Tech the halls with ...

Plasma, LCD, PDA, megapixel, miniDV. No, you’re not looking at line items on your medical bill -- these are just a few of the terms in the confusing and ever-changing world of high-tech gift-giving this holiday season.

We’re here to help. The following is a primer in several of the most popular tech gift categories.

One thing on your side is that there were no major breakthrough products this year. Unlike in the past, when the first-wave DVD players, digital cameras, flat-screen TVs and other hot items first hit the market, this was instead a year in which tech stuff got more refined, powerful, compact and consumer-friendly. And best of all, some things got significantly cheaper, especially if you are willing to settle for slightly less than state-of-the-art technology -- which is just fine for many grateful gift receivers.

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This should console gamers: lower prices

In a year when there were no major hardware debuts, the best news for video gamers was that existing game consoles got considerably less expensive.

Nintendo’s GameCube, below, which debuted in 2001 at $199, now sells for $99 (including four games in the popular “Zelda” series). Sony’s PlayStation 2 and Microsoft’s Xbox consoles are each at $179, down from the original $299.

The hip games of the season include “Deus Ex: Invisible War” (about $50) for Xbox, “Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando” (about $40) for PlayStation 2 and “Mario Kart Double Dash” (about $50) for GameCube.

And don’t worry, new game consoles are set to be released in 2004.

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Convenience in the palm of your hand

The magic word in the world of hand-held computers is “convergence,” which is shorthand for: “How much can we cram into a device that started out as an astonishingly handy address book and schedule calendar?”

The new entry into the field is the Treo 600, right, from Handspring (now part of PalmOne) that is also a cellphone, e-mail sender-reader and Web browser.

New-gadget junkies might love it, although previous phone- organizer- Internet combinations have been disappointing. It costs about $500.

In the meantime, nonconverged organizers are still available and less expensive. The Palm units start with the Zire 21 at about $100.

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Stay in tunes

The iPod from Apple, top right, is still royalty among music players because of its ease of use, nifty features and great style. And it sports a princely price of $399 for the 20-gigabyte model, complete with handy dock.

But you can get solid quality at a cheaper price. For example, the Rio Cali from Rio Audio, below right, comes with 256-megabyte memory and the ability to add more, plus an FM tuner, stopwatch and other niceties, all for about $200.

For a less costly gift, online music fans might appreciate a gift certificate at iTunes (www.itunes.com). The certificates can be sent by e-mail and start at $10, which allows the downloading of about 10 songs.

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They hope for a good reception

Satellite radio is gaining subscribers attracted by the fact that they can listen to a favorite music, news or talk channel anywhere in the country. Two companies -- XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio -- each beam more than 100 channels of programming directly to cars.

This year they made bids to move into the home as well, with receivers that can be used in autos and then taken inside to play through living room stereos.

XM has a particularly handy new unit -- the $120 car-home unit called Roady, at right. But satellite radio is the gift that keeps on costing. Subscribers are charged $9.99 (XM) or $12.95 (Sirius) monthly to keep the channels coming.

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Digital quality -- on a cassette tape

Formats have come and gone, but for consumers the current name of the game in digital video cameras is miniDV, which records high-quality moving images on a small cassette.

Decent models using this format start at about $400. By connecting a cable to the camera, your tapes can be played back on your TV.

If a home computer will be used for editing video, make sure the model you buy has a FireWire output.

A handy option is the ability to take stills -- although they will be of lower quality than those captured by a good digital still camera.

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Easy on the eyes and wallet

The super-thin plasma and liquid crystal display screens are still the hot choice this year in big-ticket tech gifts -- and their prices have fallen. For example, the excellent 42-inch plasma high-definition TVs made by Pioneer, below, that cost about $8,000 last year are now available for about $5,000.

But here’s a hint for the thrifty: The big bargains in big-screen TVs are rear projection models. They’re not svelte -- a 42-inch projection model is about 25 inches deep. But the picture is spectacular (to these eyes, better than plasma or liquid crystal display panels) and the prices a mere fraction of those for thin-screen sets. A 42-inch Mitsubishi projection model, right, is about $1,500.

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Cheaper, faster, better cameras

Not only are digital models getting cheaper, they are also less plagued with hugely frustrating delays between shots. And they have faster shutter speeds, letting you take pictures of things that actually move, like kids and dogs.

Because of the big improvements in speed, it’s wise to steer toward the latest models, even if they’re a bit higher in price.

If you think you will send only snapshots over the Internet or make 4-by-6-inch prints, you can get away with a 2-megapixel resolution model -- such as the Nikon Coolpix 2100 -- costing about $200. To move up to 3.2 megapixels -- as with the Canon PowerShot A70, above -- and the ability to make nice 8-by-10-inch prints, it will cost an additional $100.