Gift Guide: Gadgets for Christmas

BY CLAIRE MCENTEE

Stuck for Christmas gift ideas? Here are some of the year's hot products.

Apple iPod Nano 8GB $259

Launched in September this year, the latest iPod Nano has been given a big thumbs up by reviewers. Key among the MP3 music player's new features are a video camera and microphone for recording video on the go, and it also has built-in speakers for video and music playback without the need for headphones.

The 2.2-inch screen is slightly larger than displays on previous models and it has FM radio.

Users can also keep track how much they have exercised with its built-in pedometer and record audio. On the down side reviewers say the camera is located in an awkward position and users cannot take still photos. The 16GB version, which can store more music and video, is RRP$318.

Flip Mino RRP $349.95

For those who want to record high-definition video on the go this summer, the Flip Mino camcorder - about the size of a small cellphone - is an excellent travelling companion. It can record an hour of video and its picture and sound quality is great.

The 1.5-inch LCD screen is very clear, and all functions are controlled by five buttons, including four responsive touch buttons. It comes with software that lets you edit videos - adding titles, music and credits - and share video easily, either by sending "video mail" or uploading it to sites such as the video sharing service YouTube.

Unfortunately, users cannot take still photos and there is no SD memory card slot for boosting storage.

EyePet game for Playstation 3  $89.95

The Sony EyePet game for the Playstation 3 has created quite a stir. It is the one of the first games using augmented reality technology - which combines computer-generated animations with real-life objects and images - to hit shop shelves.

You interact with a virtual pet through a camera, which detects you hand movements and translates these into commands.

You can wiggle your fingers to make the EyePet - a cute, cat-like creature - run in circles and tap on the floor to make it jump around.

The game comes with a special card that, when held up in front of the camera, turns into a range of objects on screen that relate to whatever you and the EyePet are doing. For example, if you are feeding the EyePet and hold up the card, a feeding bottle appears on screen.

You are responsible for the EyePet's health and development and complete challenges so you can learn to teach your EyePet new tricks. A fun gift for the kids.

TomTom Start   RRP$299

This entry-level GPS navigation device from TomTom has all the basics and a bit more for finding your way around while driving. TomTom Start has a 3.5-inch touch-screen, spoken street names and TomTom's IQ Routes technology - which calculates the fastest route for you to drive, based on real travel data from other users rather than speed limits.

Reviewers say the menu is very simple, with limited customisation options, but this will not worry those after a basic 'plug and go' navigation device.

It also has TomTom's MapShare function so you can share your data and maps with other users, and will highlight points of interest such as petrol stations and toilets, and alert you to speed cameras.

HP Mini by Studio Tord Boontje netbook RRP$999

Netbooks - or mini laptops - have been all the rage this year and Hewlett-Packard has released designer models for those after a bit more computing style.

The HP Mini by Studio Tord Boontje combines the work of a Dutch designer with the specifications of the HP Mini 110 netbook. It has a 160 gigabyte hard drive, a single core Intel processor, a 10.1-inch LED screen, a SD memory card slot for extra storage and is just over one-inch thick.

Reviewers say the netbook's white chassis is striking and the impressive 3D Imprint technology makes the designer's animal figures pop out from the flora background.

However the netbook's unconventional mousepad, with its buttons on the sides rather than the top or bottom, is unpopular. Great for basic word-processing, emailing and browsing the web in style.     

Sony Ericsson C510 RRP$399

Launched with Telecom's new XT mobile network, this cellphone is a great choice if you're after a mid-level mobile. Features include a 3.2 megapixel Cybershot camera under a sliding lens cover, a sharp 2.2-inch display, and an FM radio.

You can take pics and, with the click of a button, post them to social networking site Facebook and Experts say web browsing and navigating the phone's menu is a breeze.

It has 100 megabytes of memory, which reviewers say is perhaps a little low for some, and has no 3.5mm headphone socket.

But, overall, it's a solid phone with some useful features. Also has Bluetooth and wireless internet connectivity.

Loud Enough Earphones RRP$89

These earphones are designed to protect your ears - or those of your heavy-metal-loving teenager. They have a built-in volume reducer which cuts maximum sound from a MP3 player by up to 40 per cent.

They also fit right into your ear canal, handy for those who have problems keeping 'earbud' headphones in.

Reviewers say the Loud Enough Earphones are comfortable and the noise reduction feature works a treat, but it can be difficult to hear audio when there's a lot of background noise. For children aged six and up, and available in plum, mint and blueberry.

Canon PowerShot A480  RRP$209

This is Canon's entry level digital camera and it's been hailed as a great choice for beginner photographers. It has a 10 megapixel sensor, 3.3x optical zoom and a 2.5-inch LCD screen.

Other features include face detection for focusing on faces in shots, 15 scene modes including sunset and fireworks, automatic red-eye correction and motion detection technology to minimise the effect of camera shake.

Its screen is also prone to fade considerably in direct sunlight - a common complaint with LCD screens. But overall, reviewers say it outperforms other cameras in the same price range.

Experts note that it won't win any design awards, but it has a good solid build, simple layout and straightforward menu.

BlueAnt S1 handsfree speakerphone RRP$169

With talking or texting on handheld cellphones while driving now illegal, handsfree cellphone kits that let you drive and talk without touching your phone are in hot demand.

The BlueAnt S1, which clips to your car's sun visor, is a relatively inexpensive handsfree option.

It uses Bluetooth technology to communicate wirelessly with Bluetooth cellphones, allowing you to accept and end calls by pressing a button or by saying 'OK' or 'answer' and without touching your mobile.

It allows up to 15 hours talk time or 800 hours on standby before needing a recharge and lets you connect to two phones at once.

It also allows voice dialling - meaning you can say a person's name to call them - if your phone supports this, and has noise cancellation technology to block out background buzz. Reviewers say it performs well and the noise cancellation technology is particularly impressive.  

Sources: Sydney Morning Herald, PC Advisor, CNET, Photography Blog, Digital Camera Review, Slippery Brick, iDom.   

- © Fairfax NZ News