Each Christmas, it seems the tally of tech gifts climbs ever higher.
The Canadian Toy Testing Council did note that young children were enjoying a swing back to less tech in their toys. However, for big kids, tech still holds a lot of appeal and a ton of choices.
Tech stores are full of people looking for items that will end up under the tree. Some parents admit their kids know a lot more than they do about tech. Others say it works for them to buy tech and it works for their kids because they live in an electronic world. Ottawa Best Buy store manager Preston Martelly says that people "are coming in prepared, they have done their online shopping and they are very price-conscious."
Martelly says one of the new and hot items this year is a PowerMat. You set your device - like a phone - on it and it charges: no wires.
How hot is tech? Of eBay's top 10 shopper searches, seven items are tech. iPods and the iPhone at the top plus gaming consoles, laptops and digital cameras.
Martelly says "big areas include video games, from Modern Warfare, to the new Super Mario game and consoles. They are looking to add on Blu-Ray DVD players to the big screen TVs they bought earlier."
Big-screen TVs aren't as hot as last year. The laptop and netbook computers account for up to 80 percent of all computer sales.
Wolfgang Kemps is looking at tech for his kids.
"Most of the time these days, its phones and PCs and other technology that is the focus of gifts for young people."
New this year in the mini video camera market: the Canadian Ucorder. Looking like a big thumb drive, it records video, audio and can act a webcam. One-button record - easy to post video - all for a little over $100.
Joel Kligman, designer and CEO, says "We're not really trying to replace anyone. The people who use FLIP and other cameras know the value of being able to capture, and instant memory."
One of the few items that can be hard to find on shelves is hands free phone gear, to meet Ontario's new law.
Ed Hutchinson of Sony Ericsson says, "We have entry-level devices at $39, and it goes up to $149. As you move up in price, you get more features and more capabilities."
Electronic books are hot; Sony just cut their prices. Kindle put up its best ever sales figures ever for their book, and another e-book from Barnes and Noble called the Nook will come out within weeks.
And if you can't decide, there's always a gift card and wait for boxing day .
A couple of other suggestions: Silex Technology has a fingerprint reader you can use instead of passwords.
Seal Shield has a keyboard and mouse that can washed in a dishwasher.
