Top Ten Tech Gifts Between $100-$500

If you’re looking to spend between $100 and $500 there are tons of gifts out there to choose from. It can be overwhelming, but Plugged In is here to help. Here’s my list of top ten tech gifts under $500.

1. The Nintendo DS makes the top of the list. With its dual-screen design its great for on-the-go play and it’s under $150. At that price you can afford some games to go with it.

2. And obviously you can’t go wrong with an iPod, but instead of getting the nano opt for the video iPod. For $250 you’ll get 30 gigabytes of space for video, songs or pictures. Or you could give the new Microsoft Zune a try. It’s also $250 and mirrors the iPod, but it’s from Microsoft. Plus, this guy includes an FM tuner and Wi-Fi.

3. The Slingbox will change the way you view television. This device hooks up directly to your cable, TiVo or DVR and costs between $180 and $250. It will steam video over the internet to wherever you are in the world, but you have to have a laptop, PDA or select cell phones.

4. If you don’t have satellite radio yet it’s time to invest. Both XM and Sirius cost $12.95 per month and both offer over 65 music channels, talk radio, and sports channels. XM’s devices will run you between $60 and $250. Sirius will cost you between $60 and $350.

5. If you don’t want to pay a subscription fee, opt for an HD Radioreceiver. It’s the next generation of radio. Local stations are now streaming two or three new sub-stations, broadening your choices. The sound quality is better and it’s absolutely free!

6. Instead of selecting just 1 picture to display on your desk or mantle, view a slideshow with an LCD digital photo frame for $180. All you have to do is insert a memory card. This makes a perfect gift for grandparents who don’t know a thing about computers.

7. Digital cameras obviously make an excellent gift too. You can get six or seven mega pixel cameras for well under $500 so you can still opt for an extra memory card.

8. Or try the Samsung MiniDV Digital Camcorder for $250. It acts as a digital camcorder and digital camera all in one.

9. How about a Flat screen LCD TV for just under $500? It’s perfect for your bedroom, kid’s room or kitchen.

10. And finally for $400 pick up a GPS device like the Garmin Street Pilot. It uses a touch screen. Just type in where you are and where you want to go. This navigational system even lets you locate food, lodging and fuel.

Like.com

We all would love to dress like a celebrity, but who can afford to pay those designer prices? I wish I could walk around in designer clothes and jewels all day, but let’s get real.

Like.com is a new site that lets you dress like a celebrity without having to spend like one. It shows what your favorite celebrities are wearing and how you can get the same look for less. You can search by handbags, jewelry, shoes, or watches, or search by pictures of celebrities.

What I like about the site is the option to change the color, shape or pattern of the item you’re looking for, and I love the fact that you can set a price range.
Once you’ve found the item to your liking, just click to buy.

The one downside to Like.com; you can’t find out the actual brand or price of the celebrity items, just the look-alikes.

The site does say that clothes will soon be added!!!!

Online Shopping Sites

Why fight the long lines and crazy crowds this holiday shopping season? Instead stay home and find the perfect gift for the people on your list online. Here is Plugged In’s list of preferred shopping sites.

PriceRunner.com finds the best prices in the world of technology and more. You can compare where to buy to find the best price on an item. Make sure to check out their Top Categories section for what’s hot in the tech world.

Mpire.com is a mega search site collecting millions of listings from Yahoo shopping, ebay, Amazon, Overstock and a list of others.

Bid4assets.com is great for big ticket items. They specialize in jewelry, real estate and cars.

Ubid.com has cameras, computers, cell phones, speakers and more. You can search by brand, plus they offer a menu for your other favorite goods.

Propertyroom.com auctions off items previously seized by police, so they’re trying to get rid of this stuff. Honestly, you can find some pretty good stuff on this site.

Bidville.com is the site for you if you know someone who loves antiques and vintage pieces.

And check out the Auction tab on Overstock.com. This site will feed your need for all things designer and won’t drain your wallet.

Uncommongoods.com is a site where you will find anything but ordinary. This site is definitely worth exploring. You’ll be sure to find a gift for that someone who is impossible to buy for.

Swiitspot.com

If you’re a Wii fanatic you must check out Swiitspot.com. It’s a website aimed at bringing the best of the web to the Wii owners in a Wii-optimized format. Swiitspot.com lets you search links according to topic. You can even rate them on their “Swiitness” without having to use the Wi’s onscreen keyboard. Now that’s pretty cool!

Get this: The company is locally based in Greensburg, PA.
And under their technology page you’ll find a link to Plugged In. Even though I only got one star, I’m still thrilled to be included.

Plugged In’s Top Ten Gifts Under $100

It is that time of year for holiday shopping and Plugged In is going to be your guide over the next several weeks to finding the perfect gadget at the perfect price for someone on your list.
Here are the top ten gifts for under $100:

1. Samsung’s flash drive/MP3 player will play your tunes and has a built-in FM tuner and integrated voice recorder. Talk about pocket size, it’s just 1 inch thin and weighs only 1 once. This baby will run you about $80.

2. In the market for an iPod, but don’t want to spend a lot. Get the iPod Shuffle for $80. It’s been redesigned and can hold 240 songs.

3. iHome clock radio is a great way to start off your day. It’s compatible with most iPods for $99.

4. How about a Digital camera? $99 will get you the Hewlett Packard Photosmart 6.0 mega pixels. If you just want to point-and-shoot this $99 camera is for you.

5. Web cams are a great gift! For under $50 you can get one for you and a friend. Or if you’re a parent and have a kid in collge this is also a great way to stay connected. You can see and hear while chatting online.

6. The Logitech free pulse headphones come bluetooth compatible. Plug them into any mp3 player or iPod with a standard headphone jack. As long as your cell phone is bluetooth compatible, it’s a perfect gift just under $100.

7. If you’re in the market for a DVD player you can get one pretty cheap, well under $100.

8. This next gadget is swimming off the shelves. The iFish gets wiggly when you play your favorite music. Just plug it right into your MP3 player and watch iFish light up and wiggle along to your tunes. Pick one up for under $40.

9. This would make a great gift for my old roommate. She is a “Friends” fanatic. She’s got all the TV Seasons on DVD. If you know someone like that, why not pick up the Scene It Friends DVD trivia game?

10. Finally, don’t forget the hundreds and hundreds of video games available. And you can never go wrong adding to someone’s DVD collection.

Let me apologize for not having any pictues. I am having problems uploading images to my blog. But check out my Plugged In story and stay tuned for more top ten lists leading up to Christmas.

Microsoft’s Zune Vs. Apple’s iPod

The highly anticipated Microsoft’s Zune hits stores today, Tuesday Nov 14. But with so much hype surrounding its debut the question is, will it really be a true competitor to the iPod/iTunes phenomenon?

Both the iPod and the Zune offer you 30 Gigabits of storage. You can upload songs, pictures and hours of video. They are both about the same, but the Zune offers a 3 inch screen which is a half-inch bigger than the iPod. In color, both are offered in the classic black or white. The Zune is also offered in brown. And both will cost you $250.

The Zune will work seamlessly only with Zune Marketplace, their version of iTunes. Instead of paying 99 cents a song like iTunes, Microsoft offers you points to buy tracks. An individual song costs you 79 Microsoft Points in the Marketplace which in the end equals out to be 99 cents. Zune also offer you the option of a $15 monthly subscription so you can listen to available tracks on up to three different computers or two different Zunes.

Another big difference: The Zune has a built in WiFi that lets you send or receive songs or pictures from other Zunes within a 30 foot range. However, the person you send a song to can only listen to it 3 times over 3 days, due to copyright restrictions. With pictures though, there are no restrictions.

One other great feature Zune includes is an FM tuner. If you’re tired of your playlist, switch to the radio. Not an option available with iPod. Bottom line, the Zune does seem promising and I love the fact that it has the WiFi and FM tuner built in. The question is will iPod users make the effort to switch?