My Tech Talk

Do you have a tech savvy woman in your life? Then this is the shopping list for you! Below you’ll find a collection of colorful and stylish computer products and accessories that make great gifts at affordable prices– USB jewelry, cameras, storage devices and more — that she’ll find useful and attractive. Visit the MyTechTalk Shop to view and purchase these items from Amazon.com.

Active Crystal's USB Memory Key

SanDisk Cruzer Fleur Pink USB Drive

Expressions Pink Mouse and Mousepad

Tribeca USB Panda Bear drive

Flip Video Mino (see note below about custom colors)

Western Digital Passport - 320 GB USB Storage

Visit the MyTechTalk Shop to view and purchase these items from Amazon.com.

Note: You can customize the “skin” or case of a Flip Video Mino with unique artwork, designs or colors for a truly personalized gift. However you must buy the camera directly from the company web site at theflip.com.

Check out these great lists for more gift ideas:

8 Gift Ideas for the Tech Lover

Gifts to Treasure: 6 Memorable Ways to Share Photos

Online Gifts for the Web 2.0 Surfer

Are you searching for a terrific gift idea for friends or family? Look no further than your collection of digital photos. Put that photo collection of family and friends to good use by creating memorable gifts.

Photos make great personalized gifts, especially when you can have them printed by Kodak onto memorable, enduring products.

As a long time Kodak Gallery customer, I can vouch for the quality of their products, their excellent customer service and the enjoyment giving such personal gifts will bring to the recipient. If I was not a satisfied customer, I would not be their affiliate nor recommending their products.

Why Photos Make Great Gifts

• Unique
• Long Lasting
  
• Affordable

Consider these creative gifts from the Kodak Gallery for your photos:

(Click a photo to visit Kodak Gallery for further product details)

Mouse Pads

Photo Coasters

Specialty Puzzle

Photo Playing Cards

Magnet Frames

Travel Mug

Hopefully this list will help you with your holiday shopping.

ONE IMPORTANT TIP:  Always look for coupon codes for your Kodak Gallery purchases. You can search on Google for “Kodak Gallery Coupon Codes” or visit the DealTaker web site to see their list of coupon codes, which displays a lot of them.

Comments and feedback are always appreciated.

MyTechtalk.com did some window shopping at Amazon.com this week and came across 8 fun gift ideas for tech lovers. I smudged the window pane with my nose getting a closer look at them.

With prices ranging from $21.99 to $149.99, there’s a gift item for every budget. Click on the product link or the picture to visit Amazon.com for product details and purchasing.

Please bookmark MyTechTalk.com and visit often to look for new gift lists this holiday season.

1. B-Flex Stereo USB Speaker - Portable and Compact - $39.95 at Amazon

2. Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver with Heart Rate Monitor for $149 with free super saver shipping

3. Logitech Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remote Control for $99.99 with free super saver shipping

4. Microsoft Fingerprint Reader for $40.95

5. Altec Lansing in Motion im600 Portable Audio System for iPod for $103.22

6. Audio Technica LP to Digital Recording System with USB for $103.22 with free super saving shipping

7. SanDisk Sansa Shaker 1 GB MP3 Player for $25.00 with free super saver shipping

8. PQI 8GB USB Flash Drive i810 Plus - Waterproof and Dustproof - for $21.99

Please bookmark MyTechTalk.com and visit often to look for new gift lists this holiday season.

Need more ideas? Read these lists:

Online Gift Ideas for the Web Surfer

Is the Flip Mino (and 4 others) the hot holiday gadget?

Gift Guide: Tech Gifts for the Budget-conscious

Do you need to shop for a savvy Web 2.0 loving, Internet surfing computer enthusiast? This type of person enjoys social media and online services.

Below are a few gift ideas to help you find the right gift for this special someone:

Virtual Gifts

• Visit the Facebook Gift Shop. You and your gift recipient will need to be Facebook members, of course. As a gift giver, you purchase “credits” (100 credits = $1) and redeem them for virtual gifts.
  • Pros: Easy to do yet thoughtful, a variety of gifts available for birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, etc.
  • Get Started: Login to Facebook and then type “Gifts” in the Search field.

• Is your special someone a Wordpress.comblogger? Then give the gift of Wordpress.com credits. With credits, bloggers can use additional services like domain mapping, custom CSS or additional storage space. Don’t worry if you don’t know what those services do. Remember, it is the thought that counts. Your grateful blogger may even sing your praises in his/her next blog post!
  • Pros: Useful gift that lasts for one year, inexpensive ($10-$20 should do the trick).
  • Get Started:Login to Wordpress.com and click on the “Upgrades” tab and then the “Gifts” sub-tab.

(Note: If you are not a Wordpress.com user, you’ll need to sign up for a free account. You’ll need to create a blog to complete the account setup but you are not obligated (of course) to actually do any blogging.)

Movies, Music and Photos

The following reputable web sites offer e-certificates for their products and services.

• Netflix - Give the gift of comedy, drama, action and adventure delivered in a little red envelope. You can choose to a gift subscription for any number of months.
  • Pros: Easy to give, convenient, budget friendly.
  • Go Get It! Visit the Neflix Gift Subscription page.

• iTunes - A gift card to the iTunes store will allow a recipient to buy music, movies, TV shows and “apps”, short for software applications. ( The “apps” only apply to iPhones and iPod Touch models.)
  • Pros: Easy to give, convenient, versatile. Prices start at $15
  • Go Get It! Visit the Apple Store online to purchase and ship a gift card today.

(Note: If you use an iPod yourself, you can also send an e-gift card through the iTunes software.)

• Kodak Gallery - A picture is worth a thousand words. So, a $15 gift e-certificate to buy 4″x6″ prints of digital photos for .15 cents each from Kodak is worth…100,000 words!
  • Pros: Budget Friendly, Delivered by Email, Can be used to buy some other photo products* too (restrictions apply*)
  • Go Get It! Visit the Kodak Gallery web site for more details and to buy an e-certificate.

Thinking of Others

Consider donating money to a charity or a cause in the name of your special someone. Below is one that I recommend:

• Tribute Gift to “Nothing but Nets” - Malaria kills and nets save lives. The goal behind this charity is to save lives by sending bed nets to Africa to keep mosquitoes away while sleeping. Read about it in detail how “nets save lives”.
  • Pros: Generous, thoughtful and affordable.
  • Go Get It! Visit the donation page to choose your amount. Don’t forget to check the “Tribute Gift” option at the bottom of the screen.

Mobile Software

• Handango.com – Purchase a gift e-certificate and your special someone can load up their smart phone (Blackberry, Windows OS, Palm OS, Android) with software. Hundreds of software programs are available: Games, city guides, budgeting and expenses, nutrition and fitness, translations, bibles, ringtones, maps, GPS, music, medical, horoscopes and more.
  • Pros:Versatile, helpful, Email-able, an unexpected gift.
  • Go Get It! Visit the Handango web site to purchase.

(Note: Take a moment to verify that your gift recipient has a “smart phone” like a Blackberry, Blackjack, Palm Treo, etc. Handango does not make applications for the iPhone at this time.)

If you have any ideas to share, please post a comment below. Thank you!

More to Read:

SuccessfulSoftware.net’s blog post: What do you buy a programmer for Christmas?

The Flip Mino Video Camcorder and other “mini camcorders” look to be a hot ticket item this holiday season. The Flip Mino is getting a lot of buzz. It is a cell phone sized camcorder with built in memory and built in software for easy editing, emailing and uploading onto the web. In fact, its built-in, easy to use software may be the feature that distinguishes the Flip from other competing products.

There are other products within this “Mini Camcorder” category that you should consider as well.

Below is a collection of information and links to review regarding the Flip Mino (sometimes mistakenly spelled “Mimo”), RCA Small Wonder EZ200 series, Kodak Zi6, Best Buy’s Insignia and Creative Vado.

1. The Flip Video Mino

• Price range from MySimon: $150 and up
• Product web site: TheFlip.com
• Read reviews from Best Buy Customers
• Read 253 (and counting) reviews from Amazon customers
• New(er) feature: Buy the camera from TheFlip.com site and choose (or create) a custom design.
• Typical features: Built-in software, 2 GB internal flash memory, no media slot for expansion memory, internal battery.
  

2. RCA Small Wonder EZ200 Series

• Read a review and see a video demo on Cnet.
• Price Range from MySimon: $85-$99
• Product web site: MySmallWonder.com
  
• Read reviews from Amazon customers
• Key differences from the Flip Mino: Lower price, media slot for memory expansion, flip out LCD display.

3. Kodak Zi6

• Price range from MySimon: $179.99 (site lists Amazon.com as only seller)
• Product web site: Kodak.com
• Read reviews from Amazon customers.
• Read a product review from Cnet.
• Key differences from Flip Mino: HD camcorder, larger size, media slot for memory expansion (which is essential), only 128 MB onboard memory with 30 MB reserved for storage, rechargeable batteries.

4. Insignia 5.0 MP Digital Camcorder (Best Buy exclusive)

• Price at Best Buy: $99.99
• Product web site: BestBuy.com
• Read reviews from Best Buy customers.
• Key differences from Flip Mino: Swivel LCD display, uses 2 AA batteries, 64 MB internal memory, media slot for expansion memory.
  

5. Creative Vado

• Price range from MySimon: $79-$107
• Product web site: Creative Labs
• Read reviews from Amazon customers.
• Read review and watch a demo video from Cnet.
• Key differences from Flip Mino: Lower price

A camcorder like these make it easy to capture life’s spontaneous moments and share them online. While the Flip Mino has gotten the buzz, there are other products with similar features and lower price tags for those keeping an eye on their holiday budgets this year.

Click here for a side by side comparison by CNet of most of these “You Tube” camcorders.

Halloween is almost here and these 5 technology gadgets–from laser lights to voice changers– can help you enjoy your annual encounter with ghosts, goblins and gruesome ghouls.

Sun and Moon Jars from ThinkGeek

Solar powered light source in a jar, blue for moon or orange for sun. It is spooky on its own, but could also be place inside a Jack-o-Lantern for high tech illumination.

Sharx Security Wireless Outdoor Camera System

This wireless, waterproof and color security camera can help you monitor your yard and front door for any unsavory Halloween tricks.

Key Chain Voice Changer

This is a fun little gadget that you can take with you while trick or treating with your kids.

Pocket Laser Light Show

I’m not 100% sure of the best way to use this for Halloween, but I know it would be festive. Perhaps in a jack-o-lantern or incorporated into spooky decorations?

Coleman Kids LED Flashlight

This flashlight will help keep your kids safe while trick or treating. It comes a lanyard and a light show feature for added fun.

Happy Halloween! Have fun and be safe.