techie stuff

DVDs

KEEP ON TREKKIN'
Looking to earn points with the Star Trek fan in your life? Try the Star Trek: Motion Pictures (suggested retail $269.91), a nine-disc box set with all the Star Trek movies. Sure, a few of the films in the series kind of suck (like the one William Shatner directed), but that's beside the point. It's Star Trek, man. (DW)

JUST FOR LAUGHS
True fans of comedy know that it doesn't get much better than silent-film era funny man Buster Keaton. The Art of Buster Keaton ($199.95) is an impressive 11-disc DVD box set. The collection includes 10 feature films (including The General), 19 shorts, and episodes of Keaton's 1950s television series, home movies and more. (DW)

BADDA BING!
Do a solid for that friend who doesn't have HBO--pick up The Sopranos box sets ($99.99 each for the first and second seasons). Each four-disc box set features an entire season of episodes from the hit series and extra bonus features. (DW)

MACHINE OF YOUR DREAMS
Holding out on getting a DVD player because the thought of purchasing an additional sound system to optimize your home entertainment is too daunting? The Sony Dream System DAV-S500 ($599.95, Sony Only Northwest, 1610 NW Glisan St., 224-9400) offers everything you need--DVD/CD/SACD player, built-in amplifier, subwoofer, six speakers, DolbyDigital decoding and much more--all in one box. With quick and easy set-up, this system would cost around $800 if the units were purchased separately. (DW)

STUFF

SCREW ROTARY DIAL
What weighs 65 grams, is 9.9 mm thick and likes dirty pictures? The ultimate pocket rocket, the Sanyo SCP-6000 Cell Phone ($299, Sprint PCS, 961 SW Broadway, 525-7200). The Trojan condom of the wireless world, this brand spankin' new ultra-thin phone from Sprint (it's the lightest in the world so far) also features the capacity to download up to 20 images from the Internet or your computer with its supplemental Data Kit ($59.99). Yep, that means picture caller ID, kids. Wow. Personally, I'm holding out 'til my phone can artificially inseminate my dog. Woof. (KC)

GREASED LIGHTING
About the size of a pack of Camel Reds (and almost as light), Mac's brand new, five-gig, portable, digital-music monster, iPod ($399, The Computer Store, 700 NE Multnomah St., #190, 238-1200) is a godsend for techno-gluttons whose ears are bigger than their (already substantial) hard drives. Just jack this MP3 player extraordinaire's ultra-fast FireWire into your computer's digital music library and download your entire symphonic oeuvre (up to 1,000 songs) in 10 minutes--one CD takes 10 seconds. Eight-hour battery and user-friendly design included (ain't that special!). (KC)

quick gift ideas

K2 Biosonic Backpack Equipped with built-in speakers this musical backpack is the Next Big Thing in mountain sports. Get with the times, dude, rock 'n' roll is dead--it's time to rock 'n' ride! $119. The Mountain Shop/Caste Snow-boards, 628 NE Broadway, 288-6768.

Samsung I300 Phone System Gadget-heads will love to find this newfangled gizmo under ol' Tannenbaum this year. The Samsung I300 is a full screen, full-color PDA and PCS phone in one! $499. Sprint PCS, 7770 SW Mohawk St., Building F, Tualatin, 612-1000.

Epson 785EPX Printer Imagine a printer that takes digital cards from digital cameras with no computer required. It's that simple. $200 or less. Pro Photo Supply, 1112 NW 19th Ave., 241-1112, www.prophotosupply.com.

Mobile video systems Packages are assembled and installed according to make and size of vehicle. Systems may include TV, video, DVD and/or various game systems. $700-$4,000. Sounds on Wheels, 635 E Burnside St., 231-1630.

Looking to special order DVDs? Your best bet is local video stores such as American Family Video (15 SE 20th Ave., 231-0714), Trilogy (2484 NW Thurman St., 229-1884) and Clinton Street Video (2501 SE Clinton St., 236-9030), where they often charge less than other (read: bigger) retailers.

WWeek 2015