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Global economic conditions got your family down? Get their spirits up again by treating them to some of the coolest new games, toys and gadgets for the holidays. SFU Surrey computing scientist Toby Donaldson has been helping Santa shop for thinking toys that’ll bring joy to everyone. Here are his favourites for 2008:

Little Big Planet
(http://www.littlebigplanet.com/)
In this video game, you play a sort of sock-puppet known as a sack boy (or girl). You run through the crazy 2.5D craft-world of Little Big Planet, collecting stickers (which you can stick anywhere --- even on other people!), objects, and points. What sets this game apart is the meticulous attention to graphical detail: everything is richly textured and customizable. Everything in the game looks like a hand-made craft. In addition, the game has realistic physics, and it works well as a multi-player game. You can even make your own levels, and share them with the rest of the world.

iPhone
(http://www.apple.com/)
Apple's iPhone is a touch-screen wireless computer combining a phone, an iPod, a GPS tracker, accelerometer (so it knows when it is tilted), and a camera. You can access the Internet via WiFi (assuming you are near a WiFi hotspot), or you can pay a monthly fee for a "data plan" that lets you access the Internet anywhere. An interesting feature of the iPhone is the App Store, where you download hundreds of different iPhone applications that do everything from play games to finding the nearest Tim Horton's.

World of Goo
(http://www.worldofgoo.com/)
World of Goo is a humorous physics-based puzzle video game where you create structures (such as bridges and towers) using little balls of goo. The structures are not rigid --- they bend and flex, causing your structures to wriggle and move in interesting ways. You must cross chasms, climb cliffs, and other wobbly structures.

Pandemic
(www.zmangames.com/boardgames/pandemic.htm)
Pandemic is a cooperative board game where all the players work together to save the world from being wiped out by disease. Players have different abilities and must discuss how best to make their moves each turn. The game is quite challenging, but a lot of fun, and winning or losing often comes down to the very last turn.

Bananagrams
(http://www.bananagrams-intl.com/)
In this appealing game, players use letter tiles to make their own "crossword". It plays quickly, doesn't require paper or pencil, and comes with a lovely banana-skin carrying case.

Line Rider
(www.linerider.com)
Line Rider is another physics-based game where you draw tracks for a boy named Bosh to follow on a sled. The tracks can be as long and elaborate as you like, and the rides can be wild and fast.

Originally, Line Rider was a free web game, and you can still play it that way. A second, graphically pumped-up version is now available for the Nintendo Wii and DS hand-held systems.

Sony eBook Reader
(www.sonystyle.com)
Essentially a thin, hand-held computer for reading books, the unique feature of this device is its E-Ink screen. Unlike regular computer displays which shine light in your eyes, the E-Ink screen is like ready on paper, and so is much less fatiguing on the eyes.

While a bit on the expensive side, it generally works well, and avid readers will appreciate being able to fit 100 books in one slim volume.

HP MediaSmart Server
(www.hp.com)
If you have a bunch of Windows computers at home, you may appreciate the MediaSmart Server. It is a small computer that automatically backs up your other computers every night, plus shares songs, videos, and photos. If you use iTunes, it automatically collects and shares music from all your computers.

Ubuntu
(http://www.ubuntu.com/)
Ubuntu is one of the most popular distributions of Linux, a free operating system. It runs on almost any PC, and comes with free versions of all the standard PC programs, plus thousands of other free programs.

Club Aquatica
(http://www.clubaquatica.com/)
If you like fish, then you might like this realistic-looking aquarium screensaver. You can either download a free version, or spend the money and get 3D backgrounds and over 80 talking (!) fish.

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