At the Day household, Father's Day is probably somewhat jealous over the attention Mother's Day gets from the kids year after year. Sure, he gets the yearly "Thanks, Dad" card but he wonders why no one honors him with more than just words.
Make dad's year by getting him something that he can plug in and watch, like a new HDTV. Or, something that can help him watch no matter where he is.
Father's Day is June 21, 2009.
1. LG 26LH20 26” High Definition LCD TV
This gift alone might be the equivalent of giving your dad a lifetime achievement award or something. For the record, the 26LH20 is a 26" LCD. It shows digital content in a 720p resolution, but it's 1080p compatible. At 26", there really isn't a difference between 1080p and 720p visually. What I like is that it features the best of current standards - HDMI 1.3 and Energy Star 3.0. The only significant downside for the 26LH20 is the number of inputs and outputs. It has two HDMI inputs but only one of the others. This will limit some connectivity. Still, I like it. It has a digital tuner, which means you can get digital OTA signals when connected to an antenna.
2. Accurian 7” Portable Handheld LCD TV, Model 16-454
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A portable digital TV is something every house should own, so this is a good opportunity to disguise a family gift and still make dad's day. This TV is exclusive to Radio Shack but it is available for online purchase. I reviewed this Accurian 7" portable TV in early 2009. My overall impression of the Accurian 16-454 is good because of its portability and reliable reception when using the external antenna. The TV I reviewed had a dead pixel and I worry about the lifespan of the lithium-polymer battery, so consider buying the extended warranty. Picture quality was better than expected but there are times when it looked like I was watching the picture through a screen.
3. HAVA Platinum HD
It's not an iTouch but the HAVA Platinum HD is a fun gadget with a purpose. It allows you to connect a High Definition source, like a cable or satellite receiver, to your PC so that you can watch and record TV on a PC just as long as it's connected to your home network. This network interaction also gives you the capability to watch your TV over the Internet when you’re not at home. It also compatible with a broadband-connected mobile phone.That's why I think this is a nice gift idea for dad, especially if he travels a lot. With the HAVA, he can watch his home TV programming from the comfort of a hotel room or the office - if he has the HAVA player installed on his PC or HAVA-compliant phone.
4. Roku Digital Video Player
If you hace a dad that loves to watch movies then you could really win him over with a NetFlix membership and a Roku Digital Video Player. The reason the Roku is combined with a NetFlix membership is because it streams NetFlix to the TV. This is like having access to movies on-demand without a pay-per-view charge as NetFlix includes movie streaming within its monthly fee. The thing is that you need to have a high-speed Internet connection. The Roku has Wi-Fi capabilities but my recommendation is to run a direct line from the router to the Roku so you get the best connection. The Roku has HDMI, component, s-video, RCA, and digital audio interfaces. It doesn't have RF/coaxial. The Roku also works with Amazon video on-demand movies.5. Dazzle DVD Recorder
The Dazzle DVD Recorder by Pinnacle is a great gift for the dad that has years of home movie on VHS that need to be digitized. The way it works is this: Install the included Dazzle software on a PC. Connect the Dazzle hardware to the PC with a USB cable. Then connect the Dazzle to a VCR with RCA video and audio cables (yellow-red-white). Turn everything on and then then use the Dazzle software to record home movies on the PC. It's really that easy. Not only will the Dazzle helpo your dad backup home movies, but it will help the YouTube dads of the world get their VHS home videos of you online for the rest of us to watch.6. NFL Universal Remote Control
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The NFL Universal Remote Control by Excalibur is probably a product that belongs in the novelty category along with a glow-in-the-dark golf ball. That doesn't matter to me, though, because it's a fun item. I'd definitely be excited if someone gave me a remote control with a Dallas Cowboys logo on it...should one exist. According to NFL Shop.com, the remote control has the ability to control a TV, VCR, DVD player, cable/satellite receiver, and one auxiliary channel. It's foam-padded. Models are available in either the NFL logo or one of thirteen team logos.
