10 High-Tech Gadgets for the Holidays Include Palm Pixi, HP Mini, TomTom

Due to be released in October with Windows 7 preinstalled, the HP Mini 311 netbook (which will retail starting at $399) includes an 11.6-inch screen, Nvidia ION graphics chip and a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N20 processor along with 1GB of RAM.

The HP Envy 13 occupies the high end of the netbook range, retailing for $1,699. It includes an Intel Core 2 Duo SL9400 processor, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 graphics and a 13-inch screen.

This ruggedized cell phone, created by Casio, is MIL-STD 810F certified for immersion, blowing rain, shock, dust, vibration, salt fog, humidity, solar radiation, altitude, high-temperature storage and low-temperature storage. It also makes calls.

The Boulder, shown here dunked in a fish tank, gets up to 207 minutes of talk time and 212 hours of standby time off its lithium ion 800 mAh battery; it also includes a 1.3-megapixel camera with Flash and video-recording capability.

This netbook looks ruggedized, but the chunky design can’t actually withstand being dropped off a building. That aside, this device features 8-hours-plus battery life, a 1.6GHz Atom N20 processor with either 1GB or 2GB of RAM, and a 160GB hard drive.

This handheld pocket project, once connected to a laptop, DVD player or video-game console, can project an 8- to 50-inch image onto a screen. The projector has a battery life of 2 to 4 hours, depending on the brightness setting, and includes two half-watt stereo speakers. It retails for $349.

Asus’ new 23.6-inch high-definition screen includes a 0.65-inch profile.

The screen features two dual-lamp LCD panels, which Asus claims can result in power savings of up to 40 percent, and an ergo-fit ring stand.

The smaller cousin of the Palm Pre comes with a variety of consumer-oriented features, including the addition of Yahoo and LinkedIn integration to Palm Synergy.

The Pixi includes a QWERTY keyboard in addition to its multitouch screen, and a rubberized slip-resistant back cover.

The lightweight (3.5 pounds) ThinkPad X200 tablet includes 10.4 hours of battery life and a 12.1-inch panel designed for outdoor use. The tablet includes GPS technology, WLAN and WWAN performance, digital dual-array microphones, and a 1.3-megapixel camera.

Powered by Intel Core 2 Duo processors, this laptop can include a 14-inch multitouch display. The slim form factor (21.1mm by 337mm by 241mm) translates into a weight of 3.91 pounds.

This version of the TomTom navigational device includes IQ Routes Technology, which uses actual average speeds of travel on the route to calculate trip time, as opposed to posted speed limits. The device features a widescreen for easier viewing.