HomeTechTell’s Holiday Gift Guide

Ours isn’t an easy market to assemble a Holiday gift guide for — because, let’s face it, TVs and receivers aren’t usually the sort of gift most of us give or receive this time of year — but avoiding those big-ticket items, there have still been some nifty new releases that the home tech geek in your life is sure to love. And to fit just about any budget, at that!

$500 and Up

Scarface Limited Edition Humidor: Yes, it’s the ultimate indulgence, but for the Scarface fan and cigar aficionado on your Holiday gift list, this naughty limited-edition box is sure to be the nicest of treats. They only made 1000 of these puppies (each humidor was hand painted and polished with Daniel Marshall’s trademark “1000″ coat brilliant finish, with an interior made of untreated Spanish cedar complete, and an analog hygrometer built in to guarantee proper humidity levels for aging up to 100 cigars), so if you’re thinking of snagging one, snag it soon. [Buy the Scarface Limited Edition Humidor at Amazon.com.]

Paradigm Shift A2 Powered Speakers: They may not be perfect (I still grr every time I have to reach around the back to adjust the volume), but whether connected to my iPhone, my turntable, or straight to my PC, the A2s are definitely my favorite new speaker of the year. Especially for the money. At just $279 apiece, these little active Atoms boast a size(and price)-to-oomph ratio that makes my special places tingle, and rate a “11 on a scale of 1 to ass-kicking.” I seriously haven’t had this much fun listening to music in a long, long time. [Pre-order directly from Paradigm. They're shipping soon.]

$100 to $500

Grace Digital Victoria Wireless Internet Radio: I really hope my dad doesn’t follow me on the interwebs (and Pop, if you’re reading this, stop reading now!), because this is what he’s getting from Santa this year. The Victoria combines all of the internet radio functionality Grace Digital is known for with a iPod/iPhone connectivity and a spiffy olde-schoole aesthetic that’s sure to warm the hearts of the nostalgic. The Victoria lists for $229, but Amazon has it now for $164.64. [Buy it at Amazon.com]

The Nest Learning Thermostat: Okay, there’s a caveat with this one: order now, and you probably won’t get The Nest before Christmas. People have gone absolutely bananas over this little learning thermostat from the brains behind the iPod. The official site has closed down its store for now. Best Buy is still taking pre-orders, but their FAQ states that the earliest you’ll get one is 12/27, and even that seems optimistic. Still, you could always go the Early Bird Gift Certificate route, print out a picture of The Nest, and let your favorite home tech enthusiast know one is on the way. They’ll love you just as much. Eventually. [Pre-order now from Best Buy and keep your fingers crossed.]

Under $100

MOVIEBARCODE: Equal parts geeky, techy, artistic, and cinematic, these amazing barcode prints are sure to spice up the decor of any movie fanatic. And there are prints available in all sorts of configurations at a number of juicy price points. 4″x12″ prints start at just $6.60. Posters start at $22.80. Mounted prints are $45.60 and up. Canvas prints are available from $68.40. And framed prints can be had for as little as $91.20. [Buy them now at Redbubble.]

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Extended Edition on Blu-ray: If the Hobbit-lover in your life hasn’t bought ‘em yet (or if they only own the crappy theatrical versions), Amazon has the Blu-ray box set on sale right now for $49.99. As I said in my review, “These are the Blu-rays we should have had to begin with … Even if Jackson makes good in his promise to further tinker with the films and release even more extras down the road, this Extended Edition Blu-ray release is the pacifier we deserved to begin with. And if not — if this is all we’re going to get — I don’t feel slighted one bit. [Buy it now at Amazon] (And while you’re at it, check out Amazon’s other Blu-ray Black Friday and Lightning Deals.)

The Dark Side of the Moon Immersion Box Set: In Mark’s review of the box, he called it “everything you could ask for in a complete DSoM experience—except some kind bud (but let’s face it: the box is expensive enough as it is).” [Buy it now at Amazon.] (And while you’re it, check out Mark’s rundown of all the other big music boxes available this holiday season. Tis the season for music fans to go broke, apparently.)

And one last, self-serving, recommendation:

Undersea, by Geoffrey Morrison: Home Tech fans almost certainly recognize Geoffrey‘s name (he was my editor-in-chief at Home Entertainment, and now writes for Sound + Vision and CNET), but what’s all this? A sci-fi novel? That’s right! Geoff has written his first book, an adventure story that goes a little something like this: “In a world flooded and irradiated by a nearly forgotten cataclysm generations passed, all that remains of civilization clings to life in two war-torn, city-sized submarines. For fifty years, the only peace between them has come from separation. Now, young councilwoman Ralla Gattley has uncovered mysteries that will bring these two factions face-to-face, setting in motion events that will forever change their undersea world. Along the way she meets Thom Vargas, a bored fisherman and aspiring drunk who merely wants to climb one rung on the social ladder. Little does he know that single step may well put the fate of the world in his hands.”

PS: There’s also a strong HomeTechTell connection here — I edited the book. Added semicolons and everything. You should buy it. There’s at least five bucks’ worth of semicolon, so you’re saving a penny. [Buy it now for Kindle at Amazon (there's a print edition now, too!), for Nook at Barnes & Noble, or via iTunes.]