Christmas Gift Guide

Christmas Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for your Wife / Mother / Girlfriend (all of the women in your life) | 2012 Edition

Nov 19th, 2012

I put together a list of gifts for the women in your life, from electronics to jewellery to stuff for the kitchen. Of course it tends to be slanted towards stuff that Wendy likes but hopefully it gives you some ideas as well. I know of one guy that just gives his wife a watch every single year. It doesn’t matter how nice of a watch it is, after a decade of watches, you need to show some creativity.

Take a look around and if you have any better ideas, let me know in the comments. You can see all of the other Christmas Gift and Idea Guides here.

Electronics

According to Apple, the 7 inch tablet market is targeted towards female users. I am not sure about that but Wendy does love her Kobo Vox (especially after it came with a firmware update that included Google Play) and so I thought I would start by highlighting some 7 inch tablets.

Kindle Fire HD ($199) | It features:

1280×800 HD display with polarizing filter and anti-glare technology for rich color and deep contrast from any viewing angle
Exclusive Dolby audio and dual-driver stereo speakers for immersive, virtual surround sound
World’s first tablet with dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi for 40% faster downloads and streaming (compared to iPad 3)
High performance 1.2 Ghz dual-core processor with Imagination PowerVR 3D graphics core for fast and fluid performance
Integrated support for Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo! and more, as well as Exchange calendar, contacts, and email
Front-facing HD camera for taking photos or making video calls using Skype, Facebook, and other apps

All of that and $100 less than the iPad Mini.

Google Nexus 7 ($199) | Same kind of features as the Kindle Fire HD. Of course with the Amazon Kindle app you can read your Kindle books on your Nexus 7. Nexus 7 was designed with gaming in mind. With heart pounding quad-core performance, a vibrant 1280-by-800 high-resolution display, and sensors like a gyroscope and accelerometer – do a barrel roll then tilt, touch and tap your way to the top of the leaderboards while exploring over 700,000 apps and games on Google Play. In other words it’s faster than the Kindle Fire

iPad Mini ($329) | At $129 more, you get two cameras, the fastest processor, and access to the amazing Apple app store. The bad news is that it has the lowest resolution screen of all of them. While the technical elite are complaining about the lower screen resolution and the tablet not shipping with a Retina Display, it won’t make that big of a difference on a 7 inch screen. Again if you are moving from a Kindle, just download the Kindle app and you will have a seamless transition

If you are just looking for an e-reader, check out the basic Amazon Kindle ($69). At only $69, it has an e-ink screen, works well outside, and the battery lasts forever. It doesn’t have any of the bells and whistles of a tablet but you can’t beat it for reading. Not everyone has a desire to be online 24/7 which is why you still see Kindles all over campus and on a commute. An even smaller option is the Kobo Mini ($99). All I know is my friends love their Kindles.

The Washington Post puts all of the mini tablets through their paces here. Read and pick the right one for you.

Kitchen

Griddle ($40) | Wendy wanted one of these a couple of years ago and I was told not to get her one by some cooks that I know. They said she would only use it for cooking up eggs, sausage, and pancakes and that is exactly what she wanted one for. Doh!

Frozen Yogurt, Sorbet, & Ice Cream Maker ($75) | This fully automatic small appliance makes frozen yogurt, sorbet, and homemade ice cream in as little as 25 minutes. The frozen-dessert maker features a heavy-duty motor and a double-insulated freezer bowl that holds up to 2 quarts of frozen dessert at a time. Simply add ingredients, turn the machine on, and frozen drinks and desserts are ready in minutes. Its large ingredient spout allows for easily adding favourite mix-ins, and an instruction book and recipes come included.

Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven ($80) | If your loved one loves to cook and entertain, you would be surprised what a good convection toaster oven can do to make her life easier. Cuisinart’s custom toaster oven broiler is large enough and smart enough to present a full range of menu options. Toast 4 bagel halves, bake an 11-inch pizza, or broil two big open-faced sandwiches. When the cooking is done, its easy clean with reflective non-stick coating on oven’s interior that wipes clean in seconds, which enhances heat efficiency and ensures even toasting.

Adagio Teas Tea Maker ($88) If you are looking for a tea maker that does steep the tea, check out the Adagio Teas Electric 32-Ounce Tea Maker. This maker does it all – heats water, steeps leaves, and keeps tea warm so you may enjoy it all day long. Variable timer and temperature control lets you adjust the strength of an infusion, ensuring a perfect cup of tea each time. Works well with all tea varieties.

Wolfgang Puck 6-Qt. Electric Gourmet Wok with Tempered Glass Lid and Steaming Tray ($90) | The unit’s curved cooking interior promotes proper stir-frying, while its wide top and narrow bottom allow for frying with less oil than with a straight-sided pan. Simply heat the oil; add any favourite combination of fresh vegetables, tofu, or meat; then keep things moving with a long-handled wooden spatula. The countertop appliance works well not only for stir-frying, but also for braising, sautéing, and more. Choose from a variety of temperature settings: sear, high, medium, keep warm, minimum, and everything in between. Other highlights include a generous 6-quart capacity with a 14-inch diameter and a 4-1/2-inch depth, a tempered-glass lid with a stay-cool knob, a steaming tray for seafood or veggies, a temperature probe with a quick-release lever, and heat-resistant side handles for safe, comfortable transport.

For more kitchen ideas, check out Wendy’s Christmas Gift Guide for the Cook at The Cooking Blog.

Music

iPod Nano ($149) | Apple has reinvented the iPod Nano, making it larger physically and expanding it’s capacity to 16 gb. It now has a larger, 2.5-inch Multi-Touch display. Play your favourite songs, browse music by genre, or listen to Genius playlists and FM radio. Or watch movies and widescreen videos on the bigger screen. A perfect workout partner, iPod nano tracks your steps, your runs, and burned calories and syncs to the Nike+ website to challenge friends. And with built-in Bluetooth technology, you can wirelessly connect to speakers, headphones, or car stereos.

If you are looking for something more advanced, check out the new iPod Touch ($299) | iPod touch features a 6-mm ultrathin design and brilliant, 4-inch Retina display. The 5-megapixel iSight camera lets you take stunning photos, even in panorama, or record 1080p video. Discover music, movies, and more from the iTunes Store, or browse apps and games from the App Store. And with iOS 6—the world’s most advanced mobile operating system—you get Siri, iMessage, Facebook integration, FaceTime, Game Center, and more. Now that sounds fun.

Beats by Dre Tour in ear headphones ($149) | Made to stream the soundtrack of your life with perfect, clear sound. Tour headphones were made to stream your favourite music. Seven pairs of different-sized ear tips ensure snug fitting buds. Accurate speaker design plays music back loud and full of detail. Now if you don’t want to pay $149 for a pair of premium headphones, check out JVC’s Xtreme Xplosive headphones ($16) which are getting excellent reviews on Amazon and across the web.

Bose Wave Music System $499 | The famous Wave music system still sets the standard for quality audio and ease of use among one-piece, table top stereos. Its award-winning design adds a touch of distinction to almost any room. No wonder so many people use it as their main home entertainment system. Numerous reviews speak of the Bose Wave’s clarity and amazing room filling sound. If you are looking for the best all in one unit, this is the one you are looking for.

If you want to go old school, make sure you check out this Sangean Tabletop Radio ($85) | Elegant simplicity combined with state-of-the-art performance sets the Sangean Model WR-11 AM/FM Table Top Radio head and shoulders above the competition. In true Sangean tradition, AM/FM reception is excellent providing clear and static free listening. Rotary dials adjust the volume, selects AM/FM bands, and precisely tunes your station selection displayed in a softly lighted analog display. An LED tuning eye assures you’re achieving the best reception for your selected station. In addition, a stereo headphone jack and provision for an external AM and FM antenna is also provided. An AUX-In jack for playing your favourite MP3 music from your portable devices is available as well as a Record-Out jack for routing to your recording equipment or external devices.

Lifestyle

Timex Women’s Ironman Watch ($37) | Built to handle extreme activities, this timepiece is designed with a completely unique white resin design that’s wide at the case and narrow at the strap. The Ironman has everything you need: an easy-to-use 24-hour countdown timer countdown/stop (CS) and countdown/repeat (CR); a one-hour chronograph with lap or split option; a daily/weekday/weekend alarm with five-minute backup; a 30-lap memory recall for workout review; a 99-lap counter. The oval dial has a white digital display with day/date/month calendar, an Indiglo night light, Night-Mode features, and two time zone settings. Powered by precise quartz movement, this Timex is water resistant to 330 feet (100 M).

Canon Powershot A2300 Digital Camera ($99) | The Canon PowerShot A2300 16MP Compact Digital Camera, is simple and stylish. This compact camera is packed with advancements that make it easy to get a great shot every time. Smart AUTO recognizes 32 predefined shooting situations then automatically picks the proper camera settings for you. Saving memories in breathtakingly realistic 720p HD is as easy as pressing the dedicated movie button. You will see extraordinary resolution and fast performance with the 16.0 Megapixel Image Sensor and DIGIC 4 Image Processor, and capture more dynamic, exciting images with the 5x Optical Zoom with 28mm Wide-Angle lens. Digital IS greatly reduces blur by recognizing the main subject and applying the best camera shake correction.

All of this really means that you will be able to take great photos when you want. Sure she has a camera on her phone but do you want to trust your phone to take a great photo when conditions are less than ideal? If you have moments that matter, you will want this camera.

Cross Bailey Fountain Pen ($38)

If the women you are shopping for is a writer (or wants to be), how about a great looking fountain pen? While you are at it, check out this suede journal ($29) from Indigo or this ruled Moleskine ($13)

Cabela's Multi-tool Cabela’s Multi-tool ($13) | Despite it’s low price, Cabela’s has put together a great multi-tool. Wendy has had one for a year and carries it everywhere. A handy and affordable compact tool with devices you need for quick fixes and repairs. Stainless steel construction with an assortment of attached tools that includes flat-nose pliers, wire-stripper, knife, Phillips and flat-head screwdrivers, saw, bottle opener and scissors. Nylon sheath included

I haven’t forgotten jewellery. If you are looking for a nice necklace, check out this key to my heart diamond cut 14 karat gold pendent ($190) .

While you are at it, check out this sherpa blanket ($52). I gave one to Wendy this fall and she loves it. If you are lucky and well behaved, your loved one will even share it with you. For a different look, check out this Hudson Bay Blanket fleece blanket ($35) It has the look of the historic Hudson Bay blanket but without the itchy wool.

There is also this great aromatherapy gift set ($40) with this black oil warmer ($6). A tealight gently warms your favorite scented oil for a delicately fragrant glow!

If I missed anything or if my suggestion made you think I was absolutely crazy, let me know in the comments. You can access the current edition and previous years list of Christmas gift guides here.

Christmas Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for your Husband / Father / Boyfriend (all of the men in your life) | 2012 Edition

Nov 4th, 2012

by Wendy.

3 comments

It’s Wendy again and I am pretty lucky as Jordon does all of the Christmas shopping in our family and over the years he has created some incredible Christmas gift guides for his website which have generated a loyal following. I traditionally write the Gift Guide husbands/boyfriends/fathers and here it is. Hopefully I don’t disappoint and as always if you have good ideas, leave them in the comments below. For the entire list of Christmas gift guides, click here.

Tablets

I bought Jordon an iPad last Christmas and has has loved it. Now he is an Apple person (iPod, iPad, iPhone, and a MacBook) but not everyone is. The good news is that there are some amazing tablets on the market for both Android, Apple, and even Blackberry users.

When you are looking for a tablet, make sure you understand how the person is going to use it. I bought Jordon a 16gb iPad because Jordon is going to use it for some writing (using Pages, the occasional Keynote presentation) and surf the web. He had no intention on putting his music on his iPad because he uses his iPod for that task. If he was going to use it as a all-in-one machine, I would have gone out and got him a 64gb version.

Also, some have bought them with the idea that they will replace their laptop or computer. They really don’t for most of our friends (although as I was typing this, Jordon points out that he has never seen Saskatoon City Councillor Charlie Clark use anything but his iPad and his Logitech keyboard/case).

Whatever your preference, I have listed tablets from all operating systems below.

Android | Nexus 10 ($409) and Nexus 7 ($209) from Google. Both offer world class speed and design and in a lot of ways are designed and produced to set the standard for Android devices running on tablets in the same way Google designed the Nexus phone to do for smartphones.

Android | Kindle Fire 8.9 ($299) and Kindle Fire HD($199) Amazon introduced the Kindle Fire to mediocre reviews last year but has stepped up their game with the Kindle Fire 8.9 inch tablet and the Kindle Fire HD which offers retina level display on an Android device. If you surf the web a lot, the Kindle Fire has the fastest wifi of any tablet out there.

Apple | iPad ($499)) and iPad Mini ($329) | While more expensive then the Kindle Fire HD, it has the advantage of the most spectacular collection of apps out there. Also it offers fantastic integration between your iPhone and Mac. Like I said before, Jordon has an iPad 2 and loves it.

Blackberry Playbook ($194 for a 32gb model) | I include this here because I know there is still a passionate community of Blackberry users out there. It’s a good value for the price but it doesn’t have a lot of apps for it. It’s one of those things that I would get for a guy who knew what he was getting and still really wanted. When I asked Jordon, he said there are those out that that still live and die on Blackberry Messenger and it has that… kind of. Maybe you should just get any Blackberry lovers on your list, a new phone.

Music

iPod Classic ($249) | iPod Nano ($149) | iPod Touch($299)

Depending on the person you are shopping for, they are going to have different demands on what they want out of a iPod or MP3 player. Some people want all of their music at their fingertips all of the time, some want something to work out with, and some want to be connected to all of their apps while they are listening to their music. Whatever kind of person you are shopping for, there is an iPod for them.

If the person you are shopping for isn’t an Apple fan, look at a Sony Walkman ($110). While the design and features look amazing, I am a little surprised it only comes in a 8 gb version, of which 1.25 gb is used by the software. So if you are looking for a 6.75 gb MP3 player in a great design package and a good price, here it is. It is slightly smaller than the Apple iPod Nano but has a lot of the same features. While MP3 quality is lacking, with Sony you know you are getting something that is quality made and designed.

Whatever MP3 player you get, you will want to upgrade the headphones. JVC’s Xplosive Xtreme ($17) headphones are much loved at an affordable price. The series feature a bass port for outstanding bass reproduction, a durable rubber protector for impact protection and to help withstand heavy use, and a gold-plated 3.5mm stereo plug. The Xplosive Xtreme also comes with a handy carrying case. 2.6mm-thick and robust 1.2m pure copper cable (Y-type) Special hard carrying case included S/M/L silicone ear-pieces included Gold-plated 3.5mm stereo straight plug iPod, iphone and iPad compatible.

If you aren’t sure the person you are shopping for would appreciate a MP3 player, why not pick up a Polaroid 8 gb MP3 player ($40)? It may not have the features of the iPod or Walkman but it does offer a really good value and is expandable with a SDHC card.

iHome Rechargeable Mini Speakers ($45) | These are incredible speakers that provide a rich sound. They have a carrying case which means that they get taken with us everywhere, just like our iPods.

They work great with our iPods, netbooks, and our portable DVD player.

Tivoli Model One ($149) | Old school AM/FM in a timelessly sleek design. I bought Jordon one a couple of years ago and he loves it. We actually went and bought a second one for the cabin. It gets great reception in the middle of nowhere and on a hot summer day when the Saskatchewan Roughriders are playing, it’s a great way to listen on the deck with all of your friends. The Tivoli Model One has a rich, full sound thanks to sound pioneer Henry Kloss, and the radio has come to be a modern design must-have. This gift is perfect for a desk, in the kitchen- anywhere he can listen to the baseball game, CBC Radio One, or the oldies station. Another tabletop option worth considering is the classic Sangean WR-11 radio. Different design but same classic look.

Office

Cross Bailey Fountain Pen ($38)

Every guy needs a nice pen and this fountain pen is both affordable enough to give a nice gift but if high enough quality to last for decades. If you aren’t sure the person on your list would appreciate a fountain pen, you won’t go wrong with a Parker IM rollerball pen($19).

Tabletop fountain ($49) | It depends on the office environment that your husband works in. At The Lighthouse, Jordon’s office was both too hot and too dry. A tabletop fountain added some humidity into the air and cooled it down a bit. Just make sure you get him a plug in version, not one that runs on batteries. It’s one of those things that once the batteries run out, it never gets used again.

Of course he will need something to write down his profound thoughts in so why not give him a leather wrapped journal for Christmas? Chapters/Indigo has an amazing one for $45. While you are at it, check out this $15 5 inch globe.

Video and Camera

71cqBTpP-3L._AA1500_ GoPro HD Hero 2 ($199) | Born from a passion to capture your love of life from your perspective, this camera is a feat of engineering. Wearable and gear mountable, waterproof to 197′ (60M) and boasting an immersive 170° wide-angle lens, the HD HERO2 has ushered in a new era of image capture. Professional quality 30 fps 1080p and 60 fps 720p video, combined with 11 megapixel still photo capture that has landed magazine covers. It’s a great camera and a lot of fun for the entire family. With this grab bag of mounts, you can hook it up to almost anything.

Sony Bloggie ($69) | Jordon has a Kodak Zi8 for years and has loved it. We gave Lee a Flip camera a year ago and even Mark has one. While you cell phone can record HD video, it doesn’t have the same kind of quality than a dedicated video camera gives you and it is a lot easier to deal with a SD card than trying to get a video off your iPhone. If the guy you are shopping for is one that loves to take video, make sure you check this camera out.

Fuji Fine Pix XP50 ($150) | For years we have been fans of Fuji point and shoot cameras and the XP50 is no exception. It’s waterproof to a depth of 5m and can capture both movies and still images underwater. The camera’s casing will withstand shocks or drops from a height of 1.5m, while cold environments are also no problem for this rough and ready device. The FinePix XP50 can withstand temperatures down to -10°C and dust is never a problem, with all the camera’s access points specially sealed for ultimate protection.

If the guy you are shopping for loves audio or is a podcaster, consider getting him a Blue Snowball ($60)or Yeti USB ($109) microphone. Both provide amazing clear sound and are a significant upgrade over the internal microphone in a laptop.

Home

31531_l Black and Decker Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker ($48) | Jordon is a coffee connoisseur and while the ultimate way to make a cup of coffee is with a French Press or a Aeropress coffee maker ($25), he doesn’t always have time. For times when he needs 8 cups of coffee relatively quick and wants it to stay fresh for a while, there is this thermal coffee maker from Black and Decker. With a stylish design and durable stainless steel carafe, this 8-cup coffeemaker is perfect for home, office or practically anywhere you want hot, fresh coffee at the touch of a button. All this, plus an easy-clean control panel and dishwasher-safe removable parts for effortless clean up. The advantage of the carafe is that you won’t be stuck with hot burnt coffee in case you don’t get it off the maker in time. The coffee will be as hot and fresh later as it is right now.

Atari Flashback ($50)| Over 75 Atari 2600 games all in one console. Jordon laments the exclusion of Pac-Man but you can get Missile Command, Asteroids, and Combat all on console. Let him relive his childhood at the same time making him a subject of mockery of any child in the family.

PlayStation 3 ($269) | Yes it’s a game console but it’s also a Blu-Ray and DVD player, a Netflix player (which works way better than the Wii), and allows the family to play online. We use it all of the time to watch Netflix, movies, and also we still play a fair amount of games. While it’s not something that we would ever consider essential to our family life, it’s hard to imagine doing without.

Leatherman Skelatool ($42) or the Gerber Suspension Multitool ($26) | Both are amazing multi-tools and life is just better for men when they know they have a great multi-tool within reach. If the guy you are shopping for needs something even smaller, then check out the Cabela’s multi-tool. A great tool in a small package.

While the guys I know aren’t big on jewellery, they do appreciate a nice watch. If the guy you are shopping for loves a nice watch, check out the Timex Expedition Rugged Field Watch ($46), the Timex Expedition Digital/Analog watch ($44.96) or the rather classic Timex Atlantis 100 ($31).

Parrot AR Drone 2.0

Finally don’t forget probably the most wanted gift of the season, the Parrot AR Drone 2.0 ($300) The Parrot AR.Drone is the first quadricopter that can be controlled by a smartphone or tablet. By tilting your device, you control the direction of your AR.Drone, and by releasing it, the AR.Drone is instantly stabilized. Thanks to the AR.Drone’s autopilot feature, anyone can be an expert as the AR.Drone allows for an easy take-off and landing. It’s about as amazing and as much found as it sounds.

If I missed anything or if my suggestion made you think I was absolutely crazy, let me know in the comments. You can access the current edition and previous years list of Christmas gift guides here.

Christmas Gift Guide for the Cook (and Foodie) in Your Life

Oct 29th, 2012

by Jordon Cooper.

No comments yet

Wendy put together a Christmas gift guide for the cook (or foodie) in your life at The Cooking Blog. If you are shopping for someone that loves to cook or bake, make sure you check it out. All of the holiday season’s Christmas gift guides are being posted here so if you are shopping online or are just looking for some gift ideas, the site can help.

Christmas Gift Guide for Teenage Boys | 2012 Edition

Oct 14th, 2012

by Jordon Cooper.

No comments yet

A couple of weeks ago search results looking for Christmas gift ideas started to appear so I knew it was time to dust off the Christmas Gift Guides and start on 2012’s. As usual, I start with the kids and move from there. If you have any idea or feedback, let me know in the comments.

Shopping for a tween or a teenager is hard. Amazon suggests MacBooks, they all want $600 iPhone and if you get it wrong, they will hate you forever. Welcome to shopping for a teenager. Here are some ideas that are cool, won’t break the bank, and may actually inspire them.

I have long been a fan of Virgin Mobile prepaid for teens. You can control their data, their minutes, and if something goes wrong and the phone is lost, you aren’t hit with a massive phone bill or contract. Everyone wins. The HTC Desire C ($149) has the newest version of Android Ice Cream Sandwich, a 5 megapixel camera, and a sound system that is by Beats by Dre. It’s only $149 upfront and you can either put that on their no-contract plan or go prepaid. It’s not a Samsung Galaxy III or a iPhone 5 but for someone that is 12 or 13 years old, they don’t need a better phone than you. If you really want to spoil the kid, you can get them some Beats by Dre headphones ($149) to go with it but a more fiscally sound and responsible choice may be these highly rated and fairly inexpensive JVC Xtreme-Xplosivs headphones ($14.99).

While Kodak has fallen on hard times, it still makes a great little compact camcorder in the Kodak Playsport ($80). It’s shockproof, rustproof, and waterproof to a depth of 10 ft. Since it is designed to be used on the go, it has built-in image stabilization to smooth out the ride. It also has a share feature making it easy to get the video onto YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. If you want more stability from a manufacturer, check out the Sony Bloggie camera (or the Sport model). All are great options for your young aspiring filmmaker.

Of course they will need some adventures to film. Geocaching is extremely popular all over the world and Magellan has created the eXplorist GC Waterproof Geocaching GPS ($119). It easily connect to the Geocaching.com User Community and perform "Send to GPS," create and sync Pocket Queries, and upload Field Notes. Pre-loaded with the most popular geocaches in the world. Additionally, the product comes packed with common outdoor GPS features, such as waypoint creation, a worldwide base map, active tracking, and trip odometer.

If they are a gamer, chances are that they have grown out their Nintendo DS. If they have, check out the PS Vita ($249). With any gaming system it is all about the games and I am pleasantly surprised the amount of good looking games there are out there for the PS Vita (compared to the PSP). There is Assassin’s Creed III ($39), Madden 13 ($25), or FIFA 13 ($39)

While my son would love an iPod Touch ($299), I am not sure if any child needs to be online 24/7. There is a great alternative in the new iPod Nano ($149), especially if the child you are shopping for is extremely active (or you want them to be more active). The redesigned iPod nano now has a larger, 2.5-inch Multi-Touch display. It plays music and has Genius playlists and FM radio. It has enough memories to watch watch movies and widescreen videos on the bigger screen. The iPod Nano tracks your steps, your runs, and burned calories and syncs to the Nike+ website to challenge friends. And with built-in Bluetooth technology, you can wirelessly connect to speakers, headphones, or car stereos. While you are at it, you can add some amazing iHome rechargeable mini speakers as well.

If your child is a skateboarder, you may want to consider a Tony Hawk skateboard deck and kit. I know what you are thinking, "What’s Tony Hawk a skater back when I was a kid?" and the answer is yes and somehow he is still skating and he is still pretty awesome… if you consider a 900 degree turn on a skateboard awesome.

If you teen is planning to do something awesome like that, you may want to get them a GoPro camera ($169) and a headstrap to record the madness/injury.

Sometimes the best technology and gifts are some of the most basic. Binocular prices have dropped while the optics are still great. A pair of compact Bushnell binoculars ($30) are perfect for a hike, some urban exploring, and compact enough to toss in a bag. If taken care of, they will last a lifetime.

Canada at War: A Graphic History of World War II: A visual look at Canada during World Ward II.

Canada at War follows the developments and setbacks, wins and losses, of a nation learning to stand up for itself in the midst of the most difficult war of the 20th century.

In graphic-novel format, fully illustrated and in full colour, Canada at War shows the growth of a nation’s army, navy and air force through movingly depicted triumphs and tragedies. From the disheartening losses at Dieppe and Hong Kong through the Battle of the Atlantic and the invasion of Sicily, it focuses on the human dimension of the key battles and decisions that ultimately swung the war in the Allies’ favour.

This poignant graphic account ends, after the victories of D-Day and Juno Beach and the liberation of Europe, with a final reckoning of the legacy these storied years have had on a country forged through war. Aimed at both adult and young adult readers, this very human history tells the stories behind some of this country’s most distinguishing military moments.

If I missed anything or if my suggestions made you think I was absolutely crazy, let me know in the comments. You can access the current edition and previous years list of Christmas gift guides here.

2011 Christmas Gift Guide

Nov 27th, 2011

by Jordon Cooper.

No comments yet

I am about a month late in getting these online but the 2011 Christmas Gift Guides will be posted online over the next couple of days. I’ll be using this post to link to them all so if you are interested, bookmark this post or just keep checking out the main page for more details.

Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Husband/Boyfriend and the men in your life (guest post by Wendy)

If you are looking for the 2010 Christmas Gift Guides, you can can find them here.

Christmas Gift Guide: For Your Husband/Boyfriend/Men in Your Life | 2011 Edition

Nov 27th, 2011

by Wendy.

1 comment

It’s Wendy again and I am pretty lucky as Jordon does all of the Christmas shopping in our family and over the years he has created some incredible gift guides for his website which have generated a loyal following. I traditionally write the Gift Guide husbands/boyfriends/fathers and this year I get to kick off the festivities as mine will go first. How cool is that? Hopefully I don’t disappoint and as always if you have good ideas, leave them in the comments below.

Leatherman New Wave Multitool | Last year Lee went out and bought Jordon a nice multi-tool and he has used it every day since then. It’s amazing how many times it has come in handy around the house or when we have been out driving or at the lake. It’s been used to fix the car, perform first aid, cut down a tree, screw in more than one screw, and open many a package. You really don’t realize how handy and indispensible they are until you don’t have one around. We have picked up some less inexpensive ones over the years and we keep one in both of our car safety kits and also up at the cabin. If the guy you are shopping for doesn’t have one, get him one.
($62 at Amazon.com)

iPod Touch | If the guy you are shopping for has an iPhone then don’t bother but if he has an Android or Blackberry powered phone, don’t buy into the hype that they can listen to music with it. They can but you can’t use iTunes and it’s a big time drain on the battery. Get them a 4th generation iPod Touch and let them put their videos and music on it. For Jordon, his iPod has many of the same apps that his phone does, it means that he can grab it any time he needs it, even if his phone is out of reach or charging. Plus no matter how easy people tell you it is to get music on your Android or Blackberry, iTunes makes it easier. While it won’t replace your HD camcorder, there was been a lot of times when we have it with us and it takes excellent HD video. Photos are generally grainy but the video is good to excellent.
(32gb for $279 at Amazon.com)

Seinheisser CX 500-B headphones | Whatever you do, upgrade his headphones. The Apple headphones may be iconic but they aren’t very comfortable. Instead try the CX 500’s which are high quality, noise-isolating ear-canal phones with a crisp, clear, bass driven stereo sound. They feature a volume control integrated in the cable and come with a new, unique type of ear adapter for an improved fit and an even better passive noise attenuation.
($30 at Amazon.com)

Kindle Fire/Kobo Vox | If a iPad is out of your price range and you don’t want a Blackberry Playbook (not many of us do), why not look at an Android powered Kindle Fire or if you are in Canada, check out the Kobo Vox. They aren’t iPads but they are not $500 either. They allow you to install apps, read books, watch some video, install apps surf the web, play Angry Birds, tweet, and check email easily.

Which one should get? Amazon has a faster tablet while the Kobo Vox is available in Canada. There have been some pretty annoying issues with the Kobo Vox as Kobo has a reputation of shipping before it it is ready. They have however released five firmware updates which means that the Vox is getting better with each release.
(Both are $200 at Amazon.com or Chapters)

Steve Jobs by Walter Issacson | Read the summary and tell me that the tech geek in your life won’t want to read this. Plus, after he is done with it, you can read it.

Based on more than forty interviews with Jobs conducted over two years—as well as interviews with more than a hundred family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues—Walter Isaacson has written a riveting story of the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing.

At a time when America is seeking ways to sustain its innovative edge, and when societies around the world are trying to build digital-age economies, Jobs stands as the ultimate icon of inventiveness and applied imagination. He knew that the best way to create value in the twenty-first century was to connect creativity with technology. He built a company where leaps of the imagination were combined with remarkable feats of engineering.

Although Jobs cooperated with this book, he asked for no control over what was written nor even the right to read it before it was published. He put nothing off-limits. He encouraged the people he knew to speak honestly. And Jobs speaks candidly, sometimes brutally so, about the people he worked with and competed against. His friends, foes, and colleagues provide an unvarnished view of the passions, perfectionism, obsessions, artistry, devilry, and compulsion for control that shaped his approach to business and the innovative products that resulted.

Driven by demons, Jobs could drive those around him to fury and despair. But his personality and products were interrelated, just as Apple’s hardware and software tended to be, as if part of an integrated system. His tale is instructive and cautionary, filled with lessons about innovation, character, leadership, and values.

($18 at Amazon.com)

The Wire | Season 1 ($21)| Season 2 ($21.49) | Season 3 ($21.49) |Season 4 ($21.49) | Season 5 ($21.49) | Complete Series ($149) | If you haven’t seen The Wire, you are missing out on one of the best shows ever made for television. It’s more than the acting and the writing, it’s the concept of dedicating an entire season to one story and crime and letting it unfold. I have watched the entire series twice with Jordon and it gets better wit age. I really is worth watching and owning. It would be a fantastic gift to any man on your Christmas gift.
(All seasons available at Amazon.com by clicking on the season link)

Ken Burns: Prohibition | Well let’s see you have Ken Burns telling the story of prohibition so you have gangsters, smugglers, corrupt cops, good cops, and a government that was comfortable actually poisoning alcohol to keep it from being consumed. Yeah, this is going to be a good documentary series.
($19 at Amazon.com)

Mad Men | Jordon got into Mad Men last Christmas and while advertising isn’t my passion, I have come to really enjoy the series. It’s also reassuring that someone, somewhere is making television worth watching again.
(Season 1 is $10.49 at Amazon.com. Seasons 2, 3, & 4)

Tivoli Model One | Old school AM/FM in a timelessly sleek design. I bought Jordon one a couple of years ago and he loves it. We actually went and bought a second one for the cabin. It gets great reception in the middle of nowhere and on a hot summer day when the Saskatchewan Roughriders are playing, it’s a great way to listen on the deck with all of your friends. The Tivoli Model One has a rich, full sound thanks to sound pioneer Henry Kloss, and the radio has come to be a modern design must-have. This gift is perfect for a desk, in the kitchen- anywhere he can listen to the baseball game, CBC Radio One, or the oldies station. Another tabletop option worth considering is the classic Sangean WR-11 radio. Different design but same classic look.
(Tivoli Model One is $149 at Amazon.com | Seagean WR-11 is $80 at Amazon.com)

Wooden Pocket Knife | Jordon’s grandfather carried a wooden pocket knife with him his entire life. Today while in Eddie Bauer he was surprised to see a great looking wooden pocket knife for sale. Eleven functions in one beautifully crafted tool: scissors, fish scaler, hook remover, reamer with sewing eye, can opener, Phillips screwdriver, bottle opener, flathead screwdriver, small blade, and large blade.
($15 at Eddie Bauer)

MI5 | I fell in love with this long running BBC series along with Jordon. This is adult, post-watershed drama clearly inspired by the hard-hitting style of shows as 24 and The Sopranos. I have never seen a show so willing to kill off major characters but the one that remains (Harry) pulls show all together. It’s a lot of fun, action packed and even controversial.
(Season 1 is $22 at Amazon.com Seasons 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9)

Defend the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5 by Christopher Andrew | I bought this book for Jordon tis summer and he really enjoyed it. It’s not a light read as it is a scholarly history of MI5 but it is readable and incredibly interesting. I found myself fascinated by some of the stories he would read from it as well as the personalities of the people behind the vaunted intelligence agency. If you loved one is a fan of history, you can’t go wrong with this book.
($18.15 from Amazon.com)

Fuji Finepix XP20 | Jordon bought this camera this summer and loves it. It’s waterproof and ruggedized design means that it goes everywhere with him, including the sometimes clear/sometimes murky waters of Last Mountain Lake. It features 14 megapixels resolution with an impressive 5x wide zoom with dual image stabilization to shoot sharp image quality in any condition. The 2.7 inch LCD is clear and easy to see even in bright conditions and the bright LED lights the way in the dark. Also it is equipped with a strengthened glass lens cover providing outdoor protection. Other features include one touch underwater movie recording, Motion Panorama with automatic stitch, Face Detection, HD Video, and more.
($135 at Amazon.com)

The Power Broker by Robert Caro | Both the postman and myself got hernias when this book was delivered. It is 1344 pages and a Pulitzer Prize winner about Robert Moses. Who was Robert Moses? Well he was the urban designer that changed the face of New York City and much of New England forever. His car centric urban design probably influenced how we live more than anyone else. He was feared, hated, and admired all at the same time. Just as it’s a book about Moses, it’s a biography of New York City. This book is coming out as a movie (or a long mini-series) next year. Read the book first.
($16.50 at Amazon.com)

Sergio: One Man’s Fight to Save the World by Samantha Power | I haven’t read it yet but Jordon said it was the best book he read in 2010. The book is about Sergio Vieira de Mello’s who was a Brazilian United Nations diplomat who worked for the UN for more than 34 years, earning respect and praise around the world for his efforts in the humanitarian and political programs of the UN. He was killed in the Canal Hotel Bombing in Iraq along with 20 other members of his staff on 19 August 2003 while working as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Iraq. While the book was quite compelling, it has also been made into a HBO movie.
($6.80 at Amazon.com)

Survivorman: The Complete Series | A couple of years ago Jordon was surfing the television and stumbled upon Les Stroud surviving a week in Alaska and all of us got hooked on the show. We own all three seasons (Season 1, 2, 3) but you can get the entire series in one box from Less Stroud’s online store. If you are interested in the cultures Stroud interacted with on the show, make sure you check out the complete series of Beyond Survival
($69 from Les Stroud.ca)

Tabletop fountain | It depends on the office environment that your husband works in. At the Salvation Army Community Services, Jordon’s office was both too hot and too dry. A tabletop fountain added some humidity into the air and cooled it down a bit. Just make sure you get him a plug in version, not one that runs on batteries. It’s one of those things that once the batteries run out, it never gets used again.
($37 from Amazon.com)

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 | I never bought Jordon video games but he has made a sacred vow never to let Mark beat him at a game and so every once in a while Jordon takes a couple of days and beats a game. This year he beat Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Battlefield: Bad Company, and Call of Duty: World at War and InFamous for the Playstation 3. While he talks of the sacred vow, deep down he does it to escape and unwind. If Jordon was creating this list, he would add Infamous 2 and Battlefield 3 to the list. Depending on how old the game is, you can get them for a really good deal.
(Call of Duty is $59 at Amazon.com)

Kodak Zx5 Playsport | Jordon is a big fan of is Kodak Zi8 camera but Kodak isn’t making them any longer and has instead brought out the Zx5 Playsport. It’s ruggedized, water proof (even has underwater white balance and shoots stunning video). While we have a camcorder, you would be amazed at the amount of time we shot great video with our Kodak because we had it with us.
($109 at Amazon.com)

Creative Vado | The third generation of the Creative Vado may not be ruggedized but does have an external microphone port which means that with a lavalier or a shotgun microphone, you are going to get much better audio than you would with most standard camcorders. Not only is the price right but along with Kodak Playsport, it offers up a wide variety of video options as well.
($79 at Amazon.com)

Note: If you are looking for some inexpensive video editing software, check out this list from PC World.

If I missed anything or if my suggestion made you think I was absolutely crazy, let me know in the comments. You can access the current edition and previous years list of Christmas gift guides here.

Christmas Gift Ideas

Dec 13th, 2010

by Jordon Cooper.

No comments yet

The number one thing being search for on the site is Christmas gift ideas so I though I would repost the links to the Christmas gift guides here as everyone is in the rush to get things online and delivered before Christmas Eve. Hopefully you can find what you are looking for in the links below. Since it these posts have been in such demand, I’ll leave this post at the top of the blog until Friday so if you are a regular user, scroll down, follow the site on Twitter, or subscribe to the RSS feed of the site for fresh content delivered daily.

Christmas Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for the Road Warrior / World Traveller | 2010 Edition

Nov 28th, 2010

by Jordon Cooper.

1 comment

It’s just about time for every radio station to start playing holiday music, so that makes it a good time to be thinking about gifts for that special road warrior in your life. In case you don’t find what you are looking for, check out the other 2010 Christmas Gift Guides.

Apple iPad | If your loved on spends a lot of time travelling, waiting, improvising, problem solving, and then some more travelling, you will want to get them an iPad to allow them to work on the plan, the road, in line, in their hotel, and everywhere in between.

From $529 at Amazon or from $499 at the Apple Store

If they don’t want an iPad, you can also pick up some Android Tablets pretty inexpensively like this one from Walgreens for only $129.

JanSport Antics Wheeled Backpack :: If you are like me, you have your laptop, PSP, iPod, a book, magazine, and a drink or two with you when you go on the plane. While none of them weigh that much together, they do add up. Your loved one could carry all of that with them but believe me, a wheeled backpack is a wonderful thing to have as you stand in line at the counter, stand in line at security, stand in line at Starbucks, and stand in line while waiting to board. Travelling can be enough of a mental and physical workout without having to heave your luggage around or have to worry about your laptop. $71.25 from Amazon

Nightwave Sleep Aid | Many road warriors have spent many nights trying to fall to sleep for a variety of reasons. Different bed, time zone issues and the stress of a big meeting tomorrow. The Nightwave is designed to help you find that needed sleep naturally. Nightwave silently guides you in a pre-sleep relaxation session in the privacy of your own bedroom. it’s like having your own personal sleep coach. Nightwave projects a soft blue light into your darkened bedroom. the “luminance” of the light slowly rises and falls. You lie with eyes open and synchronize your breathing with the wave of soft light as its movement becomes slower and slower. after a short time, Nightwave shuts off and you roll over and fall asleep. and unlike sound machines, the soft light does not disturb others. Why does Nightwave work? Nightwave works so well because it quiets the mind and relaxes the body. With Nightwave, a gentle focus on an external cue gives you an escape from the overactive mind. $33.75 from Amazon

Pelican Micro Case :: Are you going to trust the airline to keep your loved ones iPod, cell phone, or Blackberry safe? I wouldn’t either. Toss them in one of these Pelican Micro Cases and while the airline may destroy their bag, they will at least be able to phone and complain.

Keeping these portable devices charged is a tough task when you’re always on the go, and that’s why we recommend the Energizer Energi To Go XP4000. The XP4000 is a portable rechargeable power pack which can charge anything with a USB connection, whether it be an iPod, iPhone, or a digital camera. The power pack comes with various tips including mini-USB, micro-USB, iPod dock connector, and others used for a slew of smartphone manufacturers such as Motorola and Nokia. The Energi To Go XP4000 can be purchased from Amazon.com for around $60 with free shipping.

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones :: I still remember the first time I flew and turned on my fairly inexpensive noise cancelling headphones. The engine noise disappeared, the voices around me became audible and I was far more refreshed as I stopped off the plane. It also made it much easier to sleep. While Bose sets the standard for noise cancelling headphones, you can pick up some Sony noise cancelling headphones for quite a bit less money.

If their computer’s webcam leaves something to be desired, how about getting them one of Microsoft Lifecam HD webcams. This webcam, delivers smooth, detailed 16:9 video in full 720p HD quality. Optimized for Windows Live, the LifeCam Cinema also works with Yahoo Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger and Skype for video calls and messaging. The camera has good low light performance and gives your favorite road warrior a way to chat to their family at the end of a long flight or day on the road. It’s only a couple of years late but it finally give PC users a webcam to rival Apple’s amazing iSight.

As most everyone will witness this holiday season, getting through airport security will be a mess and Timbuk2 is here to help. The new Commute 2.0 and Blogger 2.0 bags are the greatest laptop bags for a quick whisk through the TSA lines. They both offer a laptop compartment that unzips so you don’t have to go through the hassle of taking your laptop out. If that isn’t enough to convince you, both also have a waterproof front flap to keep your valuables dry in stormy weather. The Commute 2.0 and Blogger 2.0 bags from Timbuk2 sell for $100 each.

Fujifilm FinePix XP10 | The FinePix XP10 is a four-proof digital cameras – waterproof, freezeproof, shockproof and dustproof. Resulting from a redesign of Fujifilm’s best-selling FinePix Z33WP, the FinePix XP10 is an ergonomically “life proof” camera housed in a metal uni-body chassis with a tactile grip finish. The details: 12MP, Fujinon 5x Periscopic Optical Zoom, 2.7″ LCD, waterproof – 10ft (3M), shockproof – 3ft (1M) and freezeproof 14*F (-10*C). Other features include: Face Detection w/ Red Eye Removal, Digital Image Stabilization, High Sensitivity 1600 ISO, 6 Scene – SR Auto Automatic Scene Recognition, One-Touch HD Movie 720p w/ Sound, Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery. It all adds up to one of the best compact cameras that have come along for years. $142 from Amazon

Iomega eGo Portable Hard Drive | The Iomega eGo is a serious hard drive for serious business travelers. The portable drive has a sturdy steel enclosure and a special feature that protects data against falls. The palm-size device weighs less than 7 ounces, yet has 500GB of capacity, enough to store up to two million photos, more than 9,000 hours of music or 750 hours of video. Available in red, silver, blue, and black. $88 from Amazon

Cowhide Leather Zipper Travel Wallet | I am not sure why I took so long to get on the travel wallet bandwagon but one folder for your airline tickets, some cash, passport, and a pen is a wonderful idea. It really does simplify heading through the ticket line, boarding line, security line, and customs. $19.99 from Amazon

If you can find what you are looking for, make sure you check out one of the other 2010 Christmas Gift Guides

November 1st | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Tween Boys
November 4th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Sports Fan
November 8th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Outdoorsman
November 11th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Wives/Mothers of Your Kids
November 15th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Really Smart People
November 18th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Toddlers
November 22nd | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Husbands and Fathers (guest post by Wendy)
November 25th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Geeks and Gadget Lovers
December 2nd | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Road Warrior

In case you are looking, here are the 2009 Gift Guides

If I missed anything or if my suggestion made you think I was absolutely crazy, let me know in the comments. You can access the current edition and previous years list of Christmas gift guides here.

Christmas Gift Ideas for Really Smart People | 2010 Edition

Nov 27th, 2010

by Jordon Cooper.

8 comments

You need a gift for someone smart, someone who wants to know about everything – what happened, how it works, why it all got started. Fortunately, the globally curious have a lot of hobbies which makes them kind of easy to shop for, even if you don’t always remember to sleep and eat. Below are some ideas for the smart people in your life. If you are looking for something not so elitist, check out my other Christmas Gift Guides.

Sangean WR-11 AM/FM Table Top Radio :: CBC Radio and NPR sounds so much more profound coming from a wooden radio. Speaking from personal experience, there is something about sitting around a radio on a hot summer day, sipping iced tea, while reading a good magazine.

Your own personal card cataloging system :: It seems like book thieves are everywhere these days. Even your closest friends will try to keep your rare, out-of-print novels if you don’t keep an eye on them. And no one really wants to pay $60 for another one. Thankfully, there now is a solution to your book-losing woes. The Personal Library Kit provides everything you need for keeping track of books, and an eye on those shameful book thieves. Of course card cataloging your books is only half the battle, keeping them organized is the second half. Sure you could use LibraryThing but check out this old school way of keeping your cards organized.

Amazon Kindle with Wifi | I wasn’t convinced that I needed or wanted an Amazon Kindle until the Kindle 3 came out. First of all the hardware is amazing; one month of battery life, wifi, built in web browser, support for Instapaper… The other reason is that you don’t even need a Kindle to read Kindle books…Amazon has readers for the iPad, iPhone, Android devices, Blackberry, WinPhone 7, Windows, and OS X. It has killer multi-platform support. Since it sync’s up across platforms, I can sneak a couple of pages in while I am work, while waiting at the doctors and resume reading when I get home that night. The best book is the one that’s always with you While it’s not a iPad, it’s not just a book reader either. You can also get any number of newspapers on your Kindle, delivered daily…

The New York Times ($19.99/month)
International Herald Tribune ($19.99/month)
The Globe and Mail ($15.99/month)
National Post ($14.99/month)
The Washington Post ($23.99/month)
The StarPhoenix ($13.99/month)
USA Today ($23.99/month)
Slate ($8.99/month)
The Financial Times ($27.99/month)

There is also magazines like Time ($3/month), The Atlantic Monthly ($2.49), Foreign Policy($3.49), among many others. $139 from Amazon

Parker Sonnet Fountain Pen | Inspired by AKMA’s posts on fountain pens, may I suggest a Parker Sonnet fountain pen as a great gift for that special person. At $75 it isn’t inexpensive but it won’t break the bank either. This Sonnet has a stainless steel finish with a mineral metallic luster. The metal has been brushed to create a light texture effect but polished for a smooth touch. It has a 23 carat gold plated body trim and 23 carat gold plated stainless steel nib. The nib is decorated with a lattice work pattern and stamped with the Parker name. Different body finishes and nib sizes available to suit your style. This pen comes with a built-in converter and one black ink cartridge. $75 from Jet Pens

Moleskine Large Notebook | The Moleskine Large Notebook is made with top quality heavy paper and is perfect for on the go notes. Every Moleskine product is thread bound and has a cardboard bound cover with rounded corners acid free paper a bookmark an elastic closure and an expandable inner pocket that contains the Moleskine history. It will go perfect with a Parker Sonnet Fountain Pen| $12.21 from Amazon

Olivetti Manual Typewriter | If you want to have an old, classic feel when you are writing, you must check out the Olivetti Manual Typewriter. For fans of the vintage and things with an antique feel, you will definitely like this product. No electricity is needed with this manual typewriter so you can save on electricity costs. This particular style is the last manual typewriter available in the market today. This makes the Olivetti Manual Typewriter a collector’s item already. $105 from Amazon

A subscription to City Journal | City Journal is a quarterly magazine that focuses on urban policy. Although the magazine is based in New York City, it covers issues of national scope. It’s has a fiscally conservative point of view but chances are that whoever you are shopping for can figure that out by themselves. $23 for four issues.

Sergio: One Man’s Fight to Save the World by Samantha Power | This is the best book I read in 2010. The book is about Sergio Vieira de Mello’s who was a Brazilian United Nations diplomat who worked for the UN for more than 34 years, earning respect and praise around the world for his efforts in the humanitarian and political programs of the UN. He was killed in the Canal Hotel Bombing in Iraq along with 20 other members of his staff on 19 August 2003 while working as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Iraq. While the book was quite compelling, it has also been made into a HBO movie. The book is $5.17 on Amazon.com and the DVD is available for $19.98 (in DVD-R format)

Homicide: A Year in the Killing Streets by David Simon | Another one of my favourite books of 2010. David Simon, who was a reporter for The Baltimore Sun, spent four years on the police beat before taking a leave of absence to write this book. He had persuaded the Baltimore police department to allow him unlimited access to the city’s homicide unit for calendar year 1988, and throughout that year he shadowed one shift of detectives as they traveled from interrogations to autopsies, from crime scenes to hospital emergency rooms. Baltimore recorded 234 murders during the year Simon spent with the homicide unit. During the two years he spent writing Homicide, an additional 567 murders occurred.

Kodak Zi8 Video Camera | In case they are more interested creating content rather than just watching it, look at getting them a Kodak Zi8 camera. It has a microphone jack which means that you can easily add an external 1/8 microphone for even better sound. It allows you to record High Definition video (1080p at 30 fps with 16:9 aspect ratio) and comes with some half-decent editing software. Zi8 is $119 from Amazon.

Some recommended accessories for the Zi8

Silicon protective skin | Keeps your Zi8 safe and free of fingerprints. $14.34 from Amazon
Kodak remote control | Easy to use remote control making remote shots a lot easier. $7.06 from Amazon
Audio Technica Lavalier Omnidirectional Condenser Microphone | The main benefit of the Zi8 is allows for an external microphone. The lavalier microphone is for video use, or any other application where minimum visibility and a low profile are desired.$17 from Amazon
Sima Ultra Bright Video Light

A Kiva Gift Card | Kiva empowers individuals to lend to an entrepreneur across the globe. By combining microfinance with the internet, Kiva is creating a global community of people connected through lending. You can help someone get started by sending them a Kiva gift card ($25 minimum) which will allow them to get started and then make microloans to any project that they want to get behind. Not only are you giving a unique gift this Christmas but you are helping change the life of numerous other people (as the loan is paid back, it can be lent out again and again). They won’t be alone. As of November 2009, Kiva has facilitated over $100 million in loans.

Final Draft 8 | If the person you are buying for is looking at creating a movie script or a screenplay, this software allows you to focus their creative energy to focus on the content; let Final Draft take care of the style. Final Draft is the number-one selling application specifically designed for writing movie scripts, television episodics and stage plays. It combines powerful word processing with professional script formatting in one self-contained, easy-to-use package. There is no need to learn about script formatting rules–Final Draft automatically paginates and formats your script to industry standards as you write. Calling it “a solid sequel to what has become the industry-standard screenwriting application,” Macworld magazine gives Final Draft 8 a rating of 4.5 mice out of 5. $149 from Amazon

If they are writing the great American novel and don’t seem too keen on using the Olivetti Manual Typewriter, check out WriteNow 4. The software is compatible with Windows Mac OSX. With abundant personalized options, WriteItNow has perfected the art of allowing the writer to customize the interface to fit his or her writing needs. You can: (1) Drag scenes, chapters, events, and ideas to new locations; (2) View character relationships in web diagrams; (3) View story events in a sleek timeline; (4) Visualize layout with a flexible Story Board; and (5) Keep track of manuscript submissions. $69 via Amazon

If you can find what you are looking for, make sure you check out one of the other 2010 Christmas Gift Guides

November 1st | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Tween Boys
November 4th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Sports Fan
November 8th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Outdoorsman
November 11th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Wives/Mothers of Your Kids
November 15th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Really Smart People
November 18th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Toddlers
November 22nd | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Husbands and Fathers (guest post by Wendy)
November 25th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Geeks and Gadget Lovers
December 2nd | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Road Warrior

In case you are looking, here are the 2009 Gift Guides

If I missed anything or if my suggestion made you think I was absolutely crazy, let me know in the comments. You can access the current edition and previous years list of Christmas gift guides here.

Christmas Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for Geeks and Gadget Lovers | 2010 Edition

Nov 27th, 2010

by Jordon Cooper.

1 comment

Shopping for the geek or the gadget lover on your list is never easy. While they may be the most employable member of your family, they don’t have exactly standardized tastes. Don’t worry, this list should help and even if it doesn’t, just get them a 1 terabyte external hard drive ($75 from Amazon). They will love it, even if you don’t know what you gave them.

So if the Wii or PS3’s Move is giving them tennis elbow, maybe it’s time to go old school with this Atari 2600 Flashback console. It features the same wood grain paneling and look of the Atari 2600, and has two classic joysticks for multi-player competition and vintage controls. The system comes pre-loaded with over 30 classic games. No new purchases are required, just connect it to your TV and play! The system that brought you hits like Asteroids, Breakout, Centipede, Lunar Lander, Millipede, Missile Command, Combat and Pong now has them all collected on one system. The full game list is:

Available for $34.99 from Amazon.

If you don’t want an entire console, you can get the Atari Greatest Hits Classic for your Nintendo DS for $29.99 (available from Amazon)

Of course how cool would one of these USB Atari joysticks be plugged into your PC.

Classic black 8-direction, one-button controller.
No drivers needed on Mac OS X, Windows, or Linux.
Game with up to four joysticks at once (two recommended for Atari 2600 titles).
Works with classic console and arcade emulators including Stella*, VICE and MAME
Visit AtariAge to check out classic Atari games or join the homebrew scene in the forums

$24.99 from ThinkGeek

While we are on the topic of Atari video games, what about this Pac-Man Belt Buckle ($12.95) or this authentic Ms. Pac-Man tabletop video game ($3,815)

Pen Camera | This spycam is the classic pen camera, just like the ones used in secret agent movies, except it’s been updated for the modern age with full video capabilities. Simple to operate with a built-in USB connector. The internal 4GB of storage capacity are capable of capturing hours of quality video in AVI format. This pen camera can also take regular still photos, if that’s your thing.

Covert style video camera can capture hours of quality video (with audio)
Video file format: AVI
640×480 resolution
4GB of storage capacity
USB 2.0
Working pen with black ink
Extremely portable, no wires
Re-chargeable Li-ion battery (2 hour run-time)

$69.99 from Think Geek

Everyone has a R/C helicopter but don’t overlook this R/C Goodyear Blimp. You need to have it filled with helium and don’t buy this if you are in Denver or high in the mountains (even real blimps can’t soar that high) and oh yeah, it’s an indoor gift, not an outdoor one. That being said what could more fun then cruising around the house, monocle in hand, and asking your family to refer to them as “Air Marshal” $79.95 from Amazon

ASUS O!Play Air – Wireless N TV HD Media Player | All true geeks have video on their computer. Here is the easiest way to get that stuff from the computer to your HD television. ASUS O!Play Air , with an integrated wireless N and a built-in card reader, it is the most convenient way access your media files to your TV/monitor. Stream your media content wirelessly or through the LAN. Also equipped with a eSATA, USB, card reader for a variety of storage support. This device is easy to use and highly compatible with many video and audio formats. Experience full HD 1080p playback through the HDMI port.

In other words it allows them to watch there four terabytes of YouTube downloads in high definition on any television in their house. $129.97 from Amazon

T-Shirt with Built In Spy Camera | It is what 007 wears while having his tuxedo cleaned.

Stylish retro spy theme T-Shirt has a tiny color digital camera hidden in the chest
Use the pocket based remote to shoot color digital photos
Vibration feedback shutter lets you know when you’ve taken a new shot
Holds over 150 color digital photos, 640 x 480 resolution
Electronics are completely removable for washing
Plug in with USB to download photos
Works with any OS including Mac, Linux and Windows
Requires 3x AAA batteries (not included)

Check out the video below to see it in action

$39.99 from ThinkGeek

R2D2 :: He is the ultimate gadget and having both served Anakin Skywalker and Luke Skywalker, he is built to last. For $200, you can bring him home and reunite him with his proper master. In addition to helping keep your X-Wing fighter’s deflector shields online, this state-of-the-art R2 series astromech droid unit is ready to obey your commands. You can grab his attention by saying “Hey, R2″ and he’s ready for more than 40 voice commands. He remembers his famous friends, like Luke Skywalker, C-3PO or Jabba the Hutt, and each name will stir up a different response depending on R2′s “feelings” for that character. $169 from Amazon

Sangean WR-11 AM/FM Wooden Cabinet Radio :: At the lake there are a couple of times when a great radio would be really handy, like when the Saskatchewan Roughriders are playing on a Saturday afternoon. Yes a satellite radio is cool but not all sports are on XM and Sirius (which boggles my mind) and there are times when what you want to listen to is being played locally. If that is the case, this is the radio you want. The WR-1 is the culmination of 30 years of experience in the design and manufacture of quality, state-of-the-art radios. Plus, CBC and NPR sound better in a radio that looks like this. | $80.44 from Amazon

LED Shower Head | The LED Shower Light is a brilliant idea. It installs to a standard shower pipe in mere minutes. When you turn the shower on, the water powers a turbine and the LED Shower Light…well, lights up! Blue let’s you know the water is chilly. When the water warms up to 89° F (32° C), the light changes to red. Now you can step in and not freeze your giblets off. And you don’t even need to turn on the light now, because your whole shower glows. It makes for a much nicer morning, trust us.

Blue light means the water is cold; Red light means it has warmed up to 89° F (32° C).
No batteries needed – powered by internal turbine.
Installs in minutes to standard (3/4″) shower pipes.
Includes a Flow Regulator that limits maximum water flow to 2.5 gallons per minute at 80 psi (might affect Shower Light performance depending on your water pressure).
Approx. 4″ in diameter

Star Trek: TOS Communicator | Star Trek is already the quintessential staple of the geek. The mind boggles when considering how the original Star Trek communicator might be made more geeky. Then we saw this Star Trek USB Communicator and it all became clear… simply add USB. Connect this exact replica of the communicator from “The Original Series” to your computer and enjoy the classic “chirp” sound when it’s flipped open. It also plays 21 other sounds effects when not being used to chat with your Starfleet friends via Skype, MSN, AIM, or iChat. It is also perfect for a weekly Star Trek podcast. The possibilities are endless. $34.99 from Think Geek

USB Rocket Launcher | I never thought I needed one of these until a co-worker (and occasional reader) turned down my office thermostat so low that I almost froze to death a couple of weeks ago. This thing has a 360 turning radius and will fire foam rockets 6 metres

Star Trek Ornaments from Hallmark | I had never heard of these until my friend Dave King posted some photos of the U.S.S. Reliant exploring his Christmas tree a couple of years ago.

This year one of the three ornaments offered are of the 2009 version of the U.S.S. Enterprise. It is designed by Lynn Norton who has sculpted many of the best Hallmark ornaments during the previous 19 years. The ornament is 6 inches long and includes lights on the deflector dish and engines. It’s 34.99 and available from Hallmark stores across the continent.

This LED Beverage Cooler is retro styled and has a small blue LED inside. The LED helps your drink stay cool by tricking it to think the air inside the cooler is from the Arctic, because everyone knows that blue lights make you feel cold. So add a little style to your desk and keep your drink cold at the same time. $19.99 from Think Geek.

If you can find what you are looking for, make sure you check out one of the other 2010 Christmas Gift Guides

November 1st | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Tween Boys
November 4th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Sports Fan
November 8th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Outdoorsman
November 11th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Wives/Mothers of Your Kids
November 15th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Really Smart People
November 18th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Toddlers
November 22nd | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Husbands and Fathers (guest post by Wendy)
November 25th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Geeks and Gadget Lovers
December 2nd | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Road Warrior

In case you are looking, here are the 2009 Gift Guides

If I missed anything or if my suggestion made you think I was absolutely crazy, let me know in the comments. You can access the current edition and previous years list of Christmas gift guides here.

2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Outdoorsman

Nov 8th, 2010

by Jordon Cooper.

7 comments

In case you are shopping for the great outdoorsman, here are a list of suggestions for those who often prefer to outdoors rather than inside. Check out the other 2010 Christmas gift ideas that have been posted this season. More coming soon.

Speaking of cameras, if you are looking to shoot more video then pictures, check out the waterproof and ruggedized Kodak Playsport | It works underwater with the waterproof digital video camera capable of shooting 1080p HD video up to 10 ft. (3 m) under water.

Go anywhere—rugged design enables full 1080p HD video recording in just about any environment.
Start bragging with 5 MP, 16:9 widescreen HD still pictures.

$114 from Amazon.

Straight from Ned Flander’s Leftorium, the MEC Left Handed Slingpack. Wendy has had a slingpack for years and just about jumped for joy when I told her that there was a left handed version available. She may have actually wept a tear or two. $21 from MEC

Pelican 1050 waterproof case :: These are great camera/GPS/iPod cases. They are water proof, padded, floatable, and strong enough to take a lot of abuse in the back of your trunk or any backpack. While you may not use it when you head to the park, you will use them when you are packing for a trip and don’t want your iPod, camera, or phone to be crushed. They are pretty much indestructible which means that of all of the things you have to worry about, this isn’t one of them.

Check out the Filzer dZ2L Cycling Computer for a easy-to-read display shows two lines of data at the same time, so you can monitor your critical information at a glance. It has a speedometer, tripometer (trip distance), auto trip timer, speed comparator (to indicate current pace relative to average speed), speed tendency (indicates acceleration and deceleration), and odometer. It comes with a wiring harness and oversized handlebar mount. $15 at MEC or $49.99 at Amazon.

Vibram FiveFingers Shoes | The typical human foot is an anatomical marvel of evolution with 26 bones, 33 joints, 20 muscles, and hundreds of sensory receptors, tendons and ligaments. Like the rest of the body, to keep our feet healthy, they need to be stimulated and exercised. The Vibram Five Fingers shoes are designed to simulate walking barefoot while protecting your feet like shoes do. If you have any questions, check out the reviews on MEC. $85 from MEC

Leatherman Wave Multitool with Leather Sheath :: The most popular full-size Leatherman tool has been upgraded with larger knives, stronger pliers, longer wire cutters and all-locking blades. The pliers have been redesigned to withstand more than double the previous squeezing load. $57.99 from Amazon. For about $20, you can get a Leatherman Kick.

All three seasons of Survivorman on DVD. You can order them from the Les Stroud Productions store. Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3. We have all three DVDs and they are a lot of fun to watch. You can also order them from Amazon as well. Season 1 |Season 2 | Season 3.

Not only is Mark a big fan of the show but Wendy has become quite a fan as well, which around here is the entire television viewing family.

If you going outside, go out in comfort with Reebok’s ZigTech shoes. ZigTech, one-of-a-kind zig-zag-shaped sole, absorbs the impact of heel strike and propels you forward, while reducing wear and tear up to 20% in key leg muscles. Like the commercial says, it’s like an energy drink for your feet. A friend of mine recently said that this is the biggest step forward since the original Nike cross trainers. $99-$109 from Amazon

Garmin Forerunner 305 Waterproof Running GPS With Heart Rate Monitor | Weighing in at just over 2.5 ounces, the Garmin Forerunner 305 breaks new ground in terms of comfort, style, and performance. The 305′s easy-to-read, 1.3-inch display has been integrated into a slimmer form factor. For additional post-workout analysis, the 305 is compatible with MotionBased software, a web-based application that has partnered with Garmin. MotionBased provides in-depth analysis of your workouts, as well as online mapping and route sharing that will take your training to the next level. MotionBased automatically calculates time, distance, speed, elevation, and heart rate, and it displays this information through charts, illustrations, reports, and maps. With MotionBased, you can also race multiple instances of the same route to see how you are improving or to race other members of MotionBased. You can “virtually race” someone you don’t even know. $139 from Amazon. If you aren’t interested in a heart monitor, check out the Garmin Forerunner 205. $122 from Amazon. For $223, you can get the Garmin Forerunner 405 which offers both great technology and a slimmer design.

In case you want to take some photos while you are out in the wild, you will want a Camera Pod. I recently ordered one and have come to love it. Despite being made in Canada, Amazon.com won’t ship them here and so you can order them from Les Stroud Productions or get them from The Pod.ca. If you are in the United States, you can get them from Amazon.com. You may also be interested in this Pedco Lightweight Camera Tripod.

Bushnell BackTrack GPS | The Bushnell Backtrack- Never Get Lost Again with the easiest to use personal location finder for around $50. Just mark the location and BackTrack will help you get back. Use it at the mall and stadium parking lots, at the festival, the park, for travel or your next outdoor adventure. Wired has a quick real world review. Wendy, Mark, and Oliver gave me one for my birthday and we have used it several times while out for hikes at the lake. While it won’t show you the best route from point a to point b, it will give you the piece of mind that you will get back home safely and there is a lot of value in that. The other thing is that it doesn’t replace trailblazing, map reading, and orienteering.

Jetboil Flash Personal Cooking System | The Jetboil Flash cooking system utilizes the same efficient design as the now classic Personal Cooking System (PCS) but adds the additional convenience feature of an external temperature indicator. Designed to capture and focus heat more efficiently than traditional cooking systems, the Flash brings two cups of water to a boil in only two minutes. The lining also houses a color change window that alerts you to when the contents are hot. A sip-through lid further helps insulate the contents of the cooking cup and prohibits spills. The protective plastic bottom of the cup can be removed for use as a small bowl or measuring device.

If you can find what you are looking for, make sure you check out one of the other 2010 Christmas Gift Guides

November 1st | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Tween Boys
November 4th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Sports Fan
November 8th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Outdoorsman
November 11th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Wives/Mothers of Your Kids
November 15th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Really Smart People
November 18th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Toddlers
November 22nd | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Husbands and Fathers (guest post by Wendy)
November 25th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Geeks and Gadget Lovers
December 2nd | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Road Warrior

In case you are looking, here are the 2009 Gift Guides

If I missed anything or if my suggestion made you think I was absolutely crazy, let me know in the comments. You can access the current edition and previous years list of Christmas gift guides here.

Christmas Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for the Sports Fan | 2010 Edition

Nov 4th, 2010

by Jordon Cooper.

9 comments

Hockey Night in Canada Retro Puck & Stick Rug :: While Gary Bettman doesn’t respect the traditions of the NHL, that doesn’t mean that you can’t. Check out this retro Hockey Night in Canada welcome rug which would look great every Saturday night as you host your friends and family for the Hockey Night in Canada double header. Now if we could only find a way to automatically mute the television whenever Kelly Hrudey comes on. | $39.99 (Can) from CBC Shop

NFL Training Camp for the Wii | Compared to other fitness gaming releases on the Wii, EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp is in a whole other league. Unlike those other games that concentrate on general fitness concepts, EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp focuses on the agility, aerobic, stamina and strength training exercises that NFL players routinely are put through during their pre-season training camps. Developed in collaboration with NFL strength and conditioning coaches, users will experience the thrill of competition while challenging themselves, as well as friends and family in these authentic NFL football drills which are performed in the likeness of user’s favorite NFL players. $99.95 from Amazon

Saskatchewan Roughriders Shares | As a Roughrider shareholder, fans will get the opportunity to vote on team leadership, contribute to the team’s long-term viability, and help create a football dynasty owned and operated by its fans. In addition Rider shareholders receive a number of other benefits including discounts on merchandise, preferred seating upgrades, first rights to priority parking and access to special Shareholder events. Sadly you don’t get a say on the head coach, what kind of defence they run or who is the starting quarterback.

Each shareholder will receive a personalized and numbered share certificate, an owners card, as well as a window decal and bracelet. The limited edition 100th anniversary Series II Rider Share is available for a cost of $250 per share, with an option to have the certificate fully framed for $499.

To own a piece of the pride and become a Rider shareholder, fans can call 1-888-4-RIDERS (474-3377) or visit the Rider Ticket Office at Mosaic Stadium.

Sportscraft Pubmaster Dart Board :: The official size 18-inch dartboard has traditional colors with steel tensile steel spider and high visibility numbers. You can throw either steel or soft tip darts at the bullseye! Plus with no one really knowing when or if the economy is going to come back, having bunch of friends over for a night of darts is a lot cheaper than a night at the pub or doing much else now that I think of it. The great thing about darts (and bowling) is that you don’t have to be good at it to have a good time playing it. | $19.99 (USD) at Amazon.com

If you want to up the anty a bit and hide the dart board from view, check out this dart board cabinet. This pine cabinet comes with everything you need to start playing. It includes a high quality, self healing dart board, 6 steel tip darts, dry-erase scoreboard, out chart, marker and mounting supplies. It would look great at the cabin. $68.91 at Amazon.com

Wendy gave me this customizable Denver Broncos watch for our 13th anniversary. You can change the watch hands, color of strap, and engrave the back (something like “Fire Josh McDaniels” might be appropriate). While this one is sold out right now, you can get a variety of other NFL team watches from NFL Shop ranging from $25.

Men’s Team HeatGear® Longsleeve T Tops by Under Armour | If the person you are shopping for actually is athletic, you may want to consider a workout shirt from Under Armour. It’s a versatile multi-sport shirt ideal for training. It’s popular because the Under Armour Team HeatGear long-sleeve tee will keep you feeling cool and refreshed during your workouts. The shirt is made using HeatGear technology, a superior moisture-management system that moves moisture away from your body to the outer layer of the garment. To keep the shirt smelling fresh over the long term, Under Armour added anti-odor technology, which prevents the growth of odor-causing microbes. Other features include a lightweight micro-pique construction with a generous loose fit, raglan sleeves that allow for total mobility and a full range of motion while eliminating shoulder-seam abrasion points, and a UA logo on the center front chest. $30 from Amazon.com. You can get a short sleeve t-shirt for $20.

Custom NFL T-Shirt | While a customized NFL jersey may set you back $200, a customizable t-shirt or sweatshirt will cost you as a little as $40 and you can actually wear it out in public. Customize the front, back and both sleeves of your shirt in any number of ways. From players name and number to a pink breast cancer ribbon. Anything is possible and available in men’s and women’s version. I just can’t believe that other leagues aren’t doing this yet.

How many times in the last year have you said, “This room would be perfect with a stained glass Notre Dame plaque on the wall?” Now for $59.99 you can bring completion to your fan cave with one. It actually would look great in a lot of family rooms, even if you happened to cheer for teams like USC or Alabama. Now of course if you cheered for anyone in the SEC, you probably would not appreciate something like stained glass but sadly they don’t make these things deep fried.

Baseball: A Film by Ken Burns | Here is the story of America s national pastime from master storyteller Ken Burns. It is an eleven DVD epic overflowing with heroes and hopefuls, scoundrels and screwballs. A saga spanning the quest for racial justice, the clash of labor and management, the immigrant experience, the transformation of popular culture, and the enduring appeal of the national pastime. And through it all, baseball remains a mirror of America. $50.99 from Amazon.com

Watching Baseball Smarter: A Professional Fan’s Guide for Beginners, Semi-experts, and Deeply Serious Geeks | “Professional fan” Hample (How to Snag Major League Baseballs), who falls squarely in the “deeply serious geek” category, has put together an invaluable resource for armchair fans. A former college shortstop, four-time attendee of Bucky Dent’s Baseball School and an obsessive baseball collector, Hample covers basics like what to watch for in pitchers, catchers, hitters, fielders and base runners; he also provides answers to such nagging questions as why spectators stretch in the seventh inning and why most ballplayers grab their crotches. He explains the difference between a change-up and a split-finger fastball, breaks down a box score and offers an extensive glossary of baseball slang that defines both a “courtesy trot” and a “dying quail.” Other sections address free agency and fair balls, umpires and uniform numbers, stadiums and superstitions. Trivia abounds, including the names of the 10 switch hitters honored in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and a record of inside-the-park homeruns. Hample hits the equivalent of a reference-book homerun with his witty, loose and readable style-taking a friendly for-a-fan-by-a-fan approach that doesn’t hide his enormous depth of knowledge. Highly recommended for baseball watchers, Hample also schools amateur players and coaches with well-illustrated examples of some complex pitching, hitting and base-running scenarios. $10.08 from Amazon.com

Instant Reply: The Green Bay Packer Diary of Jerry Kramer | In 1967, when Jerry Kramer was a thirty-one-year-old Green Bay Packers offensive lineman, in his tenth year with the team, he decided to keep a diary of the season. “Perhaps, by setting down my daily thoughts and observations,” he wrote, “I’ll be able to understand precisely what it is that draws me back to professional football.” Working with the journalist Dick Schaap, Kramer recorded his day-to-day experiences as a player with perception, honesty, humor, and startling sensitivity. Little did Kramer know that the 1967 season would be one of the most remarkable in the history of pro football, culminating with the legendary championship game against Dallas now known as the “Ice Bowl,” in which Kramer would play a central role. Nor could he have anticipated that his diary would evolve into a book titled Instant Replay, first published in 1968, that would become a multimillion-copy bestseller and be celebrated by reviewers everywhere, including the Washington Post’s Jonathan Yardley, who calls it “to this day, the best inside account of pro football, indeed the best book ever written about that sport and that league.” I still remember the first time I read it. It was fantastic and is still one of my favourite books of all time. $17.79 from Amazon.com

The Game by Ken Dryden | I know I broke up with hockey last year but this was written during the golden age of hockey and the Montreal Canadiens dynasty of the 1970s. This is a wonderful book which goes a lot deeper than so many sports autobiographies that I have read over the years. It was named by Sports Illustrated in 2002 as one of the Top Ten in The Top 100 Best Sports Books of All Time. It was the number-one hockey book on the list. #9: “Hall of Fame goalie Ken Dryden was always different. A Cornell grad, he led Montreal to six Stanley Cups, then at 26 sat out a year to prepare for the bar exam. His book is different too: a well-crafted account of his career combined with a meditation on hockey’s special place in Canadian culture.” $15.61 at Amazon.com

Madden 11 | Madden NFL 11 is the 22nd version of EA Sports’ classic video game football franchise. Featuring cover athlete Drew Brees, Super Bowl XLIV MVP and quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, Madden NFL 11 incorporates a blend of simpler, quicker and deeper new features with time-tested classic features expected from a game in the Madden franchise. Features included in the PlayStation 3 version include Franchise mode, All-new GameFlow playcall system, dual stick control, extensive online functionality and more. It now allows you to play games in half the time – With an all-new playcall system, spend less time in the huddle and more time on the field as you experience the drama and excitement of a full game in less than 30 minutes. While you are learning, you can actually win now. New Coaching Tips automatically pause the game at critical points to help explain each situation as it unfolds. A revamped playcall system draws player routes on the field as in-game coach’s audio provides helpful hints to better execute the play. Available for PS3, Wii, PSP, and XBox at Amazon.com. If who you are buying for is more of a NCAA fan, don’t forget NCAA Football 2011.

Harvard Action Arena 7-Foot Air Hockey Table | Tired of heading to the pub every time you want to play air hockey? Enter the Harvard Action Arena 7-foot air hockey table, which brings the same exciting, fast-paced gameplay directly into your home. Designed for four players instead of two, the Action Arena is well constructed, with sturdy 4-by-1/2-inch L-style legs, a cross bar for added stability, and a 6-1/2-inch PVC laminate apron with silver trim. More importantly, the table plays fast and fun thanks to the smooth, glossy white laminated play bed and 110-volt motor. Other features include automated puck return goals, an electronic scoring system, four striking paddles, and four pucks. $637.47 and available from Amazon.com

A smaller and less expensive air hockey table can be found here for $149.00. . Sports table includes 2 puck pushers and 2 pucks. Hockey puck easily glides across the playing surface due the table’s powerful 110v 2400 rpm heavy duty fan and air box. Manual scoring. Table dimensions: 32 inches high x 28 inches wide x 60 inches long. Includes assembly and game play instructions.

If you can find what you are looking for, make sure you check out one of the other 2010 Christmas Gift Guides

November 1st | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Tween Boys
November 4th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Sports Fan
November 8th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Outdoorsman
November 11th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Wives/Mothers of Your Kids
November 15th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Really Smart People
November 18th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Toddlers
November 22nd | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Husbands and Fathers (guest post by Wendy)
November 25th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Geeks and Gadget Lovers
December 2nd | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Road Warrior

In case you are looking, here are the 2009 Gift Guides

If I missed anything or if my suggestion made you think I was absolutely crazy, let me know in the comments. You can access the current edition and previous years list of Christmas gift guides here.

Christmas Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for your Tween Boy | 2010 Edition

Nov 1st, 2010

by Jordon Cooper.

12 comments

Mark is now ten which makes him officially impossible to buy Christmas gifts for. He is too old for kids stuff and too young for adult things. We have tossed around hundreds of ideas for Mark and here are a bunch of ideas that we thought could make your Christmas shopping a little easier this year.

I don’t know what is the right age to get your son a cell phone is. If you think this is the year, check out this Samsung m330 through Virgin Mobile. Virgin has a $10/month plan that offers 100 anytime minutes and for $5 more, you can get 100 texts. It has a camera phone, takes videos and is small enough to slip into their pocket. A tip from a friend of mine: To keep your kids from burning through their minutes, he made it mandatory that their phone was active if they wanted to go out. With that rule, they rationed their minutes like it was a precious commodity. $60-$70 (with no contract) at Best Buy / Future Shop / Virgin Mobile / Walmart.

A lot of gift guides this year will be touting a PS3, a XBox 360, a PSP, or a Wii and for good reason. There are a lot of really good games out there for all of those systems. They don’t get the same kind of attention but have you thought about giving a H0 Scale train set or a slot track race track.

Bachmann Trains Santa Fe Flyer Ready-to-Run H0 Scale Train Set | The Santa Fe railroad was famous for hauling freight across the deserts, mountains, and cities of the American landscape is the Santa Fe Flyer. Powered by a Santa Fe EMD FT diesel locomotive with its distinctive war bonnet paint scheme, this powerful train handled the ever-changing terrain of the Southwest United States. The advantage of any train set that is H0 scale is that you can add more cars, engines, and track over time as you can afford it. It makes a great gift now and for the future. $50 from Amazon.

While we are talking about H0 scale trains, Model Power has a starter set (power unit, 36” circle of track, and four cars) for about $50. The enjoyable part about a H0 scale train set is that there are thousands of accessories and different pieces that can be added for years to come.

If your kid is a reader (and even if he isn’t), you will want to check out the stories of Obi-Wan Kenobi / Darth Vader / Luke Skywalker by Ryder Windham. With most boys being Star Wars fan (and who isn’t), you may want to check out these biographies of some of the main characters in the Star Wars saga. While you are looking at books, don’t forget the classics. I bought Mark a copy of The Hobbit this summer and he was enthralled by such an old school book. Don’t forget The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In other words there were great books before J.K. Rowling invented Harry Potter.

Go Amp Gaming Amplifier | If the target of your affections is a gamer, here is a fun addition to his Sony PSP or Nintendo DS and is a good way to get some better sound out of your portable gaming system. It’s a small portable amp that plugs into the headphone jack on your portable game system and does a good job of increasing the volume of any game system. Since First Act knows it’s target audience is hard on batteries, it turns on & off automatically when headphone jack inserted or removed. $3 at XS Cargo of you can purchase at $40 from Amazon.

Polaroid a200 Digital Camera | This camera is an entry level camera for first time photographers. For years I have passed down my digital cameras to Mark and what I found is that he never used the zoom or any of the other advanced features. That being said, neither did I which is why my Kodak point and click with it’s 110 film was so much fun. It personified point and shoot.

The camera has 8MB of internal storage which allows you to store 120 images or video for $30. The bad part of the camera is that it’s internal memory is wiped if the batteries run out and it doesn’t have a lens cover which means you will always be fighting smudges and dust on the lens. Then again it is a $30 camera. Pick it up at Amazon

Polaroid DVF-130RC Digital Camcorder | We gave Mark a compact digital video camcorder last Christmas and he has loved it. Over the last year we have given several others out as gifts and the recipients have really liked them. It’s a point and shoot camera that captures VGA quality video at 30 fps. Yeah that isn’t HD quality but with most of us sharing digital video via Facebook and YouTube more and more often, the lack of HD isn’t as big of issue. It’s got 16MB of built in memory so you will want to make sure to toss in a SD card in along with it. In most places you can get anywhere from a 2GB to a 8GB card for under $10.

While I am not an avid golfer, I enjoy the game and so does Mark. The City of Saskatoon makes it affordable for parents to go golfing at Silverwood Golf Course. Now while Silverwood is a nice short golf course by itself, it is designed for beginner golfers and during the summer has several specials that make it even easier to take a younger golfer along with you. Mark’s clubs were bought second hand but it’s fun to add a new putter, a package of golf balls, or even some golf gloves to the mix. Now the best part about golfing with Mark is not the golf game but the two or three hours we have talking about life, cracking jokes, and enjoying a snack afterwards.

Speaking of sports, Wilson has a great junior sized football which is quite a bit easier to throw and catch then a full sized CFL, NCAA or NFL football. not only is the ball a little lighter, it is designed for kid sized hands so when they through it, they can get a spiral with it. Not only is it good for them, it is good for you as it makes it easier to through the deep post and look good while doing it.

GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra for Wii | I know GI Joe was cooler when I was a kid but this is the version that kids these days have now. You can choose from twelve G.I. JOE characters, each with unique weapons and abilities, and unlock additional COBRA characters. It’s a fun adventure game and will give him hours of fun in front of the Wii.

Mario Kart for Wii | While you can play Mario Kart by yourself, where it gets to be even more fun is when you have the entire family racing each other. Of all of the video games we have as a family, none gets all of us playing together like this one.

iPod Shuffle | It has 2 GB capacity for about 2000 songs and you can play up to 15 hours on a single charge. With a press of the VoiceOver button, you can hear the song’s title and artist, playlist menu, or battery status. Available from Amazon. A far cheaper 2 GB option is this MP3 Player from Nextar. It comes with a small clip on it making it perfect to hang off a lanyard for safe keeping.

Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 of Survivorman | Mark (and the rest of us) is a huge fan of the show and it’s a perfect way to spend a cool winter night watching Les Stroud spending seven days in some of the harshest climates known to man without food, water or shelter. He’ll watch them again and again.

If he is already a fan of Surivorman, check out the Survivorman You Sweat You Die T-Shirt | The back of each t-shirt is printed with “You Sweat you Die” and Les Stroud’s autograph. While I don’t generally notice tags on the inside of the shirt, this shirt features a great one with washing instructions that include the “will to live”. I love it. So will the kid that you are shopping for. The DVDs and shirt are available from Les Stroud Productions.

Settlers of Catan | The Settlers of Catan from Mayfair Games is a strategy game where players collect resources and use them to build roads, settlements and cities on their way to victory. The board itself is variable, making each game a little different from the next. Each round of The Settlers of Catan is intended to keep three or four players ages 10 and above engaged for up to 90 minutes.

Risk |Can you accomplish the military objectives before your opponents? With an updated map and all-new playing pieces, increased rewards for bold moves, and easy to learn rules, you’ll be ready to take on whatever lies ahead. Test your nerve with the Basic Training game–a quick and easy way to play. Or, see if you have what it takes to dominate in the fast-paced and strategic Command Room game. Finally prove your courage in World Contest-an updated edition of the classic Risk game. The decision is yours. The time is now. For 3 to 5 players ages 12 and up.

Tech Deck Display Case | Tech Deck’s all over the house? Yeah our house too. Pick up a wall mounted display case so they can show off their Tech Decks and keep them from getting underfoot. Toss in some new Tech Decks along with it. $15 at Wal-Mart

If he is a skateboard fan, you may want to consider getting him a new skateboard . While a skateboard is an expression of one’s self, toss in some money for him to get some stickers and accessories. $25 at Amazon.com.

Last year I recommended BBC’s epic documentary series Planet Earth. Mark loved it, Wendy loved it, I am sure Oliver loved it. It was great for the entire family. This year BBC has come out with Life and it has the same kind of positive reviews that Planet Earth had. $38 at Amazon.com

Air Hogs Remote Control Helicopter | With the world’s record for the smallest remote-controlled helicopter, the Air Hogs Havoc Heli goes where no other flying object can. They can be safely flown inside the house where their small size and light weight mean that if your pilot in training does make a mistake, both the vase and the helicopter will survive. $30 at Amazon.com

The Wave Original Street Surfer is an inline action board that blends the sensations of surfing, snowboarding and skateboarding. It has a fun design where no foot propulsion is required. Riders simply hop on, twists their hips back and forth in an S-shaped motion to achieve forward movement. It gives riders the ability to perform all sorts of neat tricks because it runs on two wheels rather than four. $90 at Amazon.com.

Magic Igloo Maker | This is only available in Canada and would make for a great Christmas gift anywhere in the country (sans Victoria). It is a specially designed plastic mould that makes interlocking snow blocks to create big, strong, safe igloos easily and quickly! According to the website, a large igloo takes anywhere from 2 to 6 hours to complete (depending on how hard you work. After building it, both body heat and a small candle will cause the snow to melt and the inner surface to harden. While there are not likely to be a lot of predators in your backyard, it will make is stronger an last longer into the spring. $39.99 for two molds.

If you can find what you are looking for, make sure you check out one of the other 2010 Christmas Gift Guides

November 1st | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Tween Boys
November 4th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Sports Fan
November 8th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Outdoorsman
November 11th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Wives/Mothers of Your Kids
November 15th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Really Smart People
November 18th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Toddlers
November 22nd | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Husbands and Fathers (guest post by Wendy)
November 25th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Geeks and Gadget Lovers
December 2nd | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Road Warrior

In case you are looking, here are the 2009 Gift Guides

If I missed anything or if my suggestion made you think I was absolutely crazy, let me know in the comments. You can access the current edition and previous years list of Christmas gift guides here.

2010 Christmas Gift Ideas & Gift Guides

Nov 1st, 2010

by Jordon Cooper.

12 comments

Last years I put together what became the most popular feature ever here on JordonCooper.com, the Christmas gift guides. I was stunned how popular they were and as early as September people started to email me and ask if I was going to do them again in 2010. I will be doing them again (and Wendy will write two of them, one for husbands/fathers and one for the hard to buy for brother in law) and actually have a publication schedule. I hope they make your holiday shopping a little easier and somewhat less stressful.

I don’t know what you do for your shopping method but around September we come up with a list of people who we purchase Christmas gifts for. All of those names are put into a AbiWord document and we brainstorm from there. After we come up with our ideas, we come up with our budget. Once the list is culled, we assign a gift to each pay check and just purchase our gifts on schedule. The rule is that Christmas shopping has to be done by November 30th which means that presents are generally wrapped and ready to put under the tree when we put up the Christmas tree on the first week of December.

If you can find what you are looking for, make sure you check out one of the other 2010 Christmas Gift Guides

November 1st | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Tween Boys
November 4th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Sports Fan
November 8th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Outdoorsman
November 11th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Wives/Mothers of Your Kids
November 15th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Really Smart People
November 18th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Toddlers
November 22nd | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Husbands and Fathers (guest post by Wendy)
November 25th | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Geeks and Gadget Lovers
December 2nd | 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for the Road Warrior

In case you are looking, here are the 2009 Gift Guides

I’ll keep updating this page when updates are posted online.

Christmas Gift Guide for the Road Warrior | 2009 Edition

Dec 10th, 2009

by Jordon Cooper.

12 comments

I don’t travel very much anymore but the routine of leaving home, boarding planes, bad coffee, bad sleep, and doing it all over again had me thinking about the best tools for the road warriors on your Christmas shopping list. If this list doesn’t do anything for you, feel free to check out my other Christmas gift guides.

Burton Sleeper Hoodie :: No more crying babies, stiff neck, lost tickets, swampy arm pits or annoying fluorescent lights in your face. Inflate the integrated neck pillow in the hood, pull down the hood¿s light shield, crank up your new age mix or pop in your ear plugs, then pop some sleeping pills. Next stop nirvana. Travel as you know it will never be the same.

Vuzix iWear Glasses for iPod :: The AV920 from Vuzix features the best mobile experience yet: a wearable virtual 62″ big screen compatible with almost any audio / video device. Ditch your small screen and watch your movies with portable DVD players or personal media players in beautiful, crystal clear high-resolution 2D and 3D. The AV920 offers the ultimate big screen experience on the go.The AV920 delivers a virtual display equivalent to a 62-inch screen viewed from 9 feet which is pretty crazy when you think about it.

JanSport Antics Series Driver 8 Wheeled Backpack :: If you are like me, you have your laptop, PSP, iPod, a book, magazine, and a drink or two with you when you go on the plane. While none of them weigh that much together, they do add up. Your loved one could carry all of that with them but believe me, a wheeled backpack is a wonderful thing to have as you stand in line at the counter, stand in line at security, stand in line at Starbucks, and stand in line while waiting to board. Travelling can be enough of a mental and physical workout without having to heave your luggage around or have to worry about your laptop.

Flat Automatic Umbrella :: As a road warrior, you know that one day they will get stuck out in the rain. By one of those tropical rainstorms that rolled in out of nowhere. They will thank you as they stay dry and warm.

Fisher Bullet Space Pen :: All I have to say is that it is a pen designed to last 100 years. Toss it in one of the compartments of the rolling backpack.

If I missed anything or if my suggestion made you think I was absolutely crazy, let me know in the comments. You can access the current edition and previous years list of Christmas gift guides here.