Binary LED Watch
The Flip-Flop Tick-Tock
Like neckties, wristwatches no longer serve any practical purpose. They can still make a fashion statement, though, even if that statement is “I like computers more than dressing up”.
Quick-Thinking Board Game
Limber up Your Brain Muscles
It can be difficult to find a board game that people of nearly any age will enjoy. Scattergories hits the mark: although winning doesn’t depend on luck, children can compete with adults on an even footing. This game is also a great way to get to know others better.
3x3x3 Mirror Block Puzzle
Train Your Brain with 3D Fun
Spatial logic tests are all around us: trying to find a route from A to B, playing squash or even trying to visualize abstract information. The best time to learn it is as a kid, but adults need to keep in practice too, and it never hurts if doing so is this much fun.
Book on How Music Influences Us
The Love Affair Between Music and Mind
A sure-fire gift for any music therapist, producer, DJ or teacher, this book explains the effect of melody on the brain. A real eye-opener, it manages to deepen the mystery of how we perceive sound rather than dispelling it.
LEGO’s Millennium Falcon
She’s Got It Where It Counts, Kid
For many Star Wars fans, the original LEGO Millenium Falcon is one of those holy grail items. Unfortunately, that original set is impossibly rare and expensive now. Fear not, however, since LEGO has you covered.
Phantom Keystroker
Digital Mayhem Generator
If you have a specific kind of relationship with someone in your office, this diabolical phantom keystroker might be everything that you’ve been waiting for.
Remote that Switches Off Any TV
Peace and Quiet, Whatever Anyone Else Says
Small enough to carry in your pocket, this remote sends out coded infrared pulses that almost all televisions on the market interpret as “shut up and go to sleep”. Imagine the fun and power this gives you!
Anti-Spy Bug Detector
Making Sure the Walls Don't Have Ears
This is a must-have item in settings where sensitive information is handled. How does it fit in as a gift? People don’t always realize how important their work is, but with this detector you can both remind them and help them out in one fell swoop.
Feynman Lectures On Physics
Hardcore Physics for Not-Quite-Dummies
One of Feynman’s principles is that clear thinking and clearly presenting your ideas go hand in hand, and it shows in this book. Any science or engineering student will benefit from it.
LED Clock Fan
Cool in More Ways Than One
This little fan draws its power from your computer and displays the time while keeping you comfortable, with LED lights strobing to display the clockface. That’s cool in two ways!
Low-Cost Portable Microscope
Enjoying the Small Things in Life
Most people don’t need to use a microscope on any kind of regular basis. If, however, you are a kid or work in a field such as forensics or geology, you might really like to have one in your pocket.
3-Player Chess Board
Chess2
Handmade from some lovely woods and about half a yard wide, this wooden board from Husaria will add a definite “Wow!” factor to any sitting room.
Build-Your-Own Clock
Tick-Tock, Robot!
Made from precision-cut wood, this clock is sure to impress any curious guest. You don’t need any special tools to assemble it, but this is not an easy project!
Coffee Mug for Chemists
A Little Bit of Caffeinated Joy for the Scientist
This “Powered by Caffeine” mug may be just what you need if shopping for someone who works in chemistry, medicine, or a related field. It’s shaped just like a lab beaker.
3D Puzzle Toy
A Maze Hidden Inside a Cube
Some puzzles are meant just to waste time, others are a little more challenging, and a few barely stop short of being infuriatingly difficult to solve. This one falls somewhere in the latter category.
What If?
Scientific Answers to Absurd Questions
Author Randall Munroe has won the hearts of millions of smart people with his unique mixture of humor, sensitivity, absurdism, and hard science. In this book, he turns his wacky sense of humor to all manner of things that don’t make sense.
Telescope With Phone Attachement
Bringing the World Closer to You
With 12x (fixed) zoom and a large 55mm lens for better light gathering, the most useful feature of this monocular telescope is the clip-on phone holder. This allows you to take high-quality pictures at a distance.
Gyroscope Toy
The Magic of Physics
Gyroscopes move in a way that all our senses and experience tell us they shouldn’t, and they resist any force that tries to change the direction. It’s definitely fun to play with and will easily amaze your kids.
Depstech WiFi Borescope
See Around Corners With Your Phone
This product will not be useful for everyone, but it will be an invaluable gadget for mechanics, building inspectors, or anything like that. They can snake the device through pipes, behind walls, or deep into machinery’s innards.
Movable Camera Robot
Like the Terminator, but Cute
Our first thought about this movable camera robot was that calling it a security device was a little absurd. We were wrong, though. It’s pretty capable.
COGZ Board Game
The Most Geekily Beautiful Board Game Ever
Those good at math are almost certainly going to enjoy COGZ. The Steampunk aesthetic will find it to be a thing of beauty. Things get very hard very quickly with this game, but it also depends on how smart and experienced the opponents are.