What we'd like for Christmas

— Published December 16th, 2005  |  by David Moore

Here is a selection from our lists for Santa Claus (some more realistic than others). And rest assured we’ve been very very good this year.

Rancilio Silva espresso machine
Coffee geeks have nothing but good things to say about this stainless steel monster that looks like a bit of an Italian submarine. Say no to the rising tide of Starbucks by creating your own caffeinated masterpiece at home. Just don’t forget the pricey but necessary burr grinder to accompany it.
http://www.coffeegeek.com/reviews/consumer/rancilio_silvia

A trip into space with Virgin Galactic
So you might have to wait until the end of the decade, but Richard Branson’s team will reward you with the perfect early-adopter’s prize – some sub-orbital space tourism (and for an added bonus, you get to leave from exotic New Mexico).
http://www.virgingalactic.com/en/

Burton’s Bluetooth Snowboard jacket
For your earthbound adventures, how about a jacket that answers your mobile phone and lets you control your iPod without having to take your gloves off while you’re in the halfpipe? Speakers in the jacket’s collar provide you with the soundtrack to a great run. Also works in urban areas to keep your electronic goodies out of sight.
http://www.burton.com/eu/gear/audex/default.asp?cat=jacket

Sweets Reunited
Lost touch with those childhood friends such as Wham bars, Bazooka bubble gum and Curly Wurly bars? The internet is your sweet-toothed friend.
http://www.bahhumbugs.com/
http://www.britishcandy.com/

The New Mac Mini
If the Apple rumour sites are to be believed, the Mac Mini is soon to be reborn as the living-room digital hub it always should have been. Intel-chipped and remote-controlled with DVR software and a built-in iPod dock, it might be responsible for making sure we never get off the sofa again.
http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0511macmini2.html

iTech Virtual Keyboard
PDAs, Blackberrys and smartphones are all very well, but they’re very difficult to enter real amounts of text on (unless you’ve got a teenager’s supernatural texting ability). Enter the Bluetooth device that projects a keyboard onto any flat surface, and tracks your keystrokes as you type on nothing.
http://www.itechdynamic.com/html/border25.htm