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As part of our special 2011 Christmas supplement, the Jakarta Globe gives a quick run-down of some of the hottest mobile phones, tablets and laptops for the gadget-obsessed geek on your holiday shopping list.

Smartphones

It seems everyone’s got one, but then everyone just wants a better one. Here is a great selection of top phones if you want an alternative to the ubiquitous BlackBerry.

HumanForm

Finnish phone maker Nokia is out to regain its prestige in the cellphone market with HumanForm. This brand-new product literally stretches the smartphone concept, as users can bend its elliptical shape into any form they wish. The phone uses nanotechnology to be touch sensitive, and Nokia claims it can even read its users’ moods.

LG Optimus 3D

Those who want to give 3D movies a try might go for the LG Optimus 3D. The phone breaks new ground with its 4-inch 3D screen and two 5-megapixel cameras in the back, which enables users to shoot full 3D or 2D HD movies. Users who are still into the video capabilities of current products on the market will not miss out either, as the iPhone 4S and the Samsung Galaxy II are bound to make ripples.

Nokia N8

Users eager to fill the gap between smartphones and DSLR cameras might want to try the Nokia N8. The phone’s 12-megapixel camera and Carl Zeiss optics are formidable, while its touchscreen eases capturing and recording images. The camera’s macro function and scene mode make it integral to the phone.

HTC Evo 3D

If you want to try taking 3D videos or pictures, the HTC Evo 3D is just for you. The phone’s high-definition recorder can record 2D and 3D videos, while its camera can take up to 2 megapixels in 3D and up to 5 megapixels in 2D pictures. The phone also features a fixed-focus, 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chatting.

HTC Sensation

The HTC Sensation is made for multimedia. Its instant capture camera eliminates lags when taking photos, ensuring that no moments are missed. The Sensation runs on Android, and can record 1080-pixel high definition video. Like the Evo 3D, the Sensation has a DLNA feature to wirelessly stream media to a TV or computer.

iPhone 4S

The features of the iPhone 4S make it coveted by Apple’s Indonesian fans, though it is not officially sold here yet so you may need to be inventive to get one. Its 8-megapixel camera is an improvement on the iPhone 4’s 5 megapixels, while the custom lens and larger aperture make sharper and brighter images. It has face detection and HD 1080-pixel video recording. Other leading features include a 4-inch screen, the A5 processor found in the iPad 2 and graphics capabilities nine times greater than the iPhone 4. A big 1 GB of RAM and other features are more than enough to give it bragging rights on the smartphone market.

Samsung Galaxy S II

Samsung beat Apple to the punch in launching high-megapixel camera phones when it released the Galaxy S II with an impressive 8.1-megapixel camera last May. The Android Gingerbread platform made the S II work faster and increased its touchscreen’s responsiveness. The S II also has a macro or face detection feature in focus mode, and 1080-pixel video resolution.

Laptops

While all the headlines these days seem to be about tablets and smartphones, and how they can do everything except make your morning coffee, old-fashioned computers are still thriving in the gadget scene and the latest processors and materials mean that they are lighter, cooler to run and more convenient than ever, especially for more work-oriented tasks.

HP Pavilion 6 Quad Edition

The HP Pavilion 6 Quad Edition has been garnering rave reviews for its $499 price tag and good performance, which is attributed to the AMD A series Quad core processor. The computer’s features include a Blu-ray drive, 15.6-inch screen, and for an extra $150, an 1080 display to make the most of the HD video playback enabled by the AMD A fusion technology.

The Toshiba Satellite L750

The Toshiba Satellite L750 offers similar capabilities at a lesser price of $454 and a “fun” design that comes in a variety of colors (like white, brown, silver, graphite and red).

Intel Ultrabook: Acer Aspire S3

Traditional laptops might be on the defensive against tablets, but microprocessor chip manufacturer Intel is out to make laptops cool again through its Ultrabook collaboration with computer manufacturers. Acer’s Aspire S3 leads off the line. Featuring a 1.6 GHz Intel Core i5 processor and 4GB RAM, the machine allows for ample and uninhibited multitasking. At $900, the Aspire S3 is midrange in terms of pricing.

Lenovo IdeaPad U300s

Like the Acer Aspire, the Lenovo IdeaPad U300s is part of Intel’s Ultrabook collaboration with computer manufacturers. The Ultrabook also shares the same 1.6 GHz Intel Core i5 processor and 4GB RAM. But it has a quicker start-up time (20 seconds to the Aspire S3’s 44 seconds) and an eight-hour battery. And while it is pricier than the Aspire S3, at $1049, it’s still $300 cheaper than the 13-inch MacBook Air .

Lenovo Thinkpad X 120e

On the other hand, the Lenovo Thinkpad X 120e markets itself based on the premise that less is more. This business computer features an 11.6-inch screen and a very affordable price of $360, which makes it scaled down in more ways than one compared to its competitors.  

MacBook Air

Apple’s MacBook Air has been on a roll in the Ultrabook market since its release in October 2010. Powered by the Intel Core i5 processor and 4GB RAM, the MacBook Air is boosted by the Mac OS X Lion, which gives it the fastest startup time of all, at 19 seconds. Though its battery only lasts five hours, its use of the Thunderbolt, which transfers data 20 times as quick as USB 2.0, the 1366 x 768 resolution, crisp audio and other high-performance factors more than make up for it.
Tablets

iPad 2

As 2011 draws to a close, the struggle to rule the tablet market is down to the iPad 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab. Apple’s iPad 2 is still the tablet to beat. The 1 GHz dual core A5 high-powered CPU,16 to 64 GB and state-of-the-art hardware are among the secrets of its success on the inside. But customers are smitten by the elegantly slim design, 1024 x 768 resolution and its 140,000 applications. The company is set to release the iPad 3 in spring 2012. Users can expect to be overwhelmed by its 2048 x 1536 display, which will dwarf the 1024 x 768 screen used in the iPad 2.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus

Samsung is getting more assertive by unveiling the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus. This upgrade to the Galaxy Tab line offers 16 to 32 GB varieties and a 1.2GHz dual core CPU, plus it runs on the latest Android 3.2 Honeycomb system. These systems, as well as the 7-inch LCD with 1024 x 600 resolution, keep it toe-to-toe with the iPad 2. Although it will take a lot for it to overtake its more famous rival in sales, it has an edge in features, not least of which is the ease it offers in making phone calls.

Kindle Fire

Amazon’s Kindle Fire is also a strong contender in the market because of its 7-inch screen, dual core processor and feather-light 414 grams. These features and much more are bound to attract customers, as it can store anything from books to movies. The Kindle Fire’s ultimate draw is its $199 price tag, which is $300 less than the iPad 2. However, other tablets such as the Asus Transformer, Blackberry Playbook, Dell Streak 7 and Nook Color will offer stiff competition to the Kindle Fire, because of their similar prices and the availability of the Kindle application.