High Tech Gift Ideas

For the next three weeks I am going to provide some ideas for gift giving. I will try to give some suggestions for items that are available from local stores or on line. Also, I will try to cover a variety of items and be sure to offer a few suggestions that are inexpensive. The good news is that prices continue to be very affordable for home electronics and there are some very cool products that have entered the market this year.

Let’s start with an item that will be appreciated by your grandparents or your favorite aunt or uncle who may live far away. How about giving them an electronic picture frame? These frames come in various sizes from as small as 3” x 5” to as large as 11” x 17”. Essentially they consist of an LCD screen and an internal electronics that can store hundreds of digital pictures. These pictures can be displayed in several ways. You can set the frame to change the display of a different picture each minute or each day. Many will play short videos as well. Most look like traditional frames and can blend in with most any decor.

Rather than just sending the frame, take the time to load some of your family pictures that you shot over the past year. That way when it is plugged in, it will already be a very special gift. After all, your grandparents really don’t want the picture frame; they want to see pictures of your family. Each day, for years to come the frame will continue to keep giving. Most use small SD cards to store the photos. During the year you can mail some inexpensive SD cards already filled with Johnny’s Tee Ball Game and they can enjoy keeping up to date on what’s happening.

These frames are available starting at about $30 for a small frame and can be found in discount stores, electronics stores and online.

Here is another gift for the older set, but I have to admit it is an item that most everyone will love. Consider giving a GIANT remote control. That’s right; there are several universal remotes that can control your TV, cable box, stereo, DVD and most any other device found in your family room. When I say GIANT, I do mean big. These remotes can measure 12” x 4” and have labeled buttons the size of postage stamps. You don’t need glasses to see if you are changing channels or changing CDs. Many light up when you use them and all can be programmed to operate most any model TV or other device.

I have seen these for sale in many big box electronics stores and discount retailers. They cost about $15. I suggest that you read the label on the box and see how hard it is to “program” the remote before you buy it. The best ones use an “autosensing” circuit that will find the right codes for your devices rather than you needing to look them up. If you are going to give one to an older person you may wish to send a teenager along to set it up the first time.

More ideas next week.