There are so many new iPhone apps released daily that it is difficult to even find out about many of them without recommendations. Here are four iPhone apps that should appeal to teens and/or tweens:

1. Daytrotter - I recently wrote about Wolfgang's Vault, a website that offers free live streaming of classic rock concerts. There is also a Concert Vault app for the iPhone so that you can listen to the music from the site on the go. Wolfgang's Vault recently bought another site, Daytrotter, which streams in-studio performances for an entirely different demographic. The music included on Daytrotter are acts that have dominated critic's best-of-lists over the last several years. It is for fans of new, upcoming indie music. And you can also take this music on the go with the Daytrotter iPhone app. While parents may prefer the classic rock of Wolfgang's Vault, teens can keep up with the latest music with Daytrotter. Even better, parents and teens can use both apps and websites and share the same music.

2. Harry Potter Spells - This is the first official Harry Potter iPhone game offered in the app store. Launched only a few weeks ago for $2.99, Harry Potter Spells contains an arsenal of 14 spells for players to conjure magic alone or duel others. For more information and videos of the game in action, go to the Harry Potter Spells website.

3. Touch Pets Dogs- This app should appeal to anyone that loves puppies, whether tween, teen or adult. Touch Pets is a free iphone app in which you take care of and play with your own virtual puppy. Create your puppy and share it with your friends. Train your puppy to do tricks and get him fun toys and accessories. Wouldn't you rather clean up virtual poop than the real thing?

4. Questia Library - After all of the fun from the above apps, teens still have school work to do. The Questia Library iPhone app gives students permanent access to 5,000 public domain books and one week of access to every publication in the Questia Library, which includes the full text of 74,000 books and over 2 million journal, magazine and newspaper articles selected by librarians. Questia Library enables students on the move to search, browse, skim and read a large and valuable collection of research materials. The Questia Library app is only $.99.

I hope you and your family enjoy these iPhone apps.

Added:
4 Mobile Apps for Parents of Teens and Tweens
8 Back to School apps for College Students
4 Great iPhone Apps for Teens 2010
How to Find the Best Apps

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Below are three non-fiction books that can be read by both teens and parents and can provoke discussion between them.

Reel Culture: 50 Classic Movies You Should Know

I already wrote briefly about this book in my list of Top 20 Holiday Gifts for Teens. Reel Culture is a fun, easy reading book that discusses 50 movies from the 1930s to 1990s that are most mentioned in pop culture. Each movie contains a brief description, cast listing, quotable lines, famous scenes and little known tidbits. After reading, even if you have not yet seen these movies, you will now understand the jokes and references made about them. This is also a great way to discuss your favorite movies with your teens and might be a good introduction into watching them together.

Toxic Friends: The antidote for Women Stuck in Complicated Friendships
A book that can help both mothers and daughters, since friendship problems among women occur throughout life. The author, Susan Shapiro Barash, a nationally-recognized gender expert, tackles the issue of complicated friendships throughout women's lives. She discusses the 10 types of female friends and shows women how they can get out of hurtful friendships and how to recognize a true friend. After both reading Toxic Friends, mothers can use it as a jumping point to discussing any friendship problems their daughters might be having.

Party Thru College
From the title, you might be thinking that this is not a book that you want your teens to read. However, it can be a fun book to share with your kids that are already in college. Humor can often be the best medicine for stress and this funny spoof can put college in perspective. Parents that have been through college themselves will laugh as they reminisce their crazy college days. This can also open up a discussion between parents and teens of how they can make sure they get all their school work and studying done, while still having a good time and enjoying college.

Take a look at Reel Culture, Toxic Friends and Party Thru College and see what you think. The titles of the books above link to their Amazon pages for you to be able to read more about them.

See also:
Unstoppable in Stilettos - Lessons in Self-confidence and Success
Best Books for Families
3 New Books for Moms of Teenage Girls 
The 50 Most Discussed Television Series 
3 New Books for Teens - Poetry, Dating and a Reading Journal
.

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Last week I attended a conference on the future of television. I already wrote about much of the conference on my Examiner Television page. However, I wanted to save the last panel of the conference, "Millennials and Television: Youth Trends Impacting the Television Business" for my Connect with your Teens readers.

The panel was moderated by David Card of Forrester Research. Also speaking on this panel were Lin Dai of Alloy Media & Marketing, Teemu Huuhtanen of Habbo Hotel and Melissa Lavigne of The Intelligence Group (division of CAA). They described millennials as the generation born in the 1980s and 1990s and are wired multitaskers.

First the panel set out to dispel some myths about millennials and media:
1. It is a myth that you can't reach teens with television - they actually spend more time watching TV than online.
2. It is a myth that teens don't like ads. Even though they are tech savvy, they do respond to advertising.
3. It is a myth that teens aren't brand loyal. They are as brand loyal as adults, but they are also more willing to try new things. They are also much more dependent on friends advice.

Millennials are all over social applications. The number of people that watch webisodes are similar to those watching a comparable TV series however the advertisers are still not advertising on them as much. Millennials use social networks as word of mouth sources. Recommendations on what to view from social networking friends is the most important factor in them watching.

Because many millennials have been able to watch television shows online or by DVR, many don't even know what networks or time that many of the shows they watch are on. Since they can find much of what they want to watch online for free, will this generation be willing to pay for cable TV?

Today's youth tend to prefer watching comedy and fantasy. They also like smart complicated content like Lost. Millennials are known to be joiners and are team oriented. This has resulted in many more large ensemble TV shows. In the 90s we had Seinfeld, Sex in the City and Friends consisting of groups of 4 -6. Now we have Lost, Heroes and Grey's Anatomy.

The type of people that are considered cool and can influence others has changed. With Generation X, everyone was pigeonholed, like in The Breakfast Club. Today's teens tend to cross over many areas, probably a result of pressure to add to their college admission resumes.

All of the panel agreed that if millennials had to pick their ideal device it would be the mobile phone. They can take it anywhere and use it for almost anything, including watching TV. Eventually, all television may need to be offered on mobile phones for it to be relevant.

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The American Library Association's public website for its Campaign for America's Libraries, atyourlibrary, contains great information for teens and families. You will find advice for job seekers, resources for parents and ideas for kids and teens. If you sign up for this free newsletter by December 14th, you will be entered into a drawing for an Apple iPod nano.

Yes, it is that easy. Just go to the ALA @yourlibrary newsletter subscription page and sign up with a valid email address before midnight of December 14, 2009. On December 15th the drawing will be held. While you are on the website, you might want to check out the Teen Spotlight or Family Life pages. This will give you an inkling to the type of great information you will receive in the newsletter.

Also take a look at the ALA @yourlibrary blog. In addition to interesting information, you will find links to librarian videos on YouTube. If you think that librarians don't have a sense of humor, you will be surprised. Check out Conan The Librarian below:



Good luck on the American Library Association contest. Maybe you will be the one to win the iPod Nano.

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Enjoy these 12 articles about technology, teens and/or pop culture that I culled from the web this past week.

Lost and Chuck Get Premiere Dates - E Online

Golden Globes adding extra pizzazz - Variety

Thanksgiving television episodes, specials and football - Examiner

Former Nickelodeon Chief Has a New Plan for the iPhone - NYT Media Decoder

Daily Show's John Oliver gets own six part special - TV Squad

10 Geeky Things to Be Thankful For - Wired Geek Dad blog

Colorful, Quirky Novelty Cameras Under $100 - Geek Sugar

The Ten Most Influential Internet Moments of the Decade - The Webby Awards

A Day of Pressures in a Teen Life - Radical Parenting

Who Needs Critical Thinking when I have Facebook? - Millennial Makeover

The Complete Guide to Parenting Teens in the Sims 3 - Bright Hub

Thirty-four ways that New Moon the Movie is better than New Moon the Book - New York

Don't forget to send me your recommendations or suggestions for weekly articles. Which article did you like best this week?

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I recently attended a press event held by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Sony Electronics about new features in both Blu-ray players and discs. I was amazed at some of the new features that both the players and discs contained. I used to think that the only reason to switch to Blu-ray was for the picture quality. I know see that I was very wrong.

These are some of the many features that you can get from newer Blu-ray players (Internet connection is needed for most of these features):

1. Internet Video Streaming - If you want to watch more on your Blu-ray player than just your Blu-ray discs, the Sony Network Blu-ray disc player allows you to instantly stream movies, videos and music from many leading online content providers, such as Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube and more.

2. Store, organize and play your Blu-ray, DVD and CDs all in one place. With the Sony 400 Disc Megachanger you will never have to look for a disc again. Store all of your discs in this changer and it will organize them for you. You can then search for them on your TV screen by title, director, cast and more.

3. Built in wireless, photo streaming, digital photo playback are some of the many other features that can be found in Blu-ray players. Watch out for 3D in 2010.

New features built into Blu-ray discs:

1. BD-Live - A new Blu-ray features that allows you to access content via your internet connect Blu-ray player. This only works on the newest players and requires an Internet connection. It includes downloadable features, quizzes, movie trailers and more onto your TV screen. Sony has created a feature called movieIQ, which is part of BD-Live. The movies that have this feature will enable you to access real-time updatable information about the movie's cast, crew, production, etc while watching the Blu-ray disc. Some of the new Blu-ray discs that have this feature are Angels & Demons, The Ugly Truth, Godzilla and The Taking of Pelham 1,2,3.

2. The Blu-ray disc for Julie and Julia allows you to click a link at any point in the movie in which a recipe is featured and you can get the recipe emailed to you or your friends and family.

3. The Cutting Room enables you to make your own creations. Currently both Snatch and Year One have this feature.

4. Digital Copy - Allows you to download a Blu-ray movie onto your mobile devices such as an iPod or smart phone. Currently this is only available on select movies.

If you are still looking for holiday gifts that the entire family can enjoy together, a Blu-ray player should be at the top of the list. All of these amazing new features make the entire movie watching experience so much more than what we have been used to. And don't forget that the Sony PlayStation 3 plays Blu-ray discs also.

See also:  
5 Reasons I Love Verizon FiOS
3D and Vision: Harmful? Hear from the Experts
Why Dyson is Making Fans with Blades Obsolete

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Lost has more memorable quotes than any other television show currently on the air. Many funny, some serious, they all remind us just how great the writing and characters on Lost are.


Just added: Best Quotes from the Lost Finale The End

Season 1

1. Sawyer: I am a complex guy, sweetheart.

2. Locke: This is my destiny! Don't tell me what I can't do!

3. Kate: It's just that you... and the tattoos... don't add up. Were you one of those hardcore spinal surgeons or something?
Jack: That's me. Hardcore.
Charlie: If you two are done verbally copulating, we should get a move on.

4. Sawyer: Baby, I am tied to a tree in the jungle of mystery. I just got tortured by a damn spinal surgeon and a genuine Iraqi. Of course I'm serious.

5.Sawyer: A doctor playing golf. Woo, boy howdy! Now I've heard everything. What's next? A cop eating a doughnut?

6. Hurley: So, I had an idea. I'm out here looking for some psycho with Scott and Steve, right. And I'm realizing... who the hell are Scott and Steve?

7. Boone: Red shirt. You ever watch Star Trek?
Locke: No, not really.
Boone: The crew guys that would go down to the planet with the main guys, the captain and the guy with the pointy ears, they always wore red shirts and they always got killed.
 Locke: Yeah?
 Boone: Yeah.
 Locke: Sounds like a piss poor captain.

8. Charlie: Hurley, look, I appreciate the help. You don't have to. I killed Ethan, I can bury him.
Hurley: Yeah, 'til he raises from the dead. Dude, I know how this works. This is going to end with you and me running through the jungle... screaming, crying... he catches me first because I'm heavy and I get cramps.

 9. Sun: My husband is many things. But he is not a liar.
 Sawyer: You gonna lecture us about lying, Betty? From the look on his face even your old man here didn't   know you speak English!

10. Hurley: [to Sayid] She [Rousseau] says "Hey".

11. Hurley: "For the record, my belt HAS dropped a notch. I'm a big guy. It's gonna be a while before you're going to want to give me a piggy back ride."

12. Sawyer [after squashes the tree frog in his hand]: "Add a little ranch and it'll taste just like chicken!"

13. Jack: [on helping Sawyer] ...all I'm gonna get is a snappy one-liner, and, if I'm lucky, a brand-new nickname.

 14. Locke: Why would Kate poison Michael?
 Hurley: Well, you know, the whole fugitive thing. [Jack gawks at Hurley] He doesn't know? [Jack shakes his head]. Well how am I supposed to keep straight who knows what around here? I mean, Steve didn't even know about the polar bear.

 15. Sawyer: [pause] Jack! About a week before we all got on the plane I got to talking to this man in a bar in Sydney. He was American, too. A doctor. I've been on some benders in my time, but this guy he was going for an all time record. It turns out this guy has a son his son's a doctor, too. They had some kind of big time falling out. The guy knew it was his fault even though his son was back in the States thinking the same damn thing.
 Jack: [starts to recognize who Sawyer's talking about]
 Sawyer: See, kids are like dogs, you knock them around enough they'll think they did something to deserve it. Anyway, there's a pay phone in this bar. And this guy, Christian... tells me he wishes he had the stones to pick up the phone, call his kid, tell him he's sorry, that he's a better doctor than he'll ever be he's proud and he loves him. I had to take off, but something tells me he never got around to making that call. Small world, huh?

16. Hurley: You have some...Arzt...on you.

Season 2

17. Desmond: See ya in another life brotha.

18. Jack: [after Kate persuades a semiconscious Sawyer to swallow medicine] That was good. I, uh, never learned the whole whisper-in-his-ear thing in medical school.

19. Hurley: So... Rose's husband is white. Didn't see that one comin'.

20. Eko: Don't mistake coincidence for fate.

21. Sawyer: [to Locke] Oh, I don't know, Mr. Clean, I probably would have gone around Mt. Vesuvius.
 Locke: Why'd you choose that name?
 Sawyer: Aint it obvious, all you need is an ear-ring and a mop.

22. Hurley: So what do you think is the story with that Libby chick?
 Charlie: Story?
 Hurley: She's kind of cute, right? You know, in an I've-been-terrorized-by-the-Others-for-forty-days kind of way?
 Charlie: Yeah, there is that.
 Hurley: I think I have a chance with her. I mean, it's a classic desert island scenario.

23. "Henry Gale": Course if I was one of them - these people that you seem to think are your enemies - what would I do? Well, there'd be no balloon. So I'd draw a map to a real secluded place, like a cave or some underbrush, good place for a trap. An ambush. And when your friends got there, a bunch of my people would be waiting for 'em. Then they'd use them to trade for me. [jokingly] I guess it's a good thing I'm not one of them huh?
 [Jack and Locke stare at Henry]
 "Henry Gale": You guys got any milk?

24. Charlie: Any of you guys see a plane last night?
 Sawyer: Yeah I saw it Tattoo. I just decided not to tell anyone.

25. Hurley: Did either of you see a guy run through here...in a bathrobe...with a coconut?
 Charlie: No... I saw a polar bear on rollerblades with a mango.

26. Bernard: [To Eko] I liked you better when you just hit people with your stick!
 Charlie: (Looking at Eko after Bernard left) I like you just the way you are.

27. Sawyer: You and Freckles. Before you found him, you all were gone all night.
 Jack: We were caught in a net.
 Sawyer: What the hell is that supposed to mean?
 Jack: It means we got caught in a net.
 Sawyer: Is that what they're calling it these days?

28. Sayid: (about the "foot") I do not know what is more disquieting---the fact that the rest of the statue is missing, or that it has four toes.

29. Locke: [to Eko] I was wrong.

Season 3

30. Ben: [Sees that Juliet holding the book, Carrie] So I guess I'm out of the book club.

31. Charlie: You're not taking drugs are you, John? I only ask because of the strict zero tolerance policy you've enacted, and I wouldn't want you to have to start punching yourself in the face.

32. Sawyer: What, don't you read? It's from Of Mice and Men. You'd like it. Puppies get killed.

33. Ben: Two days after I found out that I had a fatal tumor on my spine, a spinal surgeon fell out of the sky. If that's not proof of God I don't know what is.

34. Desmond: When I saw the lightning hit the roof you were electrocuted. And when you heard Claire was in the water you -- you drowned trying to save her. I dove in myself so you never went in. I've tried, brother. I've tried twice to save you, but the universe has a way of course correcting and -- and I can't stop it forever. I'm sorry. I'm sorry because no matter what I try to do you're going to die, Charlie.  .

35. Sawyer: What's your problem, Jumbotron?
 Hurley: Shut up... Red... Neck... Man!
 Sawyer: Touché.

36. Locke: The Man from Tallahassee? What is that some kind of code?
 Ben: No John, unfortunately we don't have a code for "there is a man in my closet holding a gun to my daughter's head". Although we obviously should.

37. Locke: Where do you get electricity?
 Ben: We have two big hamsters running around in this giant wheel in our secret underground lair.

38. Ben: [Sighs] Alex….this is your Mother.
Rousseau: [to Alex] Will you help me tie him up?

Season 4

39. Kate: Kinda sucks, huh?
 Jack: What's that?
 Kate: Being told not to come along. (Jack chuckles) Now you know what it feels like to be me.
 Jack: Does that mean I should wait twenty minutes and go anyway?

40. Miles: Where the hell did they go, Tubby?
Hurley: Oh, awesome, the ship sent us another Sawyer.

41. Jack: You people had therapists?
 Juliet: It's very stressful being an Other, Jack.

42. Ben: But you'll understand soon enough that there are consequences to being chosen. Because destiny, John, is a fickle bitch.

43. Sawyer: [Talking about John and Jack] What the hell they talking about in there anyway?
 Hurley: I don’t know. Leader stuff?

44. Locke: Is he talking about what I think he was talking about?
 Ben: If you mean time traveling bunnies, then yes

45. Locke: Ben, what did you do? You just killed everybody on that boat.
 Ben: So?

Season 5

46. Hurley to Sayid: "Maybe if you ate more comfort food you wouldn't have to go around shooting people".

47. Hurley's mom: "Why is there a dead Pakistani on the living room couch?"

48. Locke: What does the compass do?
Alpert: It points north Locke.

49. Sawyer: "Sure, who are we to argue with Taller Ghost Walt"

50. Daniel [about Charlotte]: "I am in love with the woman sitting next to me and I would never do anything to hurt her".

51. Sawyer [after telling Juliet he saw Kate delivering Claire's baby]: "time travel's a bitch".

42. Charlotte [answering whether she speaks any other languages]: "Just Klingon"

53. Sawyer [to Locke descending into the well]: "what do you expect to find there, a subway?"

54. Miles: "He's Korean, I'm from Encino"

55. Jack: "How can you read?"
Ben: "My mother taught me."

56. Lapidus: "We aren't going to Guam, are we?"

57. Sawyer [to Jack]: "You just reacted and a lot of people ended up dead. So I'm going to go back to reading a book and thinking".

58. Sawyer [to Kate]: "Juliet said that no matter what he's going to grow up to be, its wrong to let a kid die. So I'm doing this (saving Ben) for her".

59. Locke [to Ben]: Welcome back to the land of the living.

60. Miles [to Hurley]: Ask me some more questions about time travel.

61. Miles [after Radzinsky pulled a gun on him]: "I'm in the circle of trust"

62. Hurley [to Miles after Miles tells him that dead people don't actually talk]: Hurley replies: "Your just jealous that my power is better than yours".

63. Hurley: "Dude, That guy is an old Douche."
Miles: "That douche is my dad".

64. Hurley: "You guys were in 1954, you mean like Fonzie time?"

65. Young Daniel: "I can make time mom".
Eliose: "If only you could."

66. Richard [answering Sun's question of whether he saw the Dharma Losties in 1974] "I remember well because I watched them Die!"

67. Sawyer: "We'll buy Microsoft and pick the Cowboys in the 78 Super Bowl. We'll be rich".

68. Sayid: "If this works you might just save us all, if it doesn't at least you'll put us out of our misery".

69. Richard: "I'm starting to think that John Locke is going to be trouble".
Ben: "Why do you think I tried to kill him?"

70. Locke: "Mind if I ask you a question"
Ben: "I'm a Pisces".

I'm sure that I left out many of your favorites. Let me have it. Share with us any other great quotes that I forgot.

Lost Season 6 is scheduled to premiere on Tuesday night, February 2nd at 9:00pm ET. Lost will then make Tuesday nights at 9pm its home for the rest of the season.

Added: 10 'Lost' Articles to Read Before 'The End' finale

Lost 'Across the Sea' Quotes, Questions and Answers!

Lost 'The Candidate' 6.14 Shocks and Quotes

Lost 'The Last Recruit' Quotes and Notes
 
Lost 'Everybody Loves Hugo' Quotes and Notes
 
5 Hours of Lost on Finale Night
 
Lost 'Happily Ever After' Desmond Quotes and Notes
 
Lost 'The Package' Episode 6.10 Quotes, Questions and Highlights
 
Lost "Ab Aeterno" Episode 6.9 Highlights and Quotes


Lost 'Recon' Episode 6.8 Recap, Quotes and Questions

Lost 'Lighthouse' Episode 6.5 Highlights and Questions

Lost Season 6 premiere LA X Highlights and Questions

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Anna Quindlen is one of the most acclaimed columnists, journalists and authors of our time. I especially love the essays she wrote about her family, published in her book, Living Out Loud. They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and in Quindlen's case that is true. Her 24 year old son, Chris Krovatin, is the author of two young adult novels and it working on his third. His YA novel Venemous, has been adapted into a comic book, Deadlocke, which will go on sale Wednesday, November 18th, 2009. The book is also being adapted into a feature film.

Listen to Chris talk about sharing his work with his mother, Anna Quindlen:



Deadlocke takes place in modern-day New York City where a ragtag group of rebellious teens throws an annual raucous bash filled with debauchery, booze and bloody Knuckles. Newcomer, Locke Vinetti, under the tutelage of ringleader Casey, learns how to express his art, and his angst, in ways he never thought possible. He must learn to control his newfound strength or risk losing the girl of his dreams. It is a story of a young man coming to terms with his own demons in a search for his true identitly. Based on Christopher Krovatin's YA novel Venemous, Deadlocke is written by Arvid Nelson with Nick Stakal.

Chris Krovatin is doing his own adaptation of his book Venemous into a screenplay for Deadlocke.  It must be a great feeling for Anna Quindlen to not only have a son succeed in what he loves to do, but to be able to relate to his success through their shared talents and interests.

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The older our kids get, the more difficult gift giving becomes. Before they become teens, they usually will like almost any gift you buy them. Once they become teenagers that all changes. Hopefully you will find my suggestions helpful.

Video Games

According to a recent survey, 86% of teens and tweens plan to ask for at least one video game this year for the holidays. Here are recommended games that are very hot with teens:

• Rock games - Guitar Hero 5, Lego Rock Band, Beatles Rock Band and DJ Hero. The great thing about these games is that they are unisex and you will enjoy them also. Play these games together and you'll have great fun while bonding over music.
• Wii Sports Resort - If you have a Wii you are already familiar with Wii Sports, the game that comes bundled with the Wii. Recently, a new version, Wii Sports Resort went on sale and it has gotten rave reviews. It is set at a beach resort and has 12 games: Swordplay, Wakeboarding, Frisbee, Archery, Basketball, Table Tennis, Golf, Bowling, Power Cruising, Canoeing, Cycling and Air sports. Another unisex game that is fun for the entire family.
• New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS or Wii - First new Mario game in years, this came out this past summer and has won many awards and has already become the second biggest seller in DS games of all time. Best for younger teens of both sexes, although all ages would enjoy.
  
• Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 - Great for the teen that likes to exercise, especially if they are fans of The Biggest Loser. 
• Scene It? Bright Lights! Big Screen! - Brand new edition of Screen It for XBox 360 or the Wii. Includes all new movie clips from the latest blockbusters. Great movie fun for teens and above. There are other editions, including Scene It? Deluxe Harry Potter and Scene It? Seinfeld.
• Tween girls will love the Style Lab and Imagine games from Ubisoft.
• One Power-Up Game Card - A prepaid gift card that for some of the best games on the Internet.

DVDs

• Lost season 5 DVD or Blu-ray - Released on December 8, 2009, this is a must have for any Lost Fan.
• Nirvana: Live at Reading - Never before released 1992 concert. This is one of the most bootlegged concerts ever. If you have a Nirvana fan in your house, this is the ultimate gift.

Books

• One of the pop culture and philosophy books. You can choose from your teens favorite television show or something different like Final Fantasy and Philosophy.
• Reel Culture - A great book for teens to learn all about the films that are most mentioned in pop culture references. Even if they haven't seen the movie, after reading this they can then get the jokes and references like "We'll always have Paris" and countless others.

Gadgets

• New 5th Generation iPod Nano - The reasons that you might want to buy this 5th generation Nano even if your family all already have mp3 players is that this version has a built-in video camera, larger screen and a built-in FM radio with live pause.
  
• Logitech Webcam Pro 9000 - This is a simple easy-to-use video calling application. HD video recording and built in microphone.

Games

• Fun educational games from Out of the box Publishing - The family can play together.
• Bananagrams - Hugely popular fast and fun word game that doesn't require pencil, paper or board. Great for travel. Good for both tweens and teens.
  

Miscellaneous

• Guitar String Bracelets (see previous post about this great project)
• T-Shirts and sweatshirts made from recycled bottles (see previous post)
• Cool ear buds - You can go for ShareBuds, Colorful Ear Buds or Stylish buds.
• Posters of their favorite bands, crushes or interests.
• Do you have a Twilight fan in your family. With New Moon coming out this week, there are more Twilight/New Moon gifts available now than ever.
  

You might also get ideas from:
12 Video Games for Teens - Holiday Gifts 2011
Unique Holiday Present for Teens and Tweens - Rockboard Scooter
5 Useful Teen Holiday Gifts 

Charitable Gift Ideas for the Holidays
Teens will Love Speck Limited Edition Art iPhone Cases

Best Holiday Gifts for Teens 
15 Best Video Game Holiday Gifts for Teens and Tweens
 

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I hope you enjoy these 10 articles from all around the web relating to pop culture, technology and/or teens:

1. How to Connect with your Teens & Tweens who Love the Twilight Series - Just Parenting Advice
   
2. New Nickelodeon Research Study finds Generation Gap Closing, Reflecting changing attitudes and values; Families now connected by tech, tastes and entertainment - PR Newswire
3. The Intergenerational Appeal of Classic Comedy - Ypulse
4. The Addams Family's latest incarnation is a Broadway musical - TV Squad
5. Rick Castle, the most charming man in prime time - Zap 2 it's TV Gal
6. The best TV series of the '00s - A.V. Club
7. Kings of Queens: Gays on TV once helped promote tolerance. Now they may be hurting it - Newsweek
8. Stephenie Meyer on 'Oprah Winfrey' - EW's Popwatch
9. Will New Moon Be the Biggest Film of the Year? - Women & Hollywood
10. 2012 - Are you worried? - 50-something Moms Blog

Which were your favorite articles this week. Please send me suggestions if you ever encounter any pop culture, technology or teens articles that you think would be a fit for my weekly list.

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The CES NY Press Preview was just a tiny fraction of what will be shown at CES Las Vegas in January, but it was still impressive. As technology advances, new gadgets and electronic are being made and sold that do some amazing new things. Here is a sample of what I saw at the CES NY Press Preview held November 10, 2009:

1. Dexim - The P-Flip Dexim Foldable Power Dock is the first foldable, portable, rechargeable power dock. In addition to using it on your desktop to charge and sync your iPhone/iPod Touch, you can also charge them on the go. It will extend your talk time up to 8 hours, video or games for 15 hours or 80 hours of music.

2. Advent - Enjoy Mobile TV in your car. Attaches on to any rear seat entertainment system to allow your kids to up to 20 channels of television. Only available at new car dealers.

3. Audiovox - A new product (VOD10PS2) that integrates PlayStation 2 into Audiovox's car entertainment systems. No wires or extra hardware.

4. Viper - Believe it or not, the SmartStart iPhone app can unlock and start your car. The system works on any car with electric windows and locks. It includes a receiver that is installed in the car.

5. Regen - The creator of personal and home electronics powered by light has a new product, Renu, coming out in February 2010. Renu is a panel that you charge with the sun (it even comes with a suction cup so that you can mount it to a window). Once charged it will power all of your other personal electronics.

6. Both Bowers & Wilkins and Vestalife have very cool looking new iPod/iPhone speaker docks that both you and your teens would love. The Vestalife products (picture at right) have a younger feel whereas the Bowers & Wilkins are more adult.

7. BlueAnt - Their award-winning BleuAnt Q1 is the only headset on the market to offer a truly hands-free experience through voice control technology. It is the most advanced and easiest to use headset you can find.

8. Dual Electronics - The Cradle turns any iPod Touch into a complete GPS navigation device. Can be used in a car or for portable use.

9. Inada - The Inada Cube massage chair is unlike any you've ever seen. It is small, cute, and gives you a great lower body massage, especially on your feet and calves. The whole thing folds up into an ottoman when not in use.

10. Ooma - The Ooma Telo award winning system is a new type of home phone. It is an amazing looking device, which after the initial purchase, you can call anywhere in the U.S. for free with no monthly charges or contracts. Call-ID and Call-waiting are included. You can access your voicemail from any phone or web browser and receive email notification. All you need to run the phone is to connect the Ooma to your Internet and to a regular phone.

Make sure to check back in January when I write about the electronics and gadgets that I preview at the 2010 CES in Las Vegas.

See also:
CEA Tech Enthusiast Membership - Great Benefits for Early Adopters who Enroll

Why Dyson is Making Fans with Blades Obsolete
Gifts for Teens who watch videos on iPhone, iPod or iTouch
Teens will Love Speck Limited Edition Art iPhone Cases
. 

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Are you a fan of American Idol? Do you love to sing and would like to have others listen and judge you? Do you like the idea of judging new singers? Would you just like to listen to regular people showing off their singing? If you answered yes to any of the above, you should check out iSing, an iPhone of iTouch app that emulates American Idol.

This $.99 app is extremely easy to use. When you turn it on you will see all the latest song entries with the percent of people that liked each one. You can select any one to listen to and then give a thumbs up or down, or not vote at all. You can also choose to see the best of the month or best of all time instead of the latest songs. You can also see a lists of songs by location or can search for names or songs.

If you want to sing and be judged, all you need to do is press sing, then +, add sing into your iPhone for 30 seconds (unfortunately, if you have the iTouch without a microphone you won't be able to use the singing feature). Then add a picture (you can use an avatar and a screen name). If you aren't happy you do not have to submit the song. Singers can only submit one entry per month.

Watch this video for everything you need to know about iSing:



The iSing app is fun and can be enjoyed by all ages. Families can listen together, just as they do when they watch American Idol. I highly doubt that I will ever attempt to add a song to iSing because even my family would probably give me a thumbs down. But I am having fun both listening and voting. Some of the singers are actually very good. Especially now, with a few months to go until Idol begins again, you can replicate the experience with iSing.

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