By Anne Marie Coar
Staff Writer
It’s that time of year again. Not sure what to buy your significant other, parent, or friend? Here are some ideas from industry experts at Business Week.
For the ladies, Coach’s Poppy Patent Leather Glam Tote is one accessory that will definitely make your wardrobe pop. Coach’s Poppy collection was unveiled in July and is suitable for women of all ages. Described as both “preppy and punk,” this purse has fabric lining, zip pockets, and a zip top closure. The Poppy Patent Leather Glam Tote is $268, but if this is too high for your budget, the collection also features bags at lower prices.
Guys can be stylish themselves with Ralph Lauren Neckties. These new tartan ties are available in three color palettes and will look good all winter long, which might make them worth $85.
Godiva Chocolates are great stocking-stuffers that won’t eat your wallet. The chocolates are sold nationally at supermarkets such as Safeway and cost five dollars for a bag of 12 to 18 chocolates.
Want a pet but afraid you won’t be able to take care of it? Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters move and, when touched, can make more than 40 different sounds. Plus, the hamsters are only $10 each, an attractive price during this slow economic time. Producer Cepia anticipates it will ship four to five million of these toy pets by the end of December.
Matchbox’s Rocky the Robot Truck is on top of many little boys’ wish lists. Created by Mattel, this truck can do so much more than just simply roll across the floor. Rocky cracks jokes, stands up, shakes, squats, and dances. This toy also appears on the Toys “R” Us 2009 Hot Holiday Toys list and comes with a $60 price tag.
If reading is your hobby, you might appreciate the Amazon Kindle. This electronic reader now allows users to listen to their favorite books with its text-to-speech feature. It has a 3G wireless capability, so you can download books directly to the Kindle. The device is a mere one-third of an inch thick and weighs less than a pound, so no book bag is required. All you will need is $259.
Anxious to shed some of those unwanted pounds that accumulate between Thanksgiving and Christmas? Keep active and fit this winter with Nintendo’s Wii Fit Plus. This software allows you to create your own customized workout routine; 20 minute, half-hour, or 40 minute workouts are also available. Some workout activities include Rhythm Kung Fu or skateboarding. The software is $20; if you want a balance board too, that costs an additional $80.
If you take a walk with Apple’s new iPod Nano, you will know exactly how many calories you burned with the gadget’s built-in pedometer. The innovative iPod can also record video and play FM radio. Its battery allows you to listen to music nonstop for literally an entire day (24 hours) and watch videos for five hours. The device is selling for approximately $150.
The technological at heart might flip for Cisco’s Flip Camcorder. Flip MinoHD has a two-hour recording time, an omnidirectional, wide-range microphone, and a two-inch screen. Plus you can upload your videos directly to Facebook, thanks to Flip Share software installed in the camcorder. This item might set you back around $230, but its small size makes it easy to fit in your pocket and won’t drag you down.
Feeling blue? LG BD390 Blu-ray Player might have the power to cheer you up. The player has been commended for its exceptional image quality, and as an added bonus, it is able to stream video from CinemaNow, Netflix, and YouTube. Its price is $350.
You can’t buy love, but you can buy The Beatles Rock Band. This game from Apple Corps, Ltd., MTV Games and Harmonix lets users channel John, Paul, George or Ringo. Rock out to 45 of the Beatles’ biggest hits. This game has already started flying off the shelves, having sold thousands of copies the first week it was released. Beatles Rock Band will work with Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii. You can purchase the software and instruments for about $250.
So now is the time to decide which of these gifts you’ve got to get into your life.