The Top Ten Holiday Tech Toys This Season

By Anastacia Mott Austin

I’m going to ‘fess up right at the beginning – I’m not exactly the techie hipster. But I’m married to one, and I know a cool gadget when I see one.

I never know what to buy my computer-savvy hubby, and maybe you’re in the same boat. So after much research, here are some ideas of what you can find for your "geek" or your kids who are way more tech-hip than you are. These gadgets are definitely for that special someone who already has everything. There’s something here for everyone; the gamer, the Youtube addict, the phone fiend. You name it, there’s a thing-a-ma-jiggy that’s just perfect:

1. Fun for the entire family: "Rock Band," the console game from Harmonix, creators of the "Guitar Hero" series and "Karaoke Revolution." (http://www.rockband.com). This game was declared "Best of Show" by Gamecritics, Kotaku, Game Trailers and Joystiq. It can be played on Playstation 2 and 3, and Xbox360. The whole family can get involved by playing various instruments like guitar, drums, and taking turns being lead singer at the microphone. You have a choice of over 50 songs from modern bands like the Foo Fighters and Radiohead, as well as classics like the Rolling Stones, The Who, and The Grateful Dead. A very groovy way to spend quality time with the fam and still look like you’re not completely uncool. Well, I guess it depends on how you dance. Also, I suppose you’re on your own if you want to pretend you’re the Partridge Family singing, "I Think I Love You." Retails for $170.

2. Also for family fun: video games that aren’t all about carjacking or simulation murder. Designed to be used either on your computer or a game console like Xbox or Nintendo’s Wii, there are some new selections of family-friendly games like "Challenge of the Warlords" (http://www.infinite-interactive.com/puzzlequest/), which focuses on role-playing and strategy, "The Bee Movie Game" (http://www.beemoviegame.com), based on the popular Jerry Seinfeld character, the newly hot "Zack and Wiki," and the still-popular favorites like "Super Mario Galaxy." Most games sell for $19-$40.

3. Remember those electronic drum pad things that looked like boomboxes? No? Well, it doesn’t matter, because the Brando USB roll-up drum kit (http://usb.brando.com.hk/prod_detail.php?prod_id=00270) is much cooler. It’s also quite reasonably priced at $42. The drum kit is a flexible, roll-able black mat with six small white drum pads that looks like a placemat. Unroll it and plug it right into your PC and voila! You’re Keith Moon…in front of a computer screen. The kit comes with a pair of drumsticks and a how-to CD. Very hip.

4. Also from Brando, the very tiny and trendy USB Chocolate MP3 Player (http://usb.brando.com.hk/prod_detail.php?prod_id=00359). Resembling a tiny deck of cards the size of a 9-volt battery, this is just the thing for people who think that technology needs to keep getting smaller to be the very latest thing. It’s cute, it holds 2 GB of music, plugs into your USB port, and there you go! It comes with a little wee charger cable and a neck strap so you don’t lose the tiny darn thing! $39.

5. For those whose loved ones are bird nerds as well as tech geeks, there is the perfectly charming Identiflyer Singing Alarm Clock (http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp?pn=3053198&bhcd2=1196230994). Who wants to be woken up to the sound of loud beeping or those annoying radio sports show hosts when you can be chirped awake to your choice of birdsong? The Identiflyer lets you choose a card with your type of bird, insert it into the alarm, and then pick which specific bird noise you want to wake up to the next morning. $30.

6. If you’re looking for versatility in a GPS system, then the Garmin Nüvi 200 (https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=9160) is your thing-a-ma-jig. Following the trend of tininess, the device is about 4" by 3". It does not include a neck strap, making this an impractical item for people like me, as I would lose it immediately. However, this guide is for what to buy your techie loved one, not for disorganized, tech-delayed me. I would prefer knitting needles, thank you. What the Nüvi 200 does come with is a suction-cup mount for your dashboard, and the option of programming it easily for vehicle, pedestrian, or bicycle travel, and in these cases, its small size is an advantage. Why force yourself to interact with locals for directions when you can simply consult your nifty GPS device to figure out where the best local eats are? It is pre-programmed for the continental United States, plus Hawaii and Puerto Rico, so if you’re lost in Alaska, this will not help you. It’s very reasonably priced at $200, and the fact that you can take it out of the car with you makes it extra-groovy. As the website says, "It’s a whole nü way to travel."

7. If you can never hear on your cell phone, then the Plantronics Pulsar 590E Bluetooth headset is for you (http://www.plantronics.com/north_america/en_US/products/cat1150057/cat5420035/prod5560014). This is actually something I want. First off, it’s not tiny. I can never find my phone, especially in the car, but these seem like they’d be easy to locate. Sound quality for phone conversations is greatly enhanced with the stereo headset, a great improvement over those little earbuds that don’t ever stay in. What’s more, you can have high-quality stereo sound while listening to your tunes with the added bonus of simultaneously blocking out the sound of your kids in the car screaming, "She’s looking at my hair!" This one is on my Christmas list. Retails for about $75.

8. I found the perfect gift for my hubby, a computer geek who is also a beer aficionado! It’s the Popdrive Bottle Opener from Extreme Geek, a thumb drive/bottle opener combination (http://www.x-tremegeek.com/templates/SearchDetail.asp?productID=14105&ta=prod_info)! What more could a true tech-geek want than to be able to carry….data….and open a beer at the same time! It holds 1GB, is USB 2.0/1.1 compatible, and comes with its own keychain. Wallet-friendly at $25.

9. For the Youtube fanatic, there’s nothing better than the Casio Exilim EX Z77 camera (http://exilim.casio.com/browse_cameras/exilim_zoom/EX-Z77/). Uploading regular videos or DVDs to Youtube can be difficult, and this camera makes it a snap. Currently included in the package is Youtube-enabling software that doesn’t even require access to the website – you can upload your home videos directly from the camera onto Youtube. It stores up to 10 minutes of video, with standard video features, and of course also takes regular digital still photos. Another feature is an eBay-ideal setting which creates the best photos for eBay listings. It’s versatile, accepting several different types of memory cards, and at $180, it’s the perfect, affordable gift for the Youtuber in your life.

10. I hesitate to mention this last one, because it causes people to stare at a screen instead of at each other, but everyone seems to want one. It’s the Nintendo Wii, of course. I must be the only person on the planet who either doesn’t have one or doesn’t want one. But as I mentioned, this list is not for me, it’s for the tech-savvy, or otherwise hipper-than-me person. And who knows, if I ever saw one I might love it too. For video game aficionados, you can’t get much better than the Wii. It’s affordable, very user-friendly, with motion-sensor controllers that anyone can figure out, and the games franchised by Nintendo (Mario, Zelda, and Metroid) all have new, updated versions for hours of spaced-out fun. Very cool. $250.

There you have it. The niftiest tech toys of the season – happy shopping!