Smart phones will be big this year, as the technology has become more pervasive and the devices smarter and sleeker. The latest iPhone model, the 3GS, is an obvious top contender. But thanks to the competition finally getting serious this year, it's not the winner by default, and those who don't want to deal with an AT&T ( T - news - people ) plan will be giving thanks.
The new Motorola Droid, using Verizon Wireless, has been getting rave reviews--matching, and even surpassing in some cases, the iPhone's features, spec for spec. Other Apple ( AAPL - news - people ) alternatives in this category include the Palm Pre and the HTC Touch Pro2.
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But Apple's cachet doesn't stop at the iPhone, and consumers will definitely want to start taking note of the other Steve Jobs creations loved ones may be drooling over. The new models come with more features and lower price tags. The latest iPod nano not only plays music and videos, but records video as well. The iPod touch, at $200, is the cheapest way to get access to the App Store's many, many apps and games, which look more impressive with each iteration.
Price wars among videogame consoles should make shoppers happy. Nintendo ( NTDOY.PK - news - people ), Microsoft ( MSFT - news - people ) and Sony ( SNE - news - people ) have all made big price cuts to their respective systems, and may do so again in the coming months, meaning that console you've been putting off buying because of the cost is now within reach.
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