With every day we get closer to that giant, consumer-crazy holiday-which-must-not-be-named, and we’ve decided to get you pumped for the caroling, egg nog and tree decorating (or bourbon, snow ball fights and holiday specials on tv) with a week’s worth of geekery, gifts and gadgets. In the spirit of Old School Monday’s Lust Lists of yesteryear, we decided to poll the Max PC staff for an updated version of what they’re coveting for the holiday. First up, everyone’s favorite podcast star:
Gordon Mah Ung, Senior Reviews Editor
Alienware M11x.
My laptop is embarrassing. I’m still using the same IBM Thinkpad T60 that I’ve had for four years. It’s a testament to the sturdy Thinkpads but it’s also getting pretty tired. If I had the cash to burn this Christmas, I’d seriously think about an Alienware M11x notebook. I like the idea of having better graphics in an ultra-portable machine. Plus, those M11x notebooks are frakking sweet looking too.
$799
Dell.com
George Jones, Editor in Chief
Amazon Kindle
I was home in Los Angeles for Thanksgiving, and marveled at the fact that of the 6 members of my family, 5 of us have Kindles. Then I spied my brother’s brand new Kindle. I am literally dying of envy. He tells me that the battery life is at least 3x the battery life of the 2nd Kindle. The E ink is clearer, and built in Wi-Fi means you don’t have to constantly rely on a 3G signal. Plus, it’s now black/gray instead of white, so no more finger smudges.
$189
Amazon.com
Also on the list: Acer Iconia Dual Screen Tablet. I initially viewed Acer’s crazy-looking dual screen Windows tablet/laptop with skepticism. Then I got my hands on the device and immediately deemed it lustworthy. From a hardware perspective, it’s surprisingly refined, and the presence of Windows 7 makes it far more functional than most tablets. Say what you will about this thing, but the moment you see it, you’ll want it. (For a private video I captured at Acer’s latest event, click here.)
Amber Bouman, Online Features Editor
bitfenix Survivor
Since my OEM laptop is officially kaput, I am officially PC-less. I’ve been working from an external hard drive and a smartphone but I want to build my own rig. So far, the only piece I know I must have is the bitfenix Survivor. I can’t stop touching the SofTouch Surface (yep, that’s me that Nathan is calling out in the Survivor review in the January issue). I also really like the LED-lit logo on the front, dig the shape and the concealed I/O panel. It’s a slick start to my very own dream machine. Next up on the wish list – several additional fans for this beauty.
$110
Bitfenix.com
Jon Phillips, Editorial Director
A 10.1-Inch Android Tablet
Having just finished my testing of two pretty-good-but-not-awesome 7-inch Android tablets, I’m looking forward to getting my mitts on one of the upcoming 10.1-inch devices that should be showing at CES 2011 in January. Sure, a tablet with a 7-inch screen is lighter to hold, but are tech nerds really such weaklings that they can’t support a 10.1-inch screen in their carpal-tunnel-afflicted hands? Toshiba, Velocity Micro and Acer should all be shipping these potential iPad killers next year, and I want not just one of them, but rather all damn three. Sweetening the deals could be the implementation on Nvidia’s dual-core Tegra 2 mobile processor in some of next year’s tablet offerings. The Tegra 2 should absolutely scream in the tablet formfactor.
Acer Android Tablet – not yet available.
Nathan Edwards, Senior Associate Editor
Xbox 360 Slim 250GB version
My home PC is still plenty powerful; it’s my entertainment system that needs work. I game on PC, but I used my Xbox 360 to watch DVDs, use Netflix Instant Watch, and stream music and movies from my PC to my TV. Until last month, when it red-ringed. The new Xbox outputs in 1080p, so I’ll need an HDTV, too. And I can’t just use its built-in speakers; I need some surround sound. And a Blu-ray player. And a receiver. And a bigger house. And a money tree.
$299
www.xbox.com
Alan Fackler, Associate Editor
Samsung Galaxy Tablet
I’d give my left arm for the Samsung Galaxy Tablet. Sure it’s not as big as the iPad, but I’ve had some time with our review unit, and it’s a snappy little device none-the-less. My smartphone handles my on-the-go computing, so I’d take one with wi-fi only and just use it around the house.
$600 (off contract)
www.samsung.com
Michael Brown, Reviews Editor
Onkyo TX-NR1008
Santa, I’ve been a really, really good editor this year. I hit all my deadlines, steered my readers toward good products (and pointed out which ones they should avoid). How about putting Onkyo’s new TX-NR1008 A/V receiver under my tree this year? It supports HDMI 1.4a, so it can play Blu-ray 3D movies; it has two HDMI outputs, so I can use both my HDTV and my video projector without having to do a reach-around ; and it even has an HDMI input on its front panel, so I can plug in my digital camcorder. Most importantly, it sounds absolutely divine.
$1,400
www.onkyousa.com
Alex Castle, Online Managing Editor
Bowers & Wilkins MM-1 Computer Speakers
As the gaming headset reviewer for Maximum PC, I’m lucky enough to get to keep some of the best headsets on the market for use at home. The downside of this is that, when I take the headphones off and want to play a game, a movie, or some music out loud, I don’t have any speakers that are up to producing the same kind sound I get from, say, the Sennheiser 333D headset.
That’s why I want a pair of our best-of-the-best computer speakers, the Bowers & Wilkins MM1s. My studio apartment (and fun-sized desk) doesn’t need anything bigger for my computer, and I like the look of the MM-1s. Of course, at $450, they’re way out of my price range, but this is a WISH list, right?
$450
www.bowers-wilkins.com
