Tech toys: our 10 gift choices are to make everyone on your shopping list happy!DO YOU WANT TO IMPRESS YOUR FAMILY AND friends this holiday season? Choosing from our list of cool tech toys is bound to make you everyone's favorite gift-giver. From the newest generation of video game consoles This is a list of video game consoles by the era they appeared in. Eras are named based on the dominant console type of the era (even though not all consoles of those eras are of the same type). Some eras are referred to based on how many bits a major console could process. to the latest MP3 players, our selections will please everyone from the technophile A person who enjoys learning about and using electronics and computers. See computerphile, hacker and dweeb. Contrast with technophobe. to the inner child. Don't forget to treat yourself to one or more of these gadgets. After all, you deserve to have fun too. For more gift ideas, visit www.black enterprise.com/techgiftguide. 1 Built to Entertain The Dell XPS M 2010 is redefining portable entertainment while setting a new standard in notebook multimedia performance. It has a widescreen SXGA (Super XGA) A screen resolution of 1280x1024 pixels. SXGA is commonly used on standard monitors, but provides a 1.25:1 aspect ratio, compared to the more common 1.33:1 (4:3) ratio. SXGA+ has a 1400x1050 resolution, which is an exact 1.33:1 ratio. See PC display modes. + display and 1680 x 1050 resolution that shows more colors than a rainbow. Audio aficionados will appreciate the eight built-in speakers arid the notebook's subwoofer. And with art external USB USB in full Universal Serial Bus Type of serial bus that allows peripheral devices (disks, modems, printers, digitizers, data gloves, etc.) to be easily connected to a computer. TV tuner, the XPS (1) See XML Paper Specification. (2) A brand name for certain models of Inspiron laptops from Dell. M 2010 becomes a television and digital recorder for video fans. The laptop also comes with a built-in 13 megapixel video camera for video-conferencing. www.dell.com; $3,199 2 Terrestrial Tunes Pioneer's Inno XM2go is a portable radio receiver that combines two popular forms of audio entertainment: satellite radio and MP3 music. The Inno weighs 4.5 ounces, has 1GB of memory, and allows listeners to choose from 170 different radio stations or from their own collection of music. You can manage playlists and files without using a computer or the Internet. Create your own playlists and record XM radio for later listening. www.pioneerelectronics.com; $350 3 Motion Control The widely anticipated release of Nintendo's Wii video game console A specialized desktop computer used to play video games. The three most popular game consoles are Sony's PlayStation 3 (PS3), Nintendo's GameCube and Microsoft's Xbox. Game software is available on CDs or DVDs, although earlier game machines used cartridges containing read only memory features a unique motion-sensitive remote control that translates your hand movements to the screen. The Wii (pronounced "we") is backward-compatible to all Nintendo Game-Cube games. Fans of old titles like Donkey Kong will be pleased that the "Virtual Console" offers about 30 classic games that players can access online. The Wii also offers a Web browser, weather channel, news channel photo channel, and message channel for sending messages to other Wii players. http://wii.nintendo.com; $250 4 Picture Perfect The Canon EOS 5D The EOS 5D is a 12.8 megapixel digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera body produced by Canon. The EOS 5D was announced by Canon on August 22, 2005, and fits in above the EOS 40D but below the EOS 1D Mark III and EOS-1Ds Mark II in Canon's EOS digital SLR model plan and price range is a mid-range digital single-lens reflex camera A digital single-lens reflex camera (digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that uses an automatic mirror system and pentaprism to direct light from the lens through the viewfinder. with state-of-the art photographic and imaging technology. Its vast range of features is designed to satisfy both professional and amateur photographers. The camera has a new 2.5-inch LCD screen for easier viewing, and "Picture Style" presets for improved in-camera color, contrast, and sharpness, With a full-frame 12.8 megapixel CMOS sensor and a DIGIC DIGIC Digital Imaging Integrated Circuit (Canon) DIGIC Digital Imaging Core II Image Processor, the EOS Eos (ē`ŏs), in Greek religion and mythology, goddess of dawn; daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia. Every morning she arose early and preceded her brother Helios into the heavens. 5D will literally make family photos a snap. www.canon.com; $3,096 5 Stylus Free The Stowaway Sierra Bluetooth Keyboard by Mobility Electronics is a collapsible, wireless, portable keyboard that closely approximates a traditional desktop keyboard with five rows and full-sized keys. It works with almost every kind of Bluetooth-enabled device out there, including smartphones, PDAs, tablets, media center PCs, and laptops. The Blackberry PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) A handheld computer for managing contacts, appointments and tasks. It typically includes a name and address database, calendar, to-do list and note taker, which are the functions in a personal information manager (see PIM). has its own version of the Stowaway Sierra keyboard for $99. The Stowawav Sierra supports Windows XP, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile 5, Pocket PC, Palm OS, and Symblan. www.igo.com; $129.99 6 Mini Boom Box The unique, stylish design of Samsung's YP-K5 MP3 player (3.9 x 1.9 x 0.7 inches) distinguishes it from its rivals. The YP-K5 features a stunning interface with cool visual effects, an ingenious slide-out speaker, an FM radio tuner, and bass-enhanced earphones. The Samsung Media Studio system can't play songs from Apple's online iTunes Store, but it is compatible with Windows Media Player Digital jukebox software for Windows from Microsoft that plays a variety of audio, video and streaming formats including MP3, WMA, CD audio and MIDI. Starting with Version 6.2 in 1999, the Windows Media Rights Manager was added for securing copyrighted content. and online stores including Rhapsody, Napster, and Yahoo Music. The 2GB unit stores up to 500 songs or up to 25,000 JPEG JPEG in full Joint Photographic Experts Group Standard computer file format for storing graphic images in a compressed form for general use. JPEG images are compressed using a mathematical algorithm. photos at 128 x 160 pixel resolution. www.samsung.com; $209 7 Hove Over iPod Has the iPod finally met its match? Microsoft's Zune MP3 player is making its move to enhance your media experience by adding a social aspect to digital music listening. The 30 GB Zune uses built-in wireless technology that allows listeners to connect and share music, playlists, and pictures. Available in black, brown, or white, the Zune also has an FM tuner and 3-inch LCD screen. It holds up to 7,500 songs, 25,000 photos, or 100 hours of video. www.microsoft.com; $249.99 8 Small, Smart, and Stylish The eagerly awaited Blackberry Pearl is a feature-laden PDA that offers expandable media, including a camera and an integrated media player. The Pearl also comes with a map application, providing local maps and text-based driving directions. A pearl-like trackball A stationary pointing device that contains a movable ball rotated with the fingers or palm. From one to three keys are located in various positions depending on the unit. Years ago, Kensington Microware popularized the trackball with its Turbo Mouse for the Macintosh. replaces the typical BlackBerry trackwheel, hence the name. www.blackberrypearl.com; $199.99 with T-Mobile 9 Pint-sized Powerhouse This ultra-portable, fully functioning micro PC allows you to work from just about anywhere. Weighing a little more than a pound, Sony's VAIO (Video Audio Integrated Operation) Sony's trade name for its desktop and laptop PCs. In mid-1998, Sony introduced its 505G series of subnotebooks that were the first in ultra-thin Pentium portables. UX280P Micro PC has a 4.5-inch widescreen display with a keyboard beneath. Despite its size, the micro PC has an Intel Core Solo Processor and runs Windows XP, with built-in integrated wireless LAN2, wireless WAN3, and Bluetooth technology. The mini VAIO also features a 1.3 megapixel camera and buitt-in microphone and speakers. www.sonystyle.com; $1,999 10 High-definition Gaming Featuring a powerful Cell Broadband Engine, Sony's PlayStation 3 delivers a new generation of high-definition graphics and digital entertainment. This version includes a built-in Blu-ray disc drive and Bluetooth wireless connectivity. The new PlayStation 3 controller features a multi-axis motion sensing system that allows gamers to maneuver the controller as a natural extension of their bodies, in real time and with high precision. www.us.playstation.com/PS3; $499 for 20GB and $599 for 60GB [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] |
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