Can't believe it's almost Christmas time, so I figured I'd better think about a list...to paraphrase from the credit card ad that asks, What's in your wallet... What's on your list? To begin, I thought I'd have a look around and see what people are saying. I found an interesting survey done by Solutions Research Group for Digital Life America, so what I've done is show you the list and then an example of each and what the seller or reviewer or I say about it and finally I did a search for the best online price at the time I wrote this. As always, I advise you to do a search on your own if you are interested in buying a product.
To spare you any suspense, {:-), to begin, here is the list:
BTW, no surprise here, a survey of 1,200 American consumers reveals that "three-in-four (76%) have at least one digital lifestyle product on their wish lists leading up to the Christmas season."
1. flat screen high definition TV set - on the wish list of 35%
2. laptop (windows) (20%)
3. digital camera (17%)
4. desktop PC (14%)
5. GPS navigation unit for the car (10%)
6. cell phone (10%)
7. digital video camera (9%)
8. Nintendo Wii (9%)
9. Sony PS3 (7%)
10. Blu-ray or HD-DVD player (6%)
It's hard to believe that Apple's new iPods did not make the list, but iPhone did rank #15. Apple Laptops were also said to be a top Holiday pick by women in the survey.
What follows are examples for each of the ten picks:
1. Samsung Electronics showcased some incredibly thin LCDs at FPD International 2007, in Yokohama, Japan. This photo shows-off a 40-inch (101.6cm) diagonal Full HD LCD TV panel that's only 10.0 millimeters thick, with a bezel that has been reduced from a conventional 30mm to 14.6mm. Normally you would only see LCDs this thin on 10-20 inch LCDs designed for desktop monitors.
Samsung says that the LCD panel uses an LED backlight to reproduce 92 percent of the NTSC standard for color saturation and features low power consumption of 90 watts or less.
Best price = $2999 from Amazon.
2. Looking for a good deal on laptops? In time for the holiday shopping season, Fujitsu has released the new thin-and-light LifeBook S7211 laptop with four configurations priced from $899-$1099. The higher-end LifeBook S7211 offers a 1.5 GHz Intel Core 2 Processor T5250, 2 MB L2 cache, 667 MHz FSB, 120 GB hard drive, 14.1" Crystal View Wide XGA display, modular dual-layer multi-format DVD writer, Wifi 802.11a/b/g, 1GB RAM - expandable up to 4GB, and integrated webcam.
The $899 version of the LifeBook S7211 has an Intel Pentium Dual-Core Processor T2330 at 1.6 GHz, 1 MB L2 cache, 533 MHz FSB, a 14.1" Crystal View Wide XGA display, integrated webcam, 120 hard drive, 1GB RAM, Wifi 802.11a/b/g, and a modular DVD/CD-RW combo drive.
All Fujitsu Lifebook S7211 notebook models feature Fujitsu's spill-resistant keyboard, and a lithium ion 6-cell battery which is said to provide up to 4.25 hours of battery life. Windows XP Professional and Windows Vista Business OS.
Best price = $899 from Fujitsu direct sales
3. It's not every day we see a compact digital camera sporting a 28mm wide-angle lens with a 4x optical zoom, but the FinePix F480 is just that. The F480 is an 8-megapixel digital camera with a large 2.7-inch LCD monitor, packaged in a slim 23mm metallic body, and available in black or silver colors. It's fitted with easy-to-operate buttons, and Picture Stabilization / Blur Reduction mode, ISO range up to ISO 800, and 12MB of internal memory. And the FinePix F480 can record video in Motion JPEG 30fps, so you'll probably want to get an xD card or SDHC card for extended memory.
Best price = $146.95 at Amazon.
4. HP Slimline s3223w Desktop PC w/ AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor 4400+
This Pavilion PC is only one-third the size of a conventional tower PC. But it delivers all the power of much larger models. The sophisticated dual-core processor is designed for true multitasking with demanding applications. Additional highlights include a SuperMulti DVD burner, spacious hard drive, 15-in-1 memory card reader, five USB ports and Windows Vista Home Premium edition.
Key Features & Benefits:
2.3 GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core processor 4400+
Delivers 64-bit processing power for true multitasking plus enhanced virus protection
1 GB of DDR2 system memory
Offers improved performance for today's demanding applications along with the option of expanding up to 4 GB
320 GB hard drive, 7200 rpm
Provides plenty of storage space for documents, games, music, photos and videos
SuperMulti DVD-R/RW drive with double-layer capability
Lets you burn and play DVDs and CDs for entertainment and data back
HP Pocket Media Drive bay
Expands storage capacity when you add an optional portable Pocket Media Drive
10/100 Base-T network interface and 56K modem
Connects to the Internet via DSL, cable or dial-up service
15-in-1 digital media card reader
Reads virtually all memory card formats so you can enjoy photos, music and other files
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Edition
Makes your total computing experience more efficient, more secure and more fun
Best price = $488 at WalMart...display sold separately.
5. Lookin for GPS on a budget? The new affordable Magellan RoadMate 1200 GPS unit is a pretty good deal for the holidays. The pocket-sized Magellan RoadMate 1200 entry-level GPS unit is designed for easy portability and boasts a full-size 3.5” bright QVGA anti-glare touch screen with an intuitive user interface designed for fast input with a minimal amount of keystrokes. It features an ultra-slim, pocket-sized design, and offers “turn it on and go” auto navigation.
Additional Magellan RoadMate 1200 features:
Fast and precise SiRF® GPS chipset delivering superior GPS performance and navigation
2D and 3D Mapviews with auto day / night mode switching
Trip computer and Trip planner
QuickSpell™ intelligently searches and checks spelling when entering addresses
SmartDetourTM prompts drivers to route around heavy or stationary traffic
SD card slot for maps
USB port for PC connection, power
The Magellan RoadMate 1200 ships with a windshield mount and cradle, a 12V car power cigarette lighter adapter, an adhesive disk for alternative on dash mounting and a quick reference and user manual.
Best price = $199.99 at Circuit City.
6. Cellphone. This one is almost impossible to make much sense of due to the plethora of "deals" out there. So, here are two options; the first is an excellent guide for sorting through all the stuff out there: http://tinyurl.com/25e2t5
and the second is a really easy phone and plans for basic cellphone use: anytime, anywhere in the U.S. - you'll never pay roaming or long distance fees. Your monthly minutes are good for 90 days or purchase Add on Minutes that are good for a whole year. No long term contracts. No hidden charges for switching plans.
Plans start as low as $10 per month. Visit: http://www.jitterbug.com/ServicesPlansMonth.aspx for details.
7. Xacti HD700 Pocket-Sized 720p HD Camcorder
Here's a pocket-sized HD camcorder from Sanyo. It's the new Xacti HD700 720p HD camcorder, which records both high-definition video and 7.1-megapixel photos to an SD or SDHC memory card. The ultra-compact HD700 records in the advanced MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video format encoding and uses the same optical processing engine found in the higher-end Xacti VPC-HD1000, which is said to process images quickly with lower power consumption. The Sanyo Xacti HD700 is available in Silver, Red and Brown.
It has a large 2.7 inch LCD that flips out from the camera and rotates up to 285 degrees, and the camcorder features 5X optical zoom, plus 12x digital zoom for up to 60x zooming capability when combined. The HD700 captures 7.1-megapixel still photos and features low-light performance with up to ISO 3200 sensitivity. Sanyo also incorporated a new "Face Chaser" function which automatically detects and isolates, and focuses faces, detecting up to 12 independent faces at a time.
ADDITIONAL SANYO XACTI HD700 FEATURES:
HDMI High-Definition Output (with included Docking Station)
Digital Image Stabilization
Superfast Startup (Record in as little as 1.3 seconds).
Playback directly onto a HD or standard TV screen.
Easy connection to VCR or DVD recorder.
Expand the fun of viewing home movies and photos on television with 'Xacti Library' for easy playback and saving of files.
Equipped with 'SIMPLE' mode for even beginners to create high quality, beautiful high definition movies. --
'Talking Navigation' informs user of current state/setting
'Super Macro' allows close-ups of 1 cm
In-Camera Editing
Equipped with 'Wind Noise Reduction' reducing wind noise from the microphone when recording movies -- Print pictures without a computer using PictBridge
Innovative Docking Station Included
Remote Control IncludedB9
Best price=$454.00 at CameraAddict.com
8. Seeing a Nintendo Wii controller in action is pretty impressive, and it could start a whole new way of video gaming and expand the number of gamers out there. Players can manipulate Wii games through the motion of the remote control-like Wii Remote, which also includes a built-in speaker. In a four-player tennis game I saw during a Nintendo demo, the Wii Remote became a virtual tennis racket, from the vibration of the hit to the sound of the ball. The Wii Remote's sensors are delicate enough to enable players to hit straight, add slice or put top spin on the ball. As you see here, Nintendo will also be releasing a more traditional controller for Wii, if you're not into the fast-motion of the new Wii Remote.
Nintendo Wii features:
Controls:
Intuitive control for anyone using the physical motion of the main Wii Remote, which resembles a television remote control. Up to four Wii Remotes can be connected at once using wireless Bluetooth technology. The wireless signal can be detected within 10 meters of the console. Both the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers include a three-axis motion sensor. The Wii Remote also includes a speaker, rumble feature and expansion port, and can be used as a pointer within 5 meters of the screen. The Wii Remote has a power switch, plus pad, A, B, Minus, Home, 1 and 2 buttons. The Nunchuk controller includes an analog control stick and C and Z buttons.
The Look:
Wii features a compact design that will make it a natural addition to any television setup. It can be displayed either vertically or horizontally.
Media:
A single self-loading media bay will play single- or double-layered 12-centimeter optical discs for Wii, as well as 8-centimeter Nintendo GameCube discs.
Communication:
Wii can communicate with the Internet even when the power is turned off. This WiiConnect24 service delivers a new surprise or game update, even if users do not play with Wii. Users can connect wirelessly using IEEE 802.11b/g, or with a USB 2.0 LAN adaptor. Wii also can communicate wirelessly with Nintendo DS.
Virtual Console:
Wii will have downloadable access to 20 years of fan-favorite titles originally released for Nintendo 64, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and even the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The Virtual Console also will feature a "best of" selection from Sega Genesis titles and games from the TurboGrafx console (a system jointly developed by NEC and Hudson). It also will be home to new games conceived by indie developers whose creativity is larger than their budgets.
The Specs:
Wii boasts 512 megabytes of internal flash memory, two USB 2.0 ports and built-in Wi-Fi capability. A bay for an SD memory card will let players expand the internal flash memory. Design was optimized with state-of-the-art processing technologies that minimize power consumption, keep the console compact and enable the "sleepless" WiiConnect24 mode.
CPU: PowerPC CPU (code-named "Broadway"). Made with a 90 nm SOI CMOS process, jointly developed with and manufactured by IBM.
Graphics Processing Unit: Developed with ATI.
Games for the Wii console include a third chapter in the Metroid(R) Prime series, a new Mario(TM) game and The Legend of Zelda(R): Twilight Princess. Additionally, dozens of developers worldwide are working to bring new experiences to the Wii console. Nintendo will expand the gaming circle to as many types of people as possible, including lapsed gamers and people who have never played before.
Along with Wii Sports, which includes the tennis game, the highly anticipated The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess will launch at the same time as Wii and thrill gamers with its captivating storyline, stunning game play and gorgeous look. The game makes use of the unique Wii Remote functions for elements like fishing and special sword attacks. The game also will be playable on Nintendo GameCube(TM), but without the widescreen format or special controller functions.
Best price = $351.41 at Amazon.
9. Sony PS3 Sony Computer Entertainment America has announced the introduction of a new 80GB PS3, and the availability of more than 100 new software titles for the video game console.
The new 80GB PlayStation 3 (PS3) gaming console comes with the online-enabled racing game MotorStorm. Both the 80GB and 60GB Sony PS3 consoles come standard with Cell Broadband Engine (Cell/B.E.), Blu-ray Disc (BD) player, built-in HDD, 1080p high-definition output, Wi-Fi connectivity and SIXAXIS wireless controller.
Best price = $439.99 at Amazon.
10. Blu-Ray or DVD-HD player. The format war is still unresolved, but if you are intent on being totally prepared, LG makes a combo player that allows you to play either format.
SUPER BLU™ PLAYER BLU-RAY DISC & HD DVD™ PLAYBACK
Plays Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD high-definition disc formats with more than twice the resolution of standard DVD discs.
FULL HD 1080p OUTPUT
Provides wide compatibility with full HD 1080p TVs.
HDMI™ 1.3 WITH DEEP COLOR
Improved color tones to achieve finer color gradations and deliver smoother and more brilliant video output.
QDEO™ ADVANCED VIDEO PROCESSING
Superior up-scaling accuracy, noise reduction and color precision.
1080p UP-SCALING OF STANDARD DVDs
Existing standard-definition DVDs are up-scaled to match the resolution of full HD TVs.
LG SIMPLINK™ MULTI-DEVICE CONTROL
Allows for convenient control of other LG SimpLink products using the existing HDMI connection.
ADVANCED INTERACTIVITY
Access to rich menus and extra features available from many Blu-ray discs and HD DVDs.
Best price = $699 at Circuit City.
That should get you started for now, so tune up those plastic cards and dust off your check books, the game is about to begin...but remember to be careful out there as you explore the exciting world of consumer electronics.
Aloha, Lou
