Christmas 2008 Gift Guide - Computer Peripherals

Maybe you got a nice new computer already, but want to upgrade some other parts of your system. There are some great peripherals that will upgrade your computing. The mouse and keyboard that come standard with computers aren't that great, but you can pick up some killer mouse and keyboard combos.

I'm a fan of Logitech. Their products are expensive, but they last, even longer than your computer, so you can take them along for your next machine. My favorites are the Desktop Wave Pro and Desktop MX 5000 Laser.

Computers sometime come bundled with free printers. These are cheap, and the ink costs an arm and a leg. Upgrading your printer will make a big difference. I'm a fan of HP's PhotoSmart all-in-one devices. They are reliable, with cheap ink, and do it all. They come in many different price ranges, with different features to fit your needs.

The last products I'd like to talk about in this category are external hard drives. With music and movies going digital, hard drive space is filling up quicker than ever. Luckily, hard drives are getting bigger and cheaper. The two I would recommend are the Western Digital My Drives and Passports, and Seagate FreeAgent.

You can pick up 500 GB drives for ~$100 and 1 TB for $150-$170. These upgrades for your computer will make using it easier and better. I have used these same products to upgrade my computer, and it makes the computer almost new again.

GPS

Last year this was one of the hottest gadgets to buy, and this year they will be as popular. By far the most popular and well known name is Tom-Tom. They offer a lot of different basic units at a cheap price. It's a great starter GPS. If you want to go all out, Garmin's Nuvi are cream of the crop of GPSes.

All GPS units will give you directions to anywhere it knows of. It's best to the latest maps and the most Points of Interest (POI). The more places there are, the less you have to put your own in. If the maps are outdated, then you might be missing easy short cuts, or find yourself trying to go down closed roads.

The higher priced GPS units have other features, such as Bluetooth, MP3/Video player, games and MSN connect. MSN connect allows you to pull down gas prices where you are, weather, and much more.

I have the HP iPaq 310. It boasts new 2008 maps, 3D buildings, games, video and music, and isn't terribly expensive.

Conclusion

I hope that this guide helps you pick out the best gifts for your tech-savvy friends and family. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.