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Click here to see the season's hottest
items, and great deals, all on eBay.
Nicholas Thompson is a senior editor at Wired Magazine where he covers technology, policy, and gadgets. He is a frequent guest on numerous TV shows and a contributor to the Epicenter and Danger Room blogs. He is also writing a book about Paul Nitze and George Kennan that will be published next year by Henry Holt. For more from Nick, visit www.nickthompson.com.
NICK'S TECH GIFT PICKS
Dell Inspiron Mini 9, $349
A light, inexpensive and fast computer. It has a small hard drive but Dell makes it easy to store files online.
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A small, fast computer. Well-designed keyboard makes it easy to type. And it runs Windows XP instead of the Linux used to power many other inexpensive machines.
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Like the Mac Mini but smaller (and a couple hundred cheaper), the ASUS box has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB drives and an SD slot — everything you need but the monitor and the keyboard.
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An inexpensive all-in-one package that comes stocked with a fast processor, a sleek monitor, a keyboard and mouse, an embedded camera, and even some photo editing software.
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Prolynkz PZX-998, $16.99
A cheap, tiny MP3 player with a built-in voice recorder. Stick it on your keychain!
With built-in radio and decent battery life, the 4 GB Sansa Fuze is cute, durable and easy to use.
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The ultimate as-you-go phone, it costs $10 and shows you exactly how many minutes you have left on the top screen.
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Mobile TV lets users watch live television on the go or from the comfort of their own home.
If you want to be leashed to your email, but don’t want to dish out the big bucks for a Blackberry or iPhone —and don’t need internet, texting, or phone service — the Peek is cheap, easy, and gives you constant email access on a full Qwerty keyboard.
The cheapest Canon out there, but it still comes with all the features you need: 7.1 megapixels, decent zoom, video, manual overrides for speed and exposure, and even face-detection software
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A sleek, light, 10 megapixel digital camera with 3x optical zoom, a sizable LCD screen, and four feet to stabilize the camera in low light conditions. It also comes equipped with great video recording, and wireless sharing with other FinePix cameras.
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An extremely portable video-recorder that takes TV-quality video, and plugs directly into your computer’s USB port (no wires!) for easy transfer and sharing. It has 60 minutes of onboard memory, with all the essential recording features, for under $150.
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An HD set-up in a tiny package and for under $200, the Kodak Zi6 comes with easy editing tools and built-in USB-to-YouTube software.
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This sleek, ultra-light video recorder has a flip-USB plug for easy video transfer and charging, and an easy-to-use interface for recording, deleting, and editing basics. Stores two hours of video.
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A lightweight, portable, and easy-to-read touch-screen GPS device, with great features, like up-to-date traffic information, software that will find the closest and lowest- priced gas, and a “Help Me!” emergency menu.
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The compact Roku Netflix box won’t cramp your existing home media set-up, and it’ll bring Netflix’s vast inventory directly to your tube, letting you skip the mail-in process.
The iPod nano is the thinnest iPod ever and comes in nine new vibrant colors including red, green, yellow, purple, orange, pink, blue, black and silver. For the first time, with just a shake, iPod nano can shuffle your music or by turning it sideways you can view Cover Flow. And watch movies and TV shows on the incredibly clear display. The new Genius feature turns iPod nano into a highly intelligent, personal DJ. With a few taps, it creates a playlist by finding songs in your library that go great together. The playlist can be limited to 25, 50, 75, or 100 songs. Free iPod engraving through the Apple online store is a great way to add a personal touch to a gift this season. The online store also offers signature gift wrap and free shipping.
An extremely portable power outlet for maximizing your charging potential on-the-go. It also comes with two USB ports for USB-powered devices.
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A digital photo frame with magnetic backing, so it can replace all the clutter hanging off your fridge but will still hold your memories, in up to 70 photos. It also comes equipped with a motion sensor, so that it won’t run the battery down when you’re not in the kitchen.
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The Smart Mug will keep your beverages hot or cold, or can heat them up to whatever temperature you input.
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Free and accurate weather forecasts that works off your Wi-fi network, without a subscription. It can also feed you headlines and monitor your backyard temperature, wirelessly.
Apple’s iPod Touch has Wi-fi web-browsing, email, and access to Apple’s Applications for games and other mobile apps. Makes your music and movies look great on its huge, crisp touch-screen, and holds 8 gigs.
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