Hot Tech Gifts Make Familiar Things Easier

You usually cannot buy the latest-and-greatest gadgets as a cheap stocking stuff.

But if you want to get the electronics fan in your life something he'll remember and use, something with a geeky edge to it may fit the bill.

But this year, instead of getting something revolutionary that allows someone to do something never before imagined, the hottest tech gifts will probably be items that take something you're used to doing and make it easier or more mobile.

Netbooks

Many people have gotten used to the idea of a laptop computer that can travel with you, but one of the hottest trends in tech in 2009 was the netbook -- even tinier computers that cost just a few hundred dollars and often feature screens just 7 or 9 inches across.

They usually don't come with any kind of disc drive, but they do connect wirelessly to the network or cell networks. They can't handle the most powerful software, but for most typical Web surfers and e-mailers, they could be the perfect option for something portable that doesn't require a huge carrying case.

While some worry the market could be taken over by the rumored Apple tablet computer -- which may or may not come out in 2010 -- analysts expect that 22 million netbooks will be sold this year.

Asus was the first maker to gain attention with it's Eee PC, but now all the big names in computers have slimmed down to join the fight.

Smart Phones

Apple's iPhone has been on the market for years, and aggressive pricing made it a common sight. Now, people think nothing of having a friend nearby who can look up any information or map you need in seconds.

But 2009 saw some worthy competitors to the iPhone emerge, and mobile users -- especially those who don't want to be on AT&T's network -- may be dreaming of unwrapping one of the new generation of smart phones.

The two biggest names are the Palm Pre and the Motorola Droid. Each burst onto the scene attempting to match Steve Jobs' babies features, but fixing some of the holes users found in that product.

Palm -- which had fallen on hard times despite essentially inventing the PDA market with its Pilot -- energized the market with the Pre. Its new operating system attempts to merge all of its owners' data. It also boasted that it could run more than one application at a time.

Motorola's Droid covers much of the same ground and also offers a physical keyboard, something both competitors claim makes them superior to the all-glass front of the iPhone.

Reviewers generally heaped praise on both new smartphones, but developers have not yet created the massive library of applications for the new entrants, which could make them less functional than the market leader.

eBook Readers

Reading's nothing new for many people, and books have always made great gifts.

Now, rather than choosing one or two titles, it's easy to give someone access to thousands of titles in one small package. Amazon's Kindle -- refreshed this year -- and the Nook from Barnes and Noble have gotten hundreds of thousands of people to give up thumbing the pages in order to click a thumb button.

Others in the market, such as Sony, also offer ebook readers, but the Kindle and Nook have the advantages of being associated with two of the largest booksellers in the market.

The Nook, released late in the year, adds a small, color display to help people manage their libraries, and both connect in the background to cellular networks to allow downloading whenever the urge strikes. The Nook also offers the limited ability to share a book with owners, as well as reading on your computer or another device.