HOLIDAY WISH LISTS FOR ADULTS

Holiday wish lists aren't only for children, and neither are toys.

Some of the hottest items adults are buying this year are Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) players, big screen televisions and satellite television systems.

Among other items selling well this holiday season are computers, computer games, digital camcorders and cameras, compact disc players for cars, and computerized navigational and security systems for cars.

DVD players

Sales of DVD players are up 400 percent from last year, said Scott Shivelbine of Shivelbine's Music Store.

Both the picture quality and sharpness are superior to videotape players, plus DVDs have stop action features.

"There's no more fast-forwarding or rewinding," he said.

Glenn Flynn, manager at Circuit City, tells his customers the "digital revolution is right now," adding that most DVD players play compact disks and movies.

The more advanced players can create a digital theater at home, he said.

Big screen televisions

Big screen televisions are one of the biggest items at Stereo One, said manager Damon Dillard.

He said the in-home big screen televisions and home theater systems are popular for people in their early 20s into their 70s.

Shivelbine said the screens have improved in picture quality and have become bigger and brighter.

Dillard said one of the most popular things going is high definition television on the big screens. High definition television has four times the picture quality as the digital systems.

Satellite television systems

There are plenty of deals on satellite systems.

Shivelbine said there are more specials and rebates to reduce the costs for satellite systems "than for cellular telephones."

Most stores have specials running during the holiday season, and some satellite systems can be bought for as little as $100.

Some benefits, said Kevin Emanuel at Radio Shack, are that during the winter, the satellite system brings entertainment of more than 200 channels inside. All this, and many people can install the systems themselves.

Two-way radios

Two-way radios are a growing fad, said Bryan Singleton, co-manager of Wal-Mart.

Hunters often buy them to keep in touch in the field.

"Most buy matched pairs," said Tim Martin, electronics department head at Target. Some couples use them while shopping to tell their spouses where they are.

Flynn said the digital, wireless walkie-talkies are some of the hottest items at Circuit City, and he and his children used them on a recent Scouting trip.

The walkie-talkies can be simple or elaborate, with some having ranges of two miles and multiple channels. Some people use them when traveling in separate cars to keep in touch.

Digital camcorders

The digital camcorder that can be hooked up to a computer has been a big item this year, following the trend into the digital generation.

Digital cameras come in all sizes, from the mouse-sized Quikcam that can sit atop the computer monitor to record the users to camcorders with a video display attached.

The Quikcam, an eyeball camera, is usually purchased in pairs, said Jason Harrell, a sales representative at Clas Computers. That way, both users can see each other during their chats online.

Dillard said the digital camcorders can be made to do almost anything the owner wants.

When hooked up to a computer, the camcorder can make snapshots as well as videos.

Computers and accessories

Computers are still hot items, and many now can be hooked up to the new digital technology to enhance photography and recordings. Computer models vary in their abilities. The value of the computer depends on speed, space and its interacting with other devices.

Along with the computer are a variety of accessories popular this year. Color scanners and printers are popular accessories.

Computers with a Celeron processor is equal to the Pentium II processor but is cheaper. Now, however, some computers have a Pentium III processor.

This year there's an infrared computer mouse that is cordless and scans the desktop 1,500 times a second for pinpoint accuracy. It uses an optical sensor rather than a ball and will outlast the ball-type mouses.

There's also a notepad that uses a digital pen to record up to 50 pages of hand-written notes that can then be uploaded to a computer.

Harrell said there probably is a software program to translate the notes into text.

Computer games

Computer games have become popular, not only with children, but also adults.

Cory Grojean, assistant manager at Babbage's & Software Etc., said the computer game industry is growing fast, and everyday more and more people become computer game owners.

Sega Dreamcast, PlayStation and Nintendo 64 offer a variety of games. Among the most often requested are Resident Evil, a PlayStation game strictly for adults. Adult games have an M rating for mature audience use.

Hot computer games include any that have to do with sports, such as wrestling, hockey, football, basketball and NASCAR.

Pokemon items have become games for adults as well as children.

WebTV

WebTV is for people who don't want to buy a computer to take advantage of the Internet, said Singleton. People can use their television to hook up to the Internet.

Many people buying WebTV systems are 55 and older, he said.

Automobile PC navigator

The automobile personal computer and navigator is a voice-activated navigation system for cars that directs the driver to his destination. The computer tracks the route of the trip by satellites and calculates the most direct route to within 200 feet of the destination.

Ben Brotherton of Stereo One said he and a friend recently tried to confuse their dashboard navigator on a trip to St. Louis but was given corrective directions when they got off the route.

Besides the navigation feature, the computer lets the driver get voice messages, e-mail, has automatic telephone dialing, and telephone and address books. It also has an infrared interface for a palm-top computer that can interface with the car's mechanical and technical systems to diagnose mechanical problems.

Some other features for the automobile are in-car video, compact disc changers for the dashboard and security systems.

Furby Babies, Furbies

Furbies, popular last year, and the new Furby Babies are popular among senior citizens, Singleton said, adding that a woman, 86, recently bought a Furby Baby.

As soon as the store gets Furbies in, they are gone, he said.

Collectibles

Not all shoppers are interested in electronics. Some are collectors. During the holidays, collectible items special sets are sold.

For JCPenney, the Hot Wheels set of toy cars is a hot item during this time of year, said Brenda Renfro, catalog supervisor.

Renfro said there are several men who regularly check out the new collector's items at this time of year. The sets are sold from the catalog.

Other collectibles are baseball card sets, Wheaties box replicas, and Harley-Davidson, Coke and NASCAR items.

Women collect such items as angels, bells, dolls and Santas at this time of year.

People who collect items generally pick items they like and often started collecting when they were young, Renfro said.

One collector's item, Scooby Doo dogs, has been sold out and is on back order at the store, she said.