A shopping blog of cool gift ideas

Every so often you see something and you say to yourself, “Why didn’t I think of that?”  The new Samsung TL220 is one of those things. The TL220 has most of the features you’ll find on a point and shoot digital camera- 12 megapixels, 3 inch touch screen LCD, image stabilization, face detection etc..  But what makes the TL220 a really unique camera is the additional one inch LCD on the front of the camera!  

What the added screen on the front of the camera allows you to do is to take the guess work out of those self-portrait shots. All you have to do is just frame the image with what you see on the front screen and presto the perfect self-shot. Parents of babies and youngsters will really love this camera because you can program a smiley face image or an animated clown to appear on the front screen, which will be the perfect attention grabber for the little ones. Not only will the munchkins be looking at the camera (which is a feat in itself), but they’ll be smiling! You gotta love that.

Samsung TL220 Digital Compact Camera starting at $262.95.

Now that it rains pretty much every day, I say it’s time to embrace the rain. So you’re asking, “How am I ever going to look forward to the rain”? My answer…two words- Ninja Umbrella! 

If you’re lucky enough to get (or awesome enough to give) a Ninja Umbrella as a gift, you have to be prepared for two things. First, you should be ready to stay dry. The umbrella has a 24 inch canopy. So while you’re not toting around a satellite dish-sized object, it’s more than large enough to provide excellent coverage in a drizzle or in a downpour. And second, be prepared for conversation to ensue. Everyone, young and old, will want to know where you got your sweet (yet deadly) umbrella (you’ll tell them Gifts.com of course). They’ll probably also want to know if you’re actually a real Ninja as well! I love the ninja umbrella for fun and quirky types who can have fun even when it’s raining.

Ninja Umbrella starting at $28.00.

The Original Buff is a must-have summer accessory. So what’s The Original Buff? The Buff is very functional headwear that complements tons of outdoor activities. The Buff is a tubular, seamless sleeve made out of moisture-wicking Coolmax (and has been treated with Polygiene for active odor control). 

Because of the Buff’s stretchy fabric, it can be configured and worn in a ton of different ways to suit your outdoor activity needs. Need sun protection on your neck? Wear it like a scarf and let it block 95% of the UV radiation. Wear it like a wristband, headband to keep sweat at bay. Or just wear it like a skullcap or pirate-style to look cool!

But what makes it the must-have summer time accessory is you can get a Buff that has Insect Shield. So aside from blocking the sun, keeping you cool and looking great, the Buff with Insect Shield has been proven to safely fend off all of summer’s uninvited guests such as mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers and annoying no-see-ums. I’ve been wearing my Buff mostly as a skullcap on twilight runs- a perfect time to be eaten alive. My Buff has kept me cool and bug bite free for a few weeks now. Almost needless to say, I’m a big fan. I love the Buff for outdoor lovers who crave functional accessories.

The Original Buff Insect Shield UV Headwear starting at $27.00. 

For a few weeks now, I’ve been shooting with the Casio Exilim EX-FS10 camera (on loan from Casio). My overall impression, is this tiny feature-rich camera is a perfect fit for summer and capturing all of its action packed memories.

The camera is about this size and weight of a deck of cards, and it’s loaded with cool features. One feature I love are the high speed burst mode where you can grab 30 images in one second. This is a very cool feature when shooting fast-paced action like ball games or games at the beach. Another very cool feature is the high-speed movie capture mode where you can take movies at up to 1000 frames per second for very cool slow-mo video clips.

While maybe not an entry-level camera, the EX-FS10 still makes a very nice gift for the picture-taking novice as it does not take long to feel comfortable with and take advantage of these features. Capturing summertime memories with your camera is sometimes difficult due the fast paced nature of summer. Fear not, the tiny EX-FS10 is more than up to the task of keeping pace and capturing all summer has to offer.

Casio Exilim EX-FS10 camera starting at $284.95.

If you or your family have a vacation coming up, whether it's a weekend getaway or a trip overseas, the first thing you need is travel bag that works for you. Nobody want to pay an extra fee for excess luggage, so a great carry-on accessory is really going to be the lifesaver. Check out our picks for some stress-free summer travel. 

Tumi has been the leader in long-lasting travel gear since the seventies. This compact Boarding Bag is small enough for overhead storage and features tons of pockets and a telescoping handle. 

For the backpackers and student wanderers, this rustic canvas pack is perfect for overseas wanderlust or a weekend hiking trip. 

For the eco-conscious traveler, this slick laptop backpack keeps your hands free, your computer safe and is made out of recycled materials. 

For the chic traveler, these colorful nylon totes from Longchamp hold up to wear and tear and can fit all of your travel accessories and then some. 

Raise your hand if you’ve nursed a mosquito bite (bites) already this summer. Yeah, me too. So how do you combat all the flying (and crawling) nuisances that come with the territory during the summer? Well, you could coat yourself in bug spray whenever you go out, or you could consider picking up some gear with Insect Shield. Insect Shield is a safe (EPA-registered) bug replant coating that is bonded to fabrics used in apparel (like pants, hats, and bandannas) and outdoor products. Insect Shield is proven to repel the summer’s pests such as mosquitoes, ticks, midges, chiggers, and flys. 

I’ve been wearing a few Insect Shield garments for a few weeks now. So far so good- no bites for me and I love that you don’t have to apply (and re-apply) or spray anything on you to get protection. It doesn’t sting. It’s odorless. It’s safe for infants, kids and women who are pregnant nursing. Here’s an Insect Shield video which probably does a better job of explaining how it works.

My choice of Insect Shield gear is the Ex Officio Baja Long Sleeve Shirt. Long Sleeves in the summer? Fear not. The Baja is a very lightweight and breathable top which has UPF +30 so it will keep you safe from the sun. An extremely comfy shirt, no bugs and no sunburn, what’s not to like. It's perfect for outdoor lovers who don't want anything getting in the way of their summer.

Ex Officio Men's Insect Shield Baja Long Sleeve Shirt starting at $69.99. 

On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to discus travel and summertime gadgets with Leif Iverson of Digital Trends. You can hear our discussion on the Digital Trends podcast. Digital Trends is a great online resource helping tech and gadgets lovers find the latest news, reviews, sneak-peek previews and discussions of the trend-setting technology products.  If you’re living a tech-loving lifestyle, you’re gonna want to bookmark the Digital Trends site.

The podcast basically covered Gifts.com’s summer travel and gadget guide. These are our gift picks that will help get the most out of summer. Some highlights are the digital camera swim mask, the solar LED water bottle cap, and the remote control snack float!

Is your spring breaker planning on spending lots of time at the beach? Hook them up with this super tough digital camera that clips right onto their beach bag like a carabiner. 

The Argus Bean Carabiner camera boasts 5 mega pixel quality so they’re sure to get genius shots for their facebook profile. Hard to break, hard to lose, and easy to use…this is the ultimate Spring Break beach accessory.

Argus Bean 5 Megapixel Carabiner Digital Camera starting at $69.99.

Case Logic’s “Security Friendly” line was a very “giftable” CES find. The “Security Friendly” feature refers to the fact that this line has been TSA approved, so laptops don’t have to be removed from these cases to go through security at the airport.

These bags can be unzipped and laid flat on the belt, so that’s one less thing you have to worry about while trying to catch a flight. These cases are very well padded but certainly not bulky. “Security Friendly” gear is a must for that frequent traveler.

Case Logic Security Friendly Laptop Case starting at $49.99. 

For the past month, we've all been traveling a lot. And more out of obligation than for pleasure. Don't get me wrong, the visits to family and friends have been great, but now is the time to think about taking a fun getaway—be it near or far! Regardless of your own travel plans, there's a gadget out there that will either make it easier to get there or make it better once you've arrived. Like this Waterproof Digital Camcorder for getting wet and wild in the water. Or the must-have Digital Tactility Gloves for jamming to your iPod while braving the cold.

Whether you're hitting the slopes, lounging on the beach, going abroad or just "stay-cationing" nearby with the fam, be sure to check out our favorite Getaway Gadgets.