INBOX:If present panic has set in, there's always a gadget to make some techie rejoice, writes Mike Butcher
YOU FIND yourself at the shops and it's Christmas Eve. Quick! What are the great gadgets you can get as last-minute presents? Here's a quick rundown of some of the best on offer at the moment.
In the field of Blu-ray Disc Players there are many options. At the moment, one of the best is the Sony BDP-S350, which is affordable at about €255. It's also one of the smallest players so should work well in your existing living room set-up.
It supports Blu-ray Profile 1.1 straight out of the box, and also has an ethernet network connector so that you can download a software update for the latest Profile 2.0 features.
In the realm of MP3 player speakers, the Harman Kardon Go+Play (at about €210) is convenient for carrying around with its big handle. It has an iPod dock and comes with video output for watching slideshows or video downloads, as well as an AUX input for connecting other types of MP3 player too.
Its 120W system should satisfy most heavy metal fans and the sound quality is also excellent.
Radios have come a long way since Marconi's invention, so check out the Pure Digital Evoke Flow (€166) which is a great little radio with a lot of features and great performance for the price compared with many other radios.
Universal Remote Controls are now de rigueur for the teched-up household and they don't get a lot more convincing than the Logitech Harmony 525 (about €55), which is more affordable than most, but packs plenty of punch. It can control 10 devices and connecting it to a PC will download all the controls you need for all your devices.
This sounds tricky but once done it means you can get rid of that remote control clutter. Just don't lose it down the back of the sofa.
Handheld games consoles are going to be big again this Christmas. The Nintendo DS Lite still reigns supreme (about €110) with its twin-screen design which creates an interesting way to experience games. Plus its educational games have been a hit with young and old. Just listen to the chatter among the kids at the average school gate!
Netbooks became a cheaper and easy way to do the basics online like email and Web surfing, and the best of the litter turned out to be not the Asus Eee but the Acer Aspire One (about €245), thanks to its better than average keyboard, bright screen, great spec and low price that has fallen even further online. It comes in Linux or Windows and has an HDD option if you want speed and capacity.
Lastly, pocket camcorders have yet to be overtaken by all-singing mobile phones, and the Samsung VP-HMX20C is attractive, small, and has a very good image quality with 1080i HD resolution, along with a powerful 10x optical zoom (about €520).
The 8GB of built-in Flash memory allows you to capture about 90 minutes of video, and there's also a memory card slot that accepts both SD and MMC cards.
But whatever you get for your loved ones this Christmas, remember. All technology is obsolete the moment you buy it. So just buy it and enjoy.
