It's no big, Santa!

Rick's got the 411 on tech gifts for those teens and 20-somethings by Rick Castellini Nationally syndicated computer consultant Special to PRIME Last month we explored technology gift ideas for the very young. This month we will explore gifts for a little more technology-savvy group of individuals ... teens and young adults. These two generations are truly the first generations to grow up entirely in the Internet age. These kids consume information in byte size morsels ... everything is digital. Despite their experience, you can still bring a smile to their faces when you unveil some of these technology gifts. Give the gift of choice The gift certificate remains a sound and well-received gift, but this year put a technology twist to it. For the young adult: thigs group will appreciate and really enjoy a gift certificate from eBay (ebay.com) or Amazon.com. Gift certificates from these online giants give the target of your kindness an unlimited world of choices all from the comfort of their own computer. Another gift certificate both teens and young adults would enjoy is the gift of music. Not from Sam Goody or other music store, but this time from Napster.com or iTunes.com. These two web sites offer legalized music downloading that can be listened to on a computer, CD, or MP3 player. Cameras are always cool Digital cameras will never be met with an insincere "oh thanks" comment. For these active youngsters, look for a slim and small camera. Casio makes some excellent tiny cameras that take good photos called the Exilim series. Look for the Casio EX-Z110 and EX-Z120. You can never go wrong with a Canon digital camera. I like their Powershot SD200 or S410. Last, but not least in the camera category, don't overlook the Fuji Finepix F440. The Fuji camera takes great photos and also sports an extremely pocketable design. So are computers If your budget is a little larger and you have a soon-to-be-college student or young professional on your lost who's looking for a laptop computer, consider one of the affordable and durable small laptops from Averatec.com. These small laptops pack a lot of punch in a small chassis and offer one of the best laptop values out there. Or you can give a gift to a middle or high school child that is also a gift for the parents ... a new computer. Perfectly capable computer systems (computer, monitor and printer) can be had for well under $400 and some cases less than $300. A second computer for the household clears up computer time traffic jams and lets the kids install games and other software that the parents may not want bogging down their computers. Extras make great gifts, too Holiday gift-giving doesn't have to be stressful or expensive, if you plan your strategy carefully. Take an inventory of what your young loved ones already have and either accessorize the current items or fill a need (or want) where they may need something else. Use the resources available on the Internet like Amazon.com reviews and epinions.com to read real-world reviews of the products you are looking to purchase. Reading other consumer's experiences can be extremely enlightening and allow you to make a better informed decision and save money. Happy holidays and happy tech gift giving! Rick Castellini is an author, computer consultant, and hosts a nationally syndicated computer radio show from Colorado. Visit his web site at www.HelpMeRick.com for new tips every week and sign up for his free weekly email newsletter.