technology
TVs and tablets top holiday shopping lists
iPads are proving to be popular gifts this holiday season. – AFP Relaxnews pic, December 1, 2015.As the festive season spending frenzy moves into its highest gear, the first clear picture is emerging of what to expect under the Christmas tree this year.
According to Adobe's latest data, published yesterday, despite pronouncements that the tablet has had its day, so far slates, particularly those of the iPad variety are selling – fast.
The latest-generation iPad Air 2 is the second most popular electronic device bought online by US shoppers since Black Friday.
What's more, its smaller sibling, the iPad Mini is in fourth place.
Though not in the top five, Adobe notes that the run on Amazon's Fire 7" 8GB tablet is great enough that it's one of the most likely devices to be out of stock well before the holiday season spending is over.
However, the gadget that's currently top of the pile is also one of the most expensive – a Samsung 4K UHD TV.
And not only does it come at a premium – prices can range from US$4000 to an incredible US$120,000 – finding native content is also extremely difficult.
With the exception of some media players, set-top boxes and streaming services from Netflix and Amazon, ultra-high-definition content is a very scarce commodity indeed.
The other two devices to make the top five are both games consoles – the Microsoft Xbox One (third place) and the Sony PS4 (fifth place).
As for whether these devices will continue to hold their own as we move through Cyber Monday and beyond, IBM has been putting its Watson supercomputer to good use to forecast what will be hot and what won't.
Like Adobe, INM has found a huge swell of interest in the latest generation TVs, but consumer interest extends to the latest Sony and LG sets as well as those made by Samsung.
Discussion and debate is also intensifying around the Apple Watch and Beats by Dr Dre headphones, but whether the buzz will become anything more than noise remains to be seen.
IBM's analytics point to Nike shoes, Star Wars Droids and Hoverboards being popular items on Cyber Monday in North America.
Adobe's data, which is based on anonymous information gleaned from 4500 online retail portals, shows that beyond consumer technology, Lego Star Wars is also going to be huge this holiday season. – AFP Relaxnews, December 1, 2015.
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