If you still haven't found the perfect holiday presents for all your family members, here are a few technology gadgets and tools that might just make the perfect gift.

1. Aerial 7 Headphones - Music lovers are wearing headphones again to fully enjoy their music. Earbuds are so yesterday. Aerial7 has a wide range of headphones to choose from:

1. Chopper: Combining retro styling with sneaker inspiration, the Chopper delivers excellent sound that satisfies even the most critical of listeners and vintage shoppers with a serious audio punch and soft pliable headband.
2. Tank: Designed for sonic domination, the Tank allows you to explore the full spectrum of sound with ultra thick cushions to cocoon your ears while the wide adjustable headband guarantees a perfect fit!
3. Phoenix: With a fully collapsible frame and padded headband, this compact, yet powerful mid-size headphone delivers sound quality usually found in a larger format device. A must for audiophiles, world travelers and DJ's!
4. Beanie: From the streets to the mountains, the Sound Disk Beanie merges technology, comfort and fashion with  ultra slim Sound Discs that deliver crisp, clear sound while you stay active!

Each of the above comes in various color combinations. These come from the same company that make the iGo Charge Anywhere Power Extender that allows you to charge your mobil device on the go.

2. Zerochroma Cases - Cases for the iPad, iPhone, iPod, Kindle and Droid with build-in retractable theater stands. The stand rotates 360 degrees so you can prop up your device at any angle. The case itself is very thin, yet extremely protective.

3. Nero 10 Multimedia Suite - 2 suggestions for gifts:

1. Give Nero 10 Multimedia Suite as a gift. See my review of this amazing product at Slideshows Made Easy with Nero Multimedia Suite 10. A new platinum version has recently been released with even more bells and whistles.
2. Buy Nero 10 Multimedia Suite for yourself and produce professional looking slideshows as gifts fo family and friends. Wouldn't grandparents love a slideshow of their grandchildren? 

Full Disclosure: I received free products from each of these companies to review.

See also: 
Holiday Gifts for Teens - Speakers and Headphones
12 Video Games for Teens - Holiday Gifts 2011
Best Holiday Gift Posts Compilation
5 Useful Teen Holiday Gifts 

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

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Yahoo has teamed up with DonorsChoose to support classroom projects in schools by creating a new website, Yahoo! Homepages for Homerooms. What do parents and teacers need to do to get their classroom's project chosen? The support of as many friends as they can get.

Teachers submit their project to DonorsChoose as always. Information for new teachers can be found on the Teacher Tab at Yahoo! Homepages for Homerooms.

Parents, friends, and others can support a project by going to the project tabs of Yahoo! Homepages for Homerooms and doing a search for the project they want to support. To show support, all you have to do is make Yahoo! your homepage. There are very easy directions on how to do this if you don't know how.

From now through December 23, Yahoo will be donating $25,000 a week for a total of $350,000 to the Yahoo! for Homerooms program. Each winning homeroom will receive up to $600 for their project. What a nice way to bring the spirit of the holiday season into our schools.

See also: Family Volunteer Resources
.

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On Sunday, December 5, a new series will be premiering on the BIO channel, I Survived... Beyond and Back, that present pretty compelling evidence of some type of life after death. After previewing the first episode, I came away with a feeling of hope and wonder that there just might be something more when life ends.,

The premiere episode of I Survived presents the stories of a 16 year old teenager, Michael, who died of cardiac arrest, a woman in her 50s, Julie, who died in a car accident with her friend and a man, Charles, who was run over by a truck. All three of them died and came back to life and they all had amazing stories to tell. Each survivor explains, in his or her own words, exactly what they saw and felt during the entire time. When they talk about seeing parents or grandparents in the afterlife, my hope that their stories were real grew even more.

I think that I Survived...Beyond and Back could be a good series for teenagers to see. This generation of teens has been born into a world of terrorism and fear of nuclear threats. At the very least, this BIO channel movie could at least make the fear of dying seem a little less scary.

I Survived...Beyond and Back will air on Sunday nights on the BIO Channel at 10pm ET/9PM CT/11PM PT. Each week's episode will feature three different people that have flatlined and came back to life, and the stories they have to share with us. The premiere episode is Sunday, December 5, 2010. You can get more information and watch video clips of I survived at the BIO website.

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Article first published as Thanksgiving Weekend TV Marathon on TV Land on Blogcritics.

If you love watching classic episodes of your favorite old TV shows, then TV Land has something special for you this Thanksgiving Weekend. TV Land will be airing marathons of some of your favorite TV series, plus hit movies such as Jerry Maguire and My Cousin Vinny. And to top it all off, the Thanksgiving weekend marathon showcase will conclude with every episode of the TV Land hit comedy Hot in Cleveland.

If you missed the first season of Hot in Cleveland starring Betty White, Jane Leeves, Valerie Bertinelli and Wendie Malick, this is the perfect time to catch up before it returns for its second on January 19 at 10pm ET/PT. Betty White is as funny now as she ever was.

The TV Land marathon begins Thursday, Thanksgiving day, at 8am ET/PT with I Dream of Jeannie, which will play throughout the morning. Later that day, Bewitched will air for most of the afternoon and the evening will feature Roseanne. Friday begins at 8am with one of my favorite movies, Jerry Maguire. The rest of the day proceeds with Good Times followed by Sanford and Son and concluding with Everybody Loves Raymond.

Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend begins even earlier, at 6am ET/PT with two more episodes of Roseanne and then a Nanny marathon. My Cousin Vinnie airs at 1:30pm ET/PT and the rest of the day and night are devoted to Andy Griffith and move Everybody Loves Raymond (one can never get too much of Raymond). Sunday again begins at 6am and up until 8pm it is a smorgasbord of episodes not shown yet from the series we've been watching the past few days.

Sunday night, November 28, 2010, the end of Thanksgiving weekend, TV Land will air the entire first season of Hot in Cleveland from 8pm - 2am ET/PT. This is what DVRs are made for. For the exact schedule and more information on the marathon go to TV Land's Thanksgiving Marathon Weekend schedule.

What will you be watching on TV this weekend? Or will you be too busy shopping? Do what I do, avoid the crowds and stay home and shop online. Then you can even watch the TV Land Thanksgiving Weekend marathon while you shop.

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While we are all busy buying gifts for our families and friends during the upcoming holiday season, we shouldn't forget to also think about helping others. After publishing numerous lists of gifts for teens, I would like to also remind you of some past articles I've written about charitable holiday gift giving.

1. Charity Gift Cards Make Great Holiday Gifts - Allows the recipient of your gift card to choose the charity the gift should go to.

2. Changing the Present - Use this website to give charitable donations as presents - Donate money to a cause in the gift recipient's name.

3. Guitar String Bracelet Charity Project - Buy bracelets made from famous artist's guitar strings as gifts and all the proceeds go to charity.

4. Free Rice: Become Smarter and More Charitable at the Same Time - Not really so much about gift giving, but very much relevant to the Thanksgiving holiday. Play educational games and every time you get the answer right, rice is donated through to help end hunger. The site has recently been updated to make it easy for families to create groups to challenge friends and neighbors, or for classes to create a group to keep track of all the rice they have collectively raised.

Please share any ideas you have to teach your kids about charity during the holidays.

See also:
5 Useful Teen Holiday Gifts 

Tech Gifts for the Holidays 
Family Volunteer Resources 

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Sony Online Entertainment, the creators of Everquest, one of the most popular online games ever, have created two great new games for a younger generation of gamers. And unlike Everquest, which had to be bought, and then charged a monthly fee, Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures and Free Realms are completely free. And while Everquest was played mostly by adults, Clone Wars and Free Realms are rated E10+ and are designed with teens and pre-teens in mind.

Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures - The ultimate online destination for a new generation of Star Wars fans

This action packed virtual world was created for fans of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated television series on Cartoon Network. Developed by Sony Online Entertainment and licensed by LucasArts, in conjunction with Lucasfilm Ltd., Clone Wars Adventures is an authentic and accessible Clone Wars experience for teens and families to play at home together.

Players can speed though space in a starfighter, take out waves of battle droids in Tower Defense or test their brains with challenging Droid Programming puzzles. Clone Wars also includes an array of Minigames and more. Compete with friends in this safe virtual world and show off your achievements in the Trophy Room. There are even parental controls that can be set for your younger teens or tweens.

Although Clone Wars is free, an upgraded monthly membership can be purchased for $5.99 to take the galactic action to the next level. Players can also purchase legendary Star Wars outfits, items and acessories through micro-transactions using virtual currency.

Free Realms
Free Realms is a Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMO) that will appeal to both boys and girls and younger teens. In this online mix of real-world and fantasy, you can do almost anything you want.

There is always something new to do in Free Realms. If you want adventure, you can search for lost treasure or duel other players. If adventure is not for you, you can teach your pet a trick, decorate your house or grow vegetables. There are also a wide variety of mini-games. With weekly and monthly updates, regular and special events and player-created parties and celebrations, players will never be bored.

Free Realms is one of the largest online games being played with over 14 million registered users, many of which are tweens. It is a very safe virtual world. Parents have fun playing also because of the engaging storyline. There is also a great deal of social interaction in Free Realm. Kids can join their friends in an adventure at any point in the game and cooperate or compete against other players. They can also grab a root beer at the inn and hang out or send links, share images and chat from their own customizable page. Upgraded membership is $4.99 for Free Realms.

Coming Soon
For older teens and many parents who will want to relive their old comic book days, DC Universe Online, a MMO for PlayStation 3 or the PC, will be launching in early 2011.

Here is a way to give your teens and tweens another holiday gift without breaking the bank. You can register them for Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures and/or Free Realms for free, or even get them the upgraded membership for a year and still give them a very reasonably priced gift.

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Case-mate has always been known for its innovative and great looking cases and other accessories for mobile technology. They've recently upped the ante with two high tech and very fashionable new lines introduced for the fall and winter holidays. Industrial designer, Erik Arlen has created an edgy new line of mobile tech cases that will delight teens. Case-mate has teamed up with Nordstrom to create a stylish  line of cases for men and women. And, both teens and adults will love the various way Case-mate lets you design your own case.

Erik Arlen collection

Bold colors, textures, modular pieces and inexpensive prices - perfect for teens. Screen protection kit included. Available for iPhone 4. 

• Egg Case - Impact resistant silicon with a unique egg crate texture. $24.99
• Facets Case - Impact resistant flexible shell with a geometrical pattern of varying size triangles. $24.99.
• Rubix (renamed the Quartet) Case - This case and the Stacks below with probably be the most wanted cases by teens. The Rubix is made up of 4 interlocking color blocks with owners can take apart and switch around to customize the look of their case. $34.99 (pictured)
• Stacks Case - Very similar to the Rubix, except the Stacks has 6 interlocking pieces, with 2 extra for various color combinations.$34.99.

Nordstrom Collection
Case-mate has partnered with Nordstom to sell new versions of its hottest products, including cases for the iPad and the iPhone 4 and 3G this holiday season. This stylish line of cases are perfect gifts for adults.

Women - Here are my favorites

• The Venture iPad Stand Cases - Available in a variety of colors and textures, this exquisite case resembles a purse, making it easy to carry your iPad anywhere, even a wedding, and not look out of place. The case also folds one of the best iPad stands I've ever tried. $88 See picture at top of post.
• iPhone 4 Barely There Wrap Cases - Extremely slim, minimalist, form fit, allows your phone to be seen, yet still protects. $38
• iPhone 3G Artist Series and iPhone 4 Artist Series - Choose a case that features the art of internationally-renowned graphic artists. $34.99 for 3G and $39.99 for iPhone 4. Pictured.

Men - my favorites

• The Venture iPad Stand Case - Similar to the women's iPad case, except it has the look of a portfolio rather than a purse and comes in colors more suiting a man. Has the same great stand feature. $88
• iPhone 4 Flip Wallet - Textured leather case with a slot to hold your credit cards and ID, so you can leave your wallet at home. $49.99. Pictured.
• iPhone 4 Pop Case - the Pop! seamlessy integrates two supportive materials to bring you the best of two worlds, a hard case with soft handling with 2 color combinations. $34.99

Make Your Own Cases
What a great way to give a holiday gift. Imagine giving grandma a cell phone case with a picture of her grandchild on it. Make your own gifts for everyone you know by customizing mobile cases. There are three ways you can do this:

1. Upload and image and it will be put on your case, or
2. Design a custom case by remixing innovative art, or
3. Mix and match your custom case and colors

One more thing - Case-mate has now also added design to Pong Radiation-Reducing Cell Phone Cases. They still work the same way to reduce radiation to the cell phone user, but now that user can have a more stylish look at the same time. Pictured.

Case-mate has many more cases and product for smartphones and iPads on its website. Any of them would make great holiday gifts for teens, adults or people of any age that are using mobile gadgets. Mobile technology and accessories, especially cases are among the hottest gifts to give this year.

Full disclosure: I received a few of these cases from Case-mate to review.

See also:  
Powerbag for Teens, Travelers and Techies
LifeProof iPhone Cases Protect Against Everything!
Personalize Your Gadgets with Pop Culture MusicSkins
Tech Gifts for the Holidays
Apple IPad iPhone and IPod Cases at Great Prices

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Article first published as Give New Amazon Kindle ebooks as Gifts to Anyone - No Kindle Required on Technorati.

Amazon recently announced that you can now give Kindle ebooks to anyone as gifts, just as you would any other Amazon product. And, neither you nor the receiver of your gift needs to have a Kindle. The only requirement is an Amazon account for you and an email address for the recipient. The ebooks can be read from Kindle apps on iPhones, iPads, Android and Blackberry phones and both Macs and PCs. All Kindle apps are free.

It is extremely easy to give a Kindle ebook as a gift. On Amazon, just pick out the book you want and instead of clicking "buy now", click "Give as a Gift". You will be taken to a page where all you have to do is enter the email address of the recipient (and, optionally, their name and a message) and place your order and you are done. It is so easy, you might be tempted to give Kindle ebooks for all of your holiday gifts.

If the gift recipient does not like the ebook, they can exchange it for an Amazon.com gift card, which can be used for anything in Amazon, not only ebooks. The ability to give Kindle ebooks as gifts is such a great idea, I wonder why Amazon didn't offer it all along.

See also:
Tech Gifts for the Holidays
Best Holiday Gift Posts Compilation

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A teenager has written a book for teens, Brain Snacks for Teens on the Go!: 50 Smart Ideas to Turbo-Charge Your Life. Yes, 17 year-old Alex Southmayd, a senior at Groton School in Massachusetts has gotten a self-help book for teenagers published!

These "brain snacks" are essentially useful tips and ideas to help teens through their everyday lives. He doesn't try to offer up any life-changing philosophies. The tips come from four major categories - your brain, body, life and world. A great deal of research went into Brain Snacks and a bibliography is included if you want to look into any of the source material.

Each "brain snack" is no more than a page or two so it can be "digested" quickly. The paperback book is small and can be easily carried in a backpack or purse. Therefore, these tips or snacks can be read "on the go" whenever a teen has a spare few minutes.

With the holidays coming, Brain Snacks for Teens on the Go might make a great stocking stuffer for any teens in your life.

See also:  
Unstoppable in Stilettos - Lessons in Self-confidence and Success
TED Talks - Ideas Worth Sharing
Top 12 New Year's Resolutions

 

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The Inside Story of The Brain, a temporary exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, will open to the public this Saturday, November 20, 2010. I attended the media preview and was fascinated by the exhibit. If you live in or will be visiting NYC between now and August 14, 2011, the Inside Story of the Brain makes a great outing for parents and teens to have fun and learn together.

Brain: The Inside Story offers visitors a new perspective and keen insight into their own brains through imaginative art, vivid brain-scan imaging and dynamic interactive exhibits for all ages. You will be brought up to date with the latest in neuroscience, highlighting the brain's ability to rewire itself in response to experience, disability, or trauma, and showcases new technologies that researchers use to study the brain and treat conditions such as "Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

The Brain comes to life with a combination of artistic interpretations and interactive exhibits. The entrance to the exhibition of The Brain is so cool. After you pass a 3 pound preserved brain, you walk through a dark tunnel with what looks like a white light show, which represents firing neurons. You then come upon a theater to learn more basic about the brain by watching a Julliard dance student during an audition.

The Brain exhibit is then seamlessly divided into 5 areas:

1. Your Sensing Brain - How do our brains integrate information from the outside world. An area of interactive exhibits that showcase your senses. There is a great illusion using the Mona Lisa that absolutely astounded me.

2. Your Emotional Brain - What kinds of events trigger which emotions? A series of animal models, as well as a build-a-brain interactive exhibit, illustrate the evolving brain by comparing human brain parts to those found in lizards, mammals and primates.

3. Your Thinking Brain - Have you ever wondered how you think? Many exhibits dealing with language acquisition, memory and reasoning. At my age, the memory area was of great interest.

4. Your Changing Brain - From birth to old age, how does the brain develop? How can we keep it working as well as possible as we grow old? The brain's development over a lifetime and its amazing ability to rewire itself are dealt with here. Blindness, Alzheimer's and brain games are all part of this area.

5. Your 21st-Century Brain - How are new insights into brain function allowing us to repair, even enhance, the brain? What used to be thought of as futuristic is already here. Watch the new therapies video and relax in the Brain Lounge.

The American Museum of Natural History is open daily from 10am to 5:45pm and is located on Central Park West at 79th Street. Check the AMNH website for more information and for tickets. The Brain: The Inside Story is a fun and educational event for parents and teens and families of all ages. 


See also:  
TED Talks - Ideas Worth Sharing
How to Help Teens Reach Their Full Educational Potential
3D and Vision: Harmful? Hear from the Experts

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Have you ever had an idea for a great product and thought to yourself, "If I could only sell this, I would be rich!"? There are many smart women out there with useful inventions and ideas who don't have the time or resources to launch their creations to the next level. TLC has teamed up with Kelly Ripa to create a new TV Show, Homemade Millionaire, to offer aspiring female entrepreneurs the opportunity to have their ideas sold by Home Shopping Network.

Each episode of Homemade Millionaire will take on a different theme, with three inventors with products ideas all around the same theme. The winner gets to take their product to HSN. The theme for the first episode, debuting this Friday night, November 19, 2010 is "beauty".

Here is a sneak peek of the first three contestants for the debut show of Homemade Millionaire:

In addition to members of HSN helping Kelly Ripa judge the contestants, guest judges and experts, such as Emeril Lagasse and Jennifer Flavin-Stallone will be dropping in from time to time. Homemade Millionaire will air over the next 4 Friday nights, beginning November 19, 2010, at 10pm. Will you be watching?

See also:  
Sarah Jessica Parker and I Don't Know How She Does It
Alyssa Milano Stars in Lifetime Movie Sundays at Tiffany's

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The Heart Gallery NYC, founded in 2006, helps to support the over 16,000 children in foster care in New York City. This unique, not-for-profit organization uses the unique talents of notable photographers, who volunteer their efforts to shoot portraits that capture the spirit of each child. These pictures are showcased in traveling gallery exhibits and the Internet to reach prospective adoptive parents. YDVJ3WRY7QVJ

The Heart Galley NYC has shown that in some circumstances, a picture is worth more than a thousand words. These pictures which are showcased on the Heart Gallery NYC website, show the inner sole of each child. Seeing all the pictures of these kids, most of them already teenagers, put tears in my eyes and made me feel guilty for not adopting one.

In addition to the photographs, The Heart Gallery also recruits mentors for the youth at risk of aging out of foster care, provide educational and cultural opportunities for the children, create publice awareness campaigns and produce Match Events where the children are introduced to prospective adoptive families. Thousands of children have already found their "forever families" as a result of the work of The Heart Gallery.

You can find information on making a financial donation to The Heart Gallery, Adopting A Portrait sponsorships and volunteering at the Heart Gallery NYC website. Opening your heart and home to a Heart Gallery NYC child is a wonderful and life-changing experience for parent and child alike. You can find more information on adopting at the Heart Gallery NYC, How to Adopt web page.

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