Wild! Wacky! Weird!

Ever found yourself struggling to find the right gift for a friend, partner, kid, colleague, etc? All the obvious choices for a gift are boring and expected, but nothing new comes to mind... Not only is it inconvenient, but it's frustrating. Lately I have been searching for new gift ideas, and not forgetting this blog is about gadgets, I happened across a great site that has every gift you will ever need. At uncommongoods.com, you will never run short of new and exciting gift ideas for just about anyone.

Wild! In the Sun
Heard of the Solar Powered Laptop Case? I didn’t think so. Looking at the picture, you can tell the designers threw fashion out the window... but the technology speaks for itself. It uses high efficiency solar cells to generate maximum power in the limited space available. It includes a battery pack custom designed to efficiently store and convert the electricity generated. This case holds up to a 17" laptop and is the first that is powerful enough to charge a laptop. Comes in orange, green, charcoal, and silver. The price is even wilder, but for the sake of technology and cool gadgets, this solar powered case made it to my impressive list.

Wacky! Little Human
Hubman USB port. What is there to say? Take one look and know it is meant for you! Cute, small, helps organize your life and did I mention it was cute? Smiley faces never hurt anybody, though it could get annoying after awhile. Anyway, as you can imagine, the ‘hands’ and ‘feet’ are USB ports. And it’s white, for all you Mac lovers out there! This gift is good if you want to send a smile without wrinkling your face.

Weird! Ducky
Don’t get confused when you see a rubber ducky in the mouse, it is not your bathtime… it's just something that someone somewhere thinks is cute (and I wouldn’t take it in the tub with you, I’m pretty sure it doesn’t float). Last time I checked, the rubber ducky belonged in the bathroom. Anyway, they say there is real liquid inside! Aside from the unique look, the Rubber Ducky Optical Computer Mouse (say that 5 times fast), functions like a normal mouse with the works (scroll button, right- and left-click, USB plug). Actually, I could see where this mouse may come in handy… I have a friend who loves ducks. Well see, it’s not totally useless!


Uncommongoods.com truly redefined uncommon.

Jabra gives new meaning to 'Blackout'

Finally, someone has improved the Bluetooth headset. For the longest time, technological innovations for the Bluetooth headset came to a stand still. With more focus on the smallest laptops and best-featured phones, the headset was almost forgotten. Luckily for us, one company has not failed us. Jabra’s new Bluetooth headset, BT530, offers… wait for it…. “Noise Blackout”. This technology that Jabra has implemented is not new. In fact, you may recognize the term noise-cancelling which is technology most commonly implemented in headphones. I personally love my noise-cancelling headphones… it lets you forget your surroundings while listing to your favorite playlist or latest audiobook. But now we have the technology in bluetooth headsets so we can hear our caller over the noise of the traffic or clamor of shoppers during that blowout sale. This headset looks good too, it will go nicely with my iPhone. I even remember my first Bluetooth headset, it was a Jabra. The company has always been reliable and ahead in the industry.

Noise Blackout is amazing technology that reduces unwanted ambient sounds (noise) by means of active noise control. It is difficult to understand and even more difficult to explain, but I shall try. Active noise control involves use of a microphone, which is placed near the ear, and electronic circuitry, which generates an “antinoise” sound wave with the opposite polarity of the sound wave arriving at the microphone. It’s like creating a vaccine (noise-cancellation) but using the virus (noise) to help develop the cure (BT530). It eliminates noise so it is possible to enjoy music without raising the volume unnecessarily. And thanks to Jabra, we now have this technology in the Bluetooth headset. I don’t know about you, but I’d say that is pretty exciting.

Shameless and Lovin' It!

Track your every wish and desire with the ultimate shopping list. And I'm not talking about a scribbled list on a piece of paper... There is a website, conveniently called TheThingsIWant.com, where you can keep track of favorite shopping sites, items you want to purchase, or ideas for the future. Keep photos, prices, and links stored so you never forget that gorgeous purse you saw that would go with your new shoes. Create as many lists as you want from Birthday lists to a Baby Registry or simply create a General wish list, whatever your heart's desire.

Its makes for the perfect Christmas list too, and believe me, you can never start planning too early. Even better, you can share your wish list with your friends and family so they know exactly what to get you for any occasion. It’s free to sign up, so get on it today.

Iron Man is out! Google Chrome is in!

There is disturbing news about a secret plot to launch a weapon that would shock millions, they call it Google Chrome. Well, it’s not that dramatic but here’s the scoop: on September 1st, Google Chrome was accidentally announced prematurely. Google, realizing their mistake, quickly recalled the information and blocked videos of it. However, they promptly responded to the curiosity of all geeks worldwide by creating a cartoon that would describe the details and features of this new gadget.

What is this Google Chrome you ask. Well, Google Chrome is an open source browser based on Webkit and powered by Google Gears. You heard me, another browser… to compete with Internet Explorer, Firefox, Mozilla, and Safari. Some of the features are Super Tabs, Speed, unique User Experience, and Security, Sandboxing, and Safe Browsing. Sounds exciting. The first release will be for Window users only, but Google has assured everyone that the Mac and Linux versions are soon to follow. Google better come through on that promise or they will have to answer to some very angry Mac users.

Greatest Tech Innovations of the 21st Century

I will attempt to identify the top 5 technological innovations of the 21st Century thus far. This is a great feat and I encourage you all to think for yourselves: agree or disagree with me. I will briefly describe the top 5 innovations and you can do the rest. All ladies should know about these as they have affected our lives one way or another.

No 5: I once was lost, but now am found

Global Positioning System (GPS) sheds light on your location, speed, direction, and time. Developed by the United States Department of Defense, GPS has finally found its way into the hands of the civilians and really become a popular item. GPS uses between 24 and 32 Medium Earth Orbit satellites that transmit microwave signals that assist GPS and tell the user that they have made the wrong turn yet again because most people still don’t know how to read the darn device. You don’t need to remember all that, just know that one of the top innovations of the 21st century is the GPS!

No 4: Lonely no more

Social Networking got ranked No4 on this list because it connects millions of people online through email, forums, videos, weblog, and communities. MySpace and Facebook are the most commonly used networks that help you stay connected with family, friends, schoolmates, colleagues and make new friends in your area or anywhere around the world. Companies even use them to create the online community for their employees, connecting managers and their workers 24/7.

No 3: Feed Me

Think of RSS as a text based radio station that anyone can put up. There are two parts, the radio station (RSS feeds) and the radio that tunes in (RSS reader). Most radio stations (RSS feeds) are websites and blogs. The radio (RSS reader) can be anything, a screen saver, a webpage, a special program in your computer or on your phone. This makes it easy for everyone to tune in and listen to just the radio stations (RSS feeds) that they like by subscribing to the right feed. Gives new meaning to the phrase “feed me.”

No 2: One of a kind

The iPhone or things related to the iPhone have appeared on this blog a few times and for good reason. The iPhone receives No2 on this list as it is the greatest phone of all time and Alexander Graham Bell would be very proud. (For those of you who do not know who Alexander Graham Bell, he invented the telephone in the late 1800’s) So you can actually thank him for the iPhone! There is nothing more that needs to be said, the iPhone speaks for itself!

No 1: Drum roll please

Lets give it up for High-definition television (HDTV). Even though this technology started development in the 1990s it has had the greatest impact on this century in recent years and that is why it sits at No1. HDTV is a digital television broadcasting system with higher resolution, this makes it big brother to SDTV (Standard-definition television). A higher resolution means a clearer and smoother picture, making the viewing experience much more enjoyable.

You may notice some of these technologies were developed years ago, however the 21st century is when they gained momentum and popularity. Now, we can’t live without them. Can you imagine your life without Facebook? Personally, I don’t know where I would be without GPS. And all of you with blogs have benefited from RSS in some way. We have also been spoiled by sleek technology like the iPhone and HDTV. Through all this, let us not forget our humble beginnings!

Personalized M&M's

This is for the chocoholic and egotist. But of course the cutest thing ever. Now you can personalize everybody’s all time favorite candy… the M&M’s. I’ve mostly seen this done for wedding favors (like I said egotist). But My M&M’s is also a great way to give a creative gift or celebrate a birthday.

You choose color, the message or picture on the M&M, as well as the packaging. May I remind you that this is a message or picture on the M&M itself… not the packaging. The best anyone else has done is personalized packaging like the Personalized Hershey Candy Bar Wrappers or My Dove Chocolate wrapper customization.

Now you can be creative with candy. Go crazy!

Phone Persona

WARNING: This article may contain spoilers.

With the new release of Sex and the City: The Movie, the story of the four female friends continues as their lives in New York City get more exciting (except for Samantha Jones who lives in L.A.). Most ladies watch the show to see the latest fashion trend because we all know that Sarah Jessica Parker is a fashion guru and this was reflected in 6 seasons of the television series and of course the movie. But has anyone given any consideration to the phones they used? I didn’t think so. I’m sure, those of you who watched the movie didn’t notice the cell phones the girls used. How about the laptop computer? You all have disappointed me greatly. I thought this blog would have taught you something by now! Well no worries, ladies. With the help of this article, we should be able to determine which Sex and the City lady you most resemble, which will help to find the best phone for you. Your cell phone should match your temperament and personality, after all, when you swing that phone out of your tiny handbag to answer a call you wanna WOW people.

Lets start with Samantha Jones. Aside from Samantha’s questionable predatory nature for the men, we see she has a number of admirable qualities. She is energetic and dynamic. Her lifestyle is bold and fast-paced as she is an independent businesswoman with a career in public relations. In the show we see she is using the iPhone. The iPhone is the latest in technology with fast 3G wireless technology, GPS mapping, accelerometer (responds to motion), multi-touch control, and smart sensors (light and proximity sensors). So we see that the iPhone is the best phone to represent Samantha Jones and ultimately any lady that lives in the fast lane and survives on latest technology to meet her needs.


I’d like to focus now on Miranda Hobbes. This lady is career minded. She is a lawyer and serious by nature. She is earnest, sincere, yet led by her emotions (cynical of men and relationships). But ultimately, what drives Miranda is her work. Working late into the nights, she remains steadfast to her duties of work. In the show, we see her using a BlackBerry, what better way to scream professional than by using a BlackBerry? The BlackBerry is the perfect phone for getting the job done. With its line of smartphones, staying connected to your work has become easier with better email solutions, instant messaging, GPS, video recording and more. However, the phone she used was too masculine. So I think, Miranda and all the ladies that make career and work a top priority, should opt for a BlackBerry Pearl 8100 Series. A good match indeed!

But what of Charlotte York? The lady whose gentle temperament and kind heart is agreeable to everyone, what phone could possibly suit her? Well we know from the series and even the movie, that Charlotte loves being outdoors. We see two very important passions in Charlotte. First is her love for her family (husband Harry and adopted Chinese girl named Lily) and the second is for jogging. Even after she gets pregnant in the movie, she worries for a short time that jogging might hurt the baby, but after talking to Carrie she realizes that she cannot stop being a runner just because she is afraid. It is also interesting to note that only one time in the show we see Charlotte with a phone, not only is it not recognizable but I am unsure if it is her phone. Therefore, the phone chosen to represent Charlotte and all ladies with passions for hobbies and family is the Sony Ericsson W760 Walkman slider. It was launched just this year and has some unique features such as a Tracker (sports application for tracking time and distance covered), Music recognition (record a few seconds of music and TrackID returns the song name, artist and album in seconds), and SensMe (create playlists based on mood). This is the perfect combination of a phone and portable music device for those long jogs through the park.

Saving the best for last, we now turn our attention to the leading lady, none other than Carrie Bradshaw. Carrie may have unique fashion sense and a great personality, but when it comes to cell phones, she is completely hopeless (however, I give her credit for the use of an Apple PowerBook throughout the series and movie). In the movie we seen Carrie using a pink Motorola flip phone with tons of pink jewels stuck on, this will not do. At her wedding when she hears Mr. Big did not arrive, she asks for a phone. When Samantha hands her the iPhone, Carrie takes one look and says “I don’t know how to work this.” We can tell Carrie is a simple lady that needs a phone merely to keep in touch and nothing more. The frills that most phones have today are not suitable for someone like Carrie. My favorite scene in the movie is when Carrie, in an attempt to avoid Mr. Big’s calls, throws her phone into the water. That phone was hideous and not suitable for the more fashionable gal in New York. Later in the show, her assistant (played by Jeniffer Hudson) brings her a new phone: another flip phone but this time by LG. The problem is that flip phones are no longer the hottest trend, rather, the latest craze are slider phones. To fix this problem we turn to the Samsung Soul (dual-screen slider): slim, sleek, and very fashionable. It is techy (touch sensitive display, features Bang & Olufsen enhanced audio) but simple nonetheless (5 megapixel camera has image stabilization and face detection). Carrie with Soul is a match made in heaven.

Now, which one are you?