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Gifts, gadgets that the plugged-in pick
Nov 29, 2009 (The Columbian - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
Short on gift ideas? This list might help, according to local retailers who outlined a few of this year's top sellers. They include:
-- Zhu Zhu Pets hamster. The hottest holiday toy since the Cabbage Patch Kids doll (ah, remember the frenzy?). The Zhu Zhus -- Mr. Squiggles, Pipsqueak, Num Nums and Chunk -- are robotic toy hamsters that retail for about $10, if you can find one.
-- Smartphones. The latest in hand-held technology, these phones are on many wish lists this year. Name brands include the iPhone, BlackBerry, Droid and Palm Pre. Prices start at under $200. Calling plans run between $900 and $3,000 a year.
-- Nintendo Wii. Game consoles are about $199 for the system that brought a physically interactive experience to video gaming. New games are Super Mario Bros. and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Must-have accessories include the Wii Balance Board and the Wand Motion Controller.
-- Webkinz Pets. Each cuddly stuffed pet is a limited edition that comes with a secret code that lets you into Webkinz World online, where you can create a virtual pet of your own.
-- Guitar Hero. The music video game that allows players to simulate the playing of lead, bass and rhythm guitars across numerous rock music songs. Players match notes that scroll on-screen to colored fret buttons on the controller.
-- The Kindle and other reading display tools, called "nooks." It sells for about $259. Materials to download and read include more than 360,000 paperless books plus newspapers, magazines, and blogs at The Kindle Store, which is adding more titles daily.
-- Motorola T505 Bluetooth In-Car Speakerphone. For hands-free driving to comply with the law, spend about $140 and buy this gadget for your loved one. It streams all cell phone calls to your car's audio system using Bluetooth technology and an FM transmitter. Thus, it transforms the car's stereo into a full in-car speakerphone.
-- Dora Links. This fashion and adventure doll sells for about $15 and comes with interactive instructions that connect children to an online world of adventure. Dora's set of friends are called Explorer Girls.
To see more of The Columbian, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to
http://www.columbian.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Columbian, Vancouver, Wash.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email
tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax
to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave.,
Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
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