Mobile accessories, iPod add-ons, a superslick cell phone.
James A. Martin
PC World
Friday, December 16, 2005
12:10 AM
It's December, and you're squirming.
You're squirming because it's gift-giving time again, and you're not sure what gadget to give your spouse/significant other/best friend/favorite family member. Or, even more alarmingly, you're squirming because you don't know what gadget to ask for from them.
So stop squirming and keep reading. Here are a few of my favorite things from the past year, as well as gifts I'd be happy to unwrap. (Note to editor: Business-related gifts are tax-deductible.)
PowerHouse Technology's Migo software lets you carry your Microsoft Outlook contacts, e-mail, calendar items, application files, and other data on your keychain, with the Migo USB thumb drive.
Migo software works with other portable devices, too, including competing USB thumb drives and Apple iPods.
Not only do you have your backup with you, but you can also access your data on other PCs, without leaving a trace behind on the borrowed computer. The easy-to-use software alone is $30 for the personal version or $50 for the professional; Migo USB drives with the software preinstalled range from $40 for 256MB to $170 for 2GB.
For more info, visit the Migo site , and read my review of the Migo in " Peace-of-Mind Backup ."
Favorite:A Mini Cooper convertible, and I'm only half joking. A $150 iPod adapter is an optional accessory for this sporty subcompact. (I do mean subcompact; the trunk is approximately the size of a Hummer cup holder.) The adapter feeds your iPod playlists through the car's stereo system. The tunes sound great, though you're limited to accessing only five iPod playlists, and the stereo's display doesn't show song title or artist. Plenty of cars today have iPod adapters--but for my money, none are as fun to drive as a Mini Cooper convertible. New models start at $21,450.
Second Favorite:The SD IHome IH5 alarm clock. iPods have a built-in alarm clock feature, but they must be connected to speakers for this to work. The IHome IH5 alarm clock serves as an iPod stereo system and dock/recharger, includes FM/AM radio, and produces good sound for the price ( about $100 ). One quibble: When pressed, the clock's Alarm Set button chirps. The idea is to reassure you that the alarm has been activated, but if someone in the room is trying to sleep, it can be annoying.
With new wireless handsets coming out almost daily, the flip-phone Motorola Razr V3 is by no means the newest kid on the block. But I've yet to see a sleeker, sexier cell phone (3.4 ounces, 3.9 by 2.1 by 0.5 inches); if I hadn't just bought a phone a few months ago, this baby would be mine.
You can get the Razr V3 in silver from Cingular Wireless and T-Mobile. Cingular also offers a very sharp-looking black, and T-Mobile has a wild-looking magenta. (In my humble opinion, black is the coolest color.) With either carrier you'll get voice, e-mail, instant messaging, Web access, Bluetooth, a built-in digital camera, a speakerphone function, and video playback. But most of all, you'll get envious looks--and that's what truly matters in a cell phone, isn't it?
The Razr V3 is available from Cingular for $150 with a new two-year contract, but the carrier is currently offering a $50 rebate. T-Mobile sells the Razr V3 Magenta for $250 with a new one-year contract; the silver Razr V3 is currently discounted to $200.
Compared to Dell and Hewlett-Packard, Palm had some catching up to do in terms of offering a reasonably priced PDA with built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. And though I haven't tested the Palm T|X , Palm appears to have finally caught up.
The T|X is a stylish handheld with a beautiful screen and ample storage (128MB, about 100MB of which is usable) that also lets you listen to MP3 files. It lists for $299; our Product Finder has the latest prices.
Mobile Computing News, Reviews, #00026 Tips
Looking for a low-cost notebook? Dell's new Inspiron 1200 is a basic work machine that also burns CDs, at prices starting around $550. But there are better-looking, better-equipped $500 notebooks available, saysPC World's Carla Thornton.
With its good looks and strong feature set that includes a 60GB hard drive, built-in Wi-Fi, and a 15-inch XGA screen, the Acer Aspire AS3003LCi is a bargain. When we reviewed the notebook in October, it could be found for $499 (including rebate and store-specific offers); check our Product Finder for current prices.
Sprint Nextel's PCS Vision Smart Device PPC-6700 , the first mobile phone equipped with Windows Mobile 5.0, features a slide-out keyboard that's wider and more notebook-esque than RIM BlackBerry-style microkeyboards, saysPC WorldEditor in Chief Harry McCracken.
The smart phone/notebook alternative, which runs on Sprint's CDMA network, includes mobile editions of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; a 1.3-megapixel camera; a MiniSD (Secure Digital) card slot; Bluetooth; and support for Sprint's EvDO wireless broadband network. The device costs $480 with a two-year service contract.
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.