Here is how to find the best high-end electronic gifts
There is always season for great gifts - for family, friends, co-workers, bosses, etc. There is Christmas and the holidays season; there are birthdays every day and every day somebody somewhere is being promoted, passing exam or moving in and she or he deserves a nice present. That's why all the time the manufacturers and retailers are bombarding us with ever growing number of choices, but it's so easy to get dizzy from the abundance of the available options. However, even though there are many excellent products to choose from, finding the best gifts may be really difficult.
But don't worry - if you're looking for great technology gifts, then this lens is for you. I will show you how to shop for the electronic products and what specifications to look at to find the best value for your simply money. I will give you here a number of useful suggestions.
One of the most evident trends we see on the high-technology market is the lowering of the prices due to the fierce competition and innovations that make the manufacturers deliver new, exciting machines and gadgets every day.
Although bargains may be tempting as it always feels good if you can save money, you have to be careful not to buy a product that is already obsolete. It's especially important with PC computers, DVD players and digital cameras. To see how much the prices went down just go to the library and look at the prices in the magazines from a year ago. You'll see a huge difference...
If you're looking for other choices, then eBay and CafePress are excellent sources of well-priced, contemporary gifts for every age and taste (and pocket too...). New deals are coming every day (even every hour!) so please bookmark this page and come back again couple times. Thank you!
Ilona
P.S. Hard to decide what to buy? See what other people are buying at Amazon.com .
P.P.S. With Amazon e-mail gift card certificates, there is no more excuse that "...I forgot and it's too late..." You can buy one (ore more) with prices from $5.00 - $5,000.00 and availability is immediate! They are simply the ideal gift - redeemable for millions of items, customizable with a personal message and can be sent electronically via e-mail or with an e-card , or on paper through the mail. Where to get Amazon e-mail gift card certificates? Just click - for:
electronics gift certificates, or just any Amazon gift certificate
I'm sure the recipient(s) will like them...
Photo author: pinkcakebox from flickr.com
My MOST IMPORTANT tip for buying consumer electronics
The best piece of advice I can give you when you're starting to shop for a high-tech gifts for your family members, friends or for yourself is as follows:Buy the model with the most advanced components and features that you can afford. Why? Because it's much more expensive to upgrade when it becomes necessary (and this can happen really quickly these days...).
Please take a look at the product choices that I've found for you on the Internet so that you don't have to do a lot more research. I'm showing here the highest rated products and tips on what to look at when buying those new-technology products. Most of them have at least 4 out of 5 stars and you'll be very happy with them. I also show you here some lower-priced, but good-quality products.
I hope that you'll find here the right gift for you and for your loved ones!
Wanna a PS3? Here you go:
PlayStation 3 (60GB)
With plenty of multi-media features, PlayStation 3 is a great home entertainment center. Imagine all of these in one place: video chat, Internet access, digital photo viewing, and digital audio and video! But let's remember that first and foremost it's a game console - with this version it's the most powerful one.
Amazon Price: (as of 09/05/2008)
Please take a look at this great gift offers on eBay
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byGreat Presents on CafePress
Frenchie Mom2 White T-Shirt
French Bulldog Mom. You are the proud Mom of your dog. This unique dog Mom design makes a great French Bulldog gift for dog Mothers.
What are planning to buy as a gift next time
Would you like to know what my visitors were planning to buy as Christmas presents? Well, I had a poll here and the results were as follows: laptop - 31.7% of those who voted; MP3 player - 26.7%; plasma TV - 26.7%; digital camcorder - 10%; satellite radio - 5%; GPS receiver - 0%. Interesting, isn't it? Please vote here what are planning to buy as a gift next time you will need to give somebody a present.
Pioneer Inno Portable XM2go Radio with MP3 Player
Satellite radio system.1 point
Sony HDR-UX1 AVCHD 4MP High-Definition DVD Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom
Digital camcorder.0 points
Garmin StreetPilot 2610 In-Car GPS Receiver with 128 MB CompactFlash Card
GPS receiver.0 points
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Amazon Top Sellers
Can't decide what to buy? Looking for a hot gift idea? See which products are currently topping the charts at Amazon.
Amazon Top Sellers - Computers & Add-OnsAmazon Top Sellers - Camera & Photo
Amazon Top Sellers - Electronics
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Amazon Most Wished For in Electronics
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Flat-Screen TVs (LCD & plasma TVs)
Great plasma and LCD screens that are only a few inches thick.
There are two kinds of flat-screen TVs: plasma and LCD.
Plasma TVs have wide-screen designs with a 16:9 ratio of screen width to screen height (aspect ratio) and HDTV resolution. Plasmas are easily viewable from well off to the side and do not exhibit any change in brightness as you stand up or sit down. They are thin, but relatively heavy. Common sizes are: 42 to 50 inches, but newest models can be up to 65 inches.
LCDs have lower contrast ratios than plasmas, have slower response times, are usually several inches thicker than plasmas and have a somewhat narrower effective viewing angle. However, LCDs are completely immune to burn-in, are easier to view in brightly lit rooms, and run cooler than plasmas. They are lightweight and come in a range of sizes - 23 to 45 inches.
Samsung LNS4051D 40-Inch LCD HDTV
Very good sound quality, easy to use remote, great HD picture quality.
Amazon Price: (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $1,799.99
Used Price:
Sony Bravia S-Series KDL-32S2010 32-Inch LCD HDTV
Bravia models provide a sharp, clear, colorful picture.
Amazon Price: (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $1,599.99
Used Price: $1,075.99
Samsung HP-S5053 50-Inch Plasma HDTV
Very good sound, great remote control.
Amazon Price: (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $2,999.99
Used Price:
Panasonic TH-50PX60U 50-Inch Plasma HDTV
Sharp, clear, colorful images.
Amazon Price: $2,399.99 (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $2,799.99
Used Price: $1,167.23
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Sharp Aquos LC-37D90U 37-Inch LCD HDTV
Possibly the best value for the money. Excellent picture quality, easy to use remote, great sound quality. My #1 choice in flat-panel TV!
Amazon Price: (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $2,499.99
Used Price:
Digital cameras
Point-and-shoot cameras, subcompact cameras, advanced compact cameras, super-zoom cameras and digital SLR cameras.
Here are the most important specifications to find in the digital cameras:
- MPs or megapixels - the higher the megapixel number, the higher the resolution. With higher-resolution cameras you'll produce larger, higher-quality prints. Don't buy anything with less than 5 MP.
- Size and weight - too small camera may be difficult to operate.
- The optical zoom spec is more important than digital zoom (the higher, the better).
- The camera should work with a popular editing and sharing software.
- Ability to use rechargeable batteries is useful and cost-efficient.
- Don't expect great video capability - it's not a camcorder...
Canon Powershot A620 7.1MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
#1 in compact cameras. Excellent print quality, manual controls, battery life, flip-out movable 2-inch LCD and manual focus.
Amazon Price: $599.00 (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $299.99
Used Price: $219.95
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Casio Exilim EXZ750 7MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom
#1 in subcompact cameras. Although tiny (no optical viewfinder), it's powerful! Great resolution, 2.8-inch LCD, excellent battery life, high ISO capability.
Amazon Price: (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $449.99
Used Price: $159.99
Fujifilm Finepix E900 9MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom (Black)
If you need more than the basics, get this #1 model in advanced compact cameras.
Release Date: 10/22/2005
Amazon Price: $224.95 (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $599.99
Used Price:
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Sony Cybershot DSC-H5 7.2MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilization Zoom
#1 among super-zoom cameras, it has a short shutter lag and next-shot delay, manual focus and optical zooming during video recording.
Release Date: 06/08/2006
Amazon Price: $889.00 (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $449.99
Used Price: $250.00
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Canon Digital Rebel XT 8MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 Lens (Black)
#1 in digital SLRs; very good image quality, excellent battery life and the lowest weight among this class leaders (only 27 oz.).
Amazon Price: $698.85 (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $599.99
Used Price: $440.00
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Portable digital audio players
Digital MP3 players - they can do other things too...
Here are some tips for buying an audio player:
- If longer playback time, lower price, smaller size and weight are more important to you than a vast selection of songs, then buy a flash-memory model.
- Storage capacity doesn't usually affect the size and weight, thus buy the largest-capacity player you can afford. If you need a large capacity, you will have to buy a hard-disk model (can store up to 20,000 songs).
- The interface should be easy to use, including playing, charging batteries, etc.
- If your player is delicate, buy a carrying case.
- Buy "the other brand" if having a FM radio and/or voice recorder are important to you. Also, they often are cheaper and use standard AA or AAA batteries.
Kindle: Amazon's Wireless Reading Device
Amazon Price: $359.00 (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $359.00
Used Price:
Usually ships in 24 hours
Apple iPod nano 8 GB Black (3rd Generation)
Release Date: 09/05/2007
Amazon Price: $178.98 (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $199.00
Used Price: $129.29
Usually ships in 24 hours
SanDisk Sansa m250 2 GB MP3 Player (Black)
Amazon Price: $29.99 (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $149.99
Used Price:
Usually ships in 24 hours
Apple iPod shuffle 1 GB Silver (2nd Generation)
Amazon Price: $46.98 (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $49.00
Used Price: $28.45
Usually ships in 24 hours
Apple iPod touch 32 GB
Amazon Price: $447.91 (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $499.99
Used Price: $399.99
Usually ships in 24 hours
Zune - new kid on the block!
Finally, a solid contender that can challenge the iPod domination...
GPS (global positioning system)
You'll go far with your GPS.
Some of the best GPS devices at great prices:
Garmin nüvi 660 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator
Notifies the driver of upcoming traffic or road construction delays and the delay's severity. Has a 4.3-inch display with a touch screen interface that makes it easy to select destinations, play MP3s, and more. Comes with an FM transmitter and a suction cup mount.
Amazon Price: $314.99 (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $699.99
Used Price: $427.09
Usually ships in 24 hours
Garmin 010-00422-00 GPSMAP 60CSx 2.6-Inch Mapping Handheld GPS
Extremely accurate, highly-sensitive; a bright, sunlight-readable color TFT display, integrated barometric altimeter and electronic compass and more. My favorite, as it's great for hiking, climbing and backcountry adventures.
Amazon Price: Too low to display (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $535.99
Used Price: $265.00
Usually ships in 24 hours
Garmin nüvi 360 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Bluetooth and Text-to-Speech
Great pocket-sized GPS navigator, personal translator, multi-media entertainer and tour guide all wrapped into one.
Amazon Price: $224.99 (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $279.99
Used Price: $175.57
Usually ships in 24 hours
TomTom GO 300 Portable GPS Navigator with Maps of US Pre-loaded on SDd
Combines ease of use, portability, touchscreen technology and a sleek design. Comes with the regional maps of your region.
Amazon Price: (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $599.95
Used Price: $536.49
Garmin 010-00401-10 StreetPilot c330 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
Compact; touch screen; preloaded maps; rechargeable battery. Accurate and easy to use.
Amazon Price: $149.99 (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $549.99
Used Price: $93.00
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Digital camcorders
There are a number of important specs to look at when buying a digital camcorder.
- The optical zoom spec is more important than digital zoom (you need at least 10X optical zoom).
- Decide which format is best for you: MiniDV tapes, DVD discs, Digital 8 or MicroMV.
- Buy a longer-lasting battery, although it will be heavier.
- Buy a wide-angle model if you also have and HDTV.
- Front-mounted microphones are better than top-mounted ones. Buy an external microphone if you need the best sound.
- Make sure that you're able to operate all of the controls.
Canon HV10 3.1MP High-Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom
Amazon Price: $899.99 (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $1,299.99
Used Price: $550.00
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Panasonic PVGS50S MiniDV Ultra Compact Digital Palmcorder (Silver)
Amazon Price: (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $699.99
Used Price: $200.00
Canon Elura 100 MiniDV Camcorder
Amazon Price: $919.99 (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $429.99
Used Price: $168.88
Usually ships in 1-3 weeks
Canon DC22 2.2MP DVD Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom
Amazon Price: $607.76 (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $799.99
Used Price: $200.12
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Sony HDR-HC3 4MP High-Definition Handycam MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom
Amazon Price: $1,908.11 (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $1,499.99
Used Price: $590.12
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Laptops
They are also known as notebooks and are extremely popular, especially among the students...
- The bigger screen, the better - go for a 14.1-inch wide-screen (at least 12.1 inches).
- 512MB of system memory minimum.
- Graphics memory - 64MB or 128MB of dedicated video RAM if you plan to use your laptop to drive external monitors for presentations.
- 1.73-GHz Pentium M processor for smooth performance and long battery life.
- 60GB hard drive.
- Multiple USB ports (two or more USB 2.0 ports).
- Touchpad pointing device (easier to use than a pointing stick).
- Rewritable DVD drive.
- Built-in ethernet.
Amazon Error: Could not open remote connection
Sorry, there are no results available from Amazon.Satellite radio receivers
You can start with about $13 a month for subscription, plus about $100 for the receiver and an activation fee. After you're enrolled, your receiver is activated and ready to receive signals. Both Sirius and XM subscribers can receive more than 100 channels of satellite radio, including all kinds of music, news, sports, talk and entertainment - all commercial-free (almost).
Here are some important tips on using satellite radio:
- Sirius and XM are totally independent - if you're a customer of one of them and have their receiver, you can't use the service of the other company.
- Also the equipment manufacturers also stick only with one service provider, i.e., Pioneer, Alpine, and Sony supply XM; Panasonic, Kenwood, Clarion, and Jensen supply Sirius.
- Although the sound quality of XM had a noticable edge over Sirius some time ago, the difference now between them is hard to notice.
Some of the most important specs:
- Signal-to-noise ratio - the ratio between the audio signal and noise floor. The higher the number, the less noise is apparent.
- Distortion - a measurement of the deviation from the original signal to the reproduced signal.
- Dynamic Range - the difference between the loudest peak and softest passage.
Delphi XM Roady XT Satellite Radio Receiver
Amazon Price: $69.99 (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $69.99
Used Price: $27.99
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Pioneer Inno Portable XM2go Radio with MP3 Player
Amazon Price: (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $399.99
Used Price: $159.99
PIONEER AirWare XM2Go Portable XM Satellite Radio Receiver
Amazon Price: (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $199.77
Used Price: $149.99
Sirius SPR1 Sportster Satellite Radio Receiver
Amazon Price: (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $129.99
Used Price: $59.99
Tao xm2go Portable Satellite Radio Receiver with Home and Car Accessory Kits
Amazon Price: (as of 09/05/2008)
List Price: $199.99
Used Price: $120.00
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