Category: $250 and Under

Essentially a highly modifiable Roomba for the programming set, the iRobot Create (starts at $130) is a fully programmable (small, circular) robot. The Create's 10 built-in demos and 32 built-in sensors allow for experimentation with robotics; an open cargo bay and 25-pin expansion port allows you to add your own sensors, grippers, wireless connections, computers, or other hardware to fully ...

If the video junkie in your life is constantly buying and renting DVDs, downloading movies and videos, it's time you help bring his or her video-watching habits world-wide. With the $179 Slingbox Solo, you can watch and control any video source you have at home -- a DVR, cable, satellite, or DVD player -- anywhere in the world. Yes, we said anywhere. You can play back video on a laptop or even ...

Who wouldn't want a Wi-Fi-enabled robotic rabbit from France? The Nabaztag just might be the only thing your favorite has-everything friend or loved one doesn't already have. This cute little Internet device will read e-mail, receite news from various online sources, and speak weather conditions triggered by voice commands. To add to it all, Nabaztag features cute rotating ears and a belly that ...