TechRepublic's 2011 Geek Gift Guide: 12 items for your holiday shopping list

TechRepublic’s 2011 Geek Gift Guide: 12 items for your holiday shopping list

By Mary Weilage November 22, 2011, 1:04 AM PST

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TechRepublic’s 2011 Geek Gift Guide: 12 items for your holiday shopping list

Amazon Kindle Fire tablet

ntEvery year since 2007, TechRepublic has been taking a closer look at the “at play” part of a geek’s life in our Geek Gift Guides, which feature reviews and analysis of the latest trends, gadgets, and toys. Here are 12 items from TechRepublic’s 2011 Geek Gift Guide (PDF) that our editors think you might want to add to your wish list or shopping list this year.

ntTablets will be on many techies’ wish lists this year, so Wally Bahny provided a roundup of many of the tablets that hit the market (or were at least available) in 2011. His roundup includes links to reviews of each product.

ntTechRepublic’s Jason Hiner has already deemed the Amazon Kindle Fire tablet one of the best tablets of the year. Be sure to check out Bill Detwiler’s cracking open gallery of the Kindle Fire.

ntPhoto credit: Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch eReader

ntWe think eReaders will be another hot seller this year. Read Wally Bahny’s Geekend post in which he highlights the major eReaders that are available.

ntI reviewed the Barnes & Noble Simple Touch eReader, and I gave it five out of five stars overall. Also check out Bill Detwiler’s cracking open gallery of the Nook eReader.

ntPhoto credit: Bill Detwiler

ntFor more reviews of tech gadgets, gizmos, games, and books, download the PDF of TechRepublic’s Geek Gift Guide 2011.

VIZIO Universal Wireless HD Video and Audio Kit

ntAs TechRepublic Senior Editor Mark Kaelin states in the PDF of TechRepublic’s Geek Gift Guide 2011: “One of our recurring themes for the 2011 TechRepublic Geek Gift Guide is wireless everywhere and two of the products we reviewed this year reflect that theme perfectly. The ASUS WiCast EW2000 and the VIZIO Universal Wireless HD Video and Audio Kit serve as your first practical glimpse into a wireless future.” The VIZIO Universal Wireless HD Video and Audio Kit is pictured here.

ntRead Mark’s reviews of the ASUS WiCast EW2000 Wireless HD Video Transmitter and Receiver and the VIZIO Universal Wireless HD Video and Audio Kit.

ntPhoto credit: VIZIO

ntFor more reviews of tech gadgets, gizmos, games, and books, download the PDF of TechRepublic’s Geek Gift Guide 2011.

X Rocker Pro Series Pedestal gaming chair

ntTechRepublic Senior Editor Mark Kaelin says the X Rocker Pro Series Pedestal gaming chair “is well-constructed and the audio quality is surprisingly good and exceeds expectations.” Read his review for more details about what he does and doesn’t like about this geeky gift.

ntPhoto credit: X Rocker Nation

ntFor more reviews of tech gadgets, gizmos, games, and books, download the PDF of TechRepublic’s Geek Gift Guide 2011.

Star Wars: The Complete Saga Blu-Ray Collection

ntIn Jay Garmon’s review of Star Wars: The Complete Saga Blu-Ray Collection, he says the decision to purchase this item comes down to this question: Are you a Star Wars purist, or a Star Wars completist? Read Jay’s review to find out what he means.

ntPhoto credit: TechRepublic

ntFor more reviews of tech gadgets, gizmos, games, and books, download the PDF of TechRepublic’s Geek Gift Guide 2011.

Star Trek Bathrobe

ntGeekend contributor Edmond Woychowsky is pictured here modeling the Star Trek Bathrobe in Science Blue (along with his TechRepublic coffee mug). He rates this geek gift five out of five stars overall.

ntPhoto credit: Crista Woychowsky

ntFor more reviews of tech gadgets, gizmos, games, and books, download the PDF of TechRepublic’s Geek Gift Guide 2011.

SodaStream Genesis soda and sparkling water maker

ntGeekend contributor Nicole Bremer Nash says the SodaStream Genesis soda and sparkling water maker “is a worthy purchase for somebody who drinks a lot of soda and needs a healthier alternative.”

ntPhoto credit: SodaStream

ntFor more reviews of tech gadgets, gizmos, games, and books, download the PDF of TechRepublic’s Geek Gift Guide 2011.

iCade arcade cabinet for iPad

ntThe iCade arcade cabinet for iPad from ION Audio has been a hot item for ThinkGeek, so we thought this device might show up on some geeks’ wish lists. Find out why reviewer Wally Bahny wasn’t particularly impressed with the $100 product.

ntPhoto credit: Wally Bahny

ntFor more reviews of tech gadgets, gizmos, games, and books, download the PDF of TechRepublic’s Geek Gift Guide 2011.

Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson

ntJay Garmon writes in his review of Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson that “In the end, Steve Jobs is a great deal like Steve Jobs: ambitious, intriguing, flawed, and incomplete.”

ntPhoto credit: Simon & Schuster

ntFor more reviews of tech gadgets, gizmos, games, and books, download the PDF of TechRepublic’s Geek Gift Guide 2011.

CanvasPop photo printing service

ntCanvasPop is a service that allows you to upload any digital image and turn it into a piece of art, printed on archival quality canvas. TechRepublic Senior Editor Selena Frye tried the service using one of her vacation photos from Paris — a close-up of the facade of Notre Dame at night. This photo shows what she received back from CanvasPop. Read Selena’s review to learn what she thinks about the ease of use of the site and the overall quality of the product she received.

ntPhoto credit: Selena Frye

ntFor more reviews of tech gadgets, gizmos, games, and books, download the PDF of TechRepublic’s Geek Gift Guide 2011.

Gibson Firebird X

ntTechRepublic guest contributor and musician Gloria E. Marshall found a lot to like about the Gibson Firebird X, though she notes in her review: “The learning curve and price tag might be a bit too much for some geeks.”

ntPhoto credit: Gloria E. Marshall

ntFor more reviews of tech gadgets, gizmos, games, and books, download the PDF of TechRepublic’s Geek Gift Guide 2011.

Nintendo 3DS

ntTechRepublic Senior Editor Sonja Thompson is a self-proclaimed Nintendo DS junkie, so she jumped at the chance to review the Nintendo 3DS. In her review, she writes: “Perhaps I’m still a kid at heart, but the 3D capability – without having to wear special glasses – was very cool. The price point and portability also help make it an easy contender for one of the top handheld gaming devices on the market.”

ntBe sure to take a look at Bill Detwiler’s Nintendo 3DS teardown photo gallery.

ntPhoto credit: Bill Detwiler

ntFor more reviews of tech gadgets, gizmos, games, and books, download the PDF of TechRepublic’s Geek Gift Guide 2011.

By Mary Weilage

Mary Weilage is an Associate Managing Editor at TechRepublic. She has worked on TechRepublic since 1999.

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