Today is the first day of the Bargain Babe Hot Holiday Gift Guide! We’re kicking it off with electronics gifts. Over the next two weeks, we will suggest gifts for kids, teens, men, and women. There will also be a day devoted to unique and quirky gifts, and we’ll finish the gift guide on Dec. 9 with a roundup of the best overall gifts.

If your budget is tight, don’t forget to enter our final five Win Giveaways for a chance to win $619 in Christmas and holiday presents, ENDING NOV. 29!

Now onto electronics gifts. An * means the gift is top rated!

Netbooks are soooo last year. This year’s hot holiday gift for people who crave being connected to the Internet is…a tablet! You have plenty of choices.

* Kindle Fire – The Kindle Fire is Amazon’s answer to the iPad. The device is a budget-friendly $199, and enables you to browse the Internet, play movies, read magazines, watch Netflix and Hulu Plus, and so much more. Plus, everything is in color. The screen is 7-inches, there is no monthly contract, and it comes with a one-year warranty. Still hesitating? Kindle Fire is getting rave reviews. If you have the cash, this is an AWESOME gift.

 

Kindle DX – ON SALE FOR $259 TODAY ONLY (orig. $379). The DX was the top of the line before Kindle Fire came out. The extra moolah gets you free 3G Internet worldwide (without a monthly contract), a bigger 9.7-inch screen, a one-week battery life, and enough memory to store 3,500 books.

The Kindle 3G + WiFi is smaller, at 6-inches, and has many of the same features as the DX. It can also connect to WiFi hotspots at the library, airport, coffeehouse…you name it. It sells for $189 but is being overshadowed by the Kindle Fire, which is only $10 more.

Lastly, the Kindle WiFi is also 6-inches and can connect to the Internet in hotspots but not using 3G. A bit limiting, but if you’re a planner you can download books you want to read over your home WiFi connection and not worry about finding hotspots on the go. If you can tolerate ads, the cost drops to as low as $79 (or less from third-party sellers). If you’re only going to use the gadget to read books, I’d take a close look at the Nook, below.

I’m a huge fan of my husband’s Nook, which runs you $139 from Barnes & Noble. Today only, Nov. 28, the Nook is $40 off – just $99 – and comes with FREE shipping. Plus, you get a $25 egift card when you buy it online, making it just $74. Hot stuff! It is a basic e-reader and will win over folks who say they love the feel of a book in their hands (like me!) Pictured above.

The Nook Color lets you access apps, email, music, books, mags, and soon Hulu Plus and Netflix. It costs $249 but is on sale today only for $199. This device sounds a lot like the Kindle Fire, but hasn’t gotten quite as much attention. It has a 7-inch screen and the ability to connect to WiFi.

The Nook Tablet is $249 has all the features of the Nook Color, and comes pre-loaded with the most popular apps, like Netflix, Hulu Plus, Words with Friends, and more. I’d probably go with the Kindle Fire instead.

For big spenders, the iPad 2 still makes other envious and is a leader in apps. At $499 and up for the device, plus monthly service charges and accessories, it is a blow to the wallet.

A lower priced tech gift is the etip glove, which lets you use your touchscreen device (like an iPhone or any of the above tablets) without taking your gloves off. Very useful in cold weather! It ranges from $18-$40, depending on the brand.

Another hip, lower-priced tech gift is the $29 Pop Phone, above. Combine the charm of an old fashioned phone with the convenience of your mobile! Plug it into your cell and speak into an old fashioned handset. Aside from the gimmicky appeal, the phone claims to eliminate “up to 99% of the radiation absorbed compared to a direct use of mobile phones.” Compatible with the iPhone, iPad, iPod, and Android phones.

Electronics gifts — Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 1
Value gifts at Sears — Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 2
Toys for kids – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 3
Mens’ shavers – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 4
Gifts for teens — Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 5
Unique and quirky gifts – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 6

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