For those who haven’t been to Ala Moana Center or any other shopping meccas lately, be warned that it’s pretty crazy out there in brick-and-mortar land. If you’re on tight budgets and don’t want to worry about gridlock, here are some mostly not-so-expensive gift items.
Cloud storage is in vogue nowadays, but there’s nothing like having a USB at the ready. That’s where the LaCie iamaKey drive, which is essentially a key chain, is darn handy. The alloy metal device is sturdier than the ubiquitous plastic USB drives, and if it’s in your pocket it will always be there when you need it. Capacities include 4GB, 8GB and 16GB sizes, and prices start at less than $20.
Gift cards might not be cutting-edge technology, but they sure come in handy if you have a niece or nephew who needs a stocking stuffer. The kids get to buy the music they want, and you look pretty cool, too.
Most retailers have them, but you won’t go wrong with iTunes, Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
Another inexpensive gift to consider for music lovers is Koss PortaPro Headphones, which despite the $40 price have received solid reviews on CNET and some of the other consumer sites.
It is not the latest technology, but its foldable design makes it practical for travel and audio quality is excellent for the price.
I’ve reviewed Jawbone Bluetooth headsets in the past, and they have always impressed me as good performers in terms of audio quality and noise cancellation technology. At prices as low as $61, they are not going to break the bank. You can check Amazon or other online retailers.
Know someone who would enjoy listening to tango in Argentina or the BBC 24/7?
If that special someone is into foreign or mainland radio stations, for audio quality, ease of use and price, you won’t go wrong with Logitech’s "Squeezebox" at around $150.
Nowadays mobile computing is king, and you can get some killer deals on Netbooks and low-priced laptops, which meet basic computer needs such as email, Web surfing, social media and document creation.
The best news is that you can get one in the $400 range or less. Here are the ones favored by the trade magazines and my akamai industry friends:
» Lenovo ThinkPad X120e, $440
» Asus Eee PC 1215B, $360
» Samsung NF310, $370
» HP Pavilion g4-1215dx, $379
» Acer Aspire One D260, $400
Speaking of mobile, nowadays everyone wants an e-reader such as the Kindle or the Nook. Those two are good for books, but in reading a variety of fare, including newspapers, magazines and the like, I’d say a basic iPad at $500 is still the way to go. While not a dirt-cheap stocking stuffer, for pure utility it’s tough to beat.
Let me know what you think.
Mike Meyer, former Internet general manager at Oceanic Time Warner Cable, now works in IT with Honolulu Community College. Reach him at mmeyer@hawaii.edu.
