All I Want for Christmas....

Everyone I know says I'm impossible to shop for because when I see something I like, I just buy it (ahhh, bachelorhood). But that's not always the case.

The Phoenix 1000

The Phoenix is 213 feet long—compared with 252 feet for an early German U-boat—and can cruise at 16 knots underwater. (The vintage U-boat could do only 7.) It can cross the Atlantic submerged (so you can avoid the weather and still enjoy the view), and it’s infinitely more luxurious than a warship, with 5,000 square feet of living space, five staterooms, ports that offer a broad view, and common areas packed to the gills with leather and wood furnishings, all custom designed to the owner’s specifications. This submarine can even be equipped with its own sub, a two- to eight-person mini capable of diving up to 2,000 feet—or even functioning as an escape vehicle. The Phoenix price: $78 million. But, if you're on a limited budget: The Genuine 7-Foot Robby The Robot. Available only from Hammacher Schlemmer, this is a special edition, life-size, fully animatronic remote-controlled version of Robby, the robot from the classic 1956 film Forbidden Planet. Standing seven feet tall, Robby is created from the same blueprints, molds, and templates used to create the original costume. Robby is made by renowned artist Fred Barton, the man commissioned to restore the original robot after its sale to a Southern California prop museum in 1970. Every mechanism is handmade of the finest materials, and this version is remote-controlled. The robot is pre-programmed to deliver his famous lines from the original movie, and the remote control allows you to adjust the robots volume, track selection, and start and stop functions. Robby can also be prompted to move his computer relay assembly, rotate his servo-controlled head, spin his planetary gyro stabilizers, and rotate his scanners while his various lights flash. The integral audio system produces CD-quality sound projected from a directional speaker system in the head and synchronized with the neon tube lights (the sound system can be connected to a home theater system), and you can project your own voice through Robby's sound system with the wireless microphone (included). Robby's electronic brain incorporates advanced microprocessor-controlled technology, and the body is constructed of rugged Fiberglas which will not warp over time like thermoformed plastic. All metals in the robot are machine-grade brass, titanium, and aluminum to ensure lasting durability and quality.