Every year technology improves, leaving consumers with seemingly endless options. With an abundance of choices, one store manager told us this will be the most connected and confusing Christmas yet.
Long gone are the days where a TV is just that. Now, the electronics we have in our homes communicate with each other so if you're picking out a gift for someone else or just for yourself, you basically need a tutorial.
Charlie Fipps went shopping Wednesday with his grandson and son-in-law. When he tried out the new X-Box Kinect that's on display, it didn't go so well.
"I thought it was a very interesting situation that was occurring over there that I wanted to participate in, but I could never get the gadgets to work," Fipps told NewsChannel 15.
He isn't alone. A lot of customers are confused these days. Video games and DVD players aren't just stand alone devices anymore. Many now have internet capabilities.
Best Buy Manager Stan Kikp says, "Which ones can stream. Which ones can't. You have to know which products, for instance with phones, certain ones have a little HDMI where you can plug it up to your TV."
TV's aren't just about size anymore. You have to decide whether you want a plasma, LED and now Google TV is thrown into the mix. It allows you to search the internet while watching your favorite show.
Even a simple phone has 3G or 4G, so it's best to know exactly what the person wants it to be able to do before you head out to the store.
The bottom line is you should probably do some research before you head out this year and don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions.
