Christmas is fast approaching and tech gadgets are always at the forefront of holiday wish lists. 2011 has been a great year for electronics and some truly innovative devices have been released to the markets. If you are making a list, or looking to buy a perfect gift for a loved one, find out which gadgets are must haves for this holiday season!
Apple iPad 2
Size: 9.5in tall x 7.31in wide x .034in depth Weight at only 1.33 lbs. ( 1.35 lbs. for 3G)
Storage: Both Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 3G models come in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB storage options
Models: There are only two models. The first has Wi-Fi only and the second has Wi-Fi and 3G, each are available in black or white.
Display: Both models boast a 9.7 inch LED touchscreen display that is backlit.
Battery life: For both models using Wi-Fi only, you”ll have a battery life of 10hrs for web surfing, videos, and even music. For the model with 3G capabilities, if you are using 3G instead of Wi-Fi it drops the battery life down to only 9hrs of use.
Additional features: Both models are equipped with dual cameras (one on each side), video recording capabilities, one headphone jack, a decent built in speaker, multi file format support, and much more. The 3G model has a built in GPS system, and 3G capabilities on top of all of the basic features.
Price: Wi-Fi Only: 16GB $499.00 , 32GB $599.00 , 64GB $699.00
Wi-Fi +3G: 16GB $629.00 , 32GB $729.00 , 64GB $829.00
Overall Opinion: The Apple iPad 2 is one of the hottest items on the market for a variety of reasons. Not only does it offer incredible versatility, but also has all of the great Apple apps that truly make Apple products one of a kind. Unfortunately the high price tag deters many would be customers away and rightfully so. Additionally the cameras that this product is sporting are a complete waste and should only be used for Facetime rather than picture taking.
Amazon Kindle Fire
Size: 7.5in height x 4.7in wide x 0.45in depth with a weight of only 14.6 oz.
Storage: 8GB internal storage and additional storage space on amazon’s cloud.
Battery life: 8hrs of reading time when fully charged and wireless off.
File formats: TXT, DOC, DOCX, Kindle (AZW), PDF, PNG, GIF, BMP, JPEG, WAV, MP3, MP4, VP8, and a few others.
Additional features: Wi-Fi abilities, access to the thousands of apps and movies on the Amazon marketplace, free storage for all of Amazon’s products, music capabilities, and more!
Price: $199.00
Overall Opinion: The Kindle Fire is a great multifunctional device that provides incredible functionality for a relatively low price. Despite not having some features like Bluetooth capabilities and a camera, the low price tag on this device definitely makes up for that. The Kindle Fire is a great device that serves as both a tablet and an e-reader!
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Size: 10.1in wide x 6.9in height x 0.34in depth weighing only 1.24lbs.
Storage: Offered in 16GB or 32GB storage.
Models: This device is offered in either a gray, or an all-white color.
Battery life: with music only playing, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 can last up to 72hrs, however when you play videos the battery drops significantly to only 9hrs.
Additional features: The Galaxy Tab offers full HD video playback, support of a variety of file formats, extensive Google Mobile services, a Samsung Hub, 2 cameras, Wi-Fi, and much more.
Price: Both 16GB models are $499.99 while the 32GB models are $599.99
Overall Opinion: All in all the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is a great iPad alternative. Not only does it boast all of Google’s unique android features, but it also has a great stylish look. Unfortunately this tablet is the same price as the iPad2 models and since the iPad 2 is a more popular tablet, then consumers will likely choose the iPad2 over the Galaxy Tab.
Apple iPhone 4S
Size: 4.5in height x 2.31in width x 0.37in depth with a weight of only 4.9 ounces.
Storage: Both models are offered in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB storage options.
Models: The iPhone 4s is available in either black or white colors.
Battery life: standard talking will allow your iPhone 4S to last for up to eight hours, however if you are using 3G for web browsing your battery drops down to 6hrs.
Additional features: On top of having a fantastic HD camera and the ability to record 1080p video, the iPhone 4S also has Siri which truly makes the device unique. The virtual assistant performs a variety of actions commanded to her via voice.
Price: With a contract: 16GB $199 , 32GB $299 , 64GB $399
Without a contract: 16GB $649.00 , $32GB $749.00 , 64GB $849.00
Overall Opinion: Despite the fancy Siri addition, the iPhone 4S is not much different than the iPhone 4 except for the outrageous price tag that’s attached to it. If you are looking for a new phone contract and see this device, it’s a good buy, however if you already have an existing contract the unlocked device is way overpriced. People would be better off signing up for a contract, getting the phone, then selling it for a profit rather than keeping it themselves.
Galaxy Nexus
Size: 67.94mm wide x 135.5mm height x 9.47mm depth with a weight of only 150g.
Storage: 32GB
Models: only one model offered in standard matte black color.
Battery life: around 8hrs of hard usage and web browsing, however can last over a day with simple talk and normal use.
Additional features: Now you don’t have to worry about constantly unlocking your phone because the facial recognition feature automatically does that for you. On top of that the Nexus sports all of Google’s fancy android apps and has a great HD screen with 1080p video recording.
Price: Amazon has recently dropped the price of the Galaxy Nexus down to an astonishing $149.99 completely undercutting all of their competitors’ prices.
Overall Opinion: With Amazon’s incredibly low price the Galaxy Nexus is a great buy for the holidays. Not only does it have a ton of awesome apps and features, but it is only a fraction of the price that competing smart phones cost (thanks to Amazon’s help).
Samsung Galaxy S II
Size: 125.3mm height x 66.1mm wide x 8.49mm depth weighing only.
Storage: 16GB or 32GB
Models: Offered in either white or black.
Battery life: this phone lasts for about 8.35hrs when talking, but only 4.24hrs of solid web browsing.
Additional features: This phone doesn’t have Siri, but it’s got the next best thing. With Voice Solution you can command your phone to do a variety of different tasks (making memos, writing notes, scheduling, and even launching apps). On top of that the Social Hub integrates all of your online social activities into one streamlined interface that allows you to sift through each notification efficiently.
Price: Right now Amazon is charging only $527.99 for this phone as opposed to the regular listing price of $899.99
Overall Opinion: The Galaxy S II is one of the thinnest phones out there and is incredibly light. Top it off the display is outrageously good, its SUPER AMOLED touch screen display makes every picture crisp and unmistakably clear. With a much smaller price tag than many other smart phones, the Galaxy S II is definitely a great, and affordable, gift for this Christmas season.
Nokia Lumia 800
Size: 116.5mm height x 61.2mm wide x 12.1mm thick weighing only 142g.
Storage: 16GB
Models: Available in black, cyan, or fushia colors.
Battery life: 9.5hrs of talk time with 55hrs of music playback time.
Additional features: The Nokia Lumia 800 has Wi-Fi capabilities, a curved AMOLED touchscreen display, stunning 8mp camera, Bluetooth capabilities, ActiveSync, and more.
Price: the average price is about $666.64 however the actual price will be determined by the service provider.
Overall Opinion: Despite not having additional storage options the Nokia Lumia is a beautiful phone that has an incredibly stylish design. It is Nokia’s first Windows smartphone and Nokia is showcasing all of its capabilities in a beautiful phone that is available in three stunning colors.
Apple Macbook Air (2011-edition)
Size: 11.6in model dimensions are 0.11in-0.68in height x 11.8in side x 7.56in depth weighing 2.38lbs.
13.3in model dimensions are 0.11in-0.68in height x 12.8in wide x 8.94in depth weighing 2.96lbs.
Storage: The 11.6in model is available in either 64GB or 128GB of flash storage while the 13.3in model is available in 128GB or 256GB flash storage.
Models: MacBookAir4.1 (11″), MacBookAir4.2 (13″)
Battery life: 50-watt-hour
Additional features: backlit keyboard – Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor using 256 MB (11″ base model) or 384 MB (all other models) of DDR3 SDRAM, FaceTime camera, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities.
Price: 11.6in model at 64GB of storage is $999, at 128GB of storage it is at $1,199. The 13.3in model at 128GB of storage is $1,299 and at 256GB of storage it costs $1,599
Overall Opinion: MacBook’s have always been over priced and over rated. All of the features seen on these two models can be found on other laptops for a fraction of the price. Take away the Apple brand and the computers wouldn’t sell for more than a couple hundred at best.
PlayStation Vita
Size: 182mm wide x 18.6mm height x 83.5mm depth.
Storage: 512MB
Models: PS Vita 3G + Wi-Fi, PS Vita First Edition Bundle, PS Vita Wi-Fi.
Battery life: only 3-5 hrs of gameplay, 5hrs of video, and about 9hrs of music.
Additional features: front and rear cameras, motion sensor for enhanced gaming, touchscreen, GPS, Cross play, and dual analog sticks.
Price: PS Vita 3G + Wi-Fi $299.99 , PS Vita First Edition Bundle $349.99 , PS Vita Wi-Fi $249.99
Overall Opinion: Pre-ordering one of these bad boys is essential for next year. Not only do these handheld consoles have incredible gaming features, but Sony also amped up the functionality by adding tons of web features as well. At a decent price for handheld consoles, the PS Vita is definitely a must have for many gamers.
Xbox 360 with Kinect
Size: 12in wide x 11.5in depth x 7.2 in tall weighing 10.9lbs.
Storage: 4GB
Models: Included in the bundle is the Xbox 360 Slim and the Kinect sensor.
Battery life: No battery, console is plugged in.
Additional features: The bundle includes the gaming console, the Kinect sensor, and the game Kinect Adventures (which is a great starter game) and it also includes one Xbox 360 controller. The Xbox 360 console has HDMI capabilities but an additional cord will have to be purchased.
Price: Amazon is selling the bundle for $299.99 and local Walmart’s are selling them at $329.00
Overall Opinion: The Xbox 360 has tons of amazing games and the sleek looking Slim Xbox console just amps up its awesomeness. On top of that there are tons of new games coming out for the Kinect as well as numerous games that are already in stores. The Kinect is the future of Xbox gaming and is a great way to have plenty of fun with the family or by yourself. Overall this is an excellent deal and a great buy for anyone at any age.
