Holiday Buyer’s Guide
The 2010 Holiday season is here and the gadget market is as saturated as ever. Walking into a Best Buy or Target will no doubt be a disaster unless you have a list in hand…and maybe a baseball bat for defense. To help you out, Geek Thug Radio and aboveGround Magazine are here to give you a Holiday Buyer’s Guide for the geek in your life.
For the console nerd:
Xbox 360S Limited Edition Halo: Reach Bundle ($399.99)
Gone are the woes of the dreaded Red Ring of Death, Microsoft released a new version of their current generation system this summer that takes care of heat and sound issues that the previous models were haunted with. With a sleek new redesign and larger hard drive, the 250GB gaming console has access to a giant library of games both in the traditional disc format and a giant Xbox Live Arcade library. Packed in with this bundle is a special edition, re-skinned gray Xbox 360S with a Halo: Reach theme, 2 Halo: Reach edition controllers, a headset, and built in Wi-Fi, as well as the Xbox’s top selling exclusive game, Halo: Reach.
Alternative:
PlayStation 3 Move Bundle ($399.99)
Picture the Wii, except with full-HD graphics and a Blu-Ray player, and you got yourself the PlayStation 3 Move Bundle. The console comes with a 320GB hard drive, a standard controller, the PlayStation Move motion controller and PlayStation Eye Camera, as well as the Sports Champions game.
For the gamer:
Call of Duty: Black Ops (PS3, Xbox 360) ($59.99)
Jump into one of the greatest selling video game franchises of all time with Call of Duty: Black Ops. The king of first-person shooters is back with one of the most intense, realistic war games of all time. Take your role as a member of Black Ops online and go up against hundreds of thousands of gamers across the world. And, hey, how can you say no to a game that has a Zombie mode?
Alternative:
GoldenEye 007 (Wii) ($49.99)
Call of Duty may be the current king of first person shooters, but the original GoldenEye on the Nintendo 64 was one of the originators and innovators of the genre. Well, James Bond is back and better than ever with a great campaign mode and the multiplayer mode that we all love and remember.
For the music lover:
iPod Touch ($229.99 for 8GB model)
Backed by the most robust music and portable gaming environment, the iPod Touch is the absolute closest you’ll get to an iPhone without having a monthly plan. Add in HD video recording and a front facing camera for FaceTime chat and you have yourself the most well-equipped multimedia player on the market.
Alternative:
iPod Nano ($149.99 for 8GB model)
The little brother of the iPod Touch, the Nano has been redesigned and is more portable than ever. If you’re an active person, the tiny 1.5 inch multi-touch display is the perfect music player to take with you no matter the situation.
For the tablet geek:
Apple iPad ($499.99 for 16GB, Wi-Fi-only model)
Get your hands on Apple’s revolutionary iOS in a form factor that is small enough to be portable, but large enough to do some real work on. Full access to the iTunes store and iPhone apps is included in the magical device that has been one of the hottest gadgets to come out this year.
Alternative:
Nook Color
Recently revealed by Barnes and Noble, the Nook Color takes everything you know about e-readers and makes it even better. Now in full color and powered by the Android operating system, the Nook Color gives you access to a giant library of e-books as well as the ability to browse the web or enjoy music, either through your own library or with popular apps like Pandora.
For the couch potato:
Apple TV ($99.99)
Love television but hate paying for an expensive plan and sporting a giant cable box? This tiny and inexpensive alternative gives you access to the entire iTunes library to stream your favorite and latest movies and television shows. If renting or buying from Apple’s store isn’t for you, Netflix is readily available for your viewing pleasure. The stylish 4-inch-by-4-inch Apple TV would look great in any house or apartment.
Alternative:
Sony 3D Blu-ray Player ($199.99)
Full HD video and audio, 3D capabilities, SD DVD up-converting and Wi-Fi, along with Netflix, YouTube and Pandora. What more could any gadget-lover with a 3D-enabled HDTV need? Don’t forget to grab some active shutter 3D glasses along the way.
For the movie buff:
Back to the Future: 25th Anniversary Trilogy Blu-Ray ($54.99)
Relive some of the best movies of our generation with the Back to the Future: 25th Anniversary Trilogy. Jump back into the Delorean with Doc Brown, hit 88 mph and experience Marty McFly’s adventures through time in full-blown HD.
Alternative:
The Pacific ($56.99)
Made by the same folks that brought you Band of Brothers, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg send you on another trip through World War II in this amazing mini-series revolving around the tale of a group of U.S. Marines. For fans of historical war stories, this is the perfect stocking stuffer.
For the kiddies:
Microsoft Kinect for Xbox 360 ($149.99)
Have you seen Minority Report? Well, Kinect is kinda like that. Attach this hi-tech camera to your Xbox 360 and you will have the power to browse through your console using just your hands and voice. That’s right, now physical controller needed. Kinect allows you to use your entire body to interact with games for an absolutely fun time playing party games, working out, or practicing the latest dance moves from the privacy of your own home. If the person on your gift list doesn’t own a 360 yet, bundles are available as well.
Alternative:
Nintendo Wii Super Mario Anniversary Edition ($199.99)
The Nintendo Wii revolution is still going strong and this package is likely to entertain both the young and old. Decked in all red, this bundle includes a matching red Wii Remote Plus and Red Nunchuk, as well as Wii Sports and the new Super Mario Bros. Wii game. Enjoy the first console to bring motion control to the masses along with all of your favorite classic and new Nintendo titles.
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