What do tech professionals and those who write professionally about tech want this festive season? We asked some of them to share their dream tech gifts with you.
Colin Webster - president of Mind Sports SA (MSSA)
“If I had to choose a top tech gift, it would be the latest Acer Predator gaming machine.”
Ryan van den Bergh - eSports Gaming representative and MSSA national team manager
“I'm an avid gamer and I would like the Logitec G9 mouse to compete in gaming tournaments.”
David Vannucci - electrical engineer and Wits PhD candidate
“I would like a remote USB-powered helicopter that flies around and can be controlled via a mouse and keyboard. I am getting an apple magic mouse for Christmas, pretty cool gadget!!”
Mike Stopforth - CEO of Cerebra
“I would love to receive an Amazon Kindle for Christmas. The Kindle is revolutionising reading and bringing thousands of volumes of written works back to life in a new medium for millions of people around the world. I bought a Kindle recently for a colleague and was so jealous of how stylish it looked, not to mention how beautifully it worked, that I wanted to take it back!”
Thagaran Govender - CIO of Transnet
“My top tech gift for this season would be the Xbox 360 with Windows 7 media centre. It would be ideal to set up the home media to be fully integrated with the television set, recording capabilities, picture sharing and the like. With the 2010 World Cup around the corner, it would be an excellent addition to home entertainment to enhance the pleasure of scheduling all the games, recording them and so forth, so that the memories can be remembered long after. Go Bafana Bafana!”
Sandy Kalyan - DA shadow minister on Science and Technology
“I'm not into hi-tech gadgets, but if there is a bra with a built in air-conditioner to deal with the mid-life hot flushes I would buy it in a flash!”
Moira de Roche - GM, Laragh Skills (Learning Solutions for Africa)
“As a prolific reader, the best present I could receive is a Kindle from Amazon.com. Not only will it relieve me of the burden of travelling with several books, it will also - in a very small way - reduce my carbon footprint.”
Christo van Gemert - deputy editor Digital Life magazine
“At the top of my Christmas wish list is the Fanatec 911 Turbo S Racing Wheel. While quite a mouthful, this bespoke racing wheel was designed from scratch to be fully compatible with Forza Motorsport 3 on the Xbox 360. It'll also work on the PS3 and PC, through either a wired USB or wireless connection (using the supplied dongle). Finished in hand-stitched Porsche leather, the wheel and its pedal base were designed with input from the German automaker. As a petrolhead and racing sim geek, it's the one thing I want the most, and will give my racing games a new lease on life.”
Tracy Burrows - editor, iWeek
“An e-book reader - the Amazon Kindle or the new Elonex 5-inch ebook, because you can download dozens, or even thousands of books and have them all with you in a single device. No more crammed bookshelves and suitcases! Storage - because you can never have enough. External hard drives now come with over a Terbayte of storage, with prices ranging from R1 000. You can save a lot of photos, music and family home movies on a device that size! My 13-inch MacBook.”
Vinny Lingham - CEO of Yola
“I would love to get a Powermat because I hate wires!”
Samantha Perry - Brainstorm editor
“My 13" MacBook Pro - not a gift I'd want as I already have it, but it's stylish, sleek, functional, portable and enviable. Everyone should wish for one in their stocking.”
Paul Furber - ITWeb senior journalist
“I would like to get a solar powered laptop/iPod charger - I am a journalist and that means I am always on the move and I want to charge my gadgets whenever I want.”
Mandy de Waal - freelance journalist and investigative reporter
“When I was a kid my father had a telescope and at night we'd sit on the grass and look at the moon and the stars. He's gone now, so a telescope is at the top of my wish list. Given its legacy and capabilities, I'd opt for a high-end Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope, which thanks to mass production in China has become a lot more affordable. Then, if money was absolutely no option, I'd get the new Canon 21 Megapixel, 5 frame per second EOS-1Ds Mark III, which retails at a snap for R68 995.”
Hannes Fourie - IDC senior analyst
“Mini notebook: I would like to use it as a home/social networking PC. Nook - Reading on the beach during holiday at the coast or travelling. Advanced Universal Remote - I would like to manage my household through a centralised remote.”
Andre Hoffmann - chairman Robotics SA
“The first thing that pops into my head is the Apple iPhone. I'm an engineer on the move; I need a reliable intuitive communications and scheduling tool that matches my lifestyle and pace. Please ask Santa to pop one in my stocking this Christmas - I promise I have been good all year! And if Santa is being really generous, the Apple MacBook Pro will be a fabulous accessory for my new laptop bag...”
Ivo Vegter - ITWeb contributor
“I want an HTC Hero. I've been using the Android-based HTC Dream for a few months now, which is two models older (the HTC Magic sits between them). While I'm not enjoying the awful quality of the Vodacom network, I'm very much enjoying HTC's Android phone. It features a great touch-screen and a keyboard that is revealed with a slick flip action. It is based on Google's services on a Linux kernel, performs reasonably, multitasks well, and the Android market for applications is growing nicely. The phone handles WiFi, GPS and 3G effortlessly. As a platform, it is much less restricted than alternatives involving Apple or Microsoft. It's like having a full-blown computer in your pocket. It is easily worth the price, even if you buy it outright. Soon, all you'll need is your phone, plus a wireless keyboard and screen for serious work. I love the Dream, but I'm holding out for a Hero.”
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