The holidays are a great time to give a Mac-related gift to friends, family, or even yourself. The range of possibilities covers everyone from casual Mac user to Mac fanatic. Whether it’s a new Mac system, software, peripherals, accessories, or a gift card, there’s something for every budget and need.
Mac Systems Buying Guide
Courtesy of Apple
Nothing says ‘Happy Holidays!’ like a new Mac. OK, spending time with friends and family, sharing a hearty meal, enjoying conversations in front of a roaring fireplace, and being thankful for what the year has brought are more important. But a new Mac is pretty nice, too.
There are plenty of choices available, and each Mac can be custom configured to meet the needs of the intended recipient. You also have at least a couple options for where to buy the system. Buying online from the Apple Store is quick and easy, and shipping is free. But buying from a local authorized Apple retailer may be more cost effective. You may find deals on Macs, software, or peripherals that aren’t available directly from Apple.
Apple Software Essentials: Snow Leopard, iLife, iWork, and MobileMe.
Courtesy of Apple
If your gift recipients have a Mac that uses Intel processors, giving them a copy of Snow Leopard is like giving them a new Mac. Snow Leopard is the first version of OS X to run only on Intel Macs, and is designed to take full advantage of Intel processors. The result is a faster Mac that your recipient is going to love.
He or she already has Snow Leopard? How about iWork, iLife or MobileMe? These three productivity applications can handle most of the routine needs of a home, home office, or small business Mac user.
Snow Leopard: OS X 10.6
iLife 09: Includes iPhoto, iMovie, Garageband, and iWeb.
iWork 09: Includes Pages, Numbers, and Keynote.
MobileMe: Cloud-based mail, calendar, contacts, and storage.
More Software Gifts
Courtesy of FileMaker, Inc.
Software makes a great gift or stocking stuffer. You can find inexpensive applications and utilities in Tom’s Budget Software picks. Burn one or more to DVD, and include the registration code, if any, on the label. Be sure to also consider one or more of these popular applications.
Bento 3: FileMaker’s popular database application for home and small business.
Roxio Toast 10 Titanium: Simply the best and easiest way to burn CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray media.
Office 2008 for Mac: Includes Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Entourage, Microsoft is offering a holiday discount as well for this product
MacJournal 5: Journal, diary, and blogging software for the Mac.
DVDRemaster: Back up DVDs, convert video formats, and convert to iPods or iPhone formats.
Hardware Gifts for the Mac User
Courtesy of Apple
Almost every Mac user could use one or more of these hardware goodies. From mice to storage, there are plenty of options for a pleasant, fun, and affordable holiday surprise.
Apple Magic Mouse: Multi-Touch capable mouse.
Time Capsule: External hard drive for backups and a wireless router all in one.
OWC’s Mercury Elite-AL Pro: An external hard drive case for building your own storage solution. Comes with 4 different interfaces for use with any computing system.
Elgato EyeTV 250 Plus: Turn a Mac into a potent DVR (Digital Video Recorder) and TV tuner. Watch and record TV on a Mac.
Roxio Easy VHS to DVD: Turn that collection of VHS tapes into DVDs, or simply store the videos on your Mac.
Gift Cards: Always Compatible and Always a Hit
Courtesy of Apple
Gift cards are a great way to ensure friends and family get what they really want for the holidays.
Apple Gift Card: Available in denominations from $25 to $2500, Apple gift cards can be used online or at Apple’s retail stores. Apple gift cards can’t be used for iTunes or iPhone purchases.
iTunes Gift Card: Available in denominations from $15 to $100, iTunes gift cards can be used to purchase any item, including music and movies, from the iTunes Store.
iPhone Gift Card: Available in denominations from $25 to $2500. These cards can only be redeemed at Apple retail stores towards the purchase of any iPhone.
