The Hindu Business Line : Gift a gadget this season

GONE are the days when you could pick out a card and scribble `Wishes.' Now, gifting requires you to be tuned into the latest gizmos and electronics. Check out this list for top gadgets to gift your loved ones this year.

The clear pick for universal gift of 2005 is the iPod. The slick Shuffle 512 MB model costs $99 (approximately Rs 4,500) and can store 120 songs. With the latest Nano release, Apple Computers offers buyers a packaged deal.

This ultra-thin device can play MP3s as well as display photos on its LCD screen. The 2GB model costs Rs 15,200 and can hold 500 songs. Samsung's Yepp F1sports a unique clip-style design and is priced at Rs 7,400 for 256 MB.

If you are a frequent flyer and are bored stiff of the old movies that are played, then gift yourself a video player. The Zen Vision by Creative Technology has a 262k-colour screen for music video playback and viewing photos. Priced at Rs 32,499, it offers 30 GB storage capacity, which can store up to 120 hours of video. The player weighs 239 gm and supports MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, Xvid, WMV and MJPEG video formats.

For die-hard gamers, the Sony PSP (Play Station Portable) is an easy choice. This handy gadget features a large 4.3-inch LCD TFT screen and is priced at Rs 19,990. In the laptop segment, the Acer Ferrari is easily the trendiest laptop anybody has set eyes on. It costs a lakh, though. Perfect for the flashy CEO, for `in' bureaucrats and designers. The AMD Turion 1.6GHz processor purrs in it, allowing it to be used for 3D gaming and even as a graphic workstation.

Speaking of design, Apple Computer's Powerbook G4 is another good-looking gadget to tote. This 12-inch laptop comes at an equally high price, Rs 89,100, and includes an 80 GB hard drive.

For a modest gift to your uncle, the Dell Latitude is a slim, full-featured laptop suitable for the businessman.

Japanese firm Fujitsu is marketing its LifeBook series of `lifestyle' laptops for the fashionable Indian. TheLifebook S6240 weighs less than 1.7 kg and offers sophisticated security options, such as smart card and fingerprinting support. It costs Rs 84,990.

The satellite radio replaces the transistor as necessary gadget in households. With prices falling for the lower-end versions of the WorldSpace receiver, it makes an affordable gift. The Diva costs just Rs 1,999, and comes with a three-month subscription. Perfect for that sibling with a ear for international music.

If your sibling is a wanna-be photographer, then the gift of a digicam will speak volumes. Various models by top consumer electronics companies are now available between Rs 15,000 and Rs 30,000. Canon's A series of digital cameras are perfect for the beginner. The 5-mega pixel Powershot A95 costs Rs 18,500 and offers accurate colour reproduction. Sony's Cyber-shot range of digital cameras is also appealing, though pricey.

PDAs (personal digital assistants) such as the Palm Tungsten and the O2 are still in vogue. They cost from Rs 12,000 onwards and are very useful for those who do a lot of number-crunching. For that extra-special person, why not buy a smart phone, one that combines the strengths of a PDA and a mobile?

The Palm Treo is one such smart phone, a favourite amongst businessmen and sales personnel. Another, SonyEricsson P910i, makes for a costly yet stylish gift. This smart phone can be used to view and edit Word, PDF files and even spreadsheets.

If all these ideas failed to click and you are still starved for choice, then these latest mobiles will definitely bring a smile. This year's most stylish phone is definitely the Moto V3Razr. The clamshell form-factor has been designed to perfection in this cell-phone. The new Walkman phone by Sony Ericsson, the W800, is also a unique mobile suited for gifting purposes.

Nokia recently launched its L'Amour Collection, which will be available in the market early next year. The Nokia 7360, Nokia 7370 and Nokia 7380 are priced from Euro 300 onwards (approximately Rs 16,000).

preethij@thehindu.co.in

Infographics: K. Balaa