Since he's inevitably the most difficult person to buy electronics for, we're doling out suggestions for him first, hopefully giving you enough time to drop numerous hints and have potential gift ideas rejected.
And if you're the
him in question, well, feel free to pass this guide along to friends and family with a wink and a nudge.
$0 - $100
Microsoft Sidewinder mouse - The venerable Sidewinder gaming brand returns this year, as Microsoft's new high performance gaming dons its mantle, along with variable DPI settings up to 2000 (with LCD), macro buttons, 180 degree turn, and the usual weights.
$80 -
Shop for Sidewinder Shure SE110 - A hundred bucks for Shures? Like, real, in-ear Shures? Even if they sound like crap by Shure standards they'll still be lightyears ahead of most stock earbuds. This one's almost too easy.
$100 -
Shop for Shure SE110 Xbox 360 Chatpad - If he likes playing his Xbox 360, he'll undoubtedly want the Chatpad. It's one of those things that makes so much sense you can't imagine the dark ages you lived in prior to owning it. Just make sure he knows to saw out some of the tabs that hold it into place -- otherwise he'll never be able to get the damn things back off his controller.
$30 at your local retailer
Philips Bodygroom - So he's a little wooly -- ok a lot. Bump up his hairless evolution a couple hundred years with a tool designed to tear through body manly hair like so many miniature weedwhackers. Be it of nose / ear variety or the usual back / body fur, Bodygrooms got the tool for your dude. Just be sensitive, ok? Not every man wants to be reminded of how much he looks like a mangy gorilla. (If you do run into resistance, have him check out Philips's excellent line of commercials. He won't feel quite so alone.)
$30+ -
Shop for Philips Bodygroom
iLuv i202 Bluetooth headphones - If he's any kind of self respecting nerd he's either got a pair of Bluetooth headphones (or wants one). That's where iLuv's simple cans come in. Just be sure he doesn't have an iPhone, this thing will only crank on devices with A2DP (like the AT&T Tilt, or Nokia N95 -- which we'll get to later.) If he's more of the active type, don't forget to check out
Motorola's S9s, they're not a bad alternative.
$90 -
Shop for iLuv i202Noteworthy mention:
Eye-Fi WiFi SD card,
Razer Lachesis 4000 DPI mouse
$101 - $250
Slingbox Solo - There may be no more perfect device for any dude who wants to watch his local / regional sports, but who isn't always around (or at home) to see it. In fact, the Slingbox Solo may make it so easy for him to watch TV on the go you may regret buying it -- unless you don't really want or need his full attention, anyway. Easily our favorite Slingbox to date.
$170 -
Shop for Slingbox Solo Rock Band - Not everyone gets to live out their rock star fantasies, but playing Rock Band is surely the best way to live virtually vicariously -- especially when you throw in a couple of friends. Trust us, if you've got the room in your place, this is the most righteous $180 you'll spend this holiday season. Bonus note: we don't know why, but women seem to LOVE playing the drums. It's this weird primal thing, we don't really understand it, but if you're a lady and unsure about the clutter in your well-kept living room, we encourage you to just try sitting with the sticks for a couple of minutes. You'll come around.
$170 -
Shop for Rock Band Logitech Orbit AF robo-webcam - There are webcams, and there are friggin webcams, and this thing is as easily suited to home surveillance as it is chatting with with your sweetheart. Go ahead, buy it to chat with him while he's away, but use its motorized Carl Zeiss optics and HD video to keep an eye on the cat and/or dog when you're on vacation.
$130 -
Shop for Logitech Orbit AF Samsung BlackJack II - If he, like so many others, dug the first BlackJack, the new one steps it up to a whole new level. Check out the improved QWERTY keyboard and phone key layout, jog wheel, GPS -- and the completely affordable $150 price. If you're not so sure about what kind of phone to give, we recommend asking in advance, people tend to really love or really hate Windows Mobile.
More info here.
$150 (after contract, rebates, human sacrifice, etc.) -
Buy from AT&TNoteworthy mention: OS X Leopard, thinner, lighter
PSP
$251 - $500
Asus Eee PC - He may already have a laptop, but does he have an Eee? Can he even pronounce it? Only one way to find out. Either way, there's simply no cheaper way to snag an internet-ready Linux-bearing laptop -- with a little style, no less.
$400 -
Shop for Eee PC Erector Spyke WiFi robot - Regular Erector sets are pretty boring -- not to mention frustrating -- but Spyke is one project that actually does something useful, roaming around the house,
preying spying on unsuspecting family members. Plus, how many WiFi-enabled robots does he have already? Exactly, none.
$300 -
Shop for Spykee Nokia N810 internet tablet - Nokia's N700 and N800 are widely considered one of the best laptop replacements for the hardy road warrior, and the N810 notches up its predecessors' usability by packing in a much-needed QWERTY keyboard. Plus, when the N820 comes out and pushes this one into obsolescence, he can simply repurpose this device as a
Tablet Puppy.
$450 -
Shop for Nokia N810Noteworthy mention:
80GB PlayStation 3
$501 - $1000
HP MediaSmart Home Server (1TB) - Besides looking pretty sexy for the otherwise pedestrian task of home data storage, the MediaSmart Home Server is one of the first products on the market running Windows Home Server, giving him something advanced enough handle the family's storage needs while still having enough geek cred to earn points with those damned Johnsons next door.
$750 -
Shop for HP MediaSmart Home Server Samsung BD-UP5000 - Blu-ray? HD DVD? With Samsung's combo player, he can avoid the format war altogether (unless he fancies VMD, that is). Seriously, if he's into HD but hasn't yet chosen a side, this thing is a no-brainer.
$999 -
Shop for Samsung BD-UP5000 Nikon D80 - If he doesn't already have a DSLR -- or needs to jack up an older model's megapixels -- the D80 would be a fine choice without breaking the bank like its D200 sibling. It may not have a full-frame sensor but all but the most distinguished camera geeks drool at the mere sight of one of these bad boys.
$899 -
Shop for Nikon D80 Garmin nuvi 760 - Everyone needs GPS, and it's hard not to love a nuvi, but Garmin's latest high-end model takes it to the next level, packing in nearly every feature gadget fiend could want, including Bluetooth, an FM transmitter, and traffic receiver. The text-to-speech option is one that's particularly desirable these days, too.
$799 -
Shop for Garmin nuvi 760 Panasonic HDC-SD5 - Hear about this HD thing? Everybody's doing it, yet most camcorders are stuck in the past -- and often for good reason. It can be a hassle to deal with all that HD footage, and nobody wants to start carrying around a monster of a camcorder just because it can capture a bit more detail. Lucky for him, Panasonic's HDC-SD5 tackles all those obstacles to HD -- the secret is in the SDHC slot. The SD5 records in full 1080p HD (read: resolution overkill -- be sure to look amazing when he points it your way), and has a 3CCD sensor, so footage will look great on your fancy new TV. You do have a fancy new TV, right?
$729 - $799 -
Shop for HDC-SD5
Nokia N95-3 (US 3G) - If he's not feeling Windows Mobile and has already blown off the iPhone due to its lack of wireless broadband (or easily installed 3rd party apps, or the ability to record video, or...), Nokia's N95 might be just the handset he needs. If this Symbian slider doesn't meet his needs, well, maybe he doesn't deserve a smartphone in the first place. (Just be sure you get the kind with US 3G, otherwise he'll only be able to get on fast when he's in Europe.)
$650 -
Shop for Nokia N95-3
$1000+
50-inch Pioneer KURO plasma HDTV - Here's the dirty little secret about getting the man in your life a large, high-end HDTV with immaculate picture reproduction -- you're allowed can watch it too. He'll dive into NFL games and Halo deathmatches, but Pushing Daisies, Desperate Housewives and all your favorite movies will get just as much of a boost from the amazing color and deep black levels the KURO line produces.
$3,499 -
Shop for PDP5080HD (720p)
$4,999 -
Shop for PDP5010FD (1080p)
OQO Model 02 - We're not afraid to admit it, the OQO Model 02 might just be the pinnacle of handheld computing to date -- or at least it feels that way when you've got one in hand and realize how much power is at your fingertips. It might be a little difficult for a guy to justify to his boss as a business expense, but that doesn't mean he isn't longing for one with every fiber of his being. Go for the SSD option if you're really feeling generous this year.
$1,299 - $2,349 -
Buy from OQO HP Blackbird 002 - You know a guy who's into PC gaming? He wants a Blackbird 002. Maybe we're exaggerating slightly, but if
reviews and benchmarks are any indication, this souped-up beast is the one to beat. And of course, looks like that don't hurt a bit. The best part about this desktop is that HP designed it to be fairly future-proof (well, as far as PCs go anyway), so while the initial price of entry may seem steep, your recipient will have some of the best defense available against desktop obsolescence.
Starts at $2,700, gets ridiculously expensive from there -
Buy from HP
So, did we forget anything? We've got plenty more gift guides to go, and if there's some burning item on your wish list this year, let us know in comments, maybe we'll find some place to work it in.
posted Nov 24th 2007 5:51PM
Sweet guide, fellas! Much appreciated! I very much look forward to your "For Her" guide, because I'm at a total loss for what to get my girl.
Hint: Don't shop for her on engadget.
Don't let the 'e' hear me, we all know I love it but I know my girl would prefer some sweater from Victoria whose'a'whatsit or somethin' shiny over the pink version of whatever I wanted.
Seriously.
www.tiffany.com has never let me down for my wife ;)
Connor & Ryan,
Not all women are looking for sweaters or jewelry. I personally will take any tech-geeky item listed above over "girly crap" any day of the week. Seriously.
@barb,
I love you.
Seriously.
Barb is definitely a lezzy
Great guide, I just doubt my girl has the money...
Money? Screw money! If she comes home with a stupid $300 robot that I worked for, then she'll come home the next day with all her stuff inside a box outside the door with the locks changed. Damn.
You are the man, isn't it your role to give her the money ? Just make sure you give her enough so she has enough left over to buy you a few things off the list
No matter what you might think, misogyny doesn't make you look like more of a man. Kind of makes you sound more like this guy:
http://www.liebography.com/hed/JASPER2.JPG
they are called iPods or MP3 players $70-400
other then that, great job
can't wait for the son edition to email to my Dad :)
Do you honestly think anyone needs us to tell them about iPods? You know what? You call yourself applefreak, never mind.
I like how you said ipods OR mp3 players like an ipod is not an mp3 player, ha!
actually, i am not much of an applefreak
i dont have a mac or an iPod i am posting this on a Dell, one of the 2 Dell computers in my house (no macs anywhere)
i made that username to prevent any "You are an Apple troll" type comments
BTW usually when i says MP3 player, i mean a music/video player other than an iPod
wait... if you're "not much of an apple freak," why is that your name?
oh nvm.
@ Jack Storm.
An iPod isn't an MP3 player. It is an m4p player, among other things.
Oh yes, those would be my bluetooth headphones ^^
That why you give your girl the money and drop some hints...
If you have to give your girl money, a) you have the wrong girl, and b) you should just go buy the damn thing yourself. You've got legs, use 'em.
I agree with Justin, giving a woman money to go buy you a gift is like gambling and the most you can win is what you originally bet.
Don't get me wrong, I fork over benjamins to her regularly, but I buy all my own stuff. My sweetie isn't exactly the most technically inclined, and if *ever* ended up with an apple product, ESPECIALLY if money I gave her went towards it... Sadly, what's mainstream isn't always best. I told her to get clothes. She has a pretty good sense of style, and knows what I like. However, I can't wait for the Son list, then I'll toss that my dad's way. I'm thinking of picking him up a BlendTec Blender. (Big E, put that in your mother/father list!!!)
Wow...Terrible guide. A plasma? A prebuilt PC? The Blackjack over the Tilt? Bluetooth headphones?
And no Cowon Q5W...I realize it's not out yet, but it will be the best PMP, if it ever comes out...
The Tilt will be in another guide, that one's already planned. We wanted to include the Q5W, but it's not available in the US, so what're you gonna do.
...not invent words like "what're"
You're ok with "gonna" then, I suppose?
The Pioneer Kuro plasmas are the best sets on the market if your interested in picture quality. Period.
Feel free to google some reviews, which all say it is the new reference that every other set is compared to.
lol there is no Holiday gift guide for Her is there. everyone knows Girls dont like gadgets. plus us nerds will just make them something, like a binary clock or something.
We don't? I wasn't aware that girls didn't like gadgets. I guess I should return MY new imac then. Does my xbox count as a gadget.? And the Wii? My 52" DLP? My rock band drum set? Oh dear, whatever is a girl to do and whatever shall my husband buy me? Maybe a tiny dog or some nail polish? Oh joy. . . ;-)
Hey, I love gadgets! :)
You're so right, us girls just hate gadgets! Now excuse me while I hop into my time machine and head to 1950, where I'll bake you a pie and have 7 more babies.
While you're at it, make me a sammich!
(Don't kill me)
What? Make it yourself.
Sudo make me a sandwich.
OK.
Thank you, thank you, we'll be here all week.
http://xkcd.com/149/
Leo has defeated wild samich!
http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=242
apparently that didnt go well. Anyone take a joke?
I love gadgets! Engadget is my home page.
But RyanTV suggested Tiffany's, and I agree, you can never go wrong there. They have great stuff. Not inexpensive. But great.
Tread lightly, dude.
Sudo make me a sammich....
LOL!!!
You could maybe put the iphone. But it's only a feeble suggestion. Besides, I know my brother or dad would like an iphone. Meh, I'd take an iphone myslef but I'm locked up with sprint and it's crappy sanyo katana I
I'll take an iPhone when the Cubs win a WS. Damn...
I'll never lose hope in my great chicagoans. I have one thing to say to thw rold:
CHICAGO PWNS
what about macs? :)
cheers!
gary
no.
Macs are for girls!!! joking...
If we're the "for him" in question, shouldn't we be able to tell others pretty well ourselves.
Seriously?
You put the Microsoft Sidewinder on this list but left off the Razer Lachesis?
I'm not a Microsoft hater or anything but that ugly mouse has some serious aesthetic issues and the least you could for someone is get a mouse that preforms and looks the part of a slick gaming mouse, rather than deformed lump of buttons.
Want to get your guy a good Microsoft product? By him one of the New Zunes. But if you're getting him a mouse, spare him the humiliation of the sidewinder.
Huh? The Razer is also in there in noteworthy mention.
Oh duh! Lol, sorry about that.
In that case, carry on the good work, while I stand here like an idiot.
the mouse isn't that bad looking
I wouldn't be surprised if companies somehow "paid" for placement here... notice the Sidewinder is the same one given away on friday. I'm not saying its a bad thing, and you can't argue the list from a general gift guide standpoint, but i'd recommend taking this with the same grain of salt you might take product placement in your favorite TV show with.
When you see the cast of Scrubs drinking vitamin water every week, it doesn't make the product any less bad, and chances are the show actually is OK with the product if they agreed to use it. I sometimes suspect Engadget (and other sites) do the same thing. "Hey, we like the Sidewinder, give us one to give away and we'll include it as our only input device in our holiday gift guide."
Or i might be totally wrong. Who knows. Ryan?
ONCE AND FOR ALL. There is NO PAID EDITORIAL. I am so insanely tired of having to say this. Don't you people have any better conspiracy theories than that?
There's no payola, no envelopes exchanged behind the scenes, no keepers for placement, no secret meetings with Steve Jobs in the garage, so enough with the "Engadget editorial was bought off" stuff.
If that's really what kind of people you take us for then just stop reading now, I'm not interested in your patronage.
So you guys go out and actually purchase the stuff in your giveaways? At full retail price? The companies didn't provide the thousands of dollars worth of stuff you gave away Friday?
If you do drop the Engadget coin on your giveaways, kudos. I love it. It says something about the world we live in that i feel like i can't "expect" that these days.
Sorry for hurting your feelings. I wasn't insinuating traditionally paid editorial. I was simply saying its not uncommon for product placement these days.
If the Sidewinder is sweet enough that you not only want to but one to give it away, but also want to recommend it as a gift the next day, sweet. Must be a pretty amazing mouse.
If MS team gave you one to give away yesterday, in return for being part of the gift guide today, hell, i'm not even mad. Thats the world we live in.
And if you resist that undoubtedly sizable temptation, like i said, kudos.
@ Ryan
"ONCE AND FOR ALL. There is NO PAID EDITORIAL."
^so how much did they pay you to say that?!
(sarcasm)
@Andrew Stone
By spending money on gadgets to giveaway; they are making much money in return. Did you see the amount of replies there were for each topic? This brings the traffic way up.
More traffic -> More Advertisers
I think a nice set of earphones/headphones are always a good bet.
I will take 1 of each...nah just give me the HP Blackbird 002. Damn I want 1 so bad....
Chicago bulls pwn the heat! =)
lol. the bulls couldn't pwn most under-12 girls teams......
I dont want to start anything, but its interesting you didnt recommend Zune or Apple.
Showed this to the Mrs.
Her response: "how much do they cost?! ....pfft"
:-(
Maybe a Mac?
Interesting... I don't want many of the recommendations!
ya me either
How about an A/V receiver w/ multiple HDMI inputs and that outputs all analog inputs to the HDMI output (not just HDMI passthru)- this is the first year where there are several models with this capability. One of these is on my list!
Hate to say it, ENGADGET, but you guys have included something that won't even be out by year's end, because of delay after delay. Believe me, I've had a SPYKEE robot on order for several months. Originally it was supposed to be out in late October, then they moved it back to early January 2008, and now they aren't even giving an expected release date.
Very nice list...I'd take anything on there..I know it's not new...but I would also add the XPS M1330 on my personal list of lust...just a nice machine...and not to start anything...but the Zune 80 too...would even be OK with the Archos 605wifi
Can't wait to see the other lists....fun stuff
I would have wanted an Archos myself, but they hiss, like crazy. I guess I could use a resistor, but they don't sound that great, anyway...
How about the best PDA-type device (Win Mo, Blackberry, Nokia.. whatever.. ) that does NOT have a camera?
Security issues make my man unable to have one w/camera.
I think the best you can do is an i730 (old, has problems, but not that bad...it was the best pdaphone on the market until this summer) or a Treo 700p without a camera (Verizon).
I have the same issues...I have an i760, but I kept my i730 for when I have to be in those areas.
Sweet! Thanks! I was checking out a Blackberry 8800 series, and also a new(?) HP ipaq which had a cameraless option as well.
I'll make sure I check yours out as well. He previously had a Cingular 8100 (8125 minus camera) which was difficult as hell to find... figured it was time for an upgrade once it ended up in a pile of liquid soap.
Meh. The $199 or less HD-A3 is better then the all in one player. Better to drop $199 now and then if HDDVD looses drop another $199 later. Mean time I'll be watching ST:TOS and BSG: Season 1 in high def.
my girl would never get me anything this cool
Panasonic HDC-SD5 is NOT full HD at 1080p. The AVCHD only goes upto 1080i. Read the reviews. I can only find 1 hd cam that does progressive (p) but it is only 720p and 1080i. Let me know, when you find a full 1080p hd cam, I want one!!
If only I had a girl who could spend that kind of money on me.
Great guide, wow, I have to find a girl first.
If you're going to include $3K+ HD TVs, I think you should mention the new generation of HD Projectors. As I type this, I'm looking at ESPN HD with an 11' diagonal image, thanks to my Epson Home Cinema 1080 ($3000 when I bought it back in April, $2500 now). That 50" screen you're suggesting isn't much bigger than my Picture-in-Picture. The Home Cinema also works well with my PS3, both for games and for Blu-Ray. And I'm just projecting onto my wall, no screen needed.
Lol. What self-respecting PC gamer would ever want a pre-built PC?
The kind with a job\wife\girlfriend\life\education etc.
It takes 5 minutes to burn an unattended install of XP, 20 minutes to put together a PC, then a couple hours for the computer to install it's OS. Maybe factor in half an hour of online shopping to get together all the parts.
You can't spare an hour or so to build your own PC?
TEM is now "highest ranked" for suggesting that it's ridiculous for someone with an "education" to assemble their own computer? I'm never going to understand Engadget users...
You're an invisble moose, you're not supposed to understand Engadget. It's a miracle you even understand english.
I can't believe I'm the only girl who has commented here to say, OI! I want everything on this list too! It's not just a list for boys, puh-leeze.
@ Invisiblemoose - hear hear! Pre-built rigs are for pussies.
You single? ;)
@philed
Why the crud do you need to know that?
@Philed
*laughing*
You know what they say about a woman in IT... The odds are good, but the goods are odd. You offering to buy me a "boy's toy" this Christmas?
;)
@cubswillwin - No harm done now... Smile, it's Christmas! ;)
lol i agree! i would love a slingbox or the rock band package
@cubswillwin I asked because a) it was funny, b) techy women rock and c) I wanted to and didn't the red sox win?
@charlotte you cant have my 360 but you can play with it :) lol
supposedly the new earbuds by creative are a better buy than the se110s. the zen aurvanas are the ones for $70
They're just rebranded Sennheiser In Ear Monitors, of course they're better. AKG brands them, too.
I really wouldn't go Shure if you can't get the SE4's or 5's. Jay's (Swedish company) are a much better buy at a lower price point.
Oh please please please, I gotta win this!
This isn't a contest--it's a gift guide. I am surprised that the chatpad and Rock Band are the only console gaming related items on the list (not even an honorable mention for GHII or GHIII!?!).
I have the D50 and it is a great camera. I do wish I had waited for the D80, but who knew? The D40 is not as full featured as the D80 but it is also a really nice camera if the D80 is too expensive, and after all, it's the lenses that really cost. Oh, and by the way the current sibling is the D300, I think you can still Get D200s but the D300 is awesome.
thats the wrong picture of the body groom. it looks nothing like that and it doesnt trim the nose, it trims the pubis region and back
why the Panasonic HDC-SD5 is in the $1000+ category :-\
I'm hoping to wake up christmas morning and find a new nikon d3 under the tree personally..