Well it is that time of year again, when I email my blog to my children before sending it to Kamila to be published.
Father’s Day is Sunday 20 June and here are a few ideas for presents for your Geek Dad. No affiliate links here and in no particular order.
Buy him a computer!
Not a Windows or Apple machine but a Raspberry Pi running Linux. These computer modules started life in education but now have found a firm place in the computer hobbyist market. They are fully functional computers and easy to use, I have one of the more powerful models in my office and use it on Octagon’s Microsoft 365. I also have a couple of Pi Zero computers set up as CCTV cameras and another is running as an ebook server on our home network. You would need a micro SD card to make this kit complete. It can be powered from Dad’s phone charger. There are hundreds of projects for these little computers online – if your Dad has an interest in hands on computing then this could be the gift for him.
GeeekPi Raspberry Pi ZERO W Basic Starter Kit
A Comic Book Encyclopedia
Before we start – I have a copy of this book and I think it is great. Bios on all your favourite comic book heroes and villains. It is produced by DK so the illustrations are first class. My link below is for the Kindle version, but if you want a coffee table book, there is a dead tree edition.
Marvel Encyclopedia New Edition – Kindle Edition
A choice of t-shirts
For this article I found a number of t-shirts on Amazon that I thought would be suitable for including in this edition of the “Geek present” series. But I was uncertain which one to include so you got two.
Other colours available.
This one is really geeky…
Again there are a selection of colours.
There’s no place like… T-shirt
Geeks always like Bluetooth things
This present will remind your Dad of when you were born – it is something small that makes a lot of noise. A waterproof Bluetooth speaker – that will recharge by wireless or cable. It will also function as a remote shutter release for his smartphone. Again lots of colours to choose from.
We use cookies on this website to track you…
We have all seen these cookie advisory messages when visiting websites. This time your choice is easy – get Dad a cookie mouse mat.
Your Dad as a Lego Mini-figure
This company assembles personalised mini-figures. Just visit the page to see the options available and make one that looks like Dad.
Personalised Mini Figure and Brick
Something from Star Wars
Another book that I own (in the Kindle version) – if your Dad is a Star Wars Fan then this book is for him. Plenty of geeky details about characters, ships, hardware, planets, cultures etc and behind the scenes stories across the whole franchise.
A DK book so again it is produced to their high standards.
Did your Dad first watch Star Wars when it was just called “Star Wars” and not “Star Wars IV: A New Hope”? Ask him.
Ultimate Star Wars New Edition: The Definitive Guide to the Star Wars Universe
This links to the Kindle version but they do print it on dead trees as well.
Checking up on the volts and amps
I have a simpler version of this device which I use when I am travelling to check the output of the accommodation USB charge sockets before I plug in my expensive devices. Like the model I have you can charge multiple devices through it from a single USB output. This model includes some security firmware if you are charging from a computer that is not yours, and a charge monitor.
PortaPow 3rd Gen Triple USB + USB-C Power Monitor with Data Blocker
I am going to finish with another book which I own – I have a lot of books.
Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Cooks, and Good Food
This book is published by O’Reilly who are famed for producing high quality, extremely technical computer software and hardware manuals (I own a number of those as well). This book is also a technical manual but very approachable as it explores the science and tech of cooking. It is hard to describe the book, as there are a lot of very interesting articles by both cooking experts and other experts in other fields – for example Adam Savage for Mythbusters writes on testing and how it relates to cooking. There are articles on equipment and techniques, tastes by culture, the melting points of fats, food safety, pizza etc. And there are recipes. I have the Kindle version and I want the dead tree version as well.
Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Cooks, and Good Food Kindle Edition
Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Cooks, and Good Food Paperback
So this is the end of my favourite article of the year.
I make that 10 gifts. If you do not end up getting any of these things for your Dad, I hope maybe these ideas gave you some inspiration for what you eventually got him.
Whatever happens, after the year we have all had, I hope you can get together with your Dad and family and enjoy the day.
Clive
p.s. To my children, I’d like something with a USB plug on it for Father’s Day.
Clive is the CIO at Octagon Technology with special responsibility for data privacy and security. The world of business technology is constantly changing and to meet this challenge he recently graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with an MSc in Advanced Computer Security and Digital Forensics. His dissertation was on data privacy in small businesses using Microsoft 365 for business.
The degree is not the end of the studying – to keep current Clive spends some of his time at work simply reading and studying the latest technology trends and threats so our clients can benefit from this knowledge. This knowledge also shapes and supports the products and services our people deliver to the clients.
To fully use Clive’s new Master’s degree in Computer Security, Clive and Diana have a joint venture with an international research company to get access for our clients to up to date information, schemas, analytics, templates, actionable tools and guidance. Whatever the size of your organisation if you are not approaching IT, security and privacy in a way that supports and benefits you, they can help, from the boardroom to the shop floor.
If you would like to discuss any of these matters with Clive, email me at kamila@octagontech.com and I will organise a video meeting for you. He will be happy to answer questions about your particular issues.
Kamila
General Manager
