Thumbdive is the perfect iPhone application for those who wish to always be in contact with their friends or family. It allows you to have long conversations with people in your SharingPool and share content from your favorite social networking websites (if you wanted, you could share content from all of them!), all from your iPhone.

First, you should install the Thumbdive application on your iPhone.

Next, add your account information for your favorite social networks.

Thumbdive will automatically download the latest updates from these social networks.

For example, if you added your Facebook account to Thumbdive, it would download your latest status updates and share them with anyone in your SharingPool.

Also add RSS feeds of your information, such as the RSS feed from a WordPress blog. Then, build your SharingPool.

Your SharingPool is your list of friends that you wish your latest updates to appear for. You also will be able to view their latest updates. Finally, keep in contact with your friends. You can use Thumbdive to talk to your friends. Someone in your SharingPool can join in on your conversations with other friends, based on your privacy settings.

This is similar to a forum, where anyone can post a reply to a topic that has been created, with a touch of instant messaging. Having quick chats with people that are in your timezone and using Thumbdive at the same time as you, or have long distance chats that continue for weeks or years.

Thumbdive includes an in-depth privacy system, allowing you to select just who can view your status updates and join what conversations. With a little setup, you can stay in contact with everyone that you want to be in contact with, without letting other people read in on your conversations.

The Thumbdive App is in beta right now. It will be released to the general public soon, but until then membership is on an invite-only basis. You can apply for an invitation now.

Tiring of having to load up your computer to check the web? If so, you may be interested in Chumby, the Wi-Fi device that checks the web for you.

All you have to do is plug in your chumby wireless device, connect to your Wi-Fi network, and then use your computer to choose from over 1,000 widgets in over 30 categories.

After this, sit back and relax. Chumby will stream information from all of your subscribed widgets, keeping you plugged in while your computer is unplugged. Note that this is all completely free - once you have a Chumby there are no subscription fees and no plans.

There are many interesting widgets available, all without cost, for the Chumby. Using different social networking widgets, you can browse Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks. Keep in touch with all of your friends without turning on a computer. With gaming widgets you can play games, such as Blackjack, Reversi, and Sudoku. New games are being added often, so you will always stay entertained with your Chumby. Video widgets allow you to watch videos on popular websites, such as YouTube. Also check your email in any POP mailbox with messaging widgets.

Chumbys are available in latte, varsity blue, pearl, basic black. Also available, for a limited amount of time, are exclusive cardinal and amethyst color schemes. A Chumby requires a wireless network with full internet capabilities to function, and a computer for setup.

Although a Chumby is a quicker alternative to a computer if you want to quickly browse through the latest news on your favorite sites, it is not a perfect alternative. You can only use widgets that are provided by Chumby Industries, the creators of the Chumby. There are over 1,000 widgets available, and more being added each day, but a Chumby wi-fi device is still limited compared to the freedom of a real computer.

It is a great alternative for the times where you want to check out your friends on Facebook, or check your email, but not boot up your computer. Chumby is available right now for around $200, plus shipping and handling. Be sure to order today to get a limited edition Chumby in either cardinal or amethyst colors!

I think I’ve mentioned it before, but at the moment all three computers in our household are made by HP. It’s not that I’m brand loyal, it’s just that it worked out that way. They had the features we wanted and needed when we were shopping, along with the best price at the time. Because in my house, with 4 kids, it’s all about the budget.

Who needs or wants a bulky bag? This “Messenger” style Hewlett-Packard laptop bag is fashionable and affordable. This product combines the look of a messenger bag with the organizational features of a briefcase. This bag is designed especially for Hewlett-Packard laptops, but can hold all types of modern laptops as well. 2lbs heavy, and 3.5 inches deep, this bag certainly won’t weigh you down as you walk up several flights of stairs every morning.

This bag is one of the cheapest bags one can find on the internet, but it is also very durable. It has additional compartments that do not corrupt the artistic look and feel of the bag. Use the zip pockets and exterior open pocket to stash extra accessories like your pens, AC adapter, and mouse. Never fear accidentally dropping your laptop ever again - its cushion padded notebook compartment insures that your laptop will be safe from harm at all times.

A quick word of caution about this bag, it looks very much like a traditional laptop bag. That’s not always a bad thing, but it can be sometimes, especially if one lives in a city or works in an area where there are many people around. This bag screams of having a laptop inside, and therefore criminals will probably eye this bag. However, if you’re safe with it, it’s HP. It’s bound to be a good product. The total dimensions of this bag are 15.25 x 12.25 x 3.5 inches, and it costs right around $50 bought new. You never know around here though, the price has been noted to go as low as $17.99 so keep your eye on PriceGrabber.com to get the best deal.

This weekend I got the cutest birthday gift from my friend Angela, who blogs over at WoW Raid Leader. I love this cute little gizmo and I was super surprised when UPS delivered the box to my door. I had been hoping that my birthday would come and go quietly since this is one of those years that ends in -0. Oh yes, it’s the year of 3-0. So, in never-want-to-grow-up fashion, I present to you the USB Robot Owl.

That’s it. No chatter about all the cool features. It just sort of sits on your computer and looks quizzically at you while being adorable. My cutie pie is a brown owl, but USB Robot Owl comes in 4 different colors; brown, white, grey, and pink.

It definitely added a bright spot to my 30th birthday, and I’m sure it will bring a smile to whomever you give this fun little gift to as well. Enjoy, and please take some of this leftover birthday cake away before I eat it all!

Interested in getting a new unique gift, or just getting something cool for around the house? Check out the Pin Clock. This clock will put anyone who isn’t familiar with how it works into awe. The time is shown by thousands of perfectly aligned pins, the number rumored to be around 3 thousand, which move around to form the current time.

Most people may double-take when they first see this magical transition. The Pin Clock might even keep your kids away from the television with its mesmerizing movement. A transparent cover keeps fingers away from the intricate pin moving, and keeps the pins from falling out (a potential disaster!) The clock makes small clicking noises when the time is changing, simulating the sound of an old clock ticking. It’s actually quite a bit of noise, so this is definitely not the clock you want sitting on your desk at work.

The clock has all the features of a basic novelty clock - it tells the time in a cool way, but with none of the extra. In addition to be noisy every 60 seconds when the minute changes, it also lacks an alarm. The clock is also hard to see in the dark, making it not fit for a bed stand, but perfect for any other room that might need something interesting to look at. If nothing else the clock makes a wonderful conversation piece.

The Pin Clock operates on two AA batteries, which are not included, so if this is a gift, prepare accordingly. The clock weighs around 3 pounds, a bit heavy for its small size, but that’s what It makes the perfect gift for anyone looking for something new and cool.

I hope you and your family have a safe and happy holiday season.

There are loads of iPhone applications, both free and paid, for all sorts of things to keep your life organized. I think we all know one of the most common New Year’s Resolutions is to lose weight, get fit, exercise more! While browsing the app store today I was surprised to find that there are actually a large number of fitness and health related applications available.

One of the most handy apps was actually a free selection, a calorie counter and tracker that was made free by Livestrong.com.  It’s designed to help you find the calorie count of what you’re eating and help you keep track with an easy to use daily log of your calorie intake.

It even includes a handy database of restaurants and their menu items, so you can keep track even when you’re on the go. No more wondering and estimating at the end of the day.

I’m always on the lookout for great apps and tools with practical uses. Leave a comment and let us know about your favorite application, add on, plugin, etc…

Looking to add a new computer to your household, or for a gift this holiday season? The Dell Latitude E6400 Laptop Computer is a good choice among laptops. As with any Dell system, it components of this laptop can easily be upgraded.

For software, the Latitude E6400 comes standard with Genuine Windows Vista® Home Basic SP1. Windows Vista is a powerful operating system by Microsoft, if you haven’t heard of it. Dell allows you to pick any Windows operating system to replace this one, ranging up to Genuine Windows Vista® Ultimate SP1.

Now on to hardware. The laptop comes with an Intel® Core™ 2 Duo P8400 processor. This processor is powerful enough for basic computing, but it can’t run any of the next generation games. If you plan on gaming with this computer, upgrade to a faster processor to run new games smoothly. Watch movies, browse the web, or do just about anything on the E6400’s 14.1″ Widescreen monitor supported by a Mobile Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD graphics card. The laptop also comes with 1.0GB of RAM, although I suggest that you upgrade to 2.0GB or more for only $40 to run Vista smoothly.

Save files on the 80GB hard drive, or upgrade to up to 250GB of space. Enjoy bonus features, such as a built-in microphone, 24x CDRW/DVD drive, and Dell Wireless™ 1397 802.11b/g card. Dell also offers many extra features for an extra price, such as an internal fingerprint reader. Wouldn’t it be cool to log into your computer with your fingertip? Also enjoy the state-of-the-art support by Dell for only a few bucks extra. The Latitude E6400 Laptop Computer starts at $800, although it is easy and suggested to add extra features or upgrade the hardware of the system.

Stay as one with the internet. With the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet, you can browse the web at any Wi-Fi hotspot or with your mobile phone via Bluetooth. Packed with great features, such as the Mozilla based browser, with full support to Web 2.0 websites, the full QWERTY keyboard and wide touch screen display.

Do anything that you could do with a computer: check your e-mail, watch the newest videos on the Internet, or update your blog with the latest happenings. You can also Instant Message your friends, browse your favorite social networking sites, such as MySpace or Facebook, or make Internet phone calls (requires subscription with Skype). You can even have video chat with the VGA camera mounted on the tablet.

Keep connected no matter where you go with the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet. Lost? Forgot to print directions to your destination? Use your new Nokia N810 Internet Tablet as a GPS device to find your way (an additional subscription may be required to use this feature), or look up maps on the Internet to find where you need to go.

The tablet is 5in x 0.6in x 2.8in and weighs only 8 oz. It includes 128 MB of RAM, a large amount for a mobile device. 2GB of flash memory is installed, but MiniSD cards can be added to expand on that storage. A microphone is built in as are speakers. The device can play AAC, AMR, MP2, MP3, WMA, and Real Audio files. For around $350, the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet is a very powerful device and is a great gift for a friend or family member.

Revolutionize the way that you hear sound with the Mirage Nanosat 5.1 Speaker System. This system includes five compact speakers to be placed around the room, and one large subwoofer for powerful bass movement.

The system is equipped with Omnipolar technology to create a realistic sound-stage no matter what the input. Watch movies with not only high definition video, but high definition sound. The five satellite speakers included are compact, but still offer a powerful and versatile sound. You can move the speakers around until you get the sound that you dream of, although you don’t really have to since the speakers are equipped with Omnipolar technology.

The Omnipolar, developed by Mirage, creates a realistic and high definition area of sound that is not available with conventional speakers. The one core subwoofer, also very compact, is very powerful. Although some do not like the subwoofer installed, it is good for it’s size. If you are looking for the best sound possible, you probably shouldn’t buy the this particular speaker system. But if you are looking for a sound system that is small, compact, and a sound system that keeps your wallet heavy, choose the Mirage Nanosat 5.1 Speaker System.

Use these for any occasion: watching television on a Saturday morning, gaming, movies, or partying hard. The Mirage Nanosat 5.1 Speaker System is one that is small, but powerful, perfect for the casual listener that wants to save money. The sound system is also perfect as a gift - spice up the sound in your a friend’s or family member’s life!