So, Nick Swan tagged me to do this blog and I really had to think about 5 of the gadgets and things that I have purchased over the year to recommend as Christmas presents. Here is a list of my 5 recommendations (not in any order).
1. New Sunglasses
* As seen on the SharePoint Pod Show! Yep, I needed a new pair of sunglasses and found these and just had to have them. They are Giorgio Armani model 597’s and are pretty cool looking shades. They pair well with anything from casual shorts and t-shirt to professional business attire. Note that for you golfers, these are NOT golfing sunglasses, so go ahead and keep your Maui Jim’s for the course.
2. Canon PowerShot 790IS
Being a road warrior, I needed a decent camera that I could take with me on my travels. After a lot of research, I settled on this camera and am more than thrilled with the results. I use it as an alternative to taking my Nikon D70s DSLR. So far, I’ve taken approximately 300 pictures with it and it really does a nice job. It has a big LCD display on the back and even does face recognition to adjust the white balance as you shoot. I also purchased a 4GB memory card with it and have yet to even come close to filling it up. Great camera, great price too!
3. iMac 24”
So as my boys are growing up, they see me with a computer with me A LOT, so they wanted one too. I got “them” (i.e. ME) a 24” iMac with the 3.06ghz processor, 4GB RAM, and 750GB hard drive. I dual boot it to Vista and it is just a great machine. I love the all in one form factor (you basically plug the power into the wall and turn it on!) as well as the stunning display. It is hands down the coolest desktop I’ve ever owned, if not one of the best.
4. Microsoft LifeCam 4000
This is actually the first web cam that I’ve ever owned. I’ve always hated the idea of having one, but it occurred to me as I looked at my travel schedule this year, I would miss reading stories to my boys quite a lot. This is something that we try to do every night, so having this with me while I’m on the road allows them to at least see me while I’m gone. I even try to squeeze a story in here and there. :-)
5. iPod Touch
Like the web cam, this was my first iPod! I got the 16GB model and with the latest software update, it is AWESOME. I love the app store (I’ve spent way too much money there already) as well as the wifi capabilities. Often times, when I’m somewhere with wifi, I usually pull out the iPod instead of the laptop to surf the internet as the Safari browser with multi-touch capabilities is wonderful. Battery power is great too. I have flown from Nashville to Seattle (about 5 hours), watched 2 movies and listened to music the whole way and didn’t need a charge.
Note that I also own Bose QC3' noise cancelling headphones for flying (Nick recommended this as well) that are must haves. They are designed for flying, but I use them almost everyday just sitting at my desk. This is my 3rd pair as I have literally worn out 2 sets before!