Jewish World Review Nov. 26, 2003 / 1 Kislev 5764
By Mark Kellner
http://www.NewsAndOpinion.com |
Three major holidays loom large on the horizon after this week's
Thanksgiving observance: Hanukkah, which runs Dec. 19-26; Christmas, Dec.
25; and Kwanzaa, Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. (Eid-al-Fitr, which marks the end of the
Muslim holy month Ramadan, concludes Nov. 25.)
For these holidays and for those who have birthdays during this time
finding gifts can be a bit of a challenge. As has been done in this space
for 13 years now, here are some suggestions for smart tech-related gifts.
DIGITAL RADIO IS A HIT: For many reasons, not the least making the crawl on
I-270 and 495 more bearable, XM Satellite Radio, which I've enjoyed for
quite some time, is a rather nice gift. Monthly fees start at $9.95, with
longer-term deals available. Receivers range between $70 (for a unit that
works with Windows PCs) and $125 or so for ones that work in your car. Other
models, including some that can be custom installed, are also available.
But the hardware is only half the story: it's the service and the content
that makes XM, which is based in the District of Columbia, worthwhile.
Whether it's music, news or talk even channels devoted to old-time radio,
children's programming and comedy there's a wide enough range of content
on XM to help make even the longest road trip more enjoyable.
The PC version of XM, sadly only available for Windows, is a nice harbinger
of things to come. One hopes the firm will bring out a model for Mac users;
it would be nice to have the option of digital radio at one's desk,
regardless of computing platform. Receivers for cars and homes are at most
major audio stores; the Windows-based unit and other information can be
found online at http://www.xmradio.com.
MULTI-FUNCTION CAN BE MULTI-FUN: Lexmark's X5150 multifunction printer,
which retails for $129.99, prints, scans, copies and, with appropriate
software, will fax through a Windows-based PC. On the Mac side, printing is
excellent; scanning can be at times tricky. But just for a device that
prints and copies, the X5150 is a marvel, and well worth considering.
I'm especially impressed by its high quality printouts: the blacks are very
sharp, the colors are bright. Copies are reasonably quick, especially in
color, but do not rival the speed of a regular photocopier. The printer
handles envelopes, labels and other odd forms with ease. Print cartridges
are long lasting and not too expensive, though heavy users may want to
investigate other options. But for a home user, the device should be a
welcome and useful tool.
It's also rather stylish, in my opinion, thought not as small as some
printers. The paper path is straight through from back to front, so the
likelihood of paper jams is less than with some other products.
PC users will find a wealth of software including the ABBYY (stet)
FineReader (stet) scanning software, as well as PC-Fax software, in the box
along with the printer. You can find the X5150 at major retailers, as well
as at http://www.lexmark.com.
SECURITY IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA: And the $69.95 Norton Internet Secuirity
2004 from Symantec combines Norton AntiVirus 2004, Norton AntiSpam 2004,
Norton Personal Firewall 2004 and Norton Parental Control. Each of these is
rather straightforward: the anti-virus and anti-spam products are designed
to block nasty items from either reaching your computer or cluttering your
inbox. A personal firewall will keep intruders from hitting your computer
via a broadband connection such as cable or DSL Internet. Parental control
software will go a long way towards keeping your kids safe online.
Each component has been updated, and each is, in my view, a worthy contender
in the marketplace. I've been to Symantec's Santa Monica, California, "virus
lab," where computer viruses are tested, logged and defeated by the firm's
experts. It's an impressive operation, and the firm's dedication makes this
product designed for Windows PC users a welcome gift.
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JWR contributor Mark Kellner has reported on technology for industry newspapers and magazines since 1983, and has been the computer columnist for The Washington Times since 1991.Comment by clicking here.
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