DELRAY BEACH, Fla.- From pocket-sized, portable DVD and MP3 players to digital photo frames and GPS units, the holiday’s hottest products are all about technology this year. Yet, finding the right gifts at the right price can often add stress to an otherwise joyous season.

According to a new survey commissioned by Office Depot (NYSE:ODP), a leading global provider of office products and services, 46 percent of holiday shoppers said finding the perfect gifts for family, friends, clients and colleagues was the “most challenging” aspect of the holidays, while 44 percent of respondents stated that “sticking to a budget” was their top holiday concern this year.

With a little advanced preparation and the correct resources, shoppers will be amazed at the amount of time and aggravation they can save when searching for the perfect holiday gift,” said Office Depot’s gift-giving expert Hillary Mendelsohn, a noted shopping authority and bestselling author.

Together with Office Depot, Mendelsohn has assembled a collection of shopping suggestions and gift ideas for busy professionals. Her recommendations include these top tips:

1. Create a list of the people you plan to buy gifts for and establish your budget. Include notes on each person’s hobbies and interests to help build unique or creative gift ideas.

2. Combine shopping trips to minimize your store visits and increase productivity during this hectic time. Keep your eyes open for great gifts during your normal business day by exploring the “unexpected” locations that you’re already visiting.

3. Gift cards are the best business gifts. According to the Office Depot survey, nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of respondents would prefer to receive a gift card this holiday from co-workers or business colleagues.

4. Shop online. In order to reduce stress and increase productivity during the holidays, Mendelsohn cites the benefits of online shopping: from in-store pick up and free shipping options to the convenience of purchasing anytime of day or night.

5. Personalize gifts without breaking the bank. With a little thought, gifts can be transformed from practical objects into useful, customized tools.

“Some of the most thoughtful, well-received gifts are the ones that reflect the recipient’s interests,” said Mendelsohn. “For example, when gifting an MP3 player, load it with the recipient’s favorite music or customize a calendar by adding important dates and birthdays.” Here are a few additional gift ideas she suggests for busy shoppers this holiday season:

The Executive – Give the gift of organization to the business person(s) in your life. Mendelsohn particularly likes the Foray line of business cases ($19.99-$149.99), sold exclusively at Office Depot, that blend durability and organization into stylish carryalls for both men and women. But don’t stop there – she also suggests filling the briefcase with an Ativa Flash Memory Drive ($29.99-$114.99), pens, pencils and notebooks, or even a PDA or card scanner to truly help them get organized in the New Year.

The Traveler – Have a friend or family member who loves the open road? Get them the ultimate travel-seeking device: the Navman F20 GPS Receiver ($329.99). This easy-to-use navigational device allows users to search millions of places of interest with its 3-D moving maps. The Navman GPS Receiver’s slim, portable design allows users to transfer the device from car to car. Customize the gift with a laminated wall map and map tacks to trace travel destinations.

The Photographer – Give the gift of shared memories with a Kodak EasyShare V705 Dual Lens Digital Camera ($349.99). The world’s smallest ultra-wide-angle zoom digital camera features Kodak’s Retina dual lens design, which delivers both ultra-wide-angle and 5X optical zoom range.  When gifting digital cameras, Mendelsohn suggests adding accessories to the mix. She recommends pairing a stylish black leather Foray camera bag ($24.99-$34.99) and Ativa 2GB Camera Memory Card ($79.99) with any digital camera to ensure that the gift is ready for action. Another great idea is the Pandigital LCD Digital Photo Frame ($129.99) that allows you to transfer images to the frame directly from your digital camera, USB drive, memory card or computer to create a personalized slideshow. Mendelsohn suggests pre-loading the frame with personal photos for a gift beyond compare.

The Music Lover – The definitive gift for all music lovers this season is the highly-anticipated Microsoft Zune Player ($249.99). The 30GB digital media player comes equipped with wireless functionality for Zune-to-Zune sharing of music, pictures and video. Available in three colors – black, brown and white – the Zune also comes preloaded with songs, music videos and film shorts. Complete the “music lover’s” package with a set of noise-cancelling headphones and Cakewalk Music Creator 3 software ($49.99).

The TV Enthusiast / Movie Buff – For the person on your list who never likes to miss his/her favorite show, the ARCHOS portable media player and DVR station ($344.99 PMP and $99.99 DVR station) is the perfect gift. Designed for watching video on-the-go, the ARCHOS portable media player features a 4.5-inch screen and 30GB of storage capacity, allowing you to record and transfer live television programming directly to the unit.
For their viewing pleasure, the 20-inch Sharp LCD TV ($699.99) is a great gift for any movie fan with its crystal-clear, wide-screen picture. The perfect addition for any TV is the new Slingbox AV ($179.99). Compatible with your DVR, digital cable box, and satellite receiver, Slingbox technology allows you to enjoy live television anywhere you have an internet connection -- Be that in the coffee shop down the street or London’s Heathrow Airport.

The Graduate / Young Professional – For those who are new to the workforce, give them a gift that will put them on the path to success. Create a comprehensive set of business tools, such as a portfolio and Foray business tote. And, for those just starting out, consider adding resume paper as well.
The Colleague – Don’t break the bank purchasing extravagant gifts that run the risk of being re-gifted. Nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of survey respondents would prefer to receive gift cards from co-workers this holiday season.

For a complete selection of holiday gift-giving ideas and shopping suggestions from Hillary Mendelsohn, click here - http://mediarelations.officedepot.cc/holiday06/.

About Hillary Mendelsohn

Hillary Mendelsohn is a shopping expert and Founder and President of thepurplebook: The Definitive Guide to Exceptional Online Shopping, an annual resource guides for online shopping in book form and online.

Hillary is also a contributing editor to InStyle Magazine writing the "netshopper" / "Hot Sites" section as well as a regular contributor to Practical E-Commerce Magazine. She has received high national visibility as a shopping expert in outlets ranging from Time, Real Simple, Redbook, Readers Digest, US New and World Report, and Kiplinger’s magazines, to the Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Investors Business Daily, and the “Today Show,” “20/20,” MSNBC, CNN, Tech TV, and TNT's “Makeover and a Movie.”

About Office Depot

Office Depot provides more office products and services to more customers in more countries than any other company.

Incorporated in 1986 and headquartered in Delray Beach, Fla., Office Depot has annual sales of nearly $15 billion, and employs approximately 50,000 associates around the world. Currently, the Company sells to customers directly or through affiliates in 42 countries.

Office Depot is a leader in every distribution channel -- from retail stores and contract delivery to catalogs and e-commerce. As of September 30, 2006, Office Depot had 1,121 retail stores in North America and another 323 stores, either company-owned, licensed or franchised, in other parts of the world. Office Depot serves a wide range of customers through a dedicated sales force, telephone account managers, direct mail offerings, and multiple web sites. With $4.2 billion in online sales during the last twelve months, the Company is also one of the world’s largest e-commerce retailers.

Office Depot’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ODP and is included in the S&P 500 Index. Additional press information can be found at: http://mediarelations.officedepot.com.