The Techland crew presses on with our favorite gadgets and holiday gift ideas of 2011. On Tuesday, Graeme likened this feature series to a procession of reindeer, but as the group’s token Jewish guy, I’m considering it a set of candles in the Hanukkah menorah, of which my list is the third. The presence of eight favorite gift ideas on this list is totally coincidental.
I digress. Onward!
Samsung Galaxy S II ($200)
After two years of iPhone ownership, and months of waiting for the right Android phone to come along (I’m on AT&T), Samsung’s Galaxy S II is the smartphone I chose. Its 4.3-inch screen is gorgeous, and it’s really thin and light–albeit a bit plasticky. But best of all, the Galaxy S II is smoother than any other Android phone I’ve used, gliding at high frame rates through home screens, menus and third-party apps. And yes, I do kind of feel like the smug Samsung users in those “Next Big Thing” commercials when I show the phone off to iPhone-owning friends. It’s available on AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile for $200 on contract.
(MORE: Android Ice Cream Sandwich Explained)
Kinect for Xbox 360 ($150)
Thanks to a big software update a year after launch, Microsoft’s Kinect for Xbox 360 is finally the voice-activated remote control it was always meant to be. Spoken commands work throughout the Xbox software, and a new search feature allows users to find movies and music without ever touching a game controller. Even if you have no interest in games like Kinect Sports or Dance Central, Kinect might be worth it just for a taste of the future, in which clunky remotes are no longer necessary.
Minecraft ($27)
Minecraft became a phenomenon in 2010, but this year, it became a finished product. The full game adds a bit of structure through achievements and a final boss, but the main goal hasn’t changed: Coming into the world with nothing, players may craft clothes, weapons and armor; find and cook food; build homes, castles, monuments and vehicles; or just explore a beautiful, randomly generated world. It’s a great game for kids, or a way for adults to feel like kids again. You can buy Minecraft for $27, or give it as a gift.
Dark Souls ($60)
Dark Souls is a great gift for someone you don’t want to see for a while. It’s a game that demands undivided attention from the player, due to its brutal but calculated difficulty. Let your guard down for a second as you traverse Dark Souls’ open fantasy world, and you’ll be dead, banished back to a remote check point with all your in-game currency stripped away. The intensity of Dark Souls serves a higher purpose, to draw the player further into the game’s gloomy environs, where almost everything seems to damned and forsaken. Heavy stuff, man.
(MORE: The 10 Games I Want to Play Most in 2012)
GarageBand for iPad ($5)
Apple doesn’t need to make its own iOS apps when it has the support of so many developers, but I’m glad the company occasionally shows everyone else how it’s done. GarageBand is a powerful music creation app for skilled musicians and amateurs alike, thanks to a combination of virtual instruments, preset sounds and support for external guitars, microphones and audio samples. For prospective iPad buyers, GarageBand adds curb appeal. For existing owners, it’s a steal at $5.
iCade ($100)
When I first saw ION’s iCade at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, I couldn’t believe it. The product, which turns the iPad into a mini retro arcade cabinet, began as an April Fool’s joke on ThinkGeek, and turned real due to popular demand. The iCade mainly relies on Atari’s Greatest Hits app, but other app developers have also added support for the cabinet’s joystick and buttons. Normally priced at $100, it’s on sale now for $90.
Ultrabooks ($900 and Up)
I prefer Windows PCs. So although I feel a pang of gadget lust for the slender design of Apple’s MacBook Air, buying one is out of the question. Fortunately, Intel and PC makers have realized that people like me are a market worth pursuing, and have worked together to create Ultrabooks–slim, light laptops with long battery life that run Windows. I tested out and liked Toshiba’s Portege Z835, and reviewers have also praised the Asus Zenbook and the Lenovo U300s. Ultrabooks start at around $900, depending on specs and screen size.
(MORE: 2012: Year of the Ultrabook)
MOG ($10 Per Month)
Subscription music hit the limelight in 2011 thanks to Spotify, which offers free music on-demand and a $10 per month service that includes access on smartphones. I prefer MOG instead because it uses a web app instead of desktop software, so you can access it on any computer without installing anything. It also includes a radio service that lets you pick an artist and mix in similar music, and any artists you flag as favorites get synced across all devices. Target sells subscriptions in gift card form, but at $10 per month, it’s only a great gift if you know someone will stick with it.
MightyText (Free)
As a free app, MightyText doesn’t qualify as a gift, but it’s so good that you might consider setting it up for a loved one over a holiday visit. MightyText is actually two apps, one for Google’s Chrome web browser, and the other for Android phones. Install them both, and you’ll be able to send and receive text messages through the browser, using your existing phone number. When you’re at the computer, it’s so much easier than reading messages on a tiny screen and typing responses on a cramped software keyboard. Set it up for relatives, and they might not even remember that you didn’t get them a real gift.