Gift buying gets easier

Everyone loves technology, right?

Wrong. That's why your dad just gave you a funny look when you gave him those VR googles for his birthday last year.

Future Shop has this new feature at their website that will help you come up with nifty gift ideas for everyone on your list regardless of how tech savvy they are.

It's pretty slick.

They are calling it the "Gift-o-Meter." It's a candy-cane coloured slider that ranges from "Tech shy" on one end of the spectrum, to "Tech wild" on the other.

What you do is slide the switch until it describes the person you are gifting, then click the "enter" button.

Dad, then, is a "Tech flirt": a guy interested in an iPod but not concerned about the specific type of iPod.

Mom, though, is "Tech social": she loves technology because it makes her life easier.

And cousin Alfie? The guy who everyone in the family turns to when they've fried their operating system? He's "Tech savvy."

For each level of the continuum, you'll be provided with a list of gift ideas, from TV and video to phones and PDAs to tech accessories. It's like getting expert advice without having to talk to a clerk!

It's a fun little tool at the Future Shop Web site, directly under the big image at the top of the page. Check it out.