This is Thomas Ward’s submission for the HP Magic Giveaway. Feel free to leave comments for this article as you see fit – your feedback is certainly welcomed! If you’d like to submit your own how-to, what-is, or top-five list, you can send it to me. Views and opinions of this writer are not necessarily my own:

(1) Aiptek Action High Definition Camcorder



Aiptek joins the HD revolution with their line of high-quality, low-priced digital camcorders. This camcorder records to ultra-portable SD cards, eliminating the need to carry bulky tapes and/or DVDs to operate. On a single 8GB card, you could record up to 5 hours of 1080i high definition content. If video isn’t your thing, then you can also take up to over 32,000 photos! This camcorder comes with an AC adapter, rechargeable battery, USB cable, component cable, A/V cables, case, and remote control. 


(2) Magnavox Blu-ray Disc Player



If you want to take your movie-viewing experience to the next level, then I highly recommend this affordable Blu-ray player. As you may know, Blu-ray is becoming increasingly popular these days, and some of the bigger brands have been selling players in upwards of $400 or more. Magnavox has decided to take an alternate route for the holidays, making Blu-ray more accessible to those on the consumer market. Not only can this machine play your favorite Blu-ray discs, but it can also play regular DVDs, CDs, CD-Rs, and even CD-RWs (a lot more than most players these days).

(3) Vizio 32″ HDTV with Digital Tuner



I can speak from personal experience that Sony has always made excellent equipment, so I don’t hesitate for even a moment to recommend their new Vizio line of high definition televisions. This one features a 32-inch widescreen LCD (which is excellent for those of you who prefer the “cinema” experience). It also features “virtual surround”, which emulates the feeling of surround sound through its two included speakers. If you really want to complete that “cinema” experience you’re looking for, this television can also be mounted to your wall. To top it all off, each Vizio purchased through Wal-Mart comes with a free one-year warranty with in-home service.



(4) Creative Zen 8GB MP3 Player



I always loved the SoundBlaster line of video cards. So, when I heard that Creative was also releasing its own line of digital MP3 players, I knew that I would want to recommend one. This version comes with a 2.5″ digital screen, and can hold up to 2,000 songs. You also get a built-in FM radio, voice recorder, alarm clock function. This handy little gadget can also eliminate the need for all of those bulky external storage devices since the Zen, itself, can also be used for external storage! The best part is that it can be expanded upon, using the included SD card slot.


(5) Halo 3 Covenant Laser Tag Set



Upon first viewing, I expected less of this item – since it is, indeed, a children’s toy. After playing with it, however, I was quite surprised at how true to the video game series these plasma pistols held! The lights and sounds make you feel as though you are Master Chief, leading the Spartans in the fight against the Covenant Armada! If you, or your child, are a fan of laser tag (or the Halo games), then this item definitely belongs on your wish list!

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