'Tis the Season to Give Great Gadgets - Holiday Gift Guide Vol. 3

The holiday season is quickly approaching, making it a time for one to carefully consider how to properly appease the tech fan on his list. In volume three of the Marketnews holiday gift guide, we talk about an out of this world gift for the Star Wars fan on the list, show another tablet option for those not interested in an iPad 2, as well as a handy new device that'll keep you connected while in the car.

SuperTooth Buddy

Every day, I chat on my smartphone while driving home from work. And I do it using the SuperTooth Buddy, an ultra-slim, visor-mounted Bluetooth speakerphone. While it doesn't boast niceties like caller ID or the ability to read text messages aloud, this simple, $60 unit does the job it's supposed to do, and does it well. It automatically pairs with my phone any time I come within range, can pair with two devices at a time, and offers battery life that easily allows me to avoid charging for up to two weeks at a time, or more; even without ever turning the unit off. Additional features include DSP echo cancellation, an anti-echo mic, and voice dialing.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

When you think "tablet," you automatically think "iPad." But there are a number of pretty impressive competing alternatives, especially those based on the Android operating system. One of the best Android models out there is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, which is comparably sized to the market-leading Apple device with a 10.1" screen, but is actually even slimmer than the new iPad 2, making it the thinnest model currently available. It's also extremely light weight (565 grams) making it easy to use for lengthy periods of time. It operates on Android 3.1 (otherwise known as "Honeycomb,") but combines this with Samsung's own TouchWiz user interface, which adds features like Social Hub where you can access all of your social networking profiles in one spot. There's even a neat motion-based feature that lets you hold the tablet at both ends with your thumbs on the screen, then tilt it back and forth to zoom in or out of a Web page. It also has one of my favourite input features: Swype, which allows you to swipe your finger across the keyboard, selecting letters to intelligently form words rather than the typical "tap, tap" method. With the 1 GHz dual-core processor combined with 4G speeds (on compatible networks and in compatible areas), it's blazingly fast when doing things like surfing and navigating through Websites or switching from one application to another; there's virtually no lag in load times. And it comes with a 3MP rear and 2 MP front-facing camera, with speakers on both the left and right sides. At $500 (for the WiFi-only version), it's an ideal option for the Android lover on your list. If you think 10.1" might be too big, there are also 8.9" and 5" models in the line.

Microsoft Kinect

While it was originally launched in late 2010, Microsoft's Kinect for the Xbox 360 gaming console has proven worthy of this list by keeping the momentum going all through 2011. In fact, the device became the fastest selling consumer electronics product after selling 8 million units in its first 60 days of availability! What makes the Kinect experience so compelling is the fact that gamers can play everything from sports to dancing games without any sort of controller; your body IS the controller. Moving your body and limbs generates the same movements from your on-screen avatar. To throw a punch, simply throw it. To play guitar, strum away on your air instrument. Since there's no physical controller, you can communicate with the system via voice control, which also comes in handy for things like quiz games. Microsoft Kinect, which consists of a bar with an RGB camera and depth sensor that senses the player's movements, sells for $150. If you want to add a game with the purchase, look at the just-released Dance Central 2; perfect for families, parties, and players of all ages.

Star Wars: The Complete Saga Blu-ray Disc Set

I'll admit: while it's not an item I would want for myself, it's an ideal gift this holiday season for any Star Wars lover on your list. For under $100, you get all six live-action films in high definition, plus over 30 hours of extensive special features, including never-before-seen deleted and alternate scenes, and exploration of the Star Wars archives, and more. It's a no-brainer gift that'll elicit plenty of smiles on Christmas morning, it will.

Pioneer STEEZ STZ-D10S-L "Solo" Portable Music System

Know someone who's into dance battles with friends? They might enjoy this portable music system from Pioneer that, when used with a free PC software application, incorporates features that allow dancers to do things like change music tempo, set choreographed cue points, battle with friends, and create smart playlists. With Tempo Control, dancers can play tracks at slower or faster speeds. Eight-Beat Skip allows for skipping forward and back by eight counts with a push of a button while Dance Cue lets users set cue points to make it easy to play back from a desired spot. Other features common to all systems include Auto DJ Mode, which automatically categorizes a music library to allow non-stop music mix playback based on a particular genre; Auto Battle Mode for automatically creating a battle sequence, complete with a countdown timer on the player's LCD screen and voice and tone prompts to signal when 10 seconds of music is left before switching to the next user; and Dance Boost, which emphasizes specific instruments in a track, such as the hi-hat and bass drum. Available in light blue, this entry-level model is designed for the beginner dancer. It comes with a 2.4" LED QVGA screen, 4 GB of internal memory, an iPod/iPhone dock, 40mm full-range drivers, and 5-watt power output. Powered by AC or six "AA" batteries, it is compatible with MP3, WMA, AAC, and LPM audio files. $299

Targus Lap Lounge

For many, the iPad has become a part of the daily evening ritual, sitting atop one's lap to Web surf or play games while watching TV, to curl up with a good e-book, or even as a video source. Naturally, holding one in your hand for a long period of time, or even resting it on your stomach or legs, can get uncomfortable. In comes the Lap Lounge, a soft, bean bag-filled cushion that rests on your legs, then props the iPad up to an ideal viewing level. As a plus, it has a zippered pocket that stores a handle, and can also double as an accessory pouch; maybe for an HDMI or memory card reader adapter, perhaps? At $50, it's a steal for an iPad-lover on your list.

Have a look at Volume 1 and Volume 2 of the Marketnews Holiday Gift Guide.