Kid Friendly Digital Camera - Tough, Great Product

My three year old received a Fisher Price Digital Camera for his birthday last week. The reviews on this product gave high ratings so we thought it was worth a shot. The results have been wonderful.

But let's talk about the camera first. Available in blue or pink, the camera is housed in a rubberized, two grip body. The knobby grips reduce accidental dropping. Of course, Tyler dropped his on purpose with no apparent harm (your results may vary). With only five buttons to choose from he quickly put the camera to work with almost no instruction from me.

You can tell that Fisher-Price devoted energy into the design of this camera. The binoncular viewfinder allows kids to keep both eyes open when they take the shot. A small LCD screen on the back can be used to frame the photo but it lacks resolution.

Quality of images: fine for 4x6 photos. Bright sun leads to overexposure but otherwise the exposure is good. Flash fires automatically and the delay between photos is reasonable.

The camera held about 60 photos in its built-in memory. If this isn't enough then you can add an SD card and let your little Ansel Adams capture as many images as they desire.

Online retailers are already indicated low stock on this camera - for less than $70 it makes sense. Amazon and Walmart have it in stock -act fast.

Wildly Popular Remote Control Airplane for $30 - order RIGHT now

Trust me - if you already think this is a good idea don't wait and click here to order from Toys R Us. Or keep reading.

The Spinmaster Aero Ace has developed a cult following online through enthusiastic reviews and a growing YouTube presence. The plane is easy to fly and takes a fair amount of abuse. Controls are simple and a flight time of around 10 minutes is great.

I scoured the web and couldn't find it in stock anywhere. Toys R Us has one model in stock right here. Given the attention that they have received some enterprising folks are selling them for over $50 on eBay.

The Gift Idea for a Teenager

Or a young adult. Or someone with alot of friends.

A digital camera. Why? Teenagers want to take pictures of their friends and shoot video that they can upload to YouTube.

What do they want? A small camera that looks good and is easy to use.

But their phone has a camera? Sure, with a tiny lens that takes mediocre photos. Get them a real camera and they might even say thanks.

What to choose:

1) Canon Powershot SD450 - this 5 megapixel camera has been on the market long enough for the price to fall to under $250 if you shop well. Big LCD display, viewfinder, great auto mode, smaller than a deck of cards, shoots video until the card is full. I own this model and have shot over 5,000 pics of my toddler with success. Not to mention tons of web-ready video.

2) Casio Exilim EX-S600 - 6 megapixel camera wedged into Casio's credit card sized case. HUGE LCD monitor, 3X optical zoom and a variety of color choices. Legendary for compact size.

My money goes with any Canon camera. Their customer satisfaction is very high and they offer a great variety of models. The price drops as you get into larger point and shoot models.

If you are buying a digital camera then don't forget key accessories - details here. Seriously, get them an nice big memory card and some extra batteries. Oh, and a case.

Gifts for mom that don't make her feel like a mom

Let's face it- there are times where not every mom wants to feel like MOM. She wants to shed the on-the-go, supportive, "Here let me wipe your face" persona just for a bit. ( I know that this can apply to dads, too - just work with me).

This means that your gift to her should have nothing to do with the kids. She still loves them but will relish mental (and maybe physical) time apart from the little darlings.

The List:
1) Full on treatment at a day spa. Go with her or send her solo.
2) The gift of time - you will watch her kids while she revisits life before children.
3) Housecleaning: step 1- get her out of the house. Step 2- get someone to clean the house and have dinner waiting when she returns.
4) Cooking class for two - learn together and then YOU cook for her. She sits back and drinks wine.
5) Visit your local spa/beauty supply/CostPlus and create a spa kit for her. Fill a basket with lotions, bath salts, loufa, bathtub pillow, etc. Include a custom made DO NOT DISTURB sign for the bathrooom door. Mom will hang it while enjoying your gift. Kids stay out.

More ideas? Toss them in the comments section.

Fill a flash drive part 2 - mix tape revisited

If you are of a certain age you will no doubt remember the importance of the mix tape. Like sharing a playlist but requiring more effort and care. Don't get the importance of a mix? Watch "High Fidelity".

Take the mix tape idea and bring it into the 21st century with Microsoft Photo Story. This free download allows you to easily create a photo slideshow complete with transitions, the Ken Burns effect and the audio track of your choice. The final version plays in Media Player.

Make a slideshow for grandma, mom or (as most inspired mix tapes were made) for the object of your affection. Add images from when you first met, first dates or images that will make your soon-to-be sig other happy.

The delivery: copy the final draft of the slideshow onto a quality flash drive (Sandisk is good) and give a gift that is unique and lasting.

Get the free download right here.

WalMart has 97 cent shipping

OK, I'm not a huge fan of WalMart. The big box hasn't landed in my neighborhood to suck in more traffic and close down other stores - yet.

If you can't wait for Walmart to arrive you can get some of their stuff shipped to you for 97 cents plus item cost. The 97 cent page is right here.

Fill a flash drive

Flash drives are everywhere and the prices have brought them into the stocking-stuffer price range.

The idea: fill a flash drive with custom content and make it a gift. Copy music, pictures or video over the flash drive and pop it in the mail. Great gift for someone who wants to carry a little bit of your life with them. Grandparents, folks serving overseas or those with slow Internet connection will love this gift. Make sure that their PC has a USB port.

Digital Camera Buying #1

My 3 year old received a digital camera for his birthday. Excessive? Hardly. This just shows how far cameras have come - the technology is cheap enough to sell in a format friendly for toddlers at around $60. This Fisher-Price Kid Camera fits the bill perfectly.

There is another, more useful lesson in buying a digital camera: buy the camera that suits your needs. The best camera for a three year old can be dropped, thrown and has color coded buttons.

If you are giving a camera as a gift think about the needs of the recipient. Is this their first digital camera? Do they love technology or are they confused by the buttons on a blender? Do they take pictures of wildlife or your wild family? Thinking about HOW this person will use the camera will lead you to make a good choice.

Get started by reading my Digital Camera Buying Guide.