[Craig]

I consider myself somewhat connected when it comes to tech gear. I'm not saying I know every little wafer laden invention that's coming out of Malaysia or Taiwan at all times, but I think I am somewhat in the know when it comes to the gadgets and fun stuff enthusiasts like those of us at this community should be aware of. I also think I have a pretty good eye for the fun (and useful) little side items or geek-sheik accessories that any nerd would be jazzed to find in their grubby little maws this holiday season.

Now, with that all in mind, I decided to make a list of some of the neat little things I either own personally or have seen in any one of the tech related magazines or websites that I frequently find myself glued to as the wife is yelling at me to do one thing or another

So without further ado...

Seven 7hings That You Just Gotta Get!

1. A Remote Controlled Bug...That Flies!

It doesn't get much cooler than this for someone like me that has been addicted to RC cars, planes and boats (shit, I even had a submarine years back!) his entire life. The FlyTeck Dragonfly is not only an amazing little piece of engineering that really flies (without a propeller!), but it's affordable and can be bought at such everyday places like Radio Shack and Toys 'R Us right now. Here's a little bit about the bug from their site:

Quote:

About FlyTech™ Dragonfly

FlyTech™ Dragonfly is the world’s first radio-controlled flying insect. With its’ ultra-light, dual-wing design and “high-flex”, crash-resistant structure, the dragonfly is an easy-to-fly aeronautical marvel. Use the dragonfly indoors or outdoors, controlling its speed, direction and height with the 2 channel digital proportional remote.

Features
Unique indoor flyer: Capable of maneuvering in tight spaces, FlyTech Dragonfly brings radio-controlled flight into your home.

Innovative flying action: Based on an ornithopter design, FlyTech Dragonfly flaps its wings like a real insect. The dragonfly can take off from any smooth surface, soar, dive-bomb, hover and glide silently for soft landings.

Strong and flexible: Built using a durable carbon-fiber structure, FlyTech Dragonfly’s impact-absorbing flexible body and wings can take a lot of punishment.

Ultra-light design: Light weight design protects home interiors.

Light-up LED eyes: Its eyes alert you of the dragonfly’s status by blinking, pulsing, or shining clear and bright.

Ok, that last part seals the deal for me! Not sold yet yourself? Then crack open another Mountain Dew and check out their video page of the Dragonfly in action...and if you're still not sold, then you may be asked to turn in your nerd-card at the next meeting.



2. Pacman Themed Shotglasses

Let's face it, life isn't all about shit that plugs into the wall or runs on solar power...though wouldn't it be great if it was! In the off chance you head out to a party or even pony up the courage to invite your buddies over your apartment (or mom's basement), you'd better be ready for the off chance one of them actually dropped a little coin on a nice bottle of hooch. And by ready, I mean you better have some pimp ass shot glasses to go along with your geek credentials as the cool dude to frag and play Asshole with on a Saturday night.

So head on over to ClubNamco and get a box of these bad boys on order...you never know when HotMamma69_4Life might just want to get together IRL for more than an IM session to discuss the latest episode of Laguna Beach (which we all know you secretly watch you sicko!).



3. Virtual Reality Goggles...That Actually Work!

Now we all know how long the these things have been around. And we all know that they have either basically not worked or have been so freaking expensive that no one besides the likes of trust fund babies or oil tycoons could own them. Well not anymore...

Thanks to a company called Vuzix, for just around four-hundred sheckles, you too can have your own set of virtual reality glasses such as the iWear VR920 that not only works with movies, but with real games like World of Warcraft, Half-Life 2 Deathmatch, Unreal Tournament 2004, Microsoft's Flight Sim X and more. Here's a blurb from their site:

Quote:

Connects to PCs and laptops.
Just plug in and view extraordinary high resolution video on a virtual display equivalent to a 62-inch screen at 9 feet. iWear® 3D and integrated 3 Degree of Freedom (DOF) tracker and built-in microphone deliver the ultimate interactive online experience.

I have but one request...that the first person who uses these in viewing an adult-themed motion picture *ahem* writes up a review for us in short order. Screenshots optional.



4. A Multi-Core Processor

If you're already rocking a quad, or shit, even dual core processor, then you know what an exponential leap it was going from one lousy processing core to multiples of them. We hear a lot of marketing spin from Intel and AMD about how beneficial it is to be able to burn DVD's while you encode video and play a game online all while listening to the latest free release of Radiohead's new album, In Rainbows, all at the same time. Well I'm here to tell you, it's all true.

What's even better is that as much power and headroom as today's multi-core processors are giving us in games and labor intensive executions like audio/video editing, it's going to get even more beneficial as Intel and AMD get better at optimizing and harnessing the horsepower of these processors and the programs that run on them.

If you're not already running multiple cores, stop, drop and roll your cheap ass right over to Newegg and buy one. You can thank me later for the quantum leap in computing, gaming and pR0n surfing you'll be rewarded with.



5. Portal...Ya, The Game I Thought Was Ghey

Ok...from time to time, I'll admit, I whiff. And by whiff,I mean make assumptions about something before I even know what the hell I'm talking about only to find out I was a complete horse's ass, wrong about my biased opinion and totally off the mark in all regards.

Have a look at one reviewer's thoughts on the matter as they, I'm sad to say, should have been mine had I not been such a flipping moron and assumed this game would be flat out dumb:

Quote:

There are songs, banter, humor (twisted and overt), and real emotion going on. I’m not just talking about some cute space opera variation or “hero saves the world” formula or vague allusions to science fiction. In Portal I see a fundamentally clever genre of literary genius proportions. Like reading a good book or film, the process is better experienced than described. Portal is a huge leap forward for FPS-type games and a artistic explosion thematically.

So fire up Steam, whip out your credit card (shit, they even take PayPal now!) and buy this game. If I'm wrong and you don't like it...well, screw off you elitist whiffer!



6. A Bad-Ass, LED Desktop Lamp

One of the oft-overlooked things we take for granted is the very thing we would be SOL without to begin with...light! So when it comes to your workstation (or desk), why would you settle for some crappy generic light bulb outfitted lamp that probably uses nearly as much power and puts out twice as much heat as your PC does?

Well the answer is, you shouldn't. So in steps the Z-Bar by Koncept Lighting. This unique, and pretty f00king cool looking, lamp uses 66 energy efficient LEDs to light up either your desktop or your entire room without generating any heat whatsoever. If you're like me and have an LCD monitor, desktop tower PC, laptop and XBox360 all going at the same time, you'll appreciate a lamp that doesn't add to the thermal nightmare all that electronic crap can generate in a small space such as a home office.



7. And For The Finale...One Phone To Rule Them All

So much has been written about the iPhone not only around the internet, but even here at StrafeRight. Some get it, and some don't. Some don't like who makes it, how they market and update the product and even how their CEO dresses. But at the end of the day I like to think that we can all appreciate technology for what it is...shit that makes our life easier. And with that concept in mind, I feel that the one must-have that sits above them all is the Apple iPhone. And here's why...

I could start with how Time Magazine gave it their coveted Invention Of The Year award recently. Or maybe how it sold over one million units in a ridiculously short timespan for how much it costs and how limited its release has been, being tied to only one US carrier. But I won't go the easy way out (or did I?) with the obvious.

I'll, rather, speak from the heart and tell you why I feel this phone is something for anyone who calls themselves a fan of technology, and why they should head down to their local Apple retailer (not AT&T! their kiosks suck!) and check out it out for themselves.

There's no doubt that the iPhone isn't doing all the things it does for the first time. They didn't invent wifi, EDGE, touchscreens or any of the other cool stuff the iPhone has. But they did load it up into a package that, if you're truly a power user of these features (and by power user I don't mean the guy who uses the iPod and checks his email twice a day), you will appreciate this phone more than any device you've ever put in your hands...ever.

Want maps, done. Want a camera, done. Want full fledged internet, done. Want slim, great battery life and sexy as all hell, done. Want a device that runs on a real operating system, done. Want a simple to use and navigate GUI, done. Want to access Gmail, Yahoo, IMAP, POP, ect, ect...done.

Now I know it doesn't record video like a camera, isn't on the much faster 3G network (yet!), is not compatible with any online music service (be real, if you've got half a brain you can put anything on an iPod) or have GPS (yet!)...but if you're an on-the-go professional or just a hardcore internet junkie, there is (in this writer's opinion) no better device on the market. And trust me, I've blown thousands trying to find just one phone/pda that even remotely fit my needs until the iPhone came along.

So if you're sincerely in the market for phone like this (read: want lots of features and don't care about price), have an open mind and go check one out for yourself. You might not like the pricetag, but if you're considering a set of the VR goggles like the ones I just listed above, who fuggin' cares?!



In conclusion...

So there you have it,the Seven 7hings I think any true geek should consider strongly this holiday season. And to that point, don't forget that the holidays are also for treating yourself to something nice. You work hard all year (and maybe even provide for others) and deserve at least one thing that you're either too ashamed to ask for or simply don't know anyone who would spring to get it for you in the first place. So go ahead, tell them I said it was ok.


Sources:
Time Magazine
MaximumPC
The Internetz!

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