SanDisk

This microSD card comes with an adapter to fit a standard SD card slot.

It's the time of year when people ask me for high-tech gift advice, and given the state of the economy, I'll put a $30 limit on my suggestions.

Because almost everybody these days has a digital camera, music player, cell phone or other device that accepts removable memory cards, that is my number-one choice.

For most users, a good all-around choice is a microSD storage card with an adapter to fit a standard SD slot, like a SanDisk 2 gigabyte card on sale at RadioShack for $15 until December 20. That combo can be used in most cell phones with expandable storage along with most (but not all) digital cameras — Sony and Olympus brand cameras use a different card (Memory Stick for Sony; xD for Olympus).

Two gigabytes is enough to store more than 3,000 photos on a typical cell phone; more than 1,100 on a 6 megapixel digital camera. It's incredible to think about how many rolls of film it would take to process that many pictures!

The microSD card with a standard SD card adapter lets you remove the card from a camera or phone and then plug it into many computers with memory card slots to transfer photos, video clips and music. Many home printers also accept the cards directly, and they're great when you need a quick print while on the go, because you can plug them right in to those printer kiosks at drug and discount stores.

You may even be lucky enough to find an SD card kit with another adapter to let you plug the card into a USB slot to use as extra computer storage (or to easily transfer your photos to your computer without the need for a cable or a card slot). I recently found a 1 gigabyte card with all those features for under $10 at Target, but I didn't see it listed on their Web site.

Another inexpensive stocking stuffer is the USB flash drive. These plug into any computer to let the user store a lot of stuff in a very small space.

I've recently purchased a 4 gigabyte SanDisk Cruzer model for under $20. That's enough storage to hold thousands of photos or hours of video. It's also great for carrying spreadsheets and other business files back and forth from work to home. I've got two of these on my keychain at all times.

Sticking with storage, the active computer user can always use a new spindle of blank CDs or DVDs.

If you know someone who prints a lot of photos, get 'em a nice package of glossy paper.

And almost everybody's mouse pad has seen better days; how about a nice fresh one? Office supply stores generally have a good variety.

Logitech

One of our loyal Computer Corner Newsletter readers suggested a wireless mouse as a gift idea, and I think that's a good one.

Several years ago, when Microsoft sent me a cordless mouse to try out, I was cool to the concept. The one I tested had a small receiver that plugged into a USB port and a standard-size (but cord-free) mouse. At the time, I didn't really feel that a wire got in the way of day-to-day mouse usage.

The more I used it, though, the handier (no pun intended) this mouse seemed to be. You could easily move the mouse to the arm of your chair or your pants leg; or from the keyboard platform to the desktop.

About the only thing I didn't like was the lack of a lifeline when the mouse was inevitably knocked to the floor!

Since then, I use wireless mice almost exclusively.

In the living room, I have a mouse that operates using Bluetooth (yes, the same technology that lets you walk and talk on a cell phone handset). It has longer range than the garden variety cordless mouse, and it lets me operate my PC from the sofa along with a companion Bluetooth keyboard. Very handy, but definitely a pricier present.

Apple's Wireless Mighty Mouse ($69) is a good option in this category (I use it at work), but it is not listed as being compatible with Windows computers — and it's out of the price range of this list.

On the road, both top mouse-makers — Microsoft and Logitech — offer models with a compact USB transmitter the size of a couple of sticks of gum (or smaller) that snaps into the bottom of the mouse for travel. This design has the added benefit of turning off the mouse batteries when not in use. You should be able to find a model for under $30.

The final (printed) issue of PC Magazine.

Another thoughtful tech gift (and one that I always appreciate) is a magazine subscription, and PC Magazine is one that I could always recommend without hesitation.

But even with a circulation of more than half a million readers, the January 2009 issue will be the venerable publication's final appearance on the newsstand.

Editor-in-chief Lance Ulanoff says the production of a traditional magazine has become "an untenable business proposition" due to the "ever-growing expense of print and delivery."

PC Magazine emerged in 1982 at the dawn of the personal computing era. Early editions were phone-book-thick with 400 pages (sometimes more) of articles helping novice users stay abreast of new developments, along with endless ads offering mail order bargains.

Volume 28, Issue 1 — January's farewell edition — weighs in at just 100 pages as advertisers find more success online with their own Web sites, free e-mail solicitations and inexpensive digital ads.

PC Magazine will live on, but online. Parent company Ziff Davis Media says content will be updated regularly at PCMag.com, which has traditionally replicated the magazine's content in a browser-friendly format.

More puzzling, though, is the decision to continue publishing a digital edition of PC Magazine in the current print format, an option that's been available to subscribers for the past six years.

That means you can download subsequent issues and peruse them on your computer screen using the free Zinio Reader software and delivery service (available for Windows and Mac computers). I couldn't get Zinio Reader to work on one of the two Windows XP notebook computers I have for testing.

January's PC Magazine downloaded in about 90 seconds on the other notebook computer.

Zinio Reader is easy to use; just use the right and left cursor keys to "flip" the pages, as if you were reading a printed publication. Two side-by-side pages are just readable on a 15-inch screen; a mouse click zooms to a single-page display that has larger text than its printed cousin.

There are some logical benefits to reading an e-magazine. When you look at the index of articles, clicking a headline takes you directly to that page. And — of course — links to product information and external Web sites mean you don't have to type those in manually.

You can also read the downloaded magazine content while you're away from an Internet connection — like while you're traveling by air.

But while a well-designed print magazine format on-screen is more visually pleasing than most Web sites, it seems very retro when the same information can be delivered in a browser using familiar commands and without having to bloat your computer with yet more software (which, in this case, also enforces copy protection on downloaded issues).

It's also not nearly as portable or convenient for quick reference, and forget about a cozy read on the beach or at bedtime.

So we'll see how long the PC Magazine Digital Edition endures as 2009 dawns. It is, by the way, still something you have to buy — $10 for 12 issues.

And if you still want to favor a favorite computer user with a mailbox-compatible publication, PC World remains an excellent option at $20 for a year's subscription.

One final thought about gift-giving: Your interest in technology means you may be able to offer something very special that won't cost you a cent.

Consider donating your experience to someone who will welcome it. Chances are your neighborhood school, a house of worship or a local nursing home could use help working with novices, setting up computers or even just entering data.

It's a present that will have a positive impact for all involved.

Have a great holiday, everyone.

E-MAIL: askwalt@wfaa.com