Gifts Yule Pine For

Santa may be bringing little tin horns and little toy drums to the toddlers this year, but their parents are likely to find a new array of high-tech toys under the tree.

The holiday flood of digital cameras, cordless phones, computers, PC notebooks, VCRs and other consumer electronics is taking on a more aesthetic gloss, thanks to increasing competition and a growing emphasis on design. Even the most functional object, such as a paper shredder, is developing personality.

“All of a sudden, we are seeing a transformation of products like I’ve never seen before,” says Bruce Claxton, a design director for Motorola. “There is so much excitement in consumer electronics and information products right now.”

“I think we are entering a golden age of design,” says Mark Dziersk, executive vice president of the Industrial Designers Society of America. He attributes it in part, to a combination of accessible technology and healthy baby boomer budgets. “When consumers drive the purchase decision, you get fashion, color, whimsy and character.”

Those are some of the attributes that have put this sample of breakthrough items in the best-selling forefront of products with personality.

*3Com’s PalmPilot, designed by Palo Alto Products International. A pocket-sized personal digital assistant, it manages your calendar, phone numbers, address book and to-do list. “The primary idea was simplicity,” says designer Malcolm Smith. “You can get to the functions you want with one button, without wading through archaic commands, so anybody can use it.” Another selling point is an intelligence that allows users to reach further into its capacity. The PalmPilot is Internet ready and connects to a PC or Mac, so all information can be uploaded to the computer. With its sophisticated add-on software and accessories, the PalmPilot is developing a cultlike following among the computer savvy. Suggested retail price: $336.

*Motorola TalkAbout Two-Way Radios. A hot new line of two-way radios makes it easy for families and groups to stay in touch while roaming the mall, hiking, camping or skiing. Operating on the Family Radio Service, a new frequency set aside by the FCC for family and recreational use, the radios have a two-mile range with no cost for air time. The palm-sized TalkAbout, cited by Popular Science magazine as one of the best products of 1997, weighs 7 ounces and slips into a shirt pocket or gym bag. “We wanted it to be fun and robust,” says Motorola’s Bruce Claxton, “so we designed it in bold colors with a central push-to-talk button that anybody can use.” Suggested retail price: Talkabout Plus is $179 per radio; regular Talkabout is $149 per radio.

*GBC’s Shark paper shredder, designed by Herbst LaZar & Bell Inc. of Chicago. Designer Mark Dziersk took a look at the boring, boxy office shredders and decided to break out of the mold. “With the movement to home offices, people want stuff that has more fun associated with it,” he said. The popularity of the shredders has been fueled by concerns over identity theft and the desire to destroy mounting unsolicited credit card offers. His Shark combines the efficiency of a paper shredder with the personality of a shark chomping and destroying documents with razor-sharp teeth. “We added a suggested dorsal fin and a Picasso-like shark’s eye,” he said. And they went for color. “Up until now, all shredders had to be beige because they were shredders.” The Shark comes in teal, yellow, white or beige. Average retail price: $65.

*Zenith Z27x31D TV, designed and engineered by Cesaroni Design Associates of Glenview, Ill. In a price-driven industry, it’s difficult to create a product that stands out, but the Zenith 27-inch television is not just another black box. Instead, an undulating facade and swooping sculpted back, a throwback to an earlier era, offer a fresh shape for a consumer television. “It’s a playful design and created to appeal to the customer’s sense of style and desire for something different,” says Kathryn Oates of Cesaroni. “People are spending a lot of money for gifts and they want something funkier than the ordinary. It’s dark charcoal with a textured surface and appeals to the baby boomer interest in retro design.” Average retail price: $600.

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Coming Monday: There are gifts for the man who has everything. It isn’t always better to give than receive. And the manner of giving isn’t always worth more than the gift. So dump the cliches, forget the rules, and hear one man’s view on what to buy your guy.