With Christmas around the corner, it’s time to start gearing up for some Christmas shopping! Buying the right thing for your loved ones is definitely a challenge; and it’s even more so when your special someone is a geek!

If cool gift ideas for the geeky boyfriend, husband, father or brother is what you seek, we might have a few suggestions to share with you. Ok, we have 10 gift ideas to help you get the perfect Christmas gift for the perfect geek. Full list after the jump!

Recommended Reading: 34 Awesome Products Geeks Will Love

iBell

Using your iPhone as an alarm clock is convenient but on days when you are feeling the Monday blues, it might not be loud enough to get you out of bed. This is where the iBell comes in to give you that classic metal ringing that remind you of traditional alarm clocks.

The non-cradle version (left) comes in a variety of 5 colors while the cradle (which also acts as a charger) only comes in black and white for an extra $13. Note that you need to download an app to get the alarm to work. [$41.00]

Hickies

Rejuvenate your sneakers with this colorful lacing system called Hickies. Choose from 16 different color combinations to give your pair a unique look to match the Christmas season and festivities.

You won’t have to worry if you’re big- or small-footed because it is expandable to give you a snug and comfortable fit. Once you’ve installed it, you won’t have to adjust it anymore; your pair of laced sneakers will be transformed into unique looking slip ons. [$19.99]

Tony Stark Light up LED Iron Man Shirt

For superhero wannabes, forget that Superman t-shirt that everyone has and grab this official Marvel merchandise of Tony Stark and his Arc Reactor. There are battery-powered LED’s behind the shirt that can be removed for easy washing.

Three AAA batteries power the Arc Reactor for 12 hours. After that, it gets more awesome. The Arc Reactor begins to pulse on and off giving like it’s running out of power, guranteed to be a blast at crowded Christmas parties and get-togethers. [$29.99]

Lockitron

Ever have that feeling you forgot to lock your door but you’re already too far from home to turn back to check? With Lockitron and a smartphone, you do not have to worry as you can lock or unlock your doors with an app.

You can share access of the lock with family and friends and it even notifies you when your front door is unlocked by anyone of them. And when your phone is near enough to the door, it will automatically unlock – great for times when your hands are full with groceries. Coolness and security never worked this good together. [$179.00]

USB LED Beverage Cooler

A warm beer is a man’s kryptonite. No, that’s an exaggeration but, nothing is more refreshing than a nice, cool drink within arm’s reach of the computer! If you always want a can of your favorite drink nearby your computer, this USB-powered mini-fridgeis the answer of all your problems.

Long hours infront of the computer are more enjoyable than ever; definitely a Christmas gift your geek friends would enjoy. [$19.99]

Mutewatch

This is just your average LED watch, but wait, what’s this? It’s touch- and motion-sensitive. Flicking your wrist or tapping the face of the watch shows the time, and swiping left and right takes you through the menus.

Plus, it’s powered by a rechargeable battery which you can recharge via a USB cable built into the watch strap! If you gift this watch to a nephew, you automatically become the favorite aunt or uncle of the year. [$259.00]

Bluetooth Handset Gloves

Have a friend who just cannot put own his phone? He might have to do that when it gets too cold out. Or he’d be really grateful to get this bluetooth handset glove from you, new best friend. This pair of gloves has a bluetooth headset built into the left glove and can work for iOS, Android, Windows Phone and BlackBerry devices.

It has a rechargeable battery which you can charge using a micro-USB cable. The conductive fiber also allows you to use your smartphone’s touch screen (and keeping warm) while wearing the gloves. [$69.99]

Gunnar Technology Eyewear

A geek spends most of his day in front of a computer; eye fatigue, eye strain and sometimes headaches could occur due to long periods of staring at the screen. Instead of just getting him a new pair of glasses he will probably get replaced before the following Christmas, get him a pair of Gunnar glasses.

The glasses help reduce the amount of stress the eyes take. It comes with many frame designs to fit any face shape and different lenses for different eye protecting purposes. [$79 – $189]

BoomChair

To add an extra kick of excitement to everyday gaming, get this Boomchair that has built in speakers that send vibrations throughout your whole body. Small devices like smartphones or tablets will benefit as the volume is boosted and louder when connected to the chair.

You can connect virtually to any system or device with a headphone jack or bluetooth. It can be charged with a USB port and is made of comfortable and rugged material for you to sit on for long gaming sessions. [$199.99]

U-Board

For geeks working on their computers all day, this U-Board is great to get rid of the clutter on the workstation. This is a glass monitor stand that can withstand 15 kg. It also comes with a smartphone and drink holder which are removable.

On one of the stands there are also 3 USB ports. It comes in black or white and is a really good way to organize the workspace to help improve productivity. [$59.95]

For the Couples

In this bonus section, we’ll showcase 3 products you can buy for your loved one for Christmas. After all, sharing something meaningful together shows the strength of your love for each other.

Pixel Heart 8 Bit Love T Shirt

This matching 8 bit heart tee is a geeky treat for couples. Wear it together at Christmas parties to show off your love for geekiness and (of course) each other. [$23.60]

Nike+ FuelBand

This FuelBand will ensure you couples with a healthy new year resolution are working out together while having fun at the same time. The LED display shows how many points you’ve earned and calories you’ve burned, while trying to reach the goal of the day. [$149.00]

WeMo Baby

For couples with a newborn at home, this is a great (second) addition to the family. This baby monitor can sit in your child’s room while you monitor it with an iOS app. It connects to your home Wi-Fi network and can be linked to multiple iOS devices to ensure that everyone is alerted to the baby’s cries. [$89.99]

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Since our last post on 20 retro video games you can play on the iPhone, we have done some digging and have turned up 10 more old school video games that you can play on the iPhone. This group of games may bring back a strong sense of nostalgia as they are some of the biggest games early gamers spent their afternoons on.

These were the games you played when if you find a game get stuck, all you had to do was take out the catridge card and blow the dust out before slotting it back into the console for a second run.

Apart from the nostalgia evoked from these retro games, they are still fun to play as the fundamentals that attract gamers exist within their gameplay. These ideas, and game rules were crystallized during the old school period which build the base for today’s games.

Not surprisingly, with more mobile devices offering greater gaming capabilities, it’s worth giving these old games another run, for old time’s sake.

Read Also: 20 Retro Video Games You Can Play On iPhone

1. The Secret of Monkey Island

[$2.99] If you’re not into action-packed retro games and prefer to go with the slower paced puzzle-solving adventure, then go for the Monkey Island series.

The series debuted in 1990 with the ‘The Secret of Monkey Island’, and was a successful point-and-click graphic adventure game with funny dialogue. When it comes to adventure games, exploration is the primary draw. In Monkey Island you find clues to help you solve puzzles. Hints will appear every time you shake your iPhone (in frustration, I suppose?). The slow-paced nature of the adventure game also means you don’t have to get yourself all psyched up after playing it for a while, unlike action games.

There’s an iPhone remake for the second installment (Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge) as well but you might want to give the first one a run first.

2. Duke Nukem 3D

[Free] Duke Nukem 3D will take you back to how first-person shooter games used to be. Expect a sense of nostalgia wen you start loading and nuke-ing.

The remake version of the game maintains its graphics from back in 1996. If you have never played the game back then, you will laugh at the tongue-in-cheek, macho and corny remarks Duke makes. One evident change is the smaller screen for gameplay. It poses a challenge for controls which the new gameplay makes up for by allowing you to move the buttons (for moving, shooting, jumping or kicking) around rather than fix it to one side of the display. With that settled, prepare yourself for total meltdown!

3. Final Fantasy

[$8.99] One of the best role-playing games around, Final Fantasy will be releasing its fourteenth instalment and the storytelling is still alive and kicking.

For fans of the original Final Fantasy game released in 1987, you’ll be glad to know that the story remains pretty much the same. The good news is that this iPhone remake of the classic game has improved the original graphics! Control-wise, it may get a little awkward with the touchscreen versus the directional pad for the game.

Nevertheless, once you get pass the initial learning stage and got used to them, you’re be immersed in the game for hours to come. Ready to explore towns and dungeons, level up your character and slay some bosses?

4. Double Dragon

[$1.99] Beat ‘em up (or Brawlers) used to be huge during the 80s’ and early 90s’. The game concept is self-explanatory from the genre; you just beat the hell out of everyone! And none does it better than this gem.

Owners of handheld devices like iPhones will enjoy such condensed gameplay when they’re commuting or waiting for someone. As with some iPhone remakes, graphics are enhanced from the original Double Dragon video game released more than two decades ago. To maintain the trademark co-op two-player mode for Beat ‘em ups, this remake allows you to connect and play with your buddy via Bluetooth.

How do you control your character without the classic joystick? Well, there’s the virtual controls interface. The sad thing is that it takes up a large area of an already limited screen size. If that doesn’t bother you, start downloading to save Marian from the Black Warriors gang.

5. Street Fighter II Collection

[$3.99] As one of the earliest and best-selling fighting games of all time, Street Fighter II hit the scene in 1991 and now makes a comeback on the iPhone in a 3-in-1 collection.

The remake allows players to relive the most basic and addictive 2D fighting action on their mobile device. Also included are Street Fighter Ii: Champion Edition and Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting. If you’re wondering how the controls will be like, developers used the idea of a transparent, virtual pad that mimics those of video game arcades. This iPhone version stays true to the original game in terms of the graphics, music, gameplay and controls. It has a multiplayer mode via Bluetooth, but unfortunately does not offers online multiplayer like that of Street Fighter IV Volt.

6. Retro Racing

[$1.99] Although this is not a remake of an actual retro game, it is a based on the view from top, avoid obstacle and collect power-up racing type of gameplays that we so ‘used’ to love so much (and probably still do). In fact this iPhone game app is developed by the same developer that brought you the classic Amiga racers, Nitro (by Psygosis) and ATR (by Team 17)!

Here’s how the game goes: you will need to get at least the third place in each race to progress to the next track (there’s a total of twelve tracks). You get to choose from a total of six cars in the game (three you can unlock via in-game purchase) that carry different specifications. The game also has very elementary controls: left, right and up (accelerate). Each race lasts for only a minute or two, so it’s perfect for short gaming sessions.

7. Pac-Man

[$4.99] This game character is synonymous with the golden age of video arcade games. And even today, Pac-Man is still widely recognized as the arcade game to ‘rule them all’.

First released in 1980, Pac-Man became an instant hit among video gamers of that time. This simple maze game is just so addictive and incredibly hard to resist. The iPhone app stays close to the gameplay of the original Pac-Man video game. To control the character, you can choose either a virtual joystick or use your finger gestures to navigate your favorite yellow chomping character around the maze, chasing or evading the ghosts.

8. Sonic CD

[$4.99] You play Sonic the Hedgehog and spin your way through levels, collecting rings, beating enemies and obstacles. To spice things up a little, you can also get other items such as shields, invincibility and speed shoes to aid your progress through the levels.

Sonic CD was a top-selling platform video game that was released in 1993 for Sega Mega-CD exclusively. For the iPhone remake version, the simple control scheme of the original game is translated into two corner-sitting buttons – the left for directions, the right for jumping or spinning (hold down). Along with great soundtracks and sharp graphics, this highly acclaimed side-scroller remake is definitely worth a download.

9. Retro Pinball

[Free] You get five balls per game, and the idea is to keep the ball in the air and not down the gap between the flippers at the bottom of the contraption.

The remake of the popular shareware in 1993 (with the same title), Retro Pinball for iPhone will bring you back awesome memories from the early 90s’. Once you download the app, you to choose from three free tables. In-app purchase is required if you want to try the other tables. You are greeted by retro typefaces, music and pinball sounds the moment you reach the main menu.

The all-too-simple controls for the game also bodes well with iPhone because you need only control the two flippers. Tapping the left half or right half of the screen will flip the flippers accordingly.

10. Tetris

[$0.99] Only Tetris can make you very happy to see a straight four-block stick. Old-school Tetris addicts would know what I am referring to, but once you start playing, you may well know too.

This tile-matching puzzle remake for the iPhone may seem a lot more brightly colored and fanciful (each individual piece is in a different color) than the original 1984′s Tetris created by the Soviet Union. They made some changes to the traditional controls for Tetris so as to facilitate playing on a touchscreen device with a small screen.

There’s a One-Touch game mode. Each new piece that comes in stays at the top of the screen until you tap on one outline that the piece could fit or until it falls right down the centre when the time runs out. Once you tap at one of the outlines, the piece automatically goes there. If you don’t like this new mode, you can always play the normal mode where as the tile falls, you tap to change the position of the pieces and drop them by sliding your fingers down the screen.

Recap

Have any other retro game apps you want to suggest to the gaming community? Have your say below, then check out the Evolution of Video Game Consoles and 80 Beautiful Video Game Wallpapers.

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Conventional to-do list apps or programs most of the time work only on one device. If you have an Android phone and work with an iPad, you’ll have to use 2 separate apps or find a way around the OS differences. Imagine if you had 1 app that worked on all platforms, and on top of that works on your desktop browser (Google Chrome) too!

Well Any.DO has created that for you, and it is free with no limitations unlike other apps which asks you to purchase the ‘pro’ app to unlock certain features. The app uses a simple and uncluttered design which makes it really attractive, supports speech detection in multiple languages, and syncs simultaneously across multiple platforms.

Getting Started With Any.DO

Before we get started, download Any.DO onto your devices. Any.DO is available on the iOS, Android and even as a Google Chrome extension.

Register an account via email or Facebook login. Registration is needed if you want to sync your data across multiple devices. We’ll show you the rounds as we see it on the iPhone. Settings and features may differ on Android.

1. Adding Items

To begin adding one of your own to-do Tasks, pull down the main screen and start typing. While you type, it gives you other keywords and sometimes even ‘finishes up’ your words for you. Merely Typing "Wash" shows suggestions of possible things you could wash, say, your car, the dishes or your clothes or laundry.

Entries can also be added with Voice by tapping the microphone icon. Dictate your Tasks with ease as its Voice recognition works quite accurately. This is great for making notes while your hands aren’t free.

2. Organizing Items

To help you be more organized, Any.DO lets you organize to-do lists based on Category: ‘Personal’ or ‘Work’ and based on a (due) Date: ‘Today’, ‘Tomorrow’, ‘This Week’ or ‘Later’. By default, new Tasks go into the Personal category (for reference purposs, on Android, they are called Folders).

The categories can be expanded when you tap on them. You can also rearrange the Tasks with a long press then dragging it to another category or date. To create a new category, tap on New category to add a new folder. On Android, creating a new Folder is accessible via Settings > Folders.

Quick Access

If your Task happens to have the words ‘Call’, ‘Email’ or ‘Text’ together with a name of someone on your contact list, you will see icons pop up next to each Task. The icons for Call, Mail and Message will give you quick access to your Contact List based on how you want to contact the person.

Tapping the icons allow you to call the person immediately, write up an email, or a message to send.

If you have more than one contact with the same name, it will give you an option to choose the which contact you want to interact with.

3. Removing Items

To remove an already completed task, all you have to do is swipe the task from left to right, undo this by swiping from right to left. To remove completed tasks, tap the circular X button or shake your device to remove all completed Tasks in one go.

You can view every removed task by tapping on ‘Done’ located in the ‘Settings’ menu. From there, you can completely remove past completed tasks or restore them by swiping from right to left.

4. Setting Reminders

To-do apps are pointless without reminders. On Any.Do, you can add reminders by tapping the Remind button or Bell icon when creating a task.

When setting the alarm for your to-do item, you can change the time and/or date (if needed), and set when it should notify you. You can be notified on the time set, or 5, 10, 30 minutes or 60 minutes prior to the set time.

More Cool Things You Can Do

Under ‘Badge’ in ‘Settings’, you can change the app badge settings to make it easier for you to determine the number of tasks you have to do, and customize it to show tasks in individual categories as well.

In landscape mode, you can view all your categories and tasks on the same page. You can then drag-and-drop Tasks from one Category to another, or change its due date. You can even access your iPhone calendar to check what other events are happening on those dates.

Any.DO on Chrome and Syncing

Syncing plays an important part for Any.DO as because users like you and want access to our to-do lists no matter which device we are on. Registering for an account allows you to sync your Tasks on any device you own but with the Google Chrome extension, they have taken things up a notch.

The interface looks pretty much like smartphone app with all them bells and whistles attached. When you are done with a task, just click on the Tick symbol to the left of the Task to clear it.

As the Google Chome extension also comes with Gmail integration, you get a great Remind Me button that helps you ‘clip’ emails you are working on and put it in your to-do list.

The task will appear on your list with a direct link to the email in your mailbox for fast access, great for those who work extensively with email.

Conclusion

The great minds behind Any.Do have pretty much thought of everything, including providing a light and night theme background.

All in all, Any.DO makes for a great app with a simple design; with its capabilities to sync on the iOS, Android and even Google Chome, you’ll be sure to never miss an important task ever again.

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