Hasta La Gadget!

Short Version

The DC44 from Dyson is truly an Animal. It’s as good as it gets in the land of vacuum cleaners, with a wireless base, multiple lightweight attachments, and a sleek design. Sure, it’s on the expensive end of the spectrum, but when storing and using your vacuum cleaner is this easy, you realize it’s well worth it.

Plus, it does a damn good job of keeping the house clean.

Long Version

Features:

• Dual-power mode
• Cordless
• 5 lbs
• Motorized cleaner head
• .09 gallon bin capacity
• Includes combination tools, crevice tools in the box

Info:

• MSRP: $399
• Available: Now
• Product Page

The DC44 is…

… the best vacuum I’ve ever used. Setting aside the fact that it’s cordless, light, and sleek, the DC44 actually works better than any other vacuum I’ve come into contact with. My apartment is noticeably cleaner after using it, and the act of vacuuming is noticeably easier when it’s with the Animal. I never once have to go over the same surface twice, and getting the white shag rug or the white upholstered headboard clean with the extra tools is quick and painless.

On top of that, the Animal is cordless, which means no more tripping over or wrangling wires, and it Dyson’s patented mobility technology, relying on a centralized sphere to help maneuver into tough corners and crevices.

It’s incredibly light, and does its job so quickly that it’s tough to get tired before you’re finished. This, of course, depends on the size of your home, but in either case it’s likely an upgrade from almost any other product in the weight department.

One slight downside may be battery power. According to Dyson, the Animal only provides 20 minutes of continuous use in regular mode. I found that to be very modest. I used an initially fully-charged Animal on three separate occasions, all for longer than ten minutes each, and only had to charge it after that third time.

The Animal comes with dual power modes, meaning you can use it for 20 minutes regularly or for “8 minutes on Boost mode.” Boost mode is intended to pull up the really tough stuff, which it does well, but it does drain power much faster. I got about 13 minutes out of Boost mode.

(Editors’ Note: I mixed up products in the video above, and accidentally said the Animal has a six-hour battery life. My mistake. My apologies.)

Buy the DC44 for…

… both the clean freak and the slob. A vacuum isn’t the sexiest gift, but this is just about the sexiest vacuum in the world, and the only I’d deem acceptable as a Christmas gift. However, if you so choose to give the gift of cordless clean, don’t bother worrying about that recipient’s disposition toward a clean home.

My girlfriend requires a spic and span living environment, whereas I’m far more laid back in that department. Of course, she enjoys a quick lap around the apartment with the Animal, cordless and free. But I was surprised to find that I didn’t mind vacuuming at all with the DC44. It’s even quiet enough to leave on the news or the music.

Because…

… some of the best gifts are the things we need, not the toys we want: a coffee maker, a new washing machine, luggage, or a vacuum cleaner. If you’ve seen a loved one struggle with their out-dated vacuum cleaner, the Dyson DC44 is a truly thoughtful gift.

It will pay off in the long-run, when daily cleanings prove to be much more efficient. But it’s also shiny and new, and a fun thing to open up on Christmas morning.

Short Version

ThinkGeek’s iCade 8-Bitty wireless gaming controller is pretty adorable, though limited. It has a retro feel, eliciting nostalgia for Super Nintendo, and hooks up easily with both iOS and Android devices.

The games, however, are limited to various emulators like Atari’s Greatest Hits and Pac Man. These are great games and appeal to just about anyone, but the retro controller supports exactly what you’d expect: old games, not new ones.

Long Version

Features:

• 8 button control including 4 face buttons, select, start, two shoulder buttons, and D-pad
• Wireless Bluetooth connection
• Automatic power-save mode
• Retro design
• Compatible with iCade games on iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, and Android

Info:

• MSRP: $29.99
• Available: Now
• Product Page

The iCade 8-bitty is…

… a wireless retro gaming controller built for old-school games on new school devices. By pairing the controller via Bluetooth with the iPad, iPhone or an Android device, user can play games like Pac Man from the comfort of an NES style controller.

Truth be told, there aren’t a whole lot of compatible games for the 8-bitty. Developers can freely add support for the iCade, and some like Temple Run have and Pac Man. However, the biggest collection of compatible games is Atari’s Greatest Hits, which in itself packs over 100 classic Atari games, but is only available on iPad. All in all, there are about 38 compatible app titles.

If the game is not compatible, it doesn’t play well at all. Still, for the price I think this is a cute, nostalgic gift for a whole range of people.

Buy the 8-bitty for…

… Kids and parents, gaming enthusiasts and casual gamers.

Kids will have fun with it playing the games their parents grew up on, and parents likely won’t be able to resist the throwback. Gaming enthusiasts will enjoy an extra accessory, but the 8-bitty still appeals to the casual iPad or Android gamer.

Yes, the games are limited, but the ones that do exist appeal to almost everyone. Who doesn’t like Pac Man? Pair that with this retro controller and a Retina iPad and you really can’t go wrong.

Because…

… anyone who’s ever enjoyed a good game of Tetris or Pac Man will think of this as a pretty thoughtful gift. The controller is well-built, really cute, and is easy to pair. Just pair automatically after turning on, or hold the two start and select keys in the middle for five seconds.

The price is just right and the games are fun to just about anyone.

My first encounter with Golla bags happened at the Mobile World Congress in 2012. Their vibrant display at the event was hard to ignore. Even now, it’s hard to ignore the breadth of designs and options they give you for protecting and toting your personal gear.

They sent over their Carter Large Pro Sling Camera Bag for review and I must say there is a lot to like about it.

PROS

• It’s solidly constructed. All the seams are tightly sewn and it appears that it would handle over-packing. Inside, it has three modular, velcro dividers that let you customize how you want to position your gear within.
• The polyvinyl exterior looks to be able to withstand the elements decently. I didn’t put it to the “DryCase” test or anything, but it looks like it would give you reasonable, temporary protection from water.
• The bag has good padding for protection. It feels “puffy” enough that you could drop it without inflicting too much damage to your camera.
• Let’s be honest, it looks pretty good. Vibrant blue. Large graphics. Stylish sling. I mean, there is the “man-purse” stigma to contend with, but if you are cool with “murses”, that won’t be a problem for you.
• It will hold a small tripod in the side exterior laces.
• Lastly, if you are a low maintenance traveler and leave the bulk of your camera gear behind, this little bag could double as an overnight bag instead of a camera bag only. It has a pocket to hold a tablet and a couple of zip pockets here and there. For a quick flight, it might do the trick.

CONS

There are a few negatives but very few.

• The biggest problem I have with the bag is that while it is big enough for a pro photographer to carry the necessary gear (and clearly that is the goal of the bag…I don’t want to distract from that), it’s not quite big enough to hold a laptop computer. As a traveling blogger, I need to have a laptop with me at all times which means I would need to carry two bags if I used this one for my camera. And this bag is a little too big to carry with another bag. So that is a bummer.
• Additionally, it is a tad bulky, meaning that it sticks out from your back a bit when you are wearing it. It’s not going to get caught in a revolving door or anything, but, it’s a tad fat. But most larger camera bags are like this though so, that’s a minor issue.

What I would like to see is a bag that holds the same volume of gear but is maybe a tad longer and dimensionally flatter (if possible). In this way it might be able to accommodate a small laptop as well and not stick out as far from your back. Maybe they already solved this conundrum with their Herman bag?

But as a camera/day pack, (when I don’t need a laptop with me), I would totally rock this bag. It is comfortable and offers good protection for your DSLR gear, and that’s what matters.

It looks like it will be retailing for $79.99 and will be available for purchase in the USA in about a month. Golla doesn’t currently sell bags at their own website, but initial online retailers will likely include ebags.com. In any event, Golla’s typical retailer list is here.

More info at golla.com

Short Version

The Samsung Galaxy Beam is an Android-powered smartphone that has a pico projector embedded into its top edge so you can beam on-screen content onto a wall or other large surface. As well as projecting video and photo content, the projector can be used for presentations, decorative projections to create a mood, or for augmenting the phone’s alarm clock — by, for example, beaming the day’s weather forecast and your schedule onto the ceiling so it’s the first thing you see when you wake up.

Long Version

Features:

• Built-in 15 lumens pico projector with resolution of 640×360
• Dedicated projector button and app — offering a variety of projecting modes
• 4-inch touchscreen display (480×800 resolution)
• Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
• Dual-core 1GHz processor
• 2,000 mAh battery (plus a spare in the box)
• 5 megapixel rear camera, 1.3 megapixel front camera

Info:

• MSRP: US: From ~$480 unlocked/UK: From £26 per month on two-year contract or from £280 SIM-free
• Available: Now
• Retailers: US: Amazon, Expansys/UK: Expansys, Clove, Carphone Warehouse, Phones 4u
  

The Samsung Galaxy Beam is…

… a mid-range 3G, Android Gingerbread-powered smartphone that would be entirely unremarkable if it weren’t for the pico projector Samsung has embedded in the phone’s top edge. The Beam has the photon-firing power to lift your digital stuff off the phone and throw it all over your walls — albeit, in a fairly grounded nHD resolution of 640×360. Glorious HD this is not, but it’s intended as a fun feature — not a replacement for your front room home cinema. That said, it is entirely possible to watch movies using the Beam’s projector — you just need to find a dark, cosy environment where the projection isn’t competing with outside light. High-contrast content looks the best, such as cartoons and animations, more subtle shades will just look murky.

The projector can be fired up via a physical button on the side of the phone, or by tapping on a dedicated app. The app lets you choose from multiple modes: the Quick Pad presentation mode that beams out whatever’s on screen and lets you scribble over it; Ambience mode projects decorative backgrounds plus music to create your own private disco; and Torch mode projects solid blocks of colour so you can have a scary Halloween sidekick. The projector can be a little thirsty on the battery but Samsung has put a very beefy cell in the Beam — and included a spare plus a charger-cum-phone-stand in the box — so you can be charging one battery while using the other to project. Each battery is good for around three hours of projecting time — so more than enough to watch a film. And for longer projecting sessions you just need to remember to keep one battery on charge so you always have a fully charged spare to swap to.

Elsewhere the phone is a fairly standard (i.e. mid-range) Gingerbread smartphone — with a dual-core 1GHz chip, 4-inch touchscreen, and a 5-megapixel rear camera. Samsung has previously said the Beam will get an update to Ice Cream Sandwich but don’t rely on that happening. The phone dishes up adequate Internet browsing performance, and will even handle 3D games — just don’t expect it to be a powerhouse. That’s not the point of the Beam: it’s all about the projector.

Buy the Samsung Galaxy Beam for…

… bedroom-loving teenagers who are addicted to watching YouTube/music videos and want a fun gadget to impress their friends with.

Because…

… with its embedded pico-projector, the Beam has a pretty unique boast. Every smartphone under the sun can run apps and surf the web, but it’s a rare phone that can turn your bedroom into a micro cinema at the push of a button. Sure, the Beam is not a super-powered or super speedy phone, but it’s got enough power under its hood for the average user and — more importantly — it brings a little light into their life.

Short Version

The Kindle Paperwhite is Amazon’s latest ereader. After four generations of devices, Kindle users expected a slight incremental update from the previous Kindle Touch. But everything was improved in the Paperwhite, from the operating system to the display resolution. On top of that, Amazon added frontlighting. After two months of use, it remains the best reading device.

Long Version

Features:

• Frontlit E Ink display (6″, 758×1024)
• Capacitive touch screen
• 3-8 weeks of battery life
• Optional 3G connectivity
• Everything is synced with your Amazon account
• Works with the Kindle Store

Info:

• MSRP: $119 (Wi-Fi) or $179 (Wi-Fi + 3G)
• Remove screensaver ads for $20
• Manufacturer/retailer: Amazon

The Kindle Paperwhite is…

… a major improvement over the Kindle Touch. With all the attention on the Kindle Fire, ereaders could have become an afterthought for Amazon. But with this device, the company knows that it is talking to its most devoted fans and to heavy readers.

The LED frontlighting system was an expected addition, but it wasn’t the only improvement. First, Amazon chose a more traditional capacitative touch screen instead of an infrared-based screen. It is much more responsive than the slow Kindle Touch. Navigating the interface or even just turning a page is much quicker.

The display finally received a resolution bump. For years, it was stuck at the original resolution of the first Kindle released in 2007, 600×800. Text looks better on the new display.

Buy the Kindle Paperwhite for…

… the avid book readers you know. The Paperwhite still shares the same DNA as previous Kindles. It has a great battery life, doesn’t cause eyestrain and is very portable.

Previous Kindle owners that have been waiting for a major change in the Kindle line can get this one. Since the Kindle 2, all models came with the “pearl” E Ink display, including the current $69 non-touch Kindle. The Paperwhite finally changed that.

Some will regret that Amazon still doesn’t provide a “next page” button on touch-based Kindles. It would certainly be a good addition, as you have to move your thumb for every page turn instead of simply pressing a button. But you forget about that quickly.

Because…

… we are now living in an always-connected world. As a writer, following the constant stream of news and keeping up with your social network feeds can be tiresome. Many share the same feeling. Stepping away from that and reading a chapter or two, at your own pace, can easily become an important part of your day.

If you want to keep wireless on all the time as I do, get the Wi-Fi version. It will be much better for battery life and it will sync the last page read without even having to think about it. I get around three weeks of battery life. If you buy the Kindle for yourself, buy it with the ads as you can always remove them later in your Amazon account.

The Kindle Paperwhite is the perfect gift for book lovers. Between smartphones and tablets, there is still room for dedicated reading devices. This year’s Kindle is certainly a good choice in this category.