Stuff Geeks Want

FIFA ’09 was good, but there’s little argument that FIFA 10 – available today – crams in even more soccer goodness than ever before.

It feels and looks more natural with the addition of a new 360-degree dribbling control that lets you blast past your opponent without the need for trick moves. The ‘Be a Pro’ mode lets you to create your own player (even upload your own face pics if you want) and play entire seasons with your favorite team, working your way up to International stardom.

The game is also more responsive: off-the-ball players are more involved in the ball movement, goalkeepers are more savvy and aggressive, and defenders are more aware of on-coming pressure.

It might not look like a major update, but like any good game developer the key to an upgrade is in the ability to make it more natural and real. FIFA 10 does just that.

Buy PlayStation 3 version for $58 from Amazon

Buy XBox version for $58 from Amazon

Buy Nintendo Wii version for $47 from Amazon

Buy PlayStation 2 version for $29 from Amazon

Buy Sony PSP version for $39 from Amazon

Buy Nintendo DS version for $29 from Amazon

James Cameron’s upcoming sci-fi movie, Avatar, is one of the most anticipated films of the year. Fourteen years in the making, what is bound to be a blockbuster of a movie creates an entire world, with fantastic creatures, a whole ecosystem and, of course, a terrible conflict.

While the movie sounds great, video games based on movies are notorious for being lazy, slapped-together programs will little that mimics the screen play. Early indications are Avatar: The Game will be different in more ways than one. While set in the same universe as James Cameron’s flick, the game is actually a prequel, featuring a totally different hero and storyline.

First off, you’ll be able to play in full stereoscopic 3D (that is if you got a plasma or DLP set that fits the bill). This is one of the first games to use the 3D effect and from all indications this is the future of gaming.

There’ll be a multiplayer mode where you’ll pick from the human military – with their big guns and bigger mechs – or the Na’vi. The Na’vi don’t have access to powerful weaponry, but wield bows and swords with great skill.

The movie hits theater’s around Christmas. The game hits the streets December 1st, but you can pre-order now.

Buy PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 version for $57 from Amazon

Buy Windows PC version for $50 from Amazon

Buy Nintendo Wii version for $50 from Amazon

Buy Nintendo DS version for $30 from Amazon

Buy Sony PSP version for $40 from Amazon

It’s been a long time in waiting and much-anticipated. The Acura ZDX is the more stylish offspring of the seven-passenger MDX. It’s lower by about six inches and seats five but uses the same 300 horsepower 3.7-liter V6 engine and it’s all-wheel drive.

The interior of every ZDX will feature leather seating surfaces, and occupants will get plenty of light from above via the standard full-length glass roof. You might notice those huge pillars on each side and wonder about the effort in looking back to change lanes. Acura’s got you covered there…a blind-spot information system, as well as a multi-angle rear-view camera.

The lower ride height together with its sleek exterior lines and sportiness brings some promise of a sweet ride in what Acura calls “a whole new level of prestige”. Arriving early next year at a base price of $44,000, consumers should expect nothing less.

Bikes don’t have to be complex to be functional and cool. Take the 2009 Specialized Langster. It’s a more subdued-looking bike, but far classier and cheaper than a lot of others.

It’s an aluminum, single-speed that’s got a combination chainring and sprocket. What this means for the novice cyclist out there is (1) less to break down, (2) easy maintenance and (3) fewer pieces means less weight. Yea, it might not be so great for grinding up long hills, but at least you don’t have to worry about changing speeds and gears.

It’s got a carbon-legged fork (so it’s light), a super comfortable Body Geometry Toupe 143 saddle, a carbon-wrapped seatpost to mute vibration, drop bar handles, Alex Race 32 rims on generic track hubs, and a long head tube that gives a comfortable, fairly upright position when you’re riding. All this and it weighs just 18.9 pounds!

This is a fab commuter bike at a great price. New to cycling and just want to ride flat areas around town to get in shape? This is your bike that won’t break the bank.

Buy for $550 from Safety Cycle

For most of us a few cubes of ice in our beverage is cold enough. But when you’re drinking a $250 bottle of say whiskey or scotch, serving it at the right temperature can make all the difference.

Although it might look a little strange in the glass, Whiskey Stones by Teroforma are the perfect addition to bring out the real taste of a fine spirit. These little ice-imitators are specially designed to put a slight chill in your beverage.

You get nine stones in a muslin storage pouch and they’re now wet tumbled which takes some of the sharper edges off and results in a more antiqued look.

All you do is put them in the freezer for at least four hours and then pop about three into a glass. Pour in the spirit until it’s reached the height of one stone (about two fluid ounce)s and let stand for five minutes. Now, sip (don’t throw it back!). It’s a perfect (and cheap) little gift for anyone who appreciates a fine drink.

Buy for $20 from Taroforma

He tackled school lunches in Britain. Now he’s taking on the challenge of America. Celebri-chef Jamie Oliver will have a reality show next year on ABC trying to loosen the belts of fatties in Huntington, West Virginia (America’s so-called fattest city).

But before that pleasing site, he’s just come out with a new cook book that ties into the show…Jamie’s Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals. The premise of the book is that cooking good food from scratch saves money and your health.

The recipes cover a wide range of dishes from breakfast to dinner with hundreds of close-up photos of each recipe in a step-by-step format. There’s a whole section dedicated to 20-minute meals with lots of comfort food and gorgeous vegetable dishes.

Buy for $26 from Amazon

There’s was little doubt Cisco (owner of Pure Digital) wouldn’t take long to hit back at Apple for their iPod nano with on-board camcorder. It wasn’t that long.

Now there’s the Flip MinoHD 2nd Generation camcorder with eight gigabytes of capacity (versus 4GB) and a bigger two-inch LCD display (up from 1.5 inches). The double RAM capacity gives users now two hours of 720p (1280×720) video.

In addition to its signature, flip-out USB plug, it also now comes with an HDMI connection (despite them being cheap and not including at least one, short, HDMI cable). Also new: a “Magic Movie” software mode that “automatically trims and arranges a user’s selected video content into their own movie.”

So compared to the Apple’s iPod nano the new Flip Mino HD v2 is more expensive ($50 more), but does have HD video where the nano doesn’t. On the ‘flip’ side, it doesn’t play music or have an FM radio or have the looks of the nano.

It all comes down to the features you want in your pocket. That’s something you should do in the privacy of your own home.

Buy for $229 from Amazon

Starck. Philippe Starck. This French product designer is probably best known for his spectacular interior designs and mass produced consumer goods like toothbrushes, chairs, and even houses. Now he’s designed (or re-designed) the tired and boring hard drive enclosure to create the new LaCie Starck Hard Drive.

Available in capacities ranging from 320 to 500 gigabytes for the portable model (seen at the top of the above photo) and one to two terabytes for the external, these drives feature curvy, shiny, organically-shaped front surfaces with tough gray shells.

The desktop version’s front is touch-sensitive, allowing you to open applications, like Firefox or Word, with the touch of a digit using LaCie’s Destkop Manager software. For added effect, it’s got a status LED light that shines an orange plus sign — Starck’s signature symbol — on the front.

Buy the 2 TB model for $242 from Amazon

Who says a fan has to have blades? The people best known for vacuum cleaners and hand dryers have taken the technology of the latter and made the Dyson Air Multiplier fan.

It works very differently to conventional fans. It uses Air Multiplier technology to draw in air and amplify it 15 times, producing an uninterrupted stream of smooth air. Air is accelerated through an annular aperture. This creates a jet of air that passes over a 16° airfoil-shaped ramp, channeling its direction. No blades means it’s safe and easy to clean.

It’s a little expensive starting at $300, but those who’ve seen it say you’ve got to see experience it to appreciate it. One question…Could you stick you’re head through it and dry your hair? Just wondering.

Buy starting at $299 from Dyson

In the market for a toaster? Want to impress your friends? (If so, get over yourself—it’s just a toaster.)

You could drop about $300 on Dualit’s sexy beast, $200 on the always-classy Breville Smart Toaster, or $150 DeLonghi’s elegant elements.

Or you could go the smart route with Back to Basics TEM500 Egg-and-Muffin 2-Slice Toaster and Egg Poacher.

Not only does this highly rated toaster turn two perfectly good slices of bread into their hot and crusty alter-egos, it will also poach or steam eggs! In 5 minutes or so you can have a great egg sandwich read with hardly any cleanup.

Buy for around $30 from Amazon

Or, if you want something with double the capacity (or insist on spending a lot on anything in your kitchen), you can spend drop $145 on Chefscape’s 4-Slice Egg and Muffin Toaster.