What would your father like on a day dedicated just for him? A nice dinner? A trip to the lake? Tickets for his favorite NFL team? It depends on what kind of dad you have.
Professional Dad
Laptop Essentials Kit
www.brookstone.com, $50
The Brookstone Laptop Essentials Kit is the gift for the hard-working professional. The six-piece kit has everything dad needs to make working outside of the office easy. The zip-up case includes a USB hub, a numeric keypad as well as a retractable mouse and a retractable Internet cable to save space. Also included in the case are a gooseneck light and ear buds with an attached microphone perfect for working on a plane.
The Tech Dad
Apple TV
www.apple.com, $229-$329
Finding a Father’s Day gift for the gadget lover in the family can be difficult. Instead of a new toy, why not get him something that marries all of his favorites. The Apple TV does exactly that. The device streams all types of media — movies, TV shows, music and photos — to the television. It works with both Macs and PCs though there are some system specifications. It is important to note with the Apple TV that iTunes version 7.6 or higher and a widescreen TV are required to operate the product. Depending on the version, the TV will hold 50 or 200 hours of video.
Sports Fan
NFL Team Dart Board
www.NFLshop.com, $159.99
Football season is just a few months away, and Father’s Day might be a good time to help the family sports fanatic get prepared for kickoff. An NFL dartboard featuring a team logo on the front can get dad in the mood for football. The dartboard comes in a pine cabinet, and the team logo is displayed front and center on the wood paneling as well as on the inside chalk board. The set also includes six darts featuring the team name and NFL logo, chalk and a chalk eraser, so as soon as it’s hung up, dad will be all set to play.
Outdoorsy Dad
ENO Doublenest Hammock
www.REI.com, $59.95
Father’s Day is meant to be the one day each year when dad gets to be pampered. But for some families, getting dad to come inside long enough to relax on the couch can be tough. For the outdoorsy dad, the Doublenest Hammock (pictured below) can bring him the best of both worlds. The nylon hammock that can hold up to 400 pounds can be hooked up in the backyard or packed up and taken on a camping trip or picnic. Links on the hammock allow it to be tied to any available posts or trees, and the built-in pack makes it easily transportable from one place to the next.
Wordsmith
MGA Jeopardy DVD game
www.amazon.com, $39.99
When dad always has his nose in a book, it might be impossible to know what he's read and what he hasn't. But chances are in all of his years of reading he's amassed quite an internal almanac of random facts. So, let him show that off with the MGA Jeopardy DVD Game. Pop in the DVD to simulate a real game of the trivia show. The game includes more than 1,200 clues as well as three buzzers to answer clues just like on the show.
Quote of note: “It is much easier to become a father than to be one.” — Kent Nerburn, Letters to My Son: Reflections on Becoming a Man, 1994.
GateHouse News Service
