Father's Day 2011 High-Tech Gift Guide
Cool gadgets -- way cooler than a tie.
June 14, 2011 — -- Yes, is Sunday, June 19, and if you haven't found anything yet, here are some gift ideas for your old man, or not-so-old man. This is our high-tech list. Dad will thank you.
Apple TV $99
Times have changed since the original Apple TV sold for well over $200. Today Apple TV users can rent thousands of commercial-free, HD TV episodes from iTunes for $.99 with up to 30 days to start watching and then 48 hours to finish—or even watch multiple times. Users can also rent over 7,000 movies with over 3,400 of them available in HD. Most new releases are available the same day they're released on DVD. You get access to Netflix, YouTube, MLB.TV, plus all the music and videos on your networked computers running iTunes.
Movies are streamed in 720p HD with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. New titles cost $4.99, older ones run $3.99. Movies can also be rented in standard definition for $3.99, $2.99 for older titles.
With a basic Netflix subscription of as little as $8.95 a month, you can stream over 15,000 movies and television episodes to your Apple TV at no additional cost, with unlimited viewing.
AirPlay is a new feature that lets users stream media from their iPod touch, iPhone, or iPad or use them as the Apple TV Remote with an app available for free on the iTunes App Store.
The Remote app can be synced with the Apple TV, and allows users to navigate menus using swiping gestures on the iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad's touchscreen, as well as play, pause, rewind, and fast forward. It also makes it easier to search for media. Instead of having to select each letter on the on-screen keyboard, you can just use your device's touchscreen keyboard to enter the info.
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/apple_tv?afid=p219%7CGOUS&cid=AOS-US-KWG
Samsung Infuse 4G Smartphone for AT&T $199
Bring on the big, bright screen! The new Samsung Infuse 4G for AT&T makes me want to play Angry Birds all day!
Its gorgeous 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display doesn't have much of a bezel, so the entire touchscreen is yours to fiddle with. Plus, it's thin; It's just 8.9mm (.35-inches) thin for the most part, and even though the phone looks huge, its feel very light; just .29 pounds. At first I thought I forgot to put the battery in. AT&T says it's their thinnest phone yet, and it feels superb in your hand. The camera is top notch; 8 megapixel with LED flash. And if you have 4G in your area, you should be clocking pretty good speed. And -- oh yeah -- it comes preloaded with its own version of Angry Birds.
Price requires a 2-year contract.
http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones/SGH-I997ZKAATT
Supertooth HD Bluetooth Speakerphone $129
We've had portable Bluetooth speakerphones in cars for some time, as a hands-free way for drivers to stay in touch while on the road. Bluetooth devices with text-to-speech capabilities have now become popular. They read out the name of a caller, and let you ask simple commands by voice such as "Call home, check battery, redial last number." The new SuperTooth HD adds something new for social networking fiends who can't seem to take a break while on the go. The SuperTooth Handsfree Assistant feature lets drivers compose and send Facebook, Twitter, email and SMS messages, all without taking their hands off the wheel.
The device can also read incoming e-mail and SMS messages on Android and Blackberry phones from within the email or SMS application.
While the SuperTooth HD is compatible with all Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones, the SuperTooth Handsfree Assistant app is currently for BlackBerry and Android devices only. The freely downloadable app provides users six months free usage of all features but to continue to use the full functionality, you need to subscribe at $6 per month or $59.99 annually.
http://www.supertooth.net/EN/HD/
Dyson Digital Slim Vacuum Cleaner $299
If anyone gave me a vacuum for Mother's day, I'm not sure how pleased I'd be. But when I brought home the Dyson DC35 Digital Slim to test it out, my husband ran off with it and I haven't seen it since. It's pricey, but anything that can get my husband vacuuming the house, and cleaning up after himself when he does projects around the house, is totally worth it.
The Digital Slim has Dyson's innovative technology built in, a digital motor that claims to be three times faster than the average motor, and it comes with a "fade-free" lithium ion battery. The detachable long-reach wand cleans way up high, does the floor without bending over, and attachments lets you fight into very tight spots.
http://www.dyson.com/store/product.asp?product=DC35-IRSBL
Logitech Z305 Laptop Speakers $45
If Dad's a road warrior who never goes far without his trusty laptop, get him an upgrade in the sound department. The Logitech Z305 provides 360-degree sound from one USB connection. The speaker itself is shaped like a tube with speakers on either end, and is clipped to the top of the laptop's screen. Logitech claims having speakers on either end will broaden the "sweet spot" and project the sound farther than traditional forward-facing speakers. No external power supply needed; it draws its power from the laptop's USB. There's also a 3.5-inch auxiliary port for plugging in external music players.
http://www.logitech.com/en-us/speakers-audio/home-pc-speakers/devices/7363
Brookstone Instant Slide and Negative Scanner $99
If Dad's the photo bug in the family, this slide scanner will help clean out some closet space. Get those boxes of old slides and negatives you've been meaning to digitize, scan them in, and convert them to high-res digital files.
The images are saved directly to an SD card so you don't even need to connect to a computer or take up hard drive space if these are intended for archiving. Not sure? The built-in 2.4" LCD screen lets you view the images right away, so you can send them to your computer, a digital picture frame or long term storage. Now, what to put in the closet?
http://www.brookstone.com/sl/product/65302-iconvert-instant-slide-negative-scanner.html
iLuv i303 Sweatproof Sport Ear Clip Headphones $15
If Dad is a runner or a gym dude, he knows what happens to earbuds when they get sweaty. The iLuv Sweatproof Sport Ear Clip fits over your ear, so it keeps the earbuds in place -- in your ear while you're jogging or lifting. They're sweat- and splash-proof for running in the rain, with an in-line volume control to turn up the tunes when the traffic gets too loud.
http://www.i-luv.com/product_detail.asp?tab=4&idx=1364
Blanklabel.com Custom Shirt App $75
Forget the tie, get Dad a shirt. And not just any shirt, one that you've made especially for him. Blanklabel.com lets you choose a style and design almost every detail. Choose whether you want a standard pinpoint or button down collar, single button or French cuff, pocket, no pocket, even whether you want the same fabric on the inside of the collar.
And what about Dads whose middles are a bit larger than their arms are long? No worries. You can customize the sizing as well. Check out the site for the wide selection of fabrics.
Case-Mate Custom Case $35
Remember when we made cement handprints for Dad? So last century. Now we can design custom cases for his smartphone with DIY cases from Case-Mate. You can borrow inspiration from his favorite artist and design something you know he'll love, or, simply upload a photo of the kids or the family and he can carry it with him everywhere his phone goes…which, of course, is everywhere.
http://custom.case-mate.com/diy/
Barnes & Noble All-New Nook Simple Touch Reader $139
This touchscreen e-reader is the simplest and most affordable yet. The screen is all of 6-inches, making it something you'll want to take along with you on vacation or a business trip. A tap of the touchscreen lets you highlight passages, adjust font size, even look up the definition of words. The E Ink display means you'll have an easier time reading in sunlight and battery life is a promised two months. The social feature lets you see recommendations from friends or show them what you're reading, and my favorite new feature; if you're in the middle of a chapter, it now tells you how many pages until you get to turn out the lights and hit the sack.