HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR GEEKS
Ok, here we go again. It's that time of year where I begin to
tell you about all of those great technology items that will make
any geek in your life literally glow with delight. This year, the
offerings continue to outpace the previous year when it comes to
flashing lights, strange sounds, tactile feedback and even personal
hygiene. Because there are so many, this year I plan to keep them
coming for as long as possible beginning with this week's column.
 Let's
begin with the good old mouse pad. This year, it's not your father's
mouse pad anymore. The FlexiGlow FX Illuminated Mouse Pad ($26.99)
is more for your eyes than it is for your mouse. The mouse pad has a
built-in multi-color LED light system that lets you choose any one
of seven different color by pressing a button. Or you can have the
mouse pad phase cycle through all of the colors for the ultimate
effect. The colors emit from a translucent material that runs
completely around the perimeter of the mouse pad via low-power LEDS
that get their power from a USB connection cord. Turn out the lights
in the room for the best mouse pad show in town.
 The
next mouse pad is something Minnesota Fats may have carried had
there been computers in his day. Envision him strolling into the
parlor with his custom pool cue in its carrying case. I've seen his
counterparts with tennis rackets, golf clubs and even baseball bats,
each in its very own custom carrying case. But what of the
professional computer gamer? You guessed it. It's the custom
computer mouse pad. The X-Ray Thunder 8 Gaming Pad ($24.99) is a
mouse pad so fine that it comes in its very own ultra-light carrying
case. Open the quality tin metallic shell and inside rests your
unique dual-surfaced mouse pad that can instantly let you switch
from a smooth to a textured mousing surface. The idea here is that
you can best determine which surface works better with your mouse of
the moment. I assume that you'll probably be carrying more than one
mouse for different kinds of game playing, of course. The base of
this mouse pad is firmly anchored to the desk surface via specially
designed soft, sticky silicone rubber feet that really grip the
desk. The Thunder 8 also includes a cord clip to keep the mouse
cable out of the way when you elect to use a corded mouse instead of
your wireless model. The only choice you may have to wrestle with is
whether you want the base of the mouse pad in black, green or blue.
Like walking into a pool hall with a Balabushka Pool Cue, your
opposition will probably cut and run when you walk into the computer
room with an X-Ray Thunder 8 under your arm.
 For
those geeks who like playing under the hood of their computers, they
may find the need to solder something back in place. One of the
coolest soldering tools I have seen in a long time is the Cold Heat
Soldering Tool ($19.99). This amazing device reaches a solder
melting temperature of well over 500 degrees in less than one
second. But what is even more incredible is that it returns to a
touch-safe temperature within 5 seconds after it is deactivated.
Anyone who has ever worked with a soldering gun or iron can tell you
about burns received from these tools that can take minutes to warm
up and a lot longer to finally cool down. The Cold Heat Soldering
Tool works on four AA batteries and will solder over 700 joints
before you have to change them. It too comes in its own case.
 Finally,
let's talk about caffeine. It's the choice of PC champions when it
comes to staying up all night with a computer. Geeks first turned to
coffee, then Mountain Dew, then Jolt Cola. Now it's soap. But not
ordinary soap. This soap contains caffeine. I'm not kidding. In
fact, your morning shower may bring a whole new meaning to waking
when you lather up with this bar. Shower Shock Caffeinated Soap
($6.99 per bar) is billed as the world's first and original
caffeinated soap product. For the health-conscience, Shower Shock is
an all vegetable based glycerine soap which does not contain any
harsh ingredients like ethanol, diethanolamine, polyethylene glycol
or cocyl isethionate. Now I'm not exactly sure if the caffeine
really does make it through your skin and into your blood stream. I
noticed that the manufacturer makes no such claim, no matter where
on your body you may wash with it. But it still makes for one heck
of a different holiday gift, don't you think?
All of the products here are available at Think Geek's website at
www.thinkgeek.com. Stay tuned for lots more unusual holiday gifts
for the technology lovers in your life.
www.thinkgeek.com |
