Durban - Looking for the perfect gift for that geek in your life? Alan Cooper has some suggestions to fit every age and budget.
Crosley Cruiser turntable
R1 500, Musica
Vinyl records are making a comeback, with many music labels not only making new releases available in this venerable format, but also re-pressing plenty of old favourites in the form of LPs and 45s, pushing vinyl sales to a 15-year high.
Which leaves you with the problem of what to play them on as your dad or gran probably turfed out the family’s last record player decades ago.
Crosley’s retro cool Cruiser is a good choice if you want a smallish player. Not only does it look great and sound pretty good for its size, it’s also affordable and the “junk shop suitcase” format makes it ultra portable.
For R1 000 extra, the bulkier, but also retro-themed Collegiate will connect to your PC via a USB port and comes with software to convert your vinyl to digital format.
Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 Power Edition
R4 899, Takealot.com
Helicopter mini drones aren’t just fun to fly, once you get the hang of them, they’ll also help you capture video you simply couldn’t get from a hand-held or helmet-mounted camera.
This one from Parrot which you control with your smartphone or tablet isn’t exactly cheap, but it has some features that elevate it from a toy into the entry-level enthusiasts’ class including two extended batteries, four rotors and two built-in cameras.
Cocoon Grid-It
From R225, Cape Union Mart
Put your portable gadget into a bag or backpack and you know exactly what’s going to happen. When it comes time to find it, it’ll be buried in the depths under your keys, chapstick and a tangled knot of charger and headphone cords.
Unless you were given the Cocoon Grid-It organizer, in which case it and everything else will be exactly where you put it, securely held in place by this rubberized elastic wonder webbing system.
Raspberry Pi
From R449 at Pifactory.co.za
Here’s one for the budding Bill Gates or Elon Musk in your household. This credit card-sized, single-board computer has achieved near cult-status since its launch in early 2012 by the UK-based Raspberry Pi Foundation with the intention of promoting the teaching of basic computer science at schools. Just the inspiration they need to start tinkering and coding, setting them on the path to world domination.
Apple iTunes and Google Play store gift cards
From R150, Pick n Pay and Checkers
Still stumped for ideas? If the geek you’re buying for has either an Android or Apple phone or tablet, a gift card from the appropriate app store will go down a treat as they’ll be able to choose from literally millions of apps, games, ebooks and more.
Google Chromecast
R569, takealot.com
If you want smart TV features without forking out thousands for a new set, this thumb-sized media streaming device is the answer.
Simply plug into the HDMI port on your TV, set it up with a simple mobile app over your home Wi-Fi network and in no time you’ll be beaming your favourite online shows, movies and music to your TV using your smartphone, tablet or laptop.
Tom Tom Cardio Multi-sport GPS Sport Watch
R4 600, Dion Wired
Contrary to popular belief, not all geeks are lazy, crisp munching couch potatoes. Some of us also like to get into the great outdoors for a spot of brisk exercise, but when we do, we like to take along a gadget that’s able to measure every element of our workout.
This GPS satellite-connected watch fits the bill perfectly. It’s got a heart-rate monitor that actually works. The display’s big and bright allowing you to see real-time information at a glance, including distance, time, pace, speed and calories burnt.
You’re also able to track, analyse and share your stats on popular running sites or apps. Pricey, but one of the best.
Budget tablet
R999, MTN and Vodacom
Both MTN and Vodacom recently released budget tablets. There’s really not much to set them apart.
Hardware wise, I think the MTN Steppa Tablet has a slight edge, but the Vodacom Smart Tab 3G comes with a killer contract offering, R59 a month with 1GB of data. Choose the one that suits you.
Sunday Tribune