iPad: This year’s essential holiday gift seems to be the Apple iPad. Available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB, it also has 3G capabilities for a monthly fee. Features include a 9.7-inch screen with fingerprint-resistant coating and a 10-hour battery life. Apps exist for almost anything you want to do, including staples like surfing the web and watching videos.
COST: Starts at $499
Epic Mickey: One of the most anticipated video games of this holiday season is “Epic Mickey,” exclusive to Nintendo Wii. Along with its intense visual appeal, many descriptions say Disney is looking to re-brand and modernize Mickey through the game. During gameplay, players will have the opportunity to interact with many “lost” Disney characters while delving into Mickey’s history.
COST: $49.99
Flip camera: The Flip camera is a great buy for videographers of any age. Its beauty is in its simplicity – a built-in USB connector allows you to plug the camera into the computer in order to download videos, share them online or do simple editing. The camera’s built-in battery charges while it’s connected to the USB port. They’re extremely customizable, allowing you to use one of their preset patterns or upload your own. The Flip UltraHD comes with either 4GB (one hour) or 8GB (two hours) of flash memory at 720 megapixels.
COST: Starting at $149.99
Xbox 360 with Kinect: The new Xbox 360 Kinect, with its controller-free gaming experience, seems to be taking the place of the Nintendo Wii on many holiday wish lists this year. The Kinect comes with a 250 GB hard drive and a wireless controller. Some of the most popular titles available for the console include “Call of Duty: Black Ops,” “Gears of War 3” and “Halo: Reach.”
COST: $299.99
Kindle: Amazon’s e-book reader has been a popular gift in the past and will continue to be one this year with the release of the cheaper-than-ever Kindle 3. Models are available in a variety of capacity and connectivity options. The basic Kindle has 2GB of internal storage, a 6-inch diagonal screen and 3G and Wi-Fi capabilities.
COST: $139
