Keeping in touch.

• Position: Holiday Gifts Galore - Brief Article

* We're not usually given to fads and trends, but the walkie-talkie craze we've witnessed on recent vacations, at the beach, and in the shopping malls proved too tempting to resist, and with good reason--having walkie-talkies is fun and, more important, practical.

The Talkabout T6200 Two-Way Radio ($75.99) from Motorola, Inc., Schaumburg, Ill., and UFR-850CM-2 camouflage unit ($129.99) from Unwired Technology LLC, Farmingdale, N.Y., both have a range of up to two miles.

The Talkabout has 14 channels, each with 38 subcodes, and can suppress noise and chatter from outside the user's group. Moreover, there are Eavesdrop Reducer codes that enhance privacy by scrambling your voice to anyone not on the same code--so this year's holiday gifts can remain a secret. The Talkabout also can receive National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio broadcasts, especially convenient for all us skiers, sledders, and snowboarders on constant snow alert.

While the UFR-850CM-2's camouflage look is aimed at the younger set--when did dressing like a jungle fighter become the in thing? --this unit's many features and rugged water-resistant endurance will appeal to all age groups, especially parents trying to keep track of their children and...