I rarely recommend a gift for young people, expecially games and projects,
mostly because they do not encourage imagination or are "single result" focused.

or my 12 year old nephew I found this on Amazon: Snap Circuits SC-300 Electronics Discovery Kit

Not only can one construct useful gizmos, but will learn what the components do without soldering or tweezers.

Can't wait to sit down with him with the cellphone and TV off.

I remember Radio Shack used to sell those bread boards and you could throw together some resistors and diodes and make a radio. They were fun.

But what if he succeeds in putting together a cellphone???