Hot Hardware
Like buying a flat-screen TV or a DVD player, purchasing computer hardware for the holidays can be a luxury that requires shelling out big bucks. But that’s not always true. As technology becomes more mainstream, prices come down. Still, a sugar daddy who can make hardware dreams a reality would be mighty nice this time of year.
Susan Glinert: I lust after the Apple Cinema HD Display (23-inch flat panel). My knees grow weak, my eyeballs bulge, and for the first time ever, I considered buying a Mac. If the darned thing worked on a PC, I would sell my car… This 24-inch Samsung SyncMaster LCD display would do in a pinch, though.
Sandee Cohen: I too would love a 23-inch Apple Cinema HD Display. But sadly, at $3,499 srp, even if you (or I) could afford it, I can’t use it. I don’t have enough space in the small area on my desk for the monitor. So I’ll just settle for Cornea System’s MP704 ultra-slim panel that costs less than $500 (see figure 3).
Figure 3: Black, slim, and stylish — Cornea’s MP704 looks good and costs less than Apple’s 23-inch version.
I’d also like the Macally Icekey Keyboard ($49). I really like its touch and the white keys are much easier to read than the black ones that came with my G4.
Sonja Schenk: As a freelance writer, I spend an inordinate amount of time in cafes and I couldn’t help but notice that wireless Internet access is turning up at almost all the cafés I frequent in both Los Angeles and San Francisco. That’s why even though it’s not exactly new technology, my number one wished-for gift is an Apple AirPort card for my laptop. It’s the missing link in my virtual office.
Sandee Cohen: For gifts that I’m giving, I can’t think of anything better than El Gato Software’s EyeTV digital video recorder ($199). Most people think of EyeTV as a Tivo-like recording device to record TV shows on your OS X machine. But what I like it for is the ability to record TV shows on my G4 PowerBook and then watch them back on the airplane as I travel cross-country.
Pamela Pfiffner: Prices for external hard drives, CD-R burners, and digital cameras have come down so much recently that it’s a shame not to share the wealth. External hard drives aren’t terribly sexy, but 120 GB for less than $300? What’s not to like? This 7200-RPM Maxtor unit has both FireWire and USB connectivity, making it ultra versatile. You also can’t go wrong with a FireWire CD-R drive, a copy of Toast, and a spindle of discs.
As for digital cameras, there are a gazillion to choose from these days. This might be a good time to re-read Ben Long’s story “How to Buy a Digital Camera” to brush up on the basics.
SeanWagstaff’s review of the Nikon CoolPix 2500 with the swiveling lens made me wish I had held off buying the one I have (see figure 4) — complete the picture with a camera case and extra battery. Now until December 31, too, you can get a free 32MB Flash card with purchase from Amazon. Click here for details.
Figure 4: The Nikon CoolPix 2500 is a good mid-range digital camera.
More upscale is the $2,000 Nikon D100 which has been getting good word of mouth. Add in the book “A Short Course in Nikon D100 Photography,” available in print or as an e-book. On the other end of the spectrum, earlier this year Ben Long reviewed the sub-$300 Canon PowerShot S200 Digital Elph and liked this pint-size camera very much. It’s just the thing to tuck into a pocket to slyly snap New Year’s Eve revelry (see figure 5). Like the Nikon, the offer of a free 32MB memory card applies to the S200, too.
Figure 5: The Canon PowerShot S200 Elph packs a lot of punch into a tiny camera.
David Morgenstern: While I would love to upgrade my digital camera or head into video, I admit that I miss the GretagMacbeth Eye-One Pro with Eye-One Match I evaluated last spring. This color calibration system really did the job and my scanner profile could use updating. As I mentioned in the column, the $3,000 cost is the sticking point. Still, I buy my Lotto tickets twice a week and hope for the best.
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This article was last modified on January 3, 2023
This article was first published on December 4, 2002
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