited time. Verizon has a very similar Motorola RIZR Z6tv offering, which costs $79 with a 2-year contract.
• APPLE IPHONE - Everyone knows about the Apple iPhone, a sexy touchscreen device that's as much a GPS and PDA as it is a phone. Unfortunately, it's locked into AT&T as a service provider, which makes it a non-starter for many people.

Blu-ray Players

• SAMSUNG - They may cost a bit more, but Samsung is the king of the Blu-ray Player. Their BD-P2500 is the best and is BD-Live 2.0 ready with full 1080p resolution, Dolby sound, playback formats of VC-1 / MPEG2 / H.264 at a price of about $300.00. The BD-P2500 will play standard DVD discs, as well.
• SONY - Sony did come up with the technology, so I'll award them a space here. The BDP-S350 also comes with Dolby sound, over 2 million pixels per frame and a recently reduced price of $299.99 with free shipping.
• PHILIPS - My pick for a real deal, if you want to go whole hog, is a bargain I found at Sam's Club. Get a 52" Philips 1080p LCD HDTV and BDP7200 Blu-ray Player Bundle for $1,774.00. Now that's entertainment.

PDAs

• STORM - Unquestionably, this is the year of RIM's Blackberry Storm. From the time I saw its TV commercial, I was in love. Okay, that's a bit extreme. But with all its functionality, it is worth its $250.00 (less with Verizon contract) price. It has built-in GPS with BlackBerry maps, touchscreen, a 3.2 MP cam, email, web browsing, media player, mobile streaming, and file sharing. Apparently the Storm does have wifi, but this feature is crippled by Verizon, because they want you to buy their expensive data plan.
• IPHONE - Runner up is of course the 8GB iPhone, with its price of $199 (with a two year contract from AT&T), and a multitude of applications that make it more than just a phone.
• TREO - I also like the Palm Treo Pro, their latest entry that has a speed of 3G. Do your business on Wifi, enjoy GPS, watch a video or listen to music. The Treo Pro runs Windows Mobile, and is a GSM-based phone, which means you'll have to subscribe to AT&T or T-Mobile if you want to use it as a phone.

Pocket Video Cam

• FLIP - The Flip has become a huge hit this past year. For about $130.00, you get a truly pocket-sized 1GB video camera that will record for 60 minutes. Then you flip out the USB connector, and plug into your Mac or PC to upload to Youtube or your hard drive. The included software lets you do video editing, so you can create a custom movie mix, or grab still photos from video. The new Flip MinoHD offers High Definition video recording quality and has 4GB of storage for $229. Don't forget to buy rechargeable batteries.
• ZI6 - I also like the Kodak Zi6 with a whopping 32GB memory, HD capability, easy upload, rechargeable batteries (and charger) included for $179.
• VADO - If you want to save a few bucks, Creative's Vado holds 2GB for up to 120 minutes of recording time with a kinder $99.99 price, less if you shop around.

Sub-$200 Digital Camera

• CANON - When it comes to inexpensive digital cams, Canon has just come out with the PowerShot E1. Available in pastel pink, blue, or white, this is a perfect gift for your teen, or any photography beginner. The E1 has 10MP resolution, a 4x optical zoom, red-eye correction, optical image stabilizer that automatically compensates if you don't have a steady hand, and easy mode for beginners. This camera saves photos as JPEG files, and will shoot AVI movies, both standard formats that won't require any conversions. With Canon Face detection and a print/share button, shooting/printing is simple for $199.
• FUJI - The FujiFilm's FinePix F50fd looks fine and has decent features for a cam of its class. The subcompact sports a 1/1.6-inch Super CCD HR sensor, an internal memory of 25MB, creates JPEGs, AVI movies, and Wav audio files. It also sports a 3x optical and 8x digital zoom, for an inexpensive $179.
• CASIO - The Casio Exilim cameras come in a wide variety of colors and features, starting with the entry level 8.1 megapixel EX-Z9 with its slim compact design, a 2.6 LCD screen, 3x optical zoom and a mini $179 price.

Sub-$300 GPS

• GARMIN - When it comes to GPS, the diversity is nearly endless. But this year, I give the nod to Garmin in this category. The nüvi 250W is neither the top nor bottom of their line at $299 (less if you shop around). Still for the price it is well worth it. With a 3.81 x 2.25" wide screen it is pre-loaded with 2D and 3D mapping, turn-by-turn voice directions and custom points of interest. Place it on your dash, take it with you, and utilize its picture viewer, world travel clock, currency convertor, and other features.
• TOMTOM - The TomTom XL330, is another worthy contender which comes with an EasyPort mount, has a large 4.3" widescreen, is plug and go, and RDS-TMC traffic ready with preloaded software. It features loud and clear voice commands to get you where you want to go for $249 or less.
• MAGELLAN - Finally, Magellan always has a good product. I suggest you look into the RoadMate 1412, that also has a 4.3" wide touchscreen. The company claims 6 million POI and their SayWhere text-to-speech with turn-by-turn directions for $249.

When it comes to holiday gift giving, remember that there are scads of deals out there. Because of the slow economy, electronic stores are bending backwards to sell, sell, sell. Scout around online, or at several retailers and you will find some incredible deals. And one final word of caution, stay away from refurbished items in consumer electronics, no matter how good the deal sounds. Happy giving!