Yesterday, Matt told you where to splurge like Sean Parker on a bender. Today, I go the opposite direction, helping you score relatively affordable gifts for the technologically inclined. From novelty stocking stuffers to arty gifts to useful apps, here are a few of my favorite things.
NEStalgia Cartridges ($16)
Remember the good old days, when you played the 8-bit versions of BioShock and Call of Duty for the NES? I hope not, because those games never existed. That didn’t stop the artists over at 72pins from creating all-new, original covers for Nintendo games that never were. Each one is slapped on a working NES cartridge chosen at random, which means your fake copy of Angry Birds might actually be a real copy of Base Wars, which would be the most awesome thing ever. At $16, they make for a pretty funny stocking stuffer for a nostalgic gamer.
Fujifilm FinePix X10 ($599.95)
Was there a more attractive camera released in 2011? Gorgeous retro styling and amazing specs (f/2.0-2.8 zoom lens, 2/3-inch EXR CMOS sensor, 1080p video) in a compact camera that fits in your pocket, the Fujifilm FinePix X10 finds a nice middle ground between your weak smartphone camera and your bulky DSLR. It’s bigger and more expensive than the similarly outfitted Canon PowerShot S100 ($429.99) but for the extra cash, you get a larger sensor capable of shooting beautifully in low light and tactile controls for quick and easy operation. Also, did I mention it was really, really, really, ridiculously good looking?
(MORE: Our Favorite Things: Last-Minute Gift Ideas (Day Four))
Six Issues of Electric Literature ($20)
Electric Literature is the first literary magazine designed specifically with smartphones and tablets in mind. Yes, the design is hip and the stories are short, but make no mistake; this is serious fiction written by seriously talented, known writers including Colson Whitehead (Zone One, Sag Harbor), Aimee Bender (The Girl in the Flammable Skirt) and Jim Shepard (Like You’d Understand, Anyway), to name a few. Old fashioned? Don’t worry, you can order a paperback version of the magazine as well.