With the holidays just around the corner, shopping for the geek in your life might seem about as much fun as picking pieces of tinsel off your new carpet on New Year’s Day while nursing a red wine hangover. After all, gadget and gizmo lovers seem to have everything. The latest smallest iPod? Check. The coolest newest cellphone? Check. The fastest slickest digital camera? Check. Well, what about a t-shirt that plays back a customized soundtrack to your life? A-ha! Now we’re talking. Here’s a high-tech tee gearheads will love; plus a couple more tech toys to surprise even the most diehard data-loving nerds this season.
Make sweet music when you walk in a room
If that special someone on your list would get a kick out of walking into a room with a drum roll or cheering sound beaming loudly out of his chest, then shop no further. The Personal Soundtrack Shirt comes with 20 pre-recorded sounds that you can activate on cue. Imagine telling a funny joke with a group of friends and then adding your own laugh track. Or how about creeping up to a jaywalking buddy on the street with a police siren going off in the background. With this tee’s built-in speaker and remote control, the soundtrack to your life is alive and well. Call it apparel that talks back. If you don’t like any of the pre-recorded sounds, you can also create your own for that extra special effect. This US$29.99 t-shirt from ThinkGeek (http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/interactive/a5bf) requires four AAA batteries, some careful washing, and a whole lotta creativity.
Give your keyboard some laser love
Oh, wired keyboards are so 1999. If you’re really hip to tech, you project your keys with the Virtual Laser Keyboard (VLB) (http://www.virtual-laser-keyboard.com). Sit in the comfort of your home or office with a full-size operating keyboard that glows in the dark. The highlight of this wacky accessory is that it works with a Mac, PC, or multiple handheld devices. Imagine the surprise on someone’s face when you hand over this little piece of hi-tech heaven. For approximately US$150, you’re bound to get some geek credibility from the lucky recipient.
Make a mouse with fresh breath
Let’s say you want to impress someone with a crafty creation this holiday. After all, it’s almost too easy to pick something up something new at a local electronics store or order a glorious gadget online. Instead, within just a few hours you can whip up a computer mouse that will be the main topic of conversation over dinner stuffing. All you need is an Altoids tin, a Logitech USB optical mouse, a Dremel, and a few other odds and ends. The simple how-to instructions from Make Magazine (http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2005/03/the_minty_mouse.html) will help you pull together a mighty mouse in a shiny tin box. This little hack is bound to impress any geek in your life for years to come.