How the iPhone stole Christmas

Steve Jobs has made my job harder. If he hadn't stood on the stage at MacWorld in January and unleashed the iPhone on the world, I'd probably be more excited about this year's crop of Cool Yule Tools, Network World's annual roundup of the hottest technology toys and gift ideas.

As I opened up the hundreds of packages arriving in the office over the past few months, however, I began to realize that the iPhone has skewed the curve in terms of what's really exciting, innovative and fun in technology. Like the Patriots compared with the rest of the NFL, there's the iPhone - and then there's everything else.

It also didn't help that Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system has laid a giant egg - not just with corporate users but also with consumers looking to find some excitement in the PC space. When we were trying out the PCs and notebooks sent us this year, we could judge our enthusiasm for the hardware by looking at whether the system had XP (yay!) or Vista (ugh!). Disclosure: We tried to get a new iMac to try for this guide, but Apple didn't come through, making us even more disillusioned.

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Steve Jobs has made my job harder. If he hadn't stood on the stage at MacWorld in January and unleashed the iPhone on the world, I'd probably be more excited about this year's crop of Cool Yule Tools, Network World's annual roundup of the hottest technology toys and gift ideas.

As I opened up the hundreds of packages arriving in the office over the past few months, however, I began to realize that the iPhone has skewed the curve in terms of what's really exciting, innovative and fun in technology. Like the Patriots compared with the rest of the NFL, there's the iPhone - and then there's everything else.

It also didn't help that Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system has laid a giant egg - not just with corporate users but also with consumers looking to find some excitement in the PC space. When we were trying out the PCs and notebooks sent us this year, we could judge our enthusiasm for the hardware by looking at whether the system had XP (yay!) or Vista (ugh!). Disclosure: We tried to get a new iMac to try for this guide, but Apple didn't come through, making us even more disillusioned.

But all is not lost. In these pages you'll find the iPhone and 20 more of our favorite technology gift ideas for the holidays. Head online for more photos and reviews of this year's other favorites.

1. Apple iPhone $400

Hands down, the iPhone is the product of the year. Generating more discussion in consumer and enterprise circles than any other device in recent memory, the iPhone has revolutionized the way phone vendors think about user interfaces. In terms of a digital audio player, the iPhone (and iPod family) are light years ahead of everything else.

Sure, it's been overhyped to the point of nausea, but once you hold it in your hands and see how easy it is to do things like initiate a conference call, you'll be hooked. Yes, there are several issues surrounding enterprise compatibility, pricing and application openness with the iPhone, but this only paves the way for improvements in future devices. I have a feeling the iPhone family will make the list of Cool Yule Tools in years to come. (See a slideshow on phones Keith picked.) 

2. Logitech MX Air $150

I knew we had a winner in this product when the world's biggest "Mouse Scrooge," Neal Weinberg, tried out the Logitech MX Air wireless mouse and continued to use it through the course of the project. The device not only serves as a cordless mouse "on the ground," but also can be lifted into the air and still works as a navigation device. The "mousing in the air" feature lets it be used for presentations as well, but there's something very cool about sitting on your couch and controlling your iTunes with your regular mouse from as far away as 30 feet. (See a slideshow on mice Keith picked.) 

3. Toshiba Portege S500 $2,150

Finally, an ultraportable notebook that doesn't make you give up anything. The 2.4-pound notebook measures only 0.77 inches thick, without sacrificing features or functions. The 12-inch LED, backlit display even sports an indoor/outdoor button that lets you work outside without glare. Toshiba squeezed an optical drive onto it, and the keyboard doesn't feel cramped.  (See a  slideshow on computers and notebooks Keith picked.)