What do you buy the gadget lover who has everything for Christmas? Ha! It’s a trick question! New, exciting and desirable consumer electronic goodies appear every day, so not even the most ardent tech-head can own every gadget. From hi-tech headphones to hand-held games consoles and clever cameras to cutting-edge mobile phones, you can be certain that there’s always a suitable present to be found for the gadget lover in your life. Here is a selection of some of the very best gifts for gadget lovers this Christmas.
Apple iPad Mini
No list of desireable gadgets would be complete without something by Apple, and the brand new iPad Mini is very desireable indeed. Apple has managed to fit a competitor-beating 7.9 inch screen into their compact tablet without incurring an unwieldy increase in overall size. And in every other respect, apart from its lower screen resolution of 1,024 x 768, the Apple iPad Mini offers looks and performance almost identical to its larger brother the iPad 2.
Better still, even with the inclusion of a 5mp camera on the back and a webcam on the front, Apple’s Mini marvel manages an astonishing eleven hours or so of battery life under normal usage. At between £250 and £300 it’s not the cheapest Christmas gift for gadget lovers, but you can guarantee that it’s one that will be well-received.
Motorola Razr i Smartphone
For outright purchase, the cost of some of the latest smartphones can be prohibitive. Whilst the Motorola Razr i isn’t exactly a giveaway at around £300 it’s performance and features tip the balance in its favour against more expensive competitors.
The inclusion of a 2Ghz Intel processor – the first of its kind to be seen in a smartphone – means that the Razr i’s performance is never less than whizzy whether you’re simply selecting apps from the Android interface or playing more processor-intensive games. A 4.3 inch AMOLED touchscreen provides vibrant colour and contrast; perfect for viewing pictures taken with the Razr i’s 10mp camera.
Battery life is outstanding and the phone is compact yet robust and Motorola has even added a splash-proof coating to protect the phone from clumsier gadget-lovers.
AKG K451 Headphones
As a Christmas gift for the gadget-loving music fan AKG’s K451 headphones are pretty much unbeatable. AKG have been producing quality audio equipment for sixty-five years, and it shows in these headphones.
Awarded What Hi-Fi Magazine’s ‘Product of the Year 2012’, the AKG K451 headphones combine exceptional sound quality, a design that is functional and stylish in equal measure, outstanding comfort and sturdy build quality. Compact and lightweight, the K451’s are easily stowed and carried (and a carry-case is provided) and thanks to an included adaptor they’re also smartphone compatible.
If you’re bracing yourself in the expectation that all of that headphone wonderfulness comes at an exorbitant price, relax; the award-winning AKG K451 headphones are available for as little as a wallet-friendly £68.
Canon IXUS 500 HS Compact Digital Camera
Canon has somehow managed to shoehorn a remarkable amount of sophisticated features, specifications and performance into their stylish and slimline Ixus 500 HS compact digital camera. For starters, there’s the 10 megapixel backlit sensor coupled with a tasty 12x optical zoom. Canon’s clever ZoomPlus technology beefs this up to an overall combined zoom of 21x.
The camera’s rear is dominated by a crisp 3 inch colour LCD display, making it easy to frame those perfect shots. Photography novices will love the Ixus 500 HS’ Smart Auto setting which ensures that the most appropriate camera options are automatically chosen in accordance with the subject’s environment and conditions. Focusing is quick and accurate, and the Ixus 500 HS is a doddle to operate thanks to an intuitive menu and control-button layout.
Small, smart, classy and high performing the Canon IXUS 500 HS compact digital camera is a great gadget gift at a shade under £200.
Sony PlayStation Vita handheld games console
For gaming on the go Sony’s latest portable console, the PS Vita, is a bit of a beast. In fact, to paraphrase Dirty Harry, it’s the most powerful handheld games console in the world, and it could blow your head clean off. That’s thanks to the inclusion of two quad-core processors, a graphics processor more powerful than the Apple iPad’s, a whopping 5 inch OLED touchscreen, dual gaming controls, a camera in the front and back, speakers and a host of connectivity options.
Phew! As well as the ability to play brilliant Sony games, the Vita is also Wi-Fi and browser equipped, so you can surf the web and download even more games to it. In fact, wireless connectivity allows you to play competitively against other Vita console owners – great for racing games and first person shooters. At around £200 for the most cutting-edge and impressive handheld games console currently available, the Sony PlayStation Vita will keep most hardened gadget-lovers quiet and happy well beyond Christmas.
About the Author
John is a freelance writer from the UK
