It's not easy to shop for the kids these days, and it's definitely a major challenge when it comes to finding the right holiday gift for the increasingly tech-savvy young men of the world. In an environment plagued with cheapo USB Crapgadgets and the ever-present possibility of obsoletion before gifting, Engadget is here to help separate the wheat from the chaff (and invoke all other manner of clichés, we hope). Sit back, relax, let your fingers do the walking, and take a chill pill as we cut through the red tape and help you make an informed decision with our Holiday Gift Guide for son. And don't forget to check out our other guides
right here!
$0 - $50
LapWorks Gamers Desk - Right, so Junior's clearly not shaping up to be the athlete you always imagined him as. Got a problem with that? Rather than trying to mold him into someone he's clearly not, why not urge him to be the best at what he is: a couch potato. LapWorks' Gamers Desk brings the mouse / keyboard to the sofa, eliminating the need for a separate bedroom entirely. He'll love you for it. Probably too much.
$39.95 -
Buy from LapWorks
Skullcandy Metallica Lowrider headphones - So your boy didn't get in the college that you attended, huh? If you're still looking for a way to live vicariously through him, why not set him up with a set of these? You loved Metallica. He'll love Metallica. The only difference is the level of genuineness (and the length of hair).
$49.95 -
Buy from Skullcandy
Penguin United Quad Wiimote charging station - Regardless of whether he's shipping off to the university or just to 8th grade, your all-too-popular son is going to throw a few parties. Rather than contributing to his keg fund, your dollars are probably better spent on this quad charger, which will keep four Wiimotes fully juiced whenever the urge hits to slap in a round or three of
Smash Brothers. You'll thank us one day.
$44.99 -
Buy from Penguin United
$51 - $100
Liquid Image underwater digital camera mask - Kids and family vacations typically don't mix, particularly when you're dealing with hard-nosed gentlemen. But with this camera-loaded mask, you can coax even the most defiant alpha male into tagging along on a family snorkel excursion -- and who knows, he might actually snap a few photos good enough to show to gramps upon your return. Do it for love, do it for parent-son bonding.
$99.95 -
Buy from Hammacher Schlemmer
Takara Tomy AeroSpider - Hardly a holiday season went by when we boys at Engadget didn't receive some sort of remote-controlled vehicle. Sadly, Takara Tomy's wall-climbing AeroSpider wasn't available back in the 20s, thus we never had nearly as much fun as the Earthling you're unquestionably peering at above. Bottom line: how could you
not want your son's face to light up like that when unwrapping one of these?
$51+ -
Shop for Takara Tomy AeroSpider
Meggy Jr RGB - There's really nothing like a little challenge to show your son you care, so if you're looking to discretely keep his brain from crumbling over the break, there's hardly a better gift than the Meggy Jr RGB. It's one of the most programmable handhelds we've seen, and if your youngster can actually figure out how to code his own game for personal enjoyment, is there really anything he can't do? Hooking up with the opposite sex notwithstanding, obviously.
$65 to $95 -
Buy from Evil Mad Science
$101 - $250
Guitar Hero: World Tour complete band game - A faux drum kit engulfing the den, or a real set of skins consuming the garage? Your move, pop. Having experienced this quandary first hand, we can definitively say that you'll regret the former option the least, meaning that your sanity is likely safer with the fake instruments in the abode. Not to mention this is infinitely less expensive than an open-ended trip to Guitar Center.
$179.99 to $189.99 -
Buy from Red Octane
Sling Media Slingbox SOLO - Placeshifted content and component jacks go together like tea and crumpets, and Sling's Slingbox SOLO will fit equally well under your son's stocking. Oodles of functionality -- STB control, passthrough outputs and support for incoming HD signals -- for a price even you can appreciate. How did we grown-ups actually enjoy TV
on the TV again?
$179.99 -
Buy from Sling Media
T-Mobile G1 - While your special ladyfriend might be busy downloading all sorts of apps onto her iPhone 3G, we suspect a certain kind of inquisitive son would enjoy spending a little quality time with Android. For even less than Apple's darling, your dear John can wield (and tweak) the world's first Google-powered smartphone. And that's saying something, daddy-o.
$179 -
Buy from T-Mobile
$251 - $500
MSI Wind U100 - Junior may be a bit disappointed if he was hoping for a tricked-out gaming system and wound up with this instead. If he already has a Crysis-capable rig, though, he'll no doubt be more than pleased to finally hop on the netbook bandwagon, especially with one of the most popular and capable models out there. The fact that it also recently seen some pretty
significant discounts certainly doesn't hurt things either.
$349.00 -
Shop for MSI Wind
Imported Nintendo DSi - You may have to work some magic to get one in time, but if you do, you can be sure that you're little or not-so-little one will overjoyed at getting Nintendo's latest handheld
months before his friends. Just make sure he's not too attached to his collection of GameBoy Advance games, as Nintendo's decided to make a clean break with the past in order to make way for some of those newfangled features.
$250-$300 -
Shop for Nintendo DSI
Zune 120GB Gears of War 2 Edition - Alright, so it may not the best choice for the budding Apple fanboy in your house, but if your kid spends more time in Horde mode than he does on his homework, he'll probably flip for Microsoft's latest custom Zune, which not only looks good on the outside, but comes pre-loaded with more than enough Gears content to keep him occupied on the next road trip.
$280 -
Shop for Zune Gears of War 2 Edition
WowWee Rovio - It's still hard to go wrong with a Robsapien or one of WowWee's many other robotic creations, but the company's new Rovio sentry bot is certainly one of its most impressive bots to date, and it'll no doubt have you itching to try it out yourself before wrapping it up. Just don't blame us if your dog or cat never look at you the same way again.
$300 -
Shop for WowWee Rovio
$501 - $1000
Casio EX-FH20 high-speed camera - If your kid is really looking to get into photography he may be better off with an entry-level DSLR, but any would-be Mythbusters in your household will be besides themselves when they realize this little camera will let them capture their own Mentos experiments at 1,000 frames per second. As a bonus, it'll also let 'em take regular videos at 720p and, of course, some decent enough still pictures as well.
$600 -
Shop for Casio EX-FH20
Philips HTS8100 soundbar - It may not be a replacement for a dedicated speaker system, but it sure is a heckuva lot easier to fit into a bedroom or dorm room, and it'll certainly pump out some better sound than any TV's built-in speakers. As a bonus, it's now also readily available for a couple of hundred bucks less than its initial $1,000 list price.
$500-600 -
Shop for Philips HTS8100
PlayStation 3 160GB Drake's Fortune bundle - It's not the bargain the Xbox 360 now is, but he probably has one of those anyways -- and he's no doubt been itching to play Little Big Planet and some of the other increasingly enticing PS3 exclusives out there. Who knows? He might even let you slip the occasional Blu-ray onto it.
$500 -
Shop for PS3 Drake's Fortune bundle
$1001+
Blackbird 002 - An HP gaming PC may not have been at the top of many wish lists in the past, but that changed when the company went all out with its Blackbird 002 rig, which is now actually available at a few retail stores for those last-minute shoppers out there. You're also in luck if you're ordering online, as HP is offering a special config that it's actually calling the "Ultimate Stocking Stuffer" for
just $2,299 until December 31st.
$2,299 and up -
Buy from HP
Optimus Maximus - There were times when it seems that the Optimus Maximus would remain on our permanent wish list, but Art Lebedev finally managed to get it out the door and, while not the most practical keyboard, it certainly impresses. The word? Good for gaming and Photoshop, but you may want to skip it if Junior is writing his Great American Novel.
$1600 -
Buy from Art Lebedev
Segway PT i2 Ferrari Limited Edition - Really. It's a Ferrari Segway. How can you go wrong?
Around $10,000 -
Buy from Ferrari
posted Dec 1st 2008 4:16PM
Please do For a Dad next.
Seconded
It's coming soon!
And PS3 will be (or at least should be), on there too. See a pattern here? PS3 is for the family, little johnny can play Resistance2, dad can watch Kill Bill Vol1/2 on Blu-ray.
Really need a for Luddite section.
Actually, i just really wish my mom would buy any of those for me...
Korean made gynoid sex-bot.
...if you really love your son.
a gift father and son can share....
.....
So who gets sloppy seconds? father or son.
I don't think i'd want to touch ANYTHING my dad has been "playing with"
So... you don't hug your mom?
Yep, he's been there.
Alex
I let her hug me and i leave my arms hanging down to the side like an Emo.
Shoot, nevermind I guess daughter is next.
Man go ps3, very reliable and one of my best purchases.
Low rank this and the one above, i pressed the wrong reply
Daughter? booooo.. lol j/ks
if my parents bought me that Philips Soundbar i would be like WTF, O'RLY? i think one of the engadget staff want that for themselves lol. The PS3 and the Zune are the highlights (not sure about GeOW2 version only if it dont cost too much more).
The G1 is NOT a phone u get ur son something thin would be better...
Why is this stuff for guys?
Not sure about all the other stuff, but limited edition Ferrari Segway could be used for picking up ladies.
um, why is a 360 not on there? most of the people i know who have both the 360 and PS3 would not recomend the PS3 over the 360 (if your looking for gaming)
I don't know where you're getting your statistics from, but most people I have talked to that have both systems recommend the PS3 over the 360. I'd say it's about 60-40 (from my past experiences)... Not saying that the 360 shouldn't be up there, I wouldn't mind getting one for Christmas, but if they only wanted to put one gaming console up there, they chose the right one...
i don't even know why i started this so im gonna say forget my comment because no one every wins these gay ass console fights so, IMO xbox is better for a SON but other ppl can think what they want.
http://uk.gamespot.com/features/6201700/index.html?tag=topslot;img;1
PS3 is where it's at. Sure it costs a few $$ more, but you will save that in no time, as 360 robs your pockets constantly, wifi, play and charge, HDD upgrade, HD DVD drive (remember them?). PS3 has it all, out the box, nothing else needed, you can even play online for free. The best bit? The PS3 works, and is silent, it's got a great selection of games, and does Blu-ray.
If I opened a Xbox360 on Xmas day, I would be very disappointed...
ok i cant' contain myself. Play and charge? ok yea 50 bucks for 13 MONTHS! thats a long time i don't think thats bad for all the features you are getting. And now with the new update the xbox doesn't make hardly any noise whatsoever. Although there is no upgradable hdd how much space do you need?! im fine with my 60 gig i got like 4 games on it and i have some videos and music and still have 28g left. Bluray ok i ll give you that, but the thing is xbox sells software and ps3 doesn't and that, my friend, is a fact. sure if your gonna buy ps3 for bluray and gaming on the side sure, but for the hardcore gamer that wants a great multi player experience and great game titles then xbox is the way to go. So, like i said for a SON the 360 would be better just because of the fact it has so many more popular titles and more popular onlineplay.
Engadget is saying that you should consider the PS3... if he's already got an xbox 360. So the point is sort of moot. Even if the 360 is better, there are still some PS3 exclusives that are worth playing and dad can also watch blurays with it, so it benefits both father and son. They're essentially already implying that you should consider it as a gift IF you've got a 360.
FLaSHBaCK said: "Bluray ok i ll give you that, but the thing is xbox sells software and ps3 doesn't and that, my friend, is a fact."
If that's a FACT, I'd love to see you state your source. I'm a hardcore gamer, I only own a PS3, and I BUY SOFTWARE.
Wow, you guys are just plain ridiculous (I'm talking about the Engadget readers, not the editors)... Why are you all such massive fanboys? Seriously, does Microsoft really deserve it? Are their products reliable? Do they have good customer service? Do they price their products fairly? I mean, come on.
Why is it that ggg simply stated all facts in his post (albeit with a slight bias), and he gets ranked down?
Then, FLaSHBaCK comes in and leaves a post that is filled with blatant lies, and terrible grammar, and his comment gets "Highest Ranked"... Seriously, he stated that the PS3 doesn't sell ANY software and he even claimed that his comment was "fact"... How does that merit a high rank?
The XBOX 360 is a great system. The PS3 is a great system. Arguing which one is better is just stupid, as each one caters to different needs. Just choose which one suits you, and don't buy the other... Where is the point in going around on blogs and forums slandering the system you didn't buy? You don't have it, so whether the system is good or not does not affect you.
JUST GET OVER YOURSELVES.
Blaine:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081116-npd-software-top-ten-list-the-360-is-a-publishers-best-bet.html
The 360 kills the PS3 in software sales. I can only imagine how bad it would be if you would include first party titles, the PS3 has no answer to the sales of Gears 2 or Halo 3.
I'd have to agree with the others, if you're a hardcore gamer, the 360 is the way to go. If you like to game, but really want an all in one entertainment center, go PS3. If you just want a casual gaming system, get a Wii.
@JWhere
*ahem*Resistance*ahem*MGS4*ahem*
Fucking christ on a bike After all the articles about the art lebedev keyboard I never knew it was so much. I thought it was like £60 = Whatever in dollars. Not even apple could justify that amount. Seriously I'm just baffled by such a massive price. Someone please tell me that's just a typo on both sites.
Oh you mean tho Optimus thats 1,600$, there is a cheaper version with the OLED macro keys... Essentially every key is a high res OLED screen witch is better then LCD. Other then that its the first of its kind sot hey can charge as much as they want.
"For even less than Apple's darling, your dear John can wield (and tweak) the world's first Google-powered smartphone. And that's saying something, daddy-o."
Lol, really? ah engadget notice how people noticed they put apple products in the other 2 so they couldn't in this one, but had to leave a hint of the iphone of course.
You caught us. Apple said they wouldn't send out our kickback checks unless we got a mention in here. Drat.
at least you'll admit it. thats the first step xD
wow josh. BEST. RESPONSE. EVER! i actually lolled.
While I did see a pro-Apple and anti-MS slant as of 3 months ago, I believe the engadget eds make more fun of apple these days, and are pretty balanced in their posting. So I think they're good there.
Meanwhile, it's hard to deny that ipod is not a bad holiday gift. I don't know about the iphone, what with the recurring costs to the recipient (or you, if you're the dad), but if your near and dear ones don't have an ipod, why not?
I personally would want/buy a Zune over an ipod, but lots of people (majority of market?) like 'em fruit-on-the-back things.
Subscription to MAKE magazine. If only it was in production when I was a kid.
Hells yes.
OT- I think I'm on Engadget too much. I just opened the fridge and mentally low-ranked all the food I didn't like the look of.
Skullcandy? Really?
It's trendy, has decent bass, and runs about 50$.
Though I agree w/ you. :-)
I second that... I've had two pairs of SkullCandy Smokin' Buds (one Ink'd and one regular), and i can't vouch for their quality. I mean, sound quality is decent at the price, but build quality sucks. First pair the thing that holds the headphone in the ear broke off, and the second pair the wire is getting stripped.
Trendiness to me just means shitty fad.
Skullcandies, though...are just pure shit. Overpriced, ugly, and they sound terrible.
For the son that cares more about image than sound quality, or is simply obsessed with low-frequency sound waves.
LOL, Good parents go for the Grados and Sennheisers of the world. RS-1 and HD 650 FTW!
Oh, and Beyerdynamic makes a good headphone as well, so I have heard. DT 880s FTW!
Skullcandies are ugly as hell.
The smokin' buds would look kind of cool I guess. IF IT DIDN'T HAVE FREAKING EMO SKULLS!
They're the BOSE of the headphone world.
"Got a problem with that? Rather than trying to mold him into someone he's clearly not, why not urge him to be the best at what he is: a couch potato."
XDDDDDDDDDD
The Engadget staff make for fine parents :P
But only a GOW Zune is acceptable. The plain ones are LAME!!!
LOL @ the AeroSpider image!
Thanks. I'm emailing this to my mom right now.
hahaha i seriously just finished emailing this to my mom too. right before i read ur comment. i also told her to forward it to grandma...
World of Warcraft
$15 a month is a small price to pay for your son's virginity.
Are you offering to paying $15 a month to take someone's son's virginity? o.0
Fucking LOL.
You'd also want to include an advanced and 'realistic' 'toy' like the Tenga flip... then the package would really be complete. (Actually, that should be on the list since it's sort of a gadget). Just don't wrap it all up into one box and put in under the tree to be unwrapped in front of the family... or you'll get the opposite effect as he leaves home for ever.
(and don't make fun of me for knowing what that is, now you know too hehe)
i swear to god if my 'rents got me any of that stuff from the under 100 catigory id be extremely dissapointed in their choices
If my kid ever calls me a `rent, they'll be lucky to get anything at all for Christmas.
Dad?
The poor kids are getting GH:WT over RB2? Damn, what did they ever do to you?
I know right? Didn't Engadget just run an article saying how RB2 dominates GH:WT in almost every way?
Thanks to you guys, my dad got me Guitar Hero for Christmas. You suck.
CASH 4 christmas is what im asking 4 to buy an ipod touch! apps ftw!
Eh, I got me a gateway p-6860fx off of ebay + some nice quality headphones, an ipod off of ebay and a new jacket.
i want an xbox elite for xmas, but i think i'll have to save up a lil bit more. so i decided to just get left 4 dead and gta4 on the pc
I fall into the 200+ category... and I'll be lucky if my parents buy me undies.
:(
"If he already has a Crysis-capable rig, though, he'll no doubt be more than pleased to finally hop on the netbook bandwagon"
Thats essentially what I always have to tell my less cool friends when they mock me for wanting to buy myself a Wind for Christmas.
They clearly dont understand that I dont need a desktop replacement, I have a powerhouse desktop at home. If Im just browsing the web on the go, I dont need a $1200 laptop.
I proceed to laugh at them when they pull out there Studio 15/17s and do nothing more but browse the web.
Same, I love having an Eee PC and a desktop gaming rig. Division of labour ftw, each does what it's most suited for. None of this half desktop half laptop malarkey.
Sure, understandable. Personally, though, if I'm going to actually use both computers, I want to not have to worry about which files are where. I don't know about you, but I don't have any type of network file server yet. So, I'd rather have all my stuff in one place. That means games, documents, web browser settings, etc. And oh yeah, I might need to be able to access those files from in linux.
"Really. It's a Ferrari Segway. How can you go wrong?"
You can go wrong by getting a Ferrari Segway.
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/vote_down.gif
Skullcandy...seriously?
If my dad bought me those...they'd be right up on ebay...or I'd put them up on head-fi for shits and giggles.
And I saw that as an owner of Sennheiser HD580's and Denon C551's :D
And I run those through a Cowon D2 and a Sansa Clip...pure audio bliss :)
I think 2 good gifts would be:
Upconverting DVD player...you can get one on amazon for around 50$ new
Sansa Clip...a 4gb runs on amazon for 35$ new, and it sounds WAY better than an ipod. and you don't look like a tool while using it!
$10,000 for a Ferarri Segway?
That's almost as much as brand new car.
Why oh why can't my parents be like Engadget writers?
They're always telling me I play too many PC games, but never encourage me to do anything else. Why can't they encourage me to do something I like and enjoy?
Those are some pretty kick ass gifts! I actually was on eBay tonight (I'm a girl) and I had one of those 10% off coupons for anything that was allowable as long as you paid by PP. Anyway I thought I wanted a DS but then I remember that the DS did excite me (yes) but that it was actually the PSP Portable that I wanted, so I bought one with a discount NIB for $160 wo0t. That's my Christmas present to myself since its just me and my mom this year. She got herself a kick ass cell and a laptop and I got the PSP and then together were going to get the Wii.
Shes cool like that. You only wish your mom was as cool as mine :o)
Kristi
http://searchenginemarketingpro.org
any dad willing to buy sonn all.. or even half of the above.. let me knwo..and come adopt me...cuz anyone crazy enough to buy their son a FERRARI segway... deserves me... so uhmm.. yea...
Dear mom, NO SOCKS PLS!
Just want the earbuds, but will take the Zune too!
I asked for DSi in "for him" and I was answered here. To bad my family has no connections in Japan. Bahhh, it could not come any slower to the states for me, and, uhhh, oh yea, Mapple sucks and so does Steve Mobs.
http://www.futuregame.com/index.php?r=mrburgundy9
I think my son would rather have the father gifts..
What about the iPod Touch?