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
4,446 views, 16 comments

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
3,114 views, 8 comments

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
5,551 views, 15 comments

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
5,369 views, 15 comments

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
3,844 views, 23 comments

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
3,337 views, 25 comments

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
4,395 views, 10 comments

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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
1,747 views, 3 comments

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
8,074 views, 31 comments

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
1,511 views, 6 comments

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
1,247 views, 4 comments

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
1,970 views, 9 comments

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
5,195 views, 4 comments

Latest by valis: @liquidsoapdispenser: I also have the JVC gzhd7 and I can tell you that is enought for me. The images are very good. I know there are better cameras out there, but I don't change mine. more »

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
1,262 views, 5 comments

Latest by djfred: I second all the thumbs up. Mine stays pretty much permanently attached to my camera. It also works great as a shoulder/chest brace for hand held shots with longer exposure times. But I'd definitely recommend anyone with an SLR get the more »

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
1,285 views, 7 comments

Latest by cyclingplatypus: I picked one up brand new on eBay, $20 and it works with the iPhone. more »

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
1,881 views, 1 comment

Latest by strider_mt2k: I've flown these and they are pretty cool. They are unlike helicopters or fixed wing craft, and also need to be experienced. more »

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
4,252 views, 16 comments

Latest by Hvedhrungr: Not having to reboot the old router every 48-72 hours is still not worth $200. more »

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
3,921 views, 9 comments

Latest by stratboy: $250 for 8GB? I recently purchased my first mp3 player, and based my purchase $$/GB. I ended up buying the Zune 80GB for $250. I really, really like it so far, but admit that the s/w borders on lame. I more »