The 2009 Acend Ultimate Holiday Geek Gift Guide
Posted on Wed, Dec 09, 2009 @ 07:00 AM
Finding the perfect gift for techies is no easy matter. After all, by definition, geeks are steeped in the latest and greatest tech gadgets, and it's just as difficult to find a tech-based subject they don't already think they know everything about. To help you find the perfect gift for the techie in your life -- or to steer a loved one toward something you'd really like - Acend has uncovered 10 seriously cool new gadgets that will appeal to the geek in all of us.
Powermat wireless charger
Powermat USA's much anticipated Powermat wireless charging station has arrived in stores just in time for the holidays. Capable of charging up to three electronic devices at a time (plus one via USB power port), the Powermat promises to free up electrical outlets and rid you of cord jumbles.
Apple Magic Mouse
What's a geek gadget gift guide without an Apple product? This year, Apple's reinvented the mouse -- again. The wireless (via Bluetooth) Magic Mouse brings the oh-so-hot multitouch technology pioneered by the iPhone and later brought to the MacBook Pros to the surface you probably use all the time: your mouse. The top of the Magic Mouse is a touchpad, letting you use gestures and motions for navigation, zooming, and more. How cool is that? Note that the low-profile mouse may not fit larger hands comfortably. Driver now avaible to work with Windows as well.
Acer Aspire 1420P
The tablet concept is not new, and neither is the swivel screen. However, the Acer Aspire 1420P imbues the tablet concept with new life, considering it uses multitouch technology on the screen and can work easily as a notebook PC or as a tablet. If you give presentations or demos, the combination of swivel display and touch could be amazing. We only wish that Windows 7 had more expansive gesture support built in.
LG Electronics 42LH50 LCD TV
Internet-enabled everything is a mantra you often hear from marketers of electronic gizmos, but the allure has not really captured the mind of the general consumer; they remain apathetic about Internet-connected refrigerators and the like. However, there is one device that will surely benefit from an Internet connection and will likely bring the multimedia geek out in just about everyone -- the television. The 42LH50 LCD TV from LG Electronics is one of the latest Internet-enabled televisions to come on the market. Besides the expected great LCD display and quality sound, this LG TV has some smarts that allow it to take advantage of online multimedia via Yahoo Widgets, Netflix, and others. This is the future of television, and you'd best get ready.
"Star Trek" BLU-RAY
What's the best movie of the year? Well, we could debate that all day but I can tell you that, without a doubt, my favourite movie of the year was "Star Trek,' which brought the long-under-performing film franchise to maximum warp, perhaps for the first time ever. The DVD and Blu-ray releases live up to the film, too, and dollar-for-dollar, they may be the season's best gift for sci-fi fans. The extras on the two-disc version are strong, too; J.J. Abrams is one of the best in Hollywood when it comes to an erudite but accessible director's commentary that is neither self-aggrandizing nor snore-inducing. The gag reel is actually funny. The nine deleted scenes on the Blu-ray, meanwhile, are actually pretty intriguing and show that the film could have gone into some substantially different sections of the story. The birth of Spock, trimmed from the start of the film, is worth watching for sure, as are the grim sequences with Klingons -- although they do kind of remind me of Spartans from some interstellar version of "300." And, oh yes, I love that critic's blurb on the box.
Apple iPhone 3GS
The hottest tech gift two years running must be the Apple iPhone 3GS. The iPhone is one of those gifts that will be used every single day, and not just to make calls. In fact, the feature I use most often is email, browsing online, and Google Maps. I also use the iPhone to play freely available casual games available on the App Store. And of course, you can play your iTunes music on the iPhone just as you would on your iPod. This year, the iPhone has some competition in the new breed of Android phones in particular the Motorola Droid.
Flip MinoHD
The Flip MinoHD is quickly gaining a big market share of the camcorder business from established brands such as Sony, Panasonic, Canon, etc. The Flip is the iPod of video cameras. It is small, portable, and simple to use. When recording, you can zoom in out and stop. When playing back you can increase/decrease the volume and pause. It is far easier to use than the standard point and shoot digital camera and takes up a lot less pocket space.
Western Digital My Passport Essential 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable Drive
One item that a geek never has enough of is disk space. Technologist can easily fill a 100 GB hard drive with bittorrents, software, games, movies, pictures, data, etc. in no time. The geek in your life will appreciate a portable hard drive like the Western Digital My Passport which are available with 360 or 500 GB. The My Passport is the slimmest, slickest, and sexiest of the portable drives I have seen. They are small enough to carry with you in your laptop bag. As a stocking stuffer, you might be interested in getting a 32 GB USB drive. Some of the cutest USB drives are the Star Wars Mimobot Thumb Drives.
TomTom GO 740 Live
The TomTom GO 740 Live is the manufacturer's first connected-GPS device, offering up-to-the-minute traffic data, weather forecasts, fuel prices, and Local Search powered by Google. Map Share and IQ Routes technologies allow map data to be updated more frequently. Bluetooth hands-free calling and voice command help the driver to keep both hands on the wheel.
Livescribe Pulse smartpen
Geeks like high-tech toys, and the more usable and portable, the better in my opinion. I recently came across Livescribe's Pulse smartpen and I had to check it out. Upon investigation, it seems that the Pulse smartpen is likely to become one of the most sought-after geek gifts this holiday season.