Tech Gifts for Every Member of the Family
By David Kender
Reviewed.com Editorial Staff
November 25, 2009
It’s clear that electronic gizmos are no longer restricted to the tech-savvy. They permeate every aspect of our life, which is why they make such great gifts during the holidays. Here are some recommendations for every member of your family.
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Work-Obsessed Dad - Blackberry Curve (8300 series) – This year’s ultimate business phone, Blackberry took its already successful all-in-one device for calls, e-mail, messaging, and organizing, and added Wi-Fi capability for unlimited calls from hot spots (for a small fee). The Curve has a built-in camera, which is off-limits for some workplaces. In that case, Blackberry offers the slightly more expensive 8820 model, which swaps the camera for GPS capability. Call quality and battery life are excellent, making this a great tool for most professionals.
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Busy Mom - Samsung LN-T3253 LCD HDTV – After a busy day at work and a busy night at home settling the family chaos, a little relaxation is in order. This top-rated, slimmed-down 32-inch HDTV can be placed in the bedroom, mounted in the kitchen, or anywhere else you might sneak a few minutes of TV. The 720p native resolution (1366 x 768 actual resolution), 8000:1 contrast ratio, and three HDMI inputs should offer all the necessary quality and flexibility you could want in a smaller HDTV.
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New Grandfather - Panasonic DMC-TZ3 Digital Camera – Taking pictures of the grandkids is the civic duty of every grandparent. This point-and-shoot camera has a powerful 10x optical zoom, 7.2 megapixels, and is very simple to operate. A huge 3-inch LCD makes it easy to see the pictures and text in the menus. Testing showed the TZ3 also has excellent image quality, color reproduction, and dynamic range, which only add to the package.
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Loving Grandmother - Kodak EasyShare EX-811 Digital Photo Frame – Not every grandmother is comfortable around technology, but digital photo frames are a great and easy way to display an ever-changing set of family pictures. If she’s without a computer, simply load her favorite pictures onto a memory card. If she has a computer and wireless network at home, however, the possibilities really open up – the EX-811 is Wi-Fi compatible. Photos can be added to the computer and then wirelessly transferred to the frame. Kodak also hosts a free online service so others can view your pictures and download or print them. The 8-inch, 800 x 480 display will be a great addition to any side table.
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New Parent - Canon HV20 HD Camcorder – The obsessive documentation of your child’s early life can now be done in high definition. Shooting in HD is the best way to future-proof your memories, as standard definition will soon be a thing of the past. The Canon HV20 offers simple operation and outstanding picture quality. There’s also a healthy number of manual controls for more ambitious shooters. It uses ordinary MiniDV tapes that can be purchased just about anywhere, though higher-quality tapes are also available. The HV20 records video in the HDV format, which has been around long enough that most editing software can work with the files.
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Teenager - Apple iPhone Cell Phone – You’ve been living under a rock if you haven’t heard of the iPhone by now, which virtually defines style for cell phones. While not necessarily the best business phone, the iPhone offers a number of innovative interface features. E-mail, messaging, calendar, a full-size Internet browser, and a complete audio/video iPod are only part of the draw. The big 3.5-inch touch screen and sharp resolution make this the most desirable phone across all age groups.
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The Little Tyke - Fisher-Price Kid-Tough Digital Camera – You’re always taking pictures of your kids. Why not let them take some pictures of you? The Fisher-Price camera is designed for kids age 3 and up. It features large, rubberized hand grips and fat buttons for grubby little fingers. The 8 MB internal memory is shock-resistant and holds about 60 640 x 480 photos. The 1.3-inch LCD lets them see their photos right away.
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Once-Cool Uncle - Apple iPod Nano – What better way to help your uncle recapture his youth than by digitizing his disco collection and transferring it to a sleek new second-generation iPod Nano? Available in 2, 4, and 8 GB versions, they sync with your computer for music and photos. There are lots of digital music players that offer more features, but none have the cultural cache of an iPod.
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The Whole Family - Nintendo Wii - For years, video game systems have functioned as divisive entertainment – wholly absorbing the attentions of one or two typically younger players, while alienating parents. Nintendo has tried a new strategy with the Wii, moving away from passive, couch potato button-mashing. The Wii features wireless, handheld remote controls that can be moved in 3-D space: when playing the included Sports game pack, you swing the remote like a racket, a golf club, or a bowling ball. Several of the system’s games focus on interaction between one or more players. While the Wii system supports a multitude of games that may not necessarily foster inter-generational play (i.e., the typical gamut of shoot-em-up and adventure games), the Wii is unique in its ability to meld fantastic graphics and highly-accessible game play, even for those who’ve never played video games before.
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