Welcome to Our Holiday Gift Guide!

A is for Apps!


I love my iPhone and iPad, and my kids love their various techie devices, and even the Engineer has an iPad these days, so here are my picks for some of the most fun apps out there for Christmas!


Christmas Apps!

This holiday season will be full of extra cheer because Oceanhouse Media has just released the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer digital book for the iPhone/iPad and iPod Touch. I just love the Misfits! One of my favorite Christmas tales ever. Available here: http://www.oceanhousemedia.com/products/rudolphbook/ 

MakeAStocking.com is a new website application where you can design customized Christmas stockings, complete with photos, text and more. The easy-to-use app allows users to upload photos, create personalized greetings and determine colors and layout in a matter of moments online. The completed stockings cost only $19.95 to purchase, including tax. Plus, $1 from each purchase will benefit the Burn Institute.

Apps for Little Ones!

Priced at only $6.99, ArtRage for iPad is the perfect holiday stocking stuffer gift for a budding artist delving into mobile art with the iPad.  “Once you experience ArtRage, you cannot live without it anymore,” said Sarah Brody, Principal, Sarah Brody Design. "With ArtRage, you can almost smell the paint and feel the paper’s texture.”  ArtRage is actually used in schools around the world, from China to the U.S., to teach artistic kids how to create digitally. Just look at this example of "Star War Boy", created using ArtRage!  

Keep an eye out for Astrojammies, a ridiculously cute interactive book app coming out soon for the iPad. Astrojammies is about an ordinary boy named Jimmy whose hooded pajamas suddenly transport him to the far reaches of space.  Readers interact and guide Jimmy along the way, helping as he encounters characters, explores strange new worlds and dodges the many dangers of cosmic travel including speeding comets and a wily space baboon! I've been reading the buzz about this and it sounds amazing.

I know many parents out there will be happy to hear about the new Animals: Slide and Find and Trucks: Slide and Find apps, based on the highly popular and award-winning board books, created by Priddy Books. These interactive first-word apps combine fun and visually stimulating content with familiar voices and sounds, designed to keep little ones entertained and engaged on-the-go or while at home. 

These apps will be available for $1.99 at www.itunes.com/appstore on December 7, 2010. 

The Kung Fu Panda Holiday Storybook App (2.99), based on DreamWorks Animation's Kung Fu Panda Holiday, is packed with original movie images and audio clips featuring the movie's vocal talents; including Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman.

The story follows Po who is invited by Master Shifu to be the host of the "Winter Feast." Po's excitement runs short when he discovers that he can't invite his father, with whom he spends every Winter Festival. The obligation leaves Po torn between his family traditions and the job he loves.

Kids will absolutely love the beautiful imagery, excitement and comedy this storybook offers, parents will surely relate to its moral values, making this storybook app a perfect virtual stocking stuffer.

Apps for gamers!

I love hidden object games, and I most recently tried out the Collector's Edition of Twisted Lands: Shadow Town.  I highly recommend this game, which gave me personally HOURS of enjoyment as I found the objects and solved the problems to complete the story. And yes, you DO want the Collector's Edition, which includes bonus levels that...well, I don't want to give away the story, but if you liked Red Dead Redemption's latest add-on (gamers will know what I'm talking about here), you WANT those bonus levels to Twisted Lands: Shadow Town. Available through http://www.alawar.com and http://www.bigfishgames.com for 19.95. Not sure if you want to buy it yet? There's a trial version to convince you, and it's FREE!

In Braveheart, players assume the role of Richard, a brave knight searching for the Holy Grail. The King has promised a hearty reward for Richard's success, but this quest will not be easy. Numerous enemies and monsters stand in Richard's way, with the Grail itself guarded by a massive dragon. To succeed, players must progress through a series of touch-controlled missions with help from 10 different weapons, plus power-ups and perks uncovered during combat. Braveheart sells for $1.99 for iPhone / iPod Touch and $2.99 for iPad, with a free lite version also available for iPhone / iPod Touch.


Apps to Make YOUR Life Easier!

For holiday shopping, you can't beat Sccope, www.sccope.com,  a pricing comparison and barcode scanning mobile app, now available on iPhone and BlackBerry smartphones.

Shoppers are using Sccope to compare prices on products from hundreds of top retailers including Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart, Circuit City and more.  Moms can use Sccope to quickly and easily find the best prices on holiday gifts such as computers, electronics, clothing and toys. 

Good Housekeeping is the go-to resource for millions of women – and now the magazine’s expert advice is available on the App Store with the Good Housekeeping @Home App. Good Housekeeping’s first app features do-it-all cleaning tips, in-depth stain removal advice, simple and elegant decorating ideas and a complete directory of Good Housekeeping Seal products.