For the hardcore
Favorite games such as: Dead Space... Half-Life 2: Episode Two... Assassin’s Creed... Lord of the Rings Online... Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3... Mass Effect... Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway... GRID... Call of Duty 4... BioShock
For the gamer who sneers at the Mac-centric Pod family, the Giftinator 3000 recommends the Zen X-Fi, which syncs and streams wirelessly from Wi-Fi, then lets you brag about it via instant messenger. 16GB $199.99, 32GB $279.99
Snuggle up to the Internet with the Chumby, a cushy blob with a touch-screen that can display photos from your Flickr page, wake you up at 5 a.m. with your own MP3s or Pandora Internet radio, and flash new email at you from across the room. The Giftinator 3000’s highest recommendation. $179.95
If your loved one doesn’t like watching downloaded Netflix movies on a PC - or, in extreme cases, uses a Mac - rock his or her world with the Roku Netflix player that brings Netflix’ digital movies direct to any television for anyone with a 3-DVD-a-month account or higher. $99.99
Use the included mounts to strap it to anything - a helmet, a bicycle, your dog - and the hands-free ATC2K records every moment of the chase - even underwater - on an SD card (not included) at VGA resolution and 30 frames per second. $119.99
Pico-C Flash Drive/ SanDisk Mobile Ultra
Two 8GB USB flash drives so tiny you could swallow them if the RIAA showed up at your door: the Pico-C and the SanDisk Mobile Ultra (with an 8GB MicroSD card). Pico-C $19.99; SanDisk Mobile Ultra $59.99
The Squeezebox Boom streams your music wherever you want it via your wireless network. The sound is terrific and the seven-day alarm function is handy, but what’s really impressive are the supported music formats - MP3, WMA, FLAC, you name it. Rawk! $299
