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Holiday Buyer's Guide 2006, Part 4: Gifts for Non-Geeks
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1. Introduction

Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa and Festivus all have a few things in common: friends, family and free stuff. We decided to come up with a Holiday Buyer's Guide for Non-Geeks so that you don't have to worry about receiving another reindeer sweater from Aunt Betty or snorkel set from Uncle Ned. As an added bonus, we kept the price tags under $200, so there aren't any cheapskate excuses.

Seriously, though, we came up with a list of some of the finest products for the non-geeks in your life. You may be wondering, "what is a non-geek"? We consider it to be somebody who has an appreciation for technology, but might not necessarily be into the hustle and flow of in-depth technology like the rest of us. We came up with a bunch of products that have everyday value, but also serve a specific purpose to the gamers, video editors and music listeners on your holiday gift list.

Don't be the relative giving out thermal underwear this Holiday season! Read on, and buy something we guarantee your family and friends will love.

Creative Zen V Plus Music Player

Good things come in small packages, and the Creative Zen V Plus is no exception. With 2 GB of storage and dimensions of about 1.5" by 2.5", the Zen V gives you enough space to take roughly 500 songs on the go. The Zen V plays MP3, WMA, IMA ADPCM and WMA DRM files, and uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that provides up to fifteen hours of battery life.

The Zen V sports a beautifully colorful and bright 1.5" OLED screen that displays photos at an impressive 128x128 resolution. To access your songs, videos or JPEG photos, simply spin the 5-direction joystick to the menu of your choice. If you prefer to view the screen from a different angle, there is an option that allows you to switch the menu to display horizontally.

The Zen V steps away from its competition in the small-capacity MP3 player market with a built in FM tuner, short video clip playback, and best yet, a $109.99 price tag. If you're looking for a small music player with style and attitude, as well as a bundle of useful built-in accessories, check out the Creative Zen V Plus this holiday season. It is even available in a variety of colors!

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2. Logitech G-15 Gaming Keyboard

Logitech G-15 Gaming Keyboard

One of the best Christmas movie scenes is from A Christmas Story. A father gives his son, clad in a pink bunny suit, a Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle on Christmas morning. We hope you don't know anybody that owns a pink bunny suit, but we do think any gamer would jump around in joy after receiving the Logitech G-15 Gaming Keyboard. And best of all, and you won't have to worry about anyone (literally) shooting their eyes out.

The G-15 has 18 programmable "G-Keys" for macros, and a built-in folding LCD panel that provides system information and backlit keys. The LCD screen has four original program settings. The "LCD-Clock" provides the time and date as well as an alert to any new messages in your inbox. The "Media Display" shows the current song playing in iTunes, which you can skip, stop, or pause with nearby buttons. Another option allows the user to view CPU and RAM usage percentages, and finally, there is a countdown timer included as the fourth application.

The keyboard LCD comes with support for a host of games, which allows you to view game stats or set macros quickly and easily from a drop down menu of actions. If the LCD screen doesn't support a certain game or lacks other utilities, you can also find a few user-created apps on the internet.

The "G-Keys" are programmable macro keys position to the left of the standard keys. Although there are 18 keys, you can actually program each one three times, as there are three "M" buttons to program each of the 18 keys. To record keystrokes, simply click the Macro Record button (labeled "MR" on the keyboard) and begin recording. When you are done, click the MR button again and your macro is saved.

Logitech did a fantastic job designing a keyboard with gamers in mind; it also has two USB ports and cable guides underneath, so headphone and microphone cords won't get tangled. There's even a button to turn off the system keys so that you don't accidentally strike one and minimize your game. The Logitech G-15 also has a host of other options; we feel it is certainly one of the best gaming keyboards on the market, and will please any gamer.

3. Ultrasone ICans Headphones

The Ultrasone iCans Headphones

It's the time of year when we all do lots of traveling to visit family, and there's nothing worse than a holiday airline delay. We all know the scenario: you're sitting around in a lonely airport terminal snuggled up with your favorite media player, when the slow numbing pain from a set of uncomfortable headphones sets in. This year, make sure you're prepared, with one of the most comfortable sets of headphones we've ever tried on: the Ultrasone iCans.

The iCans use so-called "S-Logic" technology, which helps to prevent any hearing damage you might get from wearing headphones for extended periods of time. S-Logic works by reducing the sound output by the headphones, while maintaining the same loudness sensation that you expect from a high-quality headset. When you're done listening to the iCans, you don't have to worry about ruining them by stuffing them into your carry-on bag; they can easily be folded up and stored away in an included metal storage box.

Whether you have a college student flying in for Christmas, or a spouse who does a lot of business traveling, take our word for it: Ultrasone did an outstanding job designing a comfortable, safe and great-sounding set of headphones.

4. Western Digital MyBook Essential 250 GB

The 250 GB Western Digital MyBook Essential

It's the holiday season, and we know you're spending time with your family, taking loads of pictures and recording epic-length family videos. But where will you store them? Fortunately, Western Digital is giving you a place to put all of your holiday memories. The Western Digital 250 GB MyBook Essential external hard drive is a great gift for anyone who needs more hard drive space, but doesn't have enough working knowledge or time to install a new internal hard drive.

Shopping for an external hard drive can often be a daunting task - there are many companies out there, all offering similar products with different features. The big selling point for us with the MyBook was its ease of use - it was a cinch to set up. After opening the box you're just a USB plug away from another 250 GB of hard drive space; no messy software installation and configuration required.

Aside from its simplicity, the MyBook also runs cool, works silently, and looks sleek and contemporary in any work or play environment. The outer shell is black, with a large neon green lined power button that you can't miss - and even if you did, the drive turns on and off with your computer.

The MyBook is also quick. Our speed tests clocked the drive at high USB 2.0 performance numbers, which means you won't be sitting around all day waiting for your file transfers between hard drives. The Western Digital MyBook is the perfect gift for anyone this season, whether it's the video editor in your family, the MP3-obsessed college student, or the hardcore gamer who's run out of hard drive space.

5. Razer Diamondback Limited Edition Plasma

The Razer Diamondback Limited Edition Plasma Gaming Mouse

The Razer Diamondback is small enough to be a stocking stuffer, but worthy enough to be a wrapped present. Chosen as the "Official Mouse" for the CPL 2005 World Tour, the Diamondback is the gift that will make any trigger-happy, finger-twitching gamer jump for joy.

We were very pleased with the Diamondback's movement response. The mouse glides quickly and accurately with the slightest touch. Aside from its accuracy, our favorite part about the Diamondback is its shape. It's longer and flatter than most mice, so your hand rests comfortably on top, with fingers nearly flat on the two top buttons. Within reach are four more programmable buttons, two next to the thumb and two near the pinky.

Although it is often praised for being a seven-button gaming mouse, the Diamondback also has a frame rate of over 6400 frames per second, 1600 DPI resolution, and zero acoustic Teflon feet. This makes it the perfect mouse for any photo editor or digital artist with a need for serious precision.

The Plasma edition Diamondback is also attractive. With jet-black buttons, and a soft blue glow coming from under a black smoke-colored shell, it's as pleasant to the eyes as it is to the hand.

The Diamondback is practical: it can be used for gaming, serious digital art work, or for everyday use, simply for its comfort and amazing response. Sure, you could always go with any run-of-the-mill mouse and never know what you're missing. But hey, it's the season of giving, so don't let others down - the Razer Diamondback is sure to please.

6. Microsoft Xbox 360 Controller

Microsoft just made last minute holiday shopping for gaming enthusiasts a whole lot easier. The Xbox 360 controller can be used with both the Xbox 360 itself, and in any USB port on a Windows PC. Thanks to Microsoft's "Games for Windows" platform, the controller works with most PC games that support controller use - just head over to the Microsoft Gaming website and download the USB drivers, and you're good to go.

We admit that it would be a bit cruel to give the controller as a present and then forget to hand over the Xbox 360 as well, but it is certainly a controller no gamer should miss. It's rugged enough to be dropped and tumbled, yet soft and comfortable on the hands. It isn't clunky like a lot of other controllers on the market, and it responded perfectly to our slices on the back nine of Pebble Beach in Tiger Woods '06.

Whether you're wrapping Oblivion or the newest Tony Hawk on Xbox or PC this Christmas, make sure to include the Xbox 360 controller too. If you're lucky, the gamer in your life plays both PC and Xbox games, and you'll be fighting a two-front war. Feeling really loving? Consider the wireless version as well!

7. Etymotic Research Inc. ER6 Isolator Earphones

The Etymotic Research Inc. ER6 Isolator Earphones

After our relaxing holidays are over and all of the fruitcake has been eaten, our loved ones will be forced back into the cold, hard, working world of subways, taxis, school buses and airplanes. For the lucky few who receive the Etymotic Research ER6, however, the transition won't be so hard.

These earphones fit and seal into the ear canal for optimal sound and bass response, as well as high noise isolation. That means highly accurate music and good bass, without the honking of taxis or the chatter of that guy next to you on the plane. If you're jogging to get rid of the extra holiday weight you packed on, the attached shirt clip keeps the ER6s in place without them getting tugged out of your ears.

We were impressed by the accuracy of the sound, which was so incredible that we swore we heard parts of songs we'd never noticed before. Stick the ER6s in your ears, turn on your favorite song, and prepare for the same tingly adrenaline rush you feel at a live concert.

The ER6s weigh less than 1 oz and are extremely small, but pack a large punch with a maximum 120 dB output. They come packaged with a pair of 2-flange ear tips, as well as a foam pair. Replacement filters and a protective pouch are also included.

If you are uncomfortable with earphones that fit inside your ear canal, it is also possible to order the ER6s with a custom ear mold for maximum comfort. You can also get a host of other accessories, including an airline adapter jack and ear tips in various colors and sizes.

8. CoolIT Systems USB Beverage Chiller

The CoolIT Systems USB Beverage Chiller

Here's the scenario. You went into the kitchen to grab a tall glass of iced tea and returned to your computer to finish up some work or participate in a long fragfest. Then, an hour later, you realize the iced tea is all watery because you forgot about it and the ice cubes melted.

Thankfully, this year we have a solution. CoolIT Systems, better known for their computer cooling products, recently released the USB Beverage Cooler, which is a cooling pad for any computer-side beverage. Simply plug it in, and within seconds, the plate goes from room temperature to 45°F (7°C), enough to keep any frosty beverage nice and brisk.

The Beverage Chiller is ideal for that person in your home or office who seems to have everything, but could go for something fun and useful. If you know a late night gamer looking to keep his bottle of Bawls cool, or someone who likes to sit outside on the porch during the spring and summer months with her laptop and a glass of lemonade, be sure to check out the CoolIT USB Beverage Chiller.

9. Razer Tarantula Gaming Keyboard

The Razer Tarantula Gaming Keyboard

The Razer Tarantula Gaming Keyboard has a lot to offer gamers, so it comes as no surprise that it was selected as the official keyboard of the Cyberathlete Professional League for professional gamers. One very cool and groundbreaking part of the Tarantula is its "BattleDock" slot on the top of the keyboard face. With the dock, gamers can purchase a "Battle Light" that acts as a lamp above the keyboard keys, or the "BattleEye", which acts as a built-in webcam, so fellow fraggers can watch your reactions headshot after headshot.

The Tarantula also has two built-in USB slots, as well as built-in earphone and microphone ports. We really like these ports, since it can often be a pain to plug short cables into the back of a computer case. If you rely heavily on macros, the Tarantula also has 10 gaming hotkeys, 100 customizable profiles (five onboard profiles), and an "anti-ghosting" feature that allows you to click more than one key at once.

The board itself has a somewhat reflective and shiny black surface, with blue, soft-glowing macro keys on both sides. On the hand rest, the Razer logo appears to breathe in and out with a blue glowing brightness. On the far right, you'll be able to find various volume and media player controls, conveniently out of place so that they won't accidentally be hit while gaming.

If you're looking for a fantastic keyboard with a lot of options and upgradeability, don't miss the Razer Tarantula Gaming Keyboard this holiday season.

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