Check the Accessories for Computer Gifts

The Detroit News  - Tom Gromak
Dec 22, 2006

So, Santa, you're assembling a new PC or delivering some spiffy new tech-toy this Christmas Eve? Have you also packed your tool-kit and whatever else you may need?

Nothing's more frustrating than giving or receiving a gift that should work, is supposed to work, and probably does work -- but doesn't. Maybe in packing your big red bag you may have forgotten one of these:

Tools. If you've got to crack open the case, you'll probably need a good Philips screwdriver. In fact, just buy one of those $9.95 computer tool-kits at Best Buy. They include decent screwdrivers, a couple of nut drivers, usually some spare PC-related screws, and my favorite tool: the push-button grabby thing. It looks like a pen, but when you push on the end, a set of claw-like wires reaches out to pick up small screws and other objects that you may have dropped inside your case. It beats turning the computer upside-down and shaking it.

Cables. Make sure your device has cables. If it doesn't, buy a set. You can find USB and Firewire cables -- the most common interface wiring for PC and Macintosh peripherals -- almost anywhere these days, even the corner drug store. But you'll probably pay more there. Most scanners, printers, cameras, MP3 players, etc. come with their own cables, often because they use proprietary ones. Check the side-panel on the box under "included accessories."

Ports. You've got the cable. Do you have someplace to plug it in? This one recently tripped me up as I attempted to install a seventh USB device on my PC. I found I was out of USB sockets. You've got two choices: a hub or an expansion card. A hub is easiest and works a lot like using a power-strip to add outlets to your wall. You plug the hub into your PC and it, in turn, provides you with extra sockets.

Hubs typically come in 4- and 7-port varieties at your local electronics retailer. If possible, spend a little extra money on a "powered" USB hub. That means it has its own power supply for providing juice to the extra devices you plug into it. That makes it less taxing on your PCs internal power supply, which is often designed just to sustain the stuff inside and its factory-original ports. You don't need a $50 hub. In fact, I found some pretty good deals on 7-port hubs for less than $25 at MicroCenter in Madison Heights.

An expansion card goes inside your PC and typically gives you two to six additional ports (and most 6-port cards count two inside-the-case ports in their totals). If you've got the extra PCI slot inside your PC (if you open the case, it's a long, brown card slot on the machine's mainboard), internal cards are nice because they don't involve an extra tangle of wires on your desktop. And, with the latest versions of Windows, they're easy to install.

A way to back up and transfer data. If you have a home network, this is best accomplished that way. You can hook up your new PC on the same LAN as your old PC and transfer your pictures, documents and other files from one machine to another. If not, consider the alternatives:

An external hard disk allows you to play sneaker-net to move your stuff. My current favorite ultra-portable drive is Maxtor's OneTouchIII Mini Edition, a tiny 100-gigabyte USB 2.0 external hard drive that makes a great back-up, sync and transfer device. It runs about $149, though you can also find a 60GB version for $99.

You can really make it easy on yourself with software such as Laplink's "PCmover" ($49.95 online, $59.95 retail). It will completely automate the process of moving your documents, photos, e-mail and even computer preferences, settings and much software from one machine to another. You can use it over a network, writeable CDs or DVDs, external hard drives or with the optional (an extra $39 from them; cheaper elsewhere) Laplink USB cable. We haven't tried the feature yet, but the company says its software will even automate the task of moving from your old PC to a Mac OSX system.

Cases. Sure, they're not required, but they're nice, especially for that new digital camera that's about to take a trip to Grandma's house. Unless you spend a lot of dough, any one is usually as good as another. However, I've been enjoying a couple from the Crumpler line (I noticed them at Circuit City). They're nicely styled in pleasing colors and soft, lived-in fabrics. The best part: They actually fit me and my camera nicely without looking like cheap, cheesy camera bags.

The rest. Power strips for your overloaded outlets; AC adaptors and car kits for MP3 players that rarely seem to come with their own AC and/or car adaptors; paper for that new printer; a picture-card reader for transferring those new digital images. And last, but certainly not least: batteries.

With all that, you're certain to have a merry digital Christmas.