For those who believe that cellphones are for talking and cameras are for taking pictures, Canon's Powershot A1200 is perfect those on a budget. The cam has 12.1 megapixels, a 4x wide-angle optical zoom and optical viewfinder. It has 32 preset shooting situations with Smart Auto, movie recording with 720p HD, Discreet Mode and AA battery power for portability.
Amazon is a happy camper this holiday season as it claims that it has sold over a million Kindles combined during the past three weeks. Dave Limp, VP of Kindle Business, claims that the demand is increasing as weeks go by. This is no doubt partially do to the lesser prices of the Regular Kindle, Touch, Keyboard and Fire.
There seems to be some rumblings that many of the Fires are being returned because of long load times, touchy off switch and lack of external volume control. Others seem concerned that it is too easy to order with the one-click system. However, new products often have bugs and in all fairness it appears to be a Kindle kind of holiday.
NAV Holiday Gift Pick - AmazonBasics Portable Stereo
AmazonBasics has gone beyond their inexpensive line of accessories like HDMI cords and disks with such items as the Portable Stereo System for MP3 players. The MS-132 portable speaker is compatible with iPods, PMPs, CD players, game consoles and Mac and PC. At a size of 9.7 x 2.1 x 2.5" and a weight of a mere 1.4 lbs., it operates by 4 AA batteries (not included) or USB connection.
'Tis the season. If you planned to invest in Apple TV, now is the time. With streaming of movies and TV shows from iTunes and availability of content from Netflix and various online sources, the box is unassuming at its 4" square size. Control by remote, or by iPhone/iPad/iPod touch with app. At $99.00, this might challenge Roku as the set top box of choice.
Looking for an inexpensive speaker system to go with that new iPod/MP3 player? Here are a couple of suggestions. The AYL Portable System works with PC, tablet, phone, or PMP, is a mere 2.2", has plug and play capability and charges your device while you listen to tunes. Available in black, white or red, you get 10 hours of usage before needing a recharge. The GOgroove Panda Pal is compatible with most audio devices and can be powered by USB or 3 AAA batteries (not included.) It has a wraparound 3.5 mm cable and easy to use controls for young'ns.
IHome has a Mini Speaker that can be paired with any audio device with 3.5 mm headphone jack. The claim is that vacuum bass gives great volume and response and the device will also charge while you listen. It comes with a built-in rechargeable battery and 2-in-1 cable with USB plug for charging. Finally, the iLuv Portable Speaker doubles as a case. Available in black, blue or pink, the universal device is a zipper case with 8.2W of stereo sound, a hanging clip and runs on 2 AA batteries (not included.)
You know this is the time to push the 3D button for consumers, so LG has an offer they believe you can't refuse. Purchase a qualifying 3D TV and you receive a Family Pack of 6 pairs of glasses, a $70 value, free. Smart TV is included in the package with access to everything downloadable. Of course there is up-conversion for 2D movies.
Plenty of gifts are out the for the picking without battling the mall hounds. We found this 32" LCD HDTV with a 720p HD resolution, 7-Watt/2 channel speakers and automatic volume leveler. In addition, it has a USB input and 2 HDMI connections for PC. The little known Chinese company Haier puts this HDTV out for a price below $320.00.
The year is soon to be over as evidenced by the fact that Turkey Day has come and gone. Check out our monthly round up for some great last minute gift ideas for this holiday season.
Would that we were kids again and have access to the wonder of a tablet built for the younger crowd. Vtech's InnoTab, also available in pink, has a 5" touchscreen with tilt-sensor, e-book reader, MP3 and video players, and photo viewer. With 64MB of memory and SD card slot for expansion, a USB cable can hook it up to PC or Mac. There are plenty of cartridges with e-books, activities, games and learning apps available.
Life is pretty sweet when you can get an entire home theater at a price of less than $200.00. The Sony BRAVIA DAV-DZ170 Home Theater System provides everything you need for those holiday sights and sounds. With 1000W 5.1 channel surround sound, it has DVD upscaling via HDMI and sync controls so that only one remote is needed. Included in the set-up is a built-in DVD player and hookup for iPod or MP3 player with front USB port.
Freakin' Friday! NAV Holiday Gift Picks - Game Bundles
There are holiday bundles now for those who want to update game systems with an extra bit of cheer. The Xbox 360 Bundle includes the game console, built-in WiFi, 250GB hard drive, Xbox LIVE, the game "Fable 3" and a digital code for Halo Reach.
Nintendo's Wii Bundle comes packed with a Sensor Bar, a Remote Plus controller, one Nunchuk controller, standard composite cable and Wii Mario Kart.
With the Sony PlayStation 3 Bundle you get a 320GB system, wireless Move and DualShock controllers, an Eye camera, Sports Blu-ray game, and cables. Access online games, Blu-ray movies, and download on PlayStation Network.
Leapster has always put out a good system for kids and the Explorer Bundle is no exception for those aged 4 to 9 years. More than 40 games and activities can teach them school skills like reading and math. Parents can monitor their progress by hooking up the Explorer via PC. A camera and video recorder attachment are included as well as a carrying case, Leaplet learning app download card, USB cord and the Global Earth Adventures game.
There are some great headphones out there now that have decent quality and make a fine stocking stuffer for under $15.00 if you are hinting around to your significant other or relative that you prefer that they keep their music to themselves.
JBuds noise-reducing soft silicone Ear Buds have a goldplated 3.5 mm audio jack.
Skullcandy's silver/black INK'd Earbuds have 11mm drivers, a 1.3-meter nylon braided cable with gold-plated 3.5mm plug, two silicone earbud sleeves and a 20-20K Hz frequency response.
GOgroove audiOHM Ergonomic Earbuds have interchangeable noise-reduction ear pieces, SonusMAX technology and are constructed with neodymium magnetic components.
Finally, Panasonic's RP-HV152 Portable Earbuds have an XBS port for better bass response, a neodymium magnet, 14.8mm drivers, a 3.6 ft. cord length and a frequency response of 10Hz-25kHz.
Now that The Deathly Hallows Part 2 is out on Blu-ray, we decided that this would be a good week to showcase some of the best sets on video beginning with Harry Potter: The Complete Collection Years 1-7 that just hit last week. Know someone (besides George Lucas) that cannot get past Star Wars? The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI) has audio commentary and interviews with cast and crew. Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy. includes both digital copy and extended editions with 30 minutes of extra footage.
For those who don't watch the big game, any of these would make for a happy holiday movie marathon. To keep the kidlets amused, there is the Blu-ray Peanuts Holiday Collection that comes with three bonus episodes.
The holidays are upon us as evidenced by early Black Friday and Cyber Monday hints. Amazon sees a hot year for electronics so if you are shopping online, you don't want to wait too long. Here are some ideas from their Best Selling List:
NAV Holiday Gift Pick - Canon Powershot
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