We're headed to the beach with this month's must haves, geeks! Prep for the start of Summer fun with solar-powered speakers, a beach-appropriate iPhone case, splash-proof tablet gear, and even an amphibious robotic vehicle for your drinks — which is so necessary when relaxing is in order. Read on for the tech goods to pack before hitting the sand.
We humans are creatures of habit, which is why we won't ever tire of that burrito place around the corner, that coffee shop that serves perfect foam to espresso ratio, and that bar with the best buffalo wings in town. We're proud of our stomping grounds, so what better way to rep our most frequented haunts than with real life and virtual visualizations à la Foursquare?
Two personalized maps based on Foursquare data, one created by data visualization enthusiasts Etch and the other via a collaboration between Foursquare and Samsung, reveal just how much of your city's hottest spots you've conquered.
Etch, "makers of fine data products," makes printed maps of info from Foursquare accounts detailing where you've been and how often. The custom, archival heavyweight posters ($48, plus shipping) are printed with digital presses, and they're even fingerprint and smudge resistant.
Triangle-shaped markers represent where you've checked in on the geolocation app, and the triangle's height denotes how often. Etch offers custom visualizations of Manhattan, San Francisco, and Portland, with plans to expand to more cities, both domestic and international, in the future.
Foursquare, in collaboration with Samsung, launched its own version of personalized maps in the virtual realm. Time Machine creates a fun animation of your Foursquare history, and suggests what places you should visit next.
Time Machine also compiles your history, revealing which type of place you check into most, total number of check-ins, favorite weekend spots, coffee-to-beer ratio, distance covered, and other interesting stats. Share the infographic of your geolocation history via Facebook or Twitter, and show the world where exactly your stomping grounds are.
Alright kiddo, Father's Day is June 16, and if you don't have the perfect present for Dad yet, time is tickin'. If he's always tinkering with a new tech toy, consider a gadget gift full of high-tech geeky features he'll enjoy. In the gallery, we've got futuristic goggles, an adventure suit for iPhones, the highest-definition TV on the market, and much, much more.
Whether he's a renowned Jedi master or a secret Sith Lord, your dad deserves a greeting that reflects his love for you — and galaxies far, far away. Grab one of these Darth Vader-, Yoda-, Fett-themed paper and ecards for Father's Day (which, by the way, is June 16), and tell your pop that you'd follow him to the Dark Side if it came to it.
Father's Day is Sunday, June 16, and if you haven't picked up a little somethin' for your geek dad yet, then turn to one of these gizmos and gadgets. We've got trinkets for outdoorsmen, photographers, Einstein enthusiasts, and more — and best of all, these Father's Day finds are all under $60.
See all the affordable fitness trackers, panoramic photo accessories, wireless speakers, and other doodads we handpicked for geek fathers in the gallery!
There's nothing like a poorly timed ping to ruin the mood. Silence is golden, especially when you're watching Star Trek in theaters, or when the best man is making his toast, or when you're on the run and trying to hide (from zombies, obviously).
And if you think the "mute" switch will keep you safe, think again. That's why Ron Adair of Salt Lake City, UT, set out to tame the unruly iPhones of the world with Mutator, a simple accessory that totally, completely, 100 percent silences your iPhone once it's plugged into the headphone jack.
The inconspicuous — it's small enough to fit on your fingertip — pyramid-shaped device silences everything, including all the notifications that the iPhone "mute" switch doesn't, including alarm tones, games, app sounds, etc. You don't even need to remove the Mutator to reengage sound; just twist the accessory 90 degrees.
Ron's project isn't ready quite yet. It's still in the Kickstarter stages and has a little less than $10,000 and 24 days left to go. If you believe that silence is golden, then back the project for $16, and you'll get one Mutator in black or white. For $28 you'll get a premium anodized aluminum Mutator in charcoal or polished.
If there's one thing photographers can't get enough of, it's photo accessories to make them better shooters. Whether it's a new set of lenses or a camera bag that will get them excited about taking pictures, no small gift will go unused. For the photographer in your life who is fresh off the school boat, gift her with one of these photog essentials and consider your "thank you" all the awesome shots she'll soon be posting.
Ever feel like a bag lady when you go on a weekend trip? Usually there's one bag for your clothes and another lugging around your laptop. Thankfully we've found some overnight totes and carryalls with built-in laptop pouches to solve that unnecessary problem. Shop on, and pack 'em up for those Fridays when you just want to get away.
Today 36 years ago, Earth first encountered a galaxy far, far away in the form of Star Wars: A New Hope. With our lives changed by the space opera, sci-fi addicts, wannabe space explorers, and anyone who finds their interests aligning with the geeky side of life celebrates May 25 as Geek Pride Day.
Not that we'd expect you to keep your geek side under wraps any other day, but today, geeks, let your love of science fiction, fantasy, comic books, and video games stand out loud and proud. Click on for some of our favorite ways to declare your geek pride, and don't forget share your day's activities with the hashtag #GeekPrideDay.
Flash drives don't have the flyest reputation around (although some really cute ones do exist). But that's probably because you aren't used to seeing ones as unique as this set. When it comes to weddings, we like to think of these as a way to say "thanks" to your guests or wedding party members because you can preupload them with photos of the big day and send them out as a sentimental gift. They're fun, they're functional — what else could you ask for? Go ahead, take a look.
