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

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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