Mary Wells | 10/28/2008 6:00 am

Mary Wells: The Future Is Here, Just in Time for the Holidays

Only 60 days until Christmas! wOw’s Gypsy introduces the best gifts for the techies in your twenty-first-century life.

The Sony MiniDisc Recorder is a small stylish black device that can be used as an instant mini modular recording studio. Maybe I exaggerate but it records like nothing that small I have ever seen. You can just sit it on a table and slip it on or you can also clip onto a person so that during an interview the voice of the person speaking is recorded with high quality and very little background and ambient noise. It is a cinch to use and a size that slips into your handbag. You can pull it out and set up an instant recording among friends at lunch. And it is great to work with — you get everybody forever caught on tape!!!

Click here for the best in tech for Holidays ‘08.

While I was studying the recorder I noticed that my trusty Sony Cyber-shot has a replacement. It’s been made thinner, more powerful and it does new tricks. It comes in red, gray, silver, pink and gold for about $399.99. If you never took photos or videoed from one you have to understand that along with a trillion other people I always thought the original was irreplaceable, but I have a new red one now.

So I was in the store hearing all about the new Blu-ray Disc players when the door opened and in sailed the manager with the first OLED Digital TV to hit these shores, the 11-inch television everyone thinks will become the industry standard in time and the only one of its kind on sale today. The OLED tech TV screen does not require a light source behind the screen so it is thinner, has much higher resolution and is crisper in color and can be viewed perfectly from every angle. It may be a while before we can have big ones but I am having a smug time impressing my high-tech friends with this creation. I paid $2,499.99 for it. First of its kind — the future is here — that either means something to you — or not.

And considering Christmas, friends, remember there is a new iPhone. With slipcovers.

Click here for more from Mary Wells’s Luxe Lists.

Read more about: Gift Guide, Gypsy, Holidays, luxe list, Technology

18 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

I’ve read about the OLED TV and I’m glad to hear an in person review confirms all the hoopla. Now that they’re here, I’ll be happy to wait a year for the price to come down. I had to bring my iMac to the Apple store for a repair ( from now on I will not only shut it down, but UNPLUG it during a lightening storm ! ) While I was waiting I played with an iTouch iPod…. the coolest thing I have ever seen. It’s an iPhone without the phone. THAT is on my Christmas list ! …. after world peace, of course.

By EKA - on 10/28/2008 9:38 am

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I TYPE IN CAPITOLS SO I CAN SEE WHAT I WRITE I AM NOT YELLING, SCREAMING , OR HOLLERING AT ANYONE. I AM 70% BLIND. OK? NOW NO HARD FEELINGS HERE . CHRISTMAS TO ME IS A SWEAT ANYMORE. THERE ARE REASONS POPPING UP EVERYDAY FOR THE SWEATS. I PERSPIRE OR SWEAT BECAUYSE OF ALL OF THE UN CHRISTIAN PEOPLE WHO GATHER MONEY UP TO FIGHT WE CHRISTIANS. THEY DO NOT WANT TO HEAR THE WORDS CHRIST OR MAERRY OR MAS. THEY DO NOT WANT TO HEAR ANY PRAYER WORDS, THEY DO NOT WANT TO SEE ANYTHING NICE, THEY WANT EVERYONE TO HATE EACH OTHER. BUT CHRISTMAS IS A TIME OF LOVE LIKE IT OR NOT IT IS A TIME OF LOVE. CHRISTMAS IS THE SINGLE TIME THAT CAN BRING MORE LOVE THEN ANY OTHER JOYOUS OCCASION. CHRIISTMAS CAN CAUSE PEOPLE TO SAY I AM SO SORRY SO AND SO HAPPENED. PEOPLE NEED TO WRITE TO THEIR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND SAY WE LOVE OUR CHRISTMAS JUST THE WAY IT HAS EBEN FOR YEARS A LOT OF YEARS AND WE DO NOT WANT TO BE FORCED INTO SAYING HAPPY HOLIDAYS. WE WANT TO LET OURSELVES BE OURSELVES AND SAY SO SINCERLY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO OUR FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES. JAY SEKKULOW FIGHTS ON A DAILY BASIS FOR OUR RIGHTS TO BE OUR ALL AMERICANS RIGHTS AND WHO CAN NOT WANT TO WRITE TO HIM AND SAY WE WANT OUR AMERICA TO STAY THE WAY IT HAS BEEN FOR SO MANY YEARS . IF THE BAD PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS THEN LET THEM KNOW THEY DO NOT HAVE TO SAY IT. BUT LEAVE THE 85% OR SO CHRISTIANS BE THE MAJORITY THIS TIME AND KEEP THEIR WAYS. A TRADITION HAS BEEN BIRTHED FOR 2000 YRS. OR SO AND KNOW ONE STARTED COMPLAINING UNTILL RECENTLY - WHY? BECAUSE PARENTS SLACK OFF OF RAISING THEIR CHILDREN WITH RESPECT AND THEY ALLOW THE KIDS TO GO WITHOUT EVER TRYING EVEN. THEY DO NOT WANT OT RUIN THE CHILD BY CORRECTING THE CHILD. SHAME ON THEM. KIDS LEARN FROM THEIR PARENTS AND PEOPLE THEY SEE DOING SOMETHING. IF SOMEONE IS DOING SOMETHING WRONG THEN THEY THINK IT IS OK BECAUSE AFTER ALL SO & SO DID IT AND NO ONE DID ANYTHING ABOUT IT. PEOPLE STRAIGHTEN YOURSELVES UP SO THE ROTTEN PEOPLE WHO DO THESE BAD THINGS STOP DOING THOSE ROTTEN THINGS AND MESSING UP SUCH WONDERFUAL TIMES FOR EVERYONE LIKE WE ARE ABOUT TO LOSE OUR CHRISTMAS JOY AND HAPPINES - IT IS TIME TO SAY OK NOW LET US ALL WRITE TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND BUDDIES TO WRITE TO THE WHITE HOUSE EMPLOYEES WE HIRED THEM LET THEM KNOW THEY ARE REPLACEABLE. THEY ARE ONLY IN THE GOOD LIFE BECAUSE WE PUT THEM WHERE THEY ARE TODAY. WE SHOULD BE SAYING WHAT WE WANT AND WHAT WE DON’T WANT. I DO NOT WANT CHRISTMAS CHANGED ONE LITTLE BIT. ALL HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND REMEBER JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON. LET US FIGHT FOR OUR CHRISTMAS TIME. JESUS WAS BORN TO DIE FOR US . WHAT HAS THE BAD GUYS DOEN FOR US LATELY???????

By newzie snoozie on 10/28/2008 9:57 am

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I WILL WRITE IN CAPITOLS SO YOU CAN READ THIS. I LIVE IN A DIVERSE COMMUNITY, 40% JEWISH, MANY ASIANS. I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM SAYING HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO PEOPLE I DO NOT KNOW, AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TO MY CHRISTIAN FRIENDS. IT IS THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLIDAY THAT COUNTS, HOWEVER YOU CELEBRATE IT. NO ONE IS TRYING TO TAKE CHRISTMAS AWAY FROM THE CHRISTIANS, WE ARE JUST TRYING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT THE SAME COUNTRY WE WERE IN THE 50’S, WE ARE A BETTER COUNTRY !!!

By EKA - on 10/28/2008 11:02 am

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GOD BLESS YOU NEWZIE AND YOU KEEP UP THE FAITH, YOU ARE WELL LOVED! :)

By HA BIBI on 10/28/2008 10:48 pm

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NEWZIE, I JUST READ YOUR POST - I’M “LEGALLY BLIND” TOO, BUT USE ADAPTIVE SOFTWARE THAT READS ALOUD TO ME, AND I DICTATE EVERYTHING – AND I DO MEAN EVERYTHING. THERE ARE ADAPTIVE SETTINGS ON EVERY COMPUTER, NOW, TOO, SO IF I CAN DO ANYTHING TO HELP YOU TO SEE BETTER, PLEASE LET ME KNOW BY HITTING REPLY. I MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOU OBTAIN ADAPTIVE SOFTWARE, TOO. USING CAPS IS PROVEN NOT VERY HELPFUL TO US – I’LL DO WHATEVER I CAN.

By C jay on 12/20/2008 11:35 pm

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WELL SAID EKA. NEWZIE YOU ARE THINKING FROM AN ANTIQUATED MENTALITY. AS A CHRISTIAN, I SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO THOSE I KNOW TO BE CHRISTIANS, AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE ELSE. IT WOULD BE SOCIALLY IRRESPONSIBLE FOR ME TO WALK AROUND WISHING “HAPPY KWANZA” TO EVERYONE I CAME IN CONTACT WITH, AND CONVERSLY JUST AS IRRESPONSIBLE TO SAY “MERRY CHRISTMAS” TO EVERYONE. OUR COUNTRY IS NOT MADE UP OF ALL CHRISTIANS AND THAT IS A GOOD THING. DIVERSITY IS A GOOD THING. DIFFERENCES OF OPINIONS, RACE, AGE, WEIGHT, ETHNICITIES, BELIEFS, POLITICS….IT ALL MAKES LIFE MORE INTERESTING. IT’S TO BE EMBRACED NOT SHUNNED. THESE ARE THE GOOD OL’ DAYS, YESTERDAY WAS JUST A DRESS REHEARSAL!

By Belinda Joy on 10/28/2008 11:20 am

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EKA SAYERS 1ST THEN BELINDA JOY LATHAN AND LAST BUT NOT LEASTE ELAINE MAGDA. GOD BLESS EACH ONE OF YOU IN SUCH A WAY YOU DO NOT EVEN KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEM OF ANY WHATEVER, GOD IS GOOD AND HE WANTS US TO HAVE THE DESIRES OF OUR HEARTS. IT TELLS US THAT IN PSALMS. MY DESIRE RIGHT NOW IS TO TELL YOU THIS………. I HAVE 6 KIDS I HAVE WATCHED MY SIX KIDS WHO ARE NOW 52 YEARS OLD DOWN TO 43 YRS. OLD. HAVE TH EBEST CHRISTM,AS’ OF ALL OF THE KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS WE EVER LIVED IN. WE HAVE LIVED HERE FOR 421/2 YRS. NOW. I HAVE 9 GRANDKIDS WITH THE ELDEST BEING 31 YEARS OLD. NOT TWINS BUT 2 GRANDSONS 6 WEEKS APART.BOTH HANDSOME GUYS ONE IS A COUNSELLOR IN A HUGH HOSPITAL THESE 9 GRANDKIDS OF OURS WHEN THEY WERE BABIES AND GROWING UP ALWAYS HAD THE BEST CHRISTMAS’ ANYONE COULD EVER ASK FOR . OUR GREATGRANDKIDS ARE A GREAT GRAND DAUGHTER WHO IS 11 YRS. OLD THEN THE YOUNGEST OF THE GREAT GRANDBABIES IS 7 WEEKS OLD. SHE IS A MASTER OF BEAUTY. I DO NOT HAVE ONE SINGLE UGLY BABY OF ALL OF THESE 29 KIDS . 11 GREATS NOW WHO HAS ME BEAT OUT OF THE 3 OF YOU. KEEPING IN MIND NUMBER 12 IS COMING SOON BUT IT’LL BE AFTER CHRISTMAS A FEW MONTHS. A COUPLE IN FEBRUARY. THESE GREAT GRANDBABIES EVEN HAVE MARVELOUS CHRISTMAS GIFTS AND DAYS AND EVEN THE WEEKS OF SAVING UP MONEY TO BUY THIS AND THAT. THEY GET THEIR MONEY FROM LITTLE JOBS THEY DO AROUND THE HOUSES FOR THEIR PARENTS. I RAISED OUR 6 KIDS THEY WAY THEY ARE RAISING THEIR KIDS AND THEIR KIDS ARE FOLLOWING THE WAYS THEIR PARENTS WERE RAISED. SOME KIND OF CHANGE IS GIVEN FOR SITTING A TABLE AT THE AGE OF 5 YRS. OLD. AND IF THEIR BEDS GOT MADE THEN HEY GOT SOME KIND OF CHANGE ETC. THAT IS HOW FROM SEPT. TO CHRISTMAS DAY WAS THE WAY OF MAKING SOME KIND OF CHANGE FO RTHEIR BANKS TO SAVE TO PURCHASE SOME GIFT FOR SOMEONE THEY REALLY CARE FOR FOR THEIR CHRISTMAS GIFT . THEY ALSO RECIEVED SOME KIND OF CHANGE FOR EACH A ON A REPORT CARD AND FOR GOOD COMPLIMENTS ON REPORT CARDS FROM A TEACHER. .. THEN WE HAVE SOME KIDS WHO BURY SILVERWARE IN THE BACK YARD ROSE BUSH OR FLOWERS SO THEY DO NOT HAVE TO WASH A DISH EVER. THAT WAS THE TRICK MY 2 YOUNGEST SONS THOUGHT UP. WHAT A SHAME UT WAS THAT MOM WAS FASTER THEN THEY WERE AND I COULD ALWAYS OUT DO THEM. THEY GOT SOME KIND OF CHANGE REMOVED FROM THEIR BANKS OFTEN. MANY TIMES. THEY HATED BEING CAUGHT UP WITH. YES, THEY DID DO DISHES. I HUNG UP A LITTLE SHOVEL I COULD HIDE OUT AND WHEN THEIR NIGHTS FO R DISHES CAME I KNEW TO SIT OUT SIDE IF WEATEHR PERMITTING AND BACK SO THEY NEVER SAW ME AND I’D GO UNDIG THE SILVERWARE AND A COUPLE OF TIMES THE DINNER POT AND PANS THEY TRIED TO HIDEOUT - I RUINED MORE NIGHTS FOR THEM . AND GIFTS FROM THEM USUALLY WERE NOT MUCH. THEY HAVE CONTINUED ON WITH THIER OWN TRADITION OF CHINTZY GIFTS. LOL! A CANDY BAR WAS USUALLY SO MUCH FUN TO EAT FROM THEM . I ATE THEIR CANDY BARS ABOUT 1/2 WAY AND WOULD EBND UP SAYING HERE IS YOUR GIFT FROM ME TO YOU NOW. THEY’D SAY OH MOM. DADDY WOULD CHIME IN AND SAY IF YOU DO BETTER WE CAN DO BETTER. AFTER BREAKFAST THEN WE’D SEND THEM TO WASH UP ALL 6 AT ONE TIME AND THEY’D BE PUSHING AND SHOVING TO GET EACH OTHER OUT OF THE WAY SO THEY COULD GET IN TO SEE WHAT THEY GOT FOR REAL CHRISTMAS PRESENTS. THAT IS A SILLY FUN THING THAT HAS BEEN DOEN IN MY FA,ILY FOR SO MANY YEARS. SO I DECIDED TO BRING IT TO MY OWN FAMILY AND THEN I SEE THAT TRADITION MOVE ON TO OUR OWN KIDS DOING IN THEIR FAMILIES AND SO NOW I SEE THE GRAND KIDS DOING THEIR OWN BABIES LIKE THAT AND THEY ARE DOING IT ALMOST TO A T LIKE WE DID BACK WHEN./ I HAVE NO PROBLEM OF SAYING HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS IF I CAN SAY THEM AS I PLEASE. BUT I DO NOT WANT SOME PATHITIC GROUP OF PEOPLE TRYING TO MAKE THE RULES OF HOW MY FAMILY DOES THEIR CHRISTMAS & OTHER PEOPLES LIVES. WHO ARE THEY TO THINK THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO KNOW WHAT TO DO TO MAKE CHRISTMAS BETTER? WHO MADE THEM THE COMMANDER OF THE U.S.OF A.? I WOULD BET MONEY ALL 3 OF YOU WERE IN A CHRISTMAS PROGRAM AT YOUR SCHOOLS HERE. DID IT MAKE YOU A BETTER OR A WORSE PERSON. ? I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH DIVERSITY EITHER BELINDA JOY IT DOES WORK IN SO MANY CASES. I WANT TO SAY THIS TO YOU IF YOU DIDN’T LIVE IN THE 30s AND 40S’ THEN CAME THOSE 50s’ WOW YOU DID MISS A LOT. THOSE POODLE SKIRTS WERE THE COOLEST HONEY. THOSE JUTE BOXES DID PUT IT OUT AND THE DANCES WERE FAST. I ALWAYS ENJOYED A NICE SQUARE DANCE MYSELF. AND THEN THERE CAME THE 60S AND ALL”HEY”BROKE LOOSE. HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF AMERICA AND AMERICANS. ONCE AGAIN I ASK THIS GOD GOD BLESS THE AMERICAN S UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. BRING US BACK TO THE GOOD OL’ DAYS AND LET ALL OF US ENJOY A SIMPLE LIFE AND LEAR RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER IN JESUS NAME I ASK IT AMEN;

By newzie snoozie on 10/29/2008 10:49 am

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Newzie, If you go to the top right of this page you can change the font size. choose the largest and you won’t have to write in Caps. By the way, just because people are not Christians does not make them Rotten I”ve know a lot of Rotten people in my life and they were also Christians.

By Dona Howlett on 10/31/2008 7:23 am

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HI NEWZIE, YOU JUST KEEP ON SAYING MERRY CHRISTMAS AND DON’T LET ANYONE TELL YOU OTHERWISE! MUCH LOVE AND BLESSINGS TO YOU. ALSO, YOU SOUND LIKE YOU HAD A LOT OF FUN AND CRAZY TIMES RAISING YOUR FAMILY. THE KIDS BURRYING THE SILVERWARE AND POTS AND PANS, JUST TO GET OUT OF WASHING THE DISHES, HAD ME TRULY LAUGHING. :-)

By HA BIBI on 11/01/2008 10:49 pm

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It might help if everyone gave each other a credit card payment for Christmas this year.

By Buh- Bye on 10/29/2008 11:39 am

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I agree, Alias, but I’m beginning to wonder how long “payments’ will be negotiable! It’s looking like our entire economy has crashed. I’m giving Kilowatt coupons (www.kilowatt.com) and they promised me they’d cover them. People on the east coast and in the upper Midwest can certainly use them this winter. I’m now on a fixed income (I hope!) but when I find “2 fers” in the grocery store, I take advantage of them - and give one to someone I “think” may benefit. I’ve been amazed to find rump roasts 2 for the price of one, and today, really fresh snapper (I love to “blacken” it - so having guest tomorrow!). I certainly hope “every little bit counts.” There are a great deal more vocally concerned, now, and they should be. “Confidence?” None at all. I’ll believe “it” when I see it. The layers of graft and corruption by leadership, and everyone in “finance” will take at least 10 years to clean up and leave much to hand down to our great-grandchildren.

By C jay on 12/20/2008 11:52 pm

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This Christmas is going to be different in our family, if I have anything to do with it. We are all on limited budgets now, my son was divorced this year and is trying to re-build his life, my 21 yr. old grandson is in college, and one grand daughter is in a private school, and the other one will be 11, there are 3 December birthdays, and one in November. I think this is a great time to emphasize the most important part of the Christmas message: To remember what it means to be humble, to remember the importance of giving Self, and to remember those in our town that are far less fortunate as ourselves. So, as Matriarch of my little family, I am going to suggest lots of togetherness with a minimum of conspicuous consumerism. And, lots of good food, fun, friends, and love!

By Diana T on 10/29/2008 12:05 pm

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that sounds good to me. after all… in the end, isn’t it all about the closeness of family and pumpkin pie? :)

By Buh- Bye on 10/29/2008 12:58 pm

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Yes, Alias, you are right. My daughter and I have often discussed the trend for the past 15-20 years for gifts to be trendy and expensive, and how people will put themselves in debt for these huge holiday seasons.

By Diana T on 10/29/2008 1:26 pm

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Something from the past. My mother told of the Christmas Celebrations she and her 4 sisters had when they were kids. Mom was born in 1912. This celebration would be a real pleasure. The kids went to bed Christmas Eve, not having seen the tree or decorations. Their parents did all that after the kids were down, staying up all night if needed. Put up and decorate the tree, wrap and put out gifts, (most home made)decorate the house, a much simpler time than now. When the childred got up on Christmas day and came down stairs it was a true surprise and special time for the whole family. This would really make Christmas a special event, not the long drug out revival of retail America it has now turned into today. Phil

By Philip Scala on 10/30/2008 12:13 pm