Dave Thackeray
Got a geek in your life? Let's discuss the latest and greatest stuff to make them smile this Christmas.
Source: http://www.talknology.org
Astoundingly small Linux OS-powered computer connecting via HDMI to your monitor. Will even output hi-def video - and just £29.95!
After being won over by co-host Mark Johnson on The Techies - http://www.thetechies.com/2012/11/07/the-techies-series-2-episode-4/ - I now think this could be a serious option for those seeking a sub-£300 laptop. Several restrictions - it runs exclusively on the Chrome OS - but a great idea for those who lives their lives in the clouds.
Who doesn't like a good Wii on Christmas Day? And this isn't just good - it's the best yet. Out November 30, with the now-famous and revolutionary touch screen controller. Don't forget Super Mario Brothers U!
Fantastic make, thousands of stations to choose from - the perfect Christmas present for the audio connoisseur in your life.
This was a nomination. Despite me feeling bad in Google's direction with the Nexus 4 fiasco, I'll let it go. It's Christmas, after all!
The Koubachi is a revelation to me, as a very novice gardener. It measures the three key vitality parameters of a plant: soil moisture, light intensity and temperature and tells you via wifi when things are askew. It's like Tamagotchi, but real, and in plant form. Awesome!
Is this the best ereader on the market? It has stiff competition but it's the first to achieve mass market appeal. $119/£109 - but get in quick if you want delivery by Christmas
At the same price as a Kindle Paperwhite, the new NOOK from Barnes and Noble faces stiff competition - but it shows magazines and newspapers as standard, something its established cousin cannot in the UK.
Available at W H Smith in the UK, the Kobo Glo is a real outsider to the illuminated ereader throne - but at £10 less than its rivals, could be a hit among the budget conscious gift giver in 2012.
Lynda.com provides some of the most comprehensive video training packages on hundreds of applications for your PC and Mac.
Choose from 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models, available in Black & Slate or White & Silver.
Easy-to-use software that lets you record video tutorials and presentations.
Turn any surface into a Bluetooth keyboard. Pricey but nicey.
Our awesome guest @rachelphillips wants one more than anything in her sack of Christmas goodies. And why not - they'll still be available when the Microsoft Surface sells out again...
Video just gets bigger and more relevant - so get to grips with creating your own web video with this 8-part course.
A camera that takes better pictures than you can, with its PRO feature. 21x zoom, voice control, editing in the box and sharing to your social networks. £399 at Jessops: http://www.jessops.com/online.store/categories/products/samsung/galaxy-digital-camera-in-white-87562/show.html
Unusual name, powerful 'computer on a board' to teach your kids everything they need to know about coding and computing. Rival to Raspberry Pi.
We did say geek - and this is real cutting-edge geekery in a book. Compelling reading for anyone who wants to understand the future of the internet, and who'll be in charge.
At £258 after the Samsung cashback this is the best large-format tablet around. Includes the S Pen, a stylus like no other, and a quad core processor. Buy, buy, buy!
Who can really be arsed cleaning floors these days? Get someone, or something, to wipe the floor for you - the latter with the Roomba 650 from John Lewis. A touch steep at about 380 bones, but worth every penny for the lazy among us. Or robot fanciers.
I bought this because I was sick of buying that crap juice from the supermarket. Oh my! I just juiced a lettuce. This does the lot - you can even do almond milk and stuff with this. Best juicer by a mile. Buy!
Finally, a slate for the kitchen. Forget about harming your device with messy fingers and steamy windows - this does it all. Pricey at $399 but could be worth every penny to the modern cook.
At last, a solution for hapless drinkers. Using technology from the plastic age, these cups stop you spilling red wine on someone else's carpet this Xmas. And they're the perfect price for Secret Santa gifts, too!
It was your faithful companion, but it could not accompany you for the rest of the test. They told you it would rather die in a fire than become a burden. Like the cake, it was a lie. Do the right thing and adopt another.
Noone has nailed in-car audio yet, but Pure are on the journey. This In-Car Digital Radio and Audio Adapter with Full iPod/iPhone/iPad/USB Control brings DAB to your fingertips, podcasts through your smartphone and much more. Are we there yet?
