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Save The Economy - HardwareZone's Guide to Getting the Right Tech Gift!

By Aloysius Low - 24 May 2009

Gifts for the Cool Dad

Gifts for the Cool Dad

The Techie Dad Wondering what to get for the Dad that still chases the tech scene, but not as he once did? While he used to be know-it-all, these days he's so busy that he's slightly out of touch, but not out of mind. Drop him any new gadget and he'll be more than happy to use, learn and figure it all out. He probably likes nothing more than his spanking new home theater system and loves his GPS devices to bits. He may also like some of the older stuff a wee bit too much, but hey it's probably time you got him the ideal modern equivalent of it, right?

 

Sony Handycam HDR-XR520

 

Dad's always game to learn the tricks of the latest tech, and the Sony HD Handycam HDR-XR520 camcorder should please him no end. The newest Sony Handycam flagship, the HDR-XR520 boasts a 240GB HDD, enough to hold up to 101 hours of full HD recording, with 12.0MP photo recording and new Optical SteadyShot technology, which promises to correct camera shake even better with ten times wider camera shake correction angles.

Price: From S$2,899

 

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX3

 

Think your dad can do better with his digital camera than a basic point-and-shoot, but you can't afford a DSLR for him to lug around? Get him an upgrade in the form of the prosumer-class Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX3, which sports features such as a beautiful 24mm wide angle lens for landscape shots and a low aperture of f/2.0 for low-light photography.

Price: S$799

 

Samsung Series 7 B7000 LED TV

 

Dad is a busy man. Faced with a terrible work schedule hectic enough to fry his brains, Dad would need a TV to unwind to with all the wholesome goodness packed in. At just 29.9mm slim and primed for stunning visuals, the Samsung Series 7 B7000 LED TV is also racked up with salivating features like Samsung's Internet@TV, DLNA Wireless support and Content Library. Heck, even Dad can't say no to YouTube now.

Price: S$5,399

 

Blackberry Bold

 

The iPhone might be the epitome of cool and swankiness, but it doesn't have the Blackberry Bold's excellent battery life, support for push E-mail and tactile QWERTY keyboard - features that are essential to any working executive whose life revolves around constantly reading and replying E-mails. For these reasons, the iPhone will never replace a Blackberry as an executive's mobile phone of choice.

Price: S$1098

 

Bose Companion 5

 

Bose products might be terribly costly, but if you are a working Dad with lots of spare cash, you can't go wrong with them. The Bose Companion 5 was easily one of, if not the best, sounding speakers in our recent 2.1 multimedia speakers shootout and would have easily been our winner if not for its daunting price tag. Still, it was outstanding enough that we gave it our Editor's Choice award.

Price: S$750

 

Holux GPSmile 62

 

Dad is definitely in need of a dedicated GPS device to make sure he's always on track (and never admitting he's lost to his family on a road trip). Enter the Holux GPSmile 62, with its 32 parallel channels for fast location acquisition and a comfortable 5-inch touchscreen display. Dad will never be late for his meetings, sans the unavoidable traffic jams that can't be avoided during peak hours.

Price: S$399

 

Samsung S2 portable HDD

 

Working late? Why not bring your work home and finish it up from the comforts of home? Or bring your home to the workplace. Share with your co-workers those pictures and videos of your newborn child or that long holiday in Paris. The answer to all your storage needs in one slim, attractive package - the Samsung S2 external hard drive. With auto-backup software and encryption features, your data is safe and conveniently at hand when you need it.

Price: S$169 (250GB)

 

Garmin-Asus nuvifone

 

Dads who need a GPS-centric phone will do best to look no further than the nuvifone from a combined effort from Garmin and Asus that would be released real soon. With a smooth user interface, charting the directions from office back to home or our destination of choice after a hard day's work on the phone's screen is a breeze.

Price: To Be Announced

 

Nikon D5000

 

More often than not, fathers choose gadgets that alienate them from the rest of the family. Not so with the Nikon D5000 DSLR. A swiveling LCD that can be flipped 180 degrees downwards and 270 degrees on-axis combined with 720p HD movie recording to make Dad the star of the show during family moments. Of course, with a 12.3MP sensor, ISO 6400 and 11-point autofocus, he can still live out his gearhead fantasies when he wants to.

Price: S$1,299

 

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