A Gadget for the Holidays

A Gadget for the Holidays

By: Babak Nabili
Whether you're buying gifts for others or treating yourself for the holidays, here are some of the latest, coolest gadgets to give you some ideas. Happy Holidays!

Eye-Fi: Wireless Connection for Your Camera
A clever product that's become available in the market is an SD memory card for digital cameras that  also has WiFi built in. You plug the SD card in the same place you plug in your ordinary memory card, and it does the rest. You can upload your pictures to the Web or to your computer without needing a cable. The product is called Eye-Fi and it comes in 2GB & 4GB models, ranging from $79 to $129 through online retailers.


Digital Photo Frames
Many people complain about digital pictures not being as easily accessible as printed copies. Digital photo frames are an easy solution to that problem. Place them anywhere in the house or office and load them with your favorite photos; it'll rotate through them, acting as multiple frames in one. To make life easier, some models automatically connect to your computer, or your Internet photo accounts wirelessly , so you don't even have to load the pictures into it. The most versatile and feature-rich one out there is the Kodak EasyShare W1020 Wireless Digital Frame, which can be had for around $200 on the Internet.

 
Netbooks
These small laptop computers are ideal for surfing the Net, watching videos and photos, and playing music. They have all the features of a regular laptop minus a CD/DVD drive and the hefty price tag. Many vendors offer Netbooks, with displays ranging from 8” to 10.5”, and varying battery life and disk drive capacities. HP's Mini 311 has nice graphics and good performance, going for $399 through HP and online retailers.


Handheld Navigation
These units can be quite handy for everyday use around town or when traveling, relieving  you of the hassle of printing directions before you leave home. The two top picks for this category are the TomTom GO 740 Live and the Garmin Nuvi 255W. The TomTom is not only an excellent navigator, but it also gives you up to the minute traffic information to help you navigate the quickest way through town. The TomTom's menus may be a bit complicated for the average user though. Garmin's navigator is as good a unit with simple navigation, but doesn't offer the live traffic info. The two range from $150 to $399 online.