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Holiday gift guide

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2016 Holiday Electronics Buying Guide

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By Ayse Stenabaugh

Need some tips on buying electronic gifts this holiday season?  We have chosen a few popular holiday items to discuss as well as some tips to help you decide which gift is best for your loved one.  Stumped on what to buy the techie that has everything? You might just find that some of the things on our list are things they don’t yet have!

For the Gamer

This year a few exciting new projects are out on the market including Nintendo’s NES Classic Edition which is much smaller than the original Nintendo system and includes one wired controller, 30 games  (including several Mario’s and Donkey Kong) and can be connected to modern TV’s via its HDMI port. This system is designed to be an all-in-one device meaning you can’t insert cartridges or download additional games but at a $59.99 price point you can’t go wrong.

Interactive gaming for kids (and kids at heart!) is at an all new level with Lego Dimensions and Disney Infinity. Both combine console gaming with physical figurines that allow you to design, create and explore. Both systems are available for multiple consoles and starter packs start at roughly $30. This is a great holiday toy as well because you can give other gift purchasers the idea to buy expansions and additional figurines to make the experience even more fun!

2016 Holiday Electronics Buying Guide
2016 Holiday Electronics Buying Guide

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For the Music Lover

Do you know someone who’s still toting around some old vinyl?  Check out 1byone’s belt driven 3 speed stereo turntable which can be found for under $50. This awesome product even allows you to convert your vinyl music to mp3 format allowing you to preserve your favorite oldies! The player also includes speakers and a USB input allowing you to play your other devices through it and an RCA output if you want to connect it to another stereo system.

Does someone in your gift receiving circle aspire to become a DJ one day? Numark’s party mix starter DJ controller is a great starting point and includes not only a turn table but a lightshow and software for your computer as well.  At just $99 this is one awesome gift and don’t’ worry if it gets too noisy you can easily plugin headphones! When it’s time to show off your skills you can simply connect to a speaker system for a high-quality experience! There’s no need to worry whether your gift receiver has a Mac or a PC since this device will work with any of the recent operating systems on either platform.

For the everyday busy body

For the person who\’s always on their phone consider a smart watch which can sync to their phone providing easy access to alerts and notifications. The price of a smart watch can vary significantly and iPhone users will need to specifically purchase an Apple watch which starts in the upper $200 range while Android users can find smart watches in a wider range of price points.  Some of the wearable watches feature a sleeker style with an analog clock while many of them feature an all-digital display.

Amazon’s Echo and Google’s Home both bring audio computing to your home providing easy voice activated information in a flash! Both devices have a price point starting around $130 and both require a wireless network connection to use their features.  These devices can provide quick access to information such as the weather or news and can play your favorite streaming music platform with ease. Both devices have many of the same features, however if you use Amazon music you may want to lean more towards Amazon’s Echoand if you want to sync your audio playback to other Google Cast devices then Google Home is the way to go.

2016 Holiday Electronics Buying Guide

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2016 Holiday Electronics Buying Guide
2016 Holiday Electronics Buying Guide

For the avid PC user

Maybe the person you need a gift for already has a great computer but what if you can make it even better? For those who are still running on a standard SATA hard drive, a Solid State hard drive adds reliability and a massive speed boost! If a computer has had a hard drive in it for over 4 years it never hurts to replace or upgrade the drive before failure occurs. A hard drive that is operating can be cloned onto a solid-state drive at Jester’s Computers for just $65. Solid State drives range in price depending on the size you would like however a 525 GB drive runs around $170 depending on the brand.

If the person you need to buy a gift for could use some computer assistance, consider a gift certificate from Jester’s Computers for a clean-up or some computer lessons. We recommend clean-ups yearly for regular maintenance and they are a flat rate of $99. One-on-One lessons are available in our office for $25 an hour or in a local residence or business for $40 an hour.

For free technology advice contact Jester’s Computers at (717) 642-6611 or visit us on the web at www.jesterscomputers.com For over 18 years our family owned and operated business has been providing locals with quality computer services and advice!

Holiday Gadget Buying Guide

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By Ayse Stenabaugh – Jester’s Computer Services

Holidays are stressful enough without having to worry about getting the right gift so we have put together a few tips and tricks to make buying this holiday easier. Don’t know what to get the techie that has everything? – we have a few ideas for buying for those who have virtually everything!

Computers

When purchasing a computer this holiday you will want to determine the habits of the person you are seeking a gift for. Are they a gamer? Microsoft Office user? Or just a basic web browser? Determining the gift receiver’s needs will help you to choose a computer that will do more than just get them by. Gamers are going to require a higher end video card while Office users are going to need access to their software (Microsoft Office does NOT come with new computers – and must be purchased separately!). Those who are basic browsers won’t need much in the way of extras but it’s important to be mindful of the processor speed and the amount of memory on any new computer. Be wary of budget computers with Celeron or Atom processors else you may leave your gift recipient wishing that they unwrapped socks instead!

Tablets

When considering purchasing a tablet as a gift ensure that it will meet the needs you are trying to fulfill. Unless you are purchasing a Windows tablet such as a Microsoft Surface it’s unlikely that it will perform all of the same functions as a computer. Many budget tablets are available today that lack quality so it’s recommended to refer to reviews to determine if the price is worth the potential sacrifice. Another thing to consider is what operating system the tablet should run on. If the gift is for an iPhone user, you will probably want to stick with an iPad so that they can sync their apps and data seamlessly. The same holds true for Android users who will likely appreciate an Android tablet. Windows tablets and Amazon’s Kindle are a great option for those who aren’t familiar with iOS or Android devices. Ensure that whatever device you choose has enough storage capacity, some devices have the ability to expand with external storage such as SD cards, other devices don’t allow you to increase storage space so choose wisely!

Smartphones

Similar to tablets you should try to identify whether the user will find an iPhone, Android or Windows Phone more useful. In fact, its recommend that you determine exactly which phone the user will want prior to purchasing or setting up a new phone since many companies have semi-strict return policies on new devices. There are lots of new devices on the market all with varying features and storage capacities. Ensure that you are choosing a data plan to go with the phone that will provide enough data to cover the gift receiver’s usage!

Tech gift ideas for the person who has everything

So what do you get for the person who seems to have everything? There are lots of new and innovative tech gifts emerging so check out some of the unique gift ideas below.

For the iPad Artist check out Pencil by Fifty Three. This unique stylus works great with the free paper app and many others and is a necessity for any aspiring iPad artist!

For the fitness lover investigate Fitbit or one of the many wearable watches that feature heart rate monitors and sleep trackers!

What about the person who constantly misplaces their gadgets? Checkout Bluetooth tracking devices such as Tile so they can find their devices with ease!

The media lover will enjoy Roku or Amazon Fire Stick which allows users stream internet content to their TV without needing to connect their computer!

For the beginner who has gadgets but doesn’t know how to use them yet consider a gift certificate to Jester’s Computers for a one-on-one technology class! Classes are available by appointment only and are just $25 for a one hour session! Call 717-642-6611 to order a gift certificate.

As always for computer repair service and technology advice you can trust contact Jester’s Computer Services at 717-642-6611 or visit us on the web at www.jesterscomputers.com