Although I own a digital camera (and a pretty good one at that), I find that most of my pictures are taken with my phone. Why? I mean, surely it would make more sense to use my digital camera as its photos are taken with a higher resolution and are usually better in general due to multiple photo enhancement options. Obviously the answer lies in convenience. I’d much rather bring just my phone and its photo capabilities out to the bar than have to lug around a phone and a digital camera. I’m sure you feel the same.
We might not be able to do much about our phone’s camera resolution or lack of flash, but we can make it easier to take the picture. The Belkin iPhone Camera Grip (Convenient Gadgets & Gifts, $34.99) attaches to your phone via the 30-pin connector at its base and provides a stable photo-taking experience. Instead of trying to wrap your hand around the phone and reach the camera button all at the same time (it’s an acrobatic feat for the phalanges), all you have to do is press the shutter button. That’s all. The soft touch design is specially contoured for your hand and allows you to switch from still shots to video with the touch of a button. The grip is case compatible and even features an integrated tripod mount should your photo session turn formal.
Don’t have an iPhone? I guess you’re shit outta luck.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-iPhone camera grip
-2 modes for photo & video
-Fast fire shutter button
-Integrated tripod mount
-Contoured soft touch design
-30 pin connector
-Case compatible
A long time ago, I realized that I needed to have a calendar is plain sight or I would never be able to keep track of the days. Sure, I also use it to write down appointments or birthdays, but it’s mostly there for a quick reference. I find it a lot easier to zero in on the correct date when I’ve marked off all the days gone by. However, I can’t stand doing this to a normal calendar because then it just looks messy and sad.
Instead of defacing your important calendar, why not get one for the express purpose of fun? The Bubble Wrap Calendar (Generate Design, $29.00) joins practicality with an innocent pastime: popping bubble wrap. Seriously, who didn’t love to pop bubble wrap? Now you can actually have an excuse to pop one bubble every day to mark the passage of time. The calendar lays out all twelve months of the year and their respective days on one sheet. Each bubble includes the date and day of the week as well as any applicable holidays, with weekends bolded for quick reference.
Please try to restrain yourself and not pop all the bubbles at once. I know, it is really hard.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 48″ x 17.5″
-Pop a bubble for every day
-Weekends bolded for quick reference
-Type set in Helvetica Neue
-Keep calendar out of sunlight and heat
-Made of thick paper and plastic
As I get older, holidays get a little less special for me. One thing I can always count on to lift my spirits around the holidays is dessert. Oh man, the desserts are so worth it. My favorite has always been cookies because you can snack on them throughout the day (they make an excellent breakfast) and they’re pretty much single servings. The only problem I can see with holiday cookies is that they aren’t around in between holidays. I’m not saying I want to be eating Christmas cookies year round, but a little festivity never hurt anyone.
The Letter Pressed Cookie Cutters (Perpetual Kid, $17.99) bring a bit of sparkle to an otherwise normal looking cookie. Each cookie cutter is double-sided so you can cut out the cookie shape with one side and press the letter shape into the cookie with the other. There are 26 letter cookie cutters as well as an ampersand and exclamation point. Now, I know what you’re thinking – ransom notes. Sure, it would probably decrease the seriousness of your point, but it would also probably put the recipient in a fantastically good mood and therefore more likely to comply with your demands.
Ransom notes: Not just for hostage situations anymore.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Set of 26 letters plus ampersand & exclamation point
-Double sided cookie cutters
-Punch out shapes on one side
-Imprint letters on other side
-Packed in reusable plastic storage trays
-Hand wash only
-Made of durable food safe plastic
Christmas is a great holiday to go completely over the top without really offending anyone. What, so you put up a ton of lights on the outside of your house and the inside looks like Santa’s village? Awesome! Don’t tell me, you bought your friends and family way too many presents? Well, golly gosh I guess that’s alright. If you’re self-conscious about the sheer volume of Christmas spirit in your life, then you’re doing it wrong.
Nothing put the “holly” in “holiday” quite like the 8-Bit LED Holiday Wreath (ThinkGeek, $9.99). It’s so much better to invest in a wreath you can have year after year instead of one that dies immediately after Christmas, but the faux ones can be such a bummer. I mean, maybe from a distance it looks like the real thing but up close it’s a mess. If you’re gonna go fake, you might as well get something with pizazz to spare. This wreath features an 8-bit design and is decorated to delight any gamer. The six yellow coins have a flickering LED light in each that alternate to create a dazzling light show for your front door. And because this wreath runs on batteries, you can hang it pretty much anywhere – inside or outside!
If you like this, you’ll love the 8-Bit LED Jack O’ Lantern!
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 10.5″ x 13″ x 1.125″
-Old school style holiday wreath
-Flickering yellow LED in each coin
-Uses 2 AA batteries (not included)
-Made of durable EVA foam
I wish it would just hurry up and snow already! I mean, how are we supposed to properly celebrate Christmas without any snow? I’m not asking for blizzard, just a couple of inches, maybe a foot, that’s all. We only need enough frosty precipitation to do all the traditional winter activities: snow angels, snow men, and most importantly, snowball fights. Seriously, is Mother Nature bah humbugging or what?
Ok, so it hasn’t snowed yet, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared for the eventual tundra war with the Snowball Slingshot (Hammacher Schlemmer, $39.95). There are a lot of different ways to arm yourself in a snowball fight and yet hardly anyone chooses the slingshot method. Perhaps if they knew this slingshot could hurl a snowball up to 60 feet through the air they’d feel differently. Yes, there are some concessions to be made here, like the fact that you can only shoot one snowball at a time but it’s not like your low-tech arm is doing any better than that. At least this shooter uses medical-grade elastic tubing, making it virtually unstoppable, and can withstand rigorous winter battles. There’s even a target to improve your skills!
Ok, I’ve done my part, now you have to do yours. Start looking up “snow dance” and let’s get those flurries started!
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
- -Dimensions: 19″ x 5″ x 12″
- -Weight: 5lbs
- -Hurls snowballs up to 60′
- -Holds softball sized snowball
- -Long range tactical advantage
- -Powered by elastic tubing
- -Include target for practicing accuracy
- -Ages 8 and up
