Holiday Gifts to Avoid

Apple iPad mini

Hey look, it's an iPad, only smaller. Or is it an iPod touch, only bigger?. Either way, it's $130 more expensive than the Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire HD. If you're insistent on paying an Apple Tax, at least wait for the inevitable upgrade to a Retina Display.

Google Nexus 4

We know we're going to catch heavy flak over this entry, but before you pelt us with obscenities, understand we're not dissing the Nexus 4. We do, however, have reservations about buying a device that lacks 4G LTE connectivity and a microSD card slot. If you do too, then this isn't the smartphone for you. Also, it's only our hunch, but we suspect a 4G LTE version in the near future...

Microsoft Windows 8

The under-the-hood changes are nice, but until there are other improvements and more apps, you might as well stick with Windows 7 and spend your upgrade dollars on something else.

Microsoft Surface with Windows RT

Windows 8 is best suited for tablet form factors where it's natural to grope your electronics. Surface RT, however, doesn't quite feel fully cooked. It's well constructed, but lacks a x86 foundation, is slow to load apps, and like Windows 8, the underlying ecosystem is bare. Our suggestion? Wait for Surface Pro, which is slated to ship in January.

Nintendo Wii U

We can think of plenty of reasons to avoid the Wii U: the game selection is weak, it's only available on Ebay and Craigslist at inflated prices, and Microsoft and Sony will likely bring out their new consoles next year. On top of it all, battery life on the thing has been heavily criticized, so it wouldn't surprise us if a revised model showed up in the near future.

High-Definition TV

Do you have a bulky rear-projection TV taking up too much space in your living room? Then you're due for an upgrade, but don't pull the trigger just yet. Retailers always mark HDTVs down as Super Bowl Sunday rolls into view, and unless you stumble upon a stellar deal, wait for the sales, and then kick back and watch the Patriots add to their dynasty.

Apple iPhone 5

Apple's great about making you feel crummy about your year-old device by releasing a incrementally upgraded model and cranking the hype machine to 11. If you're an Apple fan, you can't avoid it, but you can at least wait for the iPhone 5S that we all know is in the works. Heck, just wait a couple of months for an employee to leave one laying around in a bar if you want to know all the details about the next model.

Microsoft Office

If you buy Office 2010 now, you might be able to upgrade to Office 2013 when it comes out. Check to see if you qualify, and if not, wait for Office 2013, or switch things up and roll with a free alternative like LibreOffice.

Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition

We love that Dell is showing Linux some love with its XPS 13 Developer Edition laptop, but we're not so infatuated with the $1,450 price tag, which is more than twice as expensive as some Ultrabooks. To be fair, it's a well equipped machine, we're just not sure Linux users are ready for that kind of premium.

802.11ac Router

Before you drop a chunk of change on an 802.11ac router or networking gear, understand that the AC spec hasn't yet been finalized. Furthermore, the Wi-Fi Alliance isn't promising that today's Draft 802.11ac devices will play nice with ones built around the final standard.

Sony PlayStation Vita

Sony ruled out a price cut for the PS Vita before the end of the year, but it is working with retailers to add value to the console by bundling free games. In addition, we did a little investigating and believe a price cut is coming in 2013, though we don't know exactly when or how much.