# Suggest a fun Geek toy
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [February 18, 2010, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417 "2010-02-18T01:08:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 18
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417/21 "2010-02-18T20:00:14Z")
You can get 720p projectors for pretty cheap now.
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### Author:  [@Slypork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slypork)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417/22 "2010-02-18T20:25:04Z")
My 17 year old son has [this t-shirt](http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/interactive/a5bf/).
He’s loaded it with sound bytes and music clips. When he and his friends walk down the halls at school he plays [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKLeCjySMi8).
His friend has [these](http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/plush/6708/).
He is very proud that his mother gave him both herpes and the clap for his birthday.
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### Author:  [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417/23 "2010-02-18T20:27:47Z")
> [@Slypork](#):
>
> My 17 year old son has [this t-shirt](http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/interactive/a5bf/).
Looks like a third boob.
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### Author:  [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2010, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417/24 "2010-02-18T20:33:33Z")
For a couple hundred bucks I’d buy a stunt kite or a unicycle.
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### Author:  [@\_Undecided\_Adrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Undecided_Adrian)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2010, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417/25 "2010-02-18T21:04:52Z")
The coolest thing you can do is building a UAV with a camera link and then [try to shoot it down with fireworks](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Apl0xGN6Es0).
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### Author:  [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2010, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417/26 "2010-02-18T21:16:04Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#):
>
> You call that going all out? [This](http://www.corporatehelicopters.com/staticpages/index.php?page=MD900) is going all out.
I was sticking to the RC helicopter category. Especially RC helicopters with geek appeal (photo/video capability in this case). Star Wars fans might get a kick out of [this](http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/remote-controlled-millennium-falcon-16-2-2010/#more-34338).
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### Author:  [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417/27 "2010-02-18T21:31:11Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#):
>
> I’d try [American Science and Surplus](http://www.sciplus.com/index.cfm) or [United Nuclear](http://www.unitednuclear.com/). You can get Trinitite!
American Science and Surplus is great. They have tons of stuff, and I’m sure that I could easily spend several thousand dollars there without even looking at the top shelf items. And you just can’t beat the price of their merchandise.
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### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2010, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417/28 "2010-02-20T02:40:55Z")
Some good stuff here - I already have an RC helicopter. I’m kind of leaning towards the Lego NXT system, but I’ll wait a few more days to see if there are any other suggestions.
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### Author:  [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2010, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417/29 "2010-02-20T05:37:14Z")
[Nemesis Factor](http://www.funagain.com/control/product?product_id=13542): It’s only $5-10, but it’s a start.
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### Author:  [@tekella\_mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tekella_mockingbird)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2010, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417/30 "2010-02-20T06:48:42Z")
Van de Graff wand with mylar forms, also from thinkgeek. Oo, floaty and all magically delicious.
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### Author:  [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417/31 "2010-02-22T17:56:11Z")
> [@Khadaji](#):
>
> Some good stuff here - I already have an RC helicopter. I’m kind of leaning towards the Lego NXT system, but I’ll wait a few more days to see if there are any other suggestions.
If that’s how you’re leaning, then I need to ask, how much of a geek are you? Are you thinking you’ll want to flash the chip in the programmable brick and install a custom kernel and write your own code for it? Because if you do, then you should do a little more research as to which set makes sense for you. The [NXT 2.0](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego_Mindstorms_NXT_2.0) is the current model, and the one with the most current development support, and is generally the cheapest. Some geeks swear by the older sets though. My stuff is all older and I haven’t felt a need to get the newer stuff, although I certainly have the itch.
Enjoy,
Steven
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### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417/32 "2010-02-22T18:15:25Z")
> [@Mtgman](#):
>
> If that’s how you’re leaning, then I need to ask, how much of a geek are you? Are you thinking you’ll want to flash the chip in the programmable brick and install a custom kernel and write your own code for it? Because if you do, then you should do a little more research as to which set makes sense for you. The [NXT 2.0](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego_Mindstorms_NXT_2.0) is the current model, and the one with the most current development support, and is generally the cheapest. Some geeks swear by the older sets though. My stuff is all older and I haven’t felt a need to get the newer stuff, although I certainly have the itch.
>
> Enjoy,
> Steven
I blew off Arduino because it is a little too close to what I do for a living. Right now I’m only interfacing with controllers, but not too many years ago I worked on writing HVAC controllers using eCos and the Motorolla Coldfire chip.
I’m looking for stuff to play with. I thought I might make an M&M sorter, just for fun. Then maybe do something with Bluetooth and a robot that patrols a certain set area. I don’t, we’ll see.
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### Author:  [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417/33 "2010-02-22T19:35:21Z")
A bit practical but still a _bit_ geeky and arguably fun:
[Western Digital Media Player](http://techreport.com/articles.x/16565), my next tech acquisition.
(Also available in HD flavour.)
I currently have the livingroom TV set up as a second monitor on my PC, to watch DivX/Xvid stuff without burning to a DVD first. Downside - I am forever leaving my mouse in the couch or at my desk, and anyway it’s not an ideal remote device for TV watching.
A $100 unit that I can plug USB drives into to play 99% of my media with a handy remote, without the power-consumption overkill and noisy fans on my PC? Sold!
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### Author:  [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417/34 "2010-02-22T20:52:26Z")
> [@Khadaji](#):
>
> I blew off Arduino because it is a little too close to what I do for a living. Right now I’m only interfacing with controllers, but not too many years ago I worked on writing HVAC controllers using eCos and the Motorolla Coldfire chip.
>
> I’m looking for stuff to play with. I thought I might make an M&M sorter, just for fun. Then maybe do something with Bluetooth and a robot that patrols a certain set area. I don’t, we’ll see.
I found it was difficult to play with my Mindstorms. Either I’d build something which was supposed to be autonomous, and chafe at the restrictive, basic-ness of the built in programming capabilities(which were VERY primitive in my version), or I’d build something interactive(using the IR controller usually) and feel that I had wasted the autonomous capabilities of the set. Good ol’ Technic LEGO sets, especially the pneumatic ones, gave me the engineer geekiness I was looking for when I wanted entertainment. I’d break out the Mindstorms when I wanted to use my programming skills in a different way than I do in my normal work, or impress the kids(they love daddy LEGO night). Maybe the NXT is sufficiently flexible and powerful that you won’t have the same issues I did, but going from c to LEGO programming was like going from Technic to Duplo and I wasn’t willing to do that.
Enjoy,
Steven
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### Author:  [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2010, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417/35 "2010-02-23T00:40:25Z")
If you just want something that looks cool, there’s [this keyboard](http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/keyboards-mice/8193/).
If you want something to fiddle with, there are several sites discussing ways to pimp or hack a roomba.
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2010, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417/36 "2010-02-23T00:51:26Z")
Get a 2 foot long copy of the Trojan Horse, made of wood, with wheels, & filled with hoplites.
What…?
Oh. A **geek** toy!
That’s very differnt.
Nevermind.
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### Author:  [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2010, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417/37 "2010-02-23T00:55:57Z")
> [@Yllaria](#):
>
> If you just want something that looks cool, there’s [this keyboard](http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/keyboards-mice/8193/).
Or [this one](http://www.daskeyboard.com/images/front-view-ult-1050.png).
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### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2010, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-fun-geek-toy/529417/38 "2010-02-23T01:23:58Z")
> [@Mtgman](#):
>
> I found it was difficult to play with my Mindstorms. Either I’d build something which was supposed to be autonomous, and chafe at the restrictive, basic-ness of the built in programming capabilities(which were VERY primitive in my version), or I’d build something interactive(using the IR controller usually) and feel that I had wasted the autonomous capabilities of the set. Good ol’ Technic LEGO sets, especially the pneumatic ones, gave me the engineer geekiness I was looking for when I wanted entertainment. I’d break out the Mindstorms when I wanted to use my programming skills in a different way than I do in my normal work, or impress the kids(they love daddy LEGO night). Maybe the NXT is sufficiently flexible and powerful that you won’t have the same issues I did, but going from c to LEGO programming was like going from Technic to Duplo and I wasn’t willing to do that.
>
> Enjoy,
> Steven
There are at least two C compilers for NXT, one is free the other you buy. I haven’t looked too closely at them yet though. There is also a [NXT.NET](http://NXT.NET) environment which looks interesting, but again, I haven’t really looked at it yet. I think - but am not sure - that you can also use Visual Studio’s Robotic Studio with NXT.
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