[Like a magpie, you gravitate towards things that are shiny: cell phones, TVs, anything that allows you to play Rock Band. But just because you love ‘em doesn’t mean you know much about ‘em. That’s where we come in. Every week we will be highlighting the best, coolest and shiniest in technology. Consider us your personal Geek Squad.

And let us tell ya; with CC on your side, geek has never looked so chic.]

So your current computer/MP3 player/TV/thing that runs on electricity isn’t treating you right anymore. Or perhaps your friends are laughing at you for being trapped in the 90’s (“You still use film for your camera? That is so cute!”). For whatever reason it’s time for you to upgrade. Chances are you know what you’re doing, but just in case you don’t, here are some pointers:

DO: Know what you’re going in there to get. Srsly, don’t go in the store and say,“I’m looking for something to play my music on.” Ok, that’s great, would that be for your home, travel, or other? You can save time (and $$$) by being specific. “I need an mp3 player that’s sturdy with long battery life,” is more appropriate. This allows you take control of your shopping experience rather than be controlled by the sales associate.

DON’T: Go in there thinking that buying gadgets is just like buying a shirt. People make this mistake all the time. If you go into Macy’s and say that you want a red shirt they can show you what they have in stock and you can pretty much make a decision based on your personal knowledge of what does and doesn’t look good on your fabulous self. The same does not hold true for shiny tech stuff because everything looks good, but that doesn’t mean it all works well, epecially if you don’t know what you’re looking at to begin with. Which brings me to my next point. Read More »

Once upon a time, man survived by cooking his dinner over a fire. Then someone came along and invented The George Foreman Grill (I guess that someone would be George himself). And now? Now we don’t know how we could live without it.

But Georgie isn’t the only brilliant inventor out there; there are tons of kitchen thingies that will change your life.

I’ve compiled a list of cooking gadgets you don’t realize you need, but that is only because you haven’t used them yet. Forget DVR; these things are the best inventions since sliced bread.

1) I love corn on the cob, but I absolutely refuse to eat it unless someone cuts it off the cob for me. And since the only person who loves me enough to cut the corn off the cob for me is my dad, I don’t often get to enjoy it. But now that this gadget has been introduced into my life, I’m going to start eating it at every single chance I get! The corn on the cob stripper is the perfect dad replacement. If only it also gave me money… Read More »

I am horrible with money. Seriously.

Which is why, for my own benefit (and my loved ones), I need to get my holiday shopping done now before I spend all my money on dresses I don’t need and beers I shouldn’t drink.

Thank God today is Cyber Monday! This silly little day is the day for online sales…like Black Friday, only for us lazy online shoppers.

So, pull out your credit cards, take a deep breath, and check out these sites for some debt-causing holiday goodness!

Get your gadgets on the cheap at bestbuy.com!
Impress those people in your life who value things like iPods and GPS devices the same way we value a hot pair of boots. When you can get your favorite techie what they really want it’s always sure to please.

And just because the prices are good, don’t be tempted to pick up something for yourself! Let someone else treat you to a new iPhone.

40% off at Barnes and Noble!
Books are always a fantastic present. I don’t care if you’re a lit major or one of those people who “don’t read”, B&N always has something for everyone.

If you’re not into buying reading material for someone special, check out their journals, calendars, DVD’s, and games! Read More »

It’s Thursday again and that means it’s time for another round of Weekly Obsessions!

This week has been a mix of the last days of warm weather and the gray dreary days of Fall, so I’ve been trying my best to counteract any kind of gloominess with tons of color and fun!

First things first:

Fashion Obsession: Colorful Hair!

On Monday, I woke up feeling like I needed a change–any change. Simply, I was bored. And what do I do when I’m bored? I change my hair color! I’ve had all sorts of wacky colors and cuts through the years but I wanted something drastic.

I made my way down to SoHo to the Arrojo Studios where I asked my awesome colorist to make me as blonde as possible. She took one look at my dark brown hair and I could already tell it would be impossible. Going from dark brown to platinum would be a painful, all-day process.

Such a bummer. (Sidenote: If Japanese girls can go blonde, why can’t I?)

She salvaged the situation by putting some (subtle) blue and pink bits all throughout the front of my hair which I completely love. Maybe after a little more planning I’ll be able to go lighter, but for now, I’m loving the new streaks. Read More »

You know we’ve entered a whole new kind of generation when there’s an emerging medical problem resulting in the advancement of our gizmos and gadgets.

ivillage.com reports the case of “Blackberry Thumb” - a condition in which the tendons in our thumbs are strained by the overuse of PDA’s. While some doctors say they’ve treated Blackberry Thumb, others say it’s bogus. The APTA, or the American Physical Therapy Association, even offers tips on how to “properly” use a PDA. Whether the B Thumb exists or not, overusing a Blackberry is just like overusing a video game controller or any other hand held device that could obviously lead to some type of arthritis down the road.

But the threat of Blackberry Thumb or any other kind of Technology-Induced Thumb obviously won’t keep our generation from using any of them. We laugh in the face of Blackberry Thumb. Our digits will remain strong and defiant. It obviously isn’t affecting the one maniac who keeps voting for Sanjaya.