Last-minute gifts
for gadget lovers
Stocking
stuffers
By Tim Talevich
LOOKING FOR LAST-MINUTE stocking
stuffers? Here’s a list of gift ideas from Costco’s
electronics buyers to help make the holidays
truly special.
V-MODA VJ ear buds with a case ($39.99
in the warehouses). Perfect for the audiophile
on your list, these comfortable ear buds provide excellent audio quality for an iPod or
music player—“at a great price for a portable
headphone system of this quality,” says
Jennifer Simmons, Costco buyer.
Belkin iPod accessory kit ($69.99 in the
warehouses). Another gift idea for the iPod
lover is this accessory kit from Belkin, which
enables iPod or iPhone music to be played
through a car stereo system. The kit includes
an FM transmitter for in-car play; a dual USB
power block for charging an iPod and another
USB device; a USB/iPod cable for charging
and syncing an iPod with a computer; and a
RockStar splitter, which enables five headphones to be connected to an iPod. “It’s a
$135 value for about half the price at Costco,”
says assistant buyer Chris Ecklund.
Digital picture frames (at costco.com
and in the warehouses in a range of prices).
The newest digital picture frames can display
video as well as still shots, feature easy-to-use
touch screens to execute commands and are
easy to load. “These
picture frames are an
exciting, convenient way to
display digital photos,” says Gina
Marez, Costco assistant buyer. “Think
about sending one to the grandparents to display photos of the grandkids.”
Tao digital picture frame keychain
($39.99 at costco.com). “This is another fun
option for displaying digital photos,” says
Derek Berndt, costco.com buyer. “You can
load your precious photos into the frame to
take with you wherever you go.”
Eye-Fi Share Wireless 4 GB SD Memory
Card ($99.99 at costco.com). This handy
device is a high-tech version of the SD card
used in cameras. It enables users to wirelessly
transfer photos from a camera to a computer
or other device in a flash. New at Costco this
year is the larger 4 GB capacity at a great price,
says Derek.
Seagate 250 GB Portable Hard Drive
($99.99 in the warehouses). Costco offers this
portable hard drive with a unique docking
station and carrying case. The hard drive can
be stored in its docking station—no cords to
fuss with. When it’s time to hit the road, all
vital information is in the hard drive.
Western Digital My DVR Expander
Costco features a variety of the latest
high-tech gadgets at great prices in the
warehouses and at costco.com for the
tech fan on your holiday list.
($119.99 at costco.com until December 14;
$139.99 after that). Digital video recorders
(DVRs)—which enable TV watchers to record
their favorite programs—are the best thing
since VCRs. But anybody who uses DVRs certainly has found that recording high-definition programs eats up tons of storage space.
The My DVR Expander can more than
double a DVR’s recording capability. The
expander is easy to set up: It just plugs into the
DVR. That means TV lovers can record more,
delete less—and not miss their favorite shows.
The My DVR Expander is compatible
with select Tivo, Scientific Atlanta and DISH
Network receivers. Make sure to choose the
right version (eSATA or USB) for your home
system. C
Buyer’s
pıck
Chris Day
Electronics
Buyer
A truly mini
notebook
OFTEN IN MY business travels or anywhere on the road, I wish I had my computer with me. Having access to the
Internet, e-mail, instant messaging and
work documents, along with applications
to write reports, crunch numbers and
FRANCE FREEMAN
track expenses, would be a much-welcomed
timesaver.
A cool new option for these chores is the
mobile Internet device (MID)—a mini note-
book that is powerful enough to do everyday
computing tasks yet small enough to fit in a
pocket. This new generation of ultra-small
notebooks is made possible by amazing
breakthroughs in processor architecture.
The HP Mini 1033cl Netbook, powered
by the Intel® Atom™ processor, features a
full keyboard to make chores easy and a
10.2-inch (diagonal) screen for high-quality
display. This MID is smaller than a traditional
laptop, so it’s easier to take on the go, but
bigger than the typical smart phone.
I was impressed to find that the HP
Netbook can handle common computing
tasks at such a small size. So now I really
can stay connected and productive wherever I am. And at $499.99 at Costco
(which includes a two-year warranty
and free tech support through Costco
Concierge Services), it’s a great value. C
