LONDON, December 7 /PRNewswire/ -- CNET UK (http://www.cnet.co.uk), the UK's expert and unbiased authority on consumer technology, has revealed today the gadgets that will knock the socks off loved ones this Christmas Day.

Heading the list of must-have items are the:

- Playstation 3 Slim - a redesign and price cut have made the super-powerful console more attractive than ever (http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/gamesconsoles/0,139102149,49303921,00.htm) - HTC Hero smart phone - Cheaper and more flexible than an iPhone, this is the hot mobile of choice (http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/0,39030107,49303060,00.htm) - LG 370 Blu-ray player - A great Blu-ray player for watching high-definition movies that can also connect to the Internet and play YouTube clips (http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/dvdpvr/0,39030417,49301861,00.htm) - Kodak Zi8 camcorder - Great value, high definition camcorder that records to built-in memory and has a built-in USB plug (http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/camcorders/0,39029967,49303840,00.htm) - Samsung ST1000 camera - With GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, this takes gadget cameras to the next level (http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/digitalcameras/0,39030233,49304417,00.htm) - Acer Ferrari One netbook - In a world of dull, cheap laptops, this one rises above the rest with a good design, yet it still has a keen price (http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/laptops/0,39030093,49303769,00.htm)) - Sennheiser CX400 earphones - The best sub-GBP40 earphones out there that do a good job of blocking out outside noise (http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/accessories/0,39100116,49295620,00.htm) - Eye-Fi Share Video card - A 4GB SD memory card for cameras that lets you send images to websites like Facebook wirelessly (http://crave.cnet.co.uk/digitalcameras/0,39029429,49303866,00.htm) - Panasonic Viera G15 TV - 46-inches of TV loveliness, with the ability to receive both Freeview and Freesat broadcasts (http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/televisions/0,39030219,49303978,00.htm) - iPod touch 8GB with 5GB MiFi - An iPod touch bundled with a Wi-Fi modem that uses the 3G mobile network to give it Internet access (http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/0,39029453,49304429,00.htm)

And in CNET UK's inaugural Christmas gift survey of 750 people, it seems the depressing economic climate hasn't dampened the Christmas spirit. Nearly two thirds of respondents are planning to spend the same amount or more on Christmas than they did last year.

Furthermore, the Brits will be splashing the cash, with their average budget being almost 10% higher than that of the more cautious Americans, who will spend an average of GBP445 ($742).

Shopping lists will be a lot more tech-heavy in the US this year with gadgets accounting for 50% or more of total Christmas spend for 38% of US respondents, whilst only 21% of Brits will be spending that proportion of their budget on consumer technology products.

Gadgets clearly continue to top peoples' Christmas wish lists and, according to our survey, laptops, smart phones and big screen TVs will be the most prized gifts this year, said Jason Jenkins, editor of CNET UK. The current state of the economy means people want to be sure they're getting the best for their money though, so we are suggesting that people go online and ensure they've done as much research as possible.

For more information visit http://www.cnet.co.uk

About CNET UK

CNET UK (http://www.cnet.co.uk) is where people go indulge their passion for consumer technology, find out about the latest products, and discover how to enhance their digital life. The site delivers expert and unbiased advice in daily gadget blogs and in-depth product reviews, as well as price comparisons on thousands of different products.

About CBS Interactive Limited

CBS Interactive UK, a division of CBS Corporation, is the UK's largest online-only publisher of premium content. With more than 9m people visiting its UK properties each month, CBS Interactive is a UK top 15 web property. Our portfolio of leading brands - which include CNET UK, GameSpot UK, TV.com, BNET UK, silicon.com and ZDNet UK - span popular categories like technology, entertainment, and business.

SOURCE: CBS Interactive

CONTACT: For more information contact: Helen Cooke, CNET UK,+44-(0)20-7021-1100, helen.cooke@cbs.com