From the "duh!" file today comes a rumor that Apple's Mac Mini will be reborn as a media hub as early as next January. According to Think Secret, the new models will be built atop Intel processors, include the Front Row "10-foot" user interface, iPod doc, and TiVo-like DVR capabilities. This isn't much of a stretch and, if true, represents the natural evolution of the Mini. Wonder what price points Apple will be able to hit? My bet is a fully decked-out model will cost something in the neighborhood of an entry-level iMac.

One issue: To handle HDTV, the Mini would need to be upgraded to a G5 processor or its Intel equivalent to handle the additional CPU requirements of high-res video. Current models do standard video only, and that requires third-party hardware and software.

While it's helpful to know what kinds of high-tech gifts are great ideas for your loved ones this holiday, you should also be aware of the products to avoid.

PCMag.com Editor-in-Chief Jim Louderback does just that. He gives a top 10 list of the products to avoid in 2005.

For example, you've probably heard of the Oakley Thump 2 (I talked about it back in October)--you know, those dark, black sunglasses that are also an MP3 player? Yeah, a $350 pair of sunglasses is not a worthy buy, unless you like listening to music with your sunglasses on in the dark. You're better off with an iPod shuffle or nano.

Read the rest of his Ten Worst Products List.

To be honest, I am not in love with the design of the Memorex U3 smart Mini TravelDrive. (256MB, $39.99 direct) I could do without the little circular bulge in the middle of the device. Still, the device has a a killer combination of software and it works like a dream.

The smart Mini TravelDrive is on of a new breed of "smart" USB keys built using the U3 platform. U3 drives can be loaded with a assortment of software that runs directly from the key and doesn't alter any of your system settings. That means you can plug in the key, run a U3 version of Firefox with all of your personal bookmarks, and after you pull out the drive there will be no trace of any of your Web surfing. Memorex ships its drive with synchronization, antivirus, and email client software, making it a cut above the competition.

My only compaint is that the company didn't send a larger capacity device for me to test they run as large as large as 2GB. You can find out about U3 and the other drives in my roundup here.

PC Magazine's PDA analyst, Sascha Segan, wrote his first impressions of the Nokia 770 Internet tablet ($359.99, direct) in unusually sweet terms before the holiday. His final review is up now, complete with a slideshow, and it is clear he still holds a little flame for this groundbreaking new product.

It is also clear that this is very much a first generation that has too many bugs for the average user to deal with. Right now this is for early adopters and tweakers only, but version two may find a wider audience with users that don't leave their PCs on all the time. Check out the full review here.

If you have DirecTV, you now also have 50 or 67 music channels from XM Satellite Radio. This is great for people who want XM's mostly wonderful music formats in their homes, but don't want to invest in an (extra) XM receiver (or pay the monthly fee). The number of channels available depends on your DirecTV plan. Almost all the channels offered are formats created and programmed by XM and are commercial free. All major and many minor musical genres are covered.

The line-up does not include XM's talk and sports channels. Nor do the channel assignments (in the 800's on DirecTV) have any relationship to the XM channel assignments.

I am a big supporter of both XM and DirecTV, so I am really happy that the XM "stations" I love in my car, are now part of my home theater system as well.

I am generally a fan of Brookstone's catalog and stores, especially when the alternative is the much-despised Sharper Image. But, geez, does Brookstone really have to selling something like this? Quoting from their Web site:

Digital Alcohol Detector

Brookstone sku # 446344

"Know your Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) in seconds with our easy-to-use detector. Just blow into the mouth vent and within 10 seconds your BAC is digitally displayed. Compact size is perfect for your pocket or purse. BAC is displayed in increments of 0.01, ranging from 0.00 to 0.12. Beeps when an error has been made or if breath sample is incomplete. Backlit LCD for easy viewing in the dark. Low battery alert for accurate readings. Uses 2 AAA batteries (not included)."

Sounds like this meter could help keep drunks off the highways, right? But, it's been said the big print giveth and the small print taketh away. In the printed catalog, the following line appears in small print at the bottom of the product listing:

"Warning: Do not rely upon results to determine intoxication or ability to safely drive a vehicle or operate equipment." (Bolding mine).

OK, so you buy this device to do precisely what? The disclaimer gives a new meaning to the word "Know" at the beginning of the first paragraph. In this case knowing is not really knowing at all.

Apparently, the knowledge to be gained from this $50 toy-pretending-to-be-a-medical-device is not to be trusted. I think the FDA should force stuff like this to either be stone-cold accurate--so a user CAN make a decision based on its readings--or jerk the stuff off the market. Brookstone should be classy enough not to sell this item.

Every year, the folks who put on the Consumer Electronics Show hand out a bunch of "innovations" awards, not at the show but more than a month ahead of the January confab. One of the winners this year is a noise-canceling headphone from a Utah company called Skullcandy. I suppose it's the sort of company name that occurs to you when you spend your life skiing in Park City, where the company is headquartered.

I can't vouch for any of Skullcandy's stuff. It looks interesting and probably sounds OK, though what passes for a CES "innovation" has raised eyebrows in the past. These headphones, the $149.95 Proletariat NC both cancel noise and connect to your cellular phone, allowing you to take calls hands-free. It certainly seems like a good deal for the money.

There are a variety of other interesting items on the site, including more headphones, an MP3 watch, and a backpack with built in speakers, again for music and hands-free telephone calls. If I get a chance to play with any of this, I'll report back.