Shopping For PC Goodies

by Bob Seidel

Since I recently did a column on a goodie I bought for myself (a Nomad II MP3 player), I thought it might be nice to survey other goodies out there that you might want to put on your season shopping list.

Orb Drive: The Orb Drive by Castlewood is a removable cartridge disk drive, similar to a floppy disk or a Zip drive. The difference is that the Orb drive is faster and has much higher capacity - 2.2 gigabytes (GB) per cartridge. The cost is reasonable ($150-$200 for the drive) and you can get cartridges in a 3 pack for $80). Orbs are excellent for backup and for storage of music or photo files. I recommend the external USB version, so you can attach it to more than one PC if required. The Orb drive comes with backup software (hint, hint).

Digital Camera: If you have been thinking about a digital camera, the time is right to buy. Prices haven't fallen, as is common on this industry - you just get more for the same money. Consumer digital cameras cost between $600 and $1000. A good place to start researching a digital camera is http://photo.askey.net. You may want to also consider a good photo printer (lots cheaper than the camera) and some good photo print paper.

Scanner: A scanner is a very handy tool. Not only can you scan pictures, but you can also use it as a copier (not fast, but adequate) or even to send FAXes (with a FAX modem). There are many good scanners on the market - I have always liked Microtek or Epson scanners. You can get a scanner from $80 to $200 or more.

A new PC display (monitor): The displays that come with low end PCs are often small (15"), have very curved faces, and generally don't look too sharp. Display prices have fallen in recent years to where you can get a good display for less than 50% of what it cost 3 years ago. Since prices have fallen and quality gone up, it may be time to upgrade. Your old PC still may be adequate, but you will enjoy having a new display because this is what you stare at every day. Look for displays that have flat screens - I like the Trinitron FD technology displays. The price should be around $270-$400 for a good 17" display.

Personal Digital Assistant (PDA): Take your pick. You could stay with the tried and proven Palm series (the inexpensive Palm m100 at $150, or the fancier models up to color unit at $400). Another possibility is a PDA from Handspring. They use the same Palm operating system, but have more hardware expandability, such as digital camera capability. If you want a system that works more similarly to your PC and has more features, you can choose from a HP Jornado or Compaq iPAQ at around $500. PDAs are much more than just calendar and address book these days - I couldn't live without mine.

Walkie-Talkie: Not a computer toy, but the newer hand-held walkie-talkies are really handy. They are small and have a range up to two miles. Great for use around the neighborhood, or if you and your wife lose each other in Lowe's or WalMart (we do!). You should be able to get a pair for under $100.

For something more far out, you could consider the Sony AIBO. These are digital puppy robots, the newer version of which have can take pictures on demand, respond to voice commands, and have wireless network capability. One of these will set you back $1500, with accessories additional. I don't have one, but if somebody DOES buy one, I will give you space here in a column to review it! You can read about the AIBO at http://www.us.aibo.com.

Happy goodie shopping!

(Bob Seidel is a local computer consultant in the Southport / Oak Island area. He has no connection with any product or company mentioned above. You can visit his website at www.bobseidel.com or e-mail him at bsc@bobseidel.com).