HiTechMommy

Last Minute Holiday Gift Ideas

Cat Schwartz on WhoSay

 

OK boys and girls - we're getting down to the wire here. Here's what I'm thinking about as we approach the end of the year.

 

Everybody Dance is the ultimate PlayStation Move party game for
PlayStation 3. This game gets everyone in the family up and moving,
using the PlayStation Move motion controller and PlayStation Eye
camera to dance alongside 40 hit tracks from top-selling artists
including Rihanna, LMFAO, Duck Sauce and more. There is even
a Party Play mode that lets up to 20 players create profiles and go
head to head in an epic dance off. With the PlayStation Eye camera,
players can record and playback their performances and then share
them with their friends on Facebook and Twitter.

This next gift is great for anyone on your list and is REALLY cool.

Check out The Echo smartpen from Livescribe. Starting at $99, this
pen records everything you hear and write, so you never miss a
word. You simply tap on your handwritten notes with the smartpen to
playback what was said at the exact moment in time. What makes this
gift even cooler is that you can transfer your notes and audio to your
computer and review an interactive digital version of your notes and

audio in what’s called a Pencast! The pencast is easy to share with
friends, colleagues and peers via email, Facebook, Evernote, Google
Docs and more. Perfect for students and business professionals who
need to access their important information quickly.

How about giving the gift of language!

Living Language Platinum is a comprehensive language learning
course that makes learning a language fun, interactive and flexible.
It’s fully integrated among multiple digital platforms (any browsers,
tablet, smartphone) making it easy for users to access the online
course, e- tutoring and social community on the go. At $179 this is the
best combo of features and value on the market and is just as
effective as ones you have seen in the past.
Perfect for the
students, travelers, international business people or anyone looking to
learn a language in 2012!

If you are looking to give a Windows 7 PC for the student on your list
this season, but not sure which PC is the right one. Check out PC
Scout.com
There you will find high -end entertainment machines to small portable
notebooks in so many styles, colors and features and prices. Like this
one.
The HP Pavilion DM1 is an affordable yet highly functional Windows 7
PC and it weighs less than 3 lbs making it a great gift for your student
or anyone who needs a super portable PC on your list. Go check out
PCScout.com

We all know toys are often the Center piece of holiday gift giving and
The Duracell Holiday Program helps parents prepare with what they
need to create a magical Christmas morning for their kids and kids
in need. If your toy doesn’t work due to a Duracell battery defect,

Duracell will repair or replace it. For those who are less fortunate, they
will donate up to 30,000 batteries to the Toy Industry Foundation. Also
to celebrate the holiday season with its fans, Duracell is hosting a
special concert on Facebook with Chris Daughtry and holding hourly
toy giveaways with the season’s most wanted toys.

Video Game Gift Ideas

Video Games are hot on the holiday gift list and not just on the kids gift list, but on millions of Americans of all ages. The latest and greatest games are bringing families together and interacting like never before making family time fun time! Here are the games I'm into this holiday.

Wappy Dog is a physical toy dog with a virtual world to play in. Players care for and play with their very own interactive puppy by communicating through the Nintendo DS. Customizing their pet is a snap; with stickers for the toy and in-game accessories and environments. In HOME mode, players communicate and play games with the physical toy dog and see Wappy respond and do special tricks! In Travel mode, players continue to interact with the virtual Wappy inside the Nintendo DS – with the physical dog safe at home!

Even cooler, the relationship determines the dog’s mood and evolving personality – lots of love and kindness builds a lasting friendship! Wappy Dog is available for $49.99 at Toys’R’Us and all major retailers where videogames are sold. See him in action here. 

You can get the whole family  up and moving  to one of the most anticipated games this season that has revolutionized the way we work out! 

Zumba Fitness 2 builds on the success of the world wide best selling original which has sold more than 4 million copies to date. It features more than 30 hot new music tracks with hits from today’s top artists, electrifying choreography with twice as many dance styles and direct interaction with celebrity  Zumba  instructors. It even has a new progress tracker that lets players monitor their success and track calories burned as they party themselves into shape.  Learn more here: www.ZumbaFitnessGame.com

The beloved Lego Star Wars is back with over 21 million copies sold to date! 

Lego Star Wars III lets you play as your favorite star wars characters in the tongue and cheek humor fans know and love . With all new graphics and enhanced animations players will explore a vast universe like never before. Whether you are a Padawan or Jedi master from this Galaxy or the next, players of all skill levels will have a brick smashing good time in single player mode or with friends and family through jump-in jump out co-operative play. Available on all platforms for $19.99! Learn more here: www.LegoStarWars.com

 

This next game fits into the mom approved top games for the holiday. 

The Adventures of  Tintin is an action packed adventure game that parents can enjoy with their kids. It allows fans of the original comic book hero to fully immerse themselves into the world of Tintin and relive key moments from the movie and comic book adventure series.

The whole family can get in on the Cooperative Mode as it introduces classic characters from the Tintin universe. Each character will have to combine their skills to solve new mysteries - collect treasure and unlock exciting levels. 

Transform your living room into the ultimate playground with Rabbids Alive & Kicking for the Xbox 360. 

This game will have you and your family physically swimming, jumping and stomping as you try to square off with the Rabbids in more than 40 crazy mini games and the most hilarious situations imaginable. With the Augmented reality the Rabbids mess with your life in front of your very eyes. To add to the fun, you can capture and share your silliest moments with photos and share them with your friends. 

 

Party Supplies

                                 VS. 

Jack's 5th birthday is this weekend and I'm rushing to get everything together.  Yes -  it's Tuesday and the party is Sunday which means that I'm a major procrastinator. Anywho...I'm looking to outfit my house as well as the little people in it with some major pirate's booty by Sunday. So the questions I have for you all is - Amazon or Oriental Trading Company ? Which would you rather order from? 

Seems like the prices are better on OTC but I know Amazon will get the job done.  Thoughts? 

 

Last Minute Tech Ideas

I'll admit it, I haven't done any holiday shopping yet.  If you're like me then take a look at some of my ideas to jumpstart your spending spree. 

 

Smart phones are definitely on the rise.  Metro PCS has just come out with their android LG Optimus M phone that features unlimited talk, text and web access.  I love the fact that with their phones there's NO contract and service starts at just $50 a month  The phone has a really nice, sleek design and because it's an Android you can access more than 100,000 apps at your fingertips like never before. Range $40-$60 plus purchase of phone .  

Another cool tech gift is the Echo Smartpen by Livescribe. This futuristic pen captures everything you hear, write, or speak with just a tap!  Better yet, you can actually upload notes and share them through email as well as search for words in the notes.  This year they have deals starting at less than $100 .  New features include language dictionaries and transcribers and a new pen coming out can even act as your computer mouse .  I heart Livescribe.

I've said it once and I'll say it again, a domain name is a really cool gift idea for everyone and if you don't already own your name, your kids name and family name yet, you should! .CO is the new revolution of domain names and there are tons of names still available, unlike when you try and get a .com name.  Plus this is a gift you can print out in two seconds! I'm so last minute that this works best for me.  Giving a certificate for a name lets anyone get a personalized and unique gift  that could literally change their life.  Head to www.GiveA.co (no m needed) to get one!

One more I know oh so well (because I use it every morning) is the  Tassimo T20 by Bosch: It's a beverage brew system that is super convenient in both brewing ease and counter space.  This version has  7 different beverage options and all you need to do is simply insert a T disc into the machine, it scans the bar code and brews with exact pressure and temperature for that particular drink with the push of a button  Range $129.99 and available at all major retailers, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, Kohls, Macy’s. 

 

A good tech gift for kids that the family can enjoy together is a video game my family loves:  SEGA: Sonic Colors  I like that it's rated E for everyone so it’s ideal for all age groups, it's cool to look at and is considered one of the best graphics games for Nintendo  and it has new features like color powers, new moves, and access to hidden areas like never before ! Range $49.99 for Wii and $29.99 for Nintendo DS

Holiday Video Games

Parents, I keep telling ya, video games are a GREAT way to bond with your kids! Here are a few you should check out! 

Virtual worlds and creating avatars are more popular than ever! I'm sure you know of the
best selling PC game of 2009, The Sims, which is now available on all consoles for 2010. It’s called
The Sims 3 and although you still create your own character and virtual world,  this year there is
a new feature called “Karma Powers” that allows you to instantly do things like "Get "Lucky" and everything that day is perfect - you get the job, the girl and the new car!
-Range $30-$60, Rated T-Teen

If you’re into online gaming then you should check out Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures Galactic
Passport. Join millions of players in this Star Wars virtual world, where the retail
package gives you a 90-day JEDI membership and access to exclusive in-game
content including additional minigames and the Togruta player character
species. It even comes with a  Yoda Bobblehead  which makes a great stocking
stuffer.



Yes, dance/fitness games are really taking off, especially for moms who want to stay in great shap and have fun at the same time!  Mom's I know are loving Zumba Fitness from Majesco
Entertainment  and it's going to be hot this season. It’s a true dance fitness party for Wii,
Kinect for Xbox 360 and PlayStation Move. It features 9 real dance styles and 30
different routines – so it’s super fun way to stay in shape this season.
-Range $39.99 for Wii and PlayStation Move, $49.99 for Kinect for Xbox 360, Rated E
for Everyone




There HAVE been some face-lifts to the games we grew up with! The first is the
new video game Monopoly Streets for Wii, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It’s a new take
on the board game we love where the board comes to life in full 3D! What I love is that
you can still play as a family – or online and connect and play with other fans around the
world.
-Range from $35, Rated E-For Everyone

Another cool game is Pac Man Party which comes to life in 3 dimensions for the first
time this year on Wii. It has more than 50 mini-games, tons of challenges and features
the original arcade versions of Pac Man, Galaga, and Dig Dug. The game has three
different play modes – all set to the theme of a birthday party, so it’s a great spin on an
old favorite and something the whole family can enjoy.

Holiday Is Coming!

Holiday shopping is just around the corner and moms and dads all across the country are starting to ask - what's going to be hot this holiday? Don't worry guys, I've got ya covered with this first round of holiday tech 2010!

Motion controlled gaming is continuing to make waves this holiday and Sony's kicking things up a notch by offering HD! Using the PlayStation Eye Toy in conjunction with their new, cool PlayStation Move controller, gamers get the latest in precision motion control on a wide variety of games that the whole family will love! My family loved the PlayStation Move Start Bundle's game , Sports Champions but also enjoyed the singing games, and Eye Pet. PlayStation move is going to be the hottest thing this holiday in the gaming space so get 'em while ya can!

If your family is anything like mne then I'm sure someone is going to be asking for a new laptop! This one's easy - the HPEnvy14 Beast Edition is THE coolest laptop to drop in a while thanks to the collaboration between HP, Dr.Dre, Interscope Records and Jimmy Iovine. They made this baby not only look super cool with it's black housing and red light up keys, but the screen is amazing, the size is slim and the sound quality is not to be believed allowing you to listen to your music the way the artist intended you to.

Next up is something I was totally blown away by, a 3D still camera! This thing is so cool I could hardly believe it! This is the perfect gift for the person who has everything and who has a love for tech From FujiFilm this is the FinePix Real 3D W3 and it's the FIRST camera that lets you take 2D and 3D photos as well as record HD video~ It actually has two lenses build into it and two processors that create these unbelievable images! You can view the coolness right on the screen or hook it into your 3D TV or laptop. If you want to print out the images you simple upload them to Fuji's site, SeeHere.com and can order prints that look fantastic!

Looking for a gift for a practical person, someone who loves to travel or a student? Magic Jack is one of the coolest inventions I've seen come around in a while! It's a device that you plug your standard phone into on one end, then on the other , your computer. Now your ready to make and receive phone calls, from the same number, anywhere in the world! This device eliminates the need for monthly phone bills and for $40 for the first year and $20 each year after that, you're making calls with no monthly fees! Need voicemail, caller ID, call waiting and so on? No problem, Magic Jack does it all!

This next gift could is a really cool and unique idea for anyone and could be a life altering moment for the recipient. It's a brand new web address that's called .co and it's sweeping the web as THE next big domain name extension to have. All of the .com names are taken and the web truly is headed towards this new era so you've gotta get on it, mom! What you do is head to their website, www.givea.co, no "m" needed, and there you'll buy a gift certificate that you can print out and stick into a card. With this gift someone can then snag their kid's names (which EVERY parent should own), the name for a business , a blog or website. Think about it - Google, Yahoo, Facebook - these all started as domain names and have changed our lives. Remember, for now on, .co is the way to go!

Halloween Gadgets - TODAY Show 10/19/2010

 

I was on the TODAY Show this morning showing off Halloween Gadgets! Here's the full story and links to where you can find all of the things I talked about. I'll make this pretty later, but here's the idea. 

Decor - http://www.spirithalloween.com/

LoK8u watch- http://www.lok8u.com/

Mommy I'm Here - http://www.mommyimhere.com/

iBoo Speakers - http://www.speakal.com/iboo.html

Terra Cycle candy speakers- http://bit.ly/cqrqAC

Evil Tron noise maker- http://www.thinkgeek.com/

Gummy Brains- http://www.thinkgeek.com/

Custom Candy - http://www.mymms.com and http://www.printcandies.com/  

Zombie Shooting Gallery- http://www.thinkgeek.com/

eBay Classifieds Pet App- http://info.ebayclassifieds.com/iphone/

 

I wanted to give a special thanks to the Animal Care and Control of NYC.  They brought the cats!  If you'd like to adopt them, here's the info: 

Nel – 1 year old. Black. Female. (A-878602)  Terrific little gal with jet black fur and orange eyes. (Totally fits the Halloween theme.)

Jackson – 1 year old. Male. Cream tiger. (A-879172) Very friendly and mellow who LOVES other cats

Here is  Animal Care and Control's of NYC Website : http://www.nycacc.org

Cat