16 Great Geeky Gifts for Christmas 2011

Voice Activated R2-D2

Who hasn't wanted a robot butler at one time or another? While it would require a little hacking to actually get him to carry you a beer, this voice-controlled R2-D2 is already programmed to respond to 50 commands. He even has his own personality, which although generally joyful, can occasionally be bratty. With a simple “R2, behave yourself” though, he'll snap back into his usual cheerful demeanor.

(Buy it here)

Remote Controlled Beverage Cooler

If you aren't up to hacking your own droid to bring your brews, you can always just buy a remote controlled cooler instead. Just fill with ice, batteries and beverages and you'll be the king of the New Year's party. (Buy it here)

Joystick-IT

Gaming on the phone or iPad can be nice, but it's just never as satisfying as it could be, in part thanks to the limited mobile controls. Fortunately, now you can rock the mobile like an old-school gamer thanks to the Joystick-IT. Just stick the suction cup on to the control panel of your favorite mobile game and joystick your way onto the high score list. (Link 1 | Link 2)

Molecular Cuisine Starter Kit

Cooking is a science, but it's never been more closely related to chemistry until the molecular gastronomy trend took off. For those who want to toe the line between working in a lab and working in a kitchen, the Molecular Cuisine Starter Kit is a perfect jumping off point complete with 50 individually portioned chemicals, tools and a how-to DVD. (Link)

Star Trek Enterprise Light Up Feeding System

Let's face it, it's hard to indoctrinate children into lives of geekdom, which is why it is so important you start early. The Star Trek Enterprise Light Up Feeding System allows you to ensure that your child immediately begins to identify the Enterprise as an icon of health and nourishment, sure to foster a love of sci fi that will never die. (Buy it here)

Doctor Who Ride-In Dalek

As your child grows older, it is important to diversify his or her sci fi interests to avoid causing series burn out. That's why the Ride-In Dalek is a perfect gift for any child with friends who are starting to ride around in GI Joe or Barbie Jeeps. They'll still have a cool ride to play with their friends, but they won't be stuck with those generic and mindless childhood classics either. (Link)

50-Foot Snowball Launcher

Snowball fights are so passé. That is, unless you use your very own launcher that can chuck balls of frozen water up to 50 feet. It even makes the snowballs so you'll no longer have to worry about getting your hands cold. Just load with snow and kick your enemies butts until their snow fort is completely ravaged. (Link)

The Alkindus Perfume Distiller

There are few geek gifts directly oriented towards women, but here is a very welcome and wonderful exception. This copper distiller is designed exclusively for making perfume, allowing female geeks to practice their chemistry skills while creating a one-of-a-kind signature fragrance sure to attract all the nearby scientists. (Link)

Recycled Lego Necklace With Swarovski Crystal

For those who don't have $200 to spend on a perfume distillery, you can still show your lovely nerd lady that you care with this lovely Lego necklace featuring a genuine Swarovski crystal and an 18” silver chain. (Link)

Star Trek Cufflinks

There's an old joke that says men's formal wear was designed specifically to make them all look the same. Fortunately, for the geek who wants to wear his heart on his sleeve there are always these great Star Trek cufflinks featuring the communicator badge and the Star Ship Enterprise. (Link)

Corn Dog Maker

In some ways, corn dogs are the ultimate geek food: they provide the basic carbs and proteins needed to fill up and get back to work. Unfortunately, the deep frying in oil part makes them impractical to cook at home on a regular basis. With the Corn Dog Maker though, a cleverly designed mold replaces the need for hot oil, making them easier to cook and a lot healthier. The only thing that could make this cooking device any geekier would be redesigning it to work with a USB port. (Buy it here)

Wi-Fi Detector Shirt

Any geek knows just how important a good wi-fi signal is, which is why this wi-fi detector shirt is a nerd's best friend. The only drawback? It can't help you hack through locked signals, so many of the connections the shirt detects will end up being useless. (Buy it here)

Doctor Who's Sonic Screwdriver (Actual Screwdriver)

The Sonic Screwdriver is an awesome tool, but until we can actually create one that can do everything The Doctor can do with his, most of the replicas are simply useless props. Fortunately, this Sonic Screwdriver is actually a cleverly-disguised, old-school, manual screwdriver that can be used to fix all kinds of odds and ends around your home or TARDIS. (Link)

Rubik's Cube Alarm Clock

No, you aren't forced to solve the puzzle every time you want to turn off the alarm in the morning. In fact, this cube is actually completely unsolvable. Instead, you simply turn the top of the cube to switch between its time, date and temperature functions. (Buy it here)

Hydro Powered Clock

If you prefer buying a greener clock though, then you may want to consider this hydro-powered clock. The water batteries provide the same amount of electricity as a normal battery and they last for around three months each. (Buy it here)

Giant Swiss Army Knife

If you really want to know each of the 85 functions this Swiss Army Knife provides, you'll just have to go to the link because there's simply not enough room here. Suffice to say that this device is the Guinness World Record Holder for the most multifunctional penknife and that it retails for $1000.