CSA Online by Andrew Moore-Crispin Five Tech Gifts Sure to Excite Whatever the occasion being celebrated, whatever the time of year and however geographically dispersed the family, gifts remind the people we care about that we, well, care about them. Dollar value doesn’t define the meaning of the gesture. “It’s the thought that counts” is a truism…but there’s really nothing quite like seeing someone’s face as they open up some amazing tech toy…even if you’re seeing that face over a Skype video call. I’m writing this in the lead up to the holiday season, though birthdays, graduations and other coming-of-age celebrations are the perfect excuse to send grandkids a little (or big) something to let them know that you’re thinking of them. C.H.I.P. $9 USD Getchip.com Perfect for: Dedicated tinkerers, retro video game lovers, budding geeks. C.H.I.P. is the world’s first $9 computer. You’d be forgiven for thinking that there’s got to be some sort of catch. The recipient of this tiny – but fully functional – computer does need to have a power supply (an old smartphone charger will typically work), a keyboard and some sort of display to plug into. With those things in place, this tiny computer – smaller than a credit card – is good to go. It’s not designed to replace a laptop or desktop computer. However, it’s more than capable of running an “open source” Linux operating system (think Windows or Mac OSX, but without the price tag) and with it a web browser, word processor, music player, spreadsheet program and so on. It’s also perfect for integrating into hobby projects such as a retro game player that plugs into the TV. The only limitation is the creator’s imagination. The tech specs are akin to a standard smartphone and with a powerful little processor, Wi-Fi and 4GB of storage included, there’s a lot that this little computer can do. It’s not for everyone, granted, but if there’s a geek on your list who always seems to be working on some kind of tech project, it’s a low-stakes bet at less than $10. View-Master Deluxe VR Viewer $39.99 USD Viewmaster.com Perfect for: Pre-teens…or maybe nostalgic adults. View-Master has been around for more than 75 years. The binocular viewer and circular film reels that opened up a world of 3-D images have been a mainstay in toy boxes for as long as many of us can remember. Last issue in this column, we talked a bit about virtual reality. View-Master VR is that concept, along with a heaping helping of nostalgia. Snap a smartphone in the back. The two lenses present a slightly different screen view for each eye, to create a convincing 3-D effect. The various orientation sensors in the phone can figure out where you’re looking and which way you’re moving your head, so the virtual perspective changes according to real-world movement. It’s pretty amazing and this is a gift that’ll definitely get played with and passed around after it’s unwrapped. Hatchimals $59.99 USD hatchimals.com Perfect for: Younger grandkids…who are probably already asking for it. Every year, toy-makers try desperately to create the next Tomagotchi, Zu Zu Pets or Tickle Me Elmo. Hatchimals has all the earmarks of being that “must have” holiday toy that’ll one day be used as a case study to introduce the new “must have” toy. Hatchimals are little interactive animals that live inside of a little interactive egg. Kids lavish their speckled Hatchimals egg with affection in order to get the animal inside to break free, and then the real fun begins. The egg itself appears solid and the hatching process is a neat trick that sees the little animal burst through a perforated section in the top third. Once hatched, kids have their own “Owlicorn, “Burtle,” “Pengualas,” or “Draggles” to look after and with which to interact. With time and attention, these animals will evolve and learn new abilities. 60 | www.snowbirds.org
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