Gifts for Moms, Dads, and Grads
Spring gift-giving season is upon us: Give from the heart, without breaking your wallet.James A. Martin
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Feature: Gifts for Moms, Dads, and Grads
News flash: The spring season is upon us.
But I'm not talking about the spring season of cherry tree blossoms, hay fever, and baseball. I'm talking about the spring gift-giving season, which officially begins with Mother's Day, builds with Graduation Day, and reaches a feverish crescendo with Father's Day.
So now that you've been warned, relax. This week, I've got gift recommendations for the mobile mom, dad, or grad in your life.
Long Live the Notebook
Sony's VAIO VGN-T150P/L notebook could be just the thing to spoil someone with. You, perhaps?
The notebook weighs only 3 pounds and has a bright, 10.6-inch wide-aspect screen. But best of all, its battery can last 7 hours on one charge, according to PC World tests. That's enough to watch nearly four Vin Diesel DVDs nonstop. But let's focus on the positive: On one battery charge, you could work all the way from New York to London and barely run out of juice.
Sony's VAIO has its downsides, as does any notebook. Oddly enough, the DVD button just launches the DVD player software while Windows is running. The built-in stereo speakers' sound is weak. There is no video-out port. And the price is a bit high: about $1825 and up, depending upon the retailer.
Then again, did I mention the 7 hours on one battery charge?
I haven't tested the VAIO VGN-T150P/L. (Heck, I couldn't even memorize its name if called upon.) But PC World reviewer Carla Thornton recently said the portable was "the new champ" for all-day, on-the-go multimedia computing.
Pictures on Your IPod
That Apple's IPod makes a terrific gift is not news. But recently, the company released a less-expensive version of its IPod Photo, making this cooler-than-cool music/photo player accessible at last.
The new 30GB IPod Photo lists for $349, compared to $499 for the 40GB model introduced last October (and since discontinued). The 60GB model now sells for $449, down from the previously cost-prohibitive $599. While neither model is exactly cheap, those prices are much easier to live with.
Along with listening to music, you can view digital images on the IPod Photo's 2-inch screen. The small screen is pretty crisp, and images look good on it either indoors or in bright sunlight. With the right connections, you can also project your pix onto a TV accompanied by the music of your choice from an IPod playlist.
Previously, to get digital images onto an IPod Photo, you had to copy the files from camera to computer, then from computer to IPod. But Apple is now offering the IPod Camera Connector ($29), which lets you transfer images from a digital camera directly to the IPod Photo. I haven't tried this accessory yet. You can get more info from the Apple Store.
Our Product Finder has the latest IPod Photo pricing.
A Multimedia Pocket PC
I recently edited a 3-minute video production on my notebook, transferred it to a Dell Axim X50v, then watched the video on the Windows Mobile 2003 handheld's 3.7-inch color VGA screen. Why? Because I could.
No one would want to watch The Lord of the Rings on a PDA screen, of course. But the Axim X50v--with a dedicated graphics processor and speedy main processor--is surprisingly effective at displaying short video clips. You can also download content from Microsoft's MSN Video Downloads to your PC and sync it on your Axim X50v for viewing. (Read more about the new service in this week's "Mobile Computing News, Reviews & Tips" section).
At $449, the Axim X50v is a luxury item. But with its video capabilities, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and CompactFlash and Secure Digital card slots, it's one of the most versatile PDAs around. For complete specs and manufacturer's pricing, go to Dell's site; for a review, read "New Tricks for Palm Tungsten, Dell Axim."
More Gift Ideas
The Sony PlayStation Portable. It's so hot, you gotta wear gloves to touch this thing. The $249 portable gaming device is this spring's must-have gadget. Read Andrew Brandt's "First Look" for a review; our Product Finder has the latest prices.
MP3/Cell Phone headset. With Plantronics' $40 MX100s headset, you can listen to tunes on a portable music player or talk on a cell phone. A long Y-style cord lets you stay connected to both devices simultaneously. Cathy Lu says the headset offers solid sound quality.
PalmOne Treo 650. PalmOne's hybrid PDA-phone-camera ($449, minus wireless service carrier discounts) is becoming ubiquitous--at least in San Francisco, where I live. In nearly every business meeting I've attended recently, someone is carrying a Treo. When asked about their gadget, their eyes brighten. PC World's "PDA Pundit" Yardena Arar is a fan, too. I'm not convinced a single phone/PDA device is the way to go. And the Treo 650's 23MB of user-available memory seems way too low to me. Still, as gifts go, you're likely to hit a bull's-eye with this one.
Mobile Computing News, Reviews, & Tips
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Notebook News: Two Debuts From Gateway
Gateway has two new notebooks in its lineup. The M680, marketed as a mobile workstation, features a 17-inch wide-screen display, Intel's new Alviso chip set, and support for DDR2 memory and PCI Express. Weighing a hefty 7.7 pounds, the notebook isn't designed for frequent traveling. The base model is $1399.
Meanwhile, the M360--billed as a business professional's portable--weighs 6 pounds, has a 15.4-inch wide-screen display, and the Alviso chip set. Prices start at $849.
Gadget News: Microsoft's Video Download Service
Need some videos for your new Portable Media Center? Microsoft's new MSN Video Downloads service has them. The service offers daily TV programming, entertainment clips, and other video content for downloading to your computer, then transferring to a Pocket PC for viewing. Content providers include The Food Network, Home & Garden Television, Fox Sports, and MTV Networks. The $20 a year service is currently available only in the U.S.
Notebook Review: Dell's Inspiron 6000
With its extra-high-resolution screen (1920 by 1200 pixels) and above-average speakers, Dell's new Inspiron 6000 is ideal for work or play, says PC World's Carla Thornton. The 15.4-inch wide-screen display lets you work with higher-resolution photos, more spreadsheet columns, and more tiled documents simultaneously than you could on some standard 17-inch screens. The optional nine-cell battery ($99) lasted an impressive 5 hours and 7 minutes on one charge. The 7.5-pound weight is a drag, however. And the keys were stiff, at least initially.
Prices begin at about $800 for a basic configuration; go to Dell's Web site for pricing details.
Wireless News: Answers on Your Smart Phone
Answers.com, the popular Internet reference guide from GuruNet, is now available for portable devices. Currently in beta, the free MobileAnswers service has been formatted for the small screens of browser-enabled cell phones, BlackBerrys, Palm OS PDAs, and Pocket PCs.
Wireless News: Ranking Cell Phone Service
Verizon Wireless had the lowest rate of customer complaints (1.4 per 1000 customers) in the fourth quarter of 2004, according to Federal Communications Commission records obtained by The Wall Street Journal. Nextel Communications was second, with 2.3 per 1000 complaints, followed by Sprint PCS (3.6 per 1000) and T-Mobile USA (4.3 per 1000). The cellular service provider with the most complaints? Cingular Wireless, with 4.6 complaints per 1000 customers. Verizon's top ranking is consistent with Consumer Reports' annual reader survey. Read "Avoid Cell Phone Woes" for tips about picking the best wireless carriers.
Suggestion Box
Is there a particularly cool mobile computing product or service I've missed? Got a spare story idea in your back pocket? Tell me about it. However, I regret that I'm unable to respond to tech-support questions, due to the volume of e-mail I receive.