Holiday Gift Guide: Bloggers & Gadget Geeks (w. giveaways)

After spending the entire year evaluating products, I've developed a discerning eye for the best gadgets that set a fellow blogger and gadget geek gal's heart aflutter.  Below are my must haves and wish list items with some giveaways but some of the things mentioned below will be given away in separate posts later on so stay tuned!  

Yes, I'm saving the very best for December giveaways and trust me...Very good things come to those who wait!  Check the Tech Savvy Mama Facebook page for hints!  :) 

The Gift of iPad:

iPad (Apple, $499 and up)- There’s definitely a reason why you should covet the iPad if you don’t already own one.  Email, fast web surfing, crystal clear photos, beautiful HD video, and tons of apps make this an incredibly robust, yet portable, device.  And for the true Type A nerds like myself who thrive on organization, this past week’s release of iOS 4.2 makes me so very happy because of the ability to sort my apps into folders.  Ah true love, indeed!

Zaggmate ($99.95)- A super sleek case made aircraft-grade aluminum matching the back of the iPad with a built in hinge and embedded wireless Bluetooth keyboard??? Yes, please especially since the cool factor of this case matches the iPad's!  The only problem is that patience is key because this darling of an iPad case is only available for pre-order and will ship around December 17^th.  You better believe that this is on my wish list!

The Gift of Customized Accessories to Make Your Stuff Stand Out From the Rest:

GIVEAWAY: Custom iPhone 4/iPad Case (Zazzle, $39.95 and up)- Make your iPhone or iPad stand out from everyone else’s with Zazzle’s fully customizable Speck Fitted cases.  The Speck case is a high quality, durable, lightweight case with custom-fit contours and openings allowing access to all ports, sensors and controls.  The form-fit fabric-wrapped hard shell is 100% customizable and covers the entire backside of your device for maximum protection and a tailored appearance.  Win a code good for $39.95 towards your customized iProduct case.

Hello Kitty Apple accessories (Sanrio, $12 and up)- This year Sanrio celebrates their 50^th birthday and Hello Kitty goes high tech. Brand new Apple accessories featuring the familiar face with her white pointy ears and askew red bow can be found on iPhone cases and neoprene MacBook sleeves that will fit your beloved computer just right.  Mac people know exactly what I’m talking about!  Not a Mac person but a Sanrio fan?  Check out the 4GB USB drives featuring Hello Kitty, Badtz Maru, and Chococat!

GIVEAWAY: BumpyName Orbit Labels (Inchbug, $12.95 for 4)- I’m a huge fan of Mabel’s Labels because there’s the perfect size and label for every need but I also appreciate the BumpyName Orbit Labels because they can be reused and are stretchy enough to wrap around cords.  Cord clutter among friends-turned-bloggy-conference roommates can be easily contained by wrapping a BumpyName label around the excess so no one trips in the middle of the night.  Unwrap the cord and then wind it around your laptop charger so you don’t get yours mixed up with your roomie’s!  Or use them to label your shampoo in a shared bathroom, claim your early morning coffee/late night wine/newest water bottle…The possibilities are endless!  Win a 4 pack of personalized BumpyName Orbit Labels.

The Gift of Geek Chic Accessories:

GIVEAWAY: Charge Anywhere (iGo, $49.99)- Because of my constant addiction to social media, my phone’s battery is quickly depleted.  My iGo Charge Anywhere is a personal lifesaver and a don’t-leave-home-without-it device.  Plug in this card-deck sized device to charge it up, throw it in your bag, and then plug your device in to recharge on the go.  Don’t worry, you can still Tweet, Facebook, Twitpic, FourSquare, text etc. while charging.  Another bonus is the little tips that plug on to the end of the USB cord.  Just carry 1 cord and the different tips to help eliminate cord clutter!  Now that’s smart packing!

Twitter Handle Necklace (Survival of the Hippest, $49.95 and up)- It’s a built in nametag and a gorgeous piece of personalized jewelry especially when blinged out with diamonds, crystals, rubies, sapphires, or emeralds!  A @TechSavvyMama necklace in sterling silver was my personal holiday must-have last year and while Tech Savvy Daddy was in total disbelief (“You want what?!?”), he came through with flying colors.  He ordered my necklace exactly how I wanted it and I’ve been wearing it ever since.  Personally purchased.

GIVEAWAY: SmarTouch Gloves (Isotoner, $19.99)- Touch screens are great until winter comes and your glove wearing fingers can’t operate the screen on your phone.  Never fear! SmarTouch Gloves feature conductive thread woven through the index finger and thumbs to convey an electrical impulse to the touch screen.  These gloves for men and women include features like a non-slip palm to improve grip, stretchy material lined with fleece for comfort and warmth, and compatibility with other touch screen devices like ATMs, gas pump screens, MP3 players, and GPS devices.  Win 1 of 2 pairs or shop for them at these retailers.

The Gift of Sound:

Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones ($49.99 and up)- We know blogging conferences are hard work with little quiet time between chat fests that last well into the morning and rockin’ parties. Escape to achieve your own personal zen amid the chaos with these fine headphones.  They block out all kinds of noise including jet engines during travel and a snoring roommate.  Not that my past roommates have not snored!  And just a hint…The extra money spent on premium noise cancelling headphones is worth every penny so don’t go too cheap.  My Sony NC-60s ($132.43 on Amazon) are a must have for traveling at least until I get a Bose set!

Altec Lansing Octane 7 Speakers ($79.95)- Music loving bloggers who spend lots of time at their computers will enjoy the high quality sound that these attractive speakers deliver regardless of what you are listening to.  From the new and awesomely mellow Norah Jones - "...Featuring" (available now) album collaboration to classic songs from Beastie Boys, album to Go ahead, crank up the volume when you are working from your home office and rock out then Tweet the tunes you are listening to.

The Gift of Internet Access Anywhere and Anytime:

T-Mobile Dell Mini Netbook with 4G WebConnect ($229.99 with a 2 year contract)- Frustrated by hotel wifi? Wanting to blog while on the go or just access email and Google Docs?  The T-Mobile Dell Mini Netbook can operate off either wifi or the T-Mobile cellular network so if your wifi doesn’t work, as long as there’s T-Mobile service, you have internet!  Netbooks are great because of their small size but are even better with built in 4G wireless that provides a faster connection than the standard and now-passé 3G. My Dell Mini 4G is on loan from T-Mobile.

Clear.Com Dual Mode 3G/4G USB Device ($115 plus monthly plan)- When I’m not using the T-Mobile Dell Mini mentioned above, I’m never without this little baby because it saves me from relying on erratic hotel wifi while at conferences with my beloved laptop.  Plug in the USB drive and I’m connected via cellular service.  Most of the time I get a 3G hookup but I’m always crazy excited for the super fast 4G service that is in many major cities nationwide.  Personally purchased and recently lost.  Sad.

GoGo InFlight Internet (6 sessions of internet, $49.95)- My favorite flights are always the ones with in-flight internet.  Why not give the gift of wifi with a gift of six sessions of inflight internet (that’s 3 roundtrip flights!) redeemable on all GoGo equipped flights?  That way your blogging buddy can queue up more posts while traveling to your destination to really enjoy themselves once they get there.  Yes, it’s free on certain airlines over the holidays but it’s also really helpful post-blogging conference when we have to catch up on email or write our recap post before we get home.  Personally purchased.

The Gift of Professional Development: Invest in Yourself

Yahoo! Style Guide ($14.95 from Amazon)- If blogging conferences just aren’t in the budget but you are clamoring for great writing tips to increase your SEO, look no further than the fine folks at Yahoo who have been writing online for years.  Their Yahoo! Style Guide is chock full of all kinds of information making it a bloggy bible perfect for a beginner but just as useful for a pro.

Blog Makeover- Every blog could use a little makeover from time to time.  Why not give the gift of good design with some new features and customization.  Jo-Lynne from DCR Design has done 2 rounds of updating Tech Savvy Mama since I started blogging 3 years ago.  She’s not only fantastic but patient, reasonable, and designs and installs for both Blogger and WordPress!  Personally purchased.

Your Very Own URL- If you don’t already own your own URL, consider that the best gift you can give yourself or your favorite blogger. If you aren’t sure where to start, check out HostingObserver.com for an unlimited web hosting plan that will provide unlimited bandwidth, disk space, and other features like serving as an email hosting company.  They also aggregate deals that avoid additional charges when going over hidden restrictions outlined in service agreements by their competitors.  But like any web hosting service, be sure to carefully check the terms of any provider before signing up.  HostingObserver.com sponsored this mention.  My TechSavvyMama.com domain was personally purchased and while I haven’t tried HostingObserver.com yet, I’d consider it when my domain needs to be renewed.

A Trip to a Blogging Conference- BlogHer, Blogalicious, Type A Parent, EVO, Bloggy Boot Camp, Blissdom, Mom 2.0...There's a conference to fit everyone's needs.  Consider a conference pass a gift to yourself and an investment in your blogging business if you want it to become more than a hobby.  Then ask loved ones for cash to help off set travel costs and cram 4 for a conference sleepover that will greatly reduce your hotel stay.  Have a question about which conference to attend?  Feel free to ask me!

Must Haves for the Home Office:

CardScan (Dymo, $259.99)- Rid your desk of the post-event stacks of business cards by running them through CardScan to capture your contacts digitally.  Install the Mac or PC software on your computer and begin scanning up to 15 cards a minute in color or even more in black and white.  I love that this slim machine scans both sides at once, recognizes the notes that I write on cards, and is easy to use. The software makes it easy to manage your contacts thanks to categories that can be used to group contacts for outgoing messages.  Summary tabs allow you to use one click to send an email or navigate to a web page.  It also provides the ability to synch to Outlook, Apple Address Book, or software on your mobile device. 

GIVEAWAY: BitDefender Total Security 2011 ($59.95 for 3 PCs for a year)- Yes, I work for BitDefender as their Chief BitMom but let me say that you’d be surprised by the number of panicked Tweets, emails, and messages over Skype that I get when friend’s PCs are on their last legs.  The truth is that you never think about antivirus software infiltrating your machine or the need to regularly back up your computer until it is almost too late and that scheduled post that is paying big bucks is not going be up in time.  BitDefender Total Security 2011 takes care of regular backups to a super secure cloud server while always performing virus scans in the background as to not hamper performance.  It does a ton of other stuff too and is BitDefender’s most complete package to keep your PC up and running so you can keep blogging without a care in the world.  And if you already have antivirus protection on your computer, that’s great!  Just don’t forget to renew your license each year to keep your machine protected. Readers who fill out the form below will be emailed a license good for a year of Total Security 2011 for your PC.  Mac users can get a code for BitDefender's new Antivirus for the Mac ($39.95 value) because- believe it or not - Mac users are not immune to crippling viruses.

Tassimo T20 (Bosch, $129.99)-  Early mornings and late nights makes caffeine a blogger’s BFF!  The Tassimo T20 is an affordable way to brew your daily cup at home for less than the price of a daily stop at your favorite coffee shop.  I love the variety of T-Discs available.  Brew Starbucks Cappucino and Lattes at home and then make some Suchard hot chocolate for the kiddos with the touch of a button and no mess!

Purosol Plasma Molecular Screen Cleaner ($9.95 and up)- All natural Purosol was originally developed for NASA and the US Military and is a great green choice for cleaning high-end electronic displays like your flat panel TV or computer monitor that is covered with dust and/or kiddie fingerprints.  This high tech cleaning solution uses the latest in surface chemistry to break the molecular bonds that help dirt, dust, and grime stick to surfaces.  I know you're probably thinking, "Forget the chemical mumbo-jumbo! Does this work?"  Indeed it does.  My monitor is the cleanest it's been since I pulled it from the box.  At least until one of the kids touches my screen.  Again.  I know it seems expensive compared to generic brand Windex but it's non-toxic, hypoallergenic, nonflammable, sterile, completely biodegradable, CFC-free, VOC-free, and exceeds EPA and OSHA health safety standards.  Whew!  Can you say that about the blue stuff in the bottle?  Alrighty then.  Who knew I'd get this excited about cleaning products!

Enter to win a customized case Speck iPhone/iPad from Zazzle, BumpyName Orbit Labels, iGo Charge Anywhere, or Isotoner SmarTouch Gloves by leaving a comment with your favorite gadget and one that's on your holiday wish list!  Include your email or Twitter handle!  All eligible entries must be received by 12/10

For extra entries:

• Tweet this and leave a comment with the tweet: @TechSavvyMama's Holiday Guide for Bloggers/Gadget Geeks has giveaways fr @iGo_Inc @Isotoner SmarTouch @Zazzle +more! http://bit.ly/hGiTzM

• Update your Facebook Wall: I entered to win the giveaways on @Tech Savvy Mama's Blogger/Gadget Geek gift guide: http://bit.ly/hGiTzM  Leave a separate comment.

• Enter a giveaway on another one of my gift guides and leave a comment telling me which giveaway(s) you entered!  So if you entered toddlers, preschoolers, early elementary, tweens, and/or teens, you get 1 entry per gift guide!

• Leave another comment guessing which items will be given away in December! 

Want BitDefender's Total Security 2011 for your PC or Antivirus for the Mac?  Just fill out the form below and I'll email a license good for 1 computer for a year when the giveaways end.  Easy peasy!

Fine print: Eligible entries through the comments must include an email address or Twitter handle. E-mails must be valid and addresses must be within the United States. Companies will not ship outside the U.S. nor will they ship to P.O. boxes.

All information collected is solely for Tech Savvy Mama to ensure efficient delivery of your prize and will not be shared with anyone else but the marketing/PR company who is shipping the prize. Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama is not responsible for lost prizes or shipping delays.

All items provided for review purposes unless noted that they were personally purchased. Images provided courtesy of the companies mentioned.  HostingObserver.com provided compensation for the sponsored mention but it did not influence the content.  I am a paid consultant for BitDefender and am paid for my time to post about the product and host the giveaway.  This post includes Amazon Affiliate links.  No additional compensation was received for this post or for hosting giveaways.

Giveaways close on Friday, December 10 and winners will be notified via email.