Games and gaming systems

High: Please the whole family with the new PlayStation 4. One of its best features is that players can broadcast their gameplay in real time through Ustream or Twitch, allowing friends to comment or jump into the game to help out. $400. Where to buy: Various retailers. Medium: Everyone has a rock star inside. Players can discover their inner musician with Ubisoft’s Rocksmith 2014. More than 80 lessons teach how to play the guitar, from how to hold a pick to tapping techniques. There are mini arcadelike games that make practicing scales and chords enjoyable and more than 50 songs to play along with. Rocksmith 2014 is available for Xbox 360, PlayStation3, PC or Mac. $80 (electric guitar not included). Where to buy: rocksmith.ubi.com, various retailers. Low: This season’s must-have games, including Call of Duty: Ghosts, promise hours of fun. And they’re not too hard on the pocketbook. In the new Call of Duty, play the role of the underdog to reclaim a fallen nation or customize your soldier and your squad in multiplayer mode. $60. Where to buy: Various retailers.

Cellphones

High: Thin is in when it comes to tablets. At less than 1/3-inch thick, the iPad Air weighs only 1 pound. With the A7 chip and iOS7, it is powerful, fast and full of features, such as the FaceTime HD camera, iCloud photo sharing and the GarageBand app. The battery lasts up to 10 hours. Expect to dig deep into your pocketbook: It’s more expensive than some of the competitors. From $499.