Posted November 1st, 2007
Hi. I’m Cat Schwartz. I’ve been reporting on gadgets and technology for 10 years and now I am partnering with eBay as their Gadget and Toy Director!
To get things started, there are a few things you should know about me. I’m a mom of a 15-month old-son, Jack. Being a parent is an inspiration to me and often the catalyst to the gadgets and toys I play with. I live in Los Angeles and travel about 10-15 days out of each month, while also trying to maintain a stay-at-home parenting style. I also like to go out on the town and check out new music, movies, and anything else that makes me open my mind.
On this blog I’ll be lending my insight on hot tech and toy trends, great ways to look for good deals and an inside look at my journey through life as a gadget junkie.
Let’s take a quick look at what gadgets I have in my purse right at this moment, shall we? Ah yes! The flip video! This little video camera has become one of my favorite gadgets because it allows me to capture the amazing moments that Jack experiences and easily share them with the world. The camera’s small size allows me to throw it into any bag I may be using for the day. You can record up to an hour of video with an easy-to-use set of buttons, then simply flip out the built in USB connection to dump videos onto your computer. The resolution is 640×480, which is not that high, but looks good on the net and has YouTube addicts very excited. That connection also loads software onto your computer so that the camera’s content is super easy to work with. For just over $100 (and even cheaper on eBay), this has become my newest obsession.
Pure Digital Flip Video Camcorder
As far as phones go, I’m sort of embarrassed to tell you what I’m using at the moment. Well, not embarrassed, but I just feel silly… see, I’m rockin’ the Sidekick II. I know, I know. It came out like 20 years ago and there are so many cooler Sidekicks out now. The thing is–I have it all set up with programs I’ve downloaded and ring tones I like. Don’t worry, I’m getting the new Luxury (or Sidekick LX) version as soon as it comes out because I LOVE this device and depend on it more than anything. I think the design is wonderful, especially the keyboard, for someone like me who types entire emails while stuck in traffic or in a line somewhere. The newer version is slimmer, has a better digital camera, and will allow you to listen to music and edit documents. Purrrrrrrrr
I’m a lady who likes to be prepared for any situation and who has a deep appreciation for gadgets shaped like Japanese animation characters! I never know when I’m going to need to grab a file from one computer and take it to the next so I’m always packing a Mimoco USB storage device. Get one that holds from 1 to 4 gigs of info and keep him safe in his key chain sleeve. They’re so darn cute and extremely practical.
Beyond the world of what’s in my bag, a question I’m being asked a lot lately is “What’s going to be the TMX Elmo of this holiday season?” I’m not exactly seeing one particular toy at this point, but the Toy Wishes Toy Fair is just around the corner and I hope to find a nugget or two there. I will tell you that a very hot trend I’m seeing is toys that connect to the net. I’m very much into allowing kids to play with the Internet at early ages, fully supervised of course; because I think it’s inevitably a part of their education, so why not get to it! Check out my next entry for more news and notes on my fave tech and toy trends. Thanks for stopping by!
You Post your thoughts!
Notes: Please note that eBay may, in our sole discretion, reject comments for any reason we deem appropriate. Links of value to readers are welcome, but please use them sparingly – wield spam and you’re banished forever.
This is a moderated site and comments will appear if and when they are approved. We will review the queue several times daily, so please don’t resubmit if your comment doesn’t appear immediately.