California, (November, 2011) — It’s fun to be a “nerd” in a time when being called a nerd is no longer an insult. From video gamers to Star Wars lovers to gadget collectors, we all have our inner nerds. As the holidays approach, many of you will be wondering where to find a suitably cool gift for your own nerdy friends or family members. This week NERDS have pulled together a list of some of our favorite places for fun nerd toys, gear, and clothes. Here are some Nerdy stocking stuffers:
For the Nerd who has everything: www.thinkgeek.com offers an awesome selection of gifts for anyone on your holiday shopping list. Items are categorized by interest (including Star Wars, Mad Scientist, even “Zombies & Bacon”) or by price. The “gifts under $10” section includes Astronaut Ice Cream, Han Solo in Carbonite Ice Cube Trays, and a DIY Blood Typing Test Kit. From useful to silly, there’s even a section dedicated to the nerds-in-training (from newborn to pre-teen). Thinkgeek has an extensive collection of fun t-shirts and clothing for any nerdy interest, with a dedicated section for women. It’s great to finally be able to get that World of Warcraft t-shirt and still look like a girl, not like it was borrowed from your guy’s drawer. If the Firefly and Portal references leave you more puzzled than inspired, there are gift certificates that can be emailed or printed out. But why miss out on the fun of finding your Batman-lover those cool cuff-links?
For other Nerd types: One of the hardest parts of finding a gift for someone with an interest that you don’t share is figuring out what would be relevant to their interest when you don’t understand the logos or sayings. Throw in the common use of binary and HTML on many “computer nerd” items, and it can be like trying to pick a t-shirt for someone who speaks a different language. That’s why we’re particularly fond of www.nerdygeekygifts.com. If you know a science nerd, you can select Physicist or Chemist for specific items tailored to their interest, even if you have no idea what the supposedly witty saying means. In addition to the traditional computer nerd selections (which are divided into a multitude of sub-categories), there’s options for music nerds, gamer nerds, math nerds and sci-fi nerds. The site consists primarily of apparel items created through Zazzle, a site dedicated to customizing your own t-shirts. The benefit is that you can get the saying or design on a wide variety of different color and style shirts. The drawback is that in our experience the quality of material is typically poor, and you’ll be paying for originality more than fit or longevity.
For the ultimate Nerd: Check out more of out blog posts for an interesting and eclectic assortment of items selected by a nerd for fellow nerds. Even that nerd chick in your life! Interestingly enough, the site doesn’t actually sell products. Clicking on a picture of something that interests you will take you to either the Amazon page for it or the site that sells it, so there’s a huge variety of items and price ranges. From the $12.50 “Like or Dislike Facebook Stamps” for any nerdy office to a $698 “Personal Underwater Scooter,” it is really just a collection of things the site creators like including cool tech and PCs.
For the Super Nerd: With categories like “Medieval Gadgets” and “Ghost Hunting”, www.x-tremegeek.com boasts “Betcha They Ain’t Got This!” as their tag line. We’re guessing they’re right: from the Harry Potter Talking Sorting Hat to the Chewbacca Bobble Head, they have a huge selection of novelty and surprisingly useful gifts. Even your non-nerdy mom would likely appreciate the Find It Key Finder with a credit card sized transmitter that fits in your wallet able to activate the alarm on the small tag you attach to your key ring. We’re particularly fond of the “Get Smarter” tab that links to all sorts of brain enhancing gadgets, guides and books. Even self-professed nerds need to keep the old wheels turning!
About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, a computer repair company that specializes in on-site and online service for homes and businesses. Andrea is the writer of a weekly column, Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She prepares TV segments for and appears regularly on CBS, CW and FOX on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, More Good Day Portland, and CBS 13 News, offering viewers technology and lifestyle tips. See Andrea in action at callnerds.com/andrea/.
About Nerds On Call: Established in a spare room in Redding, Calif., in March 2004, Nerds On Call offers on-site computer and laptop repair services to consumers and businesses. Nerds On Call provides trouble-shooting for PCs and Macs, home and office networks, printers, iPods® and MP3 players, handheld devices and cell phones, home theaters and game systems, and virtually every other form of digital entertainment. In 2009, 2010, & 2011 the company was named to Inc. magazine’s list of 5000 fastest growing private companies. With 7 locations across California and Oregon, Nerds On Call serves more than 40,000 satisfied customers per year. For more information, visit callnerds.com or call 1-800-919-NERD.
