Gizmodo, the Gadget Guide

Exchange Special: Garmin Nuvi 660

One of the most under appreciated gifts is the GPS system. Paper maps are great, but nothing tops a little digital screen telling you where to go and how to get there. Not get one over the holidays? No worries. Take back all of the sweaters and and clothing for one of these, the Garmin Nuvi 660. more »

4:08 PM ON THU DEC 27 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
4,643 views, Comment

HDTV Swaparoo: Sony KDL-46XBR4

HDTVs were another hot item this holiday season, but the range of quality can greatly vary. If you ended up getting a no-name jobber, you may want to look at taking it back in favor of a better HDTV. And for top of the line, reasonably sized LCD HDTVs, the Sony KDL-46XBR4 is one of the best. more »

2:03 PM ON THU DEC 27 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
3,253 views, Comment

Return that Junker Laptop for an Alienware Area-51 m9750

Grandma get you a junker laptop this year? Well, you have one well-off Grandma, but you don't have to stick with her crappy laptop. There are a lot of better options for your needs. One of which is the Alienware Area-51 m9750. more »

2:59 PM ON WED DEC 26 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
5,879 views, Comment

Toss those White Earbuds for the Logitech FreePulse Wireless Headphones

Well, the holidays are done and you now have a brand new iPod and a fistful of gift cards. First thing is first, toss those cheap white headphones. There are better out there and don't be deceived by thinking you have to wear those white headphones to be cool or hip. Logitech's FreePulse Wireless Headphones are a perfect example of good upgrades. more »

11:17 AM ON WED DEC 26 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
5,577 views, Comment

DSLR Gift Pick: Nikon D80

Uno mas day left. Most of the big name stores are running low on the point-and-shoot inventory, but there is a good chance the DSLRs are still available, if you want to shell out the cash. If you are going to pick any DSLR, the Nikon D80 is a must. more »

11:48 AM ON MON DEC 24 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
4,271 views, Comment

Gifts for the Intermediate Photographer: Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Point and shoots too bland, but not ready to tackle a DSLR yet? Don't fret, there is a happy medium out there with these "super zoom" cameras. The Canon PowerShot S3 IS is one of the top contenders for the heart of the intermediate photographer. more »

5:04 PM ON SAT DEC 22 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
3,665 views, Comment

Gifts for the Gamer: HP Blackbird 002

If you think high-end gaming PC you usually think Alienware, Voodoo PC or Falcon Northwest, but there is one gem hidden away that can shock and awe more than any of the others. It is the Blackbird 002 from HP. more »

2:10 PM ON SAT DEC 22 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
4,666 views, Comment

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Flip Video Ultra is a Camcorder for the Simple-Minded

Camcorders are gadgets that seem simple on the outside, but can get complicated quickly. DV tapes, inputs, outputs, video editing software and the like can confuse and frustrate most. The Flip Video Ultra is a simple solution to complicated camcorders. more »

4:44 PM ON FRI DEC 21 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
1,864 views, Comment

Canon PowerShot SD850 IS is the Point and Shoot Dreams are Made Of

In most cases people won't be giving and receiving DSLRs around the holidays. The most common type of camera gift is the point and shoot digital camera and one of the tops dogs is the Canon PowerShot SD850 IS. more »

11:41 AM ON FRI DEC 21 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
8,437 views, Comment

Gifts for the Silence Hater: Sonos Digital Music System

For sharing music across all rooms of the house, the Sonos Digital Music system is the only way to go. This system includes a remote control that can wirelessly communicate with up to 32 different receivers to play back the tunes. So everyone if your 32-room hostel can enjoy tunes without anyone feeling discriminated against. more »

3:12 PM ON THU DEC 20 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
1,610 views, Comment

HP Deskjet 460c Mobile Goes Wi-Fi

It's a common misconception that giving the gift of a printer this holiday season is lame and lacks originality. That is wrong, especially with a new generation of printers available that most folks are clueless of. One example of such a next-generation printer is the HP Deskjet 460c Mobile. more »

8:58 AM ON THU DEC 20 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
1,337 views, Comment

Gifts for the Optimistic Rock Star: M-Audio MicroTrack II

Sure, you could buy yourself earplugs or a vacation as a gift for that aspiring rockstar, but that is too selfish. It's time to embrace the bad music and if anything, help the kiddo out. M-Audio's MicroTrack II digital audio recorder could do that. more »

2:20 PM ON WED DEC 19 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
2,107 views, Comment

The Lowdown on HD Camcorders

It's probably time to retire that old shoulder-mounted VHS camcorder for something a little less 1995 for a small and fancy HD camcorder. I would go and put together a nice 10 point guide on everything you would ever need to know about buying an HD camcorder, but you know what, Charlie White has already done it. He took a look at seven of the top HD camcorders out there and also pieced together a handy guide at what to look for and to know when shopping for that HD camcorder. So click along and see it for yourself.

4:52 PM ON TUE DEC 18 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
5,259 views, Comment

Joby Gorillapod is a Digital Camera's New Compadre

I hate to declare my fanhood for anything, but I am a full-blown supporter of the Joby Gorillapod. The Gorillapod is a flexible and versatile "tripod" for all types of digital cameras. I use the word tripod loosely because it has the same functionality of a tripod by holding a camera upright for steady or timed pictures, but with the flexible and gripping legs it can attach to a wide variety of objects. There are a few different version including the original, SLR variant, SLR zoom-lens variant and the Solo. Prices start at $25. [Product page]

12:40 PM ON TUE DEC 18 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
1,338 views, Comment

Gifts for the Road Warrior: Harman Kardon Drive + Play

Harman Kardon's Drive + Play is the last portable media adapter needed for the iPod in a vehicle. This device has a small LCD screen that displays what's on your iPod screen. Also included in a large control knob that is very similar to the touchwheel of the iPod. It connects to a vehicle's audio system by FM transmission or through an auxiliary input. The main advantage to using this is not having to put your head down and away from the road to see the iPod. It is available from Target for $70. [Target]

5:21 PM ON MON DEC 17 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
1,393 views, Comment

Flying Robot Revolution: WowWee FlyTech Dragonfly

In the same category of the enormously popular toy R/C helicopters is WowWee's FlyTech Dragonfly. Rather than a propeller, this guy flaps his wings furiously to fly around. It has a remote and can be controlled in two different modes — beginner and expert. Beginner is a good way to get a hang of flying the guy and expert allows for a wide variety of tricks and maneuvers to be performed. Be careful, though. This is liable to be one of those toys broken easily, especially with those darned rowdy kids. $42. [Best Buy]

12:50 PM ON MON DEC 17 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
1,952 views, Comment

Gifts for the Geeky Mom: Belkin N1 Vision Router

Belkin's N1 Vision router has been making all kinds of noise this year for a handful of reasons. First, it is beautiful. Not many routers are as visually pleasing as the N1 Vision. Secondly, it is ready for the N Wi-Fi standard that will likely be busting onto the scene in 2008, therefore making it somewhat future-proof. Thirdly, it includes a lot of monitoring features that allows Mom to watch what the kiddos are downloading and doing on the web. And lastly, it can configure itself automatically upon plugging into the cable or DSL model. It does have a price tag to reflect all of the great aspects of this router at $200. [Dell]

4:12 PM ON SUN DEC 16 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
4,450 views, Comment

Samsung P2 is NOT the iPod, Gasp!

There are other MP3 players than the iPod, believe it or not, and the Samsung P2 is one of them. This player is still small and slim, while also providing a solid, 3-inch screen for viewing video at DVD-like quality. It comes packed with an integrated speaker, Bluetooth, and more. Prices for this player begin at $200 for the 4 GB and $250 for the 8 GB model. Oh, and it does include touch controls, for you button-haters out there. [Best Buy]

10:02 AM ON SUN DEC 16 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
4,173 views, Comment

Gifts for the Chatty Cathy: Netgear SPH200W Wi-Fi Skype Phone

While every Dick, Sam and Harry is touting around a cellphone capable of landing a shuttle on the moon, the real bargain hunters know the best deals begin with Internet calling. Netgear's SPH200W is the top dog for phones designed for Skype and Internet calling. This phone comes ready to go out of the box, just set up a Skype account, which can be done from the phone. It works at a variety of public Wi-Fi hotspots as well, so it could even be a portable cellphone, kind of. It's available for $150. [Dell]

4:30 PM ON SAT DEC 15 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
1,971 views, Comment

Gifts for the Wire-Freak: Nikon Coolpix S51c

The greatest thing about the digital camera revolution is the ability to take an endless amount of pictures. The downside is having to off-load those pictures onto a computer, which can be more than a hassle at times. Nikon's Coolpix S51c tries to ease that burden by including a wireless transfer option. Other nice features include the 3-inch LCD, 8.1-megapixel sensor, 3x optical zoom and face tracking ability. It is available for $260. [Circuit City]

12:25 PM ON SAT DEC 15 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
2,714 views, Comment

Gifts for the Porn Enthusiast: Western Digital 320 GB Passport Drive

Deciding which pornographic movie to keep this week will be a decision for the past. Western Digital's 320 GB Passport external hard drive is just enough space to keep a miniature library of movies across all genres. It is also small enough to be easily taken on the go for fun in public. The latest edition of the passport is available for $230 or less in black, white, red pink and green. WD]

5:25 PM ON FRI DEC 14 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
5,219 views, Comment

Gifts for the Fat iPod Owner: Nike + iPod Sports Kit

Everyone and their mother asked for and received an iPod last year. Now it is time to put it to even better use. The Nike + iPod Sports kit is an adapter that plugs into the iPod nano and turns it into a heck of a fitnesse computer. It communicates wirelessly with another adapter placed in the shoe. It can calculate everything from distance ran, to calories, time and more. It also integrates into your music so you will receive interruptions while listening to music that will tell how much distance is left and whatnot. $30 [Apple]

12:28 PM ON FRI DEC 14 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
1,191 views, Comment

Home Entertainment

Gifts for the Minimalist Media Junkie: Sandisk TakeTV Media Center

Slipped out by Buy.com a few weeks ago is Sandisk's TakeTV — an all-in-one media center solution. The concept of this pretty simple. You plug the 4GB or 8GB flash drive into your PC, load it up with content, plug it into the TakeTV and enjoy. The TakeTV lacks HD goodness, but it compensates for that by supporting codecs such as DivX and XviD that anyone can love. The 4GB model is now available for $100 and the 8GB model will set you back $50 more. To get more details be sure to check out our big and glorious hands-on review. [Buy.com]

4:12 PM ON THU DEC 13 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
1,454 views, Comment

Why You Shouldn't Ask For or Give the iPhone this Holiday Season

The iPhone is gracing every gift guide out there, include the Amish Times, but you really shouldn't ask for one or give one, really. There are a lot of legitimate reasons to wait—I'm not just being a Negative Nancy.
• The 3G iPhone is coming next year. And if you haven't compared EDGE speeds to 3G speeds, trust me, it is worth the wait.
• The iPhone SDK is coming in early 2008. You wouldn't want to mess up your iPhone getting overzealous installing unauthorized third-party apps that end up bricking the device.
• Wait and see what happens with Google's Android. The potential with Android and the Open Handset Alliance is endless and may out game the iPhone, while possibly being cheaper and more versatile.
• Just get an iPod Touch.
• If anything, just wait until the MacWorld Expo January 14-18. There will likely be some big news announced then that may convince you enough to want to wait.
• Regardless, be sure and buy Jason's damn book so he will stop bugging me.

12:14 PM ON THU DEC 13 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
8,709 views, Comment

Gifts for the Remote Juggler: Logitech Harmony Remotes

Logitech's Harmony line of remote controls are some of the best out there for quite a few reasons. Probably the top is the programming. Logitech's software contains thousands upon thousands of TVs, DVD players, DVRs, cable boxes, surround sound systems, amplifiers and more. All you have to do is input your model number and the software will recognize it. It will then ask what kind of devices are used for what kinds of activities. It is really convenient and easy to use, but for the actual remotes there is quite the variety to choose from. more »

3:14 PM ON WED DEC 12 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
3,226 views, Comment

Gifts for the Zany: LED Skin Therapy Brush

You know those crazy people who constantly call into psychics and believe in odd herbal and other farfetched remedies? Yeah, this is great for him or her. It is a LED light therapy wand for the skin. Supposedly you allow the LED light to emit onto your skin for 15 minutes per day to help acne, aging or hyperpigmentation. It supposedly works with frequencies that increases tissue grown and other nonsense. They will love it, you will enjoy many many laughs. It is kind of like a gag gift, but not. $225. [Product Page]

12:28 PM ON WED DEC 12 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
455 views, Comment

Gifts for the Flash Obsess: Mimobot Designer Flash Drives

If plain flash drives are too dull, Mimobot flash drives are the only solution. These designer flash drives are available in a wide variety of shapes and types. The drives are modeled after characters including Star War, Halo and other popular Internet memes. Prices begin around $50 for the 1 GB capacities. [Product Page]

7:55 PM ON TUE DEC 11 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
1,499 views, Comment

Gifts for the iPod Obsessed: Razer Pro|Type Keyboard

Last year everyone was asking for an iPod, so what is there left to give for the iPod this year? Accessories! Razer's Pro|Type keyboard is ideal for any (except the Shuffle) iPod owners because it has an embedded iPod dock. And because it is a Razer product it includes the same quality of hardware that we are accustomed to from Razer. It is available in white (which will now only match older generation iPods) for $100. [Product Page]

12:01 PM ON TUE DEC 11 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
2,015 views, Comment

Verizon's Holiday Cellphone Lineup is Awesome

Verizon came out of the woodworks back in September with an end-of-the-year lineup and it isn't too shabby. We've had plenty of time with the phones since then and here is the quick roundup: more »

12:02 PM ON MON DEC 10 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
3,320 views, Comment

Nerf Sniper Rifle Proves Nerf Will Never Die

In an age where toy guns are getting banned left and right because of security and other concerns, Nerf is still going strong. Its latest addition is the CS-6 N-Strike Longshot, or a Nerf sniper rifle. It is available for $30. Man, Nerf toys have just gotten cooler and cooler over the years — it's a damn shame I had to grow up and no longer be eligible for Nerf toys during the holidays. [Product Page]

10:10 AM ON MON DEC 10 2007
BY TRAVIS HUDSON
7,029 views, Comment