OT: Holiday gift ideas

[sportdan30]

Family is in town from Chicago and Indianapolis. I brought the iPad over to my folks for Thanksgiving. Everyone has seen this electronic toy, right? One would think so. It was a HUGE hit as everyone was wanting to play games on it. I have a feeling this is going to be a huge seller this holiday season.

Still have the Kinect, and the cousins were all over this. They couldn't get enough of Kinect Sports and all the mini-games it has to offer. Dance Central was also a favorite.

I myself was eyeing a Samsung LED LCD for $1499.00, but am going to wait for prices to drop a little more.

[JRod]

Family is in town from Chicago and Indianapolis. I brought the iPad over to my folks for Thanksgiving. Everyone has seen this electronic toy, right? One would think so. It was a HUGE hit as everyone was wanting to play games on it. I have a feeling this is going to be a huge seller this holiday season.

Still have the Kinect, and the cousins were all over this. They couldn't get enough of Kinect Sports and all the mini-games it has to offer. Dance Central was also a favorite.

I myself was eyeing a Samsung LED LCD for $1499.00, but am going to wait for prices to drop a little more.

Like you said Dan, The iPad is that thing that still wows people when I show it to them. I'm amazed that people still have reaction I had to it the first day. I thought it would have worn off by now. Says something about that product itself. I wonder around the 20th, if you're going to be able to find an iPad.

[wco81]

Apparently Apple was selling it for $458 today.

But if you can find it on Amazon with free shipping, you end up paying less because you don't have to pay sales tax.

There are a lot of people looking for iPad alternatives right now. But the Samsung Galaxy isn't much cheaper for a smaller screen and not as many apps. or games for it.

There are a lot of lesser-known brands, many being offered for sale today. People have dissected them already, usually they have subpar SOCs, resistive screens, or older versions of Android, etc.


I don't know about the long-term appeal of tablets or things like Kinect. Remember the hysteria about the Wii, people camping at Target every Sunday to see if they got a shipment? Well that seems to be completely done now.

[wco81]

Hmm, the most requested gift for 6-12 year olds is iPad.

http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2010/ ... season.ars

Parents today must have more money than when I was a kid.

[pk500]

Hmm, the most requested gift for 6-12 year olds is iPad.

http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2010/ ... season.ars

Parents today must have more money than when I was a kid.

My 12-year-old and 9-year-old are smart enough to not even waste the breath asking us/Santa for an iPad. They know better.

[Rodster]

[greggsand]

My parents are visiting this week, & the iPad has gone over huge. Going to have to check their suitcase before they leave. Just the ease of passing it around whenever somebody wants to lookup something is the biggest difference from handing someone a laptop (or going to another room to "use the computer").

[dbdynsty25]

I still cannot fathom any instance where an ipad or alternative is worth the price. I have a phone that can do exactly the same thing albeit on a smaller screen. I keep trying to convince myself to get an Archos 10...but I can't even justify 300...and I buy everything that comes out electronics wise. LOL.

[sportdan30]

Any of you have any good gift ideas for 8 year old boys? He's in to video games, reading, sports, etc.

[MUTTS]

Any of you have any good gift ideas for 8 year old boys? He's in to video games, reading, sports, etc.

My 8 yo will be getting some of the lego Harry Potter sets as he is into legos and of course, harry potter. After that Im not too sure what to get him. We try to limit the number of video games they have/screen time. He does have an ipod touch. So yes, its tough for 8yos. Was thinking about a table top hockey game or a small air hockey table. Our neighbor who sits for us has a remote controlled helicopter so thats something Im thinking of as well.

Sportdan--if you come up with anything, let me know.

Tony

[sportdan30]

Well, here is what we decided for holiday gifts for my son. First off, the wife and I decided to return the Xbox Kinect (the kids haven't asked to play it, albeit it was a huge hit when we had family over for Thanksgiving). We've also asked them more than a couple times what they would like as gifts, and neither ever mentioned they wanted the Kinect. I had told them I was holding the Kinect for a co-worker of mine, so they knew it wasn't ours. Both of their birthdays are in February so if they find they really want it, then we'll give it some thought then. Also, I haven't been enthused by any games other than Kinect Sports.

A couple months ago I discontinued his Club Penguin membership because of poor behavior and constant teasing of his sister. We're giving him a six month membership as one gift.

I also ordered Just Dance 2 yesterday from Amazon for $26 shipped.

His big gift is going to be a new 8gb Ipod Touch so he can skype with his cousin and Grandma.

Then, he's also getting some legos, a robe, clothes, lava lamp, some Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, and either a Street Fighter video game or a super hero (i.e. Spiderman) video game.

[wco81]

How old is the kid that is getting a $230 iPod Touch?

Damn times have changed.

Yeah I suspect the Kinect and Move enthusiasm wanes after the initial novelty and especially after the Holidays, when you have relatives and friends visit. As we've seen from the Wii all these years, they really haven't found a way to improve the gameplay with motion controllers in anything but little mini games. People aren't eschewing regular controllers in favor of motion controllers when they play FPS or sports games, or just about any other traditional genre.

[sportdan30]

He's 8 soon to be 9 in Februrary, and he really babies his current Ipod Touch which by the way is being handed down to his sister as a gift. I'm selling off his DS Lite and some games in which he hasn't touched in over a year and a half. I definitely wouldn't pay the full amount, which by the way is $214 through Best Buy.

This is a gift he uses daily unlike any other toy or video game system. He obviously plays game on there, watches movies and videos.

[pk500]

How old is the kid that is getting a $230 iPod Touch?

Damn times have changed.

Not at my house. Guess we're living in a time tunnel.

[ScoopBrady]

Those with kiddies at home and a Wii could do worse than getting Guilty Party for them.

[sportdan30]

Those with kiddies at home and a Wii could do worse than getting Guilty Party for them.

Haven't heard of that title. Will have to look that up! Thanks.

[wco81]

If Amazon has it, you can get it without paying sales tax and free shipping.

I've seen Target sell the 32 GB for $290 and a $30 gift card.

[fsquid]

Anyone have any suggestions for a case/sleeve for the Ipad. Going to get the wife one as a Xmas/Birthday gift. She loved the one at my parents house when we were there for Thanksgiving.

[Naples39]

Anyone have any suggestions for a case/sleeve for the Ipad. Going to get the wife one as a Xmas/Birthday gift. She loved the one at my parents house when we were there for Thanksgiving.

http://www.ipadaccessories.com/ipad-cas ... ve-reviews
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003K0E6BG/?ta ... ssories-20

I've been using this acase. No complaints. I kind of wish that strap were a little tighter so I could tuck my hand in it and hold the ipad in one hand, but that wasn't my main reason for buying.

Provides protection for carrying and moving, and the stand settings are more useful than you'd think. This case is also much cheaper (<$20) than some of the ones you'll see out there.

[GTHobbes]

My parents are visiting this week, & the iPad has gone over huge. Going to have to check their suitcase before they leave. Just the ease of passing it around whenever somebody wants to lookup something is the biggest difference from handing someone a laptop (or going to another room to "use the computer").

I'm thinking about getting my 75 year old Dad an iPad for Christmas. He couldn't use a computer to save his life, but I know he'd be able to tap the MLB Gameday icon or pull up the St. Louis Post Dispatch from a list of favorites I'll make for him to keep up with the Cards. He'll protest at first but I'm sure he'll love having it down the road.

[dbdynsty25]

My parents are visiting this week, & the iPad has gone over huge. Going to have to check their suitcase before they leave. Just the ease of passing it around whenever somebody wants to lookup something is the biggest difference from handing someone a laptop (or going to another room to "use the computer").

I'm thinking about getting my 75 year old Dad an iPad for Christmas. He couldn't use a computer to save his life, but I know he'd be able to tap the MLB Gameday icon or pull up the St. Louis Post Dispatch from a list of favorites I'll make for him to keep up with the Cards. He'll protest at first but I'm sure he'll love having it down the road.

What if you visit and he has Madden 11 installed? Then what...do you disown him?

[GTHobbes]

My parents are visiting this week, & the iPad has gone over huge. Going to have to check their suitcase before they leave. Just the ease of passing it around whenever somebody wants to lookup something is the biggest difference from handing someone a laptop (or going to another room to "use the computer").

I'm thinking about getting my 75 year old Dad an iPad for Christmas. He couldn't use a computer to save his life, but I know he'd be able to tap the MLB Gameday icon or pull up the St. Louis Post Dispatch from a list of favorites I'll make for him to keep up with the Cards. He'll protest at first but I'm sure he'll love having it down the road.

What if you visit and he has Madden 11 installed? Then what...do you disown him?

My Dad may be old but he ain't no dummy.

Actually, the first game I'll probably put on there for him will be the old Mattel football game with the blinking blips going across the screen. He still has one from when I was a kid that he likes to pull out from the attic around the holidays. Man, games sure have come a long ways in the last 30 years.

[sportdan30]

They have the Mattell football game on the Ipad? I used to love that game as a kid! You never knew how far away from the end zone you were. I'd run through 10 screens sometimes before I scored. I loved hearing the little blip noise when I got a first down.

[GTHobbes]

They have the Mattell football game on the Ipad? I used to love that game as a kid!

They do on the iPhone -- think they've got the old coleco version, too, i.e., the one which added the ability to pass.

[sportdan30]

My mother bought the grandchildren a big barrell of Lincoln Logs. They absolutely loved it.