November 2009

Wrap These Up.

These gadgets are gifts that’ll continue giving throughout the coming year

WORDS ANNE LOH

For the man who would be Bond
Secret agent ambitions? The new world-first 3G Touch Watch Phone (AU$2,299, call 1300 542 273 for stockists) by LG is a must. Featuring a full touch screen interface, video calling, 7.2 Mbps 3G HSDPA compatibility, voice recognition and Text to Speech, it’s being released in December. Couple this with the ck Calvin Klein USB Memory Frame (AU$299, in black and dark havana), which are sunglasses with a USB port located in the right temple. How’s that for stealth?

For the gourmet
Foodies will appreciate Cuisinart’s Cordless Wine Bottle Opener (AU$99.95), the Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker (AU$99.95) and Auto Popcorn Maker (AU$129). The Bottle Opener can remove 80 corks on a full charge while the Ice Cream Maker can hold two litres of frozen dessert. The Auto Popcorn Maker can pop up to 10 cups of fresh popcorn in under five minutes. Available from kitchenware stores.

For the gamer
Challenge your brainpower with Professor Layton and Pandora’s Box (RP AU$69.95, selected games stores) on Nintendo DS and DSi which has 150 brainteasers, riddles and logic puzzles. And for PlayStation gamers on the move, the latest PSPgo (AU$449.95) is 43% lighter and allows connectivity via Bluetooth and WiFi.

For the net-surfer
For those who love an all-round multimedia experience, there’s the Samsung N120 mini-notebook (AU$899, call 1300 362 603 for stockists) with two speakers and a sub-woofer for high-quality sound; a 1.3-megapixel digital motion camera for video conferences; and the energy-efficient SuperBright LED technology for a 33% brighter screen. Slip on a Tropical Howie neoprene skin (AU$69.95, stockists on www.tropicalhowie.com) for instant style cred, then drive this baby into overdrive with your very own Porsche 911 Motormouse, a wireless mouse with the works, including the smallest 2.4G wireless receiver in the world and three different sensitivity settings. Available in black, silver and metallic red, with chrome alloy wheels and real rubber tyres (AU$69.95, www.exectoys.com.au).

For the shutterbug
Olympus has proved that it’s possible to have a small, lightweight camera with interchangeable lens with the E-450 (AU$999) with art filters for maximum play. The Shadow Adjustment control allows a balance between faces and background. For video recording, the latest entrant is Kodak with the Zx1 Pocket Video Recorder (AU$249) which looks just like a mobile phone. Perfect for action sequences and resistant to rain, snow, sand and dirt.

For the high-flyer
The Flight Experience is a replica Boeing 737 flight simulator which offers a hands-on feel of taking this big bird into the blue skies. With franchises in Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast, Perth, Singapore and New Zealand, you’re never far from the next lift-off. Gift vouchers available. From AU$175 for a 30-minute flight, call 1800 737 800.

For the road warrior
Phone, music and GPS functions come in a sleek package with the new Pioneer in-dash multimedia solution, allowing for hassle-free and hands-free navigation, communication and entertainment. The AVIC-F310BT (AU$1,199, stockists on www.pioneer.com.au) has a colour detachable touch screen display with 2D or 3D mapping and voice guidance, and even gives you reports on fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Explore your destination on foot with the Nokia 6710 Navigator (AU$629, call +61 (2) 9429 9000 for stockists) with maps of over 200 countries, local weather information, Lonely Planet city guides as well as entertainment listings.

For the socially-conscious
For a good cause, get a copy of Sound Relief, a four-DVD set of footage from the Sydney-Melbourne Black Saturday benefit concerts. Profits on sales, at Kmart and other stores for AU$35, go to the Red Cross. For good sound output, there’s the Linkman 5.1 Channel Sound Bar with iPod dock and DVD player from WOW Sight and Sound stores (AU$599) or the palm-sized Moshi BassBurger boombox (AU$49.95, call +61 (3) 9540 4111 for stockists).

FINGERTIPS
The introduction of SMS boarding pass technology across the Australian and New Zealand domestic networks prior to end-2009 will be another global first. To find out more, go to Jetstar.com.

LIVE AND LOUD

David McLean, regional director for entertainment at Microsoft, has just launched the new Xbox on the Australian market. We ask him what we can look forward to.

How are the new Xbox LIVE features going to blow our socks off?
The Xbox 360 is now the entertainment hub of the home. With a click of a button you can access high-quality movies, music, games, Twitter, Facebook and more.

How much was customer-driven?
Everything we do is customer driven. We follow people’s entertainment habits and develop products and services that evolve with their demands. People enjoy listening to music, connecting with friends and family, playing games, sharing photos, watching a movie. Imagine a place that brings it all together – that’s what Xbox is all about.

Facebook and Twitter are both available on Xbox, but how is it more convenient?
You don’t need a computer to stay connected. Photos on Facebook look great and are easy to show o? on your big TV screen; you can Tweet during a game; and stay connected to friends and family – all from your lounge room.

The Xbox is a perfect Christmas gift for…?
… the whole family. It’s a gift that keeps on giving long after Christmas day.

What are your favourite games on Xbox?
I love music, so definitely our karaoke game Lips. êre’s nothing like singing songs badly with my two young kids. I’m looking forward to HD movies this year, and my favourite game to play on my own is Halo 3:ODST.

What can we look forward to in 2010?
Soon you will be able to play games and interact with no controllers at all – think Minority Report! It’s coming to your Xbox 360.

The Xbox 360 Elite System is AU$449 with the Xbox Live Gold Subscription at AU$79.99.