2005 Holiday Gift Guide

 

 

 

 

 

 

This year, you can be the one putting the "happy" in happy holidays. Impress everyone on your list with one of these handpicked gadgets. We've included the best gifts - spanning all budgets - to make this year's gift buying a snap. Grab your list, check it twice, print this out and head to the stores.

 

Scared of the mall parking lot dance? Don't fret. Just visit the sites listed after each product or compare prices via the usual bargain hunting suspects, http://www.yahoo.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.buy.com/, http://www.bestbuy.com/, http://www.circuitcity.com/ and others. If you do end up ordering online, you'll save yourself quite a bit of hassle. But, be forewarned that, if you do go this route, don't get so carried away patting yourself on the back that you forget about shipping times. Leave a couple of weeks' for delivery as well as any shipping mishaps that may happen along the way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

iPod nano
Everyone wants an iPod. The nano serves most everyone well with 4GB (1,000 songs), which is plenty of capacity for storing digital music without becoming unmanageable. Don't bother getting it in black. It starts off slick, but scratches up way too easily and quickly loses its luster. $249. Read the Digital Trends review; Compare prices

 

Dell DJ Ditty
Support breast cancer research with the Dell DJ Ditty MP3 player with the Susan G. Komen Foundation Bundle. The Dell DJ Ditty music player is comparable to the iPod shuffle, but with better reviews, and contains 512 MB of storage (220 songs), as well as a built-in FM radio, which enables the user to tune into the TV at the gym. The special bundle comes with a pink armband, pink earbuds, and a "Sharing the Promise" pink wristband. $129. For him, get a standard black Dell DJ Ditty for $99. http://www.dellditty.com/

 

 

 

The Griffin RoadTrip
The Griffin RoadTrip is a combined FM transmitter, charger and iPod cradle for the car. It is nicely designed, easy to use and works with virtually all 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th generation iPods. No batteries required. $89.99. For the iPod nano, get the Griffin iTrip. $49.99. Compare prices

 

 

 

Altec Lansing inMotion iM7
Altec Lansing inMotion iM7 systems contain portable iPod speakers that are robust and sound great with high efficiency digital amplification and an XDB enhanced subwoofer. The iM7 has a built-in iPod cradle and wireless remote, creating a full home stereo system out of your dockable photo, mini, 3G or 4G iPod. $249.95. Compare prices

 

 

 

H20 Audio Waterproof Case
For a real, live "Life Aquatic" experience, get the water lover in your life an H2O Audio Waterproof Case to go with her iPod. The DV Series (Deep Version) is designed for SCUBA depths up to 200 ft., while the SV Series (Surface Version) is designed for surface water activities, such as surfing, wakeboarding, swimming and kayaking in depths up to 10 ft. Each version comes complete with special, waterproof ear buds. SV Series $99.95-$149.95, DV Series $199.95. Compare prices

 

 

 

 

Nyko iTop Button Relocator for iPod
Move those pesky buttons from the side of an iPod to the top with the Nyko iTop Button Relocator. The adaptor attaches to the top of any 10-60 GB iPod through the headphone and remote jack enabling easy controlling from your pocket, case or purse. $29.99. Compare prices

 

 

 

Harman Kardon Drive+ Play
The Harman Kardon Drive + Play is an iPod car adaptor with a dashboard-mounted display, joystick controller and can reach the car stereo through either a 3.5mm audio line output, or via a wired (or wireless) FM transmitter. Drive +Play works with all dockable iPods, including the nano. $199.99. Compare prices

 

 

 

Pioneer AirWare Portable XM Satellite Radio Receiver
The Pioneer AirWare Portable XM Satellite Radio Receiver lets you take clear, digital, commercial free music, news, talk, comedy, traffic and weather channels with you wherever you go. The AirWare receiver can hold up to five hours of programming, making it a powerful alternative to the traditional MP3 players. Additional adaptor kits available from Pioneer enable you to listen to your satellite radio in the car, home or while skiing. $330 unit, XM Satellite Radio service is $12.95/month. Read the Digital Trends review; Compare prices Headphones

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shure Canal Phones
Get lost in your music or your game with Shure's E Series Canal Phones. These isolation headphones are a cross between ear plugs and ear buds and conform to the inside of your ear via the included Personal Fit Kit. The phones deliver quality frequencies in highs, mids and bass tones, work well with any home audio device and come with a handy zip carrying case. $109-$499. Read the Digital Trends review; Compare prices

 

 

 

Grado Labs SR80
Grado Labs SR80 headphones are the best bang for the buck and are the first headphones ever awarded a "Golden Note Award"from the Academy for the Advancement of High End Audio. The impressively powerful headphones have comfortable, cushy padding on top of outstanding bass resonance. $95. Compare prices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Palm Treo 650 smartphone
Just how smart is this phone, you ask? The all-in-one device, the Treo 650 smartphone, is a mobile phone that has the capability to handle e-mail, messaging and web access. It's also an organizer, an MP3 player and a digital camera that can capture video. This incredible gadget can even wirelessly connect to other Bluetooth devices and it works with just about any GSM/GPRS network worldwide - enabling its use with most existing service plans – making it the perfect companion for international travelers. Pretty smart, huh? $599. Free Shipping Compare prices

 

 

 

Palm LifeDrive
Today's life is more demanding, and who has the space to carry around a PDA and an MP3 player? Combine them both with the Palm LifeDrive. This all-in-one device features a 4GB hard drive and support for video, audio and picture playback. Plus it syncs with Microsoft outlook, so you can take your meetings with you on the road. Free Shipping Compare Prices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gateway CX200X
Get a notebook for a lot less dough for the kid in school. The Gateway CX200X has a 14" wide, pivoting screen, solid performance, and many extras, including an 8 hour battery, as well as the ability to take notes directly on the screen with a special pen. $1,399.99. Compare prices

 

 

 

HP L2000 Livestrong Special Edition
The HP L2000 Livestrong Special Edition includes powerful AMD Turion 64 Mobile Technology in a thin, light notebook that is strong, powerful and has a long battery life. The package includes a 14" wide screen, yellow earbuds, Livestrong wristband, accessory bag and limited edition poster. $50 from the sale of each L2000 Livestrong Special Edition notebook will go to the Lance Amstrong Foundation for cancer research. $899. Compare prices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NASCAR PC Desktop
NASCAR fans and computer geeks rejoice! The NASCAR PC Desktop comes ready to roll with 160 GB drive, ATI graphics, 8-in1 Media Reader and 16X Dual Layer DVD. NASCAR keyboard, scroll mouse and speaker system rounds out the extremely affordable package. $549.99, http://www.compusa.com/

 

 

 

Alienware Aurora Star Wars Edition PC
The Alienware Aurora Star Wars Edition PC is sure to thrill the biggest Star Wars-loving gamer in the house, loaded content such as movie soundtracks, wallpapers, desktop skins, fan club membership and game demos, as well as a high-performance gaming platform. The special edition comes in two case designs, the Light Side or the Dark Side. Whose side are you on? $1499, http://www.alienware.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dell UltraSharp 2405FPW
Dell's UltraSharp 2405FPW, 24" flat panel monitor is currently the hottest monitor on the market. This monitor enables you to watch your favorite DVDs in their natural format while running multiple, simultaneous applications. The rapid 12 ms response time enables for crisp, fast-motion images while gaming or video editing. $950. Compare prices

 

 

 

Gateway 21"
The Gateway 21" wide screen high-definition flat panel rotates to accommodate either portrait or landscape mode with an articulated base. The monitor works really well with game systems and has the cool picture-in-picture feature. $599.99, http://www.gateway.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kodak EasyShare One
The first WiFi digital camera, The Kodak EasyShare One, lets you snap a photo, then e-mail the photos directly from your camera to the Kodak EasyShare Gallery (formerly Ofoto), or to your WiFi-enabled computer for viewing. 4.0 megapixels, coupled with 256 MB of internal memory (about 1500 images) and a 3" touch-screen LCD display will enable your gift recipient to carry around their very own digital photo album. $599.95. Read the Digital Trends review; Compare prices

 

 

 

 

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT
This easy-to-use camera has all the goodies to advance with you when you're ready. With 8.0 megapixels, and 3 AF choices (One-shot, AI Servo or AI focus), this high-performance SLR digital camera takes photos with exceptional clarity and tonal range, sure to impress the serious snap-happy recipient on your list. $1499.99. Read the Digital Trends review; Compare prices

 

 

 

HP Photosmart M517
Simple and effective, the 5.2 megapixel HP Photosmart M517 delivers impressive photos, has a clean, simple user interface with a 2" color image display and 32 MB memory, all at a very affordable price. $199.99. Compare prices

 

 

 

Canon Optura 600
Ready for a digital camcorder and camera combined? This is the one to grab. The Canon Optura 600 offers an impressive 4.3 megapixel camcorder as well as digital camera with a 2.5 inch LCD display, 9-point intelligent autofocus and 10x optical zoom. The double agent camcorder offers professionals and consumers alike sophisticated 16:9 widescreen videos and takes stunning photos. $1,199.99. Read the Digital Trends review; Compare prices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sonos Digital Music System
Get in the zone. Multi-room digital music can be yours in up to 32 zones throughout the house. Wireless mesh networking technology, called Sonosnet, makes this possible, without interference from the microwave or other appliances. In a nutshell, the controller allows you to select the music in your local room, which could be the Sonos library on your PC, subscription-based Rhapsody Internet radio channels, or a auxiliary source, such as an MP3 player. For each zone/room, you'll need a Sonos ZonePlayer and speakers. The controller enables you to play the same music, or different music, simultaneously in each room. $1199. Read the Digital Trends review; http://www.sonos.com/

 

 

 

Outlaw Audio Model 1070 A/V Receiver
The compact, powerful, all channel driven 7.1 surround receiver includes all the useful features you'd want and more. The A/V receiver delivers rich sound with 7 x 65 watts per channel and stellar picture quality, as well as digital video switching and an unheard of 30-day satisfaction guarantee. $899. Read the Digital Trends First Look; www.outlawaudio.com

 

 

Onkyo DV-SP502 DVD Universal Player
Not just your average run of the mill DVD player, Onkyo's DV-SP502 DVD Universal Player takes home entertainment to a whole new level. The Progressive Scan Universal Player enables you to experience multi-channel surround sound as well as your own music on CDs, Super Audio CDs, DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, as well as MP3,WMA and JPEG files through CD-R and CD-RW playback. Available in silver or black. $299.99. Compare prices

 

 

 

 

Logitech Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remote
The Harmony 880 can be programmed on the web by an amateur, is simple to use and is less expensive than the higher end models. No technician needed! The unit is optimized for complicated HDTV and PVR systems, has a rechargeable battery and a color display. $249. Read the Digital Trends review; Compare prices

 

 

 

TiVo
TiVo gives you the freedom to watch exactly what you want to watch, when you want to watch it. Features, like the Wish List, enable you to program your TiVo to search and record all instances of Mila Jovovich, George Lucas, or That 70's Show. It's incredibly easy to set up and makes sitting through commercials a thing of the past. Purchase boxes in the amount of programming storage capacity you need (40, 80, 300). TiVo now offers two options with either a Humex DVD Player/Recorder or DVR with your TiVo package. The 40-hour box is $49.99 if you pre-purchase 12 months of service at $12.95/month, the 80-hour box is $149.99 plus pre-paid service, 80-hours plus the DVD Player/Recorder is $199.99 plus pre-paid service, 300-hours plus the DVR is $199.99. Compare prices; http://www.tivo.com/.

 

 

 

Infinity Systems' Cascade Loudspeakers
These uber-stylish loudspeakers are distinctive in appearance and feature slim-profile styling that is designed to complement flat-panel displays with the Maximum Radiating Surface (MRS) flat-panel transducer technology. Six models range from bookshelf models to floorstanding with a center channel speaker. Available in black, silver or real-wood cherry finish. $749-$1,599, http://www.infinitysystems.com/.

 

 

 

Pioneer Elite PureVision Plasma TV
Pioneer's Elite PureVision Plasma TV, PRO-1130HD, has a 50" screen and offers a bright, clear picture with blacker blacks, crisp colors, natural imagery and sharp details. Two detachable speakers included with the 1130HD, can attach to the panel offer impressive sound with the unit's three surround modes. Compare prices; Pioneer Website, $10,000

 

 

 

HP Pavilion MD6580n 65" 1080p Microdisplay TV
This giant high-definition, DLP TV offers a crisp picture, rich colors, deep blacks and incredible contrast on the 65" screen with HP's DynamicBlack aperture and Dynamic Video Enhancement. A/V hookups on the front of the set, behind a concealing door, make it easy to set up and change. $4999.99, http://www.shopping.hp.com/

 

 

Microsoft Xbox 360
The latest, greatest Xbox is here, but good luck getting one of these in time for the holidays if you have not pre-ordered. According to reviews, the Microsoft Xbox 360 is as good as you would expect and well worth the wait. With the CPU speed from three separate core consoles running at 3.2 GHz each, an ATI graphics processor at 500 MHz, it's beyond fast with sharp, high-definition picture quality. Boasting 512 MB of RAM, it's eight times more powerful than the original Xbox. The premium console has a 20 GB hard drive and allows for up to four wireless controllers at a time. Drooling yet? But wait, there's more. Not only is the Xbox 360 a gamer's dream, but it also plays DVDs, CDs, DVD-ROMs, DVD-R/RW, MP3s and JPEGs. $299.99-$399.99, http://www.xbox.com/

 

 

 

Nintendo's Game Boy Micro Retro
Nintendo honors the 20^th Anniversary of the Nintendo Entertainment System's home audio console with a fun and funky Retro edition of their Game Boy Micro. The new mini handheld console is as big as a cell phone and is maroon with a gold faceplate. It also comes with a $10 coupon that can be used toward the purchase of Game Boy Advance games. $99.99. Compare prices

 

 

Sony PSP (PlayStation Portable)
Portable entertainment fits in the palm of your hand with the Sony PSP. Play games, listen to music, surf the web, view photos and watch movies and videos from this slim, 6.7" x 2.9" multimedia unit with a 4.3" display. The PSP device includes an AC adaptor, battery pack, 32-MB Memory Stick Duo, headphone with remote control, soft case and hand strap. $249.99. Compare prices

 

 

 

RedOctane's Guitar Hero
Here's a video game that literally rocks. The Playstation2 game comes complete with a plastic guitar-shaped controller. You play by pressing the frets on the Guitar Hero SG Controller in rhythm with the scrolling "notes" on the screen and strumming. The soundtrack of 30 songs ranges from classic rock to metal, with highlights including Ziggy Stardust, I Wanna Be Sedated, Thunderkiss 65 and Iron Man. Choose your character and move up in crowd size as your career progresses – from small bars to arenas. $69.99, www.redoctane.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lumaray FL6
This super cool, sci-fi reminiscent flashlight delivers a bright, round spotlight and can stand on its tail or head to illuminate an entire room. The lens glows in the dark once it is turned off, enabling you to easily find it again within 8 hours, should you need it. The FL6 is waterproof, and submersible up to 15 ft. $69.95, http://www.lumaray.com/

 

 

 

Philips 512MB Gogear Digital Audio Shoqbox with Alarm Clock
Still don't trust the hotel's wake up call service? Philips Gogear Digital Audio Shoqbox PSS120 is at once an MP3 player, alarm clock, and FM radio - perfect for the frequent traveler. The unit stores up to 16 hours of music, has 10 FM station presets and has a built-in alarm clock with the option of waking to the radio, internal music or a standard alarm beep. It also accepts input from an MP3 or CD player and plays your music through two small speakers that are better than the usual clock radio offers. $169.95. Read the Digital Trends review; Compare prices

 

 

 

 

Digital Hotspotter
Sniff out wireless networks quickly and easily with Canary Wireless' Digital Hotspotter. This handy gadget provides specific information about each network when multiple networks are present, signal availability and strength, as well as encryption status (WEP and WPA). $59.95, http://www.canarywireless.com/

 

 

 

CORSAIR 1GB Flash Drive - USB Portable
Take 1 GB of memory and stuff it in a stocking. Features include plug and play functionality in Windows XP, 2000, ME, Linux 2.4 and later, Mac OS 9, X and later, drivers on CD for Windows 98 and comes complete with a lanyard and USB cable. $73.00, http://www.corsair.com/

 

 

 

Retro Famicom Business Card Holder
Business card holders that look like the old Famicom (NES) cartridge or controller replicas. $6.95, http://www.gamebrink.com/