Gadgets Blog » Holiday Spotlights

Once Upon a Christmas Gadget Memory

brock — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 17:00:06 +0000

I have always been the smart one in the family at least when it comes to gadgets. My whole life, every time my family would get something electronic, from a microwave to a VCR or surround sound system, it was always my job to set them up. Electronics were always my gift of preference, and I could never help myself trying to figure out the present before Christmas.

As I got a little older, I began become more sneaky in my gift guessing. I would come down at night and sneak a peek in a corner of the wrapping paper, then I would lift the tape and finally, I ended up just unwrapping the present and rewrapping it.

The first year I dared to unwrap the present was the year I had begged and pleaded to get Sega Genesis for Christmas. This was Sega’s foray into the 16-bit gaming genre and came with the game Altered Beast, which was my favorite above all others in the arcade.

Halfway through December, I had already taken up the corner and realized that the Genesis was mine, but I just couldn’t stop. I was so excited to get it that one night I ended up unwrapping the present so I could see the whole box and read all about the system and the games.

It came time to wrap the present up again and I reveled in how clever I was. I had seen my present and no one was the wiser. Sadly, I did not realize how complicated it would be to wrap up a present when I was 7-year-old. No matter what I did, I couldn’t get it to look right. It was bad. Finally, I ended up shoving all the paper under the box so that the top looked flat and well wrapped, but the bottom was a mess. I just prayed that no one would move the box before Christmas.

The days passed, and it appeared that my little ruse had succeeded. On Christmas morning, I was so excited to open up my Genesis. They made me open it up last, of course, and I assumed it was because it was the most expensive and largest gift. I was wrong.

I ripped the paper off and saw the box that I had gazed at several days before. I took of the lid ready see my Genesis and found… a log. Yes, a log. My ruse had not worked, and they realized I had been sneaking into my present.

They had replaced my gaming system with the log to teach me a lesson about snooping after presents. Everybody was in on it, and it was caught all on video. It had become a story that regularly at my mother’s house around the holidays.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! And remember… no snooping.

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/ciroduran/3090301774

Record That: Flip HD

colleen — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:33:50 +0000

After the holidays is the best time to buy yourself some expensive but much-coveted gadgets. These next few days before the holidays are over (which you could say is January 2nd) are crucial for shopping savings. From television screens to camcorders, don’t miss your chance to buy some quality items on the cheap. With New Years Eve coming up, you want to make sure you’ve got all of the documentation and festivity materials in order: the champagne, the champagne flutes, the hors d’oeurves to keep people from blacking out before midnight, the countdown clocks, party favors, noise-making machines etc.

You want all of that material to make the night great, but then also the cameras and camcorders to record the festivities for years to come, and for the people who might have a fuzzy memory come Monday. I recommend the new Digital Flip MinoHD, a compact handheld device that you can dance with, move around with, etc and still record all of the happenings! Get it on the cheap now at eCrater.com and other select stores with all of the post-holiday savings. Check it out here:

Pure Digital Flip MinoHD Black Camcorder Records 60 Minutes – F460B from eCrater.com: $142.00

Happy Holidays!

Special Sales and Clearances: LCD Televisions

colleen — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:28:08 +0000

Smarter.com’s comparison shopping tool is here to help you save money on purchases big and small. It’s after Christmas savings time, I know you’re resting up from the holidays but maybe you were thinking about late-gifting a family member or friend, or you just want to celebrate the end of the holidays and treat yourself to a little something extra. The old broken down television is the corner is looking a little sad, maybe it’s time for a facelift.

Before scouring the Internet for hours looking for the best prices on quality items, you have to come to Smarter.com to see the savings you could be overlooking! Smarter.com is here to help, this week, on such exciting gadgets at binoculars, game consoles, and LCD televisions. Let’s take a look at some of the top LCD television screens on the market, and the after-Christmas savings you could be making–so act now! A lot of these savings are only going to last until the New Year at best!

Panasonic TC-L37S1 37-inch VIERA 1080p LCD HDTV: $5.89

Panasonic VIERA 26″ with iPod Dock from Dell.com: $299.00, on sale from $499.00

Find more deals on LCD televisions at Smarter.com.

Seasonal Spotlight: Digital Breathalyzer?

colleen — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:14:48 +0000

Admit it, you’ve always been a little curious about breathalyzers, and would like to experiment with them without the feds involved. Breathalyzer.net is here to help, with their newest gadget, the digital breathalyzer! Consider it a fun icebreaker, maybe, or just a way to make sure you or your party guests don’t pick up your keys when you’re well past the legal limit to drink. Take a little exhale on this puppy, and if you’re over the limit grab the next available taxi.

As quoted by Breathalyzer.net, “The new Alcohawk is the most popular consumer-oriented breathalyzer offered by Breathalyzer.net. It uses a highly-selective semiconductor sensor to provide reliable accuracy from 0.00 to .40% BAC. The three digit LED displays the exact BAC value, not just a range.” It is lightweight, and probably about the size of a deck of cards for convenient portability. FDA approved with 5 reusable, washable mouthpieces, the Alcohawk is ready to help you and your friends stay safe this New Year’s.

The Alcohawk ABI Digital Breathalyzer from Breathalyzer.net: $99.99

Shop for affordable breathalyzers at Smarter.com.

Holiday Spotlight: Star Wars Galore

colleen — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:50:29 +0000

So I talked before about these amazing Star Wars Plushie Talking Dolls being the best you could buy this holiday season for your Star Wars fan. But I think I may have been outgunned today by TheAwesomer.com, with the Star Trek gift of the season: a Star Trek Webcam.

The Webcam is in Star Trek U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 style design, with 300k pixel camera at 30 frames/second capture speed, perfect for skyping or capturing real-time video and audio for recording purposes. With a USB port, stylish bendable gooseneck mount, and an ample 4 feet of USB extension cable, this Star Trek webcam is both mac and PC compatible and the perfect gift for the family Trekkie.

Check it out!

Star Trek Webcam from ThinkGeek.com: $22.99, marked down from $29.99

Gift Idea: Plushie Star Wars Characters

colleen — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:15:56 +0000

Oh, lord. As if you thought Tickle me Elmo and Furbies would be the last time you’d give plushie toys to your loved ones (and you thought it ended under the age of 10!!) think again. The Star Wars fan we all know and love would DIE for this set of Star Wars Talking Plush Cuddly Toys. They talk, they cuddle, and they make Star Wars references that no one would understand unless you’ve seen all of the movies a 100 times and can reference them by heart. But who’s counting, and who cares? You found a delightful little holiday gift, and on sale too! What could be better?

Warning, the store selling the plush Star Wars cuties is based in England, so shipping is going to be hefty, or non-existent before Christmas. But it doesn’t matter–receiving these beauties a few days late is better than getting a tie with music recording button, for the fifteenth time. Not that I’ve given that as a present or anything

Star Wars Plushie Talking Characters from Gadgets.co.uk: 12.95 pounds each, marked down from 14.95 pounds.

Shop for Star Wars toys at Smarter.com.

Special Gift Ideas: T-shirts

colleen — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:36:17 +0000

We all love a well-placed digital culture/ inside reference on a vintage-looking t-shirt. While you may prefer to sift through the vintage lots around your hometown for those coveted gems of a t-shirt (like Granny & Pat’s 50th Wedding Anniversary Pig Roast with a pig roasting another pig on a spitfire on the front, or “Timmy Just Turned 1!” t-shirts with a very odd picture of Timmy with an over-sized head and miniaturized body) there are plenty of places online to get recent references with the same well-worn, distressed-font styling.

There are plenty of websites that support the vintage oddball t-shirt trend, but none like Loiterink.com. With some pretty suggestive designs, interesting relevant topics and form-fitting cuts, their t-shirts are for the elite among us. Averaging around $18, there are plenty of colors and T-shirt style cuts to choose from. Don’t miss out on some fabulous designs!

Top designs that made us laugh:

Myspace Tombstone T-Shirt from Loiterink.com: $18

That’s No Spoon T-Shirt from Loiterink.com: $1

Good Prices on Gaming Consoles

colleen — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:29:38 +0000

Everyone loves a good game, but sometimes the good games don’t come all for the same gaming console. While each console has it’s own specific market or specialty, there are always games on more than one system that you want to play and fit your personality. But now it can fit your budget! Smarter.com offers you the ability to search for the best deals enabling you to buy 2 or 3 gaming consoles for the price of 1! Whether you want a Sony PSP or a Nintendo GameCube, there are plenty of options for money-saving purchases through Smarter.com.

When shopping for a gaming console, always always ALWAYS look at the types and prices of games for each system. While Nintendo Wii games range from $49.99-$149.99, Nintendo DS games can be bought for as cheap as $10, or $30 for the new releases. You want to think about functionality, too–do you want a one player handheld console, or a larger system that many players can use at the same time? But no matter your final decision, make Smarter.com a part of your search for the perfect gift of gaming console this holiday season:

Some top money-saver purchases for gaming consoles:

Sony PSP : $169.99

XBox 360 : $199.95

Shop for more video game consoles at Smarter.com.

Design Concept: Lightsaber, Anyone?

colleen — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:40:45 +0000

While the weather is transitioning from fall to winter, we get a lot of wet days. Lots of rain, or snow, or sleet, or “wintery mixes” as they like to call it in our middle-of-the-pack state, where it doesn’t stay warm, but it isn’t cold enough to have full-blown snow every time liquid starts to fall from the sky. The worst of wintery mix is the icy sleet balls that just seem to pelt your jacket, rip holes through your umbrella, and scratch your car. How can you ward off the wintery mix, all it’s damage, plus feel a little bit of power and hope every time you walk out the door? Think about investing in an lightsaber umbrella.

The Lightblade Umbrella, from iwantoneofthose.com, is a one of a kind design sure to brighten your day. It’s a perfect give too, for the Star Wars fan in your life. Selling for 19.99 pounds, this is a perfect example of British ingenuity. Take a walk on the wild side, the dark side, the bright side–you can make all sorts of jokes with this one.

Don’t forget to check out iwantoneofthose.com’s Christmas section, where you can order some pretty fun gadgets for the whole family. The website has organized it so you can shop by person or personality, with buttons for grandpas and grandmas, little kids, and him & her. Check it out!

Handy Turkey Gadgets for Thanksgiving Meals

colleen — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:27:04 +0000

While kitchen and cookware is usually not considered in the realm of “gadgetry”, perfecting the Thanksgiving turkey dinner has new demands for technologically advanced cookware. So put down your keyboards and get into the kitchen, these are some gadgets you do not want to miss!

Turkey preparation for Thanksgiving starts hours in advance of the meal, if not days. It’s an art, a craft, and we all know that most art and craft practices can be perfected by technological gadgetry. Look at the Kindle, improving pocket-size reading to include thousands of books and articles and newspapers on demand. How is this similar to the gadgets to help us with Thanksgiving? Lets take a look at some of the prime products on the market for this year:

Thermapen Instant Read Thermometer (Blue) – Thermoworks from Amazon.com: $79.95

Temperature is of the utmost importance in turkey roasting, and this thermometer makes sure you get the quickest, most accurate temperature reading so you can have ultimate control over your turkey’s cooking!

Masterbuilt 20010109 Butterball Professional Series Indoor Electric Turkey Fryer : $117

For the truly serious chef, this is the best investment on the market: a machine built exactly for the dimensions and frying experience of the turkey.