What to get a geek

Alan Boyle — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:45:24 GMT

How could I forget Edmund Scientific and Estes Rockets? I mentioned these outfits years ago as the classic purveyors of scientific diversions, but they're worth repeating:

http://scientificsonline.com/
http://www.estesrockets.com/

What to get a geek

Franklin Smith Philadelphia PA — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:49:11 GMT

How about a miniature sized Large Hadron Collider. I bet a geek would drool for that, though it has yet to be made lol.

What to get a geek

Alan Boyle — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:53:19 GMT

Actually, Franklin, Edmund Scientific offers a cloud chamber that might satisfy the budding particle physicist... And you can make your own as well:

http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp?pn=3039830&cmss=cloud+chamber

I included a couple of links to DIY cloud chambers in this item:

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/01/04/467749.aspx

There's even a guy who's trying to build his own synchrotron:

http://synchrotronmagic.com/

What to get a geek

Brook Larney, Red Lion, PA — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:29:33 GMT

I bought my husband one of the clocks on this geek website - They are all recycled as well!

http://designingtime.etsy.com

What to get a geek

Marty Cox — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:46:45 GMT

True Geeks own an Altair 8800. Find all the parts on Ebay and wrap them up in a box with a nice bow then stick it under the tree.

What to get a geek

jittithap naudom,surat thani,Thailand. — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 01:15:36 GMT

As industrial technology advanced, it affects more and more aspects of people's lives. Galileo's program offers us a dead world:Out go sight, sound,taste,touch,and smell,and along with them have since gone esthetic and ethical sensibility, values,quality,soul,consciousness,spirit. Experience as such is cast out of the realm of scientific discourse.

What to get a geek

jittithap naudom,surat thani,Thailand. — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 01:26:35 GMT

For the scientist who has everything. The gift of science

What to get a geek

Dan, Herndon, VA — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 01:46:10 GMT

http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/cubegoodies/a1c2/

What to get a geek

John — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 01:51:06 GMT

Any geek with a website would love to have a network of 50 online friends each representing a state. No money needed, but, that network would be priceless.

What to get a geek

jesse fleischer,merrionette park,il — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 02:05:34 GMT

The holy Grail of Geek toys has to be the Mitsubishi MMR25 concept vehicle ...Light-years ahead of anything even dreamed...All terrain monster...And one of the coolest looking machines ever concieved...Check it out you won't be disappointed !

What to get a geek

Wayne, Las Vegas — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 02:08:20 GMT

I highly recoomend some of parallax's BASIC Stamp microcontrollers, great for building your own robot army.
www.parallax.com
Incidentally, my girfriend calls me a nerd, but I think that simply by having a girlfriend, that disqualifies me for such an accolade...does it not? =D

What to get a geek

Justin Hoffman, New York, NY — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 02:32:42 GMT

Love the mini Hadron collider idea ... it could have lights that go around and around and smash together. Then somehoe create a HUGE black hole for fun and suck everyone in for eternity

What to get a geek

Paul Nichols Indianapolis, IN — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 02:51:58 GMT

I know i have been wishing for a scale model of the ISS like this one:
http://www.countdowncreations.com/replissa.htm
Its the perfect model for the perfect science geek.

What to get a geek

Shane Sanford, FOB Sharana, Afghanistan — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 03:38:02 GMT

How about the Atom Smashers movie?

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/11/24/1687910.aspx

What to get a geek

Andrew Meeusen, Mesa, AZ — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 05:01:37 GMT

I have always wanted an XKCD sweatshirt. Those comics are tailored to the geekiest amond us, from Schrodinger's cat references to dreaming about building a supercomputer out of rocks in a desert to calculate the universe while sitting in class (come on, who HASN'T done that before?!). In his store, the "Stand Back, I'm Going To Try Science" t-shirt (also one I'd like to own someday) is classic geek, and honestly, who wouldn't be proud to put up a poster of the online world, with a grossly oversized MySpace-land and a vast Noob Sea?

I'm not working for XKCD, but when my friend turned me on to the comics back in college, I've been a huge fan ever since! Go geeks!

What to get a geek

Brian B. Cincinnati OH — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 05:23:39 GMT

What geek wouldn't want a super magnet? The folks at united nuclear sell some insanely strong magnets, such as http://www.unitednuclear.com/magnetfull42.jpg
The complete list is at
http://www.unitednuclear.com/magnets.htm
Be sure to read and follow the list of warnings and recommendations that come with these magnets. They are very serious stuff. You have to plan your route of travel through a room for example before moving the magnet, and you never move more than one magnet at a time.

What to get a geek

Brandy Tamplain, Aviano AB Italy — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 08:55:23 GMT

What to get a Geek/Nerd for Christmas? How about a date? With a REAL person...

(Living, breathing, human, sexual gender preference, attractive, not a hooker. Well maybe.)

Just a thought.

What to get a geek

Brandon, Moscow, Idaho — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:12:14 GMT

The Book called "Universe: The Definitive Visual Guide" by DK publishing.

It is the most broad exploration of the universe, and what makes it up you can get in one volume. It runs about $25.00 and it's worth every penny. It explores constellations, dark matter, the big bang, all the planets, galaxies, and it's all on beautiful slick paper. Plus it isn't massive, like some universe books. And it's accessible to anyone who picks it up. A good coffee table book!

http://www.amazon.com/Universe-Robert-Dinwiddie/dp/0756613647/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227690375&sr=8-3

Check it out. 45 out of 49 ratings gave it five stars!! :)

What to get a geek

Chris Eash Youngstown, OH — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:57:21 GMT

The geekiest gift I could think of is a trip to France to tour the CERN LHC. The wife wouldn't mind if you let her go shopping while you take the tour. (HEY HONEY, HINT, HINT!)

What to get a geek

Rich, Balt, MD — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:15:07 GMT

I recently bought myself a microscope, which these days come with a cam you can place in the eyepiece and record your observations to your computer. I recommend one with a moveable stage.

It is VERY neat!

What to get a geek

John, Hagerstown, MD — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:41:04 GMT

How about a radio controlled model Space Ship One. I think any geek would spend hours playing with something like this.

What to get a geek

Kelly Gleason Mannford, Oklahoma — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:46:55 GMT

Since many geeks are also music lovers, consider the Zydeco tie, the ultimate in geeky business wear:
http://www.westmusic.com/Category.aspx?ID=203

What to get a geek

Deanna, Pflugerville, Texas — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:01:06 GMT

For the fun-loving geek with lots of time-about 500 bottles of Diet Coke, 500 packages of Mentos candy, and the link to eepybird.com. Let them recreate all the fizzy happiness that these two createive guys thought up :-)

What to get a geek

IngeNEWitty, Harrisburg/Hershey area, PA — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:07:43 GMT

The best gift for a geek is found in the information below. Get the geek away from the computer for a change, and integrate the family with a computer-enhanced, board-less table game. How nice to have a little social interaction and family fun!!!

IngeNEWitty has launched a new golf table game on its website complete with a terrific 3-dimensional graphic display. The "Take The Tour" page is absolutely outstanding, and the geek will simply love it!!! You are cordially invited to visit us there, and to whet your appetite just a bit we have included a copy of the text of our internet advertisements below.

Please feel free to investigate this superb innovation. Your reply comments would be greatly appreciated.

[ALAN ADDS: In the interest of brevity (see above), I've edited out the "Internet advertisement. Instead, you can get the full ad and a link to the Web site below:]

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-154014

http://www.ingenewitty.com/

What to get a geek

Andrew D. Smith — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:11:59 GMT

Educate the mind...

http://www.amazon.com/Origin-Species-150th-Anniversary/dp/0451529065/ref=sip_rech_dp_4

http://www.amazon.com/Descent-Man-Penguin-Classics/dp/0140436316/ref=pd_sim_b_3

Inspire the imagination...

http://www.amazon.com/Expedition-Account-Artwork-D-Voyage/dp/0894809822/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227708094&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/World-Kong-Natural-History-Island/dp/1416505199/ref=pd_sim_b_25

and give hope for a day to come...

http://www.amazon.com/Worlds-Mission-Discovery-Alec-Gillis/dp/0972667695/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227707807&sr=1-1

What to get a geek

Daniel, Traverse City, Mi — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:26:46 GMT

All of the following are absolutely necessary for a true science geek.

Microsoft Visual Studio Professional. (Remote debugging is a must)

Maple http://www.maplesoft.com/
OR
Mathematica http://www.wolfram.com/ A good math package sets my heart racing.

ProEngineer http://www.ptc.com/products/proengineer/
Too many of us geeks second to last gasp excuse for not building that grand idea we have is the lack of a good drafting program. The final one of course is lack of funding. Not that either are terribly valid. But ProE can at least make us feel productive.

Of course the #1 item would be a CNC milling machine

What to get a geek

Kathryn, Binghamton, NY — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:40:24 GMT

Periodic Table Shower Curtain!
http://www.uncommongoods.com/item/item.jsp?itemId=14290

What to get a geek

Nick, Gaithersburg, MD — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:29:15 GMT

A Klein bottle of course.
http://www.kleinbottle.com/

or for the thirsty scientist (although they can't be too thirsty) the klein stein
http://www.kleinbottle.com/drinking_mug_klein_bottle.htm

What to get a geek

David R, Huber Heights OH — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:42:12 GMT

I'm a 48 year old geek, and I would love to have a series of robots from the Lego's Mindstorm NXT collection.

What to get a geek

Stone, Vancouver, WA — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:13:04 GMT

Two gifts come immediately to mind for the true "if you can't take it apart, you don't own it" kind of geek.

And they're not toys, they're "how-to" guides for the DIY geek.

www.makezine.com and www.craftzine.com

Both of these publications are available as gift subscriptions and, if you love your geek enough, you will buy them the premier subscription so they can have access to back issues on-line.

I have been a subscriber to both publications for about 2 years. I've learned how to *build* robots, transform electric junk into fun toys and sometimes even useful gadgets for around the house. This is also the second year that we are using Craft to design and create *all* of our holiday gifts. No big-box gifting for us this year!

They are both quarterly. Subscriptions are fairly inexpensive.

And for the geek who loves to deconstruct and make things *better*? They are awesome!

What to get a geek

Brian, Fiarfax, VA — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:16:47 GMT

#1 - Rovio - $300 - awesome little spy robot that you can drive around remotely from anywhere in the world, and even have conversations through it!
#2 - Remote Controlled Hydrogen Powered Car - $150 - Uses a mini solar panel to separate tap water into hydrogen and oxygen, fueling station powers car
#3 - Personal Movie Theatre - $250 - looks like a virtual reality game (big geek cred), can hook up to an ipod, dvd player, computer, or video game system, has a 5 hour charge - and looks like watching a big-screen tv.
#4 - Portable Power - $199 - A solar, AC, or DC powered device that can charge USB devices, laptops, light rooms, etc.
#5 - Any Media to Digital Video converter - $199 - Converts any video (or audio for that matter, if they're geeky enough to figure it out) to digital from a regular A/V input. Converts to MPEG-4 (can play on iPods, PDAs, Cellphones, Game Consoles, TV) - and comes with a 4GB flash drive which, for a geek, is a gift in itself
#6 - Finger Drum Mousepad - $40 - mousepad has a speaker; picture of drum set with 8 sounds that you can tap to play - and record to replay
#7 - Wireless Earbuds - $499.95 - 30' range, lossless sound, stay in even working out, 5-hour charge, AND a carrying case that recharges them 3 times before IT needs a recharge!
#8 - Spring-loaded insoles - $30 - for flat shoes (like work slip-ons) that hurt after a while
#9 - GPS Homing Device - $80 - fits on a keychain - click once to mark the location (parking spot, place on beach, etc), then click again, and it'll point you in the right direction (and give you the distance)
#10 - Paperless Paperback - $300 - stores and displays 160 electronic books, doesn't cause eye fatigue (screen only uses electricity to 'turn the page'), 7500 page turns on a charge, and you can see it in direct sunlight!

What to get a geek

Daniel, Traverse City, Mi — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:30:53 GMT

To be perfectly honest the one gift that I am hoping for is in your prizes list already. "When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions." I am tempted to buy it, a Blu-Ray player and a high definition TV just to enjoy it the way it ought to be.

[ALAN ADDS: Just to avoid confusion, the version of "When We Left Earth" that we have available as a giveaway is not the Blu-Ray version.]

What to get a geek

Moline, IL — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:50:49 GMT

I have a Meade Mysky and I love it!!!!
It was a very cool gift and I use often.
It runs about $199.00 and have seen it as low as $149.00. Every techno geek should have one!
:)-PhilC
http://www.meade.com/mysky/index.html

What to get a geek

Pixie, Andersen AB, Guam — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:03:14 GMT

I think I can get my geek a nice little autobot or DC comic outfit...but it just wont exactly fit him. What can I say give role play just a little bit more interest.

What to get a geek

Jennifer, Oak Ridge, TN — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:03:46 GMT

For those who would like to support fellow scientists who create, may I suggest checking out the "Mad Scientists of Etsy" team. The members are all scientists, science students/educators, and a few others who just enjoy science :) There are members from a variety of science fields, and located world-wide. Everyone creates various handmade items including art, jewelry, soap, toys, photographic prints, clothing - even lab coats and other 'sciencey' items!

For items made by the MSOE
http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=tag_title_all&search_query=msoe%20team

What to get a geek

Margie K, Mpls, MN — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:05:32 GMT

Well, this is an easy question to answer: geeks, just like anyone else, like a nice homemade gift, so how about a crocheted section of a hyperbolic plane, a Klein bottle or Mobius strip, or a Lorenz manifold (makes a nice mobile!), along with "Making Mathematics with Needlework: Ten Papers and Ten Projects," if the geek also happens to be a knitter or crocheter.

My interest is tropical meteorology, and I occasionally work on an ongoing project to knit and crochet (as you might have guessed...) a hurricane.

What to get a geek

Mark Wakely — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:25:21 GMT

The Meade mySKY Plus is way cool...

http://www.meade.com/mysky/index.html

Or how about a nice portable Grundig shortwave radio...

http://www.grundig.de/index.php?id=509&L=1&no_cache=1

And finally, let's not forget the Johnson Smith Company, where the kid in all of us can still have some fun...

http://www.thingsyouneverknew.com/
product/exclusivethings/star+trek%26trade-
+collectible+watch.do?WT.svl=31009

http://www.thingsyouneverknew.com/product/
electronicthings/onsale/sound+activated+
tee.do?WT.svl=66177

http://www.thingsyouneverknew.com/product/
usefulthings/outdoors/25inchfieldcannon.do?WT.svl=7389

http://www.thingsyouneverknew.com/
product/usefulthings/thingsforoffice/star+wars%26
trade-+darth+vader+usb+hub.do?WT.svl=84448

http://www.thingsyouneverknew.com/product/
novelties/toysgames/outdoorfun/marshmallowshooter.do?WT.svl=81835

http://www.thingsyouneverknew.com/product/
novelties/toysgames/rcthings/radio+controlled+skunk.do?WT.svl=84408

What to get a geek

Jon — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:30:52 GMT

Personally, I have hinted to my wife to get me either a Lichtenberg figure,

http://capturedlightning.com/frames/interesting.html

or Trinitite from the Trinity Atomic Bomb test,

http://www.minresco.com/trinitite/trin.htm

Plus, you can never go wrong books by Michu Kaku or Brain Greene. Explains string theory and parallel universes in a very elegant way.

What to get a geek

Frank, Dallas, TX — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:46:16 GMT

"I think that simply by having a girlfriend, that disqualifies me for such an accolade"

Depends of if she's a nerd too. :)

What to get a geek

Scott Owens, Hermiston, OR — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:22:32 GMT

The planet earth series on dvd. It gives an amazing view of the planet in which we live.

What to get a geek

Marc, Youngstown Ohio — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:45:32 GMT

Well...All i have to say is...What geek would not enjoy an R2D2 projector...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/
B0017K9C42?tag=filgee-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1
&creativeASIN=B0017K9C42&adid=01FHKSYCCXH8T61PTPZ6&

What to get a geek

Marc, Youngstown Ohio — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:49:40 GMT

also...a geek is not complete without a cybertool

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00998829000P?
vName=Tools&cName=HandTools,GeneralPurpose
&sName=Knives&psid=FROOGLE01&sid=IDx20070921x00003a

What to get a geek

Pam Summers — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:26:47 GMT

My officical entry into your contest is for the budget-minded gift-giver... a sweatshirt with a glow-in-the-dark pictoral of the galaxy with a "You are here" locator dot on it. Simple, but gratifying to the cosmos geeks out there. Here's the link:
http://www.signals.com/signals/T-Shirts-Sweatshirts_1GA/Item_Glow-In-The-Dark-You-Are-Here-Shirts_HG7691G_ps_cti-1GA.html

What to get a geek

John, Yucaipa, California — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:45:01 GMT

I would go with a couple mils of ferrofluid, a glass box, and a couple of neodynium magnets to play around with.

What to get a geek

John McGuire Oklahoma city OK — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:39:53 GMT

For the Geek who wants to own something almost no other geek has. A nearly transparent Super Material, Aerogel is the world's lightest solid, weighing only three times that of air and is 1,000 times less dense than glass. http://aerogem.com/about-aerogel.html

[ALAN ADDS: My little chunk of aerogel has gotten pretty beaten up over the past four years or so, but I still treasure the lump I keep in a plastic case (don't leave it out in the open ... the stuff is way more vulnerable to chipping than Styrofoam).]

What to get a geek

MD Glassner — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:48:20 GMT

There are never enough outlets in a geek's hotel room. Or at home or work either. Not to mention the distressingly paltry number of USB ports on a laptop.
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=418639

What to get a geek

jim jones md, phd, jacksonville, florida — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 01:48:58 GMT

Bottle of D2O from Aldrich...

no body else has any and you never know when you need to make some really heavy ice cubes..

Guys, great list, i'll go shopping for myself, thanks..

Ditto on the CNC machine..

What to get a geek

Paul, Murfreesboro, TN — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 02:32:44 GMT

For the tech geek who has everything or for the non-tech geek: http://www.skullsunlimited.com
As you might think, skulls for study and for display. Skeletons, too (their homepage right now has a centaur skeleton display; how fun is that!). As a bonus, they have been featured on Dirty Jobs.

What to get a geek

Anna, Edmond, OK — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 00:55:04 GMT

$130 Computer Silencer no matter how high powered your computer noise wise it will be nonexsistent. http://www.directron.com/silencer750qb.html
For tech geeks whos late night escapades are ruined by a noisy computer.

What to get a geek

Kathy Williamson, Auburn Maine — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:37:39 GMT

A Garmin Colorado handheld GPS, with a year's subscription to Geocaching.com - outdoor geek fun for the whole geek family!

What to get a geek

Buddha Dude — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:04:14 GMT

Star Wars Bobble Heads!!!! Guarantee every geek will want one!

http://wickedcoolstuff.com/stwabobyfu.html

What to get a geek

mike, Albuquerque, nm — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 10:46:16 GMT

take a look at this www.r2fishschool.com - a kit to teach your goldfish tricks like soccer and the limbo!
thinkgeek.com has it for the Holidays

What to get a geek

Tatil — Sun, 31 May 2009 21:24:29 GMT

What to get a geek

Wash — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:54:30 GMT

no body else has any and you never know when you need to make some really heavy ice cubes..

Guys, great list, i'll go shopping for myself, thanks..