Not sure what to get the techy in your life? Or maybe you’re not sure what to jot down on your own list. Check out the Uncle Mark 2009 Gift Guide & Almanac. Mark Hurst is a self-proclaimed technology expert in New York, and he has been putting this list together for a few years.
According to UncleMark.org, this gift guide is “simply the very best guide for anyone vexed about technology, in search of good purchases, or who simply wants to know the answers to life’s incessant questions.” I don’t know if I’d say it’s the very best, but it’s an interesting read.
The list touts is more than tech gadgets; it also provides gift ideas for people with curious minds. Uncle Mark suggests ideas for fax machines, DVD video recorders, cooking gadgets, on and offline games, movies to watch, magazines to read, and even baby toys. The end of the 35-page document even gives tips on how to be more productive in 2009, like how to always have one dry umbrella, how to remind yourself that your camera needs batteries, and how to prevent a sneeze (this of watermelon?). It’s a bit of a hodgepodge, but did I mention it’s free? So it’s worth taking a peek.
Below are a few examples of gifts you’ll find on the list.
|
 You could probably guess that the iPhone makes the list, but Uncle Mark takes it a step further and goes on to suggest several iPhone apps (some free, some for sale) to consider as well. Uncle Mark says: “The best multiplayer game I’ve found for the iPhone, sort of like an extremely fast game of Risk. Play alone or against others via the Internet.”
|
|
 Uncle Mark says: “The best new board game I played this year was Pandemic, a game for 2 to 4 players in which you try to stop the spread of four diseases across the globe. I know that public health and infectious disease aren’t common topics for a game, but trust me – this one is a lot of fun. One unusual aspect of the game is that players work cooperatively to save the world; at the end of the game, everyone wins, or loses, together. I was also surprised at how well-balanced the game play was; the first time I played, we were unsure of the outcome until the very last turn.”
|
|
 Uncle Mark says: “This spatula, whose official name is the “Chef’n Switchit Dual-Ended Long Spatula,†is available from Amazon for ten bucks. After reading about it in Kevin Kelly’s Cool Tools newsletter, I bought it and have been happily spatuling (?) since. What’s great about it? The silicone exterior doesn’t easily heat up; the metal bar inside keeps it firm when stirring or flipping items; both ends of the spatula can be used; and its single-piece construction makes it easy to clean.”
|
|
 Uncle Marks says:
“Once the little one is several months old, an excellent toy is the LeapFrog Fridge Farm, which is a set of animal-shaped magnets that click onto a base that plays sound and music. The design is outstanding (a quality I’ve found in most LeapFrog products I’ve tried), but the real brilliance of the product is contextual. The Fridge Farm fits nicely onto the front of the refrigerator, thereby giving the kid a fun distraction when they’re in the kitchen. Parents will grasp the importance of this benefit: the child can occupied by a safe toy (rather than cabinets or sharp implements) that sits on a vertical surface, rather than in the middle of the floor. Our own playtester has been delighted by the FridgeFarm for several months now. Highly recommended.”
|
See the full Uncle Mark 2009 Gift Guide & Almanac.
Related posts:
- Robert Half Technology 2007 Salary Guide
- Free Online Tools to Help you Organize Your Life
- Free Guide to Learning How to Create Web Videos
- Plan to Obtain Your 2009 B.A.G. Now
- Accessing Accessibility Tools
No comments yet.