Gift Trends

The Tech Holiday Trends Forecast

In the fashion industry, it’s hemlines up or hemlines down. In the electronics world, it’s a bit more complicated than that, but every year as holiday shopping season looms, certain trends emerge.

High Tech Cocooning:
Videogame manufacturers Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft are counting on a good holiday season. Their rational is that in tough economic times, people “cocoon” in their homes and look for ways to keep the family entertained.

Stylin’:
The trend toward technology as a statement of personal style continues. Notebook PCs will ship in a rainbow of colors. Digital cameras and cellphones will be thinner, smaller, and brightly colored. In fact, one of the big differentiators this year is not what’s inside the machine, but the design and style that appeal to consumers.

Blu-ray:
Last holiday season Blu-ray was still battling it out against rival standard HD DVD, but this year the battle is behind us and Blu-ray has emerged the victor. One research firm is predicting that Blu-ray player sales will total five million units this year. If you’re thinking of upgrading from DVD to high-definition, this would be a good time.

Green Tech:
Consumer electronics manufacturers are clamoring to tell you how they’ve become more energy efficient, reduced toxins in the manufacturing process and made it easier to recycle their products. This is the year to think eco-tech.

Thin Is In:
Technology has gone on a diet. With new manufacturing techniques, we’re seeing thinner devices. That goes for everything from phones to desktop PCs and high-def TVs, which are thinner than ever.

Digital Camcorders:
In the past, it’s been a bit too pricey for most of us to own digital video cameras. This year, companies like Panasonic, Samsung, Kodak, and LG are all introducing low-cost, high-powered digital camcorders—many under $400.

Finding Our Way:
Prices drop and GPS devices get better and better. They’re falling into two groups: for consumers who want bells and whistles in their GPS (like real-time traffic information and multimedia players) and those who simply want to know where they are.

Next Gen Phones:
Phones keep getting smarter and smarter. They’ll connect numerous ways (Bluetooth, 802.11 and cellular). They’ll surf the web, pick up your email, serve as a GPS, music player, organizer and more. This season will see the introduction of the Google Android phone, new Blackberrys, Samsung Instinct and the ever-coveted iPhone.

The opinions stated within the article are solely the opinions of Robin Raskin and are not endorsed by the site sponsor.