5 Gifts Genealogists Will Love

Netbooks are basically miniature laptops - most weigh less than 5 lbs (usually around 2 lbs) and aren't much bigger than a DVD case. This makes them perfect for taking on research trips. They function just like laptops - wireless capabilities, webcams, etc. You will want to get a netbook that has a media card reader so that any pictures taken (or images scanned - see the DocuPen below) can instantly be uploaded. Most HP netbooks will have access to special features such as HP Cloud & Quick-Sync. HP Cloud lets you upload your files to a secure server, then access them from any place and computer. This saves room on your netbook harddrive.

One of the top selling netbooks is the HP Mini 210-2060NR. This netbook has a 10.1" screen, 250 GB harddrive, and a media card reader. Your genealogist will love getting this little personal research assistant!

More than likely, the genealogist on your list already has genealogy software, but just in case they don't, or they are looking for new software, you may want to put Family Tree Maker under their tree this year. Family Tree Maker is one of the most extensive genealogy software programs on the market. It is produced by Ancestry.com, the leading online genealogy database website. The software not only allows you to keep track of all your ancestors, but you can also make a wide variety of charts and reports, and incorporate photos and video. It's easy to map where your ancestors came from with the interactive maps. You can even share a functional copy of Family Tree Make with family!

The Family Tree Maker program also includes a free, 6 month trial membership to Ancestry.com. Your family historian will have full access to all the databases found on Ancestry.com - an invaluable resource for any genealogist!

When genealogists do research, the copy machine becomes their best friend, but drains their wallet quickly. Make life more convenient for your family historian by getting then a DocuPen Scanner. This hand-held scanner is the size of a regular pen, yet it holds 8 MB of scanned pages, and has a MicroSD card slot to hold up to another 2 GB. The RC-800 scans up to 8.5" wide, which means that unlike many other pen-sized scanners, you can scan an entire page with one pass, rather than trying to line up images later. The DocuPen is compatible with both PC and Macs, and can scan in black and white or color.

This pen scanner is one of the more expensive ones available, but the ability to scan up to 8.5" wide makes it well worth the money (besides the fact that it does great quality scans). It does have a little trouble scanning the edges of bound material, since it only scans flat (it's rigid, like a pen), but you'd have the same problem with copiers.

Oral histories and family interviews are an important part of tracing your family history. Writing notes is not always convenient, and often exacts words and phrases (which may be an integral part of the history) are forgotten. With a digital voice recorder this does not happen- you have a copy of the person's exact words, which is easy to upload and share. There are also times when it's not terribly convenient to write down notes - record a quick memo and you have the perfect reminder of what you need to do next.

Digital recorders are a world apart from the old cassette recorders. Sound is clearer, your can record longer, there's no tape to change (thus you don't break your story), and you can quickly upload your interviews and notes to share with others. Many digital voice recorders record in MP3 format, which means the recording is immediately ready for podcasting, without conversion.

Cameras are indispensable. Pictures round out a family history - pictures of family members, of gravestones, homesteads - the list goes on. There are many options for digital cameras that you need to consider when choosing a camera. A genealogist probably won't need a really fancy camera with all the bells and whistles, but will need one that has zoom capabilities, a good resolution, is easy to use, and lightweight. The last thing a genealogist needs is to be carry around a heavy, bulky camera.

One of the best digital cameras is the Canon PowerShot. This is a slim, easy to use digital camera that is very affordable and loaded with features, such as a wide-angle lens, Face Detection Technology, Image Stabilizer, and has a 14.1 megapixel resolution (more is better when it comes to megapixels).