ThinkComputers Staff Holiday 2009 Wish List

Jack Wager

Forza Motorsport 3 + Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel

14

I’ve wanted the racing wheel since it made its launch in 2007. However, I hadn’t played a game where having a wheel would make a difference – until I played Forza 3. Prior to Forza 3, I wasn’t a big fan of racing simulators. It never felt like they grasped the true essence of what it is like to drive. Sure they’ve all had crazy customization options, but the driving part never felt right. Once I took to the track in Forza 3, I felt that I was finally in charge of the car. The sense of speed is accurate, the turning is spot on, and after every corner and racing maneuver I made, the smile on my face grew bigger and bigger. So this makes my wish list because I’ve been limited to the Forza 3 demo and a controller. I want to open this game up and see what it’s really capable of.


Sony Ericsson Aino

15

My current phone (Sony Ericsson K800i) is getting a bit dated. I purchased it back in January 2006 and while it’s still an amazing phone, I’m ready to step up to the next level. The Aino is currently everything I would want a phone to do. It can link with a PlayStation 3’s (PS3) Remote Play feature. Remote Play allows your PS3 to act as a media hub that will stream media from your PS3 directly to your phone, wherever you may be. Also, Aino is equipped with a Bluetooth stereo adapter. I could easily plug the Bluetooth adapter into any stereo, and I could be bumping my music collection whenever I want. But the features of the Aino aren’t done yet. It is a touch screen and a slider. It slides up for its keypad and uses the touch screen for the media aspects. It also features an 8.1MP camera, WiFi b/g, and GPS. The Aino still may not be as diverse as an iPhone loaded with a bunch of apps, but its media features, built in WiFi and the high quality camera, make it a hit for me.

Samsung 58” / Plasma / 1080p / 600Hz

16

I’ve been holding out on getting a new TV for years, but once I saw the newest plasmas, I knew it’s time. My current TV is an RCA 32” CRT. While it’s a great TV, its lack of HD support is disheartening. However, this Samsung set should be full of joy and happiness for the unforeseeable future. First, let’s take note of the size, 58”, how can it not be great? Second, it’s a plasma. Most people are afraid to buy plasmas because of the rumored short lifespan and other problems plasmas are prone to experiencing. However, plasma technology has come a long way over the years. That brings us to the next point, 600Hz. Most current LCD’s can operate at 120Hz. The newest LCD’s are capable of 240Hz. However, the newest plasma sets are capable of 600Hz. That translates into a 0.001ms response time. Yes, that’s 1/1000th of a millisecond. Since I primarily use my TV for gaming, this would be an amazing set to have.


Canon EOS Rebel T1i 15.1MP Digital SLR

17

My current digital camera, Canon PowerShot S30, was purchased back in 2002 and it’s definitely time for an upgrade. The upgrade I dream about is the Canon EOS Rebel T1i. Since 2002, I’ve learned a little bit more about photography than just point and shoot. While the S30 has a lot of features for a point and shoot, I want to get those really high quality pictures that the S30 just can’t do. But taking high quality pictures isn’t the only feature in the T1i’s repertoire. It can capture high resolution video, 1920×1080 @ 20fps or, 1280×720 @ 30fps. The T1i even comes equipped with an HDMI output. So I could hook it up to that nice Samsung 58” Plasma TV to instantly view what I just captured. This camera is an all around beast!


Seagate Barracuda XT 2TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s
One thing that I’m sure almost everyone agrees on is, you can never have enough storage. With the recent deaths of my older 200GB and 60GB drives, I think it’s time to just make a huge jump and buy an insane amount of storage. With 2TB, 64MB cache and 4.16ms average latency, it should be able to handle all of my storage needs.


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