Thursday, December 20, 2007 Ng: Christmas wish list By Wilson Ng Wired Desktop
WITH the plethora of computers and gadgets that are released this year (yes, they are not only better but cheaper as well), here is my own list of great devices that you might also like as Christmas present.
1. Apple Itouch
Apple scored a great hit in the iPhone, and even Time magazine branded it as invention of the year. But it is still not sold here, so what do you do? Get the Apple Itouch!
It looks the same, except that it is not a phone (so you don’t have to subscribe to their preferred phone providers). Not only does it look cool, you can do pretty much the same things with it as you do with the iPOD, which is to watch video, listen to music and browse pictures. But there is one more thing —it has WiFi, so you can browse the Web if you are in a hotspot! And, of course, the plus is that you can watch YouTube videos!
2. Asus EeePC
We know we want a notebook that is small, light and cheap! But when we go to the store, we find that the smaller the notebook, the more expensive it is. Not anymore.
Asus introduces the EeePC, which is a great hit. And it is no wonder why.
First, it weighs less than two pounds (it has a seven-inch screen and a QWERTY keyboard). It is powered by Intel Celeron and has 512 MB of memory. It does not have a hard disk, but is equipped with a four gigabyte flash drive (it is big enough for most needs, especially email). Besides, a flash drive may be less prone to crashing and also allows for faster boot-up).
It has a network card and wireless Wifi, as well as a small videocam. It has most of the application you need as a small notebook computer. But the best thing is that it is priced between P17,000 and P19,000 only, a real bargain.
Asus sold 350,000 units in the last two months, and predicts that they will sell over five million next year. It is one of the more sought after gifts for Christmas.
Currently, the notebook has preloaded Xandros Linux (a windows mobile version is coming soon). The disadvantage is in the Linux, which causes difficulties in the addition of some peripheral devices (like my PLDT WeRoam).
3. LinkSys Wireless N Router
This is a little bit technical, but for those who want to be able to browse the Internet anywhere in the house or the office,a wireless router is always been a plus. The problem with 802.11b or 802.11g router is not so much as speed, but its limited range. Linksys has this new Wireless N router, and it promises more speed (nine-imes over Wireless G or over 35 times over Wireless B), but the most important thing is that it has three-times the range. So if you are in another room or another floor, you will most likely not hit a deadspot!
4. A digital Notepad
This is a personal preference, and it is not being sold here. I had to get it from the United States. I’ve always been a scribbler, and for a while, I used a notebook Tablet (where I can scroll my thoughts). However, a tablet PC is still expensive, and it is a hassle to wait for the few seconds the notebook needs to boot up before you can write anything.
The digital notepad is actually a very thin device and it looks like a notepad (paper). You use a pen to write on paper, and a digital replica is captured in the device. Later on, you can synchronize your notes in a computer so you have an extra copy.
The Genius G-Note 7100 is only available through special order, but would cost anywhere from P6,000 to P8,000. It has 32 megabytes of memory to store 100 pages of notes.
5. Portable DVD Player
With a seven-inch screen, this device allows you to watch movies on DVD anywhere (some models even have antennae so you can watch TV).
6. Digital Photoframe
This one allows you to store and display fotos. There are models where you can insert your memory card.
