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Why Tech Holiday Gift Guides Are Dumb
Posted by Brian Lam at 5:59 AM on December 26, 2007
I've always been resistant, as an editor, to the idea of a Xmas gift guide. That's because they're a bit cliche; but today, I realised the very practical reason why I don't like them. You have to be crazy to try to shop for a gadget addict by using one of these lists.
I just look at most of these gift guides, and I think how terrible I'd feel if anyone bought me any of this stuff. First, because it's pretty expensive. But secondly, most gadget freaks end up begging, borrowing, and stealing to get the main stuff they want, or are very opinionated about the exact gear they're hoping to get. I suppose it serves some purpose to clueless parents grasping for ideas. But maybe its time for the retailers to start making Xmas Gift registries, as disgusting as that sounds.
Despite all that, the smartest gift guide this year is Men's Health's Tech Guide, filled with a lot of gadgets, electronic and outdoors, but also plenty of amazingly well researched sections of timeless advice. Like "When to buy anything", a section that charted out the seasonal price drops for all gadget categories, and "How to test anything", a quick and dirty guide to picking gadgets made from advice from CNet editors. There's even a page dedicated to the economics of happiness vs splurging. It's brilliantly put together, and the online version doesn't do the print version justice. [Men's Health]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
slaughter
Posted 2:45 PM 25/12/07
Men's Health always puts out good guides. It's a great magazine, despite the fact that there are always half naked dudes on the cover. Maybe it's meant for gay men....
slaughter
Crazysamz
Posted 5:23 PM 25/12/07
Holiday gift guides r dumb... Usually what they say is not what most people want.
Crazysamz
devGOD
Posted 7:20 PM 25/12/07
p.s. my girlfriend got me the HeadPlay PCS, Headplay.com right off my list. I'm a happy man =)
devGOD
devGOD
Posted 7:19 PM 25/12/07
Thats very true. As a gadget geek myself I put out a Christmas and Birthday list, and give direct links as well as cost of the items I want. I've been doing this on my personal website for the past 5 years. No complaints all my close friends love it.
devGOD
Zlevee
Posted 8:50 PM 25/12/07
@devGOD: I wish my girl would give me headplay.
Zlevee
slingblade
Posted 8:39 PM 25/12/07
@Crazysamz: Wii?
slingblade
Bokusatsu_Tenshi
Posted 10:25 PM 25/12/07
Yeah, I can agree partially with that.
But there are lots of cheap gifts... that could be considered gadgets.. to give as christmas presents.
Like USB humping dogs and such.
Too bad here where I live there are no such things... it's like there's a rule where everything electronic or gadget-like must cost your left eye or something.
Bokusatsu_Tenshi
weendex
Posted 1:47 AM 26/12/07
I redefined the christmas gift guide at my blog here: [phasezero.ca]
I think most would agree it was for the better.
weendex
strider_mt2k
Posted 7:46 AM 26/12/07
Gift cards are the techie's friend if you ask me.
OF COURSE they don't know which hard drive or wide screen monitor I want, but helping me get there is the SHIT! :D
strider_mt2k
bms74
Posted 8:35 AM 26/12/07
Men's Health is tends to have some useful information buried in the ~200 page tabloid. My big hangup with the magazine is that data provided in one article tends to be contradicting with other articles in the same edition and/or subsequent editions. This is quite annoying when using this as a health resource for men. Which article has the correct information?
As an example, earlier this year Men's Health provided a male grooming product guide. As a health bulletin at the beginning of the magazine, they referenced a study in which products containing lavender or tea tree oils were linked to the growth of breast tissue in men. The article recommended to stay away from products containing either of these ingredients. A number of the products in the grooming products guide contained either 1 or both of these ingredients.
As for the tech guide, it looked like they just listed what they thought were the most popular items in a Google search or from CNet. As I browsed the list, I easily noted better products or omitted items that should have been on the list (like the new hard drive based camcorders i.e. Canon HG10).
I agree that these gift guides are a waste. Any tech junkie knows what they want. They have done the research already and can provide the gift giver with a model number and a list of the best websites to buy it from. As for information read from Men's Health, take it with a grain of salt.
bms74
AdmNaismith
Posted 4:30 PM 26/12/07
'Men;s Health' is the 'Cosmopolitan' of men's magazines.
Every issue has the same article on foods to eat to lose 10 lbs and a weight routine for your biceps or gut. For Cosmo it's always the same sex article.
The contradictory information is just par for the course.
AdmNaismith