19 November 2009
Summary:
Shopping for the men on your list has never been easier with Digital Landing's 2009 Holiday Gift Guide.
2009 Holiday Gift Guide: For the Men
By Dan McNaught
Everyone knows that men are difficult to shop for. Well, here is a surefire way to make the men on your shopping list very happy with the latest gadgets and gizmos in all price ranges.
This beauty will be running the Android operating system and sporting both e-Ink for its plentiful reading screen atop, and a secondary color touchscreen software d-pad at the bottom for navigation. Through the d-pad the Nook offers up browser capabilities and download support over both 3G (via AT&T) and wifi 802.11 b/g. (Note: the Kindle and does not have wifi support). The device will act much in the same manner as the Kindle and Sony Reader, with one slight difference. The Nook has one very cool new feature not yet seen in eReaders; the ability to "lend e-books to friends", called "LendMe Technology", allowing for ‘digital lending' between the Nook, iPhone, iPod touch, BlackBerry devices, PC's and Mac computers. That is very cool indeed. It also comes packed with a full keypad, a microSD Card expansion slot (with SDHC support) allowing for unlimited storage, the ability to transfer your own files to the device, be they pictures (even apply them as a wallpaper) PDF's or mp3's for some music listening. Measuring in at 7.7 x 4.9 x 0.50 inches and 11.2oz, it's right about the same specs as prior eReader offerings. A link to the Nook's product page shows off this mini-marvel in its full glory with a complete product comparison page to boot, to help those wondering how it measures up to the Kindle.
Retail Price: $259
Available at Barnes & Noble
Roku HD-XR Player
Want to find that great gift for someone with a Netflix subscription who would just LOVE their content streamed right from the web into their living room at the touch of a button? Look no further than the Roku HD-XR. With the ability to stream over 12,000 movies and TV shows at any time from Netflix's instant catalogue, this is the perfect addition to any techie's (or just simply TV addict's) living room. Also, along with Netflix content, the HD-XR has the ability to stream Amazon Unbox content (an additional over 45,000 titles), MLB games (subscription needed), Blip.tv, Revision3, TWiT.TV, Motionbox, SkitterTV, and lastly Mediafly for both video and audio podcasts. With a full channel lineup expected within the next week, Roku will start with 10 channels and be up to 15-20 by years end. The HD-XR also sports wireless internet capabilities, with built-in WiFi 802.11n (not bad at all). With the content catalogues continuing to add up, the Roku HD-XR is a fantastic idea for those yearning for a streamlined solution to their TV media with limitless solutions as well.
(For those who don't need the wifi 802.11n, Roku sells their HD Player box for $30 less)
Get it on Amazon.com
If truly great espresso without hassle or cleanup is what you seek (who doesn't really?), then the illy iperEspresso Francis Francis X8 is caffeinated xanadu. With ultra stylish looks and the ability to pull perfect shots of espresso (just read reviews anywhere) with a nice layer of crema donned atop for whatever coffee drink you prefer, the iperEspresso X8 is a masterpiece in a seemingly small package. With the subtle ease of a capsule system that takes care of all cleanup for you, there is nothing to do but place the capsule in the machine, press the button, and sit back. It even discards the capsules for you after brewing. An attached frothing wand comes standard as well, to complete your lattes and cappucinos. Quick note; the name iperEspresso comes from the 2 stage extraction process, with the first being hyper infusion, and the second being emulsion, to provide a great shot of espresso without any user help.
Retail Price: $445 (however, illy is selling them for $175 right now if you sign up for a monthly capsule membership, which you can cancel at any time – think immediately).
Get it at illyusa.com
Plantronics Voyager Pro Bluetooth Headset
A great stocking stuffer for the techie in any household is a bluetooth headset, and if you're looking for the best of the best, then the Plantronics Voyager Pro is your answer. With its patented AudioIQ2 background noise cancellation, which utilizes dual microphones (one for your voice, one to pick up background noise for suppression), and its 3 layers of wind suppression, you will experience some of the best audio you could imagine on a bluetooth headset. Also worth mentioning are its very impressive 6 hour talk time, its lightweight (.6oz), and pivoting mic boom for easy switching to either ear quickly. Winning many accolades within the wireless industry, it has been crowned the king of bluetooth for 2009 by countless techies, both amateur and professional alike.
Get it on Amazon.com
TomTom GO 740 Live
Looking for a top of the line navigation unit packed with not only the most extensive up-to-date maps, but a slew of features as well? The TomTom GO 740 Live is our choice for your holiday navigational needs. The Go 740 Live can update traffic in real time via the MSN Direct Live Services (with help from MapShare and IQ Routes software), or, find any POI you may need instantly, provide weather updates and the lowest fuel prices around via local search provided by google. Its capabilities also include voice recognition commands (no need to have to press the screen all the time), full handsfree bluetooth speakerphone, advanced lane assist, and spoken turn-by-turn directions (including street names). Last but certainly not least, the LCD of the Go 740 Live is one of the nicest around, boasting a gorgeous 4.3 inch WQVGA touchscreen display at a 480x372 resolution. There is a slot for a microSD card. All-in –all, for the price, this unit packs a lot of directional punch.
Get it on Amazon.com
Kodak Zi8 Pocket HD Video Camera
We've all been in a situation where we wish we had a small HD video camera to capture a moment (or a few) in good clarity, and our cellphone/smartphone just wouldn't cut it. Well, recently the pocket HD video camera niche has been created, and it's getting better than ever. Say hello to the Kodak Zi8, out pick for best pocket video camera for 2009. Capable of 1080p HD video at 30fps, or 720p HD video at 30(or 60)fps for youtube upload functionality, the Zi8 is the warrior in the video department when stacked up against competitors. On top of great video resolution capability, the Zi8 possesses image stabilization and the ability to take 5 megapixel standard shots if a quick still is what you need. Physical goodies include an SD card slot for extra memory, and a microphone jack for an additional (think ‘hotshoe') separate microphone for perfect audio, if you so desire it. With its unmatched feature set, and even better pricepoint, the Zi8 should be on anyone's shortlist this holiday season. (One drawback: It's not mac compatible. If 'you're a mac', look into the Flip HD lineup)
Get it on Amazon.com
Gyration Air Mouse Elite
Sick of moving that cursor around the screen with the same old flat circular hand movements (thats sooo 2007)? The Gyration Air Mouse Elite Air is one of few "gyroscopic" mice on the market today that solves that problem of redundancy. The category itself involves mice with advanced RF sensors which allow for ‘air' control of the cursor, among other fun features. With the ability to control a host of your different media as a remote control, the Gyration Elite makes for a more pleasing end-user computer experience while surfing or listening to music from another room, and it packs some nice software (called MotionTools). With MotionSense intelligent gestural control technology, a d-pad and a scroll wheel, and laser precision tracking, this mouse allows you to control whatever you need to do even in mid-air. Utilizing long range 2.4GHz RF wireless frequency, you can take the remote with you up to 100 feet away, and it will even work through walls. Turn volume up or down with a quick left or right gesture, use the mouse for powerpoint presentations (it can be turned into a laser pointer or remote presentation control), etc., and with ambidextrous capability, this beauty is ready for everyone. There's not much it can't do actually.
Get it on Amazon.com
iPod Touch (32GB)
The iPod Touch has been around a little while now. However, that doesn't change the fact that is has been recently updated, and still beats all competition hands down in the portable music/video/gaming/web surfing department. With a choice between numerous storage levels, be it 8GB, 32GB or 64GB (16GB discontinued), there is a flavor for just about every level of user. The iTouch has clear advantages however, compared to standard portable music devices. You can connect via wifi and surf the web (free at AT&T & Starbucks hotspots), email or message friends, connect with peer-to-peer gaming, or download any number of apps for purchase through the iTunes app store, making the device more valuable than words could describe here (as an iPhone 3GS owner myself). In short, this isn't just your typical music player. It's a powerful little handheld computer as well. If you've been on the fence for a while now, trust us…take the plunge. For only 50% more in terms of price and plenty of storage for most at 32GB, the pricepoint of the mid-model is just about perfect.
Get it through Apple, or on Amazon.com
Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i
For the photog enthusiast looking to graduate from the world of point and shoots once and for all, or already well adept with nice equipment, a good Digital SLR camera is a must. However, with so many good cameras to choose form, many wonder where to begin. The search for the best entry level DSLR ends with the Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i. With a ton of features that stand out from the rest, you can't go wrong with this beautiful beast of the still capture world. packing a 15.1 megapixel CMOS sensor, Digic 4 Image Processor, extended ISO sensitivity range of up to 12,800, and a huge beautiful 3 inch clearview LCD with a fantastic 920,000-dot resolution for viewing shots, the Rebel T1i is loaded, and we mean fully. And that's not all. It also sports an HDMI port, an EF-S 18-55IS lens kit (standard), and the ability to record full 1080p HD video at 20fps, or 720p HD video at 30fps as well. While not cheap, such features are usually on a camera easily close to twice as expensive. For the price, we're pretty sure the Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i cannot be beat, but you can certainly try.
Get it on Amazon.com
Vizio VF551XVT 55" LED HD-LCD
As the champion of the Vizio "Extreme" lineup, the VF551XVT brings everything you'd expect from a top of the line set. Sporting an LED backlit LCD, TrueLED smart dimming technology (for auto-tuning brightness and color for any viewing situation), full 1080p HD, a 240MHz refresh rate, 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, and True SRS Digital Surround sound, there literally is nothing more you could ask for. That is unless you need 5 HDMI ports! (yes, that's really good). Finally, the VF551XVT is ECO HD compliant (exceeds current energy star standards by an additional 50%). If you're wanting a great deal with all the features of the ultra expensive Samsung UNB8500 series lineup, without having to pay top dollar, the Vizio VF551XVT is the perfect solution at less than half the price of the Samsung UN55B8500 ($4,000-$4,500).
Get it on Amazon.com
(Note: If you'd like to wait, the VF552XVT is due out very soon, and will sport 802.11n wifi as well.)
