Mommy Brain Reports 2009 Gadgets & Tech Holiday Gift guide!

iPosture

Posture plays an important role in our overall health and appearance. Poor posture can also affect digestion, breathing, lower back pain, even someone’s confidence. But, people today are often so busy that they hardly have time to think about their posture, much less focus on improving it.

The iPosture was developed by two Memphis-based physicians – Dr. Moacir Schnapp, a neurologist and pain management specialist, and Dr. Elma Schnapp, a physical rehabilitation specialist. The device is what the Schnapps like to call a personal posture coach. Using nanosensor technology, it learns the user’s correct posture, senses when the user slouches by measuring the angle of the body and signals the user to correct his or her posture. And, what’s great about the iPosture is that it’s used during everyday activities, so people can work on their posture outside the gym.

The iPosture is available for $64.95 at www.iPosture.com. ✔

I was sent an iPosture to try out. I’m notorious for slouching while sitting at the computer, or driving around in the car. I asked to try out the iPosture to see how/if it really worked. It did! All you have to do is clip it to yourself, I usually clip to my bra strap, and push the button while sitting up straight to mark my “good posture”. Anytime I slouched for more than 30 seconds, the iPosture alerted me to sit up straighter. I’m hoping that if I use it enough i’ll be able to notice myself when I start to slouch!

TheFirstOne- Novero

Mothers and Fathers see great value in products that make their life easier…and if the products make it more stylish also, then even better.

novero understands this and has created the TheFirstOne – a Bluetooth earpiece that moves with you and allows you to stay connected to friends, colleagues and family members with style and ease.

In winter white and chrome, TheFirstOne comes with a range of in-box accessories that keep the earpiece charged and within arm’s reach at all times. They include a car cradle, USB and wall charger, necklace, a wearable clip and eight interchangeable in-ear rings.

TheFirstOne can be purchased on www.novero.com and Amazon for $149. ✔

I was sent a TheFirstOne Bluetooth earpiece from novero, and it has quickly become my favorite. I’ve used earpieces from many companies, and wasted a lot of money because of fit, or sound quality. So far this one is one of the best that I’ve used.. and it’s cute! I love the car charging stand, and the various ways I can “wear” the earpiece. I think it’s more so I don’t lose it than a fashion statement, but that’s just my Mommy Brain talking…

mophie: juice pack air

World’s thinnest ‘Works with iPhone’ external battery/protective case

• Rechargeable 1200mAh lithium polymer battery virtually doubles the amount of time you have to rock, talk, surf, and send
• Ultra-thin, light-weight low-profile design
• “Standby Mode” allows you to turn battery boosting on/off
• Integrated 4 LED charge status indicator shows how much juice is left
• Fully compatible with new iPhone 3G S and iPhone 3G and available in Black, White, and Purple

Price: $79.95

Available at:  Apple Stores and www.mophie.com ✔

I was sent a Juice Pack Air for a previous review post, and I had to update it with notes of one battery case or another that has since failed. Well, the Mophie Juice Pack Air is not one of them. This case is still going strong, and it is one that I’ve had the longest. It’s a great case, that extends the battery life so much longer than if you didn’t have one. It’s a must for anyone that uses their iPhone as much as I do!

The Mole

Whether you’re a parent, pet owner, or home security seeker — wouldn’t it be nice if you could watch what’s going on in your home or elsewhere? Now it’s possible, with a new, easy-to-use camera that can be your eyes and ears when you’re away. “The Mole” is a groundbreaking “do-it-yourself, view-it-yourself, stand-alone” Internet camera that lets you view and instantly share what’s going on in and around your house, office or business.

Without any complicated set up or a even a PC, you can view the action from afar via the Internet or any mobile device, and instantly share it on YouTube and Twitter, so it can be used to broadcast the day’s events or cool happenings to your social network.

A stand-alone Internet camera with advanced built-in software, the Mole auto-configures and can be set up in three easy steps by regular people (not network experts). While it’s simple and affordable, the Mole camera includes high-end features such as motion detection activation, night vision, two-way audio, and a built-in DVR. It can operate through your Internet connection, or via Wi-Fi (so you can place it anywhere you’d like). Users can view their video from any web browser, from anywhere, and from mobile devices. The on-board, Wi-Fi-enabled software auto-uploads to YouTube and Twitter. Users can also receive real-time alerts via email or Twitter sent to their mobile phone or any IP-enabled device.

The Mole retails for $299 and will be distributed through Astak’s network of retail & distribution partners, including Fry’s Electronics, Costco, NewEgg.com, Amazon.com, Walmart.com & Astak.com. ✔

We were sent a Mole to try out. This is great for when you want to be able to reach back into your home network while you’re away,  and watch or interact with someone, but if you are a security weary person, you might want to consider setting it up on your internal network.

Rosetta Stone

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a gift your readers could give their children that could be both fun…and educational?  Rosetta Stone, the premier language learning software, is the perfect present for any family looking to introduce a second language into the home, immerse their children in a new culture or their heritage, or add a fun, international activity into family playtime.

For Families & Children: Offering 31 different language courses, Rosetta Stone Version 3 recreates any learners instinctive language-learning experience and is ideal for ages 6 and up. The computer-based program is set up similarly to a computer game and is completely interactive, immersive and voice-driven. The Rosetta Stone Audio Companion even gives families the opportunity to practice their language skills while on the road.

For Teens, Techies and Travel-istas (Ages 16 and Up): Launched in July 2009, TOTALe promises to completely change the language learning experience. By leveraging the award-winning Rosetta Stone Version 3 solution and offering online studio classes and interactive games, teens, techies, travel-istas and cooking connoisseurs alike will  pick up key phrases quickly and instinctually.

http://www.rosettastone.com/ ✔

I was sent a Rosetta Stone Japanese and have been using it for a couple of months now. I used to be very close to fluent when we lived in Japan for 3 years, but since being back in the USA, I’m sad to say that I lost much of my Japanese speaking ability. Until Rosetta Stone. It’s actually very good! If you’re going to be traveling and need to know a new language, definitely check out Rosetta Stone!

XShot

The XShot (http://www.xshotpix.com/) is an innovative and unique gift sure to please everyone on your list – including friends, family and anyone who’s ever been left out of a photograph because they were the one taking it!

The telescopic camera extender attaches to any compact digital camera or hand-held video camera so that the photographer behind the lens can be part of the special memories they capture – even when no one is around to take the picture.

This Holiday season iPhone lovers will be thrilled to discover the new XShot iPhone Case with a built-in tripod adapter, available mid November 2009.Now iPhone users can easily include themselves in their pictures and videos, using the XShot or any tripod with the new XShot iPhone case.

The XShot and XShot iPhone case both sell for $29.95 and are available online at http://www.xshot.com/ for hassle free shopping.  ✔

X Shot sent me a few of their products when I went to BlogHer in Chicago. I was lucky enough to give a couple away, while keeping one for myself to use! I loved it! It took a little bit of practice to get the right angle to keep the people in frame, but once I had it figured out, it worked great! I just wish it was strong enough to hold my Nikon D50!

Lightscoop

Many people find that it is hard to take great pictures indoors when they use the pop up flash on their Canon or Nikon SLR camera – what they usually get is  really bad photos: red eyes, uneven lighting, and the cave effect where ones closer to the flash are washed out and white, while those further away are dark and hard to see. And most people aren’t that technical, nor do they want spend a small fortune on an external flash, or for that matter, lug one around.

Lightscoop is an inexpensive ($35), clever attachment that transforms the awful light from your pop-up flash into pro-quality light. By redirecting the light from the pop-up flash to a ceiling or wall, Lightscoop creates a broad, natural light that eliminates unattractive shadows and red-eye, minimizes reflections off shiny surfaces, and also lights a group of people evenly, so those farthest from the camera are not lost in darkness. The result is soft, flattering, natural light — and photos that capture a scene the way you see it.

You get pro-quality light with a lightweight, inexpensive, easy to use device. And your photos turn out GREAT every time. All the photos on our website are from our customers who are using Lightscoop.

Experts love the Lightscoop:

• David Pogue, New York Times – The Lightscoop “produces nuanced, natural, flattering light on your subject; the before-after difference is incredible.”
• American Photo: “Editors’ Choice – The Lightscoop does something that was difficult if not impossible before: It provides the lighting benefits of a ceiling- or wall-bounced shoe-mount strobe from the pop-up flash built into the pentaprism of most SLRs.”

• PopPhoto.com / Popular Photography – One of Five Innovative Lighting Ideas; “a little piece of plastic genius.”

Our product can be purchased at Adorama.com and at Lightscoop.com and Mommy Brain Reports readers will receive 10% off your purchase with coupon code GRTPIX! ✔

Lightscoop did send me two of their products. One clear scoop and one warming scoop. I have not had a chance to try them out yet as I can’t find my battery charger, but if you check out their site, they’ll show you what each of them does. If they work as well as their site says, I’ll be super impressed. Will have to update as soon as I can get some charge on my Nikon!

Crayola Camcorder

Kids can enjoy endless hours of fun & learning with this Digital Camcorder. Camcorder features a preview screen, sound effect buttons and a built-in microphone. It allows children to actively express their creative side by taking video or still pictures. The fun doesn’t end there, though – once the material is on their computer, they can edit, add music, make credits, add themselves in as the director, etc. $79.99 from http://www.crayolastore.com/ ✔

Crayola sent us a camcorder to check out. It is actually pretty cool for a kids camera. The only thing that I wish I would’ve known is that it requires an SD card, and one is not included. The camera is Mac and PC compatible, which is excellent! My girls love taking movies, and now they won’t use my camera! They have their own to use…

Kajeet

Kajeet is the pay-as-you-go cell phone service for kids and teens with plans as low as $4.99 a month. Kajeet offers free parental controls, which allow parents to block picture messaging, texting messaging and a time manager that allows parents to turn off the phone during schools hours. The service offers all the features kids and teens want along with the parental controls parents that parents may want to keep their minds at ease. We also offer a GPS Locator for an additional monthly charge. The kajeet cell phone is a great product for parents to purchase for their kids or teens for the holidays. Kajeet is a cell phone service that offers everything kids and teens want in a cell phone along with the safety features to ease parent’s minds. www.kajeet.com. ✔

I was sent a kajeet phone to check out, and really like the features it has to offer. With all of the things going on lately with teens and tweens and cell phones, this is a great way for parents to be able to control what their kids see and do with their phones, without seeming like they’re standing over them. GPS is an exceptional thing to offer, and I’m sure it’s something we’ll use when our girls are old enough! If you’re looking into phones for your kids, this is definitely something to look into!

HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web

The HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web, the world’s first Web-connected home printer, is the gift that keeps on giving!  The printer offers families one-touch, wireless, on-demand access to popular Web content with apps from Disney, CNET.com, Google Maps, Coupons.com, Fandango, Snapfish, DreamWorks Animation and so much more – all from the largest LCD touch screen of any inkjet printer on the market. With copy, scan and faxing capabilities in addition to access to the growing number of HP Print Apps HP App Studio, this printer is truly the ultimate all-in-one printer. Available for $399 at www.hpshopping.com.

The Talking First Aid Kit is the only product of its kind that provides the needed supplies in combination with audio instructions to manage a specific injury, such as shock, loss of breathing, or broken bones. With a press of a button, the innovative audio module is like having a 911 operator talk you through a specific procedure during those precious seconds when you are awaiting paramedics to arrive. This could be a great gift for any caregiver.

The Talking First Aid Kit from IntelligentFirstAid is only available online at: www.intelligentfirstaid.com.  It includes nine injury specific packs for, Breathing, Bleeding, Shock, Head & Spine, Bone, Eye, Burns, Bite & Stings, and Basic Injuries and comes complete with easy to follow color-coded picture instruction cards along with all the traditional first aid supplies you will need in an emergency. The complete Talking First Aid Kit costs $149.99.  Individual audio injury packs can be purchased for $11.99 to $14.99.

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