Whether you’re almost finished with your holiday gift list or you haven’t even started yet, there’s still plenty of time to get some shopping done. And if you happen to be stuck on what to buy, think tech!
I don’t know anyone who’d be mad at seeing a new flat screen under the tree, but there are lots of tech options for the whole family. Here’s what’s hot in tech this season:
As expected, all things Apple are flying off the shelves again this year. The addition of voice-activated assistant Siri to the iPhone4S has made it the most requested gadget this year, according to a poll reported by mashable.com. The iPad2 is also the most popular tablet on the market, but for your true techie, you may want to hold off on that purchase. The iPad3 is scheduled for release early next year and promises to be better/stronger/faster than the current offering. Since all the gadget junkies I know usually have to have the latest stuff, that’s something to consider if you’re thinking about this for a gift.
If you don’t need all of the features of the iPad2 and don’t want to spend all of that money, the most popular tablet alternative is the Kindle Fire. It’s less than half the price of the Apple device, but there’s a reason for that. With no camera, microphone or GPS, and limited memory, this is not a substitute for any of the other tablets on the market. However, you can count on Kindle if you just want simple web browsing along with books/music/video and some apps.
For that one big “family gift” that the kids and the grown folk will love, the Xbox 360 Kinect is the gaming system of the season. It uses an entirely motion based and voice activated system that turns the players into the controllers. How popular is it? So popular that the Xbox 360 Kinect sold 8 million units in its first 60 days of release, gaining a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for “Fastest Selling Consumer Electronics Device.” On a side note, I’m taking on all challengers for the Michael Jackson Experience.
For the music lover on your list, you can’t go wrong with Beats by Dre Headphones. They’ve been getting great reviews for their awesome sound, sound cancellation technology, and general overall hotness. There’s an ‘Artist’ series, with headphones designed by celebrities like Diddy and Lady Gaga, and the limited edition colors series just released in time for the holiday. Even for the higher price, these are sure to be best sellers this year.
The NTSB just recently recommended a nationwide ban on all cell phone use in the car, even with hands-free devices. But before this happens, you can give the gift of a (somewhat) safer drive with the Motorola T325 Bluetooth Portable Car Speaker. This device automatically turns on when you get in the car, and shuts off when you get out. You get up to 17 hours of talk time and lots of one-touch features for weather, traffic, etc. There is also a voice caller ID that announces incoming calls based on info from your phone’s contacts list. The best thing about it though, is that it costs less than $40, a very small price to pay for your safety.
And finally, what do you get that person on your list that already has every gadget known to man? Something that can charge them all at the same time! The Fuse Powerslice Charging Station allows you to charge up to 4 electronic devices simultaneously. You can save some time and aggravation by not having to worry about multiple power cords dangling from your nightstand (or is that just me?). Hook up smartphones or iPods to the ‘slices’, and connect your Bluetooth headset or any other USB device into the port on the base. Having more than one electronic device has become a necessity for most people these days, so this is a great gift to help keep it all together.
So this holiday season and anytime you’re thinking about gift ideas don’t forget about technology! Happy Holidays & Happy Shopping!
