Nifty Computer-related Gift for Friend?

November 4, 2009 6:18 PM

Gift filter: I'm looking for a nifty computer-related gift for a friend's birthday.

A friend's birthday is coming up in December. She's a thoughtful girl that's quiet and shy most of the time, but has got a sense of humor. She's also into computer science. I'm wondering if anyone can suggest some nifty computer science gifts I could get her? I've thought about getting her an extremely fancy mouse, but I'm wondering if there's anything more 'personalized'/'unique' than that (as in, would not be too common place). Budget at this time is not an issue, and I'll most likely be ordering this over the internet. Please post a link if possible. Thanks for your time!

posted by oracle bone to computers & internet (11 comments total)

I used Thinkgeek a lot last Christmas.
posted by Stylus Happenstance at 6:36 PM on November 4

A kitchen timer, set to 60 minutes, to remind her to look around, loosen up her neck and shoulder muscles, and basically not become a pain-riddled gnome by the time she's 30 (or whatever her age is + 5 years).

* note: this suggestion is contributed by an actual female with a computer science degree. She may laugh, you may feel it's not good enough (but you can get a cute cute timer - check fancy kitchen stores), but if she actually uses it, it could really make her whole life better.
posted by amtho at 6:47 PM on November 4

There are some nifty things like clipboards and clocks made from recycled motherboards. Check them out here.
posted by DrGail at 6:49 PM on November 4

OOooooo seconding thinkgeek
posted by kthxbi at 7:48 PM on November 4

Maybe Gödel, Escher, Bach. I used to own it (until I loaned it to a friend and never got it back) and I would always come back to it every so often. Its computer sciency and humorous.
posted by CrunchyFrog at 7:54 PM on November 4

Third for www.Thinkgeek.com! They have tons of computer toys and shirts.

www.Newegg.com has good computer things at low prices....

Check www.Etsy.com for earrings and other jewelry made from computer and electronic parts.

Get her a subscription to Wired or Mental Floss, perhaps? Or a build-it-yourself science kit? Perhaps www.discoverystore.com or www.sharperimage.com as well...

www.geekstuff4u.com/
http://errorwear.com/errorwear.html
http://www.unitednuclear.com/
http://www.mcphee.com/shop/ Goofy stuff...
http://www.thingsyouneverknew.com/
posted by Jinx of the 2nd Law at 9:54 PM on November 4

check out dealextreme for gift idea.
dealextreme
posted by PowerCat at 3:33 AM on November 5

Etsy has a section called 'Geekery' that is full of fun stuff. A lot of it is full of 'inside jokes' for people in the computer industry. I know Etsy can be a little overwhelming, so maybe that will give you a place to start.

There is also website Gadget4all.com that has a ton of USB devices and storage fun. It appears to be a Japanese website, so I don't have any idea how long it would take for you to get your order. Some of the stuff is really fun though, so you might find something for your friend there.
posted by TooFewShoes at 6:37 AM on November 5

I've always been super jealous of people who were able to etch a design into their macbook. Don't know what she uses or if there's a gift certificate you can get her, but that might be pretty cool.

I would add the Evil Mad Scientist Laboratory store. There's a lot of stuff on there to build, but it seems like you could really take advantage of things if you knew how to program.
posted by hue at 7:16 AM on November 5

I have carried a Victorinox SwissFlash USB pocketknife for years now. It is amazingly useful. I use the tiny scissors a lot. The screwdriver? No idea how many computers I've disassembled with that, but I can say that it is essential when I notice a discarded machine and my hunter-gatherer instincts kick in. The little pen, even. Handy. But the thumb drive, I use all the damn time. And since my wife bought me the 16 GB airline model as a gift (with built-in laser pointer!) it's been even more fun. I swapped out the old 512 MB drive for the 16 GB one, and swap it back into the laser model when traveling or for presentations.

A friend in the lab liked it so much we bought her a 2 GB laser model as a graduation gift. It's a great combination of handy, geeky, and awesome, all wrapped up in Victorinox goodness. Many options for drive capacity, laser or LED flashlight, airline model or bladed version. Worth a look, at the very least!
posted by caution live frogs at 8:06 AM on November 5

I was going to post a suggestion, but it's not half as cool as that USB pocketknife.

Go with the pocketknife.

(Can you get me one, too?)
posted by ErikaB at 8:41 AM on November 5