What’s On Your High-Tech Gadget List for Christmas?

Mary C. | 13 December 2004 |

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WHAT’S ON YOUR HIGH TECH GADGET LIST FOR CHRISTMAS??
Heather Austin, Blizzard Internet Marketing, Inc.

The holidays are a great time to consider some high tech gifts for family and friends. Deciding which to buy, however, can be daunting. I’d like to offer some guidance about three of the most popular technologies right now: digital media (MP3) players, digital video recorders, and satellite radios.

There are a number of MP3 players on the market today, with one of the more popular being the Apple iPod. All iPod models work on Mac- and Windows-based computers and give access to digital music, providing up to 12 hours of music on a single battery charge.
There are two sizes of Classic iPod. One stores 20 GB of data, or approximately 5,000 songs, and the other has double the storage capacity. The iPod Photo builds on the features of the Classic with the capability to store as many as 25,000 photos. It comes in two sizes: 40GB and 60GB. While all iPods are fairly small and compact, the iPod Mini, at 3.6 ounces with 4 GB of storage, is the smallest on the market. Lastly, there is the 20 GB iPod Special Edition that bears the autographs of each U2 band member. The differences between the four current iPod models lie in the amount of available memory and additional features. Prices range from $249 to $599.

Still not sure if the music lover on your gift list would like an iPod? Consider the features that each iPod offers:
*Copy Word documents, Excel spreadsheets and Photoshop files.
*Download magazines, audio books and news programs – nice for commuters.
*Connect to powered portable speakers or a stereo system.
*Twenty-five minutes of skip protection, ideal for joggers.
*An alarm clock, optional microphone for voice recording, calendar, address book, games, and text notes.

Matthew Balance, a website designer at Blizzard, raves about his iPod, “When I first got it, I thought of my iPod as a glorified Walkman, only good for music on-the-go. Now I see it as my music collection. Instead of having large books of CDs, I just carry the iPod. People flip out when they realize I have more music just sitting in my pocket than in their entire CD/tape/record collection.”

The two other big tech items to consider are digital video recorders (DVR) and satellite radio receivers. A DVR replaces the VCR with a hard drive that records 40 or more hours of television. TiVo is the best-known DVR on the market today. Among its features, TiVo provides instant replay, can be programmed to record recurring events, and can search for shows with a particular theme, actor or sports team. TiVo costs $99 - $299, depending upon payment plan selected. While you’ll still need to maintain cable or satellite service, many of these companies offer package deals that include some or all of the fees with your current monthly rate.

Satellite radio service offers clear reception from more than 100 commercial-free radio stations. What a treat, especially for those of us in this part of the Rockies, where our majestic mountains often interfere with radio reception. This medium is rapidly growing. In addition to countless music stations, ESPN and many public radio programs can be found. Radio “shock jock” Howard Stern has even announced that he will leave regular broadcasting next year to take his popular show to satellite radio. The receiver I like best is the
Delphi XM SKYFi radio. It’s a portable XM Radio receiver that allows any existing car or home stereo to receive XM Satellite Radio’s over 120 digital channels. The receiver is $63, and must be accompanied by an XM radio monthly subscription of $9.99.

I could go on and on…tech gadgets are endless these days. This article should give you a start in the right direction. Remember that the internet offers a great tool to research these technologies, so take advantage of it. Cheers, until next month… Happy Holidays!