Dads and Grads 2008: Father's Day Gifts

The June issue of PC magazine has a couple pages devoted to converting records and tapes to digital files. Your VHS player and all those tapes? You can get rid of them, thanks to the $40 Dazzle. Once you install the (included) software on your computer, just connect your VCR to the Dazzle, and the Dazzle to your computer. The easy-to-use software walks you through the process, recording your videos directly onto DVDs (not your hard drive), complete with menus and chapter marks. So you can reclaim some shelf space in your TV room. Best of all, the Dazzle isn't much bigger than an iPod.

In the battle of the sexes, both sides win, thanks to Paul Frank Man Panties (or "manties" for short). Women will be happy the horrible P word no longer applies solely to female underwear, while guys will love these boxer briefs, no matter what you call them. They're made out of soft cotton jersey with some spandex for stretch, and come in three designs: Red Lumberjack, Blue Wild West, and Black Rocker. We're dying to know if Pete Townsend owns a pair. More Paul Frank underwear.

If he likes Heineken, check out the BeerTender. It's a (quiet) machine that provides fresh, pub-quality draft beer at home. You just hook up a 4- or 5-liter keg, and the appliance releases CO2 each time the tap is opened. Plus it keeps the beer fresh and at just the right temperature for up to 30 days. Not that it will take him a month to drink 5 liters of beer, but just in case. Note: Keg not included.

Oprah fans have all the luck. Oprah recently did another "Favorite Things" episode, this time with a summer theme, and everyone in the audience went home with one of these Weber grills. With 3 stainless steel burners, 42,000 BTUs, and 507 square inches of cooking space, the top-of-the-line Weber Genesis EP-310 gas grill can power a serious Memorial Day barbecue. The grill also has a built-in thermometer and warming rack, and comes in several colors. More Weber grills.

A super dad should have a Superman stapler to remind him while working just how awesome his kids think he is. And unlike a Superman action figure, this stapler is actually useful.

Tell Dad to put a lid on it with a Brixton Castor fedora. The lightweight straw hat is ideal for warmer weather; Dad can wear it with shorts and "mandals" or dress it up with a spiffy seersucker jacket. The Castor comes in several colors and sizes. Prices start at $40. More Brixton hats.

A place for everything and everything in its place. As seen on Extreme Makeover Home Edition: Gladiator GarageWorks, "the only complete garage organization system that also includes appliances." Created by Whirlpool, this line of heavy-duty modular storage cabinets, workbenches, wall systems, and flooring will make your garage/basement look so good you'll actually want to spend time in there working on all those projects you've been putting off.

"Blue gingham. Trust us." That's the third directive on Esquire magazine's exhaustingly long list of The (New) Laws of Casual Style. We don't agree with all their "laws," but we're definitely pro-gingham (in almost any color), especially in the spring. Gingham oxford shirts look just as good with suits they do with jeans or khakis, everyone from L.L.Bean to Ben Sherman to the Gap makes them, and you can get them for less than $20.

The latest recipient of a CNET Editors' Choice award, the Samsung LN52A650 is a thing of beauty. This 52" LCD HDTV (1080p) stands out for its dark red frame, excellent black-level performance, and wealth of features. In addition to 4 HDMI inputs, 2 component video inputs, a PC input, multiple picture modes and controls, and a 120Hz refresh rate, the TV has an ethernet port, so it can display Internet news, local weather, and stock ticker info in the corner of whatever you're watching. More Samsung LCD TVs.

Dad doesn't need to be a surfer to appreciate the quality and beauty of the new Rip Curl Time Square watch. The Marine-grade stainless steel timepiece displays the time in 2 different formats with an analog display on the left and a funky digital display on the right. The watch uses synthetic rubies for bearings for gears, which reduces torque and friction, which means it runs better and longer. Plus it's waterproof up to 100 meters. Choose a yellow, black, or white face. More Rip Curl watches.