Archive for May, 2008

Do you remember what it was like when you graduated college and it was time to face the “real world”? I remember being totally excited but completely freaked out. When faced with buying the grad in your life a gift, as I am with my cousin Marissa this year, turn to this list of gadgets which help with the variety of real life obstacles awaiting young grads.

1. Fear of getting lost? Pick up the new Navigon 2100 GPS device. It’s a small unit with a large screen that displays a “3D reality view” function. It allows you to actually see what’s surrounding you while you drive. I like the big button selection too. They’re VERY easy to select from behind the wheel.

2. Fear of not making it to work on time? This 3-in-one breakfast maker will do the trick. It cooks an egg, brews your coffee, and makes your toast in one fell swoop! Need more? The iHome Shower Speaker will get your morning rocking! Upload your MP3s and get your booty shaking in the shower. Tunes in the morning really get you to work faster.

3. Fear of not keeping it together on the job? My little brother just graduated from college last year and is starting his first real job. He was THRILLED to call me and tell me that his work was going to buy him a phone! He scored the new BlackBerry Curve and is in love with it. He can literally do his whole job from the road and keep everything on track. He likes the layout, the screen, how it feels in his pocket, and the robust functionality. Also, with this phone you can make free phone calls using a VoIP service like Skype, (calls using your Internet connection) which saves him some of his hard-earned cash!

Funny guy Adam Sandler is gearing up for another blockbuster. Sandler is the king of what I like to refer to as the “rainy Sunday afternoon agenda —DVD marathons that include: Billy Madison, The Waterboy, Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer. Truly, I never tire of the Sandler classics. Instead of playing his usual “man-boy”, a caricature of a feeble, down trodden dude, in Zohan, Sandler is a tough, butt-kicking super trooper / hair stylist. Sound ridiculous? Yes. Sound funny? Totally. While the theaters are clogged with comic book heroes and CGI-created characters, You Don’t Mess With The Zohan mixes politics with puns. If the NY Times is writing about its cultural significance, then perhaps it is more than just a barrel of empty laughs. Yes it will provide you with guffaws, but maybe it will be less mindless than you anticipate. In my book, it’s worth the price of admission.

*Photo licensed to: Photorazzi.com

Just back from the annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) and I certainly saw a lot of eye-catching designs!

What struck me right away was the breadth and depth of designs featuring truly innovative materials. Throughout the show floor, resin, plastic, Styrofoam, woods, lacquer and other materials took center stage for a thoroughly modern commentary on contemporary design.

One item really caught my eye—the “Specter” chair by JoshUrsoDesigns. It’s unlike anything I have ever seen. At first glance, it appears as though some fabric has been draped over a chair. Upon closer inspection, it is apparent that there is no chair supporting the fabric. With the help of some resin, the hardened fabric maintains a chair shape. I love the cheekiness of this design, which works great for a hip, young modern living room.

An amazing, uniquely designed piece of teak outdoor furniture also took me by surprise. It was an eye-catching portable outdoor room created by Deesawat. It’s a one piece unit that converts from a lounge area with chaises to a picnic table perfect for those summer barbecues. What a clever combination. It’s like a pop-up book for grown-ups.

Some people are addicted to MP3s and iPods. Some are addicted to analog. You say to-mato, I say tah-mato. So, what’s the best place to score old school audio? eBay, fo’ sure. Audiophiles swear that vinyl sounds “warmer” and has superior sound quality. Aside from dedicated DJ’s, record digging is also all the rage amongst the young and young at heart. Fans troll flea markets and record shoppes looking for choice nuggets. However, if you are struggling to find it, search eBay, it is the ultimate record resource. I did a general search for record collection and came up with a ton of results. Pretty darn amazing. While you will certainly be able to find things that are rare and out of print, you can also pick up newer titles too. On one page alone I found vintage LPs from The Ramones, Duran Duran, and The Cure, nestled amongst new vinyl from REM, The Strokes, and The Decemberists. Plus, albums and their accompanying artwork make for cool conversation pieces. And if you don’t own a record player, you can pick one of those up on eBay too!

I’m thinking that I need to start being more friendly to our eco-system. Sure, I know it sounds oh so 2007 to “go green,” but I’m going to do it and I’m starting with my gadgets.

A great way to help on this green mission is to use eBay to buy refurbished gadgets. I buy about 20% of my gadgets refurbished at this point, but am going to aim for at least 50% from now on.

Not sure how to buy refurbished? Here is a great tip that can help you with the process: Try out solar power. The simplest gadget for this has to be the Solio Hybrid 1000. This little device really packs a powerful punch. It can fully charge your cell phone after you’ve left it in the sun for just a few hours. It will also hold that amount of stored up energy for one year! Looking to use it on a computer or MP3 player? No problem, the device comes with a number of adapter tips.

Another totally rad solar-powered device is the Iqua BHS-603 SUN-Solar Powered Bluetooth headset. This baby chargers as you yap. There’s 200 hours of standby time that constantly charges off the sun. It had me at hello.

Now on to much bigger gadgets – cars. Sure, you may think you’re helping by rocking a hybrid, but if you really want to give mother nature a green love hug, get yourself a Triac! This tiny, three-wheeled, highway capable car packs a 144V lithium ion-powered battery capable of going 70 mph with a 120 mile range. Plus, it starts at just $19,995!

Lots of people on eBay Motors are already saving the environment by using greener transportation. For instance, Bio Diesel Conversion Kits are up 600% from last year! These puppies transform diesel vehicles to consume vegetable oil. This is an awesome trend that you should definitely be a part of.

The ultimate pop culture film premiered last night in it’s home city, New York, New York. The stars dazzled on the Sex and the City, Cosmo-colored carpet and swanned around in their designer duds. One very lucky premiere attendee, Shulin Sun, had the opportunity to check out all of the action from the front lines. Shulin won a very VIP package on eBay that included tix to the premiere and a special meet and greet with Miss Charlotte York, none other than Kristin Davis herself. Kristin was incredibly gracious, chatted with Shulin, and even posed for a few photos. Shulin looked svelte and saucy in her sparkly dress and her Jimmy Choo “Felix” shoes—she could certainly pass at the 5th (6th if you count NYC as a character!) member of the SATC entourage!

Video Diary: My Trip to New York

Below you can witness the ultimate Pop Culture clip. Weezer just released a video for their new single, “Pork and Beans” on You Tube that features all of the viral video stars of today. The clip is chock full of You Tube celebs like: Miss Teen “such as” South Carolina, Chris “leave Britney alone!” Crocker, Tay “Chocolate Rain” Zonday, Jud Laipply from the “Evolution of Dance” and many, many more. Weezer is now a bonafide You Tube sensation too, the video garnered over 3 million hits this holiday weekend.

With his fedora on his head and her Manolos on her feet, Indiana Jones and Carrie Bradshaw are headed for a box-office battle, while another confrontation will be taking place online. According to eBay data, over the last month Indiana Jones and Sex and the City have taken the site by storm:

INDIANA JONES:
12,345: Number of Indiana Jones items sold
$35.88: Average selling price of Indiana Jones items
$4,400.00: Highest Indiana Jones selling item - Indiana Jones Pinball Machine
175: Number of Indiana Jones Bullwhip(s) sold
224: Number of Indiana Jones fedora items sold (an increase of 135%!)

SEX AND THE CITY:
2,457: Number of Sex and the City items sold
$36.99: Average selling price of Sex and the City items
$395.00: Highest Sex and the City item sold - Botega Veneta Bag Featured in Sex and the City
1,824: Manolo Blahnik shoes have sold
1,223: Jimmy Choo shoes have sold

Both movies are part of a much larger series, so naturally there is a vast array of items available on eBay. Shoppers want to own a piece of these pop culture phenoms and are grabbing items relating to the flicks online.

*Photo licensed to: Photorazzi

Big bouffant, fake bun in hair? Check.

Big purple bow on dress? Check.

Big, fake, orange tan? Check.

Big hit song , “Damaged“? Check (it’s my guilty pleasure)!!

Biiiigg fashion mistake? Double check.

*Photo licensed to: Photorazzi.com