TMCnet News
Tech Tonic presents: Top 5 last-minute tech gifts of 2009 [The Palm Beach Post, Fla.](Palm Beach Post (FL) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Dec. 20--All right. You put off shopping for the holidays. Maybe you thought you'd get better deals closer to Christmas. Maybe you were waiting for your Christmas bonus. Maybe you thrive on the adrenaline rush of last-minute shopping. Whatever. Now you're scrambling with less than a week left until the big day, and you're not sure what to get everyone on your list. We're here to help. We've put together a list of our favorite last-minute tech presents that should be perfect gifts for people on your lists, no matter their tastes. Using research and suggestions from local retailers and tech experts, we've found gifts that will be loved by the people on your list, whether they are shutterbugs or gamers, tech lovers or tech newbies. Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 Price: $280. Perfect for: Budding photographers of all ages. Why it's hot: Never before has a sub-compact camera packed this kind of zoom power. Thinner than a pinky finger, the lens inside the Lumix DMC-ZR1 can function as a 25mm wide-angle, then zoom all the way to 200mm telephoto strength. "The 8x zoom is the biggest we've seen on a subcompact like this," said Jeff Fox, Consumer Reports' technology editor. "You can take a group shot, but also zoom in on a bird in a tree with the same camera." This super-charged zoom also works during video recording. Plus, Power OIS (Optical Image Stabilizer) technology promises maximum protection against the blurriness caused by shaky hands. The Lumix DMC-ZR1 can shoot up to 330 photos, each sporting a massive 12.1 megapixel resolution, on a single battery charge. Shooters can catch even the quickest photo-worthy moments with a 1.1-second start-up time and 0.27-second auto focus. PlayStation 3 Slim 120GB Price: $299; $349 for 250GB. Perfect for: Teens, gamers of all ages. Why it's hot: This holiday season may not feature any fancy new gaming consoles, but it does sport some exciting new deals on existing ones. And with high-definition Blu-ray players also at the top of many wish lists, the Blu-ray-compatible PlayStation 3 console kills two birds with one stone. A few months backs, Sony chopped the price of its 80-gigabyte PlayStation 3 system by about 25 percent and launched a 120-gigabyte version in a sleek new package with the same $299 price. Like its cousin with the 80-gigabyte hard drive, the new PlayStation 3 includes built-in Wi-Fi and modern HDMI outputs with 1080p support. Sadly, still no support for PlayStation 2 games. But a bonus for Netflix subscribers: You can now watch thousands of movies and TV shows on demand through your TV, thanks to the console. Throw in a lightweight look with quieter, more energy-efficient operation and the new slimmer PlayStation 3 is a must-have for any family looking to get its game on. iPod Touch (third generation, 8GB) Price: $199; $299 for 32GB; $399 for 64GB. Perfect for: Teens, music lovers. Why it's hot: Apple's latest iPod Touch is far more than a pocket-size media player. It's a Web browser. It's an address book. It's a hand-held gaming console and much more. And because it's an Apple product, you'll be able to download the latest podcasts, rent movies and purchase TV shows from iTunes, all in the palm of your hand. "With Wi-Fi capability and built-in speakers, every teenager wants to have (an iPod Touch)," said Lisbette Haro, operations manager of Best Buy in Wellington, via e-mail. The 8GB model comes with room for up to 1,750 songs or 10 hours of video, not to mention enough battery life for 30 hours or audio playback or six hours of video playback on a single charge. Plus, Blue Tooth wireless audio capability makes traditional headphones a thing of the past. Unfortunately, some of the third generation's newest features, such as voice control and a souped-up processor, are absent on the 8GB model; you'll have to choose the 32GB or 64GB to fully appreciate all the latest features. Flip Video UltraHD Price: $199. Perfect for: Teenagers, amateur videographers. Why it's hot: Once reserved for the most expensive of camcorders, high-definition video is now available in your pocket. With the FlipVideo UltraHD, recording up to 120 minutes of 720p-quality video is a breeze, thanks to an interface that couldn't be simpler. The device's 2-inch anti-glare display makes it easy to ensure you get the shot you want or just hook up the device to your TV with HDMI output (alas, the cables are not included). There won't be any headaches over power, either: Use the UltraHD's included rechargeable AA batteries. Happily, they can be recharged inside the unit via your computer's USB port or load in any pair of AA's you have lying around if you're pressed for time. The device is designed to be hand-held, but for those get-'em-perfect moments, the UltraHD offers an optional tripod for an extra $15. Since it's a coveted item for teens, it's too bad the Flip Mino's trendy colors and designs aren't yet available for this model; it comes in standard white and black. HP Mini 311 Price: Starts at $399. Perfect for: College students, heavy travelers. Why it's hot: Often half the price of a laptop and not much bigger than a wide paperback, netbooks are one of 2009's most coveted products for tech lovers on the move. And though they're known to be slower and more basic than laptops, the HP Mini 311 won't leave users compromising much. Users can make good use of the netbook's oversize 11.6-inch screen, since the device packs an Nvidia Ion graphics chip for HD video support and even some lightweight gaming. The Mini 311 comes with a standard 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, but buyers can choose between the older but tried-and-true Windows XP operating system or the more modern Windows 7. And though it's full-featured, this netbook won't leave users wanting on battery life: In testing, it has been known to get up to 5 1/2 hours of juice on a single charge. To see more of The Palm Beach Post -- including its homes, jobs, cars and other classified listings -- or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.palmbeachpost.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Palm Beach Post, Fla. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], 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. |