Holiday Gift Ideas 2008

We’re always on the lookout for technology gifts for the holiday season. Here are a few of our choices:

Digital photo frames are the hi-tech equivalent of the treasured photo album and appropriate for almost everyone. The wireless CEVIAlife photo frame (www.ceiva.com, $159.95) sports a bright eight-inch HD display that can cycle through photos and can update the photos wirelessly from across the room or via the Internet from around the world. A wireless remote lets you stop at a selected photo or continue the slide show.

For PC gamer enthusiasts, Ear Force HPA2 (www.turtlebeach.com, $99.95) lets him or her enjoy full 5.1 surround sound from the games by wearing these comfortable earphones (and also keep the sound from bothering others). Six speakers plus dual sub-woofers, all with separate volume controls, are powered by a multi-channel amp. Included is a detachable microphone and audio splitter cables used to avoid having to disconnect and reconnect external speakers just to use the headphones. Great for PC movies too.

Anyone who has stacks of cassette tapes or LPs that need to be converted for use on a computer or MP3 player will like the new honestech Audio Recorder 2.0 Deluxe (www.honestech.com, $69.99). Included is an analog-to-digital USB conversion unit for connecting your audio device (cassette player, phonograph etc) to your computer. The Audio Recorder 2.0 software can run in an Easy Wizard mode, complete with on-screen pictorial instructions to lead you through the process. There’s also the Advanced mode for more control over recording, editing, saving and transferring to MP3 or burning. The Auto Track Split feature is especially useful because it allows you to record a tape or LP straight through and let the program split it into individual tracks.

More storage space is always a welcome gift, and even more so if its portable. One of the new, stylish, compact portable external hard drives from Seagate, the FreeAgent/Go (www.seagate.com, $119.99 (250GB); $149.99 (320GB); $199.99 (500GB)), available in ten cool colors, fills the bill. The drive comes pre-loaded with Seagate Manager software that extends the drive’s usefulness for file backups, folder sync and encryption, drive password protection and more. A limited promotional offer for those who register their drive is 50 free songs from eMusic and a free movie rental.

For people who listen to radio stations that stream on the Internet, a terrific gift is the stylish new Revo Blik WiFi Internet Radio (www.ccrane.com, $199.99), which provides a convenient option to using your computer. The device is a small tabletop unit that’s designed to connect to Internet radio stations using your home wireless network. The radio displays a choice of stations, sorted by worldwide geographic location and genre (60's, Classic Rock, Classical, News, Talk and the like). There’s also an integral alarm, FM radio, audio inputs and outputs.

An automated lighting and appliance control for the handy person is the Intermatic starter kit HomeSettings ThinkEssentials (www.homesettings.com, $179.99). The kit consists of home control software (PC only), Z-Wave PC USB adapter, lamp control module, appliance control module and a handy mini-remote controller. Set up and control the wireless modules using the included software, and you’re on your way to having an automated home with lights and appliances turning off or on at your command or in a programmed sequence.

For anyone interested in scrapbooking, Serif Digital Scrapbook Artist (www.serif.com, $39.95) is an ideal gift. This PC program offers all the tools and more to create beautiful scrapbook pages quickly and easily either by using provided templates or from scratch. Even seasoned scrapbookers will find a new dimension to their projects with the option to print their own pages for their scrapbook or e-mail their creations to share with others. A built-in photo editor makes it easy to fix red-eye, add sepia tone and much more.

For a young girl (or boy) age 8 and up there’s My Dream Job: Babysitter (www.viva-media.com, $19.95), a PC program that creates a virtual world where the player(s) take on the role of a babysitter taking care of infants, toddlers and young children. The babysitter needs to learn about childcare, but will also have the fun of playing with the little ones while seeing to their needs. Players will take trips to the park, doctor’s office and market and also deal with problem children and medical emergencies. Lots of fun activities in this program as players create their own on-screen character, are paid for their work and watch their piggy bank grow.