iPod, iPhone, BlackBerry, Alienware desktops, and all those other shiny tech toys and gadgets

Every day, I spend at least eight hours, most of my working hours, in front of a computer. Those hours, which pass by like a speeding train, are spent checking my office email, responding to those pesky instant messages, surfing the Internet, and reviewing work manuals. Of course, the biggest portion goes to doing my job, which is editing works by industry analysts.

The Alienware Area 51 desktop (photo courtesy of Dell)

An hour after getting home, when those who were with me in the train or bus that brought me home are getting ready for bed, it would be my home PC’s turn to have my full attention. I then spend a couple or so hours more, working on my weekly column and articles that my other employer, a newspaper publisher, expects me to submit as promptly as possible.

Gadgets on my wish list

Christmas is barely a couple of months away, and this early, people are getting ready with their lists -- of the people (family, friends, and coworkers) they would give gifts to and of the goodies they would buy for them. This happens every year.

And on these islands, the effects seem more pronounced than they are overseas. Somehow, whenever the "Ber" months come, people transform into clones of Santa Claus and his helpers, combined. Manufacturers and sellers, meanwhile, are crossing their fingers too. After all, the holiday season accounts for a large portion of their annual sales.