Last-minute tech gadget gift ideas [Video chat]
Christmas is just about a week away, so if you need a last-minute tech gift idea, here are a few.
Join us at 10 a.m. as the Times’ Stacey Leasca and I open up a few tech gadgets and discuss a few cool devices you can give as presents.
If you don’t want to spend too much
Looking for a gift that won’t bust the bank? Go with Google Chromecast.
The nifty little device lets users play movies, songs and TV shows from their smartphones on their HD TVs. That means Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO GO and other content providers. The gadget works like the Apple TV and Roku streaming devices, but it’s far cheaper at just $35.
If you don’t want to pay for it all right away
If you want to give someone a big gift but don’t want to pay for it all right away, the Kindle Fire HDX tablet is the perfect choice.
From now through Dec. 24, Amazon.com is offering a four-payment installment plan for its 7- and 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HDX tablets. You pay taxes, shipping and a fourth of the tablet cost upfront. The other three payments come every 90 days.
You can find the deal on Amazon’s website.
If you really want brownie points
For those with no restrictions, simply get the iPad Air.
The new Apple tablet starts at $499 for a 16 GB Wi-Fi-only model. The gadget is like iPads of years past, but it weighs just one pound and is only 0.29 inches thick. It’s also got Apple’s new, speedy 64-bit A7 chip.
It’s a beautiful gadget and the best iPad -- and arguably the best tablet -- that you can get.
If you want something totally left field
There are a few items that fall into this category.
For something cheap, go with the Leap Motion Controller, a $79.99 gadget that brings motion-sensor capabilities to users’ computers.
Users shopping at Verizon Wireless can also get the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 (Who knew Verizon sold drones at its stores?) for $299.99.
And if money isn’t a problem, users can grab a Google Glass device from Ebay or Craigslist, where they are being sold by others for about $2,000.
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