Toys for boys who’ve got kids of their own

James Careless—

Father’s Day is fast approaching and with it an excuse to buy some cool gadgets for Dad, someone else…or yourself!

Size doesn’t matter, right? Right; so have this thimble-sized scoop of ice cream while I enjoy my mega-sized banana split. You get my point.

The Gadget Zone

Speaking of size, a Sony KDL60W850B 60″ LED full HD 3D smart TV is a great way to tell Dad you love him—or at least hide him from view while he’s watching the hockey game.

This monster is a “smart TV,” which means you can connect it by Wi-Fi to your home router; connecting you to Netflix and all those other Web-based TV services you’ve been reading about. You can also browse the Web, or just—gasp!—watch television!

This 60-inch behemoth has four HDMI inputs on the side, allowing easy connection of your Blu-ray or DVD player. Just $2,299.99 plus tax at www.futureshop.ca.

Flipping to the small size of the scale, Sony’s 4GB Wearable Wireless Waterproof Walkman headsets should have Dad totally confused – because there’s no Walkman to be attached; it’s built into the headsets! This all-in-one MP3 player can store up to 8 hours of MP3s and recharge for another hour’s use in just three minutes.

This Walkman is waterproof; Dad can even wear it swimming (or when falling into the pool). $79.99; again at www.futureshop.ca.

My final Dad’s Day suggestion answers the boy in every Dad: namely a robot. The WowWee MIP Robot is a 7-inch wheeled robot that can either be controlled by Android/Apple smartphone, or sent on its merry way using its on-board control system.

The MiP will respond to your hand gestures for directions, and adjust its mood (good or bad) based on your interactions with it. MiP can also play Follow The Leader by precisely replicating your motions, dance up a storm on its own and learn a range of tricks! US$99.99 at store.wowwee.com. (Note: Do not entrust the WowWee MiP with any nuclear launch codes. You never know…)