Korg Mini-Controller

If you like to use your computer to make music, this seems like a cool idea. And this Korg controller is available many places. A midi controller is essentially a keyboard (as in piano keyboard, not a computer keyboard) that allows you to input to your computer. Many music-writing software programs allow a midi controller to input sounds. I've wanted one for years, and the price has finally gotten low enough.

But it took me all of twenty minutes to know this would not do the the job. The key action is too clumsy to feel like a piano. The time lag between key press and the note playing on the computer was 3-5 seconds. This was a total deal-breaker for me.

Gadget Girl says: It goes. Try the Aiwas LPK instead
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Print your blog into a Book

These days more and more information is moving onto the web. But what happens when you want to save that information in a more permanent form? I saw the movies "Julie and Julia" and the first thing I thought about was how she reformatted that blog into the bigger version of book.

I have experimented with exporting a blog, then writing programs to reformat it. It was possible, but not very entertaining. I kept wanting more features, like text-only, or only certain posts on a topic on certain dates. Essentially I wanted to be able to query my blog for content and then print it.

Writing a book little by little, like a blog is such a great technique for breaking the task into small pieces. For travel blogs, with experiences for each day, the blog is great for creating, but so slow when you want quickly review the whole experience. So I was excited to see Blog2Print

I could see this as a great way to turn an online baby album into something that could be saved in a more permanent form.

Earbuds with bling

Crystal Earbuds - Headphones that sparkle, like Gadget Girl! Seriously, these are cute for girls of all ages who like a little bling. PBteen has a set for $20, and Neiman-Marcus ups the ante with retractable cord for $40. I got my pink pair from Amazon for $20.

I love the sparkle, and the retractable cord keeps me from spending the best year of my life untangling earbuds so that I can listen to music. I'm waiting for phone and portable audio designers to finally come up with a good place to stash the earphones. Until then the wind-up cord gets me part of the way.

Crystal Speakers for portable audio

Once you are rocking the crystal earbuds, the next obvious addition is speakers to match.   Though not the slimmest alternative, these pink sparkly speakers will make a statement.

At $20, they make a nice stocking stuffer for the girly girl on your list.  I may have to get multiples to keep them from fighting over them.

Top Electronic Accessories

Some years I don't add any major technology, but just upgrade or accessorize what I already have. Here are the things I would like Santa to bring in this category. I think this list will keep growing, but here is a start.

1. Crystal Earbuds
2. Crystal Speakers
3. Video and Audio output cord for iPhone and iTouch
4. Portable Projector - Brightbox
5. Network Attached Storage 1 Terabyte

These little electronic add-ons help me back up my computer files, rock my tunes, and share video with a group. I'm planning to hook my iPhone to the TV and share movies when we travel instead of paying hotel prices for movie rental.

Barnes and Noble Color Nook

Last year I was eager to get my hands on the first generation Nook e-reader. It was such a hit that it was sold out til mid-January for those, unlike me, who did not order fast.

This year's edition is significantly improved with it's color screen. In fact B&N and various other retailers are selling the two versions of the Nook, but the color version is only at B&N.

So what do I think? The interface design is much improved. The controls are easier to find, and there is a handy button that takes you immediately to the book you are currently reading. The screen is no longer e-ink, but back-lit. The display is crisp and pleasing to the eye, and the pages turn faster. (I am a fast reader, so I notice)

There is also a full color web browser, that is manipulated from the touch screen. I love the web browser, but the touchscreen not so much. Any screen that only does what I want one out of three times is not for me. The back-lit screen can be read in the dark, but consumes battery faster. The battery lasts 8 hours instead of 5 days.

The connection to the Internet is only on wi-fi, so you can't buy a book from just anywhere. That means when I am sitting on the plane, or somewhere the Internet is ridiculously expensive, I can't buy a book. Or I had to plan ahead to load my books ahead of time. For me accessibility anywhere is a must-have for an ebook reader.

So the bottom line is - great e-book reader plus slow touchscreen minus 3G access and long battery life adds up to a gadget I don't need. If I didn't already have a Kindle, and a significant library there, I would be thinking harder of about keeping it. So if this is your first ebook reader, I would consider this.

But I will be waiting for the next version.

Gadget Girl Says: It goes. Reluctantly.

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