Tech Toys for Small Business Owners

Small Business Tech Toys Tis’ the season for tech toys and the gift giving doesn’t have to be all about work for small business owners. Sure, a tech gadget that boosts productivity would be a great gift, but there are a slew of tech gadgets that meld work with pleasure. Here’s a look at some of the must-have tech gadgets for this holiday season.

Research In Motion’s PlayBook Lots of people will have iPad lust this holiday season and the lucky ones will find one to unwrap. But if you have the patience to wait, say until the early part of next year, then you may want to get your hands on the PlayBook, Research In Motion’s attempt to get into the tablet market. The device, which boasts a 7-inch LCD screen, a dual core processor, 1GB RAM and front and rear facing HD cameras, is expected to be available in stores in early 2011. The PlayBook runs on BlackBerry Tablet OS and weighs less than one pound. For the business conscience, the PlayBook comes with out-of-the box compatibility with BlackBerry Enterprise Server. Pricing on the PlayBook is not yet available, according to Research In Motion.

The Infinite USB Memory Drive Small businesses owners with multiple computers that aren’t networked know the headaches of saving data on a USB stick and bringing it to another computer in the office. Not to mention worrying about whether there is enough space on the stick. The Infinite USB Memory Drive solves those headaches by letting you transfer files wirelessly from your Wi-Fi-enabled laptop hard drive to any other devices with a USB port like another laptop or MP3 Player. The drive, which lets you continue to add storage and never run out of space, sells for $129. It can be purchased at the company’s Web site at http://www.infinitec.com

HTC Evo 4G Android Phone If you are in the market for a new mobile phone and want to try an Android-based one, then the HTC Evo may be for you. The phone, offered at Sprint, not only gives you Wi-Fi wherever you are, but provides Internet access for up to five computers. The HTC Evo has a 4.3-inch screen and comes equipped with a HD camcorder. Since it runs on Sprint’s new 4G network, the company claims it can upload, download and search the Web 10X faster than in the past. The HTC Evo sells for $199.99 at Sprint with a two year contract.

Amazon Kindle Dubbed its No. 1 bestselling item for two years in a row, Amazon’s Kindle eReader is cheap enough to make it under the Christmas tree this year with its $139.00 price tag. The latest Kindle boasts a new high-contrast E Ink Screen, new and improved fonts and the ability to read in the sunlight with no glare. The new Kindle is 21% smaller than past iterations and 17% lighter. It also has a battery that lasts up to one month on a single charge and the capacity to store 3,500 books. If that’s not enough, the Kindle also has built in Wi-Fi so you can shop and download books.

Kodak EasyShare W1020 Wireless Digital Frame Digital picture frames serve as a great reminder for entrepreneurs to why they are working those long hours, but who has time to constantly upload new photos? With Kodak’s EasyShare 11020 Wireless Digital Frame the task is much quicker. Thanks to built-in wireless technology, the digital frame can access your photos on your computer or via the Internet whether it is through Kodak Gallery, FLICKR or other photo-sharing Web sites. The digital picture frame will not only alert you when there are new photos, but will also give you access to the latest news, weather and sports data. The frame, which sells for $229.95, also comes with built in speakers.