Ten years ago, in 2003, one of the hottest holiday tech gifts was the newly PC-compatible touch wheel Apple iPod.
It cost $400.
We take it for granted, but these days there are so many amazing gadgets that can be had for so little.
So to remind you, today IÃ?m
counting down five slam dunk tech gifts that can be had for under $100, all pulled from CNETÃ?s Holiday Gift Guide.
Starting off at #5: headphones.
I love these as a gift idea.
As a cheapskate, I know how hard it is to spend more than $30 or $40
on headphones for yourself.
ThatÃ?s what makes it such a treat to get a nice pair from someone else.
For style, try the V-Moda
Remix Remote.
For sound, the Klipsch Image S4i II.
Or for comfort, try the Audio-Technica ATH-M30.
At #4: a Universal Remote.
Bring some order to the chaotic orgy or remotes in your living room.
The Logitech Harmony 650 has
been a favorite of ours for a few years now.
Easy to program, easy to use, and the color screen will inspire tech envy in anyone
who comes over.
At #3: Fitness Trackers.
Now, in full disclosure, I also put these on my infamous list of the Top 5 Worst Holiday Tech Gifts.
ItÃ?s a
thorny product category.
Great choice for someone whoÃ?s already athletic, a jogger, biker, competitive miniature golfer.
But if my
wife gave one of these to me, I would just take it as an expensive insult.
That said, there are some exceptionally cool products out
there, like the Fitbit Flex or Withings Pulse.
For the right person, these are a slam dunk.
For the more sedentary intellectual, try #2: E-book Readers.
ThereÃ?s a reason that tablet sales havenÃ?t killed the traditional e-ink ebook reader: theyÃ?re awesome.
The have outstanding battery
life, theyÃ?re practically indestructible, their screens have no glare, and they weigh almost nothing.
TheyÃ?ve also never been better
or less expensive.
The lowest tier Kindle is just $69.
For $10 more, you could go with a Nook Simple Touch.
And unlike the FitBit,
no one gets insulted when you assume they enjoy reading.
But if you want the real homerun gift for under $100, here you go.
At #1: a media streamer.
ThatÃ?s the boring way to say an Apple
TV or a Roku 3. Both will bring you right up to that $100 limit, but itÃ?s a lot of bang for your buck.
The Roku arguably has the best
set of features, but if your house is filled mostly with iPhones and iPads, the Apple is the clear way to go.
Either way, itÃ?s never
been easier to rent movies, stream Netflix, or call up some great music from the comfort of your couch.
And because letÃ?s be
honest, youÃ?re not going to Blockbuster anymore.
So there you go, five great tech gifts for under $100.
For more expert recommendations head over to holiday.cnet.com to see our
full Gift Guide, which includes gifts under $50.
IÃ?m Donald Bell, thanks for watching.
