Posted on December 8th, 2008 by David Bayon
Top 10 Christmas gifts
The second Monday in December has become known as “Cyber Monday”, when internet shopping levels peak ahead of Christmas.
In the current issue of PC Pro you’ll find a full Christmas gadget guide, with 41 products tested and reviewed, from photo frames to cameras to USB guitars. But to help you beat the rush this year, we’ve plucked out ten of the best from the feature and from our A List.
Samsung NC10 – £300
Hands-down the best netbook on the market right now. It feels as sturdy as a proper laptop, offers a hefty seven-and-a-half hour battery life and features an almost full-width keyboard. Stylish, strong and hugely portable – and all this for less than £300.
Sony Reader PRS-505 – £190
If any device is going to sway the eBook doubters, the Sony PRS-505 is it. The silver case is a joy to behold, and the E Ink screen perfectly replicates the experience of words on paper. There’s space for 160 eBooks, and 100 classics bundled free.
Creative Zen X-Fi 16GB – £140
As well as 16GB of space and superb sound quality, the latest Zen connects to Wi-Fi networks to download music and podcasts and stream audio. The controls are a bit fiddly, but the excellent user interface, SD-card slot and FM radio make this one of the best mp3 players around.
Sony Cybershot DSC-T70 – £150
A gorgeous camera with a body that feels almost like it’s hewn out of a single chunk of aluminium, the Cyber-shot DSC-T70 is also a capable eight megapixel snapper. Highlights include fast autofocus, Super Steadyshot image stabilisation and quick shutter response times – and a competitive price.
Pure Evoke Flow - £150
This is best internet radio, bar none, that we’ve reviewed, and adds DAB, FM and media streaming to the mix too. It’s not cheap, but if you want a quality radio, with great looks, sound and usability, there’s nothing that comes close.
TomTom Go 730 – £208
Satnavs may be ten a penny these days, with GPS receivers in mobile phones, but it’s still worth paying a premium for a quality navigation product. TomTom has a track record here and has laid siege to our A List satnav entry for what seems like forever. This model is a brilliant device: stacked with features yet extremely easy to use and effective.
With typically stylish Sony design, excellent picture quality and an impressive range of on-board features – including auto touch-up, 512MB of memory and a card reader – the Sony makes a convincing argument as the best digital photo frame around. It may cost £129 but, if you’re looking for the best way to show off your snaps, it’s worth every penny.
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to operate the new generation of low cost flash memory camcorders. This one from Panasonic is the best of the new breed – it’s small, light and easy to use yet boasts some impressive features – including image stabilisation – and decent image quality.
HYmini Personal Wind Turbine – £40
Attach the HYmini to a handlebar or wing mirror and even a light breeze will charge its internal lithium-ion battery – which can then be used to charge your mobile phone, mp3 player or PDA. It’ll prove incredibly useful as a portable battery pack and is an ideal gift for the eco-minded gadget fan.
Sony Alpha A200 – £260
Apart from a live-view mode, the A200 has every feature you could want – in-body image stabilisation, nine autofocus points, a 10-megapixel sensor and an 18-70mm lens. And with a steadily falling price, it’s an absolute bargain of a DSLR.
*****
Read the full feature of 41 Christmas gifts – cameras, MP3 players, internet radios, camcorders, photo frames, green gadgets, hi-tech watches and USB musical instruments – as well as an in-depth look at eBooks, in the current issue of PC Pro, on sale now.
Tags: Christmas, Creative, gadgets, gift, HYmini, panasonic, Pure, samsung, sony, TomTom
Posted in: Hardware
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December 8th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Hmm, absolutely nothing there that tickles my fancy… :-S
The Sony Alpha isn’t that bad, but the rest really don’t appeal…
December 8th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
I agree.. there isn’t anything too special there..
December 9th, 2008 at 3:42 am
A new matress to stuff my cash into. F@*% THE BANKS
December 24th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
panasonic mp3 players…
Some weblog software programs, such as Wordpress, Movable Type and Community Server, support automatic pingbacks where all the links…
June 24th, 2009 at 7:31 am
Racing car experience days…
But did you know that the search for the insurance company these days are very easy and there are those who offer their service on a very low price. They now have sites that you can visit to see the details that you needed to know to have the insurance…
June 25th, 2009 at 10:26 am
web sticky cars n stuff…
great ideas for father\’s day car gifts…