Top gifts for grads
I'll admit it: I'm pretty envious of anybody who's graduating from high school or college these days. Sure, they may be entering the toughest economy in a generation, but they're doing so with an impressive array of gadgets and technology at their disposals. We might not be able to find these graduates gainful employment, but we can provide you with a good selection of escapist gadgets to buy them as gifts--including some that would've been considered science fiction when I was picking up my college diploma way back in the early 1990s.
Flip UltraHD ($200)
The venerable Flip Mino created a new category of minicamcorders that combine an affordable price tag with "good enough" video quality. The Flip UltraHD adds HD (720p) resolution and HDMI output, but retains the same flip-out USB port for easy transfer to PCs or upload to video-sharing sites like YouTube. Perfect for the social-networking generation.
Roku Digital Video Player ($100)
More and more home video products--from Blu-ray players to home theater systems to TVs to game consoles--include access to on-demand, online, video streaming from Netflix or Amazon. But at just $100, the Roku Digital Video Player is still the cheapest and easiest way to get either service on any TV--from an ancient tube set to a brand new HD flat screen. Access to thousands of movies and TV shows for as little as $9 a month is the perfect entertainment fix for a cash-strapped grad at his or her first entry-level job.
Nintendo Wii ($250)
We love the HD graphics and versatile media capabilities of the Xbox 360 and PS3. But if you're hanging out with friends, the Wii is still the number one choice to get up, animated, and off of the sofa. It includes the still-fun Wii Sports game--just be sure to invest in extra controllers (a Wii Remote plus a Nunchuk, and maybe a Wii Points card to download some of those great retro classics (Ocarina of Time, anyone?).
HP Mini 2140 Netbook (starts at $450)
We're assuming the grad in question already owns a full-size laptop. But even the smallest of those can still be heavy, bulky, and expensive compared with a Netbook. You wouldn't want the HP Mini 2140 to be a primary machine, but for surfing the Web in the library or airport lounge, or for finalizing a resume in the coffee shop, it's the perfect compromise between a smartphone and a full-scale PC.
RIM BlackBerry Curve 8900 (starts at $149 with contract)
The Millennial generation is all about the iPhone, but since that device is almost certain to get an upgrade this summer, we're steering clear of the current second-gen model. Instead, we're recommending the BlackBerry Curve 8900. It lacks 3G, but the keyboard is a slice of heaven--perfect for heavy texters and e-mailers. And, yes, there is a Facebook app, too.
Apple iPod Touch (16GB for $300)
Steer clear of the iPhone until the third-gen model is officially announced. Until then, though, the iPod Touch is a great alternative--90 percent of the iPhone's functionality (including playback of iTunes-compatible music and movies, and access to the App Store), but without the need to be tied down to a cell phone contract.
Logitech Squeezebox Boom ($250ish)
What if you had a boombox that could receive every radio station in the world? That's pretty much what you get with the Logitech Squeezebox Boom. In addition to thousands of Internet radio stations, this Wi-Fi radio can also stream a variety of premium (Sirius, Rhapsody) and free (Slacker, Pandora, Last.fm) online music services, as well as pull your personal digital-music collection from any PC or Mac on your home network.
Amazon Kindle 2 ($359)
TheKindle DX won't be available until the summer, but the smaller and more affordable Kindle 2 is still a good choice for avid readers who want to ditch the backpack full of heavy books. Tens of thousands of books, magazines, and newspapers can be beamed directly to the device via its built-in "WhisperNet" wireless modem--no Wi-Fi or PC needed. The E-ink screen isn't backlit, but it's still the closest thing to real paper that you'll find this side of papyrus.
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