Logitech Harmony 800 universal learning remote

If you're looking to make someone's life easier this holiday season, instead of getting them yet another piece of arcane gear for their component rack, do them a favor and pick up Logitech's highly-rated Harmony 800 learning remote.
Featuring a 128 x 160 color screen, PC-programability, and natural language on-screen help, the 800 is a good fit for novices and experts alike. Instead of forcing the user to teach the remote with that exasperating head-to-head technique, this device hooks up to either Mac or Windows systems via USB, and basically self-programs after asking a series of questions. Other nice touches include a docking station that keeps the batteries charged and backlit keys for low-light usage. At $250, the Harmony 800 costs just about as much as that SACD player you were gonna get, and will probably give the recipient a whole lot more utility.