Geeks are in high demand these days as the Web is bleeding over into every facet of modern business these days. You inevitably have a geeky relative or friend, so make sure you get them something they will really love this year. Of course, we have a few ideas to help you out.

Buy This Gift for the Geek Who Loves RGB

Does your geek have enough RGB in their computer case to light up the room? Are they obsessed with staying healthy? Do they like to spend all night at raves?

Enter the Razor Zephyr, a transparent wearable air purifier mask with N95-filters. It also comes with 2 high speed fans (up to 6200 RPM), 3 sets of N95 grade filters for 9 Days of usage, a USB-C Charging Cable (for the RGB) and anti-fog spray.

Check Price on Razer

Buy This Gift for the Geek Who Loves PC Gaming

This gift is excellent if your geek already has a gaming keyboard, but wants to isolate the most used keys for PC games. The FitLink FPS & MOBA Gaming Keycaps Upgrade Kit is an inexpensive upgrade that will add a bit of flair to any keyboard.

• MSRP: $18.99 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: n/a

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for the Geek Who Loves Card Games

There has been an explosion of card games from web cartoonists as of late, the most popular of which is Exploding Kittens. Described as a card game about”Kittens and Explosions and Sometimes Goats,” this insane game is created by the mind that brings you The Oatmeal. And if kittens aren’t your thing, check out Bears vs. Babies (also by The Oatmeal) or Joking Hazard (Cyanide & Happiness).

• MSRP: $19.99 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $15
• Related: Shut Up And Take My Money: Cards Against Humanity Complete Set And Case

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for the Geek Who Loves Everything Star Wars

This super cool LEGO set of Star Wars droid R2-D2 includes retractable leg drops, an extendable front hatch, a hidden compartment to store Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber and a 50th anniversary Lucasfilm brick. Due to the complexity of the build, it’s recommended for ages 18 and up.

• MSRP: $200 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A
• Related: 75 of the Best Star Wars Toys & Gifts in the Galaxy

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for the Geek Who Loves Minecraft

This torch-shaped bottle offers the iconic design from the classic video game. It offers a 22 oz. capacity and measures 10.5 inches tall and 2.37 by 2.37 inches wide. The bottle material is dishwasher safe is is made from a break-resistant plastic, ideal for kids.

• MSRP: $14.99 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: n/a

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for the Geek Who Loves a Great Cup of Coffee

Experimenting to find the absolute perfect cup of coffee is a geeky obsession in of itself. You will recognize a coffee geek if they recoil at the thought of drinking the brew in the office coffee pot. Many of these folks grind their own specialty beans as well as use elaborate espresso machines to brew some hot java. The Chemex 8-Cup Glass Coffee Maker is the perfect gift for this geek, offering up a unique way to brew coffee.

• MSRP: $50 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: n/a
• Related: 10 Coffee Mugs to Get You Through Your Monday Meeting

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for the Geek Who Loves Old-School Nintendo

While the 1st iteration of this landed on Etsy before heading over to Kickstarter years ago, the Super Mario Block Table Lamp is the perfect gift for the geek who can’t get enough of Super Mario, Nintendo or video games in general. This 14″ tall lamp includes a Super Mario figurine that hovers over a green felt base.

• MSRP: $35 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: n/a

Check Price on Mario Lamp

Buy This Gift for the Study-Weary Geek Who Needs a Nap

Let’s be honest. It’s extremely difficult not to make fun of someone wearing this gift, but the usefulness and comfort of the Ostrich Pillow Lite cannot be denied. Ideal for constant travelers or students who need a short break from studying, the Ostrich Pillow Lite follows up on the popular Ostrich Pillow, which was like a personal, mobile version of the Google Nap Pod.

• MSRP: $45 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: n/a
• Related: 8 Geeky Soaps That Will Bring Some Fun into the Bathroom

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for the Gadget Geek Who Loves Everything Star Trek

Bringing Star Trek-like communication to the modern world, the Onyx, created by OnBeep, is a wearable device that allows a team of people to communicate in real-time with just a tap of a button. Operating over Wi-Fi or LTE when connected to a smartphone or tablet, it’s a darn cool way to keep track of family at large venues (like theme parks) as well as chat with remote coworkers in the office.

• MSRP: $99 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $49
• Related: 7 Stylish Geek Chic Menswear Items

Order the OnBeep Onyx Here

Buy This Gift for the Geek Who Loves Board Games

Achieving a stellar 4.5-star rating on Amazon, Risk Legacy takes the traditional Risk board game and adds in game-changing elements that progressively alter each successive round. Decisions that you make in Game 1 may come back to haunt you several games down the line. In addition, the tedious task of world domination has been sidelined in favor of a faster style of play. If you need a backup gift, don’t forget about the horribly evil and insanely popular Cards Against Humanity.

• MSRP: $60 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $42

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for the Geek Who Loves to Draw

Definitely useful for breaking into the digital art field, the Wacom Intuos tablet allows artists to draw on a digital pad and see the those results on a computer screen. It’s a fantastic companion for someone who uses Photoshop heavily, specifically because drawing by hand is more natural than using a mouse. While there’s also a professional version of the pad, the starter versions are more reasonably priced between $100 to $200. However, you may be able to score one of the pro tablets under $200 with deals posted on Ben’s.

• MSRP: $99 to $199 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: n/a

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for the Geek Who’s Got a Little Freak

Are there any Always Sunny in Philadelphia fans in the house? What better way to celebrate any future Philadelphia Eagles victories than running around in a Green Man costume, just like everyone’s favorite, illiterate janitor, Charlie Kelly. Ideal for Halloween or really any sporting event in Philly.

• MSRP: $30 | Lowest Price on Ben’s: n/a

Check Price of the Green Man suit

Buy This Gift for the Geek That’s a Mystery to You

Having trouble figuring out your lovable geek to being with? If that’s the case, then you simply can’t go wrong with a Loot Crate subscription. Offered in increments of 1 month, 3 months, 6 months options, you can give the gift that keeps on giving all year long. Loot Crate packs each monthly subscription box with awesome geek and gamer gear related to all aspects of pop culture.

• MSRP: $20 / month | Lowest Price on Ben’s: $10 / month
• Related: 20 Awesome Subscription Boxes like Loot Crate

Visit Loot Crate Gifts

2021 Holiday Guide: Awesome Gifts for Your Favorite Geek

Have you ever chosen snoozing over your job?

For some of us, it’s a critical decision we make every single day of our lives. Those first moments in the early morning are a chaotic warzone where your primal love of sleep battles a gradually growing voice of reason. Regular alarm clocks don’t wake us up.  They just make us go back to sleep angry.

We’re not alone. There are many of us who, try as we might, just can’t succumb to the sweet wiles of responsibility.

For people that need extra help getting up, there’s a whole industry of alarm clocks that go the extra mile… to hell! These evil alarm clocks are the last thing we want in the morning, but exactly what we need.

Below, we list the 5 evilest alarm clocks, organized from least to most evil.

Sonic Bomb Dual Alarm Clock with Bed Shaker

If the bed is rockin’… maybe you should get up. The Sonic Bomb Dual Alarm Clock with Bed Shaker ($33.26) is designed specifically for people who sleep through most alarms, not really snoozers. The first assault is a 113-decibel sound blast that dwarves most alarms, coupled with a pulsating light show. But the heavy artillery is the vibrator unit placed under the bed or mattress. This desperate measure works miracles with even the heaviest sleeper.

Buy the Sonic Bomb Dual Alarm Clock with Bed Shaker Now

Walk Me Up! Alarm Clock App

You’re up, but so what? It won’t stay that way for long… unless you get moving. The Walk Me Up! Alarm Clock App (Free App) requires you to walk a certain amount of steps before the alarm turns off. You set up the number of steps you want, and can modify the step sensitivity. And don’t try to cheat! The advanced “shake” detectors will punish disobedience.

Buy the Walk Me Up! Alarm Clock App Now

Screaming Meanie

The Screaming Meanie ($31.95) is another alarm designed to wake up heavy sleepers, except with no pretense of courtesy. The reviews read like confessions from an S&M forum (“it just about blew me out of bed, and all I could think was ‘make it stop! make it stop!'”).

This loudmouth comes with three settings of audio levels similar to a vacuum cleaner, a lawnmower, and a full-throttle chainsaw. Many alarms only claim to hit 120 decibels, but real customers confirm this was one, unfortunately, really does.

Buy the Screaming Meanie Now

Alarmy (Sleep If U Can) Alarm App

Don’t be fooled by the cutesy name of the Alarmy (Sleep If U Can) Alarm App (Free App). It’s nickname of “The World’s Most Annoying Alarm App” is more accurate.

This user-friendly, user-hating technology only shuts off when the sleeper completes mild tasks. The most common is taking a picture in a specified location (where you first register the app), so for example, it won’t shut off until you take a picture of the toilet. Other options include a number of shakes and brain-waking arithmetic.

Buy the Alarmy (Sleep If U Can) Alarm App Now

SnūzNLūz Wifi Donation Clock

Last, we arrive at the evilest alarm clock in the world. The games are over, and this clock is not f*cking around. Instead of relying on gimmicks like loud noise or tasks, the SnūzNLūz Wifi Donation Clock ($39.99) uses psychological — and financial — warfare. Every time you snooze, it donates $10 or more to a charity/non-profit you hate.

While alarm clocks that shred your real money turned out to be illegal, this one uses a wifi connection to your bank account in order to waste your money responsibly. You choose the donation amount (at least $10) and recipient — anyone from the Republican Party, PETA, or your neighbor with the loud dog. This is the only clock that gets in your head to wake you up from the inside out.

Buy the SnūzNLūz Wifi Donation Clock Now

5 Evil Alarm Clocks That Will Force Snooze Addicts to Wake Up

It’s no big deal that you forgot Mother’s Day. You’re just a horrible son or daughter with no appreciation for the tireless sacrifices of the woman that gave you life, that’s all. But fear not — there’s still a few more hours to save your soul, and nothing says “I love you” more than paying a little extra for overnight shipping.

1. Fire Tablet

You can’t put into words how much you love your mother, but if you had to put a monetary value on it, it’d be around 40 bucks. Perfect, because Amazon is giving away their Fire Tablet at 20% off for only $39.99. Don’t worry if you don’t know what her hobbies are — this thing does it all! Mom deserves the best, doesn’t she… especially when the best is on sale.

Buy the Fire Tablet Now

2. Mira Bracelet Fitness Tracker

Is your mom one of those hot moms that likes to stay in shape? I already know she is She’ll love this Mira Bracelet, which doubles as a fitness tracker. Fashionable people tell me that standard fitness trackers aren’t very chic, but this one looks just like a stylish accessory. On sale now for $99.

Buy the Mira Bracelet Now

3. Kindle E-reader

Remember when you thought your mom was the smartest person in the world? Well, she does, and she’ll do anything to get that power back. Amazon’s offering a mother’s day sale, with their Kindle E-reader 25% off at $59.99. She has some reading to catch up on anyway, seeing as she was busy the last few decades raising you.

Buy the Kindle E-reader Now

4. Koolife Knife Sharpener

Is it generalizing and a little sexist to say every mother loves to cook? Absolutely it is, but since they all do, without exception, it’s okay. Your master chef mother will appreciate how easy it is to sharpen her cooking knives with the Koolife Knife Sharpener — and you will appreciate how this originally $90 cooking tool is only $13.99 at 84% off. Your mother will never know how much you skimped… but your conscience will.

Buy the Koolife Knife Sharpener Now

5. Valek Embossing Rolling Pins

Did someone say mothers like to cook? The Etsy store Valek Rolling Pins does quirky embossing rolling pins for your quirky mom. If you really loved her, you would have thought of getting a personalized one in advance… but since you’re only lukewarm about the woman that brought you into this world, you can choose from the regular themes like Game of Thrones, Star Wars, different foods and flowers — even “Mother’s Day” — and pretend like you got it customized just for her.

Buy a Valek Embossing Rolling Pin Now

6. Succulent Living Wall Planter Kit

What’s the problem? None of those other gifts seemed personal enough to give your mother? My, aren’t you thoughtful for someone that forgot all about Mother’s Day until a day or two before. Fine, try the Succulent Living Wall Planter Kit. It’s unique, it’s fun, it’s thoughtful, and it’s the perfect gift that seems to say, “I was bought for you plenty of time in advance.”

Buy the Succulent Living Wall Planter Kit Now

7. BloomThat Flower Delivery

Ah, flowers. The perfect mother’s day present that she’ll love and that you can buy quickly and in a hurry. BloomThat Flower Delivery knows perfectly well how important it is to say “I love you” when you’re rushed and probably guilty of something. Choose mom’s favorite type of flower (or, y’know, “Roses or something”), pay, and then sit back and enjoy the satisfaction that you’ve done your bare minimum responsibility as offspring. BloomThat offers next-day delivery to the entire continental U.S., and same-day delivery to New York City and the Bay Area in California.

Send Flowers with BloomThat Now

Oh Crap, I Forgot Mother’s Day! 7 Last Minute Gift Ideas

Every time I see one of Mimoco’s Mimobot flash drive drives, I want to kick myself, and their Limited Edition San Diego Comic-Con Star Wars Chewbacca Variant might be the best yet.  I want to kick myself because so many of my own flash drives are as boring in design as it gets.  Now just stay with me for second.  I have a bunch of boring, uninspired flash drives that I use every day.  They work, so what do I need with awesome designs like Mimoco’s sold out Han Solo with Carbonite case?

Ok, maybe that’s a bad example because that’s one of the coolest things I have ever seen.  For a better example, let me dial back the Lucas force a bit.  Consider Adventure Time‘s Ice King Mimobot.  Even if you know the very guy whose financial empire is built on making and selling flash drives, if he is even remotely a fan of Adventure Time, then bam, you have the perfect gift.

(Even the penguin is there!)

But what if your flash drive empire friend has a significant other?  Then say hello to Adventure Time‘s Marceline Mimobot.

Did I mention George Washington and Abraham Lincoln Mimobots?  That President’s Day gift-giving event with your nerdy father-in-law is saved.  Einstein and Elvis can get the job done as well.

Check out Megatron and Bumblebee.  Total classics.

Honestly, Mimobot has dozens of excellent flash drives.  Not only are the drives stylish and available in sizes ranging from 8GB all the way up to 128GB, but the drives include Mimory content such as the Chewbacca MimoDesk personalization suite.

Now back to Star Wars, let me finish off again by saying that these make for excellent gifts.  I mean who doesn’t know Star Wars?  And who wouldn’t be filled with joy to receive the Darth Vader Unmasked Mimibot flash drive?

Chewbacca USB Drive Will Carry Your Data Along With C-3PO

When it comes to bacon, I cannot lie, it’s not my favorite.  And yet, with Oscar Mayer’s latest effort, I may just to have reconsider.  The company made three exclusive bacon packages — The Commander, The Matador, and The Woodsman — as giftably presentable as any aged bottle of Scotch, imported cigar, or culinary masterpiece.  Each boutique-like package boasts the four C’s, aka “the four facets of quality that transform an ordinary slice of pork belly into The Oscar Mayer Original Strip.”

Fine CUT, Dazzling COLOR, Timeless CONSISTENCY and Enduring CURE.

Bundled in The Commander is 18-20 Oscar Mayer Original Bacon Strips, a handsome stainless steel money-clip adorned with bacon, and a personal expression of your passion on elegant card stock.

The Matador switches the money clip for a set of dashing cufflinks crafted to show the fine lines of bacon.

The Woodsman chooses a rugged multi-tool etched with the subtle bacon lines in order to balance elegance with ruggedness.

With these gifts, which are frequently sold out but restocked daily at Oscar Mayer, Oscar Mayer dares you to “say it with bacon” and “fall in love with the original strip.”

Seriously, never before have I had to balance a sudden salivating hunger while acknowledging the perfect degree of ingenious dry wit present in the following marketable declaration from Oscar Mayer: “When words aren’t enough… Say it with bacon.” If Stephenie Meyer could shape her prose half as well as these tender syllables, then we would all be in trouble.

https://youtu.be/uaqf4DsjWYU

Behold the World’s Most Tasteful Gift: Bacon

Father’s Day is just a few weeks away (June 16th). Before you buy your old man yet another wallet or tie he probably doesn’t need, here are some unique and useful Father’s Day gift ideas for five types of dads: the nerdy, the sporty, the frugal, the outdoorsy and the sentimental.

The Nerdy Dad

For the dad who’s into Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who, Battlestar Galactica, anything from Joss Whedon, LOTR (any or all of the above will do), gaming, computers, and always has to have the latest tech gadget.

Darth Vader and Son ($9, Amazon)/Vader’s Little Princess ($9, Amazon)

We have this book, and it’s really cute. Lots of funny references to the films. (A favorite is when young Luke whines, “But Dad, you said we could go to Tosche Station after nap!” and Vader responds, “I am altering the deal. Pray I don’t alter it any further.”)

Star Trek Enterprise Pizza Cutter ($23, ThinkGeek)

Make this gift even cooler by pairing it with a pizza place gift card (or even 3-pack of his favorite brand of frozen pizzas).

USB Cufflinks ($15, eBay)

A standard Father’s Day gift, with a cool geeky twist.

Character Bathrobe ($40 to $70, ThinkGeek)

You can find these in a plethora of styles and characters, from Chewbacca and Boba Fett to various superheroes, to Doctor Who Tardis (pictured).

The Sporty Dad

For the dad who never misses a game, gets his news from SportsCenter, and will probably want to celebrate Father’s Day by staying home and watching the US Open on TV.

Game Tickets or Tee Time

Make sure you buy a ticket for yourself, too; that way your dad not only gets to watch his favorite team, or play a round of golf, he gets to spend some quality time with his kid.

A Sports Book

Here’s a list of Amazon’s best-selling sports-related books to give you some ideas.

Officially Licensed Sports Apparel (Adidas NBA Hoodie, $50, Foot Locker)

Finish Line is another good place to look for sports apparel (and they have a $10 off $60+ promo going on right now).

Sports Shot Glasses ($1.40, Lids)

Even if Dad is past the point in his life where he’s going to be taking shots of vodka, these have a variety of other uses (making espresso drinks, toothpick holders, washing down your vitamins or Lipitor pills, to name a few).

The Frugal Dad

For the dad who buys things like mayonnaise by the gallon just to save a couple bucks, will only eat out if he has a coupon, and is on a first-name basis with the people who work at the local Goodwill.

A “Garage Sale Gift Card”

Write “garage sale gift card” on an envelope and put a $20 bill inside. No joke, my dad would seriously love this.

A Groupon Voucher

Groupon has lots of half-off vouchers to local restaurants, activities and retail shops. A gift certificate even the most frugal of dads will be proud to use.

Money-Management Software (around $30, Amazon)

Totally boring for a lot of most people, but the ultra-frugal dad might find this as exciting as George Michael did.

A Sam’s Club or Costco Membership (Costco, $55; Sam’s Club, $45)

Okay, so any true frugal dad will already have one of these, but in case yours doesn’t, a membership gift card is the perfect way of helping him on his quest to save money.

The Outdoorsy Dad

For the dad who loves camping, hiking and biking, and owns every North Face fleece jacket they’ve ever made.

Something for his Bike (Brooks Saddle, $95, Amazon)

Father’s day happens to fall right at the beginning of summer — prime biking season. Here’s a list of fun bike accessories that would make great gifts.

Camping Gear (Byer Tahiti Camping Hammock, $20, REI Outlet)

Check out REI Outlet’s “$20 or under” section for hundreds of great ideas/deals on outdoor and camping gear.

A New Backpack (Kelty Pawnee 55 Pack, $72, REI Outlet)

Also, Ben’s has awesome deals on backpacks all the time; make sure to set up a deal alert so you don’t miss any of them.

Survival Tool Kit (Rothco Survival Tool Kit, $23, Amazon)

This just wouldn’t be a Father’s Day gift guide without at least one mention of tools, right? Knives and tomahawks are also perfect for helping your dad feel extra badass on his special day.

The Sentimental Dad

For the dad who often calls just to say “I love you,” likes to pull out old family videos at family gatherings, and always seems to care more about the card than the gift.

A Custom Photo Gift

This is actually a picture of the custom iPhone case I got as a Mother’s day present, but it would make an excellent Father’s Day gift as well. Casetagram makes really cool cases out of Instagram photos, but places like Shutterfly and Snapfish also sell them (along with plenty of other photo gifts).

Something Handmade

My dad still has some of the little presents I made for him as a kid sitting on his desk, over 20 years later. If you have kids of your own, your dad will surely treasure something handmade from the grandkids. Here are tons of easy ideas.

The Perfect Card

Whatever gift you decide to get your dad, don’t forget to include a card that says how much you love him; it will probably be his favorite part.

Father’s Day Gift Ideas for Every Type of Dad

If you have a friend or family member getting ready to either head out to college or start looking for a job after graduation, you should give them the gift of an awesome tech gadget! You don’t even have to break your piggy bank to do it. There are plenty of gadgets under $100 that any recent graduate will absolutely love. To help you out, we have compiled our top 12 picks:

Roku 3

Just a buck under the limit, the Roku 3 is an absolute dream for any grad who’s into streaming video subscription services like Netflix and Hulu Plus. Due to the always-on feature, you will be streaming television shows and movies within seconds: a start-up process that’s significantly slower on the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3.

The sheer volume of content that’s available on the device is ridiculous as well. It’s no wonder so many people are ditching expensive cable service for streaming Web video in the home theater.

In addition, the headphone jack in the remote control is perfect for high school grads going to college next fall. They can watch television without disturbing their roommate. You can check out our full review and read the stellar Amazon reviews here as well. The device retails for $99, but you can find deals in the $90 range.

Roku 3 Price History on Ben’s

Logitech Washable Keyboard K310

It doesn’t matter if your grad is heading off to college or just finishing up with their degree; everyone needs a keyboard that can be dunked in soapy water and cleaned.

Keyboards simply get gross over time—usually covered with dust, hairs, skin particles, random food crumbs and the occasional splash of sticky soda. For Pete’s sake, a British microbiologist proved the typical keyboard is dirtier than a toilet!

While you can’t toss the K310 into your dishwasher, you can use mild soap and warm water as well as a soft rag to wipe away any messes. There’s also a brush on the back of the keyboard to scrub away anything else. The keyboard is scratch-resistant and the keys have been laser printed / UV coated to avoid wearing off over time. Take a look at the positive Amazon reviews to get an idea of how many people love this keyboard. It retails for $40, but can be found on sale between $20 and $30.

Logitech Washable Keyboard Price History on Ben’s

Western Digital My Passport 1TB Portable Hard Drive

Retailing for about $80 to $90 these days, this portable hard drive from Western Digital is ideal for backing up all of those torrents your college grad illegally downloaded off the Web using the university’s super-fast Internet connection.

With 1TB of space, a grad can easily offload all files from a laptop in order to preserve their digital life. He or she can also password protect these files in order to secure them for future use.

If your grad is using a newer laptop or desktop with USB 3.0, they will be able to take advantage of faster transfer speeds with the WD drive. However, it’s also compatible with USB 2.0 ports. The drive comes in a variety of colors including white, black, silver, red and blue. Prices vary based on the color. You can check Amazon reviews here.

WD My Passport 1TB Hard Drive Price History on Ben’s

Ambient Weather WR-111B Emergency Solar Hand Crank

It may not seem like a typical graduation gift, but this gadget is absolutely invaluable when the power goes out in the dorm room or a new apartment.

Also ideal for grads who like to spend time hiking or camping, the Ambient Weather WR-111B includes a Digital AM/FM NOAA Weather Alert Radio, LED flashlight and, most importantly, a USB port for charging a smartphone or tablet.

The internal Lithium Ion battery inside the WR-111B can be charged a number of ways. Besides simply plugging it in, there’s a solar panel on top of the device and a hand crank generator on the side if you’re in an area where there simply is no power. Awesome for emergencies, the device retails for around $80 but sales can often be found in the $40 range. Check out the extremely positive Amazon reviews here.

JBL Flip Portable Bluetooth Speaker

There’s a ton of competition in the portable speaker market. While Jawbone’s Jambox is definitely popular, the JBL Flip is more than half the price and provides incredible sound for the size of the speaker.

The speaker includes two 40mm drivers with built-in bass port and lasts up to five hours on the internal Li-ion rechargeable battery.

This is an ideal gift for a grad who likes to listen to music and prefers an external speaker over a set of headphones. For anyone who’s using the JBL Flip with a smartphone, the speaker has an internal microphone for voice calls. It can also be used during video chat with software like Skype or Apple’s FaceTime. Available in white and black, the Flip retails for around $120, but it’s fairly easy to find deals in the $95 range. Check out the Amazon reviews here.

JBL Flip Price History on Ben’s

One Year of Netflix or Hulu Plus

Fantastic if you’re pairing this up with a Roku 3 or another media streamer, a 12-month subscription to either Netflix Instant or Hulu Plus will run you about $96.

If your graduate has had their nose in the books for the last four years, a subscription to Netflix will help them catch up on several seasons of both new and old television shows. While Netflix’s streaming movie content is somewhat sparse and limited, the sheer volume of television shows is phenomenal.

If your grad absolutely loves to watch the latest episodes of brand new shows and wants to chat about them at their new job, a Hulu Plus subscription will be more useful to them. While regular (free) Hulu offers access to most of the same content on the Web, Hulu Plus allows your grad to watch shows in the comfort of their own living room (assuming they don’t have a HTPC setup already). It’s unlikely that you will find deals on either service unless they’re specifically offering a special promotion. Here are links for both: Netflix Gift Subscriptions / Hulu Plus Gift Subscriptions.

Whooz

Definitely a quirky gift, Whooz can be extremely useful for grads with tons of Apple hardware. Keeping track of those Apple power plugs can be a nightmare in a messy dorm room. It’s also easy to get them mixed up with identical adapters since so many students also have Apple gear.

Whooz are unique skins that wrap around Apple power chargers. Your grad can ditch the plain white look of the standard adapter and go with full color designs like red, yellow, black and blue.

They can also choose to skin their adapter with a silly face: for example, the mouth is the USB port. Designed for the iPhone and iPad, these vinyl identification labels sell in a four-pack for $13 and come with enough skins to also cover Apple earbuds and the USB charging cable. You can purchase Whooz here.

Fitbit One

Did your grad forget to shed their “freshman 15” after the first year of living on campus? Or perhaps they want to avoid putting on the extra pounds altogether?

When away from home for the first time, it’s common to indulge in those campus meal plans as well as take advantage of all the fast food places seemingly too convenient to the dorm room.

The Fitbit One will help your grad keep track of calories burned throughout the day in addition to monitoring how well they sleep. It’s an excellent tool to help monitor health and strive for goals that will positively impact their body. All the data is fed into a dashboard that can be accessed on mobile or the Web.

In addition, users can share their progress with friends and family in order to provide extra motivation. It also works in conjunction with the Fitbit Aria Wi-Fi scale in case they want to keep track of their weight on the dashboard, as well. Check out the excellent Amazon reviews here. The Fitbit One retails for $100, but deals can be found in the $60 to $90 range.

Fitbit One Price History on Ben’s

Securifi Almond Touchscreen Router

Easily one of the best Wi-Fi routers on the market, the Securifi Almond touchscreen router is the perfect gift for the grad that’s still tech-deficient in our high-speed Internet world.

The router doesn’t need a computer to complete the setup process. The user only needs to follow the simple touchscreen instructions to set up their wireless network. Offering compatibility for 802.11 B/G/N, this router offers extremely fast connection speeds in addition to a long coverage range.

If your grad already has a router and complains about the range, the Securifi Almond can also be set up as a range extender, providing signal strength up to 300 feet. Check out the glowing Amazon reviews. The retail price point is $99, but you can often find deals in the $80 range. (By the way, keep an eye out for the Securifi Almond+ launching during the third quarter of 2013. Also at a $99 price point, it will offer compatibility for the 802.11ac standard—basically offering four times the speed of a Wireless N router.)

Audio-Technica ATH-M30 Headphones

If you have a grad who’s really into music or simply wants a way to listen to audio without disturbing their roommate, check out the Audio-Technica ATH-M30 headphones.

While they really aren’t built for on-the-go mobile use, these cans sound absolutely phenomenal and block out lots of background noise in a typical dorm. They are also very comfortable to wear over several hours—ideal for long study periods.

In addition, the 11-foot cable provides a huge amount of flexibility in where they want to sit. For instance, it’s easy to sit on a bed while these are plugged into a sound system or television. Take a look at the amazing Amazon reviews for these cans. While the headphones retail for $120, you should be able to score a sale on these in the $35 to $45 range most of the time.

Audio-Technica ATH-M30 Price History on Ben’s

Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920

Ideal for grads who enjoy creating YouTube videos or grads who simply want a high-quality camera when chatting with friends or family over Skype, the Logitech HD Pro C920 will deliver crisp 1080p video in a 16:9 widescreen format.

Providing 15MP resolution on images, the C920 is also perfect for taking pictures that are vastly superior to the cameras built into most laptops.

Other features of the camera include a Carl Zeiss glass lens, dual microphones for recording stereo audio, face tracking, a 20-step autofocus and a base that can be mounted on a tripod for more professional productions. Check out the positive Amazon reviews of the camera. The Logitech camera retails for $99, but you can usually find deals the $65 range.

Logitech C920 Price History on Ben’s

Kindle 6-inch E-Ink Reader

While tablets often get all the attention, a classic e-reader is an awesome gift for a grad who likes to read and spend lots of time outside. It’s extremely light and easily pops into a backpack or large purse. Books download in less than a minute and the e-reader can hold about 1,000 books at any given time.

In addition, if your grad is an Amazon Prime member, they can download one book for free each month from the Amazon lending library. Most local libraries also have a Web portal these days that allow the public to download the Kindle version of books for free.

Amazon sells the Kindle in two versions, the $69 ad-supported version and the $89 ad-free version. The advertisements really aren’t that annoying, though. They are displayed on the face of the e-reader when the Kindle is powered down. Peruse the Amazon reviews for the product here.

Kindle Price History on Ben’s

12 Tech Gadgets for Grads Less Than $100

Graduation season will be here before we know it (ask any high school or college senior and they’ll surely be able to tell you the exact amount of time until its arrival, down to the hour or minute).

But every backyard BBQ you attend, every piece of overly frosted cake you eat, every ice cold beer you ingest (if you’re lucky enough to go to grad parties with beer), comes with a price: you must come bearing gifts.

Here are some standard gifts you might think to give the graduate in your life, along with better ideas that just might make you the valegiftorian of 2013 (the only cheesy graduation pun in the article, I promise!)

Terrible Graduation Gifts…and Awesome Alternatives