fathersday
Latest
Father's Day special edition gift guide
Dad's been good to you. Very good to you. Why, without him you quite literally wouldn't be on this earth, and that's something to be thankful for. If he's anything like you, he probably has a bit of a passion for the latest and greatest in tech. But, it can be very hard to know what to buy in this dynamically changing world. Lucky for you, dear reader, we've put together this handy list of great gadgets and last-minute shopping ideas for dear 'ol dad.
Win a Netatmo weather station for Father's Day
Does your dad -- or do you -- have a fascination with the weather? Is he always checking his iPad for local weather conditions, sending precipitation reports to the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, or obsessively watching storm chaser videos on the Weather Channel app? If that's the case, or if you'd just like to win something really cool for Father's Day, then we have the giveaway for you. TUAW and Netatmo are giving away a Netatmo Weather Station valued at $179. As featured in our review from last year, the Netatmo Weather Station includes both outdoor and indoor air quality sensors and also tracks temperature, humidity, and noise levels, all of which is available with a glance at your iPhone or iPad. Your information is stored for future reference, and the company recently introduced a web app to make looking at long-term trends much easier (see image below). So, here's your chance to win one of these in time for Father's Day on June 16, 2013. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before June 11, 2013 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive a Netatmo Weather Station valued at $179.00 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Just in time for Father's Day: Waterfield Designs Finn Wallet
Waterfield Designs makes some of the nicest computer, tablet, and smartphone accessories out there, and by nice I mean customizable, good-looking, and durable. I've had a Waterfield Designs iPad Travel Express bag for about three years now, dragged it all over the world, and it still looks like it did when it was brand new. Well, that same durable design is now showing up in your pocket with the delightful Finn Wallet (US$29), which can be used either as a wallet (duh!) or to house a naked iPhone. Let's take a look! Design The Finn Wallet actually comes in two different sizes: Size 25, which is intended to be a "wallet wallet", and Size 27, to clothe your iPhone 5. As for the lovely leather exterior (no, it's not Corinthian Leather), it comes in black, camel, grey, red, forest green, and cowboy brown, and is "naturally tanned to feel like a deer (but it's not from a deer)." On the outside walls of the Finn are a pair of matched pockets. Gary Waterfield, in the video below, says that he puts credit cards and business cards on opposite sides, cash in the middle. For me, I'd put an iPhone 5 in the middle, credit cards on one side, ID cards on the other. Waterfield Designs says that the Size 25 will hold more than 20 credit cards and a "nice wad of dollars" while the Size 27 holds your iPhone, about 15 credit cards and a "nice stash of bills." I think I need to get to know these guys better, since I never have cash on hand... The zipper locks shut, keeping the Finn Wallet from spilling its contents, and the bottom and inside of the wallet are made out of the same durable ballistic nylon material used on other Waterfield cases. %Gallery-190733% Functionality For my test, I took my unusually thick wallet and tried to transfer it and my iPhone 5 to the Finn Wallet Size 27 (see the gallery above). Surprisingly, it worked. Instead of having a wallet, my keys, and my iPhone all piled up in my pockets, now it's down to keys in one pocket, everything else in the Finn Wallet in the other pocket. The nicest thing about the Finn Wallet is that it slides easily in and out of your pocket -- which is why I added a pocket chain for travel security. The leather exterior is just going to get a nice weathered look on it and will become better looking with age. I'm not worried about the iPhone 5, either -- it's got plenty of padding on both sides thanks to the leather exterior and those pockets full of credit cards. Conclusion Does your Dad need a new wallet for Father's Day on June 16? If the old man totes an iPhone as well, get him a Finn Wallet (Size 27) -- if he's not a fan of those newfangled devices, the Size 25 ought to keep him happy. Pros Beautifully made from leather in six different finishes Durable interior and bottom construction using ballistic nylon, locking zipper Very reasonable price That wonderful leather smell! Surprising capacity for turning a George Costanza wallet into a thing of beauty Cons None to speak of Who is it for? Anyone who carries a wallet. If you carry an iPhone (up to the size of an iPhone 5), like the feel and look of leather, and want something that truly organizes your life, you're going to love the Finn Wallet.
Ben Heck gives dads the light-up toilet they deserve
Happy belated Father's Day, internet -- now please enjoy some video of Ben Heck modding a toilet. The tinkerer-turned-host offered up one of his more unsanitary projects over the weekend, involving a bathmat, a Glade Plug-in, a porcelain throne and a Tron-esque lighting scheme. Step on the weight-sensing mat and the conductive ink will go to work, lighting up side illuminating fiber optics on the toilet, should the photocell determine it dark enough. All of this means not having to turn on the bathroom lights once that nightcap is ready to make the next step in its magical journey. And best of all, the lighting scheme is visible underneath the lid, so you can put the seat down, like the civilized individual you are. Video after the break.
Talkcast tonight, 7pm PT/10pm ET: Wrap up edition!
Sunday again! This one happens to be Father's Day, so we'll have a bit of discussion about ties of course, and what sorts of things everyone did for Father's Day, and...well, that's about it really. I can't think of anything else in the last week we should talk about... Yes, I'm kidding. We have a couple of WWDC attendees scheduled to appear, and we'll talk about all the things Apple gave us to talk about this week. And, as always, aftershow. Since it's really all about you, the community, join me won't you? To participate, you can use the browser-only Talkshoe client, the embedded Facebook app, or download the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for +5 Interactivity, you should call in. For the web UI, just click the Talkshoe Web button on our profile page at 4 HI/7 PDT/10 pm EDT Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (Viva free weekend minutes!): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8. If you've got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac, you can connect via the free X-Lite or other SIP clients (aside from Skype or Google Voice), basic instructions are here. Talk to you tonight!
Five apps for Father's Day
It's Father's Day weekend, which means it's time to look at those apps that'll appeal to the Dads in our audience. I solicited suggestions from the guys on our team at TUAW and came up with a list that will help the Dads grill in style and take control over their TV (not that they need any help with that one, right ladies?). If you have any additional app suggestions for the Dads out there, please share them in the comments. MLB.com At Bat 2012 (Free; subscription required for some features) At Bat 2012 is the official iOS app for Major League Baseball. It works on the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch and lets you keep up with the 2012 baseball season while on the go. Users can read breaking news, track player's stats, view game highlights and watch current games as well as archived games from the previous season. At Bat requires a subscription, but the pricing is very reasonable. You can get a full season of access for $15 or pay $3 each month. Weber's On the Grill ($4.99) What guy doesn't like to grill? They all love the smell of burning meat over a fire, which is why I added Weber's On the Grill to my Father's Day list. This app is an excellent companion for grilling fans looking for some cooking tips or a new way to prepare a steak. It has 280 grilling recipes and 40 recipes for rubs, marinades and sauces. You can favorite the recipes, share them with friends, and even use them to make a grocery list. National Park Maps HD ($3.99) Though they might not like asking for directions, guys do love maps and a useful mapping app for travelers is National Park Maps HD from National Geographic. The app has detailed trail maps and other point-of-interest information for 20 National Parks. It uses GPS to track your location and lets you find nearby campgrounds, picnic benches and other facilities. You can even use it to mark your camping site so you can find your way back easily after a long day of hiking. Logitech Harmony Link (Free) Think of the Logitech Harmony Link for the iPhone as a digital dashboard to control all your electronics. You'll need a Logitech Harmony Link device, but once you have it, you'll be in remote control nirvana. The Harmony Link app for the iPhone lets you control up to 8 devices from 5000+ brands of electronics. It uses gestures for common commands and has a customizable interface you can tweak to your liking. There's even support for activities so you can select "Watch a Movie" and everything is switched to the right device with all the correct settings. Send a Tip: Grooming Lounge (Free) We've all been there, done that. You have a friend and you don't know how to tell them that their breath stinks. You make a polite gesture and offer them gum, but nothing works. Your hair still curls every time they turn to talk. No worries, because, now, there's an app for that. Just download Send a Tip: Grooming Lounge and send your friend an anonymous tip that'll alert them of their social gaffe. You can read more about the service at the Grooming Guys website. It's hilarious, yet uncomfortably useful.
Biscotti and telyHD set-top video chat both get Father's Day upgrades
Combine geek-dad gadget lust with the promise of an easier way to stay in touch with faraway family, and you can see how the latest generation of standalone video chat boxes might have a good sales story to tell for this Father's Day weekend. While Cisco's discontinued ūmi never caught on in a big way with consumers (possibly the introductory $600 price and $25 monthly fee had something to do with it), the idea of a slim HD camera pack that fits atop the living room TV, instantly connecting with similar hardware or distributed software chat apps, still seems promising. The two Mac and iOS-friendly set-top chat products making a move in the market now are the $149 Biscotti and the $249 telyHD. Both systems work in a straightforward way -- they connect to your TV via HDMI, capture an HD image with an onboard camera and tie into your home network to call friends and family. Neither unit requires a monthly subscription plan, thereby avoiding the Cisco problem. Of course, neither plays along with Apple's wasn't-it-supposed-to-be-open FaceTime protocol, so if you're looking for a portable video chatting device that works with Skype, Google Talk and FaceTime you might consider the $199 iPod touch. Both the telyHD and the Biscotti interoperate with a public video chat service (Google Talk for Biscotti, Skype for telyHD) so you aren't limited to chatting with the folks who have the same hardware. Both platforms also got software updates in the past few days, adding to their utility and (in the case of the telyHD) delivering tighter integration for iPhone and iPad users who want to share photos or control their chat settings from their mobile device. The Biscotti TV Phone system, shown above, is simpler and more no-frills than the telyHD. Biscotti can chat video or audio to Mac or PC users via the Google Talk web client; to chat with iPhone or iPad users, the free (and unofficial) Vtok app fills the client slot. It also provides high-quality chats between Biscotti units. The hardware is slim and graceful, about the size and shape of an Italian biscuit -- hence the name. A basic remote supports pan and zoom of the video camera, and the latest update gives you an automatic audio calibration routine to improve voice quality. The new software update also allows you to import your Google contacts for use on your Biscotti, but be warned that all your Google contacts will be loaded; the company's still working on a way to subset and manage those. The Biscotti may also try to auto-invite all those contacts to chat -- careful which button you click. Networking on the Biscotti is Wi-Fi only (and if anyone invents a way to quickly enter WEP passwords using a four-way remote, they'd make a bundle), but the unit has a clever HDMI trick; it includes both input and output ports, so your cable or satellite box can plug right in and the signal will pass through. The Biscotti interface will stay out of the way until you get a call or use the remote. In fact, for some TVs, the Biscotti can turn them on directly so you can answer. Maybe that's not an ideal bedroom feature; likewise the auto-answer setting for key contacts, which lets you turn the Biscotti into a video room monitor by having it pick up immediately when you try to connect, could get weird in the wrong circumstances. For Skype-centric families, the telyHD interoperates cleanly with the world's leading video and audio chat service, delivering 720p high definition video (note that Skype just updated its Mac client). Under the hood, the telyHD is an Android device; it's got more flexibility and possibilities than the Biscotti, with an app-centric development roadmap -- granted, you could get an iGoGo TV if you want to run Android apps on your HDTV, but that's some pretty scary stuff. Already you can do things with pairs of telyHDs that you can't do with other systems: share photos (from an SD card) and leave video mail for watching later on. The telyHD sports an Ethernet port along with Wi-Fi networking, but it lacks the Biscotti's passthrough HDMI approach; you'll need to switch sources on your TV to see it. This week's update to the telyHD platform, the Entertainment Suite, is unusual in that it's a paid (optional) add-on rather than a free version update; it's also targeted squarely at iPhone and iPad users. Entertainment Suite adds AirPlay mirroring for photos (TelyProjector), so iPhone users can simply mirror their images right into a video chat with Dad. The ES also includes access for remote-control apps (both iOS and Android), coming to the App Store and Google Play shortly; lastly, the upgrade includes a full web browser for the unit, giving owners access to websites and streaming video from all across the Internet. The Entertainment Suite pack can be trialed for 30 days before the one-time $49 licensing cost kicks in. The long history of video calling might be filled with false starts and closed, proprietary systems, but if your gift list for Dad includes "more face to face time with the grandkids" then one of these systems may be just what you're looking for.
Inhabitat's Week In Green: cities in the sky, a cloned Chinese village and a few green DIY Father's Day projects
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. As the race to develop new, more efficient modes of transportation heats up, it could soon become even easier (and greener) to jet around the globe. This week saw the Solar Impulse -- that broad, funny-looking airplane -- complete the world's first solar-powered intercontinental flight. Meanwhile, Boeing's hydrogen-powered 'Phantom Eye' drone aircraft successfully completed its first flight, releasing only water as a byproduct. Both developments signal growing confidence in employing new green technologies in air travel. Now that green airplanes are taking flight, what will we do with all of those old fuel-guzzling planes that are currently in use? One Oregon man may have found an answer -- Bruce Campbell transformed an entire Boeing 727-200 into his home, converting one bathroom into a shower and installing a computer monitor in the middle of the control panel.
Get RIFT for $9.99 this weekend
Trion's got a couple of weekend deals in store for all you last-minute Father's Day shopping slackers, provided of course that the gaming dad in your family plays RIFT. First up is a $9.99 special that gives you the full game client. Gameplay time will cost you extra, though, so assuming you go with the standard monthly fee, you're looking at around 25 bucks for full access to Telara. Next up is the trial upgrade collector's edition special, which will set you back $16.99. You get the full client per above as well as a tartagon mount, a collector's satchel, and a bogling wastrel pet. Both deals are digital only, so if your dad, husband, or baby's daddy wants a box, you'll need to check out the brick and mortar or online retailers listed on Trion's website.
More Father's Day app sales this weekend
That didn't take long -- yesterday, I predicted we'd see more app sales pop up for Father's Day, and here we are. Firemint has put its titles on sale for the weekend -- Real Racing 2 is down to $4.99 on the iPhone and $6.99 on the iPad, and the first game in the series is just 99 cents on the iPhone. Don't forget that the iPad version will also stream out video to a TV with the right attachments, so if you pick it up, be sure to try that out. As we tweeted yesterday (you are following us on Twitter, right?), Backflip's great Army of Darkness Defense is free over the weekend. Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 is just 99 cents on the iPad, and still 99 cents on the iPhone. iPad photo editor PhotoPal got an update -- it's on sale for just 99 cents as well. And finally, excellent iOS and Mac music software Capo just won an Apple Design Award at WWDC the other week, and to celebrate, it's on sale pricing as well this weekend. Namco Bandai has a lot of their games on sale this weekend also, Stay tuned -- I'm sure we'll see even more apps drop in price before the weekend is over.
Gameloft starts the Father's Day app sales
I suspect we'll see quite a few app sales pop up over this upcoming Father's Day weekend, partly because any holiday these days tends to attract a few lowered prices in the App Store, and partly because there will likely be a few lucky dads out there picking up a new iPhone or iPad 2 for their parenting trouble. Gameloft's the first company with a slew of sales on, including Final Fantasy ripoff Eternal Legacy, NFL 2011, Real Soccer 2011, WoW ripoff Order and Chaos Online, and Spider-man: Total Mayhem, all for the low, low price of just US 99 cents. Gameloft also has a Twitter contest going on, but it requires a pretty gnarly retweet, so you'll have to decide if a $10 iTunes card is worth spamming all of your followers. Or do what I do, and keep a separate Twitter account just for silly RT contests like this one. So congrats to all those dads out there -- just think, all of the diapers and whining and crying were completely worth it, because this weekend you get to pick up Eternal Legacy for just a buck. And stay tuned, we'll probably see a few more sales heading on into this weekend.
Apps, accessories and more for Father's Day
It's close to Father's Day here in the US. Hopefully you've got the perfect gift planned. Perhaps you splurged on the ideal man cave, or you went less extreme and bought an iPhone, iPad or new Mac for the awesome father in your life. If, however, you're still scrambling for gift ideas, here are a few of our suggestions. iPhone There are several apps and accessories geared toward outdoor sports. The GPS Kit iPhone App (US$19.99) was just featured in Time Magazine and has a number of excellent outdoor uses, especially if Dad's into hiking, biking or geocaching. Bikers can pair it with an iPhone bike mount, such as this one from Bracketron ($39.95). For the golfer, pair a golf bag mount with Golfscape GPS Rangefinder (currently on sale for $9.99). Golfscape just won an Apple Design Award and allows you to view distances on more than 37,000 golf courses around the world. You can see the distance to the front, center and back of the green and up to 40 mapped targets per hole. The golf bag mount ($29.95) is coming soon, so you'll have to give Dad an I.O.U. for that part of the gift. If you've got a new father on your list (or know a busy parent), pzizz sleep is now a very affordable $5.99. Our own Dave Caolo swears by it. "Software like pzizz can let you take a restful nap that you know you'll wake from in a timely manner," he said. "That's important (re: bus pickups). Short naps can be effective stress relievers and re-energizers. pzizz is a tool that helps you achieve that." There is also pzizz energizer to provide said energy boost. iPad My father-in-law, like my husband, prefers to stay at home as much as he can. And while the women in their lives can coax them out shopping, both would probably prefer one of the many catalog apps that have sprung up for the iPad. We reviewed Catalog Spree and Catalogue for iPad recently, and both are worth adding to see which one your father prefers. For car lovers, Ferrari has released several official cases for iOS devices. Only one is in the Ferrari store at the moment, costing a little more than $93. In the retro gaming world, ThinkGeek has both the $99.99 iCade arcade cabinet or the just-released iPad Arcade Stick ($24.99 for one, $39.99 for two). Mac and others You can't go wrong with a good digital photo frame, and we like The Kodak Pulse frame, which allows you to add photos to the frame wirelessly. The 7-inch model is currently going for under $100 on Amazon. To spruce up a suit or tux, try a pair of these open-source electronic cufflinks. iCufflinks from Adafruit ($128.99) look like a Mac's startup button and pulsate with a soft light for up to 24 hours. Meanwhile, Feral Interactive Ltd. just brought Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga to the Mac App Store for $29.99, for dads who are gamers. Civilization V: Campaign Edition from Aspyr Media is also available for $49.99. If you're still stumped for ideas, check out our past recommendations for that extra spark! Of course, you can never go wrong with an iTunes gift card, which are sold pretty much everywhere.
5 Apps & more for Father's Day
Here in the US, in the UK and in 53 other countries, we're celebrating Father's Day. It's a day for Dad to sleep in, revel in the love of his family, and (perhaps not as importantly, but still nice) receive presents. Lots and lots of presents. Before you purchase yet another soap on a rope, consider our list of potential last-minute gifts for the Mac-loving or iDevice-toting dad in your life. He'll thank you for sure. ( If Dad doesn't have an iPhone 4, iPad or iPod touch -- there's a suggestion right there.) Macworld posted a solid list of apps for dads; some of them are our picks as well, and we've got a few divergent suggestions.
Xbox 360 Arcade reduced to $99** during Walmart Father's Day sale
We already heard that the legacy Xbox 360 consoles would see a price cut with the introduction of the new Xbox 360 slimster. Now Walmart has sweetened the deal with a tempting Father's Day bundle. Up through June 20th, purchasing a newly priced $149 Xbox 360 Arcade gets you a $50 Walmart eGift card (usable only on Walmart.com and Samsclub.com) on top of the two free games (Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts and Viva Piñata), wireless controller, and 256MB of memory already included in Microsoft's Spring Bundle. So really, a console that cost $199 just a few days ago is now selling for $99. Not bad. ** after using your $50 eGift card on crap you'd buy anyway, like Xbox 360 games and accessories.
T-Mobile celebrates Father's Day with one-day 'every phone is free' event
We'd heard a rumor this was coming, and T-Mobile has now made it a reality -- the carrier will be offering a one-day-only, every phone is free event on June 19th to celebrate Father's Day. Yes, that really means every phone T-Mobile offers (including the brand new myTouch 3G Slide and Garminfone) and the only "catch" is that you have to either switch to a family plan or add a new line to an existing plan -- and, of course, sign a two-year agreement. The deal is only available in T-Mobile stores, however, and the carrier warns that phones will only be available "while supplies last," so you'll likely have to deal with a line if you're looking to get in on the savings.
T-Mobile confirms free phone offer for family plans this Saturday
Yes, it's happening: T-Mobile is looking to drum up some serious foot traffic in T-Mobile stores ahead of Father's Day this weekend by making every single one of its phones free on Saturday only -- but naturally, there's a catch. You can only get in on the offer by switching to a family plan or adding another line to your existing family plans, so anyone flying solo is pretty much out of luck. Clearly, the idea is to get daddy that new HD2 or myTouch 3G Slide he wants without paying a dime out of pocket -- but what about the Galaxy S, hmm? Follow the break for T-Mobile's full press release.
World of WarCrafts: Duskwood chest
Every Thursday, Shelbi Roach of The Bronze Kettle guides you in creating WoW-inspired crafts using real world mats with World of WarCrafts.Father's Day is looming just around the corner (for some of us anyway) and what better way to celebrate fatherhood than a chest full of loot? Another uninspired neck-tie and socks combo is hard to beat but hopefully the target of this gift can appreciate the change of pace. If you happen to be the giver of this veritable cornucopia of awesomeness, prepare to be lavished with praise. If you happen to be on the potential receiving end, it might not be a bad idea to drop some subtle hints to your loved ones about a certain column on your favorite weblog.Here is what you will need: Unfinished Wood Chest (I purchased mine from Hobby Lobby) Wood Stain (Honey) Metallic Paint (Bronze) Paintbrush Gift Ideas: Pre-Paid WoW game card TCG booster packs Snacks Coupon Click on the images below to view a gallery of step-by-step instructions. %Gallery-24410%
ESPN unveils The Ultimate Remote, is WiFi worth $300?
ESPN's unleashing The Ultimate Remote, developed by tvCompass, complete with 2.2-inch QVGA LCD screen and 802.11 b/g WiFi stuffed in a 6.5 oz package. It's certainly a serious contender with the Harmony One -- and priced like it, at $300. The marketing info claims no PC is required for setup, recharging via USB, an internet browser with real time access to scores, fantasy info and TV listings for broadcast, cable and satellite from click365's wireless partners. There's even a messaging feature for texting from remote to remote, email, or to a cellphone. We got a glimpse of it at Microsoft's booth during CES, and while it claims "Advanced Microsoft Windows operating software" it's not talking about SideShow. It reminds us a lot of the Ricavision VAVE100 MCE/SideShow remote, but with a slightly different feature set. Father's Day is coming up and suddenly walking over to the computer (or keeping a laptop or PDA/phone on the couch) is sounding like a lot of unnecessary work. Check after the break for a bigger pic with keypad breakdown, or head to Amazon to preorder.[Via Electronista]
Win gaming prizes in Xbox Dad of the Year contest
Just like their Mother's Day contest, Xbox.com is holding a Xbox Dad of the Year contest to celebrate Father's Day. To win, you have to prove to the judges why your father figure is the ultimate gaming dad. If he pwns with the best of them, is patient with noobs, is a good loser, or has taught you all you know about gaming be sure to enter and tell them about your gaming dad. One winner will receive an Xbox 360, HD DVD player, wireless racing wheel, an accessory kit, and be labeled the Xbox Dad of the Year. And if your father isn't exactly the gaming type don't fret. You still have plenty of time to teach him your gaming ways or adopt a new dad for the month, because you have until June 9th to enter. Good luck!
Save another $100 on HD DVD this FATHER'S DAY
It seems that every week we hear about a price drop from either HD DVD or Blu-ray, and this week it's both. First Panasonic announced their DMP-BD10A for $600 and now Toshiba is announcing a $100 in-store instant rebate -- our favorite kind -- on any HD DVD player purchased between May 20th and June 16th. Assuming no other discounts, you can now get a stand-alone HD DVD player for that magic price of $299. This combined with the free movies promotion, removes any (price-related) excuses for not picking up an HD DVD player, and enjoying the Ultimate Matrix Collection on HD DVD.
