PMP Today

If I had around $1,000 from my Christmas bonus to burn, I’d get consumer electronics for my immediate family this Christmas. Gift-giving is a big deal for me because I make sure that whatever I get for my loved ones matches their interests and their personality. I mean, if you’re gonna get something for someone, might as well make it an item they’ll have a use for instead of grabbing them the newest, shiniest gizmo on the market. So without further ado, here’s my gadget gift guide for the family. Feel free to comment and make your own suggestions!

Dad - Amazon Kindle

My dad is a voracious reader, making the Amazon Kindle THE perfect present for him. Not only Amazon’s wireless reading device designed so it feels like you’re holding and reading an actual book; you can use the gadget itself to purchase e-books from amazon.com and subscribe to magazines like Newsweek and Time. Besides that, the Kindle comes with its own dictionary and allows you to highlight important sentences, make annotations, and change the font size. Perfect for someone who constantly complains about his bad vision. Price: $399

Mom - Newman L1200 PMP

My mom’s always been big on pictures. She captured practically every single waking moment of my childhood on film, and our family has a photo at every important historical landmark whenever we travel. That’s why I was reminded of her when I saw the specs for the Newman L1200 PMP. Aside from being able to play AVI videos and mp3 files, this PMP comes with a 12-megapixel digital camera and an 8x zoom. It also has a USB and SD card slot to increase its memory. For something so feature-packed, this gadget also wins at price: $132.

Sister - Creative Zen Vision: M

Any girl in her early twenties loves her music, and my sister even more so because she’s a classical singer. I’d get her the Creative Zen Vision:M because it does a little bit more than play mp3s. It can play movies and TV shows on its 2.5-inch screen, has an FM transmitter, and is compatible with music-subscription services like Napster and Rhapsody. This one’s another winner at price: $99.99.

Brother - Lenovo i909 Gaming Phone

I’d actually getthe Lenovo i909 for myself but I think my hyperactive brother would use it more than I would. This Chinese mobile phone is so full of awesome simply because it supports old school NES games. But what makes this even better than other gaming phones is that it comes with a D-pad, PMP capabilities (including mp4 support), and a 2.0 megapixel camera. It’s also a sleek-looking phone too, except for the green color, but I’m sure my brother won’t care. Price: $164