The present-buying season is upon us once more, and with digital gadgets of all kinds more likely than ever to feature in the wish-lists being drawn up across the nation, you need to know what’s hot.
So here is ZDNet UK’s festive selection of eye-catching gear. Some of these products are affordable and relatively sensible; a few are expensive and luxurious; and some are frankly frivolous. Hopefully, something for everyone, then.
Sony AIBO ERS-7
Xtreme Bluetooth Plug ‘n Go car kit
Sony AIBO ERS-7
£1,399.99
Pros
The most convincing robot pet in town
Cons
Fourteen hundred quid can be exchanged for many real dogs
Verdict
AIBO is genuine fun and, scarily, it does appear to develop a personality over time
Thanks to its floppy ears and newly-rounded face, this is easily the most puppy-like of Sony’s so-called ‘entertainment robots’, and at last also includes everything you need to train and play with the mechanical mutt straight out of the box (in the past, Sony made you pay extra for almost everything).
This time however, you get the dog, a ball and bone for it to play with and a re-charging station for when the battery needs re-juicing. Out of the box, AIBO now understands a range of simple voice commands as well as recognising the symbols on 15 supplied cards; wave one of these in front of AIBO and it’ll lay down, hold out its paw, turn around, take a picture and so on.
The ERS-7 has also got built-in Wi-Fi, so with the appropriate wireless hub and broadband connection, you can control it from a POP3 email account, sending commands down the telephone line -- even getting AIBO to play back pre-recorded messages like ‘Sorry, it’s me and I’m going to be late’.
Despite the extraordinary joint engineering, AIBO still totters along like a new-born pup and it’s especially amusing to watch it back painstakingly onto the re-charging station. Still, as robots go, this is the dog’s gonads.
Sony (08705) 111999
Dana Wireless
£375
Pros
Light, long battery life, good keyboard, Wi-Fi support
Cons
Feels a bit flimsy, mono screen, limited Web browsing
Verdict
If money’s tight, this is a cut-price connected contender
Weighing just under a kilogram (910g), with a 560-by-160-pixel screen, a full-sized typing keyboard and the ability to run the many thousands of available Palm OS programs, the Dana has always looked like an attractive alternative to a fully-featured Windows notebook.
Now, with the addition of built-in Wi-Fi wireless networking support, it looks even more viable -- particularly since the implementation is pretty much transparent. Software now includes a browser and an email program as well as a trial version of VeriChat, a chat program that’s compatible with the major instant messaging services, including MSN and AOL; email works well and the browser’s fine for those pages optimised for Palm-style devices, but uncomfortable and slow on modern, media-rich Web pages.
Of course, there’s a little bit of back and forth when you want to exchange documents with a Windows PC (via USB, infrared or wireless), but set that against the long battery life, two SD card expansion slots, ‘instant on’, wireless printing and synchronising, and all those Palm applications, and you’ve got a inexpensive -- and now highly connectable -- notebook alternative.
AlphaSmart 0208-492 3690
Xtreme Bluetooth Plug ‘n Go car kit
£82
Pros
Simple to install, inexpensive
Cons
Callers say the sound is a bit boomy, lacks style
Verdict
A cheap, effective way to stay onside of the new mobile phone law
Since 1 December 2003, the only way you can use a mobile phone in a car while driving is to not hold it at all -- not even to answer a call or press a quick-dial button. Penalties are stiff, starting at a £30 fixed fine and rising to £1,000 on conviction in court (bus, coach and goods vehicles can get hit for £2,500).
It’s therefore important to consider alternatives, where at one end of the scale is a handset with a soap-on-a-rope mic and headset plus support for voice answering and dialling, and at the other, a proper, professionally installed wireless hands-free kit costing hundreds of pounds.
The Xtreme Bluetooth Plug ‘n Go car kit offers an inexpensive middle way: it plugs into the cigarette lighter and works with a wide range of popular Bluetooth phones from Nokia and Sony Ericsson. It supports voice dialling, one-touch call handling (you touch the unit, not the phone) and the built-in speaker’s nice and loud. Finally, because it just plugs into the cigarette lighter, you can buy one and move it between cars as required.
blueCom (0845) 125 9549
Sony DSC-U60
£249.99
Pros
Can be used one-handed in up to five feet of water
Cons
Upper limit of 2.0 megapixels
Verdict
Good set of features at the right price
By taking the excellent innards of the pocket-sized DSC-U20 and shoving them inside a fancy waterproof case, Sony has produced a digital camera that’s versatile enough to be used both above and below the waterline. Thus, having had your fill of beauty on the beach you can wade into the sea and use it one-handed in up to five feet of water (there’s a good solid wrist strap to prevent it from drifting horribly down to a watery death on the sea bed).
You can learn to use the camera’s basic features in about five seconds and the results -- especially in good light -- are rather lovely. It’s perfect for snorkelling or just mucking about in clear, shallow water.
The upper limit of 2.0 megapixels may put off more serious snappers, but the quality of the prints we got -- up to A5 size -- was smashing; and although the 15-second movie playback feature lacks sound, that’s no great loss.
Sony (08705) 111999
Cigarette Lighter
£19.99
Pros
Take a fag break whenever you feel like it
Cons
Smoking kills
Verdict
At last, a product that is -- quite literally -- hot
Rather than take up valuable drive bay space with a new DVD rewriter or multi-flash card reader, why not put some fire in your PC's belly with this, a car dashboard-style cigarette lighter?
It's available in black or white and, unlike most PC add-ons, doesn't need a manual, because you already know how to use it.
CoolCaseMods (01555) 880646
Julien MacDonald laptop bag
£470
Pros
Designer, designer, designer; profits go to charity
Cons
That fuchsia's hideous
Verdict
At least you're unlikely to pick up someone else's by mistake
Who? Givenchy fashion designer and friend to the stars, that's who. What? A limited edition, pocket-packed laptop bag available in white, black and fuchsia -- ideally suited to new, slim silver Sonys, Toshibas, JVCs and so on. Those with knackered old Dells and IBMs need not apply.
net-a-porter.com
Half Keyboard
$305
Pros
No bigger than your handheld
Cons
Takes practice
Verdict
Why should half a keyboard be twice as expensive?
Designed primarily for use with handhelds, this is literally the left-hand side of a QWERTY keyboard that, when you press the space bar, re-maps the keys to those on the right-hand side. Advocates claim you can adjust to this new style of typing very quickly, and point out that it makes it possible to use the keyboard with one hand and stylus with the other.
halfkeyboard.com
Jb 1 Digital Camera
£70
Pros
Fun-sized digital camera with distinctive protective case
Cons
Mobile phone-level picture quality
Verdict
Good for an unobtrusive giggle
An unremarkable specification (640 by 480 resolution, 30 seconds of video with sound) takes a back seat to the fabulous brushed-metal Zippo styling and diverse James Bond-iness -- password protected picture emails, 007 electronic greeting cards, and so on. And when you next meet Sydney from Alias in a bar, you’ll both probably have one.
Gadget Shop
SCOTTeVEST
from ~$160
Pros
Cable-ready and pocket-tastic
Cons
You'll find out when you leave it on a train
Verdict
Perfect for a connected world -- for owners and thieves alike
A range of jackets and caps, much-loved by the US Secret Service for their Personal Area Networks (basically seams that allow wires to be threaded through the garment) and fancy, hidden pockets (as many as 42) for all your mobile device needs.
scottevest.com
Freecom USB Card & Stick
£74.99 (128MB card); £69.99 (128MB Stick)
Pros
Looks good, works well, easy to use
Cons
Relatively expensive compared to other USB storage devices
Verdict
Fast, tiny, secure portable storage
Many ‘credit card-sized’ devices are actually nothing of the sort, either sporting an extra square centimetre -- or three -- or being thicker round the middle than any self-respecting MasterCard.
Good then, to report that the Freecom USB card almost lives up to its name, delivering 128MB of version 2.0 storage in a device only twice the thickness of a credit card. It comes with utilities for password protecting and compressing files, as well as an AutoRun feature that will automatically load any Windows programs you like whenever you insert the card. Most useful of all, though, is AutoMail, a program that allows you to set up multiple POP3 accounts so that you can send and receive email from any PC you plug the card into.
Windows 98 users will need to install the driver while those with XP -- or Mac users -- can just plug it in. It comes with a neat leather case and is available in sizes up to 1GB. Lovely box too. Alternatively, sporty types should consider the FM 10 Pro USB stick which comes as a water- and dust-proof stick.
Freecom (01423) 704700
Ministry Of Sound DAB radio
£130
Pros
Nicely styled, easy to use
Cons
Hard to think of any -- a touch pricey?
Verdict
Lovely, clear, simple digital radio that fits in your pocket
As anyone who’s routinely struggled to tune a conventional radio over the years will tell you, one of the joys of digital radio is how easy is it to find the stations you want and then keep listening to them -- even when you move about. Add CD-quality sound and marquee-style displays that provide extra information about what you’re listening to and what’s coming up, and you shouldn’t even consider buying a new analogue radio.
Some of the bigger DAB radios look a bit dull (pursuing that 50s retro-chic look doesn’t always work), but this portable job from Ministry Of Sound is just the job. Highly pocketable (but not like some, stupidly small), it’s got a lovely, large three-line backlit display and easy-to-use controls, arranged around a central four-way thumbstick. Reading the manual reveals what the various info, EQ and menu buttons do, but really, five minutes of experimentation will do the same. Which is exactly how it should be.
Gadget Shop
Sennheiser PX200 headphones
£39.95
Pros
Rich, responsive sound; comfortable
Cons
An unnecessary expense for talk radio, talking books and so on
Verdict
Smart and silent (for everyone else) foldable headphones
You can file it under daft, but true: headphones are still the first thing to go when manufacturers look to cut corners on audio products. So if you want your MP3 player or DAB radio to supply the kind of sound it’s truly capable of, then you may want to invest in something like this.
The PX200s fold semi-flat and then fit into their own ingenious glasses-style hard case so they don’t take up much space and can be carried securely. They’re closed ‘phones too, so you can crank up the volume and the person beside you won’t think they’ve sat next to a wasp’s nest and because they’re padded steel, the PX200s are durable and comfortable.
Sennheiser (0800) 652 5002
Fujifilm Q1 Digital
£100
Pros
Stylish, inexpensive, easy to use, takes good pictures
Cons
Plasticky, thumbstick is a bit ‘loose’
Verdict
Excellent-value point-and-click snapper
Bit of a treat this -- a £100 digital camera that not only looks good but also takes photographs that aren’t rubbish. Out of the box, it’ll snap about 80 shots at 640 by 480 resolution, or 10 shots at the highest resolution of 1600 by 1200. You’ll also get about 45 seconds of soundless 320 by 200 video.
The picture quality’s very good, whether you want 35mm-style snaps or something larger, and colours are sharp and bright. There’s no optical viewfinder, but the 1.5in. LCD works well even in strong light, and the controls are so straightforward that the manual’s mostly unnecessary. The main four-way thumbstick changes resolution, cycles between the three different flash modes or works the digital zoom. There’s also a macro button on the front of the camera for when you need to get really close.
You can increase the camera’s capacity by adding an xD memory card and edit your photos with the provided software -- Roxio’s PhotoSuite SE and Photovista’s Panorama, which makes an excellent job of stitching shots together into a panorama.
Fujifilm 0207-586 1477
6 in 1 Card Reader
£19.95
Pros
Versatile ‘plug-it-in-and-forget-about-it’ multimedia card reader
Cons
None to speak of
Verdict
A practical must-have device
Copying sounds and images from your various digital cameras, MP3 players and DV cameras onto your PC is usually straightforward -- assuming you can dig out the relevant cable from the collection hanging on the doorknob.
For a few quid however, you can avoid cable confusion with one of these, a Palm-sized reader that accepts six kinds of storage card: Memory Stick, CompactFlash, IBM Microdrives, MMC cards, SD cards and SmartMedia cards. Simply plug the reader into a spare USB socket and every time you slot in a new card, it appears on the Windows desktop like any other disk drive.
Firebox.com
Pocket DV 3300
£149.95
Pros
Inexpensive digital jack-of-all-trades
Cons
SD cards are still expensive
Verdict
Good starter camera suitable for shooting short videos
This is primarily a digital video camera that records onto SD cards at up to 20 frames per second (fps) at 320 by 200 pixels. It’s also a reasonable still camera (with flash) and an MP3 player. The video specification makes it eminently suitable for creating short movies, copying them across to something like XP’s Movie Maker, and editing the footage together to produce short, highly compressed home movies for broadcasting over the Web or sending to friends and colleagues attached to emails.
Physically, the Pocket DV is the size of one of the ultra-small Sony/JVC DV cameras, with a fold-out 1.5in. colour LCD for framing your shots and playing back footage you’ve captured. The built-in 16MB memory can record nearly two minutes of video at 10fps, and around 40 seconds at the faster frame rate. Since the storage can be increased by adding SD cards (up to 256MB) this isn’t an issue.
You’re not getting a proper MiniDV camera for this price, but you are getting an excellent starter camera that’s more than capable of shooting short videos in or out of doors. And given that you’re also getting a half-decent stills camera, an MP3 player (with headphones), plus a case strap, mini-tripod and four AA batteries, it’s a very good deal.
Firebox.com
Archos AV340 Video Recorder
£550
Pros
Portable, great screen, decent sound, stores 80 hours of video
Cons
Remote control’s a bit of a throwaway
Verdict
The ultimate portable multimedia gadget
Basically, this is a 40GB hard disk with all the multimedia bits-and-pieces necessary to let it play back MPEG4 video and MP3 music, as well as viewing JPG and BMP pictures. The 3.8in., 320-by-240-resolution LCD is a treat, the interface is pleasingly Windows-like and the controls are straightforward.
The hard disk can store around 600 hours of music or hundreds of thousands of photographs (no, please, no), but it’s the MPEG4 capability that makes the AV340 such fun. Plug the supplied DV recorder module into the expansion slot, hook up a video source, and you can record TV programs directly onto the AV340 -- up to 80 hours, according to Archos. And when MPEG4 settles down a bit as a standard, you’ll be able to download files from the Internet to enjoy on the move.
As well as being able to play back MP3 files you’ve recorded using your PC, the AV340 can also record directly from a sound source via its line in or SP/DIF digital input. Although most people consider this a bit of a fag, it’s a useful feature. And when you think that for another £200 you can add a digital video/stills camera that shoots MPEG 4 video, the AV340 starts to look like one of the most complete gadgets around.
Gadget Shop
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