Robosanta’s Shopping List

Robosanta is coming to town, and when he’s not destroying all humans, he’s going to have a sweet geek gift for you. Whether you believe in Robosanta or not, here are some cool geek items to add to your list.

Nerd Watches

Remember the nerd watch craze from the ‘80s? Remember the box-shaped plastic wonders with miniature calculators on them? Well, we’ve come a long way since then. Take the 8GB High Definition Spy DVR Camera Watch, for example. Through a pinhole lens on the face of the watch, you can become a master of surveillance. Furthermore, this is not some choppy webcam watch—you’ll be spying in HD at 30 frames per second—and it looks pretty stylish to boot. Just try not to do anything illegal with it. ($79.88, tinyurl.com/hpr-spywatch)

Or what about a nerd watch for the outdoorsman? Sounds like an oxymoron, right? Nothing could be further from the truth. The Suunto X9i GPS Watch is the perfect outdoor survival companion. It functions as an altimeter, barometer, thermometer, compass, and of course, GPS navigation system. The GPS can hold up to 50 routes, 500 waypoints, and 8,000 track points. Did we mention that it’s also compatible with Google Earth? You can also upload/download routes to and from your PC (Sorry, Mac, you lose again on this one). It’s a little pricier at $259.95, but GPS navigation systems tend to be pricey to begin with. (tinyurl.com/hpr-gpswatch)

My personal favorite, however, is the Diskgo USB Watch by Edge Tech. It’s the most convenient jump drive you can have. Granted, you can get an 8 or 16GB jump drive for about the same price, but if you’re anything like me, you can never find your jump drive when you need it. The DiskGo USB watch, however, will remain conveniently on your wrist at all times. Plus it tells time, and with a rechargeable lithium ion battery that charges every time you plug it in, it will never go dead. Watch batteries can be a real pain, but not with this watch. And, like with most nerd watches, you get to feel like James Bond every time you use it. ($49.95, tinyurl.com/hpr-usbwatch)

PlayOn

PlayOn (http://www.playon.tv) is a pay application that has a one-time fee of $39.99, but it does offer a free two-week trial for the software. This is the perfect gift for your college student gamer. All they need is an XBox 360, PS3 or Nintendo Wii to operate it. The beauty of it is that it completely replaces the need for cable television, and you only have to pay a one-time fee. What PlayOn does is wirelessly stream various internet TV “channels” through your gaming console and onto your TV. Mind you, the video quality on the PS3 and 360 is far better than the Wii. The higher end machines will actually up-convert the PlayOn stream to HD. The quality is simply beautiful through the 360 and PS3—on the Wii, not so much, but it’s functional. With PlayOn, you can stream free channels like Hulu or Crackle that by themselves will provide you with enough TV to last a lifetime. What’s even more is that you can stream your Netflix account, or download any of a number of free plugins from playonplugins.com. These plugins include channels like National Geographic, Spike TV, Food Network, Nasa Channel and a number of other ridiculously cool options. And if you’re already a PlayOn customer, right now you can gift PlayOn to up to five friends at $19.99 a pop. Oh, and by the way, Mac users lose out again on this one. Get a real computer.

HP Mini 311

The Nvidia Ion graphics accelerator has finally made netbooks worth buying. Prior to its invention, netbooks, while conveniently portable, couldn’t come close to the performance of a proper laptop. 3D performance was something that netbooks were completely lacking. The Ion, however, allows netbooks to handle high-end 3D graphics. The HP Mini 311 is the premiere netbook for the Nvidia Ion that was just released in October. It is the first and only netbook of its kind to offer full 1080p HD, and all on a vibrant LED screen. And with HDMI output, you can bring the 1080p experience anywhere you go. With an 11.6” screen and weighing roughly 3 lbs., the HP Mini 311 has successfully married power, video performance and portability like never before.

You can buy one at base configuration for $399.99, which comes with 1GB RAM, and Windows XP. For a little extra, you can upgrade to Windows 7, which also allows you to upgrade to 3GB of RAM, rivaling most modern desktops in multi-tasking versatility. You can also upgrade to a faster processor, better wireless card, and a number of other customizable options available through the HP website (http://www.hp.com). For a truly pimped out Mini 311, you’re looking at about $600-$700. Trust us, it’s worth the upgrade.

Reelight Bicycle Lights

Two bicycle lights: one red, the other white. What makes it worthy of a review? Simple: eight small magnets and no batteries. Attach the light-weight strobes to your front and rear wheel axle, and then affix the magnets to the spokes. With a couple small adjustments they are ready to impress. The lights are in a fixed location, but while your wheels are spinning the magnets move past, creating a charge. The faster you ride, the more rapid this magic light pulses. Come to a stop and the charge will fade after a few minutes. My pair of reelights have been locked onto my bicycle for two years. They have experienced 20 below, 95 above, shock and water. I have had to bend them back into place after a few wrecks, but they are still holding strong. These lights are safety lights; a strong lamp is still needed to light the road in front of you. With that said, however, I know a few of you that ride home dressed in black, no lights, at night, after bar. We need to be seen. A small amount of cash ($32 – $49) and you can walk out the door with one less thing to worry about.

Motorola Droid

This new Moto makes and receives cellular phone calls just fine, but who cares? You don’t want this in your pocket because it’s a phone, you want the Droid because it drips with exciting open source possibilities. Android’s new operating system has leveled up to version 2.0, and to boot this new OS up Motorola dumped some nice hardware under the 3.7 inch touchscreen. Ever since Steve Jobs held up his iPhone in June 2007, the idea of a mainstream pocket-sized computer was here. But we couldn’t have it ‘round these parts. Almost three years later, Verizon caught up. I am only going to tell you about a few Google programs that are pre-installed or free for download. You know of Gmail—works great and shortcuts are everywhere. Google Maps is quick and you can voice search for things like say, “Orange Records Fargo.” Maps also allows you to use overlays and go into street view. Google Goggles is groovy. Scan a vinyl record barcode and get all the info the internet has on that product. No barcode? Just take a picture of the cover and it should be able to find its match online. Standing outside of a store and want to check out its website? Point the camera at the shop (based on your GPS info) and all that info is there.

Google Listen is a great way to keep up with podcasts. Do you want to know what star that is? Open Google Sky, point the phone to the heavens and it will tell you that is not a star, but instead Venus. Download some Creative Commons music then que it up in Music. Take a photo and Android will ask if you want to post it to Picasa, Facebook, email, text or just keep it on you 16gig flash card. Use the Wifi to download large files. Play video in a crisp widescreen format. Upload a video of your lolz catz drinking panda milk. Bored with the apps you have? Make your own and upload it to the store, make a million dollars…. Do you need a phone that does any of that? No. But it’s super rad. Pros: open OS, camera, 16gig storage, nice processor, qwerty slide out, apps, GPS, normal size headphone jack, update status while on toilet, makes friends jealous. Cons: size/weight, battery life, extra fee, always bumping the search key, can’t drop it, finger prints, rare system crash, issues with vista 64bit, short power cord, expensive, Google knowing everything about you. Price: $200-$300

Game Reviews

NHL 10

Tired of freezing your ass off at the local rink? Get cozy with a copy of NHL 10 by EA Sports this winter. EA has a long tradition of producing great hockey games, but NHL 10 is its best effort to date. New features allow players to grind it out along the boards, intimidate the opposition with slashes and face washing, and duke it out in first person. In addition, the new skill stick allows players to pull off moves Wayne Gretzky could only dream of. NHL 10 also provides an option that lets players compete in an in-depth career mode. Players start in the junior leagues, work their way up to the minors, and finally the NHL. By paying attention to coaches and using the skill points wisely, players may find themselves hoisting the virtual Stanley Cup. So hang up your skates this winter and grab a controller. NHL 10 is a must-have for sports gamers. 
EA Sports. 360, PS3

Madden 10

Madden 10 from EA Sports is a blast. From the novice football fan to the diehard, everyone will enjoy sitting down to the latest from the Madden franchise. Ever want to bust a 60 yard touchdown run like Adrian Peterson? Want to know what it feels like to stare down a defender like Peyton Manning? Madden 10 allows players to do it all, with realistic, hard-hitting game play. Players can enjoy a full franchise mode where they are the general manager, coach and the superstar. If that wasn’t enough, players can compete in the new career mode. Start out by improving your stock at the NFL combine, and then enter the draft. Battle for the starting spot during training camp, and then begin your journey as an NFL star. Hey, everyone is an armchair quarterback, right? Prove yourself by mastering Madden 10 this holiday season.
EA Sports. PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, 360.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Batman: Arkham Asylum is probably the best video game to come out of a licensed property. Not one of the best, but the best. Part of the reason could be that it’s not based on any specific movie or even book, but just the character of Batman and the villains in general, as well as the character of Arkham Asylum itself. The psychiatric hospital and jail is lovingly detailed and appropriately gloomy, the perfect setting for a rampaging man-in-tights with parent issues to throw some roundhouse kicks. As an over-the-shoulder 3rd person, stealth-oriented, puzzle-based fighting game (say that three times fast), the game not only manages to encompass all of what Batman is about, but also has one of the creepiest, most disturbed renditions of the Joker yet seen. But that’s how the Batman comics and movies end up. The villains are always more engaging, interesting, and creepy than the Dark Knight.
Rocksteady Studios. PC, PS3, 360.

Dragon Age: Origins

Bioware has a long history of making me wet my pajamas with their catalog of PC RPGs. This time around they broke away from the Dungeon & Dragon’s rule set to create their own intellectual property. If you can stomach another blockbuster game with elves, dragons and hot female sorceresses then you should whisper into Santa’s hairy ear that you want it by Christmas Eve or he will not receive a cookie. Bioware first announced this “dark fantasy of violence, lust, and betrayal” back in 2004. Plenty of time to write enough dialogue for 144 voice actors, create 6 separate origin background stories and dream up interesting characters that make me care what dialog choices I make. Combat is the familiar pauseable party-based tactics used since Baldur’s Gate. They also give you plenty of areas to explore with lots of item crafting to keep you sidetracked from the main plot line. $35-60.
Bioware. PC, 360, PS3.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Single-player Mode)

If you follow gaming news at all, you know about the controversies over MW2’s infamous airport siege. There is a stage of the game where your character, having gone undercover to infiltrate an ultranationalist terrorist group in Russia, can help terrorists kill civilians. You can also follow the terrorists without shooting anyone, until the military shows up, when you have to defend yourself. There’s no way, by the way, to turn yourself in or give up – when you die, you just restart the scene. You are an undercover operative, after all. When you start the game, you can decide whether to play that level or not. I chose to play it and felt it was the best part of the single-player campaign.

Why? The rest of the campaign was boring. I didn’t care about most of it. The airport scene at least allowed me to feel something, even if it was a sense of despair. The basic storyline, without giving away too much in case you want to experience it for yourself, follows a new recruit to a special task force created to hunt down a Russian terrorist. Another storyline follows characters from the first Modern Warfare as they try to figure out all the double-crossing. A third storyline, which has zero impact on the other two and feels tacked on, follows U.S. soldiers as they defend America’s east coast and Washington D.C. from the Russians.

I really enjoyed the single-player campaign from the first Modern Warfare. Not so much the second. There are interesting moments, like being on patrol in Afghanistan in the middle of an ambush, or the aforementioned airport scene, which elicited the same horrified reaction as when I watched the Gus Van Sant movie about a school shooting, “Elephant.” The last part of the Washington D.C. act is also pretty good because of an EMP blast, which changes how combat works because none of the electronics will operate. In the end, though, the single-player storyline was a confusing jumble of scenes. I got the feeling the developers were going for the “wow” factor instead of a comprehensible story.
Infinity Ward. PC, PS3, 360.

Mario Kart Wii

Mario Kart is one of the greatest game series of the past two decades. It first began in 1992 when Nintendo came out with a combination of two popular kinds of games, racing and Mario. It was a hit, this dynamic duo of Mario characters and not only cars, but cars that had to do with the characters’ backround. After the Gamecube was released, Nintendo thought they’d do it again, and in 2001 they released Mario Kart Double Dash which allowed two players to team up with their favorite characters in one kart and take on the race together. One person would drive the vehicle the other would throw objects to sabotage the race lane or to take someone out of the lead. After the DS was released they came out with yet another game, Mario Kart DS in 2005. This game featured all of the characteristics of the first game but with new courses, mirror circuits, and the ability to play through Wi-Fi with other players regionally or worldwide. After we thought the end had come, the Wii was released and Nintendo began work on a new Mario Kart. In 2008, Mario Kart Wii was released. It had all the features of the first and the third game, but with new courses. Over the years I’ve grown tired of the series, but by far, in my opinion, Mario Kart Double Dash is the best of the series. The ability to team up with your friends in one kart should have been in a feature in all of the games. Nonetheless, Mario Kart Wii remains a great installment of the series, and a great gift for any Wii owner.
Nintendo. Wii.

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