Monday, December 14, 2015

Gift Guide: Silicon Valley

Via
The Dude, Class Clown, that guy... he's a frequent guest on the gift guides. A little bit nerdy and a whole lot funny he's an incorrigible comedian who refuses to grow up. 

We've spotted him before in Tokyo, but this year find him at home in Silicon Valley - the oft-parodied geek paradise where his tech skills and social ills fit right in. 


For 5pm brews and starting conversations - an emoji-inspired opener that also happens to be the product of 3D printing. All of the things. Poop Bottle Opener from Shapeways.



For digitizing his doodles - a smart pen that syncs with all of his devices. Neo Smartpen N2



For more analog notes - a collection of jotters from famous fictional hotels. Hotel Notepads Set from Herb Lester.  Featuring The Overlook Hotel from The Shining, Taft Hotel from The Graduate and Royal Imperial Windsor Arms Hotel from National Lampoon's European Vacation among others. They're also available individually.

For eating off of something other than paper - a set of cocktail plates that don't take themselves to seriously. Joke Appetizer Plates from ED


For taking the music anywhere that a speaker usually can't go - a waterproof, light-weight washable bluetooth speaker that's virtually indestructible, promises big sound and clips on to his bike/his bag/his board with it's own bungee. UE Roll from Ultimate Ears.
For when the occasion requires it - One Gallon of Omnipotence from Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. They also stock Chutzpah, Schadenfreude and Immortality among other powers the proceeds of which all directly benefit a non-profit bringing creative writing classes to the kids of Brooklyn. 

For changing up the look of his favorite watch - a waxed cotton bands in an assortment of colors and prints. Vertical Stripe Strap from Suigeneric New York.


For kitchen experiments and being a part of the current culinary trend - a wifi enabled sous vide device. Nomiku. What's sous vide? Food cooked slowly in water held at a constant temperature which results in perfectly done meats, eggs and veggies with less hands on time. Also check out competitors Anova and Mellow.



Another way to up his game in the kitchen - dispatches from a local culinary star. The Mission Chinese Food Cookbook available on Amazon.

For game night - a apples to apples-esque version of the classic 'who would win in a fight.' Superfight.


For war zones or commutes that feel like war zones - a special forces designed backpack adapted for the needs of a city dweller. With a bomb proof laptop pocket, tactical rainproof exterior and multiple interior storage combinations you'd be hard-pressed to find a better bag. GR1 from GORUCK.
For his fridge - because those selfies are pure gold. Gold Magnetic Polaframes available on Amazon.


For keeping it cool - Easy Tiger Tee from Fluffy Co. available on Brit & Co.  He'd also probably be a fan of this - or because winter is coming, this.


For snacking - a delicious blend of cornflakes, lucky charms and white chocolate. Cereal Bowl Bar form Compartes. Or a different breakfast-themed sweet, Doughnuts & Coffee.

For streamlining his nightstand - an iPhone dock with a functional easy-tap (maybe too easy-tap) snooze button on top. The Snooze Alarm Dock by DistilUnion available on The Grommet.


For streamlining his desk/tv stand/anywhere else his tech has taken over the room - a sleek and simple cable management system. Soba from BlueLounge.


For getting into trouble - a miniature drone equipped with an HD camera. SKEYE Mini Drone from TRND labs.

For expanding his sock drawer variety - the funniest socks. Wolf of LOL St., Kim Jong Illest and Alpacass socks from Freaker.  Also don't miss Manneater and Lance Tiny-Arms Strong.


For his morning coffee - Pied Piper Mug from Shop HBO. Also for Silicon Valley fans - don't miss Aviato, Hooli and Raviga.

For his morning run, or his afternoon gaming session - break through bluetooth headphones that conduct sound through bones in his face so audio blends seamlessly with his environment. Bluez S2 Headphones from Aftershokz.
For making any pair of gloves touch screen compatible - Nanotips for leather or fabric gloves. Pro-tip - this also turns your pencil eraser into a stylus...







For dressing up his empty walls - SUPERHERO CITY Print Set from CONCEPCION STUDIOS on Etsy. More of a Star Wars guy? They have him covered there too. Want something that includes more data and flow charts - these guys never fail.




Finally, some funny guy reads  - for inspiration. Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari and Sick in the Head by Judd Apatow, both available on Amazon.