My geeky Valentine

Stuck for Valentine's Day ideas? Check out some of our favourite geeky things for inspiration.

Not everyone celebrates Valentine's Day. In fact, some people find it downright terrible. Here at CNET Australia, we think we can't possibly hate anyone expressing how much they love each other. That said, Hallmark cards, chocolates and teddy bears sewn with satin hearts aren't for everyone.

Here are some of our own gift ideas for that special Valentine.

Aerogel is a really fascinating material, ultra-light with a composition that is mostly (over 95 per cent) air and the rest gel. Mostly, it seems to be used for insulation and filtering — but now you can use it to show that special someone how much you care. Apparently, this aerogel heart integrates "optically-active materials to achieve a brilliant pink colour" (we assume that's fancy-speak for "dye").

Give the bottom a twist, and the gears of this 3D-printed heart rotate, shifting it into something unrecognisable; keep twisting and it will eventually settle back into the shape of a heart. It's a great thing to fidget with while in your thoughtful moments — and every time your sweet baboo picks it up, they'll have a little thought of you.

Of course, if you have access to a 3D printer, you can download the specs for free from Thingiverse and print your own.

No fire for this weighted companion cube — except maybe the fires of lurve!

Check out the rest of Donald James' Etsy shop too — he has a bunch of awesomely geeky pewter bling, including Doctor Who, Star Wars, comic books and Lego.

What could be sweeter than giving a giant, squishy, anatomically correct human heart carved from gummy?

Making mix tapes doesn't have to be a lost art — spending hours poring over your music collection, selecting just the right songs for the object of your affection. We love the idea of the Mix Tape USB: instead of tape in the centre, there's a 1GB USB, which is enough space for well over 200 songs.

Or you could pop some romantic notions onto these R2D2 USB drive cuff-links. Each has a 2GB capacity, totalling 4GB, and they're plated with silver and detailed with enamel.

If you can't get a living pet, the next best thing is a baby dragon perched on your finger.

Say it with ... a USB hub. And what you're saying is, "Baby, I love you and think you deserve more USB ports for all those gadgets you're constantly connecting."

There's nothing inherently romantic about a Hobbit-themed Moleskine, but good lord, they're gorgeous.

Is your love stronger than time? Or do you just think dinosaurs are brilliant? Either way, we'd be hard-pressed to find a woman who wouldn't feel like a total badass wearing a laser-cut acrylic T-rex skeleton around her neck.

The hormone oxytocin is believed responsible for feelings of trust, empathy, bonding, romance and arousal. We find that particularly apropos.

This accoutrement is classy: the simple form of a cross, 3D-printed in steel, with the three arms culminating in flat, Phillips and hex head screwdriver bits.

Do you have a love that transcends space? Then say it with the solar systemon a beaded necklace that has, more or less, distances to scale.

There's a chunkier version available here, too.

Let your love know that you would traverse time using the powerful magic of an ocarina just to be by their side.

This is the kind of ring Bruce Wayne would wear. Made from titanium plates held together with brass rivets, it contains a comb, bottle opener, straight blade, serrated blade and even a teeny tiny saw.

Some things are endless. The universe. True love. Pi. This sterling silver, gold or platinum necklace only has the first 100 digits strung along its 18 inches, but the intent is clear.

Or, to be a little more geeky, there's also a bracelet available. The number of digits it displays? 42.

Does your special someone keep the worst of the world at bay, like a fuse channelling the overflow of electricity? And, on the more practical side, there will always be a spare fuse or two laying about.

The necklace is available on its own as well, in case you're buying for someone without pierced ears. A category that could also include men.

We doubt many people have US$4280 just kicking about, but this ring would absolutely be worth it. A rotating ring carved from meteorite is set into a 18k gold frame; inset on the meteorite band are stones representing the solar system: Mercury is a rust-coloured sapphire, Venus a golden sapphire, Earth an irradiated blue diamond, Mars a ruby, Jupiter an opal, Saturn a cats-eye chrysoberyl with an inlaid 24k gold ring, Uranus a green sapphire, Neptune a blue sapphire and Pluto a black diamond.