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Holiday Gift Guide: Remembering my first DVD player

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Editorial, Features, Home Entertainment,

Being both an early adopter, someone without a bunch of money, and a gadgetophile is a hard combination to pull off. Back in 1999, that was me as a teenager, and the thing I wanted most that year was a standalone DVD player. Sure, I had the DVD-ROM drive in my Sony Vaio desktop computer, but my monitor was only 15-inches back then, and I had a 28-inch television. Who wouldn’t want to watch DVDs on their awesome 28-inch television, with ghetto stereo sound?

That year, my girlfriend at the time decided she would surprise me with a Sony DVD player. If you weren’t in the market for DVD players back then, allow me to fill you in. Those $25 deals you are seeing this holiday season on players at Target and Wal-Mart? Yeah, prices have fallen exponentially. My first DVD player sold for $399.99. A serious token of her love, most certainly. I mean, I certainly wouldn’t have gotten a DVD player otherwise.

I immediately snapped up The Usual Suspects and a couple of other titles that I don’t even remember. I didn’t even care, I was just all about the slick new piece of technology.

What about you? Any fond memories of holidays past, where you gave or received an awesome gift? Let us know in the comments

Giving the gift that she really wants

Posted by Colleen McKie Categories: Advice, How To, Relationships,

Gift box

When my husband and I started dating, Christmas was just around the corner. We decided to exchange gifts and I happily started poking around to get to know him better so I could get him something awesome. When he told me all about this great computer game that he wanted, I went out and picked it up for him. He had also been complaining that he didn’t have a laundry hamper, so I went to the dollar store, picked one up and filled it with a bunch of household items I knew he didn’t have, but needed. Perfect gifts to suit his hobby and his needs. And what did I get in return? Stuffed Star Wars characters. Which might not have been all that bad if I hadn’t told him on several occasions that I hated the Star Wars movies.

Click to continue reading Giving the gift that she really wants

Gap Proceeds with Jennifer Hudson Ad Spots

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Movies, Music, Photos,

Jennifer Hudson for The Gap

The day after Halloween, the Christmas season began. It will not end until January (decorations and store returns linger for days after the actual event). And since retailers are constantly trying to skip Halloween altogether and start the buy-friendly holiday as early as September, the Gap has moved ahead with their ad campaign. In the ads, potential customers will see a smiling, red-swathed Jennifer Hudson spreading her holiday spirit. For some viewers, it feels at odds with Hudson’s tragic personal tragedy.

Could the Gap really be this tacky?

Never worry, holiday shoppers, this mega retailer would never step into a potential PR landmine without covering all the bases. A rep for the chain has confirmed that Jennifer Hudson herself approved the use of her image, even at this upsetting time.

“She said she wanted to be a part of it and that we should move forward,” said Gap spokesperson Olive Doyne, who added that Hudson was given the option of backing out of the campaign completely. The Oscar-winning actress was photographed for the spots last July.

You can see her, part of the “Shine Your Own Star” campaign, smiling from magazines, newspapers and billboards throughout this shopping season. Several other stars are also part of the campaign.

Marvin the Martian Landing in Theaters

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Warner Bros, Adaptation, Animation, Family, Upcoming Releases,

Marvin the Martian Given the recent success of Alvin and the Chipmunks, other studios are now jumping on the live-action/CGI bandwagon.

Warner Bros. has just announced that Marvin the Martian will be the next cartoon character up for the big screen treatment. The Looney Tunes character - which was first introduced 60 years ago - will reportedly get his own Christmas-time feature.

Although Marvin’s plans to destroy the Earth were usually ruined by Bugs Bunny, it doesn’t appear the carrot chomper will be included in the adaptation. As the film is currently conceived, the white-gloved one will become trapped in a gift during his attempt to ruin the holiday.

No target date has been announced for the project.

Amazon Has Banner Year

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Internet, Misc. Tech,

Lego Watch Amazon has announced that it has had its best Holiday Season yet. Some of its most popular items were the Nintendo Wii, “Super Mario Galaxy” and “Call of Duty 4” video games, “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” DVDs, Garmin GPS, Canon PowerShot digital Elph cameras, Timex heart rate monitor watches, Samsung LCD HDTVs, and Lego Kids’ Star Wars Darth Vader watches. They claim their busiest day was December 10, when over 5.4 million items were ordered. That equals 62.5 items per second!

Daniel Day-Lewis Marks Return With ‘Blood’

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Paramount, Adaptation, Drama, Casting, New Releases,

There Will Be Blood- Daniel Day Lewis Known for his odd little ways, his do-or-die acting methods, and his fabulous skill, Daniel Day-Lewis has enjoyed a stellar film career - though by Hollywood standards, he makes films infrequently. Missing from the big screen since 2005, the award-winning actor has made a triumphant return to films today in Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood. Very different from the bevy of family-oriented holiday flicks currently clogging up the theaters, this feature film deals in avarice, oil, madness and, of course, blood.

Anderson is known for dramatic films like Magnolia and Mark Wahlberg’s break-out film Boogie Nights, but There Will Be Blood isn’t like either one of these previous efforts. Day-Lewis (whose own unique brand of method acting has labeled him as truly eccentric and maybe even a little ’round the bend) plays Daniel Plainview in a performance that’s being heralded by the critics (he’s already received a Golden Globe nomination, too). Plainview is involved with oil in a century-old setting, a man who will do whatever he has to do to get his own way.

Yahoo! reviewers have called the dramatic epic a “masterpiece” and granted the film three and a half stars (on a scale of four total). Why is the film this good? Because Daniel Day-Lewis is in it.

Okay - what did you get?!

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features,

You know how much we love living vicariously through others, so we just HAVE to know - what did you guys get this year? What was waiting under the tree, ready to delight you with it’s awesome gadgety wonders? Let us know in the comments - we’re listening!

Bummer Holiday Cards

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Editorial,

There are lots of last minute ways to send e-greetings on line, making the necessity for actual cards and gifts unnecessary in this electronic age. We wonder if this will replace tips and bonuses for your mail carrier, FedEx deliverer, and the guy who sells you roach coach sandwiches. We found these cards created by someone who apparently gets as moody as we do around this time of year. For those of you who want to send anti-cards, the comments may not be explicit in the translation, but we figure you will catch the drift. By the way, ho-ho-ho from us to you. Have a great Holiday and thanks for reading.

Hallmark Features Retro Ornaments

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smart Home, Movies, Toys,

Last minute tree trimming at our house usually consists of popcorn strings until the dog eats them. We wish we had gotten a Hallmark Keepsake Rock ’em Sock ’em Ornament. At least we would have had a fighting chance. At a size of 3 1/4 x 2 3/4-inches, push their buttons and their arms punch and heads bounce just like their life-size counterparts. It comes with a greeting card for $15.00.

For your trekkor friends, pick up the Star Trek II Keepsake. This one is 3 x 2 1/2-inches, has sound and flashing lights, and will set you back $28.00. We expect that if you wait (since it is probably closed today,) you can pick one up for sale when you return that cheesy Nut Bowl that your mother-in-law found at the back of the store in the markdown aisle.

Keep The Kids Amused Online Today

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Hot Deals, Internet,

3D Snowflake You have just realized that your buds are do anytime and you just had to finish “testing” their new electronic toys before wrapping them. You know that not only do you not have any wrapping paper left, your kids are bugging you that they don’t have anything to do after you spent your last cent on them. Combine both projects and send the kidlets to Paper Snowflakes. They can download wrapping paper, create gift tags, make snowflakes out of coffee filters, and even play a few games.

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