2021 Christmas List

It is that time of year when people are starting to panic about what to get that computer nerd for Christmas. My wife hates trying to guess what I will want for Christmas and so I have to present a list for her early in September. This year that is probably a good idea as the news keeps talking about supply-chain issues and if you don't order gifts now, they might not arrive before Christmas. So for those of you that have procrastinated getting that computer geek in your life something special, here are some things that I would like.

The Gift of Learning

Technology changes at a rapid pace and I am constantly trying to keep up with new advancements. Several years ago I received a catalog from The Great Courses and ordered a few DVD classes on the National Parks and some others on Photography. Since then I have picked up a guitar course and several others. For a few years, my employer provided me with an unlimited online subscription to all of the courses. My wife and I would sit down about every other night and learn about quite a few number of topics that we both found interesting. Early in my career, computers were also my hobby and so if you have someone like that in your life, I would suggest finding their interests and seeing if there are any courses that match their level of experience. There is a great introduction to Machine Learning course (Christmas special of $50 right now) but if your gift recipient is beyond the beginning level, I would look for something else.

The Gift of Experiences

I find that the older I get, the less stuff I want. This may be because I already have everything I want or maybe I am just tired of throwing technology away when it becomes outdated. In any event, I always appreciate the gift of experiences. My son is giving his children a trip to Disneyland for Christmas and my wife and I have been invited. Of course we have to pay for ourselves but we are looking forward to the trip and have decided that it will be our gift to each other for Christmas. While a trip may be well outside your Christmas budget, there are a lot of ideas to help reduce the cost of a trip for someone. You might give them a gift card to help with airfare. There are a lot of airlines that allow you to give gift cards. Southwest and Delta are my two favorite. You could also give gift cards that can be spent at a destination such as Disneyland.

One of the best deals you can get someone that is looking for experiences is an America the Beautiful pass. It is a card that lets a car-load of people into any of our National Parks and National Monuments. It is only $80 for a year and pays for itself after only 2 visits. This year I have visited Volcanoes National Park, Kilauea Lighthouse and Wildlife Refuge, and Yosemite National Park. I got it in May and will probably use it again for Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park before it expires.

The Gift of Photography

When I found out I would be leaving Sony, I made a list of all the purchases I wanted to make at the online company store. I knew I would lose my discount and so I made sure to pick up a new television. Another thing I wanted was Sony's top-of-the-line digital camera. I have helped plenty of friends pick up cameras and lenses over the years. I figured I should get one for myself. I got a great deal on a Sony A7RIV. The only downside is I also needed to get lenses. I did a bit of research and picked up 5 different ones. I won't go into too many details but I am very happy with the purchase. Now if my wife would let me play with the camera before Christmas I could provide a nice review.

You don't need an expensive camera to give someone the gift of photography for Christmas. Perhaps they already have a great camera but could use an additional lens. My guess though is that a newer smartphone might be a better purchase. I generally go several years before upgrading my phone. Check with your carrier to see if there are free low-cost upgrades. While I have a spectacular camera, I use my mobile phone's camera a lot more. The cameras in the latest phones are nothing short of amazing.

The Gift of 3D Printing

My final gift idea for the year is that of 3D Printing. My youngest son got me into 3D printing while he completed his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering. Now that he has graduated, he purchased his own printer but continues to send me ideas of things to print. You can get your own 3D printer for around $200. If that special nerd in your life already has one, there are countless upgrades and supplies that would make great gifts. Just be sure to make sure any upgrades will work with the existing printer. You can also never have enough printing material and that you can find for around $20. Again, make sure it will work with the printer as filament comes in various sizes.

The Gift of Choice

I hate recommending generic gift cards as a Christmas gift but sometimes that could be the best choice. If you want to get some PLA for your nerd's 3D printer but are not quite sure of the filament size, just get a $20 gift card to Amazon and eliminate any worry about if you got the right stuff. It also allows you to tailor your gift to fit your budget exactly.

Christmas List 2020

It is that time of the year when I try to share some ideas for that hard-to-shop-for person on your Christmas list. In the past I have tried to focus on practical gifts that I would want. This year I am going to take a completely different path. In our family we have the idea of a "Christmas-Day" gift. It is a gift that you get on Christmas morning and play with for only a few days before you lose interest. This year I actually want something like that. When you only receive practical gifts, there is nothing to play with on Christmas day. This year, I want something to play with. A good example is something like a puzzle or a complex Lego set. Once you put everything together, you admire it for a bit, and then take it apart to possibly be played with at a later date.

The beauty of a Christmas-Day gift is that it is not something I would get myself. So without further explanation, here are some gifts I would enjoy receiving this year:

Just a box of Legos - This is just a set of Legos to go with my existing sets. It is great for allowing creative people to play and build.

Hogwart's Lego set - While I am on the topic of Legos, this is a set that I think would be fun to spend the day putting together. There are plenty of other large sets I would also like but this one I found quite easily.

Electronic Breadboard kit - Moving away from Legos and onto something a bit more practical yet fun is an electronic breadboard kit. This is something to get that budding electrical engineer in your family. My brother seemed to get one or two of these growing up but I never did. Perhaps that is why I studied Electrical Engineering in school as I always wanted one. No that I am grown, I would love to take some time during my Holiday break and just play with some electronic projects for fun.

Horizon Zero Dawn - Now if you get the chance to play video games on Christmas and you have a PlayStation 4, I recommend this one. It is a game that I really enjoyed playing and might be willing to play again. You can find the game at Best Buy for less than $10, which is less than I paid for my copy. Remember I work for PlayStation and so this might not be an unbiased recommendation.

Microsoft Flight Simulator - This is a game for your PC and is not one that I have played. This is something I would be interested in playing though. At $60 (from Best Buy for the standard version) it is the same price as most new video games.

If you are looking for low-cost gifts that fit into the Christmas-Day gift list, I really do enjoy a good 750 to 1000-piece puzzle. Puzzles are something you can always do with others and can be great fun for small groups.

Hopefully this gives you some ideas for that hard-to-shop-for person in your life.

A Late Christmas List

Normally I am much more together and have my Christmas Gift Idea list put together long before now. This year I have been procrastinating it. Part of the reason is that I have pretty much all of the material possessions I could want. Getting more just means I have to find a place for it all. My house is overflowing with stuff to the point that it is time to start getting rid of some of it. Perhaps it might help you to know what things I would keep as I mentally catalog my computer equipment.

One of my favorite gadgets is my color laser printer. You can find them for around $200 and I highly recommend one. A lot of people don't print because they think it is bad for the environment. I agree but sometimes you need to print something and if you are going to use a sheet of paper, you might as well print it in color. In this day and age, I think a black-and-white printer is a waste of money. There is probably a joke in there about how it will practically print money. Just don't try that at home or the secret service will come after you.

Sticking with the theme of printers, my next favorite gadget is my 3D printer. If you have someone on your Christmas list that loves building prototypes or playing with computer aided drawing (CAD) programs, a 3D printer should be on your list. They can get rather expensive and so I only recommend one if you can get away with a less-expensive model. I still enjoy my Creality Ender 3 and think it is a great beginner printer. I must confess though that my son uses it more than I do but that is why I got it.

My next recommendation would be for dual monitors if you have someone on your list that doesn't already have them. While in Japan this past week I did not have the luxury of dual monitors on my laptop and I really missed it. With a bit of searching you can find a second monitor that will work with most computers for only around $120. I suggest a minimum resolution of 1920x1080p. All of my computers have dual monitors at work and at home.

Another peripheral that is often overlooked is a USB CD/DVD/Blu-ray disc drive. My last several laptops have not had internal drives and that is fine most of the time. However every once and a while you really need one and when you do, you need it badly. I have one that I keep on my desk at home and another one that I have in my office at work. They both come in handy every so often.

Finally I have one more recommendation for those of you that might have a really tight Christmas-gift budget. I do not have enough phone charger cables. I use USB-C for one of my phones and a Lightning connector for the other. I carry all sorts of spares and am amazed at how many times other people need to borrow them. On occasion I need them too. A couple of each would make great stocking stuffers.

I don't think there is any big surprise in this list. Perhaps you might not think about how important a color laser printer is or how useful a spare phone charging cable can be. My experience has taught me that they are and you really miss them when you don't have them.

Early Christmas Gift Ideas

Normally I wait a bit before trying to post my Christmas Gift ideas but my wife and I have been trying to come up with lists for each other. I thought it might be a good idea to write my list a bit early this year. That gives you time to stalk the Black Friday deals.

Early in my adult life I felt a good Christmas gift is something that you wouldn't get yourself and that you played with for several hours on Christmas morning only to never use it again. Then my wife and I matured and decided to only get things that our children would use for a long time. Since then we have always tried to get gifts that would get used for more than just a few hours.

Recently I have flown a lot with children. Not my own but other peoples. While I have nothing against flying with someone else's children, I do notice that they make a lot more noise than the adults around them. One of the most important pieces of high-tech equipment I bring on the plane is a good set of earphones. I have one set of ear buds that act better then most earplugs, even when they are not connected to anything. So if you have someone on your Christmas list that spends a lot of time on airplanes, make sure they have a good set of earphones.

This year I have noticed that while I have some great electronic gadgets, some of them are a bit dated and could be replaced. I think everyone can sympathize with this situation. I have made a number of videos recently and while I have a perfectly capable video camera, I could always use a new one with higher resolution and more features. My personal computer is also quite old and could use a replacement. Even my monitors are getting old. With Walmart and other budget stores selling 43-inch 4K televisions for less than $200, one can get a screaming deal on computer monitors with a lot of screen real estate. So take a look at those on your Christmas list and see if they need a newer version of something they use frequently.

Hopefully this gives you some ideas before the Black Friday deals get announced. That way you can take advantage of them. If you come up with some really good ideas, please share as others may benefit from your suggestions.

Robots

Every year our department does a team-building activity where we take the entire workday and do something fun. My first year, we did a scavenger hunt in downtown San Francisco and I had a great time. This year we got together in a hotel near our office, divided into 10 teams, and built robots. Once completed, we had a competition between the build teams.

I had a few people on my team that I know very well and several others that I got to know better. We had a great time building the robot even though we had to substitute parts as our kit had a missing piece or two. The hours we had to build our robot passed quickly. We all felt like kids playing with a complex Lego set.

Once we completed our robot, we had fun with the competition. Interestingly we had much more fun building the robot than we did playing with it. I think if I wanted to get into robotics with one of my kids, I would want a kit that you could reconfigure for various purposes. Remember that as we approach the Holiday Season.

Christmas List 2017

Every year I try to put together a Christmas list for those of you interested in ideas on what to get that nerd in your life. This year I have come to the conclusion that I am not your typical nerd. A few weeks ago I talked with a few guys in the airport while waiting to catch my flight. During the conversation it came out that they both spend free time developing mobile games when they are not at work in front of their computers. I discovered a long time ago that every man needs a hobby and while computers pay my bills, I need something different to occupy my free time. I spend my winters skiing and my summers rock climbing, cycling, and sailing. So this year, I want to create two lists: one for the really nerdy person in your life and one for the nerdy person that you don't want to be nerdy any more.

Nerd List:

• Second or third phone charger - I have two phones that I carry around on a daily basis and so I like to keep chargers in places I may need to use them. I have a charger on my sailboat in California for when I am there during the week. I also keep spare chargers at my office in addition to the ones I keep at home. I hardly spend any time in my car but I have recently put some there for those long drives I am starting to take more often. These can be found relatively cheaply and cost around $10 - $20.
• Classic video games for the latest generation of consoles - The latest consoles have been out for a while and some of the original games that have been out since launch can be found at places like GameStop, Best Buy, or Target for next to nothing. Look through your nerd's stash of games and see if there are not some classics that can be found inexpensively. One of the best sites to visit for reviews is Metacritic and you will find a number of high-quality games to choose from.
• Steam Gift Cards - Not everybody uses consoles to play video games. Some like to game on their computers. For those that don't know what games to get but have someone that likes to play games on the PC, there is always a Steam Gift Card.
• Smartphone case - Mobile phones are replacing laptop computers as the computing device being used most frequently. I am pretty good about not dropping my phone but it does happen. I highly recommend getting a protective case for that special someone in your life that spends a lot of time on the phone. There are a number of different models and features to choose from. My preference is to have one that doesn't add a lot of bulk to the phone but still has some level of protection.

Reformed Nerd List (my preferred list this year):

• A National Parks annual pass - I love visiting Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion National Parks as well as many others. There are a large number of National Parks and so I highly recommend getting an annual pass. At only $80 for a year, it is really inexpensive. When my daughters complained about the current administration tripling the entrance fee to certain overcrowded National Parks during peak season, I realized that an annual pass is only a few dollars more and will allow you to visit every park in the country all year long. I really hope I have one in my Christmas stocking this year.
• A Bird Identification Book - Recently I rode my bike to work and rode next to a beautiful bird and would love to know what species it belongs to. It was black with beautiful red markings on its wings. I have never been much of a bird watcher but think it would be a fun thing to get into as I spend my time outside. A good set of binoculars would make a nice companion gift.
• Global Entry or TSA Pre - This year my wife put something interesting on her Christmas list: experiences. She said she would prefer experiences over "stuff." While there are a number of experiences that can be had close to home, sometimes you need to get on a plane. I signed up for Global Entry earlier in the year and it has made travelling so much easier. When I came back from Japan a few weeks ago, I got through Los Angeles International Airport's (LAX) customs and immigration in under 7 minutes. It used to take me almost 30. Global Entry also comes with TSA Pre which gets me through all domestic airport security lanes significantly faster and with much less hassle than before. At $100, Global Entry is well worth the price. If you don't plan to do any international travel, TSA Pre is only $85 and much easier to get.
• Rock Climbing Guides - This gift is rather specific to me but should serve as an idea for other gifts. It is great to be able to find a guide book to help me locate good climbing areas close to home. I have also picked up guides for famous venues such as Yosemite and Zion National Parks. There are a number of other great climbing places that I would like to find out about and guide books are a great way to do that.
• Waterproof protective phone case - Yes, this appears on both lists because recently I have started doing some Canyoneering where you have to swim through parts of the canyon. Dry bags are recommended but make it tough to take pictures of your adventure. I have a waterproof phone case that I use for such events and am glad I have it. I don't use it on a daily basis because it adds too much bulk to my phone.

As always, I hope this gives you some ideas for that computer person in your life as you try to find last-minute Christmas Gift Ideas. If none of these seem to be the right gift, then might I suggest good old fashioned kindness and Holiday cheer.

Christmas List 2016: Video Games I Want to Play

Every year I try to put together a Christmas list for that technically minded person in your family based upon what I want. Sometimes I have listed feel-good gifts but most of the time I list video games and other items that I would like to receive. Today I am going to restrict it to just video games. I must confess that I already own a bunch of these games and so this list is what I would like to play during the Holiday break when I am not skiing. Some of these are old games while others have just come out. That should give you a healthy mix of economical gifts as well as more expensive ones. Here is the list, in alphabetical order:

Battlefield 1: I really enjoyed playing Battlefield 3. I tried Battlefield 4 but lost interest after about an hour. I understand that EA figured out they need compelling story lines so that Battlefield 1 is much more engaging. I already have my copy of this game and look forward to finding some time to play it.

God of War 3: I have finished playing both 1 and 2 on the PlayStation 3 so now I want to play the remastered version of 3 on the PlayStation 4. I had hoped to start this evening but am getting really tired after waking up at 4:15 this morning to catch my flight to California and may begin tomorrow. Naturally I have a copy of this game already and have had it for quite some time.

Rise of the Tomb Raider: The Tomb Raider reboot is one of my favorite video games. It is along the same lines as the Uncharted series with a female protagonist instead of a male one. Those of you with XBox One consoles have been able to play this game for the past year, while those of us that favor the PlayStation 4 console have had to wait. The exclusivity is now over so I am looking forward to picking this game up and continuing the adventure.

Steep: I am a huge fan of skiing and so I look forward to any well-done skiing or snowboarding video game. When the oppressive heat of summer kicks in, I head to my cool basement and pretend it is winter again. That will probably be the case with this Ubisoft title as I don't own it yet. However I have it on my Christmas list in the hopes that someone who loves me will get me a copy.

Uncharted 3 & 4: I love the Uncharted games and have finished both 1 and 2. Now that I have more time, I will try to finish 3 and 4. It may take me some time as I don't have huge amounts of time to play video games. I already have my copies of each game.

The Walking Dead Season 3: I just saw that this will be released shortly. I played the first and second seasons and am eagerly anticipating the next one. I have yet to purchase the game but will look for it as soon as I complete one or two other games on my list.

Yes I work for a video game company but I have tried to include a number of titles from other game publishers. I have also listed those games that have risen to the top of my want-to-play list. As I browsed through the catalog of video games I own and those available for video game consoles, I came across a number of games that sounded interesting but I didn't want my list to be too long. I want it to be honest. Now we will see how many of these I actually play this Christmas season.

Video Game Review: Dead Space 3

A few months ago I was able to download Dead Space 3 for my PS3. Tonight was the first time I have been able to play the game and so I thought I would give a quick review. The PlayStation 4 and XBox One are selling well but there are still a number of games for the older generation consoles that can be found at very low prices. My hope is that this will help you pick an inexpensive Christmas gift for that gamer in your life.

The game starts with a number of quick videos giving you some background. I can only assume they surmise the activities of the first two games, seeing as I never played them. It is enough to get you interested. Game play begins as a soldier in a snowy world looking for something. I have been playing games on the PS3 again and so the graphics look pretty good. Had I gone from a PS4 back to the 3, I probably couldn't say that. I especially like how the transition from video to game play is seamless and that the videos are not done at a higher quality. You get to find your way through the snow with the help of a path control that shows you where to go. I thought it was well done and helps first-timers get to where the real action begins.

I have to admit that I have only played the game for an hour or so but found it very entertaining. There are a number of zombie-type monsters that can be rather difficult to kill even on the easiest or "casual" setting. The graphics are also pretty gruesome and quickly became a turn-off to continue playing the game. I have decided that I will probably go back to Mass Effect for the time being but may continue with Dead Space 3 afterwards.

Dead Space 3 is published by EA and is available for the PC, PlayStation 3, and XBox 360. I would recommend the game for older teenagers and young adults. If you are looking for that family game that everyone will enjoy, this is not it.

A Different Kind of Christmas List

Every year at the beginning of December I try to compile a list of Christmas gifts that I would like to receive. Most of the time I try to keep the ideas centered around technology items. This year I am going to do something a little different. While I enjoy gifts as much as anyone, I have come to the conclusion that anything that I can buy, I will get for myself even if it is not Christmas or my birthday. In thinking about this Holiday season, these are gifts that don't cost anything but things that I want anyways.

My children to be successful - Most of the time parents think they want their kids to be happy when what they really want is for them to be successful. Happiness should be a by product of that success, not the main focus. Unfortunately that means children need some growing experiences and that can be hard to watch. The end result is well worth it. This past year I have spent a lot of time with my oldest son working on a 1996 Jeep Cherokee. We have rebuilt the upper half of the engine, replaced a number of sensors, replaced the exhaust, and turned a beat-up old car into something much more reliable. It has not been an easy journey, but now my son has the skills he needs to diagnose most car problems. I think I can call that a success and the joy we felt when we were done far outweighs any of the pain felt along the way.

My wife to feel loved - I have to be honest in saying that my wife does not like being alone as much as she is. I spend four days a week away from home and I know she gets lonely a lot. I try to make it up to her as best I can but circumstances make being together all of the time impossible. My wife and I are not alone. There are a number of other spouses out there that travel as much or more than I do. My wife is a huge support to me as I try to further myself in my career and do something that I think matters. I appreciate her for that and I hope she knows and feels that she is loved.

My kids to know I am proud of them - Sometimes we push our children to be successful and they may think that they don't live up to our expectations. I am very proud of the accomplishments of my kids and I hope they know that.

There are a number of other non-material things I could ask for this Christmas but the reality is that they don't really matter. If you have a good family where everyone tries their best and forgives any other shortcomings, then you have everything you need for Christmas. May you have a great Holiday season.

2010 Christmas List

I love this time of the year. The news always talks about how some adults get depressed at Christmas time and I can see how that can happen. However I love exchanging gifts. I also use this time of year as an excuse to get new toys for myself by justifying that it is for the family. In thinking about what I would like this year, I decided to make my list public in case there are others that can benefit from my Christmas list.

Less than $20
My kids often ask me what I want for Christmas and I know they don't have much money to spend. In reality I would rather have them save for college than buy me expensive toys. So this is probably the most important price range on my Christmas list. Some ideas are:

1. Memory cards, you can never have too many of these
2. USB thumb drives, great for backing up important pictures and documents
3. 12 Volt car adapter to USB charger, great for keeping your iPhone fully charged
   
4. Noise canceling headphones, what a steal at $19.99
5. Mouse pad with a really cool graphic, mine are always getting worn out
6. LED Flashlight, great for looking behind the computer
7. A 50-pack of blank DVD's, make sure to get the kind that match the DVD writer (+ or -)
   

Less than $100
This price range opens up a few more gifts but starts getting out of the range most kids can afford. Perhaps two kids can go together to get Dad a gift.

1. Good computer toolkit, I am always looking for a screwdriver
2. Spare charger for my laptop, so one can stay at home and the other at the office
3. DVD or Blu-Ray movie, fun for the whole family
4. A 1 TB hard drive, to add to any computer system
5. External hard drive, great for making backups
6. Battery backup system or UPS, for when the power flickers

More than $100
This opens up a lot of possibilities. However it is Christmas and not "Winner of the Lottery Day," so you shouldn't really spend more than $1000. Furthermore these gifts should really be for the whole family and not just one individual.

1. 3D Television, you can get some bundles for less than $1000
2. Playstation 3, it is also a Blu-Ray player
   
3. Color Laser printer, great quality and the toner doesn't dry up like with ink-jet printers
4. Gas-powered generator, for when the power is out for a long time
5. 1080p Video projector, when a 50-inch screen isn't large enough

There are some great buys on all of these ideas and so don't be afraid to scour the Internet for the best prices. And remember, don't spend too much. It isn't much of a Christmas if you are still paying for it in July.