Walk into any multi-brand electrical appliances store, such as Croma and Reliance Digital, and the prevailing chaos there will probably scare you away or will at least stump you for a moment or two. What that means is not only the crowds are back in shops but also every brand worth its name is trying hard to woo the buyer for its share of retail money.
Experts agree that most consumers will be budget conscious this holiday season and average buying would be less lavish. But it has not stopped manufacturers like Samsung, LG, Videocon and Sony to push some high-ticket items such as the new LED ultra-thin TVs that go for upwards of Rs 69,000. Ajay Baijal, CEO, Reliance Digital, says: “Flat-panel TVs are the fastest moving items across our stores, with people buying both LCD and LED television sets.” Reliance Digital also notes that digital cameras under Rs 10,000 and music players are among the best-sellers this season.
According to Naveen Mishra, lead analyst, IDC India (Communications Research), mobile phone buyers will seek feature-rich phones that may not necessarily be from the leading five vendors. He highlights that most of the recent launches comprise entry-level and mid-market models, addressing the “price-conscious” and “value-conscious” Indian consumer. The mobile phone segment, as per IDC estimates, will grow the fastest in the entry-level products priced in the range of Rs 2,500-Rs 5,000.
Digital cameras, digital picture frames, hand-held gaming devices and speakers are some of the items retailers are hoping will be big sellers. Ajit Joshi, CEO, Infiniti Retail (parent company of Croma), is hoping to lure the discerning buyers with Croma’s private label brand called “Handpicked by Croma” that will retail products in the personal care category.
With no particular must-have gadget this year and consumers not as willing to snap up pricey gizmos, retailers like Croma are hoping that need-based gadgets will have enough appeal to keep their sales volumes up. “Within last seven days, we have sold more than 2,000 laptops and over 2,500 mobile handsets,” says Joshi.
Buyers at Croma stores are reportedly spending less time understanding the product and technology, as they know what features they want and at what price. So, all those who are busy planning their post-recession party, we have the right electronic and gadget suggestions that won’t wipe your pockets clean.
Mobiles
If you have postponed buying a mobile phone in the hope of getting some Diwali discount, then now’s the time to run to your nearest retailer and get that handset. But remember, whichever mobile phone you buy, do ask yourself these questions—Am I going to use all the features that the handset boasts about? Does the price of the mobile phone justify my communication requirements? And the answer to these questions is in finding the right phone at affordable prices. Rs 30,000 & upwards
Why Nokia N97
It’s a work horse and expects to be treated like one. It packs in tons of hardware features like sensors (accelerometer, compass sensors and proximity sensors) that make for some intelligent multimedia applications, integrated A-GPS for finding your way on roads and connectivity options like tri-band 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB. It has a touchscreen and a full QWERTY slide-out keypad, which are definitely notable inclusions in a high-end smartphone.
* Value for money Of course it is. Don’t let the salesperson at the store fool you with cheaper phones when you can well afford the Nokia N97, which retails at Rs 36,119.
Why Samsung Pixon12?
The coolest bit is the 12 megapixel camera, a first for the handset market. To list a few jaw-dropping capabilities of this monster, it has touch auto-focus, geo-tagging, face, smile and blink detection and image stabilisation. Playing back your photos cannot get more beautiful on Pixon12’s 3.1 inch screen. Sitting alongside, the camera capabilities are the video player and video editor that let you shoot footage and cut it accordingly.
Our only real disappointment is that it only carries 150MB of internal memory.
* Value for money The Samsung Pixon 12 almost manages to scrape its way into the premium league, thanks to its price tag of Rs 29,990. up to Rs 20,000
Why LG Secret?
The secret to its good looks are the materials used to make it. The casing of LG Secret is made of carbon fibre, one of the strongest composite materials used for aircraft and high-performance cars.
The secret is a touchscreen device that uses Neon Touch technology that provides a visual response to touch. Watch blue lights flicker as you touch the screen—it’s great fun for at least the first week of ownership. Another high point on this 3G phone is the 5 megapixel camera.
* Value for money It is a stunningly beautiful phone and will cost you just about Rs 18,990. LG Secret perhaps is not the ideal phone for heavy users, as battery performance seems average.
Why Sony Ericsson W705?
Simple and intuitive controls make W705 very appealing to those who don’t want to tinker around too much. The music player performs up to the towering standards we have come to expect of the Walkman collection. Even the packaged high-grade in-ear earphones produce a lovely responsive sound with plenty of depth.
The 3.2 megapixel camera is hardly anything to boast about and it has no GPS.
* Value for money At Rs 17,786, Sony Ericsson’s W705 sliderphone is a classy-looking addition to the brand’s expanding music mobile line-up. up to Rs 10,000
Why LG KF300?
The first thing, you notice is the keypad with big buttons that are clearly labelled. The KF300 would obviously be a good choice.
* Value for money With KF300 flip phone, LG has taken a more conventional and low-key approach while pricing it at Rs 8,500.
Portable Music Players
Aabhas sharma
The iPod remains the Apple (no pun intended) of the eyes of those who love listening to music on the go. With over 220 million units sold worldwide, there’s no doubting Apple’s popularity when it comes to digital music players. That said, you cannot ignore the presence of players such as Sony, Samsung and Phillips that have upped their ante with some really interesting products. Here’s what’s available in the market and what we feel would suit your pocket without compromising on features.
Why buy iPod Touch?
The iPod touch is music, movies, games and other applications all rolled into one under a beautiful touchscreen. You can browse the web too, as the Touch now comes with embedded Wi-Fi as well. What’s more, it also acts as a portable game player. Should you go for it? Hell yes, this one gets a big affirmative from our side.
* Value for money The iPod Touch is the one-stop gadget for music and entertainment, and above all, it is simple to handle with just one button. The new iPod Touch retails for Rs 12,400 for the 8GB model, Rs 18,400 for the 32GB model and Rs 24,400 for the 64GB model. The 64GB model is something we definitely recommend, provided you have deep pockets.
Why buy iPod Classic (160 GB)?
With 160GB of storage, iPod Classic can hold up to 40,000 songs, 200 hours of video or nearly 25,000 photos. That’s probably more than a lifetime worth of entertainment. Do we need to say more?
* Value for money iPod Classic is an excellent buy at Rs 15,200, though its slightly dated looks may not get many admirers.
Why buy Sony’s new E-440 Series?
Sony’s new E-440 Series comes in 8GB and 4GB configurations, and is a good alternative to iPods. It’s slim (like iPods) and the battery life promises 42 hours of music playback. Add to this, a built-in FM tuner with a recording function.
* Value for money At Rs 6,990 for the 8GB model and Rs 5,990 for the 4GB one, we will recommend you to go for the former. Why bother about erasing songs to load more.
Why buy iPod Nano?
A built-in video camera, a larger screen, polished aluminium finish in nine colours. Also you get the FM radio with the “live pause” feature.
* Value for money At Rs 11,200, it’s as much value for money as you can get.
Hand-held gaming consoles
Aabhas sharma
If you haven’t started on the Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox or Sony Playstation because of high hardware costs, then perhaps you should go for portable gaming devices. Hand-helds are extremely addictive, and you will get a bunch of games free for starters. We give you the lowdown on what’s available and which one you should pick.
Why buy Sony PSP Go?
It’s the best in the category and we say that because it is smaller, lighter, has a sliding screen and massive storage capacity for a hand-held console (16GB). Yet, it’s pocket sized.
* Value for money At just Rs 12,000, PSP makes its case stronger by being nearly 40 per cent lighter and 50 per cent wider than the PSP3000.
Why buy Sony PSP3000?
It is one device you should have if you are a newbie to the world of hand-held gaming. It has an enhanced screen, a built-in microphone and uses anti-glare technology to help you play longer hours without straining your eyes.
* Value for money At Rs 9,490, it’s not too expensive and yet gives you all the thrills of playing on a portable device.
Why buy Nintendo Gameboy?
This is a device that is much more compact than the PSP. It is foldable and comes with built-in backlights and rechargeable lithium battery. The battery, which recharges in 3 hours, can be used for 10 hours continuously.
* Value for money If you can look past the small sized screen, then Gameboy is great. For Rs 6,500, it could be your kid’s first gaming console.
Why buy PSP2000?
It looks like the entry-level version of the PSP3000, although it is packaged in a slimmer body.
* Value for money At Rs 7,499, it’s an ideal gadget to get you the feel of hand-helds and make your debut as a gamer.
Laptops and netbooks
Buying laptops is no more an easy exercise with the variety of options and configurations available. It may be even harder to decide what specifications of hardware you should bet on and how good the machine will be for browsing, gaming, office work etc. For starters, we recommend that you stick to brands for better support services. Here are the best-suited portable PCs that you can buy in your budget. Under Rs 50,000
Why buy Sony VAIO?
For those who love the brand Sony, buying the Vaio NW notebook is only logical. It looks classy and clean, and a 15.5-inch wide screen compliments the design. It gives you Intel Pentium Processor T4200 (2GHz), 160GB hard disk drive and 2GB of RAM, which essentially means that this notebook can be an ideal home or office PC. Add to it wireless LAN and Bluetooth, and you have enough flexibility to add PC peripherals.
* Value for money At Rs 37,990, it’s certainly not a budget buy, but you can be assured of the brand and the product.
Why buy Acer Aspire 5738G?
If you are into gaming and also want a PC that can double for daily browsing and office applications, then Acer Aspire 5738G should be the first choice. Besides giving you a high-definition cinema effect while gaming, the configuration of 4GB RAM and 320GB hard disk drive ensures that you don’t make any compromises on other multimedia playback or data storage. Complimenting the package is Dolby-optimised surround sound system with two built-in stereo speakers, integrated 3D graphics and Intel graphic media accelerator, which are definitely a must for a gamers’ PC.
* Value for money It clearly is a premium notebook at Rs 42,499 (excluding taxes), but then it’s also more than a PC. It’s a gaming console rolled into your daily work horse.
Netbooks If you are looking for a PC for your college-going kid or yourself to use for browsing the Web and occasional office applications, then a netbooks is what you should ask for.
Why buy HP Mini 110?
Petite but powerful, the HP Mini 110 packs a personality punch. Coming with Intel Atom processor, it is built to drive an Internet-centric experience. Simply perfect for life on the go.
* Value for money At Rs 21,990 (including taxes), HP Mini is cheaper as you get a PC and stay connected to the World Wide Web.
Why buy HCL Infosystem ME?
With 1GB RAM, 160GB hard drive, Intel Atom processor, Windows XP home, 1.3 megapixel webcam and Bluetooth connectivity, HCL’s, mininotebook is a powerhouse. Ideal for students.
* Value for money The price tag of Rs 19,990 (and onwards) makes for a compelling netbook.
