MUST READ: Congress demands answers from Google over Glass privacy concerns

10 holiday gift ideas for alpha geeks (photos)

Summary: Trendsetters and tech hipsters balk at run-of-the-mill gifts. Surprise them this season with one of these distinct gadgets.

By Chris Jablonski | November 4, 2011 -- 00:22 GMT (17:22 PDT)

Follow @ZDNet

Previous | Next Image 4 of 10

Olly is the "web connected smelly robot." It takes services on the Internet, like tweets, and delivers their pings as smells. Is your train running late? Olly will let your nose know about it. The device has a removable tray that you can fill with any smell you like, such as an essential oil, slice of fruit, or perfume. Olly was developed by Mint Foundry, a graduate design lab at Mint Digital dedicated to exploring the potential of web-connected objects. Image credit: Foundry, Mint Digital

Availability: N/A

Price: N/A

Learn more: http://ollyfactory.com/

Topic: Hardware

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Talkback

7 comments

Log in or register to join the discussion

RE: 10 holiday gift ideas for alpha geeks (photos)

so how is it a holiday gift it doesn't even ship til Jan of 2012?

kloveloc@...
4 November, 2011 17:08

Reply Vote
- RE: 10 holiday gift ideas for alpha geeks (photos)
  
  @kloveloc@...
  
  The price of being an early adopter means you sometimes have to wait for products to roll off the bleeding edge. :)
  
  CJ
  
  christopher_jablonski
  4 November, 2011 17:31
  
  Reply Vote
  - RE: 10 holiday gift ideas for alpha geeks (photos)
    
    @christopher_jablonski I am aware of the facts and a gadget junkie myself, but still does not follow that this and another are holiday gifts, perhaps "after holiday" gifts, as in those gifts you buy yourself after returning the ones you got but did not want. Doesn't make a great title though...
    
    kloveloc@...
    4 November, 2011 17:33
    
    Reply Vote
  - RE: 10 holiday gift ideas for alpha geeks (photos)
    
    @christopher_jablonski It's hard to be an early *holiday* adopter on a product that isn't even available for purchase until *after* the holidays in question.
    
    clokverkorange
    7 November, 2011 11:12
    
    Reply Vote
RE: 10 holiday gift ideas for alpha geeks (photos)

@kloveloc@...

Hmm, that may be a good idea for another guide. But there's always an opportunity to gift these items on Chinese New Year and Valentines Day.

christopher_jablonski
4 November, 2011 19:15

Reply Vote
- RE: 10 holiday gift ideas for alpha geeks (photos)
  
  @christopher_jablonski Or you could just be honest and say that your editors picked the products based on complicated advertising ties and made you write about them regardless of any protestations you may have had.
  
  You have to earn a living, man. We aren't haters.
  
  clokverkorange
  7 November, 2011 11:13
  
  Reply Vote
RE: 10 holiday gift ideas for alpha geeks (photos)

That watch is very expensive..

Frenz9
7 November, 2011 20:28

Reply Vote

The best of ZDNet, delivered

Facebook Activity

Events Calendar

White Papers, Webcasts, & Resources

Oracle Database 11g Release 2 vs. IBM DB2 Enterprise 9.7

This study compares two products, employing pre-defined tasks and steps that DBAs perform daily or regularly. Check out the results today!
IBM Storwize V3700: Ideal for Microsoft Environments

The high-performing IBM Storwize V3700 offers support for Microsoft applications and platforms. Read this white paper to learn how to increase flexibility, reduce implementation risk and deliver a more robust information infrastructure.
IBM x86 Servers: Serving the Cloud

Read this brief to learn how IBM x86 servers offer a secure and cost-effective means for midsize businesses to reduce costs and provide flexible computing capacity.