My Computer Christmas List
My computer and gadget Christmas list is almost complete and it’s not even July yet. OK, so some of the things I want aren’t actually available yet. I guess they’ll just have to stay on the list until they hit the market. Anyway, here goes:
1. A Brass Knuckle Melee Mug. http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/mugs/b1ed/?cpg=froogle Is this cool, or what? Instead of the typical wimpy little coffee cup, how about a 20-ouncer that has (look-alike) brass knuckles as the handle? It makes me laugh every time I see the photo. $15.99
2. Siftables. http://alumni.media.mit.edu/~dmerrill/siftables.html and http://sifteo.com/ Kind of like . . . um . . . blocks that interface with your computer. It’s hard to explain. It would be easier if you just watch the videos. Still in development.
3. An Optimus Maximus keyboard. Here is the maker’s totally unimpressive website http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus/ , which lacks any videos that would show what this keyboard can do. Go here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWkjtnd367Q (be sure to turn down the volume unless you want to listen to ‘70’s porn music) and here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svjLIZKAHQI&feature=related (keep the volume down; it’s just background noise from the convention). And all of that awesomeness is only $1,599.99. No, that is not a typo, it’s $1,600!
4. A Grand Canyon HD Display. http://www.dreamerswanted.com/portfolio/go-l/monitors/grand_canyon/architecture/index.htm Screen sizes up to 200”. Yes, 200 inches wide. That’s 16 feet and 8 inches! Their highest resolution, on the “small” 110 inch (over 9 feet) model is 19200 x 2400. Price? I think this is one of those “a salesman will call” type of things, but it looks like you can get to $20,000 real quickly here.
5. Immerz Multi-Media Device. http://www.immerz.com/ This thing looks like a set of headphones that fit over your shoulders that “sends low-frequency vibrations into the chest cavity” so that users “actually feel the experience”. Some of the reviews say that users playing games in which it is raining can feel that rain hitting their bodies, and, of course, once guns and explosions and things like that are going off, the experience is said to be amazing. Just $189.99 and ETA is Christmas 2010.
6. Trackir 5. http://www.naturalpoint.com/trackir/ This device tracks your head movements and translates that to your on-screen movements. For example, if you’re in a flight simulator, simply moving your head slightly to the right will cause your in-game avatar’s head to look to the right, something that would other wise be accomplished only by holding down a key, and possibly having to look away from the screen to do so. $169.95
7. 1.5 inch LCD Digital Video Memo Recorder/Player. http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Video-Recorder-Refrigerator-Messages/dp/B002XXBJIO This is a great idea. It beats the heck out of a notepad on the fridge. But then, on second thought, it would make it harder to “lose” my list of “honey-dos” from my wife. Not that I would ever do such a thing. No, indeed. Especially not since she reads this blog. $39.99
8. PrintBrush A4 printer. http://www.printdreams.com/video_rmpt_full.php How about a printer as small as a stapler that you hold in the palm of your hand and simply sweep over a page (or other flat surface) and print? About $149 but it’s not scheduled to hit the market until Q3 2011. Very cool for the road warrior.
9. Mouse Gloves. http://web.mit.edu/kimt/www/6.111/final/index.html Did you see the movie Minority Report? The best part of it was the scene in which they use a computer with gloves on both hands acting as mice. I’ve always wanted to hook two mice up and be able to use both at the same time since I’m ambidextrous. Not yet in production, but sounds like it would be pretty cheap. They do mention that they built it for less than $100.
10. Panasonic TH-152UX1 152 inch 3D TV. http://www.panasonic.com/3d/ Yes, that’s right – 152 inches! This monster is {drum roll, please} 11 FEET wide by 6 FEET tall! As Panasonic says, it “dwarfs just about every existing 3D TV on the market”. No joke. I really don’t even have the wall space to fit this behemoth in anywhere. Price is rumored to be around $500,000, or more than my house cost, so that’s a moot point.
That’s my Christmas list so far. Some of it is practical and some of it is even affordable. But all of it would be cool to have.
