gifts
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Poll: What's the best gift you received?
Now that Christmas is over, all the wrapping paper is in the garbage, you've had a chance to go to the mall and spend all those gift cards and buy the things you wanted, but didn't get. We know what you wanted, but now we'd like to know what you actually got? It doesn't matter if you bought it for yourself, we just want to know what everyone else got that we didn't. %Poll-7639%
The Daily Grind: What do you want for Christmas?
While not all of us celebrate Christmas, it's the holiday season for many of us -- if not in our real lives, then in our virtual ones. So today, on Christmas eve, we ask you what you're hoping to get this holiday season, virtual or otherwise. Do you have a list of MMOs on your gift-list? Are you expecting new hardware to make your favorite virtual locale look prettier or handle better? Or are you hoping for a shiny new epic weapon in your favorite game? Tell us about it!
WRUP: Season's greetings edition
Time once again to check in on What yoU aRe Playing in the world of MMOs lately. Last week, the Nielsen Company reported that World of Warcraft was the most-played PC game from April to November of this year, with the average user still playing a whopping 17 hours per week. Yowza.Is that you? Are you going to be playing WoW all weekend? Personally, I'm going to be busy doing a lot of holiday stuff (I'm making the trek back to my hometown of St. Louis, MO this weekend, and I haven't actually "started" doing my gift shopping yet), but I do have that pristine copy of Guild Wars that I picked up at Best Buy way back on Black Friday, so hopefully in between all the merry making this weekend I'll be able to break that out.And are any of you actually planning on getting an MMO as a gift? With the subscription fees and all, these games are really something that you buy for yourself, but I wouldn't have a problem with seeing a copy of Hellgate under the tree. What are you playing?
DS gifts on the cheap
GameDaily put up a helpful set of cheap DS gifts, from games to accessories, that can help to take the sting out of shopping this season ... if, that is, you can find any of 'em, and if you want 'em when you find 'em. Example: Namco Museum Remix is on there, as it's priced at a modest $19.99, but if it's anything like the Wii version, you might not want it. Of course, it did receive better scores than its console cousin, so it might be safe. But you also get gems like Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords and the Nerf DS armor, so can you really go wrong? There's a hidden bonus of saving money as well.
WoW gifts? I has em!
WoW is a big part of the time my husband and I spend together. If we're not actually playing, we're usually talking about strategies or our in-game goals. Likewise, I spend a ton of time with my guildmates, either raiding or just joking around. These are people I consider good friends. So with one of the major gift giving holidays just around the corner, I've been working on ideas for WoW-themed presents for the lot of them. And I'm certainly not the only one. The folks over at Warcraft Chicks have been compiling a list of inexpensive to legendary items you can buy or make for your loved ones. There are also a lot of posts over on WoW Ladies about gift ideas. Likewise, Grumble N' Autumnn has compiled a list of in-game toys. At this point, though, there's less than a week before Christmas. Yikes! So in the interest of time, I'm going to put together one giant list of WoW-related holiday gift ideas and where you can get them.
Poll: What's tops on your wish list?
It's somewhat of a tradition around here to get all up in your business and find out what you got for Christmakwanzika, but this year, we figured we'd be a little extra nosy. With under a fortnight to go before hordes of crazed gadget lovers tear into packages everywhere, we're curious to know what you're hoping to receive. Anything in particular you've asked for? Got a laundry list of wants needs? Don't be shy, tell us what your heart really desires, you never know who'll be paying attention. Oh, and just check off the one thing you're craving the most below -- fill us in on the rest in comments. %Poll-7131%
TUAW Buyer's Guide: What to get a "switcher"
As a recent fully-fledged "switcher" myself, I'd like to think I have some ideas about what to get the recent Mac convert (and no, this is not just my Amazon wish list - though anyone buying me stuff is free to use it as such). If you haven't already purchased the switcher in your life a gift for Christmas or the Birth of Santa (tm. Bart Simpson) or any other winter-themed occasion, here are some items you might want to consider. Please note that the prices in this guide are in USD and current as of this writing, subject to change without notice. Check with the manufacturer's website or your favorite retailer for updated pricing. Now, onto the goodies!Books:Maybe I'm just really lame, but I'm always a fan of giving (and receiving) books geared towards a person's interests and sensibilities. Somehow, a book just seems more personal than a gift certificate, and less easy to screw up than a piece of clothing...
Petopia releases a 2008 calendar
Speaking of great WoW-related gifts for the holidays, Petopia's creator has broken out a Cafepress site, complete with official Petopia goods for the Hunter on your gift list. There are the standard items-- t-shirts, cups, and a Mazzaranche tote bag.But the kicker is this: a 2008 Petopia wall calendar. Featuring fun screenshots (and even some original art) of the best and most favorite pets in the game. I love it. Echeyakee, Humar, Takk the Leaper-- all the greats are here to count down 2008 with you. At $25 it's a little pricey, but on the other hand, any Hunter would love to have that as a gift this holiday season. Very cool idea to put that together, and totally fun to see your favorite virtual pets show up in a setting like that.
Mario Kart + slot car racing = awesome
File this under "amazing gamer gift ideas." Sure, we haven't really touched slot car racers since we were ten, and all we can really recall is flying off the damn track every twenty seconds, but this still makes our hearts flutter. German slot car manufacturer Carrera has created a high-quality Mario Kart slot racing set, complete with star-laden track, and Mario and Wario racers in their own unique karts.The Mario Kart Go! set is officially licensed by Nintendo, and features about 20 feet of track (we're not slot car racers, so we don't know if that's good or bad). The set is apparently popular, because it's already sold out, with a new shipment due in this Tuesday, December 12th. We'd prefer to see Yoshi, Luigi, or even Bowser as Mario's slot car rival, rather than Wario, but who can complain? Mario Kart and slot car racing is truly a match made in heaven.
Christmas gifts for your Second Life resident
Oh Gods of Yummy Things ... it's that time of year again, isn't it? Love it or loathe it, it's Christmas trotting toward you, antlered head held high and the glint of consumer-related malice in its eye. Regardless of your personal belief system, chances are you'll have to buy at least one gift for someone simply because it's traditional. Well, if that someone also happens to be a Second Life resident, then let this post help you in deciding what to get someone who has everything -- virtually.The Casual/Work AcquaintanceMaybe you have a supervisor or boss that spends time in SL, but you don't know their tastes well enough to know what they'd like as a gift (and consequently feel warm and fuzzy toward you enough to give you a raise). I suggest one of the fine guides to Second Life to be had on Amazon.com. In fact, one of them was co-authored by Our Aimee Weber! And if you can't trust a Massively blogger, who can you trust?
J!nx has Warcraft gifts and paper for the holidays
If you find yourself wondering what to get a World of Warcraft fan this year for the holiday (or have family wondering the same thing), J!nx has the page for you-- they've set up both men's and women's pages for Warcraft gamers. Unfortunately all I see up front are the t-shirts (not that those aren't cool), but there are also links on the side to all the other stuff they offer.And they've even got Horde and Alliance wrapping paper for any gift you choose to grab. Most of the people giving me gifts are pretty utilitarian at this point, so all I'm expecting from Greatfather Winter is a coffeemaker, not a mega-pack of stickers, pins, and patches. But then again, anything wrapped up in official Horde paper is 100% cooler. Blood, thunder, and holiday cheer![Via Wonderland]
Turbine apologizes for downtime with gifts
We reported yesterday that Turbine's login servers for The Lord of the Rings Online, Dungeons & Dragons Online, and Asheron's Call were down all day. They've since come back online, and Turbine has apologized to the subscribers to those games by giving them some small gifts.Players of all three games will have their subscriptions extended by one day, essentially making yesterday free. Additionally, players will receive in-game items. DDO players will each receive one Candy Cane with 30 charges of Moderate Heal. LotRO players will receive five Hope-boosting Scented Candles. And AC players will get increased drop rates (that's the superior gift, we think).Listen, Turbine; you can't buy our love!Wait, increased drop rates? Okay, never mind, maybe you can.
DS Daily: Gift list nightmares
Yesterday we asked what DS items were topping your list of items you would like loved ones to give you on (holiday or occasion that involves gift exchange). Today we'd like to talk about the opposite. No doubt, if your gaming habit is as obvious as ours is, your relatives know that you enjoy the video games. Is there anything you fear you'll get? Something so horrific you'll be ashamed to go return it?We'd be afraid of getting something like Imagine Babyz, mostly because we'd be unable to mask the revulsion on our faces as we opened the game.
DS Daily: So about that gift list ...
Yesterday, we talked about the Wall Street Journal's poll regarding most-wanted gifts, and today, we want to talk about yours. Specifically, DS games. Hoping for any as holiday gifts from friends and family? After all, there are quite a few that come out throughout the year that we never seem to manage to get through, so we always include a few on the year-end wishlists. How about you? What are you hoping for?
Silver post PowerBook earrings
Remember these? Now in Silver! Love. Love love love. Want. Will consider re-opening closed-up lobe holes for these babies. wantwantwantwantwantwant.[1] [1] Silver earrings are not recommended for the undead and werewolves. For geek use only. Not intended for use with non-pierced body parts[2]. Common side effects include consumer happiness and squeeing. Consult with a doctor before starting any new fashion regimen. TUAW is not responsible for the excessive drool this post may cause. [2] Those of you of the non-pierced variety may prefer the bracelet version, also available at 925works.
DS Daily: Holidays
Unless you're lucky enough to have a birthday in the middle of the year (we don't! boo!), then July tends to be about as far away from free stuff as we can get. That's a shame, because we could certainly use a few free games! We're probably not alone in that, either ... so we thought we'd ask, if you could make a list of a few games you'd like to ask for right now, what would they be?
Mac Daddies: Last-minute Father's Day gifts
If you've been procrastinating like me on getting a Father's Day gift (it doesn't mean I love you any less, Dad, it's just the way I'm wired) there's a few options at the last minute. XtraLean Software, makers of TUAW fave ImageWell, are offering a Father's Day sale of $10 off the webpage creation tool ShutterBug; with your $29.95 you also get a free copy of the ImageWell Xtras, normally a $15 value.In my family the iPhoto books are extremely popular, with updates every other year so that the grandparents can have coffee-table evidence of their progeny's progeny. Granted, they won't get there today, but you can promise something to look forward to. If you want to do something extra-personal, throw a few pictures into a Comic Life page and write a few funny captions, then hustle over to Staples and pick up some inkjet magnet paper. Putting pictures on a magnet somehow gives them added permanence.Whatever gifts you give or receive (personally, I'm the happy owner of a new portable hammock, thanks sweetie!) all of us here at TUAW wish all you Mac Daddies a happy Father's Day!
Mamma wants an iPod baby
Just a few more weeks until Mother's Day. If you're an FanBoi Dad looking for a special way to spice up your FanGirl Mamma's special day, here's an absolutely adorable way to go about it. For only $16.95, you can buy long sleeve or onesies iPod baby outfits. The outfits are available in white, blue, pink and black and are sized at 6-12 months, 12-18 months and 18-24 months. The website says to allow 5 days for US delivery and 10 days for international delivery. Go on, tickle that click wheel--and check out this gallery of iPod babies while you're at it! Sure gives a new meaning to the TUAW tag "iPod family", doesn't it? [Via the delightful GeekSugar]
Papercraft pets from Azeroth
Regular readers will know that I'm a huge fan of real world crafts based on WoW (I'm disappointed that it seems like that Crochet set never worked out-- if anyone plans to make the Twill set, let me know). And so I was thrilled to see these papercraft figures that "Eric" has put together-- he's making paper models of pets in WoW, and he's selling the plans (in a PDF files) to make them yourself. At least I think that's what he's selling-- his site is pretty barebones, to say the least.But he's got the bunnies and some dragonwhelps up, and over on his eBay page, you can see actual models of a few he's put together (I especially like the mechanical chicken). I'm not tempted to buy any, because I know I'd completely mess it up, but the few he's put together look awesome.More please! I'd like to see a papercraft Bangalash, and I know kids all over the world would love a papercraft Murloc. As you've probably guessed, I'm clueless about this papercraft stuff, but would it be possible to build player models this way, or is that too complicated?[ via WorldofWar.net ]
