Annual Holiday Tech Gift Guide 2008

   The Annual Holiday Gift Guide  

Hi all!  It's that time of year again and many of you have asked me to put out my annual tech gift guide.  So...here goes!

Computers


There are deals aplenty in the tech world right now.  One of those is the laptop market.  Laptops are getting more and more prevalent...far outpacing desktop computers in terms of use and sales.  Laptops are now a commodity rather than a luxury item.  Many folks now have more than one laptop!  I know people who have a different one for home, work, and so forth.  The newest arrival on the laptop scene is the very popular NetBooks.  Netbooks are very small laptops.  They are designed for ultimate portability and are generally the size of a large paperback book.  They are not intended for serious gaming, home office work, or business, but rather they are for road warriors, vacations, and people on the go.  I've been to several conference where I've seen a lot of people with Netbooks like the ASUS eeePC.  The most common reason I hear is portability.  It does what they need to do with regard to checking email, writing documents, music, pictures and the like.  I've even seen several people use them to give presentations.  When you travel, you realize just how heavy and cumbersome your laptop is.  A Netbook gives you the features you NEED in a very portable package.  Great for students in place of a big laptop...and reasonably priced.  They typically range from a low of $300 to a high of $500.  Names to look for are the eeePC from ASUS, the Mini 9 from Dell, the Wind from MSI, and the Aspire One from ACER.  The eeePC has been around the longest and is very popular, but I have to admit, the Dell Mini 9 looks pretty sweet.

For laptops?  There are many out there.  Some of the really cheap ones are in the $400 range, but remember...you get what you pay for.  A $400 laptop is generally a very low power consumer grade laptop that's skimpy on features.  If you plan to use the laptop much, and be honest with yourself when you ask the question, you could end up frustrated pretty quickly.  Just be aware of that.  Aside from the old standby's of Dell, Acer, HP, and Toshiba...I am HIGHLY recommending Apple laptops this year.  Apple has come a LONG way in the laptop market and currently commands a very healthy market share as a manufacturer.  People are buying MacBooks like crazy because they are easy to use (drop dead simple) and they simply WORK.  When you buy a PC you need to be aware of the TOTAL cost of ownership.  A windows machine will require an anti-virus program and a subscription to keep it up to date (usually $20-$50 per year), anti-Spyware program, an Office program (MS Office is $80 for the Student version and $400 for the Full Pro version), and a lot of other programs.  Most Apple laptops come with all this already installed or you can add it very inexpensively.  In the end, the total cost of ownership for a Mac is often less than that for a comparable PC laptop.  The new unibody frame of the new MacBooks is a breakthrough in manufacturing and makes for a rugged and light laptop.  Common specs to look for in laptops this year are 100+ gb Hard drive, 1-2 gb of RAM, 128+ mb of video RAM, DVD burner, and built-in wireless.  If you are buying a PC, be aware that Windows Vista is a memory hog...anything less than 2 gb of RAM is going to be a bit sluggish.

If you're considering a desktop PC, use the same specs I mentioned for laptops as your minimums.  Keep reading and I'll suggest some peripherals or add-ons to make your laptop or desktop a better purchase.

Accessories

USB hard drives and flash drives

Ok, how about this?  A New Year's resolution...this is the year you finally get serious about backing up those precious family photos and files on your computer.  I suggest reading this article I wrote about making backups (http://flubbernuggets.blogspot.com/2008/12/when-backup-isn-backup.html).  There's a lot of good info in there about why and how to go about it.  I recommend NOT using DVD's as your sole backup strategy.  Why?  Because disk formats come and go...let's take a look at what happened to the VHS tape...the Sony BetaMax tape....the ordinary cassette...and even the common CD.  These formats are all either long gone or on their way out.  Hard drives on the other hand, have changed only a little and are generally compatible for a much longer period of time.  They are also less prone to the elements.  This is one of the reasons that external USB hard drives have become very popular and somewhat necessary for backing up files on your computer.  Many people complain that their computers are getting filled up with files and pictures.  Remember, off-loading your files to another drive is NOT a backup if you delete the originals.  One copy is NOT a backup.  I've actually been recommending to people to buy 2 or more external hard drives.  One for everyday use and one to keep off-site at a workplace, relatives house, or other location.  That way if your house burns to the ground or the external hard drive dies...you haven't lost everything, especially all the photos you've taken over the past few years.  USB external hard drives simply plug into a USB port on your computer or laptop (even Netbooks).  They range in price according to size.  The more popular sizes at the moment are 250 gb, 500 gb, and 1 tb (terabyte).  You can find them at almost any retailer online or places like Staples, Best Buy, Circuit City, and even Walmart.  In the picture I am showing a couple of USB external drives that I have.  The large one is for use with desktop computers (you can use it with anything, it's a matter of portability) and the small one is designed to be used with a laptop as it's more portable.  Large form factor drives generally house 3.5" hard drives whereas small form factor or portable drives use the smaller 2.5" drives designed for laptops.  You can use them either way.  The smaller ones are simply designed for portability.  I recommend getting a drive that is at least twice as large as your hard drive in your computer.  This allows room for "full" backups of the entire machine as well as incremental daily/weekly backups of files.  Just to give you an idea on prices...TigerDirect.com has the 500 gb Western Digital MyBook for $89.  I've seen most around $80 - $200 depending on size and brand.  Check online and read some reviews to get an idea of how people like certain drives.  USB drives work with Macs or PC's....no worries there.  If you're looking for backup software, check out this post (http://flubbernuggets.blogspot.com/2008/12/3-great-free-backup-programs-you-need.html) on my tech tips blog, Flubbernuggets.com.

Thumbdrives or USB flash drives are also still very popular and make great stocking stuffers.  They are a must for any computer user for simple backup and transfer of files.  Most new computers no longer come with floppy drives, so the USB flash drive is the new medium of choice for quick backups and saving files.  They range in size from 512 mb to 32 gb and higher.  The price increases according to brand and size.  The most common sizes right now are 1 to 4 gb's.  Amazon.com has good 4 and 8 gb USB flash drives for between $11 - $20.  That's an amazing amount of storage for such a cheap price.  You can also find them at any major retailer...online or brick 'n mortar.

Printers


Printers are fast becoming considered a disposable item.  Printing is actually on the decline as more and more people share files electronically, thus cutting out the need for paper.  As for ink-jet printers, I'm going to get out of that realm and not recommend anything.  I'm not saying you shouldn't get one, but I haven't used one in so long that I cannot make any good recommendations.  What I will do though is make this recommendation.  If you do a lot of printing or if you run a small business, I would consider checking out a laser printer.  Laser Printers used to be very expensive and only affordable by schools and companies, but that has all changed.  A quick check on Amazon.com shows several laser printers for about $100 - $150 with color laser printers around $200 - $250.  Given that laser printers are much more durable, faster, and cheaper to run, this is a pretty good deal!  Printing with a laser printer yeilds a sharp clean image where ink-jets often will leave streaks and lines.  If you already have an ink-jet printer and are looking to add a nicer laser printer, now is a good time to do so.  Many new printers come with networking capabilities so you can hook the printer up to the network and allow anyone in the house to print to it....much like it is at a school or workplace.  Some printers even come with wireless interfaces so you can set the printer anywhere and print to it without running any wires.  I recommend checking the PCWorld web site (www.pcworld.com) for reviews and ratings to learn more about different printers.

LCD Monitors

If you are still using an old CRT monitor, you know, the old one that looks like an old TV....then it's time to upgrade!  First of all, you'll save a bunch on your electric bill.  LCD monitors use a FRACTION of the electricity that the old CRT monitors do.  They take up less room, give off less heat, and are much easier to move around.  LCD monitors were once a novelty when I first started featuring them in this annual guide.  Now they are commonplace.  Prices range according to size and features.  You can spend over $1000 for a large wide screen monitor, but most people need not spend more than $150 for a good LCD monitor.  I recommend checking out CNET for LCD monitor reviews (http://reviews.cnet.com/lcd-monitors/)

Wireless Mouse and Keyboards


Do you know a laptop user who sometimes sits for long periods using their laptop to work on documents and so forth?  I do this quite often and find that using a wireless mouse and keyboard is much easier than using the laptop trackpad and keyboard.  Sometimes just having the mouse is enough.  It allows me to be a little more productive when working for a longer period of time than usual.  Every laptop user should have a wireless mouse in their laptop bag.  If the laptop user is also someone who gives presentations using a laptop, then I recommend getting a wireless mouse that can also double as a "presenters mouse" for clicking through Powerpoint or OpenOffice slide shows and the like.  There are several out there.  I have a Kensington Slimblade Presenter Mouse.  It can be used as a regular wireless mouse or with the click of a button, it becomes an awesome handheld "presenters device".  It's small, fits nicely in your hand, and is reasonably priced (about $35).  Wireless keyboards are also very handy. They allow you to move further away from the computer or move to an entirely different surface.  Sometimes it's just nice not to have wires.  Wireless peripherals like mice and keyboards come in two basic flavors.  Regular wireless (radio frequency) and bluetooth.  If your computer is equipped with bluetooth (many laptops are) then using a bluetooth device is generally easier and neater due to the fact there's no need for any wireless tranceivers sticking out of a USB port.  Most of the newer wireless tranceivers are pretty small though.  Wireless keyboards and mice are available anywhere computers are sold both online and locally.  If you're really looking for a wireless mouse to use quite a bit, you may be better off visiting a local store and checking the mouse out and holding it for fit and feel.

Digital Cameras

Digital cameras used to be a specialty item or a bit of a novelty, yet now everyone has them!  In fact, many folks I know have 2 or 3!  One of the latest trends is to have a nice camera for photographing sporting events, graduations, weddings, and other very important family events...and then having another smaller camera for everyday type photo opportunities.  I'm actually like this.  We have a nice Olympus E-Volt 500 Digital SLR camera for taking pictures at our kids sporting events, concerts, and other events.  This camera is VERY fast (recovers quickly and allows several shots per second to capture action shots).  It also allows us to purchase additional lenses just like a regular 35 mm SLR (single lens reflex) camera.  We have a nice zoom lens that allows us to get close to the action or stage.  After years of crappy photos, we decided it was time to move up.  However, a digital SLR is a big bulky camera and not recommended for everyday use.  I found myself missing a lot of little photo opportunities because I didn't have a camera with me.  I bought a small "shirt pocket" size digital camera like the Nikon Coolpix L11 (see image) which fits nicely in my pocket and in the palm of my hand allowing me to take shots with one hand and anywhere I happen to be.  It takes great photos, is nice and small, and fits in my laptop bag so I always have it with me.  Maybe this is the year to upgrade that old bulky Kodak or Canon to a newer smaller model.  Digital cameras have really come down in price so you can afford to buy one for each of the kids!  Most newer cameras are usually in the 6-10 megapixel range which is getting a little ridiculous because unless you have a several thousand dollar printer able to print up to poster sizes you'll never need all those megapixels.  In fact, for most people 3-4 megapixels is plenty!  One key thing to look for....  I always look for cameras that use regular batteries and not proprietary rechargeables.  Why?  If you're on vacation and your camera battery dies...you can simply pop into any convenience store or gift shop, buy some "AA" batteries, stick them in the camera and you're back in business.  I usually buy "AA" rechargables and use those, but having the option to use a normal battery in a pinch is a huge advantage in my book.  My little Nikon camera uses 2 "AA" batteries and can shoot hundreds of pictures on one set.  Also...be sure to pick up decent sized SD card or compact flash card (depending on what your camera uses).  Most cameras come with a very small card around 32 mb.  This is SMALL.  I recommend a 1 or 2 gb card.  They're reasonably priced and will allow you to shoot pics to your hearts content without worrying about running out of space.  Also, if you are buying a card for a digital SLR or other high-end camera, spend the extra money for a FAST card such as a SanDisk Ultra II.  The faster card will be able to keep up with your fast camera.  A slow card slows everything else down.  Once you have your card, you should think about getting a card reader.  Many desktop computers and laptops come with them.  If yours doesn't have one, pick one up.  They run anywhere from $10 - $25 and are very handy.  Hooking your camera up via the cord that comes with it is generally quite slow and ties up your camera.  Using a card reader is MUCH faster and allows you to upload images to the computer while someone else uses the camera (especially if you have more than one card).  If you want convenience on the go...I recommend getting an SD card with a built-in USB connector.  No card reader needed!  Just stick it into the USB slot on your computer.  I have one and LOVE it!  See the image for an example.  Pictured is the SanDisk 1GB Ultra II SD Plus USB Card from CircuitCity.com.  If you are considering a digital camera I advise you to check out a site like PCWorld.com for reviews and ratings.  I did when I bought my Nikon and my Olympus E-Volt and have been very happy with both of them!

Digital Camcorders

Remember when camcorders were these shoulder mounted things that made you look like you worked for the local network television affiliate?  Things have changed.  Remember above when I said formats change?  VHS tapes, 8mm, mini-VHS, compact mini-DV tapes...are all out.  Even mini-DVD's are going out.  Why?  They are limited in size and cost money to replace.  The latest trend in digital camcorders is hard drive based cameras.  Yep...that's right!  Hard drives inside the camcorder!  Small hard drives are generally more power efficient than tapes, thus you'll get better battery life.  Many new cameras come with 30, 40, or even 60gb hard drives!  That's hours and hours of recording without ever running out of space.  You could record and entire soccer season!  Most of these cameras come with a dock and cable to connect to your computer to upload the video and burn it to a DVD.  Another new trend in lower priced camcorders is SD recording.  These cameras record directly to an SD card just like a digital camera.  These are excellent for recording short family events and vacation shots.  With digital camcorders you get what you pay for.  If you buy a very cheap camera, don't expect great results.  A good camcorder will cost between $250 and $900 depending on model and features.  I happen to have a Sony digital hard drive based camcorder.  It's tiny...about the size of a can of soda and it fits very nicely in the palm of my hand.  It has a 60gb hard drive so I can record for 10 hours or more with no worries.  I usually record a few ballgames and concerts and then upload them to my computer to edit and burn to a DVD. 

iPods and MP3 players

I remember a few years ago when these were a novelty item, yet now many folks have more than one!  This market has become increasingly crowded with competitors to the iPod over the past year.  There are many choices now for MP3 players.  I actually recommend taking a lot at this page from CNET for great reviews on MP3 players http://reviews.cnet.com/mp3-players/ .  The big players in this market are Apple (iPods), Samsung, Sandisk, and Microsoft (Zune).  The most common question I get is, "I don't have a Mac, so will my iPod work?"  The answer is, YES.  Apple iPods are made to work with both Macs and PC's.  They require iTunes which is a free download for anyone on either a Mac or PC.  Actually, to be truthful, iPods will work with other programs as well....such as Songbird (Mac, Linux, and Windows - www.getsongbird.com), Rythmbox (Linux only), and Amarok (Linux only).  Chances are, if you have a computer your iPod will work fine with it.  What about other MP3 players?  Well, that's a different story.  If you are buying an MP3 player other than an iPod then you MAY run into some restrictions as to which operating system you can use it with.  Then again, you may not.  Do your homework before buying something other than an iPod as they are less well known and may be limited to certain operating systems such as Windows.  To be bit honest and perhaps biased...iPods are the number one players out there.  They dominate the market and with good reason.  Some MP3 players may be cheaper, but in the end the frustration may not be worth it.  If you want an iPod...get an iPod.  They are often less expensive than their counterparts.  Let's list and describe the iPods.  First is the little iPod shuffle.  It's tiny and comes in many colors.  It looks a bit like an overgrown tie clip.  There is no screen or anything...it is designed to simply listen to music.  They hold about 500 songs and cost about $49.  They're ideal for people to use while running, working out, or walking around.  They probably are not ideal for kids as they are small and can be easily lost.  Next is the iPod Nano.  This is probably the most popular iPod in the bunch.  Nano's start at about $149 and come in a range of colors.  They come in 8 and 16 gb sizes.  The Nano has a nice screen and a click wheel for navigating around.  You can view album art, song information, pictures, as well as videos on the iPod Nano.  It also has a built in motion sensor so if you tip it sideways you'll get a whole new set of views and options.  The Nano is ideal as an everyday iPod and is perfect for kids and teens (and adults too!)  Next is the iPod Classic.  The Classic has most of the same functions as the Nano, comes in 2 colors, and one size...120 gb.  This iPod is ideal for someone who wants to carry their entire music and video collection around.  These iPods are about $249....and I must admit...they are not very popular due to cost and size.  A new entry into the market (and a hot one too) is the iPod Touch.  The Touch is essentially an iPhone without the phone.  It has a touch screen that allows you to do some pretty remarkable things.  The iPod Touch allows you to listen to music, watch videos (on a much bigger screen), play games, and even get online using the built-in WiFi!  The iPod Touch is difficult to describe so I advise you to visit Apple's web site for more info on this and all the other iPods.  http://www.apple.com/itunes/   Understand, I'm not knocking any of the other MP3 player brands.  I own and have owned a few iPods and know many people who have owned other MP3 players and then bought an iPod.  I feel qualified to tell you about iPods, but not the others as I've never owned one and know very few people who do.

Broadband, Wireless networking, and Routers

Are you still on dial-up service?  If you live in an area where broadband service is available, then it's time to upgrade.  You're missing a LOT!  Today's internet is designed for broadband.  Youtube videos, online movies and TV shows and so forth all require a fast internet connection.  You essentially have two choices.  DSL (Digital subscriber line) and cable.  Some folks may live in areas that are serviced by fiber services from Verizon called FIOS, but for the most part, DSL and cable are the normally available broadband options.  If you live in the "sticks" you can also look into satellite internet from providers who bring you satellite TV. 

Once you decide to go with an always on broadband connection you need to make a few changes at home if you want to use multiple computers/laptops with that one connection.  The cable company or DSL provider essentially gives you a cable modem which you can connect to one computer.  However, if you add a router or wireless router you can then add more computers to your connection.  A router essentially creates a small home network with all of your computers.  If you have laptops, I highly recommend going with a wireless router.  There are many brands out there.  I recommend NetGear, Linksys, D-Link, and Belkin as good brand names to trust.  Check CNET for some great reviews on wireless routers.  http://www.cnet.com/topic-reviews/wireless-router.html   Wireless routers can be purchased online or at any major electronics retailer.  Prices range according to quality and features, but you can buy a great wireless router for under $100.

Well...that's it for this year!  Happy Holidays and have fun shopping!  If you have anything to add...share it with us in the comments!