2008 Geek Gift Guide: 18 Toys to Make a Techie Happy

Eighteen economical, expensive, and just plain weird tech gifts for your friends and family.

By Computerworld Staff

PAGE 4

The software also lets you print a detailed list of your films so you can share your collection with friends.

The downloadable standard version is $29.95, or you can opt for the $49.95 Pro version, which includes extras like an integrated loan manager so you can track who is borrowing your movies. For people with really large collections, you can buy the Pro version with your choice of handheld scanners ($99.90 or $199.90, depending on the scanner you choose).

-- Todd R. Weiss

Price: $29.95  |  Phone: +31-207724411
Summary: Keep track of your movie collection with this easy-to-use software.

Over the Top: Sony XEL-1 OLED Digital TV

This may not be the most expensive LED television you can buy. But at $2,499 retail, the XEL-1 OLED Digital TV from Sony is probably the most expensive LED thin-panel television that you can buy with a screen that's less than 12 inches by 10 inches.

Click here to view Geek Gift Guide slide show.

Despite its diminutive size, this newfangled, 11-inch diagonal, OLED (organic light-emitting diode) television -- the first of its kind from Sony -- may be the technology of the future for amazing television images. OLED technology is able to reproduce the color black more correctly, which gives spectacular dark-scene detail compared with previous TV technologies.

The XEL-1 also features jaw-dropping picture quality, with a screen that's just 3mm thick and a 1,000,000:1 contrast that has largely been unseen in previous generations of LED televisions.

The XEL-1 also includes two HDMI inputs, a digital tuner and a memory stick media slot. If you can wait, Sony has promised that it will begin selling larger OLED screen TVs next year -- but expect prices even higher than those for this tiny debut model.

-- Todd R. Weiss

Street price: $1,950 - $2,500  |  Tech specs  |  Store locator
Phone: 877-865-7669
Summary: You don't want just a good TV display, you want the best -- and you can't do better than the diminutive Sony XEL-1 OLED Digital TV.

Off the Wall: Mr. Personality

Fess up, now -- you've always had a thing for all those sleazy talk show hosts on late night TV, haven't you? Want one of your own to keep your spirits up when your boss yells at you, or when your monthly credit card bill shows up?

Click here to view Geek Gift Guide slide show.

What you need is Mr. Personality, a rolling robot from WowWee who cracks wise, reads your daily fortune and answers your questions about the future. Mr. Personality also makes a great gift for the lonely geek who doesn't want to deal with real people.

acoustibuds

Loading...
Mobile MarketSpace
Retooling IT for a Mobile Workforce
Check out this research note from IDC for guidance. Learn more »
The Continued Evolution of Wireless Mobility
Learn about the two leading 4G technologies, the current status of deployed 4G networks, and how to manage long-term 4G costs Learn more »
Thinking About Deploying Mobile Broadband?
Explore lessons and best practices experienced by companies that have deployed mobile broadband to their workforce. Learn more »
Improving Healthcare Delivery with Role-Enabled Communications
Today, more healthcare IT organizations than ever are interested in implementing UC applications in a planned, cost effective manner. In order to meet their tremendous potential for improved healthcare delivery requires far more than UC; it requires role-enabled communications. Learn more »
Mobility Enables True Unified Communications
Deploying UC in conjunction with a mobility solution can increase employee productivity and improve customer service enabling workers to more easily collaborate from disparate locations. Learn more »
Making Consumer TwoFactor Authentication Cost-Effective
Offering your customers the security of two-factor authentication can help you boost your online business. Learn more »
Solve Five Key IT Security Challenges
Get a high level of security with minimal user impact. Learn more »
 
SPONSORED LINKS
 

Top 10 Lessons Learned for Corporate 3G Mobile Broadband Deployments

Mobile Security: The Essential Ingredient for Today's Enterprise

White Paper: Legacy Tools: Not Built for the Helpdesk

Learn how to maximize the mobile web opportunity

Upgrading to VMware vSphere with vWire

Maximizing website Return on Information with high-quality search

See how AT&T can help protect your network.

Webcast: Unleashing the Power of Customer Data

White Paper: Improve Agility with Operational Responsiveness

Taking a Seat at the Executive Table: The Reality of Virtualization

White Paper: Next Generation Remote Infrastructure Management

Keeping Your Members Safe from Online Scams and Predators

The Total Economic Impact of Network Security Intrusion Prevention

Generation Remote Infrastructure Management - Changing the Paradigm

Cloud-Based Email Management: Opinion Shifts In Favor

eBook: How Can You Make Your People Productive Anywhere?

Achieving Business Agility with Application Grid

Taking the Service Desk to the Next Level

Learn about The Information Technology Infrastructure Library.

Return on Information: Google Enterprise Search pays you back. Get the facts.

VMware. The source for Business Infrastructure Virtualization.

ShoreTel tells businesses to untangle from competitors' complexity and turn to its brilliantly simple UC solution

Top Five CIO Challenges

Read the RSA report: Security for Business Innovation

64-page prescriptive guide to security, compliance, and IT operations.

4G Revisited. The Continued Evolution of Wireless Mobility.

White Paper: 5 Best Practices for Smartphone Support

Five-Step Mobility Management Plan

White Paper: Visibility and the New Normal of Mobile Work

Return on Information: Google Enterprise Search pays you back

Cut Costs & Green Your IT Operations with PC Power Management

White Paper: 4 Customer Service Myths

White Paper: Managed Security for a Not-So-Secure World

Global Research: CIOs Weigh In On Virtualization

5 Key Virtualization Management Challenges

Secure Email and Web-Based Communication from Evolving Attacks

WagerWorks Takes Fraudsters Out of the Game using iovation

Seven Design Requirements for Web 2.0 Threat Protection

Increase UPS efficiency without sacrificing protection.

Learn how advanced forecasting tools can deliver significant business results for global corporations.

Lower IT Costs with Oracle Database 11g Release 2

Ready to virtualize tier one applications? Check your virtualization maturity.

Seven Ways ITIL Can Help You in an Economic Downturn

Tips for successful virtualization management.

AT&T Synaptic Storage as a Service. Expand on demand

Trend Micro ranked #1 against real-world malware. Read more.

Webinar: Jump-start your in-house e-discovery with Ringtail QuickCull from FTI Technology

Streamline IT Costs. Boost Performance with WAN Optimization.

Build your 1st app FREE with Force.com

TDWI checklist helps define data readiness for analytics. Download report.

 
 
RESOURCE CENTER