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NEWS: 10 perfect Christmas presents for...Apple Mac fans

Dan Sung — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:46:36 +0000

Fan-tat and deskware they won't already have

Welcome to day 4 of the Pocket-lint Christmas gift guide bonanza. Today is a special one for perhaps the faniest of all fanboys out there - the Apple lovers. Because most things Mac don't come cheap, we've done our best to present a few options to fit all budgets but if none of this woks for you, then you can always seek inspiration on our 101 excellent online Christmas stores guide.

Mac earrings/cuff links

There's no greater way of representing the Jobs crew than by wearing your heart on your sleeve, or in this case, your apple. A very reasonable $17 will buy a set of old school rainbow logo earrings for the fan girl and for $32 you can pick up some bolder danglers. Guys get a slightly different look to the shirt with $20 Mac Daddy cuff links from the early 80s or the $40 Apple logos from the return of the Ive era.

Mac Badges

There are quite a few of these out there and it all rather depends on your sense of humour but the Mac badge is a good way to show your pride on all other less formal occasions. Two of the best available are the plain, simple and straight from the heart "I love Macs" and the rather witty, film-referencing "I can't force quit you" for the gay cowboy/Apple humour cross over. Excellent stocking fillers at just $1 a go.

Mac Mugs

No desktop is complete without some caffeine inspiration from the cup of Jobs. Although these Apple grails claim to be original, we wouldn't put too much stock in whether they actually are from the 80s or not. But, at just over ?7 including delivery and a nice bold rainbow logo on the front, they'll bring a nice warm glow to any fanboy's heart even if the cup of Joe doesn't.

Mac SE/30 print

One's home office simply isn't a home office without artwork adorning the walls and nothing says "I was there back in the day" quite like an 8 x10-inch print of a Macintosh SE/30 compact computer. Van Gogh it ain't, but at $20 it's a very pleasant stylised look at a time before the Apple revolution. Surely inspiration for anyone even in the toughest times of one's own business.

iCon Steve Jobs

Dubbed the greatest second act in the history of business, the story behind the revival of Apple is a modern day classic with all the drama, and fortunately slightly fewer pages, as War and Peace. Written in 2005, this biography is going to fall short of one of the most significant Apple moves in the company's life but seeing as there's very little material on Steve anyway, it's about as good as you can get.

If your giftee is a little more recent to the way of the Apple, then another good read is the My New Mac book which you can pick up from the Apple store for ?24.

Magic Mouse

On the hardware side, one you can almost guarantee your loved one won't have is the newly launched Apple Magic Mouse. The ?55 pointer ditches buttons and scroll wheels altogether in favour of ever-popular multitouch technology. You can scroll with it and click the surface and it's also connected by Bluetooth for that bit of added luxury. No cables, no adaptors and it can be configured to work any way you like.

Wireless keyboard/spare battery

This obviously depends on the kind of Mac fan you're buying for. The true hardcore will probably have both a desktop and a notebook in which case one or the other of these will be fine. A couple of things to remember is that not all MacBooks have removable batteries in the first place, so you'd better check which model your giftee has. You can pick up the 13-inch battery for just under ?100.

If you're going for the desktop option, then the Apple wireless keyboard is around half the cost at ?55, it's lovely and slim and works by Bluetooth. It also requires a couple of AA batteries to work, so there's another idea for a stocking filler for you.

Snow Leopard

Most hardcore fans will probably already have OS X Snow Leopard but it's worth checking for two reasons. Firstly, the latest Apple operating system actually is a lot more impressive than the marketing gave it credit for and, secondly, it only costs ?25. In Apple-land, that's what they call a bargain.

Elgato Eye TV tuner

With the quality of notebook and Apple display screens growing and growing, a TV watching experience may be even better on the Mac than your loved one's actual television. In many cases it also avoids having to get out of bed. The Elgato Eye range covers a few different functionalities and costs from ?49 up to the deluxe ?120 hybrid model. Either way, you're going to need an analogue aerial connection but it means you can watch any free digital channels from the convenience of your desk/lap.

Desktop Speakers

There are two ways you can really go here. For pure Mac styles, it has to be the Harman Kardon Soundstick II glass bell jar type 2.1 set up. They'll cost you ?128 but you'll be rewarded with some very wide eyes and a hearty thank you. On the other hand, the Bose Companion 2 Series II looks boxy and dull but the sound is absolute class and amazing for a two-speaker system. They're even a little cheaper at ?100.

Or...

...of course, if you feel really flush and actually want to buy someone a Mac - lucky old them - then take a look our Top Products section which will help guide you through to a suitable model and offer you only the best of the ones Pocket-lint's reviewed. And, as always, if you have any red hot tips for gift ideas of your own, then do let us know in the comments below. Good luck.

NEWS: Five awesome Hallomeme costumes

Dan Sung — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:07:48 +0000

Internet inspired DIY costumes

The weekend is here and you've got a Hallowe'en costume to get together. Like all good folk you've left it to the last minute, so rather than go and spend megabucks hiring something generic, how about unleashing your inner geek on fellow party goers and showing them what the Internet is all about. For your pleasure and your help, here are five awesome Hallomeme outfits

Balloon Boy

The current meme of choice has to be Balloon Boy and it really is the simplest of all to do. You can bag yourself a silver balloon from just about any joke shop in the world. Even if you can't find one plain silver, then just cover a coloured one with foil. Make sure it's a helium balloon or that effect really isn't going to work. Attach it to yourself with string, wear just about any clothes you could care to mention and cover with the cardboard box in which you've been hiding. If anyone asks, make sure you tell them it's a game.

Three Wolf Jobs

Anyone can pick up a famous three wolf moon t-shirt from amazon, but if you really want to show what a meme machine you are, then the connoisseur should specialise by dressing up as the subsidiary meme that was three wolf jobs. For those who have dressed up as the Mac Man in years gone buy, then you're already 90% of the way there. For those that haven't, don't worry, you can find the jobs suit or approximation of on just about any high street in the world. A standard colour pair of 501s, a black polo neck and pair of New Balance are not hard to come by. All you'll need to do is a bit of cutting out and stitching of the three wolf pattern. If you can't get the shirt off Amazon in time, then you could always use a colour printout. Whatever you do, though, don't forget to tuck your top into your jeans.

Afro Ninja

One of the oldest on the Web, but a simply unmistakable outfit. You can have great fun giving loads of posing and attitude to people at the party before falling drunkenly on your face and making an idiot out of yourself. It is the act, after all. Again you can pick up most of the bits and pieces at any good joke shop and you'll find the tracksuit items or ones that work near enough at your local dodgy street market.

Dick in a Box

This costume takes a little more cash and, crucially, a friend who's willing to strap a cardboard box to his groin as well. That said, you can pick up most of the items at any good charity shop. You even have some of the ingredients already in the shape of the brightly coloured t-shirt, dodgy old suit, pair of sunglasses and wrapping paper. Lots of fun with this one plus
you get the back up of a wing man.

Thumb Boy

Okay, we really couldn't figure this one out but the idea is there to be done. Possibly the greatest meme of the year was Thumb Boy. If you're either a) him or b) you also have a head shaped like a thumb, then you're in. Job done. The cop out option is just to walk around with your head tilted backwards whenever anyone asks you who you are. Don't expect people to be impressed. For the high tariff maneuver though, it's probably a case of making a paper mache extension to you own noggin that makes it taper off at the top. All the same, you might have trouble getting your identity across, so you can always write thumb boy in big letters on your t-shirt.

Links - Balloon Boy | Steve Jobs | Afro Ninja | Dick in a Box