Lego: It’s not really a secret that Lego building blocks are widely loved. They’re perfect for any age, but a particularly fun gift for an engineering or physics nerd who lacks some brightly-coloured fun. Whether you go for a Millennium Falcon, a Mindstorms NXT robot set, or a smaller kit, just be sure your beloved recipient has time for construction. Prices vary widely. [Lego; Image Source]

BuckyBalls: 216 pellet-shaped rare earth magnets may scream “physics lesson”, but in reality they’re a jar full of fun. Your science nut can construct all sorts of 3D shapes for hours of mindless — or extremely brain-intensive — entertainment. And should he ever manage to get bored with the balls, he can just use them for one heck of a refrigerator magnet collection. $US30 [Gizmodo; Busted Tees]

DON’T BUY A Star: I don’t know how you could imagine that getting someone a sheet of paper proclaiming that you’ve named a star after her is a clever idea. It’s a scam to begin with and even the most thoughtless gift certificate would be a better idea (and won’t leave you stuttering that you thought she “likes space and umm… stuff”).

Photo by jared

I’ve never seen a stocking that didn’t like being filled with a bit of awkward science-themed, cotton-based humour and somehow science nerds in particular have a soft spot for geeky shirts. You can head to ThinkGeek, Threadless and Snorg Tees if you’re looking for some of the shirts we’ve mentioned in the past — my personal favourite is still the ingredient shirt. $US19 [Snorg Tees]

Chemistry Experiment Kit: This one’s more geared to the younger lab rats, but no science nerd should miss out on a proper chemistry set. This C3000 set is a nice splurge and even guides you through building a DIY fire extinguisher for when experiments go wrong, but you can certainly go for a smaller kit or even put one together on your own. $US230 [Scientifics]

Casio EX-FC100: Science types want to document the entire world in pictures and video. Thanks to technological advancements, falling prices and MythBusters, high-speed slow-mo photography has carved out a nerdy niche in recent years. Casio’s EX-FC100 may not be an EX-F1, but it’s nice and small and has most of that slow mo covered, plus some nice nature-watcher tricks in still shooting, too. Despite the fact that still picture quality isn’t as high as a similarly sized Canon, the FC100’s set of unique talents make it a worthwhile toy for active observers of the physical world. $US226 [Review; Casio Exilim]

Giant Plush Microbes: If you’re in need of a stocking stuffer for a biology nerd, these plush microbes are a sure thing. They’re cute (just look at syphilis!) and add a bit of silliness to many all-too-serious subjects. $US12 [Think Geek]

Processing Time on a Supercomputer: If you’ve got a mad, crazy, number-crunching, super science nerd on your hands — along with your own pretty thick wallet — then you can go through a company like Exa and get them some quiet time with a supercomputer. Your nerd will be able to run her insane calculations using high-performance computing and save quite a bit of time, so be sure to have some hot chocolate for two ready for a calm evening after. Prices vary, but they’re gonna clean out your pockets. [Exa]

Photo by Argonne National Laboratory

Don’t forget to recommend your own favourite gift ideas for science nerds in the comments.

All Giz Wants is our annual round-up of favourite gift ideas, including amazing attainable objects and a few far-out fantasies. We’ll be popping guides catered to different interests several times per day for the next week, so keep checking back.

Sound Isolating Headphones: The first step to relaxing is cutting yourself off from the irritating, irritating world around you. The Shure SE115m+ earbuds are a great choice for iPhone-owners, as they pair quality sound isolation with a mic and three-button remote. $US120 [Shure SE115m+ via Gizmodo]

The Buddha Machine: If your giftee needs something to listen to to relax with those sound-isolating headphones, try the Buddha Machine. It’s a little box that contains a bunch of blissful ambient sound loops. Simply turn the dial to pick your loop and listen via the built-in speaker or through headphones. Bonus: It’s cheap. $US23 [Buddha Machine]

Flower for PS3: While many violent video games can up your stress level instead of taking it down, Flower is the opposite. In this “game”, you control a flower flying over peaceful meadows in the breeze. That’s it! No violence, no guns, no heavy metal. Just a flower and a breeze. $US10 [Kotaku]

Fondue Maker: Is there anything that eases stress better than a steaming pot of melted cheese? How about dipping bread and apples into said cheese? Sure, fondue has been around forever and hasn’t been “cool” in a long time, but whatever. It’s hot goddamned cheese. Who are you to argue with that? This Cuisinart is the one we use ourselves and swear by. $US45 [Amazon]

SurfShelf Treadmill Laptop Stand: There are plenty of studies out there that show a clear link between stress and lack of exercise. So if your friend is always be on the computer and always stressed, you can help by allowing him or her to work through some of that stress on the treadmill without making them tear themselves away from the precious internet. $US40; treadmill sold separately [SurfShelf; Gizmodo]

A Sensory Deprivation Tank Experience: There’s no better way to melt away the stress of the world than cutting yourself off from said world as much as humanly possible. With a sensory deprivation tank, they’ll be able to relax while floating on salt water, completely protected from all the stressful sights and sounds of the world we’re stuck existing in. About $US100 for 90 minutes [Sensory Deprivation Directory]

Volcano Vaporizer: Want to relax? I’ll get you f’n’ relaxed. Twenty minutes with this bad boy, the pinnacle of paraphernalia, and you won’t even be able to remember what was stressing you out. $540 [Volcano Vaporizer; Review; Alternative Uses]

Don’t Get: Wall Street Journal Subscription: The last thing anyone who’s tweaking needs right now is a daily reminder of how screwed up the world and it’s economy is. Let them live their lives in blissful unawareness as much as possible. It’s a gift they’ll appreciate without realising it. $US119 [Wall Street Journal]

Dyson Air Multiplier: Normal fans are fine for normal people who are home a few hours a day, but a full-time house-dweller needs a full-time fan. This is how you can justify $379 on a fan that’s a gift. Because it’s not just a fan, it’s a statement: A statement that says your loved one may be too cheap to use air conditioning, but not too cheap to afford a Dyson. [Review; Dyson]

Sonos ZonePlayer S5: Anyone who values his time at home knows he needs music in every room. Every room. And The Sonos S5 is the first really self-contained unit that the music-streaming company has put out. It’s easy enough to rig together your own setup of laptops, wireless streamers and speakers, but if you want to do it cleanly and do it elegantly, and if the recipient doesn’t know anything about technology, Sonos is the way to go. Just be prepared to spend $US400. [Hands on; Sonos]

Aquapeudics Shower: Total fantasy, but fantasy in the way that you can actually save up $US4300 and purchase one for your own home. Yeah, it’s a gift for yourself. Bathing is still important for people that don’t go outdoors, and the Aquapeudics combines a multi-headed shower with a hot tub with an acupuncture massage with a foot massage with an alien probing station. [Shower; Aquapeudics]

Honeywell Touchscreen Thermostat: Just because someone’s adverse to going outside doesn’t mean they like walking up and down stairs in order to adjust the temperature. Get one of these, including the touchscreen remote, so they can carry the controls with them at all times. It even helps make sure the temperature is correct where they are instead of where the thermostat is. Is this person this adverse to moving around that you can justify $US400 on this? Yes, yes they are. [Review]

Roomba 400 Professional Series: There are no janitors for your home to clean up after your mess. A Roomba is the next best thing. If you can find it on sale you can get it for all of $US100 (or less!), but it is the ugly red model. Who cares, you’re not the one looking at it. [iRobot]

Nikon Action 7×35 Binoculars: Just because your gift recipient is inside doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to see what’s happening outside. In fact, he’s probably very interested in keeping track of what his neighbours are up to. The Nikon Action 7×35 was named best budget binoculars by Consumer Search, and it’s only $US60. [Amazon]

Toto Washlet: There’s an obvious upside to being able to use a personal bathroom all day. But the downsides are that your friend goes through toilet paper incredibly fast, and gets stuck with whatever comfort level they have on their best toilet. The Toto Washlet solves both problems. Depending on the model, it’ll run you somewhere between $US500 and $US1000.

But everyone in Japan uses a Toto for a reason, because washing the bum before wiping cuts down on toilet paper usage by 80 per cent (ballpark figure). And constantly heated seats is something nobody can turn down, even in summer. [Toto]

Anything On This List: You know what agoraphobe means, right? They don’t like going outside, so don’t make them leave their house with any of the outdoors gifts on that list. [This list]

Flip Mino HD: We tested basically every pocket camcorder in existence, and this was one of the best. It shoots 720p HD and is easy enough for your grandma to use. If you’re buying a gift for someone looking to experiment on a budget or simply shoot vacation videos, this is a great little cam. $AU298 [Flip]

Clapboard: No, I’m serious. Though this might just look like a cheesy prom prop (and that’s what it is), little has changed about the most recognised icon of the film industry. And for filmmakers, it’s still extremely handy in tracking good takes, and syncing sound, if needed. The novelty ones are cheap (and many are probably more for show); but splurge on a fancy dry erase version if you really love the recipient. $US2 to $US30 [Prom Wishes ; B&H]

Vintage Hollywood Photographs from Life Magazine: Vintage posters are neat, but I’d contend that these Life prints feel a tad more heart-felt. From Kubrick working on 2001 to Marilyn Monroe doing her thing, there are many gems to be found in Life’s archives. About $US100 [2001 Series; More Life Photos]

Iron Man Arc Reactor: Most people’s latent super powers are still off in hiding, but you never know when a nemesis will rip out your power core, forcing you to crawl across your home for a spare. Don’t look at the Iron Man Arc Reactor as a superfluous purchase; see it as an investment your loved one’s health. $US150 [Museum Replicas]

Sony UWP-V1 Wireless Lavalier Mic: During my tenure in broadcast and commercial production, I found a good, wireless lavalier mic to be the most versatile tool in my bag. It can be hidden anywhere on a body/prop, and the pickup frequencies are surprisingly decent for foleying. Sony’s entry level mic, the UWP-V1, should serve any young filmmaker well. $US485 [B&H]

Kodak Five-Day Cinematography Workshop: Few of us will ever have the chance to shoot on real 35mm film. But Kodak’s boot camp will teach you the basics of 35mm cinematography and give you a chance to burn some 35mm stock while experts hold your hand. The tuition is by no means a non-factor, but come on, it’s pretty much the coolest fantasy camp without Michael Jordan or spaceships. The workshop is only offered in LA… $US2000 [Kodak]

DON’T BUY Back to the Future 2 Hat: I know, it’s neat you can buy this hat. But it looked dumb on Marty McFly and it will look even worse on whoever you give it to. [Amazon]

4K Red One Camera: Yes, the body itself starts at nor far under $US20,000 — without lenses, mounts, CF modules or pretty much anything you’ll need to use it. Yes, this camera is just as hard to shoot with as any full-fledged film camera (if not even harder). But it’s also the cheapest 4K camera you can acquire, and for the price of one extended 35mm camera rental, you’ll have a system that’s “free to use” again and again. Just make sure to gift those cinematography classes first. From $US17,500 [Red]

Don’t forget to recommend your own favourite gift ideas for movie buffs in the comments.

All Giz Wants is our annual round-up of favourite gift ideas, including amazing attainable objects and a few far-out fantasies. We’ll be popping guides catered to different interests several times per day for the next week, so keep checking back.

Floating Bookshelves: If your book lover is prone to piling books up in stacks everywhere, then maybe it’s time to get him an appealing storage solution. An invisible bookshelf is an old favourite and can slip in with most decor. Besides, who doesn’t like some spooky floating books? $US14 [Amazon — or make it yourself via Cut Out + Keep]

Photo of DIY version by Cut Out And Keep

Bookology Trivia Boardgame: Let’s face it, even the most modest of bookworms enjoy showing off now and then. A simple way to indulge them while spending time together is a good ol’ fashioned trivia board game. Bookology Trivia just happens to be perfect for that, but heads up: It’s way more fun with a larger group. $US11 [Amazon]

DON’T BUY Gift Certificates: There are those times when you’re hesitant to pick out an actual gift. What if he actually likes ancient history instead of sci-fi? What if she’s not ready for a book with that many pages? Whatever you do when those questions kick in, please don’t get your bookworm a gift certificate. While you may think that it says “Here. I remembered to get you a gift,” the message that comes across is, “I couldn’t be bothered, so take this fake limited-use money and buy your own crap.”

Technivorm Thermo Moccamaster: Coffee. Coffee. Coffee. Aside from being part of our morning routines, it’s also a part of a proper cuddle with a book. While there’s real science to making a good cup o’ joe, the Moccamaster delivers the best results for a drip coffeemaker, without the extra work of other methods. But it’ll cost ya. $US265 [Roast Masters]

Berkeley Lamp II: Yes, a lamp. Seriously. It’s tough to find a lamp that illuminates the room well without making your eyes feel like they’re gradually being pulled out of their sockets. The Berkeley Lamp II may be expensive, but it’s bright — with a ceiling-pointed “room light” and a downward facing “task light” — and energy conscious. Plus, it comes with a grounded 120V socket for plugging in your ebook reader at the end of a week of heavy page turning. $US289 [Berkeley Lamp; Review]

Nook, Kindle, Cool-er, Sony, Alex, Que. The ebook reader choices out there read like a biker chick’s list of ex-lovers, and it’s tough to pick the best. To us, it comes to a showdown between the newly reduced-price Kindle and the Nook, but we haven’t reviewed the Nook yet — nobody has — so it’s a tough call. If your love for Amazon knows no bounds, pick it, but if you are curious about what the Nook’s second screen can do (and at what cost), wait a few more weeks. $US259 for either one [Nook Preview; Amazon Kindle Page; Barnes & Noble Nook Page]

A Rare Book: You know exactly what your bookworm’s all-time most beloved book is and you know that he would love a special copy of it. So where on earth do you start looking for a first edition, advanced reader or autographed copy? If you’re hesitant to hit eBay or trudge through bookshop after bookshop then places like AbeBooks and Alibris should be your first stop. They offer a selection of rated rare booksellers and some incredibly customisable searches. I’ll make your search even easier if you want to get me one of my favourites: A lovely first edition of Fante’s Ask the Dust is available for a mere $US12,000. Not shopping for me? Ah well, maybe next year. $.01 to $US1 million

Photo by p0psicle

Don’t forget to recommend your own favourite gift ideas for bookworms in comments — include pricing if possible.

All Giz Wants is our annual round-up of favourite gift ideas, including amazing attainable objects and a few far-out fantasies. We’ll be popping guides catered to different interests several times per day for the next week, so keep checking back.

GoPro Hero HD cam: HD video, mounts for helmets, chests, boards — even cars — make it pretty easy to share high-def versions of your adventures back home or on the internet. $US270 [Review; GoPro]

The cheapest MP3 player you can find: Everyone has a nice one. But if you’re roughing it up outside, you want to bring a crappy one and you want it to be somewhat disposable. SanDisk has some on Amazon. I used to use an iPod shuffle ’til they removed the buttons. For sports involving gloves, things with big buttons are best. A good stocking-stuffer, but explain it as such so you don’t look like a cheap arse. [Amazon]

Nike + iPod Sport Kit: If you like running, the Nike Plus informatics system will track and log and compare your mileage with that of your friends. (I hate running.) $48 at the Australian Apple store [Review; Nike + iPod Sport Kit]

Remember, though, that Nike doesn’t map your routes. If you’ve got an iPhone, I recommend Motion X GPS Sport app for tracking all sorts of outdoor activity routes. $4 [iTunes Store]

Rugged Cameras: The W80 Pentax is pretty compact, takes OK photos and videos, and is shockproof to a few metres, cold-proof to -10C and waterproof to 4.8m. I like it for winter sports. $US300 [Review; Pentax]

The larger Lumix DMC-TS1 is only cold-proof to 0C on paper and waterproof to 3m, but it takes superb images and videos. $US400 [Review; Panasonic]

Don’t forget to recommend your own favourite outdoor adventure gear in the comments.

The box has a button and an LCD display on the lid. When you press the button, the display will show you how far, in kilometers, you are from the goal location. It doesn’t give you directions, so you need to triangulate where you’re supposed to go via trial and error. Oh, and you can only press the button 50 times.

There’s a pretty sweet disguised back door built-in as well, just in case the battery dies or the GPS unit fails.

Spoiler: the box only opens when brought to Île-de-Bréhat, France. As for what’s inside?

With all the electronics, there wasn’t much room inside the box for anything too substantial. I put in a few local (US) gift cards to entice them to visit soon, a set of Kazuo Ishiguro audio books (on a USB key), and an overly sentimental card. And of course, as I pointed out in the card, if either of them fancies doing a little Arduino development, there’s a perfectly good Duemilanove to play with, not to mention an LCD, a servo, and a GPS.

I guess the puzzle itself is present enough, really. Pretty cool stuff, no? [Arduiniana via Make]

Apparently, President Obama arrived at Buckingham Palace today bearing gifts for Queen Elizabeth II. What does a man of Barack Obama’s power and stature get for the woman that truly has everything? How about an iPod loaded with video from her 2007 visit to the US (Gee…thanks? Actually, she already has an iPod, so I’m assuming she will be regifting that). Not to be outdone, the Queen presented Obama with a framed picture of herself. Wow, that is

>>원장님, 친절하게 상담해드리겠습니다.

ipod deal! Best time offer!

Hello dear, I’m just browsing now in the Internet and found your contact detail and it captured my interest i decided to drop few words to you.I’m miss Lisa mkpa by name,please i will like us to hold a good relationship with a real love, Im happy to offer ipod loaded with the Queen.

I wait in anticipation for your love and reply.

>>Telegraph

Let me backtrack for a moment. Someone I know has a birthday coming up, and one item I’d really like to get them is an XBLA (Xbox Live) title. Since the game isn’t available in stores, that means I have two solutions. One, I can sneak onto their Xbox like a ninja, enter my credit card info and make the purchase for them (which is just sort of creepy), or two, I can give them an Xbox gift card for the sum of the game.

I’m not really happy with either option.

My sincere gesture, giving a friend a game they’d enjoy because I’ve accounted for their tastes, is diluted to an exchange of capital. It’s really just giving them cash in a nicer form. Sure, you can buy someone a gift card, but you can’t actually buy them a gift.

This is a problem.

Today, the limitation is probably only bugging me and a handful of other uber nerds. But what about in four or five years? We’re a society that’s only moving more and more digital. Soon, even giving someone a CD may very well seem like a dated gesture—one that may inconvenience the recipient since, hell, they don’t have a CD drive anymore!

I just don’t want to be condemned to a life of gift cards with a little note written in Sharpie “for the new Batman.”

Luckily, implementing gift giving on a service like Xbox Live would be incredibly easy. They already have the infrastructure to manage various payment accounts and allow users to communicate to one another and a central server. So imagining a system in which you receive a message informing you that Sk8rB0y has sent you a game is by no means a far stretch. (The feature would probably take Microsoft all of a week to complete, if they put their mind to it.)

But what about an iTunes? UPDATE: They actually offer gifting through email. That’s something I didn’t realise and I’m guessing a lot of people don’t realise. Including even custom playlists, I’ll admit, it’s a good start. My question to you is, do you consider an email link enough? Does that feel like a gift?

Maybe it’s just my perspective that will be forced to change as I bow to the next level of consumerism. But for the moment, the gift card approach feels like a one size fits some philosophy being squeezed over nearly the entire modern home entertainment industry—and I can’t imagine it’s adding a lot of humanity to the already cold digital realm.

At first glance the sculptures, which come in candlestick, goblet, vase and custom configurations, just look like milled hunks of metal. But when viewed against a contrasting backdrop, the classic illusion becomes apparent. Cox can machine these inverted portraits out of either steel, brass or aluminium, and only needs a profile photo of your (or your soon-to-be creeped-out giftee’s) face to get started. [Metal Portraits]