Apple iPad
Retail price: Starting at $499
This isn't a mistake. The iPad wasn't supposed to be on our listing of best gadgets of 2010, which doesn't even exist. No, the simple fact is, tablet devices just aren't for everyone. Even Apple (AAPL) CEO Steve Jobs can't change that, no matter how many card readers or cameras he wriggles into the due-just-after-the-holidays-sure-to-mess-up-your-gifting-plans iPad 2.
Many people who either need or love to stay connected cherish their iPads. And new and great apps are being release for iOS every day. But perhaps the worst gift isn't some unusable hunk of junk -- especially for an inveterate tinkerer -- but rather, a perfectly good product like the iPad, bought for the wrong kind of person.
With just a few days left until Christmas, it's time to check your list, and check it twice, to be sure you're really buying your loved ones something they need and want, and not just another pretty, shiny device.
Happy Holidays from Fortune.
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Last updated December 22 2010: 8:24 AM ET
