Christmas Gift Guide 2009

Posted on 9 Dec 2009 at 12:30

Searching for Christmas gift inspiration? Check out our ultimate guide to the very best high-tech gadgets...

Christmas is fast approaching. We can hardly believe it’s come around so soon, but we can’t grumble. It’s our favourite time of year at PC Pro: we get the opportunity to source, test and play with a huge range of hi-tech gadgets and then tell you all about them, so you don’t end up buying a technological turkey.

In fact, this is the biggest Christmas round-up we’ve ever carried out, with 60 of the best products and gadgets reviewed and tested, from a broad spectrum of categories.

We’ve chosen our favourite internet radios, MP3 players and the best in music gadgets for a harmonious festive day.

Plus, with compact cameras, technology for outdoors types and smartphone satnav software for the cartographically-challenged, there’s a little something for everyone.

If you’re searching for inspiration this Christmas, look no further – it’s all right here...

Internet radios

The luscious Airstream 10 is just one of five innovative radios on test this month.

Monitor Audio Airstream 10 (pictured)
Tivoli NetWorks Radio
Roberts Stream 20
Revo Mondo Wi-Fi
Pure Sensia

Robots

Meet the Roomba, the robot that cleans up after you, and four other ingenious robots.

iRobot Roomba 560 (pictured)
Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0
Pleo
Tomy i-SOBOT
WowWee Rovio

MP3 players

Apple’s latest miniature marvel – the only MP3 player to shoot video – is just one of 11 musical marvels to choose from.

Apple iPod nano (5th gen) (pictured)
Apple iPod shuffle (3rd Gen)
Archos 5
Cowon iAudio D2+ DAB
Cowon S9
Creative Zen X-Fi 2
iRiver Lplayer
iRiver Spinn
Sony NWZ-S544
Sony NWZ-X1050
Speedo Aquabeat LZR Racer Special Edition

Music gadgets

Technology isn’t just great for listening to tunes – these gadgets can help you make your own too.

Numark iDJ2 (pictured)
ION Block Rocker
ION Discover DJ
Korg Kaossilator
Tonium Pacemaker

Active gadgets

The latest toys for those who love their tech as much as they do the great outdoors - from actioncam to GPS devices.

VholdR ContourHD (pictured)
Garmin Oregon 550T
Medion Life S47000 Digital HD Sports Camera
Timex Expedition WS4
Timex Ironman Race Trainer Kit

Smartphone satnav

Smartphone satnav software makes a great last-minute gift, and it’s cheaper than you’d think.

CoPilot Live 8 (pictured)
foxNav 1.4
MobileNavigator 1.2
Telmap Navigator 4.5
TomTom for iPhone

Digital compacts

Check out Canon’s touchscreen Ixus and Nikon’s fab projector camera, both perfect Christmas gifts.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 (pictured)
Canon Digital Ixus 120 IS
Canon Digital Ixus 200 IS
Nikon Coolpix S640
Nikon Coolpix S1000pj