Why you must have it: Your PC is tricked out with the ultimate graphics card, the EVGA GeForce GTX 260 or 280, using every one of those 500 watts in your monster power supply. But does that card get superhot, radiating like a supernova. EVGA's GTX 200 waterblock piggybacks on the GeForce, using water and copper to dissipate the heat, so the GeForce's performance is not compromised.

Your chances of having the first one on the block: Fair, since extreme gamers knew about the waterblock add-on as soon as it became available earlier this year.

What you must know: If you have a GeForce already, you know that your system can handle its voracious power needs. If not, be sure you have a handle on the 500W power supply and other specs.

What you need: A Windows PC with a GeForce GTX 260 or 280 graphics card, a free PCI slot next to it, and enough power and venting to run the GeForce. The GTX 200 costs $179.

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Why you must have it: You're shooting photos on your digital camera, but no one can see them until you get back to your Internet-connected computer. The Eye-Fi Explore changes that, using an embedded Wi-Fi radio in the SD card to upload your photos to any of several popular photo-sharing services (a year of hotspot service access is included) or to your computer over a wireless LAN. Plus, it geotags your photos based on where you took them. InfoWorld Test Center contributing editor Brian Chee sung its praises in his Geeks in Paradise blog, and for good reason.

Your chances of having the first one on the block: Moderate, given the publicity the Explore and its 4GB cousins the Home and Anniversary Editions have received.

What you must know: Of the three Eye-Fi models, the Explore is the only one with upload-to-Web and bundled hotspot access service included.

What you need: A digital camera with an SD card slot (or SDHC for the Anniversary Edition). The Explore and Anniversary Edition cost $130 each, while the Home edition costs $80.

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Why you must have it: Sitting in your chair playing games is absorbing, no doubt, but if you've been to Disneyland or a similar theme park, you know you're missing the dimension of motion. No matter how much the game moves, you sit still. That's why InfoWorld CTO Council member Marvin Anderson's gaze lingered on the Gyroxus Full-Motion Game Chair from 4th Motion. As you move your body while controlling the game, the chair amplifies your actions, so the next time you're flying in space or weaving in and out of traffic, it will feel real. You can even buy skins to customize its appearance for the games you love.

Your chances of having the first one on the block: Good, as it's been available less than a year and at a higher price for much of that time.

What you must know: The chair comes in two versions, depending on the game controller you want: Microsoft Xbox 360/PC games or Sony PlayStation 3. Note that you cannot switch controllers. The chair supports up to 250 pounds, and is 23 inches wide, 44 inches long, and 31 inches high.

What you need: The game chair costs $389, and requires no drivers on your PC or gaming device (Xbox 360 or PS3).

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Why you must have it: Geeks and home theaters are a natural combination, especially when they can throw a PC in the mix. MvixUSA's MvixBox is a Linux server that InfoWorld Test Center contributing editor Mike Heck called to our attention. It can hold two SATA-II hard drives, of up to 1.5TB capacity each, for use as a media server. It's NAS for your home theater. The Gigabit Ethernet port even lets you stream HD files to your media network. On a PC, the MvixBox shows up as a hard drive to which you can simply drag media files. But the MvixBox is also an Apache server with FTP and HTTP support, so you can manage it via a browser and use it as a Web server. And it includes the Torrent Client Blog iTunes Music Server UPnP media server.

Your chances of having the first one on the block: High, as the MvixBox became available just last month.

What you must know: MvixUSA also offers an HD media center box, the MX760HD, that links to the MvixBox and streams video to your big screen.

What you need: The MvixBox works with Windows, Mac, and Linux computers. It costs $299. Hard drives are not included with the MvixBox.

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Why you must have it: The cold glow of an LCD monitor doesn't exactly give you the mental health benefits of real windows, something that most geeks only experience in their cars. After all, datacenters, development labs, and basement workshops -- where many techies spend hours -- rarely have windows. That's where Sky Factory's SkyV comes in: You put one of these custom light boxes in your ceiling, and they adjust the scenes automatically for time of day and season, simulating the outside world, no matter where you are. The SkyV uses a high-definition display and can show a variety of scenes. (The less expensive Programmable Sky Ceiling uses a static image, with only lighting changes to simulate times of day and seasonality.) Test Center contributing editor Logan Harbaugh calls them "the ultimate gift for a cubicle-dwelling geek."

Your chances of having the first one on the block: Very high, as the SkyV won't ship until early 2009 (the Programmable Sky Ceiling has been around since just August).

What you must know: These ceiling light boxes are custom-made, so you can't buy one and install it yourself. You'll need to contact the manufacturer directly to get a quote. The company also offers lighted window boxes that present natural scenes, but these don't have the ability to change color and intensity as the day and seasons progress.

What you need: A building that you can install the light boxes in, which typically means having a dropped ceiling (standard in office buildings) or an attic or crawl space above the ceiling (common in modern homes), plus available power circuits.

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