Hotwired: Christmas crackers

Optical liquid mice (top) and the Zero Fog Blaster.

Christmas is almost upon us and it's high time you sorted out those stocking fillers.

Fortunately geek toys are the best for this. Like many geeks, they are small, yet perfectly formed. They are available in a range of styles, sizes and colours and can be useful only in really specific circumstances. Or they're completely useless but fun. The choices are endless. But these three shouldn't break the bank, and, if you order now, you might just make it in time for Christmas.

Santa would understand.

ZERO FOG BLASTER

Speaking of useless, how about a gun that blasts out fog rings? Using the same liquid the special-effects people use in Hollywood movies to make fog, this safe-but-fun toy is sure to upset the pets and keep the kids amused - but definitely outside.

It's also scientific. As the informative website says: "The fog ring is a rotating toroidal [doughnut-shaped] vortex [whirling motion of liquid or air with a low pressure area in the centre]". Now you can't say better than that. Liquid refills available.

Price: US$19.99 from Think Geek

SWISS MEMORY USB

Now this is actually useful. Hands up everyone with a Swiss army knife. Well this one has a new string to its bow, so to speak, a USB memory stick.

That's right, now you can cut string, take stones out of horses' hooves and carry the complete works of Shakespeare, your CV, AND photos of your new car in one handy unit. This one also has an LED.

There are a range of memory sizes, from 64MB up to 512MB, which is probably quite enough thank you. The memory stick is even detachable.

US$63.99 to US$169.99 from Think Geek

USB OPTICAL LIQUID MOUSE

Mice are nice and these three mice are twice as nice.

These mice are hollowed out and have a small fish (a clown fish - they're funny, you know) or a rubber duck or (for a limited time) a Santa floating in a small blue pond.

The liquid is that viscous stuff that moves slowly, so the figure slops around entertainingly.

The mouse is optical, so there's a ruby red beam of light instead of a rubber ball, meaning it'll work well on most surfaces.

US$19.99 from Think Geek