The holidays are sneaking up on us, and now is the time to find the deals to get your gift purchases for less (read cheaply). I spent 8 1/2 years working in a retail environment before becoming a public servant and I refuse to stand on those Black Friday lines - maybe if a game store was having a sale of that type, but even then probably not.
Still, gamers and geeks need gifts. As I posted on Saturday, I'm open to any and all suggestions. This is my chance to throw a few out there for others in no particular order:
Sodastream - make your own soda. It's about as geeky as you can get, and I am enjoying the crap out of it for the last month or so. I got mine at Bed, Bath & Beyond with one of their 15% off coupons. About $100 before coupons.
Roku - stream Netflix, Hulu, Pandora and other services to you TV. The device starts at @ $59
Tablet Devices - the low end iPad will apparently be available for $399 at Marshalls and TJ-Max for Black Friday in very limited quantities. The iPad is no longer the only game in town, however. If your main desire is a mobile PDF reader, you can get Android Based 7" Resistive Touch Screen (means using pressure as opposed to the multi-touch iTouch/iPhone/iPad) for about $150 as a starting price.
Ebook Readers - there's a whole bunch of them out now, with the Kindle starting at $139. Kindle has the advantage of the Amazon Kindle store, but adding books from outside the store can be a pain. Still, lots of choices out there and it's hard to go wrong.
Amazon - yes, many folks consider it evil, but when I want my RPGs on the cheap its the place I hit. Less expensive and free shipping.
RPGs - I'm a gamer, so I'll be happy to get a copy of a game I don't own, or even one I do. Still, as its a gift purchase. I recommend something that comes in a box. It's just more exciting when you unwrap and get a box then a book, probably because you know its a book the moment you feel it through the wrapping paper.
Mr Beer - Brew your own beer around the holidays. 21+ please ;) - Damn, I really need to spend time on my brewing blog again
Amazon, Tiger Direct, Best Buy, Geeks and other sites will be running online sales starting Thanksgiving Day. This is how I do 90% of my Christmas shopping these days. Less time on line means more time for other stuff, like gaming ;)
More stuff as I think of it :)
Tower in the Wasteland v2
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I recently asked my patrons what posts deserved a sequel and Tower in the
Wasteland was one of the first replies. So here's an updated version of
that d...
2 hours ago
Going to have to go against the tablet flow here and suggest netbooks. Very good if you want something of a proper keyboard and battery life is outstanding.
ReplyDeleteOn the more hands on side, kit knives and the like work out quite well.. as does the gift of food. Windowfarms has a pretty nifty self scrounged & assembled hydroponic system that'll do just that without too much work.
Choice between my net book an my iPad (with external apple keyboard), I'll take my iPad. Prob even w/o the keyboard. My net book gets 3 1/2 hrs battery life, my iPad 8 plus.
ReplyDeleteWell, that and my iPad has 3G, my net book doesn't ;)