The device itself costs from nothing to £149 depending on the tariff

The device itself costs from nothing to £149, depending on the tariff.With all the focus on smartphones, basic PDAs (personal digital assistants) have attracted less attention However, they remain good buys. The “classic” Blackberry, the 7230, is rather like an overgrown pager: it has a small but clear colour screen and a keyboard below. With practice it is possible to type at quite high speeds using just your thumbs.The downside of the Blackberry is that it comes with a limited number of applications, and runs a proprietary operating system. But it has a good battery life and is easy to use.An all-inclusive Blackberry subscription with T-Mobile costs from £10 a month, in addition to a voice plan starting at £12 a month. The surprise hit among business users has been Research in Motion’s Blackberry, which has become an enormously popular way to gain access to email on the move. Symantec has a justified reputation for making computer security about as easy as it can be, and the £55 price tag is a small price to pay for peace of mind.

There is also a five-user pack for small offices, and a Mac version.Lighter and cheaper alternatives to laptops came in all shapes and sizes this year. Everyone who is on a broadband connection should have this, and even computer users who are not should give it serious consideration. This makes the PC a much more entertainment-friendly proposition than it would be otherwise.Toshiba also includes a remote control, which will make the Qosmio that much more appealing to couch potatoes.This is not a PC for the road warrior: the battery life is around two-and-a-half hours, against four for Toshiba’s business-oriented laptops. The 17-inch model has the best screen, but is rather too bulky Our vote goes to the 15-inch F10 model. This will at least fit in most briefcases and, at £1,599, is also the most competitively priced in the Qosmio range.Laptop users, in particular, should make sure that their computers are protected against viruses and other malicious attacks, as there are no guarantees of access to a secure network on the road.Advising someone to buy Symantec’s Norton Internet Security bundle as a gift is rather like wrapping up a family medical dictionary and a bumper pack of malaria pills for someone who’s about to set off on their travels.But the package includes Norton AntiVirus, Norton Personal Firewall, privacy controls, and anti-spam and parental controls in an easy-to-use format. The Japanese giant produces a range of these portables, running Microsoft Windows Media Center.

This provides advanced audio and video playback, as well as the ability to record TV programmes to the computer’s hard disk.Toshiba claims that the Qosmio can play CDs, DVDs and live TV within seconds of start-up, by circumventing the operating system and the need to sit through the (tedious) boot cycle for Windows XP. Seasonal shopping may be more readily associated with personal gifts such as perfume or jewellery, but there is no need to overlook something to liven up the office. The range of high technology on offer is greater than ever, with equipment to suit every budget as well as every pocket, briefcase or desk.
Perhaps the ultimate computer for the home office is Apple’s latest iMac, the G5. The company has acquired a reputation for clever designs with its iMac line, and the latest model is no exception. Hardly bigger than a flat-panel display, the machine manages to pack in wireless networking, a fast processor, a DVD writer and up to 160GB of hard disk space.The machine comes in two models, 17 and 20 inches. At £1,349 including VAT, the 20- inch version is particularly good value, as LCD screens that size do not come cheap even without a computer built in.Apple also offers probably the best suite of home media applications on the market, and these, along with AppleWorks office software, are included free. The iLife bundle — DVD editing, video editing, photo managing and editing, music making and Apple’s iTunes jukebox – comes with the iMac.

And there is even an optical digital output to connect to a home cinema amplifier, so the machine should earn its keep after office hours too.An alternative approach to the computer/media centre device is Toshiba’s oddly named Qosmio laptop. Indeed, over lunch last week a senior figure said she was one of the least impressive ministers he had met, and that she showed nothing at the Treasury that indicated that her next move would be up the greasy pole rather than down.But then, who among us understands politics?j.nisse independent.co.uk. Would, say, a Disney be able to leverage our friendly construction worker more effectively.The only intelligence I have on this is that Michael Eisner was in town for the first night of the Mary Poppins musical last week. And Hit was so much on his mind that he mentioned Bob the Builder in a conversation about something entirely different.Kelly on the riseWho could credit the rapid elevation of Ruth Kelly, 36, the former economics correspondent of The Guardian? Only a few months ago she was Financial Secretary to The Treasury. Then she had a brief sojourn at the Cabinet Office, before her appointment to the Cabinet last week as Secretary of State for Education and Employment.Some in the financial services industry are rather bemused. Hit has been the subject of a great deal of bid speculation in recent months, with many believing that Bob the Builder is being held back by his parent’s relative lack of muscle. But if he is not willing to get tough, the prospects for our old age will resemble a Dickensian tale.Bob on his mindBob the Builder is back on American TV screens after a year “resting”.

This will be a great relief to his owner, Hit Entertainment, which has suffered from a construction slump, as it were, because his lack of visibility had a noticeable effect on merchandise sales. This attitude is now supported by trade unions, which have realised that, left to their own devices, too many people will spend the money on booze, fags or a new sofa rather than saving for their old age.Alan Johnson, the Work and Pensions Secretary, has some difficult choices to make. Following the arrival of Andy Duncan from the BBC as chief executive in July, Channel 4 wants to focus on providing better public service broadcasting. He is exploring ways to form joint ventures with the BBC to achieve this.Most of the 4 Ventures unit is expected to be brought back within Channel 4 proper.