Dad, back in Pleasantville you ruled the roost. You shaped us. You molded us. You brought us to our first baseball game. You taught us to drive. Your word was law and, no matter the issue you ALWAYS knew best.

And the list goes on.

You bailed us out of jail. You looked the other way when our friends came over “to study”. You took us to our first (ah hem) “private entertainment” club. You got us a top notch lawyer and got the judge to reduce that small indiscretion down to a misdemeanor.

Yes dad your impact is everywhere and we can’t thank you enough!

No doubt our love of all-things-electric comes straight from you so with Father’s Day on the way we wanted to tick off some of the best gear you might like.

The Roku Digital Video Player

What’s small, light and will entertain you for hours? Ah, yes, The Roku Digital Video Player.

For a one-time cost of just $.99 you can access all the Netflix streaming media your heart desires. (Netflix subscription required.) Moreover, the good folks at Roku recently added access to Amazon VideoOn Demand and its 40,000 shows and movies. (Rumor even has it that we just might see Hulu on it some day… but don’t bet on it.)

That’s a whole lot of video for a low low price. Setup is simple, the interface easy as can be and the picture quality over high speed internet… amazing. You’ll not only wonder how you ever lived without it but you may well start bringing the small box along when you travel.  ~Dan

Available from Roku for just $99

T-Mobile G1

Sure there are a lot of Android phones coming down the pipe, but they won’t be out in enough time for dear old dad. The T-Mobile G1 has a nice camera, a physical keyboard, WiFi and 3G connectivity.  It may not be as shiny as that new iPhone, but this dad loves his G1 and if, like me, your dad is an Open Source kind of guy, the G1 is the best phone going.  At $149.99, it’s competitively priced with the Pre and the iPhone. ~Joel McLaughlan

Samsung Jack

There are a number of different options for smartphones, and who doesn’t want their corporate-ladder climbing dad to be all they can be?!  If T-Mobile and its awesome G1 aren’t exactly right for dad this year, maybe he wants something a little more mainstream. If that’s the case, then the Samsung Jack, available from AT&T Wireless, may be just what he is looking for.

The Samsung Jack (often called the BlackJack 3) is a Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard device that is SUPPOSED to get a Windows Mobile 6.5 Standard upgrade (so its life cycle is much more extended, and therefore a more economically sound buy), making it an attractive purchase.  For the active dad, it includes a 3.2MP camera and a 1480 mAh battery capable (at least on paper) of 7 hours of talk time and 12 DAYS of standby time.

The device has 256MB of both RAM and ROM (each) and includes a microSD card capable of supporting cards up to 16GB in size.  At $99 (after $100 AT&T mail-in, Gift Card rebate, $199 due at purchase), the phone is up to 2/3 less expensive than the G1; making it an awesome gift for dads of all ages, and all career levels. ~ Chris Spera

iPhone 3G S Prices vary depending on eligibility, whether AT&T likes you and the phases of the moon. ~Dan “The Lemming” Cohen

Thermapen

The best gift I have found for Father’s day is the Thermapen.  Dad’s everywhere are firing up those grills for a full season of barbecue goodness.  One thing that can kill the festivities fast is a dreaded over-done steak.  Sure, the finger test is a good way to test the doneness of a nice, juicy steak — but where’s the fun in that?  The Thermapen gives you a never-fail way to make sure everyone’s grilled fare is always spot-on just the temp they want it. Good ol’ Dad will never have to face the shame of over-cooking another steak ever again.

Features:

* Read temperature in less than 4 seconds!
* Fold away probe protects from breakage.
* Wide range covers -58°F to 572°F.
* Accuracy meets USDA guidelines in the food range.
* Includes certificate with actual test data to prove your unit’s accuracy.

The reduced-diameter needle tip  only requires about 1/8” immersion so you can take the temperature of even thin burger patties. And, you’ll only leave a tiny, self-closing hole in your steak instead of the gaping “juice-drain” left by “digital BBQ forks” or the old dial-type meat thermometers.  Each unit includes a battery, a wrist-strap and a certificate of calibration with actual test data to show your unit’s accuracy.

You can get the super-fast Thermapen in a wide variety of colors, including  red, gray, black, orange, green, brown, white, and yellow.  What’s even better is that the original super-fast Thermapen is on sale for $74 (originally $89) to make way for a new Splash-Proof Thermapen (in case Dad loves grilling in the rain, or is just spill prone ).   The price may sound a bit high for a food thermometer, but after Dad gets every single item on the grill done to perfection each and every time — it will be worth it.   ~Jason Reese

iNeed® Full Back Massage Cushion

Is your dad the type that hauls your new TV into your house for you? Did he rent a van to move you and your lazy sibling(s) out of college? Or is he jumping off the couch with a little too much enthusiasm and poor form while watching his favorite sports teams? If so, your dad’s back hurts. He’s just too proud to tell you, or get a massage. So get him a massage pad for his chair at work, in the car, at home…he gets relief and you get a dad with a healthy back. After all, who else is going to haul your old couch out of that 3rd floor walkup?

You can get the iNeed Full Back Massage Cushion at Brookstone for $99. ~ Carly

Jabra SP700

Dad would NEVER break the law… would he? Yet every now and then you see him with one hand on the wheel and the other holding a cellphone. Sure you could buy him a new car with built-in Bluetooth to replace that old, beat up Honda but you don’t love him THAT much. That’s where the Jabra SP700 comes to the rescue.

Thin and sleek the Jabra SP700 has a look that says… “sexy…” Turn it on and a sexy British voice announces “Connected” or “Pairing Mode” or “Feel like a drink?“. But it’s all style and no substance, right? Wrong. The SP700 has the goods to back it up. This is by far the best Bluetooth speakerphone I have ever used. Pairing is simple and reconnecting after that is as easy as turning it on. And as an extra bonus each time you do fire it up that sweet voice offers an affirming “connected!”

The SP700 excels at making phone calls. Calls are crisp and clean, and the connection is consistently strong. But it’s much more than just a Bluetooth speakerphone. Although the device’s speaker is plenty loud and clear it has a built-in FM transmitter that allows the sound to be sent through the car’s stereo system. And if your mobile phone supports stereo Bluetooth you can use the SP700 as the conduit to stream music stored on your cell phone through your car stereo speakers. In other words, with your cell phone in your pocket the music stored there can be sent to the SP700 to the Bluetooth connection and the SP700 will then send it to the car stereo using its built-in FM transmitter. And if, in the middle of your favorite song, a call comes in, it’ll pick up the call and stop the music so that you can take the call by simply tapping the device. It’s simple, elegant, and it works well. Amazon has it for just $36.95.  ~Dan

Bear Paws / Claws Meat Handlers

If your dad is a barbecue king, someone who argues the benefits of a dry vs wet rub, and who feels literal anguish when you say you like KC over Memphis, when he prefers Llano style over any of them, then you have got to get him a set of these to complete his mess kit…

No, these claws won’t season Dad’s brisket to perfection, they won’t slow cook his pork shoulder till it is falling off the bone, and they won’t sound an alarm if the meat gets too dry, but what they will do is allow dad to grab, shred, and perfectly morsel-ize his culinary masterpiece. It makes my mouth water just thinking about it! ~ Judie

Bear Claws are inexpensively priced at about $10 a pair.

Give Dad The Gift Of Music

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