Are Old Gadgets With Character Recognition Functions Still Considered New Holiday Gifts?

Melissa Peterman asked:


If you look around your home or office, there is a good chance that you purchased or were given a gadget with snazzy features like character recognition technology or cordless features or maybe it’s something that glows in the dark. What ever the purpose of the gadget, it’s likely that it no longer works, is outdated or is holding pencils or acts as a frame of a list of all the new gadgets you want now. When thinking of holiday gifts, are gadget-y gifts like iPhones and toaster/microwave combos really the way to go or perhaps something like a spa gift certificate or knitted sweater is a better lasting gift?

Character Recognition Technology Still Gets Recognition

Though optical character recognition technology has been around awhile, it doesn’t mean its antique- actually it’s just improving and getting better. Engineers have found ways using mirrors, lenses and algorithms to make hand held devices as well as huge machines to improve everyone’s’ daily life for the better.

•    The United States Post Office uses character recognition to sort mail at a rapid pace.

•    The Kurzweil Reading Machine uses character recognition technology to read books and any other printed text aloud to the blind.

•    Palm Pilots and other hand held devices- like UPS signature tablets that can recognize digital handwriting including cursive use character recognition technology.

•    United States public libraries use character recognition scanners to copy text from printed books to digital format at remarkable speeds.

It’s likely that character recognition technology gifts are appropriate for the right person. For example, the musician in your life would probably enjoy the character recognition technology tool that scans written music notes and downloads them onto musical scores. Someone who speaks multiple languages will enjoy the latest character recognition technologies that can read Arabic, Persian, Japanese and other languages and English on the same page or translate the foreign languages into English.

While you are out shopping this holiday season, it’s wise to look into the future of each holiday gadget that you pick up. Will it last? How useful is it really? Can a person use it longer than a year?

Whether or not you decide to give gadgets as gifts this year, look around at your friends and families desks too. Before you give cousin Jon that knitted sweater or the character recognition gadget, see what he did with last year’s  hot item- the “2-in-1 stapler/laser pointer.” Is it scratched and faded from so much use or sitting in a dusty desk drawer? As long as you don’t re-gift, you should do fine- unless it’s a white elephant gift among the other stapler/ laser pointers, someone is bound to notice.



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