Christmas Tech Bargains?

A Christmas tech bargain may not be what you think, especially in computers. Just because something costs half what it cost last year does not mean that there is not a still even better alternative now.

Here is an illustration. Tablets and cell phones have dropped in price. But now you can buy something different and far better...as of just a few weeks ago. You can buy an unlocked smartphone.

So what's so important about an unlocked cell phone? A new big smartphone, unlocked, can serve the purpose of both tablet and smartphone, even without the usual high cell service costs.

And then the new cell phone plans no longer require a contract. The new smartphones cost half as much as before, if paid for upfront.

The Nexus 5 brings all the features of tablets and phones together at less than $400, already a bargain. Click or tap for the Nexus 5. The new Moto G does that for half that price.Click or tap for the Moto G.

Meanwhile my T Mobile cell phone plan has fallen in price with twice as much data and no contract when the old one expires in March.

If I had no other computer, the brand new Moto G could do everything I need to do, helped along with a wireless keyboard and Wireless HD HDMI external display and $35.00 Chromecast stick.

Not only that but it can piggyback a laptop on its data plan cheaply, as many as 8 laptops.

It is similar with laptops.? You can get a laptop for about half what it would have cost a few years ago.

But the right choice will yield you a laptop which can do far more than that half priced laptop.

I could not believe that I could get a Windows 8 laptop with touch screen for less than $300 which would do far more than a laptop I bought years ago at $600 without any of those capabilities and which is still being sold today.Tap or click for a fine lightweight one which will drive your old large monitor,too.

A $50 Canon printer today far exceeds the capabilities of last year's printers at more than $100, being newly tablet-capable as well.

Today with these benefits, however, there is a caution. You may need to learn something new about how to use them. You also need to make sure that the latest capabilities are in any new device you buy.

If you do that, you will be richly rewarded in what you can do and what you had to pay for it.

Or you could just buy the last year's technology still selling today at last year's prices and limp along with the old technology and its serious shortcomings. Some of those old devices can be updated at practically no cost.

The old Kindle fire and the Nook HD can be upgraded to work like the newest tablets.

Windows 8 may run on an old laptop. It is a faster and safer operating system, providing you learn how to use it.