A shopping blog of cool gift ideas

Budget schmudget. Who has one for the holidays this year? But I bet most of you at least have an idea of what you want to spend on gifts. I also bet that it is noticeably different than last year. Of course, the kids always come first and will likely get a the biggest slice of the budget pie, leaving us grown-ups with the leftovers. But fear not! We’ve created a guide to help you find something for every adult, from your best friend to grandma, even if you have champagne taste on a beer budget.

My favorite gift for boyfriends is the iTouchless PureEar Active NoiseCancelling Acoustic Headphones, wireless, studio-quality earpieces that can hook up to his iPhone for maximum cool and convenience. No BF or brother to give these to? Our other Top Christmas Gifts will razzle dazzle without draining your wallet.

iTouchless PureEar Active NoiseCancelling Acoustic Headphones starting at $129.95

The holiday crush is upon us, which means most of us will be hitting the road to get to one celebration or another. And many of those trips won't be just around the corner. If you're packing up the family in the ol' minivan for a holiday road trip, good luck. My best advice is to bring plenty of snacks, entertainment and lots of patience. But maybe the most import thing is to be comfortable, because it might take a while.

A great travel gadget gift (or self-gift) for the driver is a portable massaging backrest. The Ultimate Backrest is a winner with six different massage cycles, an inflatable lumbar cushion, and lower back heater. I'm not saying it will make that endless road trip fun per se, but it should help you from feeling like Mr. Grinch when you get there!

OBUS FORME Ultimate Backrest Black starting at $119.00

For the past few years, digital picture frames have been one of the hottest gadget gift suggestions we've been making. The reason? Photo frames for physical prints are soooo 20th century. Why display one photo forever when you can create stunning, high-quality multimedia slide shows. Now you can experience memories in an entirely new way.

As leaders in great gifting, we're giving away a Kodak Easyshare 10" Digital Picture Frame. The Easyshare frame has a ton of cool features like video playback, multiple memory card slots, backlighting, and a built-in speaker for playing MP3 music files. And to really make the gift memorable here's a Gift Guru tip: pre-load the frame with pictures and video the recipient would love to see. That way the memories displayed will always be a reminder who sent such a great gift. 

Want a chance to win? Post a comment below and tell us who the lucky recipient of this frame will be and what images will you pre-load onto the frame.  Post a comment by 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, November 20. One comment per person, please; multiple comments will be discarded. ONE randomly selected entry will win the Kodak Easyshare Digital Picture Frame. Click here to read the official rules.

When was the last time the Holiday season's "gotta have" gadget wasn't from Apple?  Well, they're at it again with the new iPod Touch. There's something about the latest version of the Touch which makes it #1 on my personal holiday wish list.  Not sure if it's all the content that can be loaded on there (8GB = 1,700+ songs, 10K of photos, 10 hours of video), the Wi-Fi capabilities, the 3.5 inch horizontal touch screen, or just the completely cool Apple styling we've come to love, that makes this my wish list topper for 2008. 

At Gifts.com we believe it feels as good to give a great gift as it does to receive a great gift. So while it's still up in the air as to whether or not I get an iPod Touch, I figured it would feel pretty good to give one away.

Want to win? Post a comment below and tell us who you'd give the Touch as a gift to and what you think their reaction will be receiving it! Post a comment by 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, November 13. One comment per person, please; multiple comments will be discarded. ONE randomly selected entry will win the iPod Touch. Click here to read the official rules.

They say that from chaos comes order. And with the Homebase digital photo frame, this dream is finally realized. Just consider it the "command center" of your hectic home. There are two versions: one records audio messages and the other captures video. But they're both a genius twist on your average digital picture frame. Just imagine the possibilities: You could program your recorded message to play on a given date, so on Friday, your child sees the blinking light and hears, "Hey, I know you hate fish sticks, so no school lunch today. Your lunch is packed and in the fridge." Not to mention the Homebase has a seven-inch LCD screen for showcasing digital pictures (or video), easily loaded from most memory cards. The frame is surrounded by a handy white board for jotting down messages and a magnetic edge so you can post pictures, receipts, coupons, etc. I bet 10 different families could use the Homebase in 10 different ways, but everyone would agree that it's a great tool for getting the family on the same page. I love the Homebase for Super Moms, Devoted Dads and anyone who has the very important yet very thankless job of household CEO.

Audiovox Audio Homebase 7" Digital Photo Frame with Message Center starting at $99.99

There are no shortage of iPod-related gadgets out there, but iLuv has just released one worth bragging about: the iLuv iMM173, better known as the world's first iPhone 3G-compatible dual docking unit (whew, what a mouthful).

So what's it all mean? Well, the dual docks allow you to charge an iPod and an iPhone (or two iPods) at the same time. So when you wake up you can just as easily grab your iPod for a quick workout as pick up your iPhone and head to work.

Even better, the dual docking lets you wake up and go to sleep to the tunes of your choice. Other cool features include: a large easy-to-read display with a ten-step dimmer, FM stereo with eight station presets, and iAura speakers with rich sound. Best of all, we're giving one away. Keep it for yourself or give to a your favorite gadget guru. It's also great for couples who both have gadgets to charge each night.

Want to win? Post a comment below and tell us which three songs you'd put on your playlist to wake up to by 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, October 16. One comment per person, please; multiple comments will be discarded. Click here to read the official rules.

iLuv iMM173 starting at $100.43.

With autumn officially here and cooler temperatures just around the corner, you might be thinking about fall cleaning. But I bet there's one thing you're not thinking about: gutter cleaning. Take them on with the Looj.

This remote-controlled gutter cleaner safely and thoroughly scrubs away leaves, twigs and dirt. It's a real time saver, plus it's a lot safer than climbing up and down on a ladder all day. And let's face it, a remote control gutter cleaner is kinda cool.

I love the Looj for those handy men who are never quite done with yard work and who believe a little preventative home maintenance goes a long way.

Looj, The Only Gutter Cleaning Robot starting at $99.99

Neuros Technologies recently sent me their Neuros OSD Media Recorder, a does-it-all video content device, for a test drive. And I've got to say, it's pretty darn cool. 

Here's the lowdown: The OSD is a compact unit that plugs into your TV and/or home media device (cable box, DVD player, camcorder, DVR, PC, etc.). Simple on-screen directions guide you through the process, allowing you to record and store all of your video media (old VHS recordings, tv programs) to your OSD library with the touch of a few buttons. Even better, these files can become portable with a USB drive, iPod, cell phone, whatever. 

Gadget lovers will fawn over its ability to record, store, and transfer all types of video content in a matter of minutes. Make a mental note to get one for all the gizmo kings and queens on your gift list, and you'll score major points.

Neuros OSD Media Recorder starting at $179.99

Just when you thought you'd seen every iPod accessory, it's time to say hello to the miShare.

This small device connects two iPods (no cables or computer needed), transferring the content of one iPod to another. It's a great way to share photos, playlists, videos, or even just a single song in as few as 10 seconds. So if someone asks, "Hey, what are you listening to?," you can tip them to a new song and send it to them instantaneously. The miShare is perfect for music lovers who have an insatiable need for hearing and sharing music. And while I'm at it, here are some other music gadgets that make great gifts.

miShare iPod Content Share Device starting at $99.95

Grandparents will be grandparents. Which means, they'll find any excuse to pull out well-worn, fingerprint-laden pictures of their grandkids. Time to ease them into the 21st century, and this brilliant Digital Brag Book is just the thing to get them there.

The LCD screen displays gorgeous photos (up to 2,000) and has an aluminum case to keep it safe. Make it even easier on the tech-challenged proud parent by pre-loading it with the latest and greatest pictures of the kids before you gift it. It's perfect for Grandparent's Day this Sunday.

Digital Brag Book Photo Album from RedEnvelope starting at $129.95