Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas, folks!
Welcome to another edition of the “Top 10 12 gadgets I want for Christmas – and maybe you would too?”.
Now that we’re in 2012 I would like to start this article out by highlighting some of the gadgets that were on the Christmas gadgets list for 2011.
First up is the PS3 game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 from last year. That game was simply epic. Oh, the hours of fun I had playing that game, especially multiplayer. This year a new version of Call of Duty is out, more on that below.
Also I need to mention the Sony PS3 “Surround” (Stereo) Wireless Headset, which I actually bought myself before Christmas last year. I totally enjoy that headset, it makes PlayStation gaming so much more enjoyable. Highly recommended!
And now, let’s get on with the list for this year. I just couldn’t keep it down to the usual 10 gadgets, so this year it’s going to be 12 gadgets. Hope you don’t mind 
New Trent IMP52D 5200mAh External Battery ($39.95)
These days, being glued to a smartphone or tablet, running out of battery is the worst! And it happens more often than not, with the powerful devices we have today, always connected to something, downloading, uploading, etc. With the New Trent IMP52D you get an external battery with a capacity of 5200mAh, that should be enough for 2-3 full iPhone charges.
And that’s not all, it also connects to many other gadgets. The downside of being able to use this cheap device (less than 40 bucks!!) with so many devices is that you need to keep a cable handy for your device. But when you know you’re going to be out for a long time, just keep the New Trent in your backpack and you need not to worry about power no more. Not to mention the other cool features that New Trent has, such as a flashlight and laser pointer…
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 ($59)
Really not much to say about this game (Xbox, PS3, PC) to be honest. It’s the sequel to the first release of Black Ops a few years ago. Next year we will probably see yet another Call of Duty, probably “Modern Warfare 4”, but this year it’s all about Black Ops 2. While the game is much similar to previous versions, it does have, of course, a new campaign story which is quite exciting – and the game takes place in the future, so you have some cool weapons available. Of course the biggest joy about Black Ops 2 is the online multiplayer part. Game on!!
Hitman: Absolution ($59)
Another game (Xbox, PS3 and PC) worth mentioning, I think, at least that’s what I’ve been told I haven’t tried this myself or read much about it yet, but 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon can’t be wrong, am I right? Besides, Hitman as a concept is quite interesting and previous games has offered good entertainment value as well. This is one to try!
Joby Gorillapod SLR-Zoom + BH1 Ball Head ($79.95)
You don’t actually need the BH1 Ball Head for this one, but I own this set (Gorillapod + Ball Head) and they are a match made in heaven. Without the ball head it can be tricky to get the composition you want, and the ball head also has a bubble level so you are sure to get that important horizon straight! Unless you have a small camera, I’d recommend going with the “SLR Zoom” model which is made to be sturdy enough to hold a DSLR camera.
Sony PULSE Wireless Headset for PS3 ($128)
Another one for the gamers out there. I own the previous model and I love it, but the battery life is not very good. This one should have improved on that, a bit, plus it’s called “Elite Edition”, so it’s gotta be good, right? If you already own the old model, I don’t see a reason to upgrade, but if you’re in the market for one, this seems like a really good pick.
Lacie Rugged Hard Disk 1TB USB 3 / FireWire 800 ($179)
No matter who you are, your files needs to be backed up. Are you a parent with lots of photos of your children? Or a freelance photographer? A music composer? A businessman with important fiscal stuff? If you have files you can’t live without, you need to back them up. Lacie’s Rugged series has a good reputation for being, well, rugged. I own two and they are absolutely great. There’s also a Thunderbolt version of this drive, but in my opinion, Thunderbolt is still too expensive to be worth it. USB 3 and/or FireWire 800 offers great speed for the need of most people.
iPad Mini ($399)
This really doesn’t need an introduction, does it? I mean, it’s just a big iPhone, more or less. Or a small iPad, perhaps a “mini iPad”, as the name suggest. Both iPhone and iPads are great devices for each of their purposes, and the iPad Mini fills another gap, but probably not if you already own both an iPhone and iPad. If you don’t have a tablet yet, iPad Mini could be the way to go. Or you could wait 6-8 months until I’m sure an upgrade comes out, with faster CPU and better screen resolution. But it’s not out yet, so for now this would be a gadget I don’t mind having under my Christmas tree this year!
Samsung Galaxy S3 ($565)
I was debating whether to put the iPhone 5 here, or the Galaxy S3. It hurts my Apple-heart to replace iPhone 5 in this spot with the Galaxy S3, but let’s be honest, I already included Apple’s iPad Mini and the Samsung Galaxy S3 is definitely a very popular Android device at the moment. (I don’t really want this gadget for Christmas, but I’m sure lots of you would 
)
Sony NEX-6 ($848)
This new mirrorless camera from Sony is smoking hot. So hot, I almost bought it (but didn’t, see below…). It has WiFi built-in and supports various apps that allows you to do stuff like time lapses. It also has an APS-C sized sensor, that’s the same size as in most DSLR’s, plus the ISO performance is great. There’s no reason to buy a DSLR over this camera unless you need some of the specific features a DSLR offers (and “image quality” is not one of them – this NEX is without doubt just as good as DSLR’s in the same price range).
Olympus OM-D E-M5 ($999)
Here’s the reason I didn’t just order the NEX-6 above, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 won my interest, just barely. I love the retro design, I love the autofocus speed (pretty much the same as NEX-6 above, both are really fast), I love the electronic viewfinder and I love the buttons and dials on this one – manual controls on an advanced camera is always a big plus. And finally, it’s weather sealed. Yes, I already ordered this camera and I can’t wait to get out in the rain and snow to shoot some photos! Also, this camera is over 6 months old already, so the dust has settled, there’s no “rush to buy because it’s new” involved here. One downside though, it has a “micro four thirds” sensor, which is slightly smaller than the APS-C sized sensor in the NEX-6, but it still offers image quality so close to the same level as NEX-6 that only pixel peepers will notice a difference.
Samsung UN46ES8000F (EU: UE46ES8000) ($1,998)
First let me say how annoying it us that TV manufacturers, in particular, seems to enjoy naming their products differently in US and Europe, it makes it much more difficult to research them. Anyway, this Samsung 46″ screen is one very cool and slim 3D LED TV that’s worth checking out if you’re in the market for a new television at home. Whether or not you like 3D, well, get used to, it, most big screens today have it built-in. Personally, I wouldn’t mind paying less for a big TV and get it without 3D but all the cool TV’s seems to have it.
Nikon D800 ($2,999)
And finally, this year, one hot gadget is the new Nikon D800/D800E which is a full-frame camera and it’s just so awesome that I almost do not dare write about it, especially considering how much money it costs (but that’s the price for this kind of quality camera). You get 36 megapixels, full HD video recording, up to ISO 25,600 and weatherproofing and lots more in this package. Or you could just buy a mirrorless camera, it’s up to you…
That’s it! Now, what do YOU want for Christmas?
Now it’s your turn – leave a comment below and let the world (and Santa Claus) know what your gadget wishes for this year’s Christmas might be – it doesn’t have to be something from the list above, just whatever you fancy
