5 Gifts for the Techie

Nov. 20, 2015

1. STAR WARS USB FLASH DRIVES

Is there a bigger movie this year than Star Wars: The Force Awakens? We think not. Whether your giftee is Alliance or Empire, chances are they’ll like any of these USB flash drives, bringing a little cinematic fun to their computers. The Mimobot brand are the best of the bunch, but there are many varieties to choose from, with most of the major characters available from X-Wing Pilots to Darth Vader, with capacity from 4GB and up. Starting at $17.99 at various outlets including Mimoco.com, MaiWorld. com, Staples and Office Max

2. GOOGLE CHROMECAST

Media streaming is big as more and more people sever their connections to expensive cable TV packages and find their entertainment elsewhere; Chromecast is a great way to start that process. Chromecast plugs easily into your TV and teams up with your mobile phone so you can stream your favorite TV shows, movies, music, photos, games and more directly to your big screen. And, at this price, you can buy one for everyone on your list. $35 at google.com, Best Buy, Target, Staples and Wal-Mart

3. FALLOUT 4

This is the must-have game of the 2015 fall/winter season, with a whopping 12 million copies sold on the game’s launch day a few weeks ago. Give your gaming fan a ticket to the Wasteland, aka post-apocalyptic Boston 200 years after a nuclear war. They’ll have to complete quests and snag experience points to make their character into a survivor. Campy ’50s-style secondary graphics temper the game’s darker tone. Starting at $49 at GameStop, Best Buy, Target, and Wal-Mart; on Steam (steampowered.com); or at fallout4.com

4. LOMO INSTANT HAVANA

Sure, it’s fun to take photos with your mobile phone, but if you really dare to be different, treat a friend or loved one to the Lomo Instant Havana, the camera that prints credit card-sized snapshots instantly on Fuji Instax Mini Film. Not only does the camera look cool and function beautifully, but additional extras like color gels, a fisheye lens and a wide-angle lens make for fantastically fun photos you can pin up and pass along. $170.00 at shop.lomography.com

5. HAPIFORK

Got a geeky pal who’s in pursuit of better health? Give them with the cutting edge HAPIfork, an electronic fork that functions via USB or Bluetooth to keep track of their eating habits. An included coaching program with meal stats and workout objectives helps them monitor their dining behavior so they can break old, bad habits and start some good new ones in the new year. This is probably best for a close friend, though (someone you know well enough to support their healthquest efforts), so choose your giftee carefully! $79 at hapi.com