Momster

It was a big week for tech news. Some of the biggest companies announced their new line of products. Here are a handful of tech announcements for those of you who like to start holiday shopping early!

(Note: I haven’t been able to try any of these devices yet, product reviews will follow in the next few weeks after I give it my real-world tests.)

Apple

It was difficult to miss the unveiling of the iPhone 5 even though there was nothing particularly thrilling in that announcement. In fact, some people called it disappointing. The phone has a bigger screen but still manages to be lighter and thinner. Quite a bit of innovation went into making that happen but there is nothing exciting like Siri or a new operating system. If you are excited about upgrading, though, make a note of this: Apple changed the charging plug so you will need an adapter ($29) to make the new power plug (called Lightning) work with accessories you already own.

Easier to miss was Apple’s announcement of a new iPod Nano. I actually found this more interesting. Many smart phones already deliver music and audio books, so if you have one of those why would you need an iPod? Simple answer: for working out. And the Nano is great for this: small, great battery life, holds lots of music. But now a pedometer and Nike + are built in to help you track your workout all in a tiny device with a bright screen and lots of cute color choices. It also has Bluetooth so you can use wireless ear buds and really keep things light. Nice.

Amazon

Amazon announced several new Kindles. The Kindle Fire is now available in three sizes ($199-$499), all of them improved and some offering a high definition display. But, as someone who tries to sneak reading in whenever possible, I am most intrigued by the new Kindle PaperWhite ($119 with Special Offers.) Amazon claims the screen is even more readable and the battery will last eight weeks. And it has a built-in light, meaning I can read even when I can’t find light. And, this is just gravy, there are great slim cases in nice colors for it. That sounds like something I want in my purse.

Nokia

I love my Nokia 900 Windows smartphone so I was particularly interested in the announcement of the Nokia Lumia 920. The exciting news: A new Windows 8 operating system, awesome new colors, some great camera innovations for capturing photos in low light and other difficult situations, and (this is the cool part) wireless charging. You just set the phone down on a charging pad, there are lots to choose from and they are all super cute, and it charges up. No plugging in. Want!

Christina Tynan-Wood writes the Family Tech column for Family Circle, and is the author of “How to Be a Geek Goddess.”You can find her at GeekGirlfriends.com, as well as here on Momster.com.

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