Father’s Day is almost upon us and, for the first time, I technically qualify as a dad. So I’m going to be a little selfish and cobble together a Father’s Day list for dads like me. Yes, you’re going to get a couple different options for HP gear, but if the paternal figure in your life is a nerd, keep reading. I’m giving you some solid gift suggestions. And if you’re my wife reading this: Take notes for next year.
Printmania
When it comes to capturing said photos, I can’t emphasize enough the value in getting a good camera. Cell phone lenses continue to improve in quality, but if you have the means, try to get your hands on a quality, dedicated camera. And a Tripod. And a camera bag. Yeah, it can get out of control. (I got a little too excited yesterday by the prospect of getting a monopod with fold-down legs so that I can capture sweeping video on my DSLR. Like I said, it’s easy to go out of control with photos.)
Get in touch with your inner artist
Consider a HP TouchSmart PC. With a 23-inch screen and Beats Audio, it can serve as an entertainment center not just for me, but for the kid (in a couple years, of course). The TouchSmart 520 can serve up music, Blu-Ray movies, some games….and, of course, a whole bunch of funky touch-screen applications. The most obvious things for me up front is being able to draw on-screen and see what I can do with the photos I take of my growing family. In fact, I pulled together a list of apps that work great on a TouchSmart: You need to check that story out here.
Then, of course, there’s the plain ol’ “cool” factor of being able to access your computer in a more natural way. Without a keyboard and mouse. It’s also something that a child will naturally want to experiment with as they get older. I’d also like to think that my kid will one day have better artistic talent than I can muster….
Impress the guys at work
I’ve gone on to discuss the beautiful new addition to the Spectre line, the SpectreXT, but if you’re looking to justify a new laptop to the significant other: It’s a great work machine as well.
HP’s SpectreXT Pro is perfect for double-duty: It’s an Ultrabook for business and when you want to goof around a little bit in off hours. You know, the important stuff like watching video, listening to music and so on. The SpectreXT Pro comes with Windows 7 Professional and security features, but also packs built-in 2.1 Beats Audio speakers and an HP TrueVision HD webcam for Skyping with friends and colleagues. It also doesn’t hurt that the all-aluminum design will catch glances from the IT guys in your office. At 14.5 mm thin, you’re able to do more while carrying less. (The long battery life doesn’t hurt either.)
Let’s say you want your “thin-and-light” with a little more “oompf.” As an Ultrabook, you know that the ENVY Ultrabook 6 can deliver good battery life in a thin profile. This Ultrabook, though, offers a little something extra under the hood: Choose from the latest 2nd or 3rd Gen Intel Core Processors to power the experience and upgrade to discrete AMD graphics. This means you can get snappy performance to go without weighing you down. I also happen to be a fan of the two-tone red-and-black color scheme.
Game time
As a dad, I realize that my “quality” time in front of a gaming PC is going to dry up a little. Unless I want to play games after midnight when the rest of the house is asleep. That’s when the Pavilion Phoenix becomes a no-brainer. I’ll spare you because I’ve gone on about Phoenix here, here and here – here’s the bottom line: If you want a great gaming experience in a PC that won’t destroy the family budget, check this computer out.
There you go, a super-quick checklist with a couple different ideas for you. Hope that helps both you and the dad in your life. Have any other great ideas / suggestions? We’d love to hear em!
