LOS ANGELES – If you’re looking for holiday gifts with big “wow” appeal, several hot tech toys could fit your bill.
SiPix StyleCam Blink II
Just over 2 inches by 2 inches and a featherweight 1.5 ounces, the Blink II is a remarkably versatile digital camera. At just $35, it’s small on price and big on performance – and a fun way to take your imaging to the digital level.
Panasonic Authenticam Iris Recognition Camera
Forget about passwords or even fingerprints. Panasonic has upgraded access to PCs and networks using expertise from Iridian Technologies. For $200, this camera provides accurate authentication – at a glance.
Garmin StreetPilot 2610 & 2650
If you’re shy about asking for directions – or you’re with a guy who just hates to – try reaching for those satellites in the sky that make up the Global Positioning System. The StreetPilot 2610 goes for $1,167. The fancier 2650 costs $1,400 and comes with dead-reckoning capabilities, providing navigational guidance using sensors, even if you lose GPS reception. Getting lost was never this much fun!
Belkin’s IPod Voice Recorder & Media Reader
The newest IPod digital music player is lighter than two CDs and can hold up to 10,000 songs. It syncs with Macs and PCs at blazing speeds, enabling you to take your entire music collection wherever you go. But wait, there’s more! Belkin’s IPod Voice Recorder lets users record memos and conversations. Plug the $50 accessory in and make high-quality voice recordings that can be played back through a built-in speaker or saved to a computer. For $99, Belkin’s IPod Media Reader lets photo buffs download thousands of digital photos from a camera’s memory card using FireWire technology. The pix can then be transferred to a Mac or PC. Very handy for snap-happy shutterbugs.

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