Geekscape Roundtable: Our 2016 Holiday Wishlist!

by GeekscapeStaffDecember 19, 2016

The holiday season is here, and regardless of the exact holiday that you plan on celebrating this year, we know that you’re just in it for the presents (well, and the family/friends, and the food, and some other things too, but mostly the presents).

Instead of doing a traditional gift guide (if your giftee likes x, get them y, etc), we thought we’d take another route: tell you what we‘d want for our holiday gifts. You know our writers, so chances are that if you need to pick up a gift for someone similar, they’ll probably be into the same stuff!

Here goes! Enjoy, and be sure to let us know what gifts you’re hoping for in the comments below!

Natalie Kipper

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (for the Nintendo 3DS)

Now technically, this game comes out just after the holidays (January 20, 2017) but I am so excited for this baby that I would happily take an IOU. Truth be told, I never managed to finish the original PS2 version of the title so I am especially excited to get another chance to tackle it with the new release’s extra features. I eagerly look forward to playing the game on the sofa. And in bed. And on planes. God, I love my 3DS!

Hashtag Collectibles’ Water Bear Plush (available at ThinkGeek and directly from Hashtag Collectibles)

Bizarre critters are kind of my thing. That is actually how I became acquainted with the makers of this adorable plush. I met Hashtag Collectibles through their Stuffed Blobfish years ago and I have been a fan of theirs ever since. Their stuffed Water Bear just looks so soft and huggable. And just look at those big, shiny eyes! I want one so freaking bad.

Popplio Plush – Trainer Size

Yes, I have more than one plush on my list. If you know me personally, than you are probably surprised that they aren’t all plushes. Anyways, back on topic. I am hooked on Pokémon Sun and Popplio was my choice for a starter. Who wouldn’t want a life-size plush of this lovable water-type?

Kitties Draped Ladies’ Hooded Cardigan

I am a sucker for cats and cardigans. Combine the two and it is love at first sight. And dude, it even has a hood. You can’t beat that!

The Art of Fire Emblem: Awakening

Fire Emblem has some damn pretty art and I would love to have them in a book to admire, preferably over a nice cup of tea. Not only are there illustrations but there are story boards and even scripts for every piece of dialogue. When you consider all the options you have during conversations and situations, that is really very impressive. This book looks to be not only yummy eye candy but fun reading.

Adam Lemuz

NES Classic Edition

While the Nintendo Switch is still 3 months away from release, that’s not stopping Nintendo from releasing a new(ish) console for the holiday season. Enter the NES Classic. While it may just seem like a simple plug ‘n play, it’s a much better investment than if you were to buy the included games on Nintendo’s Wii U Virtual Console. The game selection is very varied, and has even been color corrected from the Wii U’s dark and drab color palette. That’s if you can find it in stock. Yes, just like Amiibo back in 2014, Nintendo has “underestimated” demand for the product, causing a nationwide storage and many MANY people in hysteria. Still, for what it’s worth, Definitely pick this up if you find it.

We can’t really link this one, because it’s sold out everywhere forever.

Uncharted 4 PS4 Slim 500GB Bundle

2016 has been a pretty awful year for most things in general. Everything except for video games. Weirdly enough, this has been a pretty great year for games such as Street Fighter V, Uncharted 4, The Last Guardian, and many more. What do all of these have in common? They’re all PS4 exclusives. Sony has been on fire with their games division (One of the only parts of the company that’s actually profitable and good), and their recent showings at E3 2016 and PSX 2016 show that the company shows no signs of slowing down the hype train! Right now you can even get the 500GB Uncharted 4 Bundle for only $270 instead of $300 on Walmart’s website right now! So if you already have an Xbox One, it’s never been a better time to join the Playstation nation.

Gravity Falls Journal #3 Collectors Edition

While we had to say Goodbye to Gravity Falls as a TV series this year, that doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to gravity falls as a whole. While Disney did release a Journal #3 earlier this year back around Comic Con, they have decided to release a special collector’s edition of the item for hardcore fans. This new edition includes invisble blacklight ink, a monocle, and much more to give the book a more authentic feel than the current hardback version. Right now, it’s going for over $100 pre sale, but you can currently pre order it on amazon for only $90! If you’re a fan of Gravity Falls, you NEED this in your life.

Watch Dogs 2 (Xbox One)

The first Watch Dogs is pretty notorious by now. While the final product ended up being just an alright game, many people were disappointed by how limiting and underwhelming the full game actually was compared to its original E3 debut. A big graphical downgrade coupled with very limited hacking, and too serious of a story completely turned people off of the first game, leaving them with a very sour taste in their mouth. Not so much with Watch Dogs 2 though. The devs over at Ubisoft really took the criticism to heart, and in return, created a goofy, over the top, adventure where the only thing you can’t hack is the game itself. Watch Dogs 2 is a fine example of game devs listening to fan feedback in order to create a better product for both sides. The game is even going on sale for only $40 at Target on December 18th. So if you’re looking to catch up on any fall games you may have missed, Definitely take the offer, and hack into this deal.

The Nice Guys (Blu-Ray)

Let’s be real. 2016 was pretty bad for movies in general. Bad Summer blockbusters, boring Oscar noms, etc. The only real good movies this year have really been the animated movies, but that doesn’t mean all live action movies were bad. Enter The Nice Guys, a movie that’s a love letter to 70’s buddy cop films. Directed by Iron Man 3’s Shane Black, The Nice Guys stars Russel Crowe, Ryan Gossling, and is a smart, and clever take on the once popular genre. This has got to be one of the best overlooked movies this year. The crazy part is that you can get the Blu-Ray for only $13 at some stores! So if you’ve been burnt out by blockbusters like me this year and want something new, take this film for a spin.

Karson Braaten

Audible

Last year, I raved about Audible, and I’ll do it again this year. For me, audiobooks have essentially replaced reading books of the non comic book variety. At the very least I listen to a book on my commute to and from work (which totals 40 minutes/day). So multiply that by 20 days and you have 13 hours of reading/month! Get use to listening on the 1.5x setting to burn through even more books!

Some of my favourites this year include:

Off to be the Wizard by Scott Meyer, narrated by Luke Daniels
Replay by Ken Grimwood, narrated by William Dufris
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, narrated by Nick Podehl

ComiXology Unlimited

Think of ComiXology’s service as the Netflix for comic books. They have some great content available and starting to get into the production game. Take a look at the available titles and see if you’ll get your money’s ($5.99 a month) worth from it. If you like Image Comics this’ll be up your alley.

Raspberry Pi

I like retro (SNES era) video games, this will let me play them all! Well, hopefully. I’ll be using this kit and following the instructions from Lifehacker. Any suggestions, let me know!

Derek Kraneveldt

Playstation VR

Yeah, I’m a sucker for new stuff.

That said, I’ve been pretty enamoured with the Playstation VR (and VR in general) since the very first time that I put on one of the headsets. I don’t own a gaming PC, and likely never will, so the fact that I already have a PS4 sitting on my shelf makes biting the bullet for a PSVR a little easier.

The Playstation VR is by far the most comfortable VR headset that I’ve worn (which is fantastic as a glasses-wearer), and I’m enthralled by the promise of being able to play full titles like Resident Evil VII using the headset. PSVR already has so much more support coming down the pipeline than any of Sony’s previous peripherals, and with some of the slick games that have already been released (Arkham VR, Until Dawn, etc), it’s seriously hard not to just throw this on a credit card.

Apple AirPods

Again, I like new stuff.

I was looking forward to picking up a pair of Apple’s new, wireless AirPods at the end of October. The earphones weren’t quite ready for consumers at that point, and saw a delay that had them completely unavailable until earlier this week.

These things look slick as hell. Apple’s new W1 wireless chip ensures that there’s none of the annoying pairing-with-every-device-all-the-time annoyances of standard Bluetooth headsets, and the fact that there’s no wire connecting the left bud to the right is super cool.

You’ll get about five hours of battery life from the AirPods, and the clever little floss-sized carrying case will stop you from losing them, as well as give you another ~19 hours of charge. Damn.

More Philips Hue Stuff

This is a staple on my yearly wishlist. Philips Hue is a smart, heavily expandable lightbulb system that lets you set automation patterns for your lights, turn them on and off with your phone (or even Siri), and much, much more.

The Hue website will tell you all about the science of the colour of light and why it’s important, and as much as I love all of that stuff, Hue is just convenient as hell. When I leave the house, my lights turn off. When I come home, they turn back on. When my Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock app wakes me up in the morning, my lights simulate a sunrise. I sit down for a movie, and turn off or dim them via Control Centre on my phone, or just ask Siri to do it for me.

Also, using the slick Ambify app, you can have them pulse and change color to the beat of any music.

Really, I’m barely scratching the surface of what Philips Hue is capable of (just look at IFTTT), but I have been absolutely in love with these light bulbs for a year now, and would love to add more to my collection.

The Encyclopedia of Sports Entertainment

Last December my fiancé and I decided to give the award-winning WWE Network a try. “Just for a month,” we said. A year later we’re still hooked, have friends over for every PPV event, and the Network is probably the most-used streaming service of the several we’re currently paying for.

I watched professional wrestling briefly as a child, and now that I’m back, I’m very aware of the decades and decades of incredible characters, gripping storylines, and dearly missed superstars that the industry holds. I’d love to learn all about them, and the recently released Encyclopedia of Sports Entertainment seems like a great way to do so. The book contains “over 400 full-color pages and over 1,200 Superstar and event profiles. The WWE all-time roster in this book has been expanded to unprecedented proportions, and now features all your favorite heroes from the modern era.”

Sounds pretty awesome to me.

The Last Guardian: Collector’s Edition

I (well, more so everyone) has been waiting for this game forever (and ever). It needs no introduction, as we’ve been hearing people begging for it for the better part of ten years.

The Last Guardian finally released (to fairly divisive reviews) earlier this month, and I’m so excited to finally learn about Trico whenever I can get my hands on the title. I was just out of high school when The Last Guardian was first announced, and it’s hard to believe that all theses years later, it’s finally here.

The Collector’s Edition of the game includes a slew of extras, including a Premium statue, Premium Steelbook game case + Blu-ray game disc, 72-page art book, Digital sountrack (10 songs), Sticker sheet, Collector’s box. I’m in!

Alexandra Gallarza

Tile Slim Bluetooth Tracker

Have you ever lost your phone in your house? Or put your wallet somewhere? Or left your keys in an obscure place? There is a thing called a Tile . You attach it to your keys, your phone, slip it in your wallet and you can track your items. It’s a little thicker than a credit card so it’ll fit into your wallet perfectly. And it’s cheap!

Donations to the Sunshine Kids

Every year, or almost every year, I try to donate to a new charity that I’ve found. This year it’s the Sunshine Kids. The Sunshine kids was established in 1982 and the non-profit organization is dedicated to children with cancer. What makes them different from say Make-A-Wish? Once a sunshine kid, always a sunshine kid. So if you had cancer when you were 8 and are now 30? You’re still part of the organization. Based out of Texas, there are two chapters in Los Angeles and the kids are just full of life.

Copper Smartphone Projector

It’s a vintage inspired projector for your smartphone! Easy to assemble and easy to use, not only does it project against a wall, it also amplified the sound. Another ‘cheap’ item for Christmas courtesy of Urban Outfitters. I’m sure there are other places you can get smart phone projectors, but I’m a fan of vintage things.

Sphero Force Band

As someone who likes Star Wars ( I love it and I blame my mother) having the power to control a BB8 unit from my wrist is pretty damn cool. Having played with my light saber, pretending I was a young Jedi when I was well, young, having the power of the Force now, I think would be pretty awesome. Do I sound like a nerd yet? No. I could continue, but we don’t want to go there. Anyway – having this would be amazing.

Making of Books

I like knowing how things are made. I like knowing how a director figured out how they’re Oscar winning movie was going to be made. What processes they went through, how the script jumped off the page and onto my screen, what costumes were picked and how they were picked, things like that. I know the basics, but I like to see how other people do it. It could be for anything, movie, TV, theater – all of it interests me. I’m a nerd for that kind of thing. If I know how one piece of the puzzle works, then when I see the finished project, it’ll make more sense.

Adam Korenman

Bose QC 35

Due my work as a billionaire playboy philanthropist movie star (or something) I travel pretty regularly. In order to stay true to my roots, and to stay connected with the little people, I fly coach. As I’m sure you all know, flying coach is about the same as riding a Greyhound bus through a tire fire factory.

Fuel today is so prohibitively expensive, airlines have to cram in every last passenger in order to make any flight financially sustainable. They pack in people like insulation, shrink down the aisles to fit more seats, and remove anything but the bare minimum of amenities to keep us from—God forbid—consider taking a train instead.
And babies? I think they hand those out instead of headphones nowadays. It seems that every flight I’m on contains at least a bushel of newborns, still swaddled in hospital rags, screaming at the world for having the audacity to exist!

Enter the Bose QC 35. Bose has been the leader in noise-reduction/cancellation headphones for years now, and this current model only improves on the old formula. The over-the-ear design, combined with a plush leather cushion, effectively silences even the most egregious noises. Once you turn on the active cancellation tech, the world dissolves into a muted paradise, where you could vanish from the horrors of manned-flight into your escape of choice.

“But Adam,” you cry from your cramped middle seat. “Those cords are so invasive and tangly.”

First of all, how dare you speak to me when I’m in the middle of a rant? Secondly, the QC 35 is wireless. That’s right. They’ve done away with the most annoying part of the headphone.

Yes, this means you have to connect via Bluetooth, but the battery lasts 20 hours on a single charge. So even if you’re flying to Fiji, you’re covered.

And, as a final bonus, the headband is made of Alcantara. “What is Alcantara?” you ask while fumbling with your peasant food. Alcantara is the luxury material used by only the fanciest manufacturers of yachts and impractical automobiles. Why is that important?

Because if you’re dropping $300+ on headphones, you’d better be getting something worth bragging about.

Whiskey Making Kit

I’ve only recently started dabbling in home brewing for beer, and already I consider any other form of beverage unpalatable and plebian. How dare I sully my taste buds with anything so uncouth? Surely only the hand-crafted ales of a red-bearded god (me) should ever pass forth between my lips!

But beer is so carby, and living in California means I have to counter every intake of carbs with violent stretches of—shudder—exercise (because we’re all very vain here). So instead, I delight my senses with barrel-age, peat-soaked scotch.

Until recently, I’ve been forced to accept the substandard distillations of the aged families of the Highlands, Speysides, and Isles. Sure, they have hundreds of years of history making whiskey, and sure they are objectively the greatest distillers of our time, but certainly a 30-something millennial can figure out how to make the same amazing concoctions with nothing more than cheap wood and grain alcohol. Right?

Enter the Whiskey and Rum making kit. It’s pretty simple, really. You dump about 750ml of pure, unadulterated poison (grain alcohol) into a barrel made of cheap wood, drop in a powder of “flavors,” and wait a few weeks.

That’s got to be just as good as taking the time to culture a drum of 21-year-old nectar of the gods?

Serenity Film Scale Replica

Take my love, take my land. Take me where I cannot stand…

Firefly ran for just half a season more than a decade ago, and yet I can recall every detail of that show even now. Sure, that could be because I have a bimonthly marathon of every episode + Serenity (the fan-driven movie that changed an empire), but I choose to believe it is due to the enduring legacy of Joss Whedon’s greatest epic.

Like all Browncoats (a term us Firefly fans use lovingly), I am often depressed by the sheer lack of available tools for acting out my pages of fan-fiction. Season 8 is when things really heat up, when a pulsar launches Serenity into an alternate reality and Mal and the crew face off against Admiral Adama and the crew of the Battlestar Galactica!

But alas, in order to fully realize that dream, I was forced to use my poorly constructed cardboard version of the iconic ship. This often led to my characters (repurposed G.I. Joes, if you’re wondering) falling through the vessel enroute to places unknown.

No longer, with the new Film-Scale Artisan Replica from QMx. This faithful and gorgeous reproduction of the Firefly-class starship features an incredible amount of detail. It’s a steal at under $10,000, and who can put a price on being able to FINALLY film my award-winning short: Mal and the Anger Bunnies.

Marvel Groot Car Charger

Let’s all be honest for a minute. Let’s stop with the games and facades and let it all be real for just a moment.

LA traffic sucks donkey stones.

There. I said it. And you know what? There are few out there who would argue with me.

So how do you survive the literal HOURS you have to spend going from point A to point B in the godforsaken town?

Some people choose to text and drive, but that’s basically becoming Hitler on wheels if you ask me.
Others listen to books on tape. You know what, you might as well beat puppies with rolled up copies of Harry Potter for all the evil you’re bringing into the world.

For me, maintaining my sanity while living inside my gas-guzzling money pit only takes one thing: A Baby Groot Car Charger.

The best thing to happen to cinema since the first talkies has to the be the all-encompassing Mavel Cinematic Universe. And the best thing to come out of the MCU has to be Guardians of the Galaxy. And if we’re all gonna lay out some truth today, we can agree that the best part of GotG has been Groot. Given how amazing the teaser for Vol. 2 has been, I think we can safely assume Baby Groot will cure the misery that has been 2016.

So now you can have a tiny, plastic version of Planet Earth’s favorite sapling. And better yet? He’ll charge your useless electronics.

You’re welcome.

Longclaw

I don’t know about you, but I count Zombie Apocalypse (Zompocalypse) as one of my top 3 priorities for preparing for the future. If you’re dying to know, the other two are Robots Gain Sentience and Being Abducted by Sexy Aliens. No, building a dependable portfolio nor investing in land are not on the list.

When I think about the ways the eventual undead uprising could occur, I grow concerned that our (not-so-subtle) craving for the shambling dead may be for naught. Given how well the rest of this year has gone, it’s a safe bet we’re in for a Game of Thrones style army of the dead.

Since Bran the Builder has yet to seal off Canada with a great mountain of magical ice, I think we’re going to all need to get our hands on an authentic Valerian-steel sword, and I call dibs on Long Claw.

Made famous by the late Commander Mormont of the Night’s Watch, and then wielded by the perpetually ignorant Jon Snow, Long Claw is a song of metal and leather. It cuts through undead flesh like a…well, like a magic-infused sword through rotten flesh. If you’re up against White Walkers, Wights, or even White Supremacists*, then you can’t do better than Long Claw.

Then again, if we end up with a Dawn of the Dead (remake) style Zompocalypse, where the dead are Olympic-level sprinters, we’re all dead in five hours anyway.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

*Hey. Don’t be a dick and use this prop to hurt people. That would be a dick move. You dick.

Gary M. Kenny

Loot Crate Socks Subscription

Loot Crate Socks (lootwear): I have had a few of these subscriptions and as a man who wears a lot of suits (for work), these socks are amazing. They tend to use great quality fabric ranging from hiking to dress. All of Loot Crate’s socks are exclusive prints; check out their backlog, my legend of Zelda 8 bit socks are a hit when I show them off. Plus, as an “adult” with a wife and 2 kids, owning geeky socks lets me keep my fanboy membership. Just like most online subscriptions you can do yearly or 3-month or monthly. Their customer service is top notch as well, I received a hole in one of my socks, within a week I had a brand new pair, no questions asked. Loot Crate itself tends to have some quality boxes but I’m telling you for a cheap (depending on the plan), fun, stylish subscription- this is the one I recommend.

Triad Trike Bike

Triad Trike Bikes: Adult Big Wheels! I’ll repeat: Adult Big Wheels! They are almost custom made, with bullet proof – oath free wheels, oversized handle bars with lock grips, and a groovy color scheme. They cost a hefty price tag of over $300 but if you want to be king of school yard (as an adult), sometimes you have to shell out the green. They are built to drift and do they! Triad has put a few videos up of how they handle, you owe it to yourself to go on Amazon and watch. Even if outside activities aren’t your thing; acting crazy and drifting on an oversized trike should be tried at least once (especially if you missed out as a child). So, relive those Big Wheel glory days and buy a triad. These toys are a sure fire bet for fun.

Shane O’Hare

The 12 Bottle Bar: A Dozen Bottles.

I’ve always fancied myself a wannabe bartender, and the art of making cocktails has always interested me.

The inherent problem you run into when trying to start your own home bar, is the sheer amount of stuff you need to buy and stock to have a competent selection for your drinks. I’ve read plenty of bartending/home bar guides that say you need to shell out a lot of money to start. Then I came across the 12 Bottle Bar Book.

This book has over 200 recipes in it that only need access to 12 bottles in total. That includes stables like bitters and vermouth. This is a fantastic book for someone starting into their own home bar experience, and when you get down to it. Cocktail making is BASICALLY just alchemy, and we all need that level 1 tome to start our training.

Grado Labs DJ100 Cartrdige

Grado Labs is one of the most prestigious companies around when it comes to audio gear. They’ve been independently owned and operated for over 60 years, making top shelf headphones and cartridges (turntable needles) in Brooklyn. They are the epitome of the American dream, and their care for their product comes through.

When this article was originally a gift guide I was going to suggest their SR80e Headphones. Since this is all about me me me, I want to get a pair of their DJ needles!

Their DJ cartridges are designed to take a beating. They resist heavy tracking forces, have top notch channel isolation and incredible frequency responses. I’ve had an opportunity to hear their Prestige Series cartridges in person, and I was blown away.

They lay slightly on the pricey side, $100 a cartridge, but they have user replaceable styli and are sure to take a beating any DJ will throw at them.

ASUS ROG Radeon RX 480

I will admit it. I am an AMD fanboi. I will always have their CPU’s and GPU’s in my rig. My first gen R9 290X dual is starting to struggle a bit, so it might be time for an upgrade.

The RX 480 series is the latest and greatest from AMD, and delivers incredible performance for the dollar. Fully supports Direct X 12, so you know this card will be future proof for some time.

This particular pressing from ASUS and their Republic of Gamers line of products is fashionable to boot. Featuring full spectrum RGB lighting and intelligent cooling, this will look fantastic in any gaming case.

FiveFour Club subscription

FiveFour Club is probably one of my most favorite things I’ve discovered over the last few years. The one thing that us Geeks usually fall short on is fashion. Dressing well is something we kind of ignore, we’re way to busy being occupied with D&D campaigns, Kill-Death Ratios, Uber Micro, Sick Vids, collecting toys, gaming, Comic-Con, and finding that perfect raid group. So obviously when it comes to getting nice clothes and dressing like “ADULTS” (disregard the fact that I dress as Rarity from MLP at SDCC) falls to the wayside. Now, there isn’t anything inherently WRONG with those #lit graphic tees, but your sister in laws wedding ins’t the place to show off your Killing Joke shirt you got signed by Alan Moore in 2004.

FiveFour’s beauty is it’s simplicity. You fill out a style guide and every month a stylist will put together some clothing options for you. That’s it! They show up in your mailbox ready to wear. After having it for a few years, half my wardrobe is FiveFour. They run a tad SMALL. I have a big belly and big shoulders, so I have to size up a tad.

Physical Release from Dreamcatalogue

Vaporwave is a very divisive thing. People either are completely absorbed in the ａｅｓｔｈｅｔｉｃ, or hate it. I am in the former camp. I love everything about it. The music, the vibes, the essence, the art, the clothing, the anachronistic nature of it all. It’s something I extremely enjoy. Dreamcatalogue is my favorite record label publishing some incredible artists such as 2814, COCAINEJESUS, and telepath just to name a few. Dream is putting the time and effort in making incredible physical releases of music that tries to be a lowfi and retro as possible. The cassette tape releases are works of art and I would LOVE to get my hands on one eventually.

That’s it for us! What are you hoping to see this holiday season?

Geekscape Roundtable: Our 2015 Holiday Wishlists!

by GeekscapeStaffDecember 14, 2015

Here goes! Enjoy, and be sure to let us know what gifts you’re hoping for in the comments below!

Derek Kraneveldt

Philips Hue 2.0 Starter Kit

Now, I actually already have a Philips Hue setup, and it may just be the best thing that I’ve ever purchased. That said, Hue is heavily expandible, and the new 2.0 kit includes a refreshed Bridge that supports Apple’s HomeKit, meaning that, yes, you can control your lights with Siri.

Amazing.

Also, using the slick Ambify app, you can have them pulse and change color to the beat of any music.

Mega Yarn Yoshi Amiibo

If you’re a regular around these parts (or ever listen to Geekscape Games), you’ll know how much of an Amiibo fiend I am. Aside from the Animal Crossing series (I’ve never spent much time in the AC world, so they’re not that iconic to me), I have every Amiibo, first print, sealed in box.

Aside from the Animal Crossing lineup, and Mega Yarn Yoshi, I mean.

Look at this thing. It’s giant. It’s adorable (and comes from, in my words, the most adorable game that’s ever been made). It’s also $70 in Canada, and I just moved to the most expensive city in North America, so the one day that these things were available, it just wasn’t happening.

I’m settling for the minature versions right now, but I would certainly love to add this to my collection.

SAXX Underwear

Yeah, I’m just copying and pasting what I wrote about SAXX last year, but as the marketing states, it truly is ‘Life Changing Underwear’, and every man needs to get some.

Yes, this is a geek blog, and yes, I’m talking about underwear.

This shit is life changing. I never in my life thought that comfort and underwear could be synonymous, but then I discovered SAXX, and everything changed. Chafing? I don’t know the meaning of the word.

Yeah, some people have scoffed at me for spending $30+ on a single pair of underwear, but then, those people haven’t tried it. Plus, let’s switch gender roles and put it into perspective: women (clearly) require their support up top, and from what I’ve heard have no problem spending $30-$50 on a single brazier. Why is it then ridiculous to spend a similar (or smaller) amount on an undergarment designed specifically for areas where men need support.

Seriously, dudes. Buy one pair, then go broke on them, and you can thank me later.

iZombie Stuff

I don’t even care what it is.

I discovered this series just a few months ago, and absolutely fell in love with its world, its characters, and really everything else about it. iZombie has quickly skyrocketed to become my favourite currently-running television series, and as I absolutely can’t get enough of it, I was beyond excited when The CW extended its second season.

It even shoots in my city, which is clearly not Seattle. Nearly every day I have thoughts about leaving my boring desk job and trying to become a PA just so I can have an opportunity to help create some amazing television series like this one. I’ve just been too afraid to make that move thus far.

In any case, if you haven’t seen it, the first season is readily available on Netflix. Get on it.

Great… now the theme song is stuck in my head again.

Casper Sheets / Pillows

Looking back on my wishlist this year, I’ve gone decidedly less geeky than I have in the past.

Maybe I live in a small place and don’t have room for too many items to be on display (and I simply don’t love the cluttered look), or maybe I’ve been sleeping on a Casper mattress for the past few months and have never slept so well in my life.

Seriously, it’s too the point where I think ‘Do I really need to go and do that?’ if I’m going to be away from my mattress.

Mid-last month, Casper ‘scienced the shit’ out of sheets and pillows, and created a ‘responsive, dual-layer pillow adapts
to your movements through the night,’ and ‘soft, strong, breathable sheets are engineered with
one of the longest cotton fibers in the world.’

They’re definitely not cheap, but if it even approaches the quality of their incredible mattress, I can’t even begin to imagine the comfort that users are in for. While you may think that I’m just a Level-7 susceptible (woo Community reference), read this:

We designed our sheets to create the ideal microclimate around your body. To do so, we balanced thread quality, yarn construction, and weave for a cool, breathable sleep environment that’s so outrageously comfortable you won’t want to leave.

Yeah, it’s marketing, but the fact that these sheets are backed by the same incredible 100-night trial period means that they’re going to be freaking incredible. I really, really can’t wait to lay down on these (one day).

https://youtu.be/GRJN2uCWk9U

Honorable Mention: Unblock-Us, because I live in Canada and want HBO Now.

Daniel Campozano

Geek Clothing (That Fits)

Previously coming in at over 300 pounds made attaining pop culture gear pretty tough (among other things). Even if I ever did find a cool shirt in my size, I always had to pay extra which made the buying process emotionally and financially even worse. This past year I made big change in my life and have so far shed over a hundred pounds. The greatest side effect is now being able to fit into “regular” sizes and not get penalized for it. So what have I been asking for this Christmas? A bunch of Star Wars and Disney gear. Gotta love that synergy. Good thing the movie is coming out because there was a plethora of choices to be had. I’ve been to stores all over and I find that JC Penny has the most choices at a the best price.

Star Wars Battlefront Season Pass

Yes, I know the common complaints “the game isn’t worth the money” but damn it I’m having fun with the title, and that’s all that matters! What I really want from the season pass isn’t necessarily just the DLC but for it to make the game better. Like seriously, why even have the Bowcaster as a star card and not have Chewie! But iI digress. As a completionist I’m spending my nights completing tasks trying to fill up my diorama, and playing the battle of Jakku isn’t helping.

Add me on PSN: Bigyanks. I need more friends to try and complete the mission (and survival mode)!

I may have a Star Wars problem.

Adam Lemuz

Xenoblade Chronicles X

While Nintendo’s holiday line-up hasn’t been as strong this year as it often is, that doesn’t mean it’s been a complete failure for the big N. Enter Xenoblade Chronicles X; a spiritual sequel to 2010’s Xenoblade Chronicles for Wii, Xenoblade Chronicles X starts off with a literal bang so big that it causes the destruction of Earth as we know it. Just like its predecessor, the game implements a real time battle system with fully customizable moves to learn and master. Not to mention you get to fly around in giant mech like vehicles called Skells (which are also fully customizable.) If you’re a fan of JRPG’S and are a bit anxious for 2016’s Fire Emblem X Shin Megami Tensei crossover, this is the JRPG for you.

Ultimate Nintendo: Guide to the NES Library

Retro game collecting has become a very popular hobby for people in the last couple of years, more specifically NES collecting. Ultimate Nintendo: Guide to the NES Library hopes to help teach you about every game that came out for the NES along with its rarity and even hand written reviews for every game! Right now their Kickstarter has about 11 days remaining. While it will take until March 2016 for a physical version, you can easily back the project at $30 to obtain a digital version of the book that you’ll be able to access before the end of the year. If you’re a retro game collector or just a videogame/Nintendo fan in general, you should definitely consider backing this project.

Mega Ran: RNDM

Nerdcore is a thing that’s becoming more and more popular by the day. The idea of taking videogame songs and remixing them into something else has become somewhat of a phenomenon. One of the people leading this charge is Mega Ran. Former school teacher turned rapper, he’s been creating some of the catchiest nerdcore tunes since he arrived on the scene back in 2006 (almost 10 years ago!) One of his newest albums, RNDM, is a bit different though. Described as the album of his life, RNDM is a mix of hip hop, pop, electronica and funk/soul meet at the crossroads of introspective, hilarious and heartwarming songs featuring a variety of different artists. You can buy everything from a regular digital version of the soundtrack, to a physical version and even an NES cartridge (there’s some pretty cool ways to buy this soundtrack.) If you’re tired of the current selection of music out there, this is a great change of pace that you won’t be forgetting any time soon.

Jonathan London

Ant-Man on Blu-Ray

Ant-Man was not my top film of the year… but it was definitely my most re-watchable. Peyton Reed’s entry to the MCU feels as fresh and welcome as Guardians of the Galaxy did last year and included some of the biggest fanboy moments of any Marvel film to date. Scenes like Ant-Man meeting an Avenger for the first time and flashbacks to Hank Pym’s earlier heroics are big highlights, but overall the injection of straight comedy to the Marvel universe is a welcome addition. Scott’s return is probably what I”m looking forward to the most in next year’s Captain America: Civil War.

Punchline’s ‘Thrilled’

Yes. These are the boys who did the Geekscape theme song… and they’re still making kick ass songs 9 years later. This latest one sees them taking a bit of a turn and stretching their creative wings, as Steve and Chris add a bit more of an electronic dance sound to the classic Punchline melodies. Songs like ‘Thrilled’ and ‘Can’t Stop Us Now’ are as catchy and anthemic as this band has produced.

A photo posted by Punchline (@punchlion) on Dec 8, 2015 at 8:09am PST

Carl Ciarfalio’s ‘Stars, Stunts and Stories: A Hollywood Stuntman’s Fall to Fame’

As far as us geeks are concerned, actor and stuntman Carl Ciarfalio is still the best on-screen version of the Fantastic Four’s The Thing that has yet to appear this side of Yancy Street. But beyond that, this veteran of film’s like ‘The Dark Knight’ and ‘Drive’ has appeared in many of our favorite films (he doubled Kevin Smith’s Bluntman in ‘Mallrats’ (“fly, fat ass, fly!”) and got his face squashed in a vice in ‘Casino’)! Now he tells it all in his auto-biography. If you have any interest in behind the scenes Hollywood stories, Carl’s book is one of the best you will find!

Sean Neil’s ‘From Unknown’

This is my favorite album of the year, a mellow, acoustic laced, soul spilling journey from one of my favorite song writers. An artful celebration of distance, remembrances and long goodbyes, you can’t help but reflect while listening to it. Songs like ‘It’s a Shame’ put a bounce in your step even while filling your heart with melancholy. I can’t recommend it enough.

Jake Lopez

Halo: Shadow of Intent

Long before the 343 Industries took over the Halo franchise, the creative direction was heavily influenced by one man: Joseph Staten. Staten wrote the cinematic fro Halo’s 1-3, and Halo 3: ODST. Much of the magic that was there for me growing up with these titles was because of Staten. In fact, Staten was such an idol to me, I not-so-famously interviewed him as my first guest on camera during my first San Diego Comic Con.

Staten is a storyteller, and seeing his talents leave the franchise when 343i took over was difficult. Staten went on to work for Bungie for a time before parting with them. Since then, Staten has made his way back to Halo and his first installment into Halo lore comes in the form of the novella, Halo: Shadow of Intent. Fans of the franchise will immediately recognize the name to be that of flagship belonging to the Sangheili (Elite) Spec-Ops commander. The events of the novella will take place immediately following Halo 3.

Unfortunately, Staten isn’t “back.” It’s said that Staten still has “no official role with Halo.” Regardless, I’ll take what I can get. Halo: Shadow of Intent was released on December 7, 2015.

Starwhal

We all have those memories in college partying it up at a dorm, drinking until we pass out, and ordering pizza after 1 AM. Well, I did all that, just not in a conventional way. Many nights, friends and I would gather around a console and duke it out in fun arcade-like video games. One of the games we loved was Starwhal. At the time, the game was only available on Steam, but it has since jumped to multiple platforms including the Xbox One and Playstation 4.

Starwhal is a free for all in which the sole purpose is to be the last starwhal left. Players are eliminated overtime a horn is stabbed into your abdomen. The controls aren’t as sharp as you might think, since you’re occasionally floating in space and what not, and that makes it even more fun. It also helps that you can dress your starwhal up in over 90+ costumes, each paying homage to internet memes and science fiction. It’s an ultimate party game, something that is seriously lacking in this era of online-only titles.

Starwhal is available now!

Natalie Kipper

Blu-Ray of Persona 3 the Movie #Falling Down [Jika-Net Tanaka edition]

Yes, this set is pricy as butts (¥10,800? Ouch!) but given all the goodies it comes with, I think it is perfectly fair. Plus, it the only way to get that adorable Koromaru plush, which I need in my life. The other Persona 3 movies blew me away and I am dying to see the final one. I still can’t believe the second one ended on such a cliff-hanger.

Peace on Earth

Seriously, what the hell, humanity? I know we as a species can do better than this.

Creamy White Cat from Hasbro’s Joy For All Companion Pet Line

The technology for this “toy” is definitely impressive. After losing my cat of 18 years a few months ago, I think I might find interacting with this robotic kitty soothing. I am curious about the whole “VibraPurr” thing, too.

Hyrule Warriors: Legends for the Nintendo 3DS

Having never played the original, I was already interested in this game as a chance to play it in a portable format with extra content. But after the last Nintendo Direct, Hyrule Warriors: Legends has hit the one of top spots on my list for Holiday game releases.

Vampire Hunter D Volume 2: Raiser of Gales [Kindle Edition]

I have read many of Hideyuki Kikuchi’s Vampire Hunter D novels but Raiser of Gales is far and away my favorite. My paperback copy is in an awfully banged-up shape from so many re-readings. I would love to own the Kindle version so I could take it with me on trips without fear of pages falling out (I told you it was in bad shape).

Josh Jackson

Yu-Gi-Oh: Yugi’s Legendary Decks

From a competitive standpoint, the cards in this three deck set are either long outdated, or have been banned many cycles ago. When it comes to nostalgia however, there’s not a better set to buy for a would-be duelist. Containing over 100 cards, this set comes with three different decks modeled after Yugi’s cards that he used throughout the classic show, including Ultra Rare versions of all five Exodia pieces, the Silent Magician set, the Egyptian God Cards and for the first time in the United States, the Dark Magician with Arkana’s red artwork. To top it off, a few new cards supporting the Spellcaster monster class and promo cards designed after some of the more iconic cards from the Duelist Kingdom series will give old and new fans something to look forward to. This set retails for $29.99.

Yu-Gi-Oh 2015 Holiday Tins

If you’re looking for something more modern, you can never go wrong with Konami’s annual holiday tins. At $29.99 each, each tin comes with their own set of guaranteed, sought after cards, including Odd Eyes Pendulum Dragon and Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon. In addition, each set includes three 16 card Mega Packs, each of which has one of every rarity type taken from every set released this year. So if you’re looking for those hard to find Shaddolls, Yang Zings, Performages, or anything else in between, this is a great place to start.

Disney Infinity 3.0 Star Wars: The Force Awakens Play Set

Disney Infinity fans, the wait is almost over! On December 18, the first video game version of The Force Awakens will release when the Play Set based on the movie is released. Including Finn and Rey, Kylo Ren and Poe Dameron will be sold separately on launch day. Much like the film itself, we know next to nothing about the contents of the set, but we’re excited to find out when Friday rolls around. Oh, and if light up lightsabers are your thing, you might want to check out the recently released Light FX figures while you’re there!

Seagate Xbox Game Drive

With all of those holiday games that you’ve picked up for ~~yourselves,~~ your friends, it might be time to think about expanding your hard drive space, especially considering how everything needs 50 GBs worth of installs and updates at this point. Seagate is making it easy for console gamers to set this up with their Xbox Game Drive. Retailing at $99.99, this 2 TB portable drive can technically work with anything that supports external hard drives, but with its Xbox Green design, why would you want to use it on anything else but your Xbox One? Using a single USB 3.0 cord, expanding your data is as easy as plugging the drive in. Considering that you don’t have to replace your 500 GB minimum internal drive to use it either, you’ll be able to game without having to delete anything for a long time.

Plantronics RIG Headset With Mixer

One of the aspects of the current generation of gaming that confused the hell out of me was audio mixing while game chatting. Thankfully, Plantronics’ latest headset makes this transition much easier. With multiple models that come with different colors and adapters for Xbox One, Playstation 4 and everything in between, you’ll be able to filter the game audio and voice chat with the flick of a switch. Oh, and it helps that the soft ear cups make it one of the most comfortable headsets I’ve ever worn. It might set you back a bit with its $119.99 price tag, but if you’re serious about competitive play, or just want a convenient way to communicate while you game, you can’t go wrong with the RIG.

Nepgear 1/8 Scale Figure and Kat PVC Statue

When you can’t choose which waifu you want under your tree, why not get them all?

First, this Nepgear 1/8 Scale Figure displays Neptune’s techy sister in all her glory. Fans of Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2 know why the CPU Candidate’s struggle to rescue the elder goddesses makes her worthy of her spotlight, which is why this statue is a perfect way to display your appreciation for her worthiness as a main character. Yeah, I said it.

And just in time for the remaster of Gravity Rush, Kat is back with her own PVC statue, showing off her gravity manipulation skills. With Dusty at her side, all those Vita fans out there now have something to display in honor of what I feel is the best exclusive on the often forgotten handheld. With a second one on the way, it’s good to see the gravity queen getting the appreciation she deserves.

Shane O’Hare

Every year Christmas comes and Christmas goes, and I am constantly asked what I want for Christmas. It’s always a hard thing for me to decide, as I am always very grateful for the things I have already, and the people in my life. BUT if Santa is done being busy conquering the martians and wants to bestow upon me lavish gifts then it would have to go a little something like this.

Duck Sauce Traktor Control Vinyl

Last year I wanted the Native Instruments Z2 mixer. Still haven’t picked it up, but I still use my digital vinyl control when I DJ. It’s special vinyl that sends a signal to the computer so you can manipulate the MP3s in your DJ software. Whenever you see a DJ with a laptop and two turntables, they’re 99% of the time using a type of Control Vinyl.

The market for custom Traktor vinyl is very small compared to their main competitor, Serato. So whenever a unique piece of wax comes out I am always interested.

The Duck Sauce Control Vinyl has Duck Sauce’s single Radio Stereo on one side, and the control tone for Traktor on the other. I like this particular record because of its color. It matches my DJ LOGO!

Corsair RM1000X Power Supply

If you are ever considering building your own custom gaming PC one thing you should NEVER skimp on is the power supply. A cheap power supply can potentially damage or destroy your precious components. It’s also a good idea to future proof your PSU, so that if you ever upgrade your rig you won’t have to complete disassemble and rewire the whole damn thing. I’ve had my 750W Corsair for YEARS and it has moved from a few builds. But now, it’s starting to hit the limit of its power output, and the stuff I am tossing at it is taxing it.

The RM1000X is a fantastic 1000W power supply from Corsair. One of my favorite companies. The best thing about this is that it’s modular! That means you can plug in the exact amount of leads required for your rig, and not have a big bulky mess messing up air flow!

Seriously kids. Get a modular PSU. You’ll thank me.

We Love Fine Chibi My Little Pony Vinyls

I’m a Brony. I’m THE Brony. I love almost everything about the show and the fandom. I love the toys, and these Chibi vinyls from We Love Fine are totes adorbs. A lot of the time, “Chibi-ized” toys tend to look goofy, but these are amazing. The cute little feets! AHHHH!

Constantine Zippo Lighter Movie Sized

I am a huge fan of the Constantine movie, as well as the TV Show (rest in peace). One thing from the movie that stood out was John’s big ass, engraved Zippo. There are a few replicas out there on the market, but they are your standard Zippo size. This one is jumbo!

Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon

If you’re a windows fan, and want a Macbook killer then look no further. Lenovo Thinkpads are my go to for laptops. Their magnesium chassis, and hardware level Hard Disk protection make them durable as fuck. You could frisbee disk one of these mothers across the room and it would probably do more damage to the wall.

Super thin, powerful and with a reserved look, I want one of these badly. It would be perfect for DJing.

Matthew Rodriguez

Yo-Kai Watch for the Nintendo 3DS

Yo-Kai Watch is one of the leading games in Japan, even rivaling Pokemon! As a huge Pokemon fan myself, I’ve been looking to try this game out myself, just to see what all of the hubbub is all about. It’s been getting rave reviews all around (including Geekscape), so I think it’s safe to say that it would be a great purchase!

Apple TV 4th generation

Ha! I thought I could provide an Amazon link to the Apple TV 4th gen, however recent controversies got it pulled on the shop.

However, I’m looking forward to seeing all that Apple is bringing to the table in terms of both video streaming and gaming! I haven’t yet owned an Apple TV in my lifetime, but with Apple’s ‘Metal’ technology (Metal is a graphics standard similar to openGL and DirectX), I’d rather be at the forefront of this new tech. Oh, and it would probably help that I own multiple Apple devices to interact with it, as well.

Skylanders Eon’s Elite figurines (Slam Bam, Voodood, and Zook)

I apologize once again for not being able to locate a suitable shopping link. Skylander’s Eon’s Elite are “superior” versions of the original Skylanders, and are all GameStop exclusive. So far, I’ve managed to nab the original eight, however there are three more coming out that I want to get my hands on—Elite Slam Bam, Elite Voodood, Elite Zook. I’ve been obsessed with these since I had learned that they’re even better than their legendary counterparts, and still playing through Skylanders Superchargers with my wife. They will be excellent additions to my little toy army!

Eric Francisco

To be honest I’ve given up having any kind of material wishlist. Besides the fact that I’m spending the holidays on vacation and putting all my money towards that, I’m just not feeling an itch for a must-have this year. I’m an adult! But if I did, it’d probably be…

PlayStation 4 Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection Bundle

I totally missed out on having a PlayStation 3 so I’ve never played any of the Unchartered games! So a remastered bundle on a cheaper PlayStation 4 sounds like a win to me. I’m happy with my Xbox One but there are a ton of Sony-exclusive games I want to get my hands on. And I almost did, until Rocket League was announced for the Xbox One.

S.H. Figuarts G-Stag and Reddle

I’m an avid collector of Bandai’s premium S.H. Figuarts and I seriously want to complete by B-Fighter collection with G-Stag and Reddle. You might recognize these guys: They’re the Big Bad Beetleborgs!

Legacy Blade Blaster

Bandai quietly released the collector’s version of the iconic Blade Blaster from Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. It’s a must have for me, especially since I’m building towards my legit Red Ranger cosplay. I’m gonna rock Halloween so much.

Juan Carlos Marquez

Gift Certificate for Outer Limits in Long Beach, CA

I love tattoos. Always have. Now, I’m not talking about those cruddy tattoos people give their friends in a garage on a Saturday night in exchange for a six-pack of beer; I am talking about quality work from talented artists, and Outer Limits in Long Beach, CA has them in spades.

Three years ago at Outer Limits, I received the best tattoo to date–a full-color stained glass Legend of Zelda tattoo which covers my entire inner left bicep. It took 9 hours to complete–but dear Lord–was it worth it! I am still absolutely in love with it; the colors are bright and the line work is crisp and clean.Now I have the itch to make it a traditional half sleeve Zelda tattoo, and nothing would make me happier than to have the people at Outer Limits make that happen.

Power-Up Heart Pint Glass 4-Pack

If my 30+ years of gaming have taught me anything, it’s that exploring enemy-infested dungeons can make a man quite parched. What better way to quench a hero’s thirst than by drinking one’s cold beverage of choice out one one of these bad boys! When the pint is full, the three hearts turn red. As one drinks, the hearts deplete, promptly alerting anyone in view that you are in need of a refill. Hey, you could just ask for another Perrier (or beer), but you’re saving a kingdom, damn it. The least the town folk could do is keep your thirst at bay. Cheers to you, hero!

Big Trouble in Little China — Fu Manchu Muscle Shirt

Do I really need to explain this to anyone? It’s Jack Burton’s shirt! Forget about wearing this at the gym; I’d wear this thing to weddings! Laugh now, but when ancient sorcerers kidnap your green-eyed girlfriend and need back up to fight elemental kung fu masters, you’ll be thankful your buddy JC is already dressed for battle.

Mary Campos

Owen – Hart of Gold DVD/Blu-Ray

I always feel that Owen Hart was totally overlooked, and his death was totally senseless and tragic. I’m really excited that the WWE is finally releasing a DVD with footage, and interviews of Owen.

I’d probably spend the day watching this with my grandma. Don’t laugh. She’s the reason I pay for the WWE network.

Lego Dimensions

I am so head over heels in love with the Lego series of games. Maybe it’s just the fact that whenever I am stuck in the game I can usually smash something until I figure out what to do next. But I’m sure I’d lose lots of time, and money on this as its Lego’s answer to the Amiibo, Skylanders craze.

Star Wars Ice Cream

I want this. The price tag is a little hefty for my liking. $36.00 for 4 pints of ice cream? But by the same logic, I’ve paid $9.00 a pint for beer, so why am I complaining? This Ample Hills Creamery limited edition features collectable containers, and two pints of the Light Side flavor, and the Dark Side Flavor.

Death Wish Coffee

I love coffee, I really really do. So the Death Wish coffee, which claims to have “double the caffeine of an average cup”, sounds like a fantastic idea for the caffeine fiend in your life. Because we can all use a little more pep in our step during the holidays right?

Jeff Potter’s Cooking for Geeks

We all have to eat…but some of us are better at making food ourselves. But this book combines science and tech and brings them into the kitchen. I’m not usually a fan of cookbooks, since every recipe is on the Internet, but this one peaked my interest. There aren’t very many cookbooks that explain the science of smells, and tells you the science behind making a 500-pound doughnut. Not that I would ever attempt that. Ha, no I probably would attempt it.

Philip Dobson

Leviathan Wakes

I’m calling out the first book in the Expanse series because the SyFy show of the same name just launched, and this is really such a great series. It’s not going to open your mind up to new ways of thinking, but it’s a hell of a fun ride while you’re reading it. The first book, Leviathan awakes is wonderful introduction into this universe. There are some really wonderfully creepy sections in this book that may make the hair on the back of your neck. I don’t know how well the TV show will turn out, but the books are fantastic.

Future Shock! The Story Of 2000 AD

The documentary about one of the best episodic compilation comic books in history. Great titles like Judge Dredd and the Nemesis came from these pages. So much of the sci fi to come out of the UK has it’s roots in 2000 A.D. I should mention that there’s a drop of nepotism on this one. Our own Helen Mullane worked on this one in between her career as all around awesome geek, and dog sledder. Watch the trailer and tell me you aren’t compelled to go and get this right now.

It’s not available in North America, but after a limited theater run it’s made it’s way to Amazon.co.uk. You can find it here

Nexus 6P

I work in Telecom, I see phones come and go. Apple is of course the staple, they’ll put out a solid product all the time, everytime, but some are better than others. You know what you’re getting up front, what I look for though, is something a little more of the road less traveled. Most people know about the pure Android Nexus 5, it was a solid piece of hardware that cost around $300. The lastest Nexus devices, the 6P and the 5X are really where my heart is though. The price has jumped quite a bit, but the 6P is absolutely the best Android device on the market, and the 5X does a solid job of giving a good alternative to the 6P with a lower price tag. If you want to get slightly better value you can try the Moto Style, but it’s not pure Android, and that may be a slight turn off for you.

Hubsan X4 H107 R/C Micro Quad Copter

The market is being flooded with drones lately. There are a sea of cheap drones that I wouldn’t put a great deal of stock in, but if you want something cheap that works fairly well check out the Hobson 4X in any of it’s iterations. The non camera version is extremely inexpensive for what it is, and it’s fairly easy to control considering the price point. This one goes for only $40.

Karson Braaten

Audible Membership

Audiobooks have almost completely replaced reading for me and Audible is the best source for them. If you love books but never find the time to read, try listening to one. At the very least I listen to a book on my commute to and from work (which totals 40 minutes/day). So multiply that by 20 days and you have 13 hours of reading/month! Get use to listening on the 1.5x setting to burn through even more books!

Some of my favourites include:

The Graveyard Book – written and narrated by Neil Gaiman (and anything else narrated by Neil Gaiman!)

The Martian – written by Andy Weir and narrated by R. C. Bray

Ready Player One – written by Ernest Cline and narrated by Wil Wheaton

… Oh, and they recently released all the Harry Potter books narrated by JIM DALE!

Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones

One downside of listening to books (or podcasts) on headphones is it is easily interrupted by external noise. While walking passing vehicles can easily drown out the narrator. This beautiful headset will fix that issue. They’ll also come in handy for watching movies on my laptop while my girlfriend is doing something else on the television. Movies are much more immersive with headphones! Sure, this expensive set might be overkill but hey, it’s Christmas!

The Collected Works of Hayao Miyazaki

Just in case, Jonathan forgot to put this on his list, Santa can bring me his copy!

Gabriel von Grünbaum

Recommended: Smile.Amazon.com

Like a lot of people I do a large percentage of my shopping on Amazon these days. It’s really hard to beat the convenience of having things just show up at my door—and with Prime, it’s even faster. I remember the first time a friend was telling me how great Prime was back in the day. The pitch was just about the 2-Day Shipping back then. Now there’s the movies, shows, music and more—but honestly it’s still about the shipping for me and I love it. The other reason I like to do all the shopping I can through Amazon is Smile. You select the charity that’s most important to you and, with Amazon Smile, a small percentage of the purchase price you pay goes to that charity! I chose Lupus LA and I feel great that every comic book, video game, movie and spice rack I purchase is helping them fund research and raise awareness. It doesn’t cost you a dime, whether or not you’re a part of Prime, and it’s easy to set up. It even offsets the guilt I feel when I buy something like I, Frankenstein 3D only to realize it’s a horrid movie—at least I did a little good with that waste of money! Just remember it doesn’t work through the apps or anything; you have log into smile.amazon.com in a browser to make your purchase count (a catch I wish they’d correct).

Recommended: Amazon Echo

Holy crow! I have artificial intelligence in my home and I think I’m falling in love with it. Have you guys seen Her?—I’m connecting with that film on a whole other level now. The intelligence built into the Echo speaker is named Alexa and once I call out to her I can ask her to do a whole slew of things—with new functionalities being developed and added all the time. “Alexa, shuffle my Danny Elfman playlist.” Bam!—Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice bounce through the air. “Alexa, add vitamin C to shopping list.” Bam! “Alexa, what’s on my calendar for today?” Bam! “Alexa, did the Seahawks win?” Bam!—she gives me the score of the latest game and when they’ll be playing next. “Alexa, Wikipedia vampires.” Bam! “Alexa, tell me the news.” Bam! “Alexa, who stars in The Martian?” Bam! “Alexa, tell me a joke.” Bam!—(Where do you take a sick boat? To the doc[k].) Ha! She endears me when she starts getting cute about things like when I say, “Alexa, good night,” and she’ll reply with, “Good night—don’t let the bedbugs bite.” I’m in love. It doesn’t stop there; like I said, they’re developing new capability for her all the time. She can connect with home automation systems like Philips Hue and WeMo to start controlling connected devices and appliances with your voice! Like freakin’ Star Trek or something! I had to test this out, so I picked up. . .

Pronounced “Life-X” when speaking with Alexa, this light is amaze-bulbs! (Waka-waka!) The range of colors you can achieve is everything you’d hope for and then some. The brightness beats the other regular LED bulbs I have. Like Amazon Echo, LIFX is still adding new features and capabilities to the WiFi bulb that can connect to home automation systems, Echo and can also be controlled through the LIFX app on your phone. I can turn on the light at home from anywhere in the world I have a data connection. At home, I can ask Alexa to turn it on or off, change color and adjust brightness. Some of the current capabilities include being able to program it to change colors, turn on or off—even with a slow fade—at a given time or circumstance. It can flicker like candle/fire light and that programmable fade can be great as an “alarm light” to gently wake you in the morning! Can’t wait to see what new features they’ll be adding next. I’ll absolutely be getting more of these bulbs and networking them together.

Recommended: Google Cardboard

Google Cardboard has been around for a while already. Until recently, I hadn’t really paid much attention to it at all—seemed like some gimmicky thing you could do with your phone. Whoa, yeah, I came to discover it’s a bit more than that. Cardboard is an accessible, practically free, introduction into some of the latest virtual reality as it’s being developed. This is not the culmination of VR and all it promises—this is a chance for you to start experiencing it in its infancy—to get a taste of everything that’s about to come and realize that in no time this will be how we get all our entertainment and information. One of the first things I did was to VR my way around Google Earth and dive down into where I live. Then I started downloading games and little mini interactive shorts. There’s concerts to explore on stage too and so much more. With both creatives and business flocking to develop and shape the future of virtual reality, there promises to be fresh new experiences coming out at a brisk clip!

My Wishlist: Nomiku Sous Vide Immersion Circulator

Have you eaten anything cooked sous vide yet? No? Are you ready to feel like a fancy motherf***er? Are ready to feel like you’re actually eating food for the first time? Then it’s time for you to turn cooking into science! It’s hard to adequately describe the results but. . . Imagine your favorite bite of the best beef/chicken/fish you’ve had. Now imagine that every bite of it on your plate tasted like that best bite—but better—cooked exactly the way you like it, evenly, end to end. Nothing gets burned, overcooked or dry; and with every bite, an angel gets its wings. That almost succeeds in describing what you can do with sous vide cooking. The first time I had it, a friend had snuck me into an exclusive New York dining club in Manhattan and brought me a personal favorite dish, the Cobb Salad. I was lamenting that it was made with chicken breast because so rarely does anyone cook it properly; often the white meat is too dry or rubbery. The salad was all fancified as a glorified lettuce wedge with all the Cobb-ery draped over it, including the sexiest looking chicken breast I’d ever seen. I was blown away and it was the first time I started handing out angel wings. The next time was in Seattle at the home of some fancypants friends who are well-traveled trendsetters. They had prepared a selection of vegetables and various cuts of steaks that they then seared the edges of with a torch! So many angels got their wings that day. They had spent thousands of dollars getting their sous vide setup together and I haven’t been ready to make that sort of commitment. Well, thanks to Nomiku, none of us have to break the bank to eat like the gods of Olympus! The Nomiku Sous Vide Immersion Circulator is affordable and extremely adaptable. Could I get a bucket and cook the fanciest and most divine Thanksgiving turkey ever in it?! I think I may be testing that out next year.

My Wishlist: Philips Fidelio B5

Once upon a time, I lived out in the country where I could blast music and movies to my heart’s content without bothering the neighbors. City living changed all that. So, when considering a surround sound setup for my entertainment center, most offerings were just overkill on sonic power I’d never get to take advantage of anyway—additionally, finding a way to gracefully get those speaker wires around the room to the rear speakers never worked out as well as I’d like. I gave up years ago and settled for a nice Sony soundbar that’s been providing decent sound for my television ever since. However, I still greatly miss the experience I’d get with surround sound at home. Now it looks like someone finally heard my very specific prayers for completing my entertainment needs once and for all with the Philips Fidelio B5 Soundbar—with detachable wireless speakers that automatically adjust themselves when placed behind you to give you surround sound! Why has no one else done this yet? Seriously, look around—I have—this is literally the only product that’s doing this. It’s like some amazing dream come true—I hope. Someone still has to make my holiday wish come true so I can start using this at home and make sure. (Hint, hint.)

More from My Wishlist: Sphero’s BB-8 looks like the new droid from Star Wars: The Force Awakens that fits in your hand. Through the app on your phone, you can control him, set tasks and activities, hear his boops and beeps and even set up augmented reality “holographic projections” viewable on your phone’s screen using its camera pointed at BB-8. Personally, this exactly the sort of thing I would love forever but honestly only use for the first week or so—after which, it would likely be coming out to play only when I had guests to impress. . . with my geeky toy. One day soon, I’m going to get a Raspberry Pi 2 and take over the freaking world! (This will also require me becoming somewhat more independently wealthy so that I’ll have the time to learn all of the amazing things that this little beast is capable of—like: creating my own home automation servers, constructing my own customized gaming and entertainment center and building my AI robot army to protect me during the coming Zombie Apocalypse.) I think that the Pebble Time Steel might finally put my ol’ Casio calculator watch to rest at last. Ever monkeyed around with 3D modeling or animation and wished you could get it to look like it does in Hollywood movies? Wonder no more! Remarkably, Pixar is offering their RenderMan software FREE!—for non-commercial use (meaning evaluation, educational or personal use). So as long as, scouts’ honor, you’re not making money/profit off of using the software, have at it for free! (Some of you are literally freaking out right now while others are shrugging with indifference—such is life.) The reality of Los Angeles is that you’re living in a desert and when those Santa Ana winds start blowing it gets extra dry—I’ve gone through a few humidifiers. However, I may have just discovered the last one I’ll need when I found the Dyson Humidifier. I’m already a fan of their. . . fans—I own a tall one and a smaller heater one—and the famous vacuum cleaner. This new humidifier cleans the water with ultraviolet light before filling your home with the welcome vapors to combat arid climates. Humid, ultraviolet and Dyson are really the only three words I needed to hear—I’m on board! I was going to close out with a wish for this awesome self-tracking drone that basically follows you taking video—like your own aerial cameraman—but apparently the company making the ZANO just collapsed after raising over $3 million on Kickstarter! Like it literally fell apart just days ago. So I’ll close with a long shot wish: Dear other English blokes, please don’t sod off to get stupid pissed like those ZANO wankers before sending me a Hoverbike! Pip pip, off you pop. Cheerio!

What are you hoping for this holiday season? Sound out in the comments below!

Geekscape Roundtable: Our 2014 Holiday Wishlist!

by GeekscapeStaffDecember 12, 2014

The holiday season is here yet again (wasn’t it just December 2013?), and regardless of the exact holiday that you plan on celebrating this year, we know that you’re just in it for the presents (well, and the family/friends, and the food, and some other things too, but mostly the presents).

Here goes! Enjoy, and be sure to let us know what gifts you’re hoping for in the comments below!

Jonathan London

‘King Dork Approximately’ by Frank Portman

This is a follow up to ‘King Dork’, the 2006 YA book that was recognized as one of the Best Books for Young Adults in 2007 and was optioned by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay as a film that same year (the movie has yet to happen but I’m hoping)! The original book followed high school outcast Tom Henderson as he defends against the slings and arrows of sophomore year while investigating his father’s death, trying to identify a girl he made out with at a party and start a rock band… but the fun plot wasn’t the highlight of the book. It was Portman’s colorful and wry writing style that was as fun to read as his own rock band The Mr. T Experience is to listen to. This year’s ‘King Dork Approximately’ promises more of the awesome same, as Tom navigates the 10th grade. You don’t have to be a big Young Adult reader to enjoy this book, as the original ‘King Dork’ was my first since grade school, but this would probably make the most sense for any high-schoolers in your life.

Princess Mononoke, The Wind Rises and Kiki’s Delivery Service Blu-Ray+DVD

We love Hayao Miyazaki here at Geekscape. In fact, we worship him. So why not help spread the Studio Ghibli gospel with some of his best works from the past 25 years? ‘Princess Mononoke’ is arguably his best film and is presented here on a brand new Blu-Ray+DVD treatment with both the English and Japanese audio and original storyboards. It’s the perfect movie for anyone between 15 and 45 who appreciates incredible storytelling. If you’re looking for a gift that skews a little younger, Miyazaki’s classic ‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’ also received the gorgeous 1080 HD treatment. This one is a classic and also includes a French audio track. And finally, older audiences will probably appreciate the recent Miyazaki film ‘The Wind Rises’, which was a 2013 Oscar nominee for Best Animated Feature Film. The movie is a historical romantic drama centered around the designing of Japanese airplanes, so even though it’s not the most commercial of Studio Ghibli’s films, the filmmaking on display is Miyazaki at the top of his game. I can’t recommend all three of these films enough and Disney, Touchstone and Studio Ghibli really went out of their way to bring audiences the best presentations possible.

Shane O’Hare

Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol Z2

Much like last year, I want more DJ gear! The Traktor Kontrol Z2 is an independent 2 Channel DJ mixer. The best part is that it reads Traktor’s special timecode vinyl records! The way it works, is the records when played normally, emit this constant high pitched tone. When the software reads that tone, it translate it into software manipulation. So if you scratch the record, the MP3 file will scratch. This mixer is exactly what I want to go with my two new (to me) Technic 1200 turntables.

WeLoveFine Night Mare Vinyl

The folks at We Love Fine make some of, if not THE, best My Little Pony figures. They’ve been able to take the very unique shape of the characters, and translate it to a 3D space. If you’ve seen some of the disastrous toys from Hasbro like most Brony’s have, then you’ll understand. This Nightmare Moon vinyl is so freaking awesome, and I want it so desperately to sit next my other We Love Fine figs.

ShapeWays Mane 6 #3

To stay on the MLP hype train is this awesome 3D printed toy from shapeways. Very recently Hasbro decided to NOT sue the crowd sourced 3D printing company, and rather join forces! AND THANK GOD, because we would have to be out some of the incredible fan created 3D toys. This Rarity fig is of the Diva herself enjoying a good cry on her Chaise lounge.

Rocketeer Adventures Volume 1 Hardcover and Rocketeer Adventures Volume 2 Hardcover

It’s no secret that I am a gigantic fan of The Rocketeer. IDW has been putting out some incredible Rocketeer books these last few years. They are really doing the original comics justice. I am absolutely craving these two issues in Hard Back to go on my shelf of Amazing Rocekteer Things. Full disclosure, I have all the single issues, I just want dat hard cover binding.

Eric Francisco

Legacy Dragon Dagger

In the never-ending celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Power Rangers, Bandai America has released the most iconic weapon of the equally iconic Green Ranger in a 1:1 scale complete with the epic summon tunes of the Dragonzord. You or your loved one can finally complete that Green Ranger cosplay with a more size-appropriate side-arm, and not a puny children’s toy. Never mind that, yeah, this is still a toy. BUT STILL! I can’t wait to put this on my shelf.

“Yes Please” by Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler’s new book isn’t quite an autobiography, a memoir, or a self-help book. Rather, it’s basically all of that! The nice lady who rose the ranks of the Upright Citizens Brigade to Saturday Night Live and starred in the soon-to-be fabled Parks & Recreation tells the stories and challenges that defined her and gives advice that can inspire anyone, women, men, and anyone in between. Future generations will hate that they missed her. In a world where people brag about carrying guns, I want to brag about carrying this.

Batman: The Complete Television Series (Blu-Ray)

You either die a hero or you live long enough to make people realize just how much you rocked. Thing is, I really DID love this show with no irony whatsoever! Batman is cool when he’s gritty, but AWESOME when he’s hamming it up. This complete Blu-ray set not only has the expected remastering of picture and sound, but it contains 3 HOURS of bonus features and a handful of collectible items, including a Hot Wheels replica Batmobile! Gotham on FOX and the upcoming Zack Snyder films will ensure Batman will be dark for years to come, but you and the Bat-fanatic in your life can relive a time when having fun wasn’t looked down upon. Also, if I get this, I am immediately watching The Green Hornet crossover episodes!

“Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle That Defined a Generation” by Blake J. Harris

If anyone considers themselves a “gamer” or a “’90s kid” or whatever buzz-word people need to identify themselves, indulge them with author Blake Harris’ excellent, must-have chronicle of the late ’80s-early ’90s corporate war that took place in our living rooms. I was barely seven when I played on the SNES and Sega Gensis, and reading this book instantly took me back to those golden early years. A documentary is in post-production and Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg are working on a feature film adaptation. Should any of those movies live up to the book, they will go down as a classic in their own right. Think “The Social Network,” but with Sonic and Mario.

Broadcast News (Criterion Collection) (Blu-Ray)

Having watched this movie several times while at Rutgers, I can’t help but need it in its definitive form. This incredibly funny and still-relevant 1987 comedy classic from James Brooks is not only a sentimental reminder of my undergrad years, but as a textbook to study from. How can I make a smart, funny, and important movie people will remember in the years to come? I’ll find out in this high-def Criterion Collection release, which contains new audio commentary from director James Brooks, a new documentary, deleted scenes with Brooks on commentary, an interview with CBS veteran Susan Zirinsky, and an essay from critic Carrie Rickey.

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 Lens

A necessity for all DSLR filmmakers and photographers. A 50mm prime lens will really teach you how to frame a shot, as the 50mm measurement is the closest to mimicking the human eye. If you have an aspiring filmmaker or photographer in your life, this lens would be a big help.

NBC To Renew Constantine

PLEAE DON’T CANCEL CONSTANTINE. PLEASE. #SaveConstantine

Derek Kraneveldt

Nintendo Wii U

Yep. I totally had the Wii U in my Wishlist piece last year too. Nothing here has changed (except that the console has gotten SO MUCH BETTER). Nintendo’s latest is still the only console that you should be looking at if local multiplayer is a thing that you enjoy (it is) and the library has only gotten more and more stellar with games like Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros. For Wii U, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, and even more that I haven’t yet had an opportunity to play.

With some great bundles available to get you started (I think that the Super Mario 3D World or Mario Kart 8 bundles are the best value), you absolutely, positively cannot go wrong with a Wii U this season.

SAXX Underwear

Yes, this is a geek blog, and yes, I’m talking about underwear.

This shit is life changing. I never in my life thought that comfort and underwear could be synonymous, but then I discovered SAXX, and everything changed. Chafing? I don’t know the meaning of the word.

Seriously, dudes. Buy one pair, then go broke on them, and then you can thank me. I <3 SAXX.

Godzilla Blu-Ray / Graphic Novel

I’ve been enamoured with Legendary’s Godzilla ever since I was lucky enough to experience the Godzilla Encounter event at San Diego Comic-Con 2013. Following that, I waited patiently, ate up every image, trailer, clip, and teaser, and even had the fantastic opportunity to interview the film’s screenwriter.

Then, the movie came out. Jonathan saw it way before me and took to reviewing it for Geekscape, and I wholeheartedly agree with his thoughts on the film. I loved it, and I cannot (cannot) wait for the series to be expanded. The Blu-Ray edition of the film looks absolutely gorgeous (though you will miss the big screen of the theatrical experience) and boasts a ton of special features in its multitude of beyond-intriguing featurettes. If you’re at all interested in the monster, his history, or what director Gareth Edwards and his cast and crew did to bring the film to life, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up.

And don’t forget about the prequel graphic novel, which acts as a great introduction to the film and its titular creature (and the MUTO). The pair would make a great gift for existing Godzilla fans, as well as those who haven’t seen it yet!

Nintendo’s Amiibo

These things are crack. Jonathan, Juan, Josh and I actually refer to them as drugs at this point. I didn’t even want them, and now I own several, and I can’t and won’t stop until I own each and every one.

Any gamer, young or old, would love to have these on their shelves. The figures look great (especially for their price point) and their in-game functions are just beginning to be realized. It’ll be really, really interesting to see how Amiibo evolves over the next couple of years.

Be warned, if you’re planning to pick these up as gifts, you better get on it. They’re selling like hot cakes, some of them are reportedly already being discontinued, and prices are skyrocketing online. Wave two does release very soon however, so if you can jump on those as they come out, you could definitely be a hero this holiday season.

Also, they’re crack. So unless you want an addicted little (or big) monster, be very, very careful.

“Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle That Defined a Generation” by Blake J. Harris

Eric already covered this above, and Jonathan definitely covered it in his review of the book, but Console Wars was one of the most intriguing, revealing, and hard to put down books that I read all year.

I was born in 1990, so I was a little too young to understand the console war as it occurred, but I’ll be damned if it wasn’t interesting as hell to read about it. Don’t worry about gifting me this one though, as I’ve already got a copy signed by author Blake Harris, Tom Kalinske, Al Nilson, and more!

Matt Kelly

Do you have a horror fan in your family tree? If so, there’s really one two places your attention should be. The first is Scream Factory. This all Horror & Cult branch of Shout Factory has been dominating in the last year with tons of titles we never thought we’d see on any format other than VHS.

They gave us gifts like the 70’s Musical Phantom of the Paradise starring Paul Williams. This disco/rock version of Phantom of the Opera is a real delight. Throw in some great songs, good special effects and an amazing Blu-Ray transfer and you’ve got a great gift for that friend of yours who’s been obsessed with Rocky Horror Picture Show since high school.

They’ve also given us amazing collectors editions of The Funhouse, Night of the Comet, Day of the Dead and other well loved classics but the true gift that keeps giving to any horror fan is the Nightbreeed Director’s Cut (also known as the Cabel Cut). Over 2 decades since Clive Baker’s film was infamous cut against his will we can finally see the full story he wanted to tell.

Now sadly some films we will probably never see on DVD or Blu-Ray. For those titles you can really shock your friend or family members mind with a purchase from VHSPS (The VHS Preservation Society). These “VHS copies” include all the magic of your 90’s VHS memories on a DVD.   VHSPS is not in the business of stealing money from other companies. Their titles are available on their website until the day an official DVD/Blu-Ray is announced. Once they know that they have successfully preserved a film’s legacy they remove it from the store. Currently they’re the only way you can enjoy classic cult titles like Fade to Black, Possession and Linnea Quigley’s Horror Workout

The final gift is the gift that keeps giving to even the most mild Wrestling fan. A Subscription to the WWE Network. The fact that for $9.99 a month you have access to new shows, every pay-per-view and a constantly growing library of matches throughout wrestling history is nothing short of astounding.

On December 1st the Network blew up Twitter with a live Podcast between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vince McMahon. Their original content has continued to be great, be it the countdown show (creatively named Countdown) or Legends House in which aged wrestling icons like Mean Gene, Roddy Piper, Hacksaw Jim Dugan and Pat Patterson all lived under one roof together for a month.

But at the end of the day the biggest reason to make this purchase is the Pay-Per-Views. Every month you get a new pay-per-view that in the pre-network days would have been a $60 investment FREE with your subscription. It’s never been a better time to be a wrestling fan and it’s never been an easier time to get into wrestling.

But better than all of those combined is the gift of the Saint Mort Show which you can listen to for free at www.thesaintmortshow.com and www.soundcloud.com/thesaintmortshow

Josh Jackson

What do you get for the gamer who has everything? Even more stuff! Luckily, there’s hardly a shortage on that, so let’s jump into the coolest gaming gifts a high interest GameStop credit card can buy!

First4Figures Vyse Statue

Straight out of the Dreamcast and onto your shelf, this limited edition figure displays the lead of Skies of Arcadia in all of his Sky Pirate glory! For nostalgic gamers who fondly remember pirate ship battles before Assassin’s Creed made them famous, or a time when JRPGs were actually good, this would be the perfect gift. That is, if you have $200 lying around and you REALLY like the person.

Winter Fest Lob Star

If you’re more on a budget, but you really want to do right by your figure loving friend, then you can’t go wrong with Winter Fest Lob Star. This special holiday edition of the water element Trap Master from Skylanders: Trap Team is great to display OR play with. Plus, I guarantee that you won’t find a toy with a beard as sweet as his.

Disney Infinity 2.0 Aladdin, Jasmine, and Stitch

If Disney is more your thing, then the recently released Aladdin, Jasmine and Stitch figures are the way to go. With a strong amount of detail and plenty of personality to match, taking these characters into the Toy Box that you and your family have been making since September will surely be a blast! And if you need to start the fireplace on those cold, winter mornings, you can always buy a couple Merida figures to throw in. Brave will finally be good for something!

PDP Disney Infinity 2.0 Play Zone and Power Disc Binder

Chances are if you have kids, (or are a kid at heart), you already have most of the Marvel and Disney figures that have hit the shelves. For those times that you want to bring your haul to a friend’s house, why not show off the hundreds of dollars you’ve spent than with a sweet carrying case? The Play Zone doubles as a travel bag that holds a portal, 10 power discs, and anywhere from six to about 20 figures depending on how you arrange them, which is perfect for those extended Play Set sessions.

If 10 power discs slots aren’t enough, the new Power Disc Binder is much improved over the albums. Replacing the hard to grab slots, the binder replaces them with traditional sleeves that hold up to 90 discs. And if you have 90 discs to hold, then I think an intervention is due.

Marth Amiibo

Speaking of interventions, Amiibo are like drugs. We’re hooked, and desperate for our next fix! Sadly, many of us are missing the hard to find Marth figure, sending us into a Tickle Me Elmo style frenzy! If you manage to snag this for someone, then you’ll surely be their hero for life.

PDP Nintendo Fight Pads

But let’s be honest. Most of us gamers are going to be too busy playing Smash Bros to buy anything. With that said, if you do get a few minutes to buy SOMETHING for that fighting aficionado, make it one of these Fight Pads. With designs for Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Yoshi that match each of the Wii Remote Plus designs that released over the last year, they simulate the GameCube experience without the adapter. Besides, there’s nothing more satisfying than spiking your friend using a neon pink controller!

That’s it for us! Again, be sure to let us know what you’re hoping for (or planning to give) this holiday season!

Geekscape Roundtable: Our 2013 Holiday Wishlist!

by GeekscapeStaffDecember 17, 2013

Here goes! Enjoy, and be sure to let us know what gifts you’re hoping for in the comments below!

SJ Borger

I LOVE giving gifts to people, and I think online shopping is just the best thing ever (plus, no need to feel guilty about leaving items in your cart and virtually walking away). Christmas is like the ultimate combination of those two things!

My top five geek gifts this year are:

R2-D2 USB Car Charger

It bleeps and bloops and charges two phones/tablets while it’s at it. You can pretend you’re Luke, charging between tie-fighters as R2-D2 bleeps at you. His heads rotates, his eyes light up, and yes, he bleeps and bloops. – $49.99 at Thinkgeek.

Journal of Impossible Things

This gift is for the Doctor Who fan who may want to show their love for the Doctor without dressing up like a TARDIS. An embossed leather journal (a replica of the one the 10th Doctor used when he was John Smith to record his ‘impossible dreams.’ It also comes with a mini-sonic screwdriver pen. – $22.99 at Thinkgeek.

A Jayne Hat

Despite the hullabaloo earlier this year over who had the rights to sell these, a Jayne hat is still a must-have for the Firefly/Serenity fan in your life. You can by the mass produced one at Thinkgeek, or get a handmade one on eBay. – $24.99-$25.00

Electro Snap Circuits Lights

An ingenious so-fun-you-can’t-tell-its-educational toy, this set has over 175 projects, including one that lets you hook up your iPod and have it light up in rhythm to your favorite songs. For ages 8-108 (our niece LOVED it, and so did her Dad, so the box doesn’t lie). $79.98 at Amazon.

PS3 ‘The Last of Us’ Bundle

I know, I know, there’s a PS4 out—but for that friend of yours that never bought a PS3, they’re on super sale now, with a ton of games and titles (like The Last of Us). It’s still a solid platform and the deep discounts make them an ideal gift for the ‘likes to game but not hardcore’ dude or dude-ette on your list! – Available from multiple retailers (Amazon, Best Buy, etc.) with a price range from $225-$279.

Shane ‘Rarity’ O’Hare

I have weird tastes for a geek. What I want for Christmas really goes all over the place. Here are some of the things that Shane O’Hare would love to see under the tree:

Raspberry Pi

If you aren’t in the know let me bring you up to speed. The Raspberry Pi is a single board computer not much bigger than a deck of cards. It is super small and fairly high powered for something its size. It has USB ports, audio, Ethernet and HDMI on it making it an amazing little machine. Toss in a memory card and fire up the linux and you have yourself a proper machine for pretty much anything you can imagine. People run web and email servers on them, but I want one for game emulation! These things can run NES, SNES, N64 and all the other consoles in between. Perfect for carrying your entire game catalog over to Grandmas house for Christmas brunch! – $74.99 at Amazon.

Nintendo 64 USB Controller

This is the most essential accessory to go with your Raspberry Pi emulation machine. A 1 to 1 N64 controller allows you to play every game imaginable from the Nintendo 64 all the way back to the Magnavox Odyssey. Must have for the Pi! – $24.99 at Thinkgeek.

BenQ 144hz Pro Gaming Monitor

I just finished up my brand new computer build a few weeks ago. I haven’t upgraded my rig in over 5 years and it is amazing to see games like Bioshock Infinite and Battlefield 4 in all their high-def glory! Well… sorta. The weakest link in my setup right now is my monitor. A super old Gateway LCD monitor with the same old 60hz resfresh rate. That’s where the BenQ 144hz monitor comes into play. Designed with the help from Professional Counter-Strike players, BenQ’s pro line of panels is the best you can get. This particular model is a good 24hz higher than what is recommended for Professional FPS players. It will keep your games from tearing and will give you an edge. – $299.99 at Amazon.

Traktor Kontrol S4 mk 2

This is the peak of DJ controllers. Native Instruments revolutionized the market for portable DJ controllers with the release of the Kontrol S4 a few years ago, and this year they refreshed the model to reflect the changes in their software. Hook this up to your laptop and you will have full 4 Deck (4 songs) independent control over the gig. The update brings full RGB lights and a sturdier set of Jog Wheels for controlling the tunes. New outputs and a nicer finish means you will be using this baby for years to come. This is the ultimate tool for the mobile DJ who wants to have the usability of almost 10k worth of CD players and mixers all in one little package. – $799.99 at DJTechTools.

3D Printed Rocketeer Cufflinks

The Rocketeer is my favorite movie and comic series of all time. The story portrays the era perfectly, and in the movie the music and sets are the closest I’ve felt to being around Hollywood in the 1930’s. So, when I found this set of 3D printed Rocketeer Cufflinks I flipped. Shapeways is Etsy for 3D printed items, you can find pretty much anything on here. These particular cufflinks can be made in a couple dozen materials and I bet they would look amazing in the polished brass. – $18.30 at Shapeways.

Jonathan London

Image Comics Books

Image Comics is on fire. Well, not literally. That’d be awful! But as far as running on all cylinders as an indie comics publisher is concerned, they’re hitting it out of the park. Yes, you know to give your loved ones copies of The Walking Dead and Saga (or Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ Criminal), but there was a whole slew of great Image books launched in 2013 that deserve a place on any gift list. Lazarus, by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark, has hit 5 issues and every one of them is a fantastic blend of futuristic, social commentary sci-fi, action and intrigue. Sidekick by J. Michael Straczynski and Tom Mandrake is great for anyone who loves both mysteries and superhero books. And Velvet by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting takes the whole Miss Moneypenny concept from James Bond and puts her front and center as the world’s top super spy turned secretary is now on the run from her former agency. Also, don’t forget Todd The Ugliest Kid on Earth if you’re looking to put some laughs alongside those Holiday smiles! Writer Ken Kristensen told you about the book first… right here on Geekscape!

Ni No Kuni

This might be my favorite game of the year… and is definitely the top JRPG of the year (sorry Pokémon… whatever the heck you are). The perfect blend of roleplaying, Studio Ghibli animation and Level-5 puzzle solving make this a no miss for any gamer who has even flirted with any of those three elements. Plus, sites like Amazon regularly have the game on sale (for ridiculously cheap too considering the game’s 70+ hour playtime) so there’s no excuse not to give this as a gift this year.

The Cornetto Trilogy Box Set

Let’s get real. This is worth it if only for Shawn of the Dead, but now that The World’s End is out on Blu-Ray… do you really have a reason not to combine them with Hot Fuzz and put this handsome collection on your shelf? No. You don’t. What’s more, when you have company over for the holidays, this gives everyone something great to put on TV in lieu of Christmas Story and Rankin/Bass Christmas movies (yeah… what if you’re company is Jewish? You don’t wanna make them watch that stuff, you insensitive jerk!). – Just $34.59 on Amazon.

Derek Kraneveldt

Pacific Rim Blu-Ray / Graphic Novel

I loved Pacific Rim. It was one of the most enjoyable theatregoing experiences that I’ve had this year, and it’s definitely a film that I’ll want to rematch again and again (it’s just so much fun). What I would really love this holiday season would be the official greenlighting of a sequel, but since that’s likely not going to happen anytime soon, let’s all pick up the Blu-Ray (bettering the chances for a sequel in the future).

Seriously, the movie is awesome, and so is its prequel graphic novel, Tales From Year Zero. – Blu-Ray $12.99 on Amazon. Graphic novel $19.19 on Amazon.

Game of Thrones Beer

I’m not really a beer drinker (or a drinker at all), but the Iron Throne Blonde Ale that I sampled (extensively) at this year’s SDCC was incredibly delicious. Just in time for the holidays, Brewery Ommegang Brewery and HBO have launched a second flavour: Take The Black Stout.

Game of Thrones is bound to be a topic of conversation at many-a dinner table this season, so how cool would it be to serve Game of Thrones beer at the same time?

Head to Brewery Ommegang’s official website for more info!

Nintendo Wii U

Of of the first things that I realized when I picked up a Playstation 4 last month was that there is virtually no reason (at this point anyways) to own a second controller. I then thought of the countless times over the course of the Wii U’s year of existence where I (and four friends) spent hours playing multiplayer New Super Mario Bros. U, all in the same room.

The Wii U has struggled since its release last November, but a phenomenal catalog of games (Super Mario 3D Land, Pikmin 3, The Legend of Zelda The Wind Waker HD, and The Wonderful 101 are all acclaimed titles that have released in just the last few months), and the console’s first price drop have things looking up for the system, which so far has been celebrated by its owners and seemingly ignored by everyone else. Console sales surged 340% in November (from October, which also saw a 75% increase), which leaves me very hopeful for the units future!

The Wii U has some great holiday bundles available (one including both New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U, and another including The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD, and many great launch titles can be had on the cheap), so there has really never been a better time to buy!

Apple TV

I’ve given a few of these as gifts over the past few years, and they always, always become one of (if not the) the most used items in the house. The Apple TV currently features content from the following sources, and more are being added all the time:

You can also, of course, use Plex from an iOS device, and simply AirPlay it to your television (along with music, video, photos, and anything else that may be on your iPhone or iPad).

The best feature of the Apple TV? Its simplicity! Its elegant interface is so easy to understand that even my grandparents can use it without issue (unlike their computers or cell phones). – $89.99 at Amazon.

Pebble Smart Watch

I’ve had one of these babies for months now, and I’d recommend it to anyone who spends too much time on their phone.

In my review, I said that the Pebble was “an indispensable part of my daily life” after just one week of using it. It’s sleek, it’s useful, it’s waterproof, and it costs a lot less than you may expect it to. Seriously, this thing is awesome, and with the upcoming 2.0 Firmware, the Pebble is about to get even more useful. -$119.99 at Amazon.

That’s it for us! Again, be sure to let us know what you’re hoping for (or planning to give) this holiday season!