Who doesn't need more memory? And it's getting cheaper all the time. An extra memory expansion card or two, shown in Figure E, is always a welcome gift.

FIGURE E


You can never have too much memory. Roll over picture for a larger image.

Be sure to pick the right one if you're giving it as a present. There are several kinds out there such as SD (Secure Digital), MMC (Multimedia Memory Card), CF (CompactFlash), Memory Stick, and Smart Media, just to name the major ones.

Of course, you pay according to the amount of memory. The prices can range from about $30 for 128 MB to thousands of dollars for a 20 Gigabyte CF card. I picked up a one Gigabyte CF card the other day for under $200, and the prices are getting cheaper all the time. Those little finger-like USB memory sticks, like Figure F, are handy as well, particularly for laptops and transferring data.

FIGURE F


Just slip one of these handy USB flash drives in your pocket to transfer data from one system to another. Roll over picture for a larger image.

I personally like to stick to SD and CF cards for my PDAs, laptops, Tablet PC, cameras, and desktop so that I don't have to juggle too many different cards.

This suggests another nifty little stocking-stuffer in the form of an expansion card reader. These will plug into any free USB port and accept expansion cards of all different flavors, which are then read as if they were just another drive on your machine. You can pick up an external one, like the model in Figure G, for around $30-$40; I found an internal one on the Internet for only $18, so if you shop around you can really find a deal.

FIGURE G


You'll need a reader for all those external memory cards. Roll over picture for a larger image.

Speaking of cameras, turn your PDA into a camera capable of zooming, snapshots, and video clips of Internet quality for less than a hundred bucks with the Veo Photo Traveler 130s in Figure H.

FIGURE H


The Veo Photo Traveler will turn your handheld into a digital camera. Roll over picture for a larger image.

It just plugs into the SD slot of your PDA, and since it weighs less than a humming bird's beak, you're in business without the need to carry bulky, extra camera equipment.

If the PDA you're packing comes equipped with Bluetooth, consider asking for a wireless Bluetooth keyboard. This isn't a toy, you can write novels with it. You shouldn't even think about going on the road without one, because it allows you to leave your clunky laptop behind.

While you're at it, why not also request a wireless Bluetooth mouse, a diminutive, tail-less critter for your PDA. Both, in Figure I, are available from ThinkOutside.

FIGURE I


A Bluetooth keyboard and mouse will turn that handheld into a mini laptop. Roll over picture for a larger image.

The keyboard goes for $100 and the mouse for $80, but you can use the mouse with any computer, not just a PDA. At this time, the ThinkOutside BT keyboard is not compatible with Palm OS devices, but works with Pocket PCs, and Symbian devices.