Here we go with a rundown of gift ideas over the next few weeks that have a little bit of a geek bent. This week, gifts for him.
Retro Phone Handset [$9 at Superstore]
For the hipster in your house, this is a great inexpensive gag gift that will have them longing for the good old days when phones were actually attached to the wall. It’s a simple plug in for the headset jack of many smartphones that can make you feel like it’s 1989 again.
I still love my Apple TV and use it almost everyday. It’s an easy interface for Netflix, it can take content off your iTunes library and play it on the tv. You can access podcasts, photos, music, and more. It’s a small fist sized box that basically ‘internetifies’ your TV set and opens up an entirely new world of content.
iPod Shuffle [$49.99]
There are a lot of different iPods, and over the next few weeks I’ll be showing off a few of them, but one of the most simple is still one of my favorites. You can get armbands for iPhones or bigger iPods, but when it comes to getting out and having some music in your ears, the simple form of a clip on player still wins. I still love mine.
iPad [$399.99]
Don’t be afraid to get someone an older iPad for Christmas. I have 3 editions of the iPad and iPad 1 still gets as much play as iPad 3 at our place. Yes, there are speed differences, and some screen resolutions, but if it comes down to having a reader, game player, movie watching device – you can save some bucks by picking up iPad 2.
iCade [$99.99 at Future Shop]
If there’s already a few iPads hanging around your house, pick up an iCade and turn your basement, desk, whatever into an arcade. This has been a huge hit at the Consumer Electronics Show the past few years. It started as an April Fool’s joke, and now it’s a real product. It’s a wooden case for your iPad that turns it into a table top arcade game. Comes complete with a collection of Atari classics.
MyCharge [$109.99 at Future Shop]
I am constantly running out of battery during the course of the day. I am addicted to twitter and I drain it quickly. SO .. extra batteries while you’re on the go are a great thing to have. You can get big extra battery cases for your mobiles from Mophie, but they add a lot of size and weight to your device. The Powerbag is a backpack that has batteries built in to charge a variety of devices, but you can also buy just the MyCharge battery to turn any briefcase into a charging station. Dear Santa: want.
Asus S56 [starting $649.99 at Future Shop]
Windows 8 is here, and it is a beautiful interface. There is a learning curve, but if you’re upgrading laptops you can still get a lot of bang for your buck with one of the new models. The Asus S56 is lightweight, responsive, and has a great design.
Targus Plug n Power Charging Station [$29.99 at Future Shop]
On the surface this looks really boring, but if you think about it .. it’s genius. Our phone counter is a mess of cables and chargers and adapters. By adding two simple USB ports at the bottom of this charger, you can expand your abilities and cut down on the mess.
APP OF THE WEEK: Angry Birds Star Wars
This top app received an upgrade this week. When Angry Birds Star Wars was released 3 weeks ago, it went to the top of the charts after 2 hours. There are still a few secrets being held back, and one of them was a collection of levels on Hoth. They are out now, and it is worth a grab. This game is the best of all editions of Angry Birds PLUS Star Wars characters. Genius, and the best release yet.
Can’t help but notice the distinct Apple slant here. 😉 Personally, I think the shuffle is way overpriced for what it is and if you really just want something super basic, there are way cheaper options that are (nearly) just as small… though, if you’ve already invested in a large iTunes library, I suppose you’ve got to stick with the iPod series.
As an aside, I remember when one of the first “retro” handset/headsets were released and companies were selling them for $100+. Nice to see that they’re down to a much more reasonable price now.