Be the hero under the tree: Here's the secret on saving 30-50% off name-brand, high-tech Christmas presents.

Christmas sure has changed since I was a kid.

When I was eight, as my youngest is now, I looked forward to GI Joe action figures, a new football or even my dream present: a 5.5 HP cherry-red go-kart with a genuine vinyl driver's seat. The Sears catalog was my obsession and the closet thing to electronics I experienced was my sister's EZ Bake Oven.

Now, unless the present goes beep or has rechargeable batteries, my kids are just not interested. Subjectively, this isn't an issue until it comes time to pull out my wallet and pay for these miracles of technology. As soon as my AmEx card starts to cry from all of the overuse, I start looking for alternatives that deliver the same quality, but is easier on my bank account.

Then, I found out about certified, reconditioned products. These are often lightly used or completely untouched items returned to the manufacturer by the original purchasers. By law, they cannot be resold as new, so the manufacturer sells them at a discount- sometimes a big discount- to smart consumers looking for a great deal. The reasons for return are many: the buyer may have changed their minds, the product is the wrong color, there was a minor repair needed or simply there was no one to sign for the delivery.

Is this Kindle 8.9 HD new or used?
If you can't tell, why not save some money?
(amazon.com)

The manufacturer takes the returns, repairs them if necessary and thoroughly tests them to confirm they're operating properly. Then, they're resold with the manufacturer's full warranty.

The pros of this kind of purchase are obvious. The price is lower- sometimes 30-50% lower than the identical brand-new product. The testing procedure after repair is often more rigorous than at the factory of origin and can spot and correct problems before the product heads out of the door.

Cons? Sometimes, selection is severely limited to stock on hand and your choices of colors, sizes, memory capacity, etc. may change every week. Older models may be your only choice or the reconditioned products may be completely sold out, forcing you to spend more to buy new.

Here are three of the most popular companies that recondition and sell their products:

Apple  

The secret to buying reconditioned at Apple is checking back daily and buying as early as possible as these bargains go fast. Everything from iMacs, iPods and iPads are available as well as closeouts and clearance products.  Everything is guaranteed and the prices are pretty good too, And, hey...it's Apple!

Go to this URL to shop:  http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals

Amazon

Not long ago, I bought a certified, factory reconditioned 8.9" Kindle HD tablet for around $125 less than new. It works perfectly and with the savings, I was able to upgrade from 32 gigs of memory to 64 gigs and I also bought a case and extra charger and still saved around $85 from the identical new product. If anything does go wrong, the excellent Amazon customer service will take care of business and repair or replace my tablet with no trouble. But, so far, my tablet is humming along nicely. Remember to ensure that the tablet is reconditioned and certified by Amazon itself and no other 3rd party.

Go here to see more reconditioned Amazon products: Certified Reconditioned Kindles

Dell

As one of the largest manufacturers of all things computer, Dell has a thriving refurbishment and clearance business not only for home or casual use, but also business and corporate products for the big boys. Selection may be small, but with persistence and a bit of luck, you just might run across a terrific deal for yourself.

Go here to spend your money: Dell Outlet

If you can't find your ideal gift on these sites, simply Google "reconditioned ---------" along with the item of your choice. For the most peace of mind, ensure the product is reconditioned and guaranteed by the original manufacturer and you'll have the happiest 8 year-old in the neighborhood.

Now, let's see if anyone reconditions 5.5 HP cherry-red go-karts with a genuine vinyl driver's seat...

Amazon Kindle Fire vs Google Nexus 7. Which is better?

Last year, Amazon shocked the gadget loving world when they debuted the Amazon Kindle Fire, small form factor computer tablet with a 7" screen, 8G of storage and the ability play games, read books and playback movies on demand. Amazon offered all of this for the small form factor price of less than $200(US).

Kindle Fire- Not bad at all.
(amazon.com)

At first, Amazon barely broke even on each Fire sold and made a bet it would make a profit from apps, movies books and other items purchased from Amazon itself. Now, the parts used to make the Fire have dropped in price and Amazon is actually making a modest profit on each Fire it sells plus the app store money it banks every day.

The Nexus 7- Looking good.
(pocket-lint.com)

Not to be outdone, Google has now put its Nexus 7 on the market to compete with the Fire. Same size screen, but with the guts of its more powerful, and larger (10.1") competitors that allows it to process video, audio and other data more quickly. The Nexus 7 also has a better screen with higher definition and uses the latest iteration of the Android operating system called "Jellybean". Plus, Google sells the Nexus 7 for the same low price as the Fire- $200.

Uh-oh. two competitors for the exact same price? This looks like a battle royal of 7" tablets! How do you, as a consumer, make a smart buying decision when choosing between these two mini-tablets? Which one is the better choice? Which one is best for you and finally, which one should you buy?

Wired.com has compared these two tablets and has the scoop on both and what they offer to customers looking for a quality experience in the smaller tablet form.
Go there now to read the article and decide for yourself.

Oh- one more thing...

Rumors are strong in the computer world Apple will soon introduce a 7" tablet of their own. A mini-iPad would really cause a ruckus and turn the market on its ear.

Things are heating up! Stay tuned...

Five e-readers for under $175 reviewed.

My daughter recently graduated from high school. Her aunt gave her an Amazon Kindle as a present for all of her hard work. She loves it and reads it as much as possible. This points out just how popular e-readers like the Kindle have gotten over the past few years. With the ability to hold hundreds of books, newspapers and other publications as well as a battery life that can stretch for weeks, it's no wonder e-readers have become so popular.



Once you buy one, you may never get a paper book again.
(source: NPR.org)

 Now, there are many competitors to the Kindle that just might provide a strong experience for you and still keep you on your budget. The National Public Radio website has a review posted of five readers you can buy for less than $175. A couple of them you've probably heard of- the aforementioned Kindle and the Nook. The others have names that are probably strange to most of us (ever heard of Kobo? Me neither).

But the real surprise is the opinion of the author that the quality of these optional e-readers may not be all that bad. The technology has matured and the engineering required to produce a reader that provides a good reading experience.

Go the review here to see for yourself that the world of e-readers doesn't mean you have to buy only a Kindle or a Nook. Other competitors are out there to help you (and my daughter) enjoy reading just about anywhere, anytime.

And remember, you read it here first.