If you know someone who is interested in technology, but aren’t quite sure what gifts you should get them during this holiday season, perhaps these ideas will help you to find them the perfect gift! I saw some other people posting gift suggestions, so I figured I’d give it a try, as well.
However, I’d just like to include a little disclaimer that I have not tried using a majority of the products that are included in this list.
The Amazon Kindle has been out for a while, but is a great way for people to read without having to carry their books around with them. The Kindle includes an e-ink screen, which works well in sunlight and also has smoother and more natural looking fonts that an LCD screen. You can purchase the Kindle with Wi-Fi or both Wi-Fi and free 3G service, so that users can download books while on the go.
The Roku Player is a device that allows users to stream content and media to their TVs, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon VOD, Pandora, as well as other services, such as Revision3 and TWiT, with a constantly expanding media library. Also, users do not need to have a computer in order to use the Roku Player, as it’s a set top box that you can just plug in, connect to the Internet, and begin using. The device is less than 5 inches wide and is only 1 inch tall.
Boxee is a device that allows users to stream content and media, such as TV shows and movies, to their TVs. There are also a variety of different applications that users can download to their Boxee, including applications for video, music and photos, such as Pandora, FaceBook, Flickr, Vimeo, MLB, NHL, as well as others.
Boxee also has a “watch later” feature, which enables users to send web videos, including TV shows, to their Boxee Box from any web browser, in order to watch them later on.
If you happen to have an extra computer laying around, you can actually build a free Boxee Box, by connecting the computer to your TV and downloading and installing the Boxee software.
Apple’s latest version of the MacBook Air may be the perfect gift for a technology lover. The MacBook Air comes in two sizes, an 11 inch model, as well as a 13 inch model. (The 13 inch model price starts at $1,299.00.) The MacBook Air features a multi-touch trackpad, as well as a long lasting battery, which should give users around 5 to 7 hours of use.
Also, the MacBook Air has a high resolution display, which can be used to chat with friends using Apple’s FaceTime service. As for connectivity, the MacBook has both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities and 2 USB ports. In addition, the MacBook Air uses flash storage, which offers uses a stand-by time of up to 30 days.
The relatively new Kinect device for the XBox 360 is a pretty neat device that allows users to control and play games, using only their motions and voices. For example, a player could control a game by simply waving their arms or jumping, if the game supports it. Players can also control their XBox 360 using voice commands, for things, such as watching a movie so that they don’t even have to use a remote control.
Nikon CoolPix S4000 Camera – $169.95
The Nikon CoolPix S4000 camera is a point-and-shoot camera that offers great image quality at a decent price. The S4000 can shoot photos at 12 megapixels and can also record 720p HD video. Users can view their images and videos on a 3 inch touchscreen and can also use the included stylus, if they prefer, rather than their fingers to navigate through their photos and videos.
In addition, users can choose from a variety of different scenes, depending on the environment where they’re taking their pictures or users can simply set the camera to an auto-scene mode, which will automatically adjust the camera’s settings so that they can just focus on taking pictures.
The Nikon CoolPix S4000 also features a variety of other settings, including a mode that automatically takes a picture when a smile is detected. For those who would like to manually adjust the camera’s settings, there are adjustable ISO and other settings. The camera features a removable, rechargeable battery, as well as about 45 MB of internal memory, with the ability to use an SD card for more storage.
I actually received this camera as a birthday present in September and think it is a great camera and has a decent price. I like that this camera offers a 3 inch touchscreen and the ability to record 720p HD video. Also, the rechargeable battery is a nice feature, so that you don’t have to worry about purchasing new batteries for it. Overall, I would recommend this camera to anyone who is looking for a great camera that can also record HD videos, but doesn’t want to spend a lot of money.
FlipCam Ultra HD – $149.99 (4GB)
While FlipCams have been around for a while, they still remain great devices for capturing video on the go and aren’t that expensive, either. The FlipCam Ultra HD is one of the three current models of Flip Cameras and comes in two different versions, one with 4GB of storage (about 1 hour of video) and one with 8GB of storage (about 2 hours of vide0).
The Flip Ultra HD camera can record 780p HD video at 30 frames per second with H.264 compression. Once you’re ready to upload your videos to your computer, you simply flip out the built in USB connector and connect the camera to your computer, where you can use Flip’s editing software, upload them to video sharing websites, such as YouTube or export your videos to your computer.
The FlipCam Ultra HD also offers a child safe mode, so that your videos can not be accidentally deleted. In addition, the FlipCam has a silent mode, which can be useful for recording in sensitive places, such as during an presentation.
While I have not owned a FlipCam Ultra HD, I do own a FlipCam Ultra and I think it’s a great camera for recording things on the go. It’s also easy to upload your videos to your computer and share them on websites, such as YouTube. I’d recommend this camera to people who are looking for a video camera without all of the “bells and whistles”, but can still record HD quality videos.
If you were looking for gift ideas for a techie, I hope my geek gift guide has provided you with some of those ideas! Please feel free to comment below with any personal experiences or reviews on the above products! Also, please feel free to suggest your geek gift ideas!
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