Soccer dads would be happy to get a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W380 ($140), which takes very good flash photos and is excellent at handling shake, or a Nikon Coolpix P100 ($400), which has a very long, 26x zoom and very good response time, controls, and LCD quality.

Aspiring photojournalists would like the Canon Powershot G11 ($500), a small, light camera that matched many SLRs in picture quality, or the Canon EOS Rebel T2i ($900), a consistent performer in our tests which takes excellent low-light photos.

(These models will appear in our next batch of digital cameras, which are currently being tested in our lab.)

A camcorder. For dads who prefer to capture moving pictures, a compact camcorder can't be beat. The Canon FS200 ($280) is an inexpensive, flash-memory camcorder has better video quality than most standard-def models. The older Sony HDR-CX100 ($430) is an HD flash-memory camcorder with very good video quality, excellent image stabilization, and a relatively low price tag.

Pocket camcorders are mini, hand-sized models that are best for shooting short videos to share via e-mail or for posting to the Web. The Pure Digital Flip Video UltraHD ($180) was among the best at capturing HD-quality video.

A GPS. Some people just have screwy internal compasses. If your dad is one, the Garmin Nuvi 265T ($150) is a full-featured navigation unit with free traffic service. (The service contains ads, though they aren't too intrusive.)

Outdoorsy fathers might like a handheld hiking GPS unit, which offer topographical maps, an altimeter, compass, and geocaching information. The Garmin Oregon 200 ($300) is a good choice for casual hikers.

For help buying a GPS, see "Choosing the best GPS navigator for Father's Day 2010."

E-readers. We recently began testing e-book readers here in our labs. New models are rapidly entering the market, but the Amazon Kindle ($260) is probably still the best choice for many bookworms. The device offers crisp text on a 6-inch screen, fine performance, simple controls, and buying books wirelessly is a quick, simple process.

An iPad. For the dad who has everything—or nothing. Lacking the full functionality of a traditional computer, the Apple iPad tablet is a jack of many trades. One of the things it has excelled at is offering users a one-stop, sleek and portable spot for all sorts of digital activities. Dad can read the paper, shoot off an email, view a slideshow, flip through book, manage his calendar, play a game, or watch a TV show with the swipe of a finger over his lap. An intuitive, immersive toy for grown ups.

iPads don't come cheap, of course, with the least expensive model costing $499, and connecting only via Wi-Fi. Models with 3G capability cost $630 and up, plus optional monthly 3G fees of $15 and up.