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Tech gadgets under $50 that are sure to delight
Nov 20, 2009 (The Dallas Morning News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
Picking a Christmas gift for the nerd in your life is tough.
In the holiday stampede, it's all too easy to end up with an outdated gadget or obsolete program. And mistakes can be costly.
U.S. shoppers plan to spend an average of $222 each on consumer electronics this holiday season, up 8 percent from last year, according to the Consumer Electronics Association. Four of the 10 most requested items on adults' holiday gift wish lists are electronic items such as computers and video games, the organization found.
So the pressure's on, but you don't need to sweat it. For three weeks, we've been highlighting tech gifts in three price ranges.
These include items we've tested and cool toys we've lusted after from afar. Two weeks ago, we looked at gift ideas for more than $100. Last week, we covered items between $50 and $100. For this last installment, it's fun gadgets for under $50.
What is it? Thumb drives are a quick and easy way to back up your data, save documents when working on a public computer, and, now, with the new line of Star Wars-themed drives, impress your nerd friends.
Who's it for? Novelty drives have been around for years, but these fancy Star Wars drives also boast decent capacity (4, 8 and 16 gigs) and are reasonably priced ($29, $39 and $59). And they're so cute, er, I mean cool! You just pop the little heads off and plug them in. Stocking-stuffer of the year, hands down.
Availability: Available at http://www.tymemachines.com.
Canon Pixma MP190 inkjet photo printer, scanner and copier
What is it? Printers are getting so cheap that they're almost disposable. But for basic printing, Canon's Pixma MP190 is good enough that you'll never want to get rid of it. It does all the basic functions you'd expect, print quality is excellent, setup is a breeze and it's insanely inexpensive. I bought mine at Wal-Mart for $40.
Who's it for? The MP190 isn't going to satisfy hard-core photographers or anyone who needs to make tons of fast copies. But for students, teachers and other casual users, it's a superb machine.
Availability: Canon's suggested price is $69, but it's no longer available through www.usa.canon.com, so it may have been discontinued. Walmart is marketing it heavily right now for just $39, but only in Walmart stores, not online.
iSkin Solo FX iPhone case
What is it? Most iPhone users I see have their phone in some sort of case. The iSkin Solo FX is a high-gloss rubber-like case that comes with a clear film to protect the iPhone's screen. It also turns the screen into a mirror when the phone is off.
Who's it for? Just look at the iPhone case selection at the Apple store or even Best Buy. Everyone wants their phone to look good and added protection is a bonus. The iPhone user on your list will love this one.
Availability: The $33 iSkin Solo FX is available at Apple stores or Microcenter.
Jim Rossman
Uniea U-Hip Pop
What is it? A beautiful and well-made case for your iPhone with a sturdy belt clip, strong magnetic closure and beautiful leather construction.
Who's it for? Let's face it, a red rubber case is great, but at that important meeting, you'll probably want a more "sophisticated" look for your phone. If you're wearing your phone on your belt, this case looks great and is priced right.
Availability: The $29.95 U-Hip Pop case is available from www.unieastore.com.
Jim Rossman
To see more of The Dallas Morning News, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to
http://www.dallasnews.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Dallas Morning News
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email
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