Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: for dad

When dads are awesome, they're so very awesome. They tend to love gadgets just like you -- they totally get it. Hell, your dad is probably reading Engadget right now (at least we hope so). So maybe he won't be as surprised when he gets something off this list, but that won't make it any less enjoyable when the both of you unpack it together, set it up, and fight over who gets to use it first.

See also: for him, for her, for son, for daughter.

$0 - $100

Logitech Harmony 520 Advanced Universal Remote - Sure, you could try to get Dad off the couch by buying him some fancy exercise equipment, but since that'll end up in the attic by New Year's anyway, why not just bite the bullet and make his sedentary lifestyle a little more enjoyable instead? Logitech's Harmony 550 remote can control up to 15 of his favorite A/V gadgets through simple macros and on-screen prompts, and the online device database makes punching in those frustrating codes a thing of the past.
$87 - Shop for Harmony 520

LoggerHead Bionic Wrench - If your dad is anything like ours, his workbench is cluttered with rusty old tools, and he can be heard cussing up a blue streak every time he's looking for that damn 5/16 wrench; why not do him and the neighbors a favor and pick up one of LoggerHead's Bionic Wrenches? Available in three sizes and one attractive color, each of these little wonders can handle several different bolts of almost any size, and grip tightly on all six sides. He'll still probably lose it, but at least you can say you tried.
$33 - Buy from Smarthome

Coleco Sonic Handheld - Even if all these "next-gen" consoles are too confusing for dear old dad, surely he can get down with a single D-pad and two measly buttons. The Coleco Sonic Handheld offers up 20 old-school Sega games that anyone can master, and at only $50, it's a cheap way to distract him from telling his boring stories at yet another family event.
$50 - Buy from Target

$101 - $250

Bluetake i-PHONO mini + transmitter - Cut dad's cables, man. He doesn't want no wires to his headphones -- except on his audiophile headphones -- so make sure his iPod (or A2DP compliant cellphone) is Bluetooth and proud with a Bluetake iPhono mini and transmitter.
~$130 for both - Buy from Blue Essentials

LG enV - He wants the full qwerty keyboard, but none of the hassle of a smartphone OS -- and we can't blame him. Point him towards Verizon's enV. It's by no means perfect, but it strikes a good balance of 3G and multimedia features with QWERTY flavor and a dedicated numeric keypad to boot.
$150 with contract - Buy from Verizon

Gateway FPD1975W - Poor dad, his eyesight is already going and he's having an ever-harder time reading your IMs. He may not need a 30-incher, but you'd do him right to snag him Gateway's FPD1975W, one of the least expensive large widescreens on the market today.
$230 - Buy from Gateway

$251 - $500

Sony Ericsson MBW-100 - Every guy secretly wants to lead the James Bond lifestyle, and while it's probably not a good idea to retrofit his BMW with surface-to-air missles, you can still hook him up with a high-tech watch. Sony Ericsson's MBW-100 Bluetooth model should fit the bill: it'll help him impress his buddies every time a call comes in, and it looks way snazzier than past attempts at merging wrist with CallerID.
$280 - Shop for MBW-100


Logitech Harmony 1000 Advance Universal Remote - Does your Dad like to be king of the living room, making sure that only his shows are on TV and his music is piping out of the stereo at any given time? Well there's only the king of remotes that is fit for true household rulers, and that's the Logitech Harmony 1000 Advanced Universal touchscreen remote. Seriously though, $500 is a small price to pay for that kind of power trip.
$500 - Buy from Logitech


Sirius Stiletto - This new sat radio, in case you haven't heard, is one of the smallest and sleekest big-ticket gadgets out there right now. Coming in at just $350, the Stiletto will let your Dad listen to Howard Stern, NBA games and/or NPR from pretty much anywhere. Just don't be surprised if he decides to ditch the fam and take long walks by himself after holiday dinners.
$350 - Shop for Sirius Stiletto


A Living Picture Momento 100 - Sure you could get your Dad an analog picture frame, or even one of those generic digital frames that we've eyed over the last few months. But A Living Picture's Momento WiFi photo frame is something else. Even if you Dad isn't a geek, he can appreciate it once you have it set up on his desk and he can check out streaming photos from the last family vacation at his leisure.
$300 - Shop for A Living Picture Momento 100

Notable mention: Wave TV


$501 - $1000 PlayStation 3 - Assuming you didn't get one on launch day and store it away, you're probably going to have to resort to some desperate measures (i.e. eBay) if you want to score a PS3 for your dad this holiday season. Although, providing he wasn't secretly pining for a Wii, we're sure he'll appreciate your effort, especially since even if he's not going to play games he can still appreciate it as the cheapest Blu-ray player on the market. Before you go hunting for one, however, remember what your mom always told you -- if something looks too good to be true, it probably is.
<$1,000 (maybe) - Shop for PlayStation 3

Vizio 42-inch Plasma - With only a 1024 x 768 native resolution, this set may not have the highest HD resolution around, but it's got enough sheer size (42 inches) to impress in any living room and the price (around $1,000) certainly makes it a more reasonable gift than the 1080p alternatives.
~$1,000 - Buy from Vizio

Canon PowerShot G7 - Always a popular choice for the amatuer or not-so-amatuer photographer, Canon's latest G-Series camera, the PowerShot G7, should please any dad that's not still clinging to film -- and even many that are. Just don't forget to get an extra SD card or two to go along with it, the camera may suddenly seem less impressive when he realizes he can't take more than three pictures at a time.
$600 or less - Shop for Canon G7

Garmin nuvi 660 - It's not the cheapest GPS unit around, or the most expensive, but Garmin's nuvi 660 should hit the right sweet spot to please dad whether he's a casual traveler or a dedicated road warrior. And, unlike some less expensive GPS units, it shouldn't look too out of place on his (or any) dashboard.
~$800 - Shop for Garmin nuvi 660

$1000+

Tesla Roadster - Every dad has to get away from it all once in a while, but only a select few dads will have the luxury of getting away at nearly 130mph (in near-total silence, no less). True, the lawn may not get mowed and the leaky faucet may not get fixed while he's cruising the countryside in the all-electric Tesla Roadster, but he will be doing his little part to save the environment and reduce dependence on crude oil. Unfortunately, with Tesla excitement having reached a fever pitch this year, this is one gift that'll require the most patient of fathers -- deliveries for new orders could come as late as the end of '08.
$92,950 and up - Reserve with Tesla

Singapore Airlines first class ticket - Getting there is supposed to be half the fun, but you can help make sure it's about 80-90% of the fun for pops on his next trip by booking with Singapore Airlines. First class accomodations on the carrier's latest Boeing 777s appear to rival those offered by your average New York City apartment, including a 23-inch LCD, noise-reducing headset, and all manner of wizardry for watching on-demand video or getting work done. The only problem, of course, is that the sheer quantity of cash for a single first class ticket might mean the rest of the family stays home.
Price varies by booking - Book with Singapore Airlines

Philips Pronto TSU9600 - We know it's our third universal remote, but we know dads love their home theaters, and if it takes dad 15 frickin' minutes to configure his AV setup to play a DVD, and another 15 to get it back to watching TiVo, it's about time for some serious remote consolidation. Philips' Pronto TSU9600 pretty much sits atop the hill, featuring far-out goodies (for a remote, anyway) like WiFi, a 3.7-inch touch screen with a stylus, home automation integration, and media server control. At $1,300, total control doesn't come cheap, but he may never have to throw it at the TV in frustration again.
$1,300 - Search for a retailer

[Josh Lund @ Dec 15th 2006 6:48PM]

Good call on the GPS, but there are much less expensive handhelds for the person who just wants to map (or who wants to get dad into geocaching). My brothers and I got our dad one for Christmas...he and mom bought a piece of property in the North Woods and they need to map it out.

$150- all in all a great gift.

[Peter Baraian @ Dec 15th 2006 6:56PM]

Good call on the James Bond MBW-100 sony ericsson watch, might actually consider picking one up.

[Alcaron @ Dec 15th 2006 7:37PM]

This list applies to dad's about as much as the bed bath and beyond catalog.

Seriously, a PS3...?

Ok, I could see maybe a Wii, even that would be stretching it though. But a frakin' PS3...?

Do you people actually HAVE parents?

Coleco Handheld Sonic game????

wtf...I'm not exactly old but I assume anyone my age who has kids...lets just say they are going to be buying your gift with your money, and _I_ grew up on the sonic games (it was even a bit late for ME!)...who the hell came up with this list?

[SLUSHIE @ Dec 15th 2006 7:59PM]

My Dads over 50 and he would love a PS3. Although I would appreciate one much more than he would.

[Keith @ Dec 15th 2006 8:52PM]

No offense but my dad either wouldn't understand how to use any of these or use any of them

[John @ Dec 15th 2006 10:00PM]

I agree with Keith.

How about something for those Dad's whose hands aren't quite as dexterous as they used to be, whose eyesight isn't quite up to snuff and whose idea of 'technology' is cable tv.

I'd love to get my dad (or dad-in-law) an MP3 player, but I've yet to find anything for my techno-illiterate dad(s).

[Disco D @ Dec 15th 2006 8:53PM]

My dad doesn't even have an email address...

[duke @ Dec 15th 2006 9:17PM]

I think a good old mach3 shaver or a blade pack would do suffice for the time being, plus its so affordable. Won't our dads love something that practical and, useful ?


PS3, you must be kidding.

[Will @ Dec 15th 2006 9:23PM]

To those who are complaining about their dads not being able to figure this stuff out (seriously, who can't figure out a remote, a TV, a car, a watch, and a wrench?)...

DISCLAIMER: This list is not applicable to the mentally retarded.

:P

[John @ Dec 15th 2006 10:04PM]

Figure out a remote? Easy.

Figure out a remote you have to program yourself (and not just a push program, type in the code that matches the manufacturer of your device, and push program again)? A lot harder.

The wrench is probably the best thing on the list for an older person. That and a first class plane ticket.

BTW, I'm willing to accept an apology since you did just call my Dad retarded.

[Mr.Kaiser @ Dec 15th 2006 9:51PM]

My dad couldn't use a ps3 if it were as simple as the Wii

[Will @ Dec 15th 2006 10:11PM]

I'm not so much saying your dad is retarded if there's SOMETHING on this list he doesn't understand, but it's the people who complain that EVERYTHING on this list he can't understand. If your dad can handle something like a TV, watch, or car, then I think he's fine. Keith's dad on the other hand, I'm concerned about him... ;)

And on the remote note, if you were to buy that for a techno illiterate dad you'd probably just set it up for him as part of the deal and then all he has to do is press "TV" or whatnot. After it's set up it should be user friendly.. that's why it exists. (although I wouldn't know, I've never bothered with those sorts of remotes)

The one thing that DOES look complicated on this list is probably the camera. Sure, auto mode works, but to exploit a nice camera you need to know a few tricks here or there once in a while. Save that one for the bleeding edge dads out there. :P

[Mike Berglund @ Dec 16th 2006 12:30AM]

engadget has some weird dads...

[Bill @ Dec 16th 2006 1:02AM]

My dad would love any of the gifts on this list. (Personally, I got him a Samsung Nexus XM sat rad, and helped my mother pick out a Samsung NV10 digicam for him.) My dad was the one who introduced me to tech, and I wouldn't get him anything less than the latest cool stuff. Thanks Engadget!

[McFlossy @ Dec 16th 2006 12:03PM]

Thanks Bill,

My dad is 55 and HAS a PS3. He too, introduced me to tech and has all the cool stuff...iPod, HP dv2000 series, Treo, 6MP Canon digicam. Had to talk him out of a PSP because he doesn't have time to play it. (borrows mine on business trips) There are tech savvy older guys out there, you just have to find the right gift. Keep breakin it down for us Endgaget. :o)

[iamdigitalman @ Dec 16th 2006 12:41PM]

You bastards!! I had that whole damn frame blocked in my browser, and now thanks to you adding this crap, it refuses to block it anymore for some reason, so now I have to stare at that damn "sponsored by" crap. who the hell do you think you are, tampering with my borwser settings to circumvent a personal choice I made? HOW DARE YOU!!

[v_dogg @ Dec 16th 2006 1:24PM]

ya i think il buy my dad a freakin car.

[MB @ Dec 16th 2006 3:06PM]

I'm someone's dad too, but I couldn't find anything appealing on that list.

If I had my son's ear, I might ask for something to enable the digitizing my old reel-to-reel and cassette tapes and vinyl records. Alternately, a 100 GB drive to back up both his parents' laptop hard drives would be nice.

[MarvinK @ Dec 16th 2006 3:52PM]

I don't know what's with all the comments that assume that dad's can't be technically savvy. Is the average reader of this blog 35+ years old?

[TK @ Dec 16th 2006 8:39PM]

Geez people, the site is called engadget, they are gonna talk about gadgets. If your dad can't use gadgets, then dont look at a f'in gift guide at enGADGET.

[EP3 @ Dec 17th 2006 2:47PM]

My dad thought Halo was a biblical game. how on earth would he even know how to use a contoler better yet play a 1080p game with it (on the ps3. Oh and if you buy your dad a Wii your a horibble son/daughter.

[Kevin @ Dec 22nd 2006 2:24PM]

Stiletto? How about an INNO?

[Libb @ Nov 24th 2007 1:33PM]

Or, if you're so dead set on listening to Hoo-Hoo, at least make sure your dad is up-to-date and give him the Stiletto 2...

The Stiletto 1 is sooooooooo 2006.