There comes a point when each and every one of us stares down at our current cellphone and says, “I need a new one.” Maybe it’s because of lifespan, but usually it is because our phones become outdated as new models are put out with bigger and better features. Boost Mobile is releasing its SANYO Incognito, a QWERTY flip phone that looks absolutely sleek.

With the phone you get a $50 Monthly Unlimited Plan that includes talk, text AND web, which is pretty good considering how desperate times call us to stretch a dollar. Best yet, you are not required to sign a contract. I spent nearly twice that a month for my minutes and text message plan, without any web browsing included. When you order through the link above, you can get the SANYO Incognito, model number SCP6760, for just $129.99 (excluding taxes) with free shipping. What kind of camera is the SANYO Incognito? Let me tell you a bit about the features you can expect from the phone. There is a 2MP camera and a VGA camcorder. In addition, it is Bluetooth compatible and GPS enabled. For those of you who like to use your phones for fun, you can listen to music and play video through it. And for those among us who surf the web from their phone, the SANYO Incognito has enhanced web browsing so that you can stay in touch with your social networking friends. You can even send picture and video messages for a full multi-media experience.

Charter has been bringing in the good deals and holiday cheer since Black Friday, when, until Cyber Monday, they gave away gift cards to major retailers worth up to $200 with special online deals. I am sure a lot of those went toward a lot of good Christmas shopping.

But Charter did not end it there. After Cyber Monday, a whole new deal was rolled out when they began a 38 Days of Specials event. To end out the year, they pushed out their greatest set of deals so far! That is not to say Charter has asof yet to give out many great prizes. In fact, they have so far given away HDTVs, a Toyota Prius, Xbox 360s, and a 2010 Chevy Camaro 2SS as part of their many sweepstakes.

During the 38 Days of Specials, each day the Charter’s Daily Deal Web Site will post that days great deals, which are full of savings. Also included will be gifts and prizes, so you could win a lot more than a good prize on a bundle package. What sort of prizes? Everything from iPods, camcorders, TVs, GPS, webcams, and digital photo frames. For those of you who are into great Showtime programming and series’, you can also win Showtime swag of Dexter, The Tudors, and Californication. If HBO is more your thing, as it is mine, they are giving away Big Love and Entourage swag.

To stay updated on all of Charter’s many deals and sweepstakes, as I am sure they will keep up their fast pace, become a fan of Charter on Facebook.

When IZEA and Jones Soda Co. sent me a free bottle of their Tofurky and Gravy Jones Soda for the Thanksgiving/Christmas season, I admit I was a bit hesitant to try it.

Tofurky and Gravy Soda by Jones Soda Co.

I thought to myself, “if this lives up to its name, it is going to taste like tofurky and gravy, but in liquid form and cold.” Confessing further, the idea of it was not that appealing, and the murky brown color of the soda itself, like a watered down gravy, sort of turned me off. So, it sat on my shelf and then in the fridge for a while. I kept looking at it but telling myself that my stomach wasn’t quite ready for the thought of ingesting something that tastes like meat and gravy.

Finally, my boyfriend saw it and asked if I wanted him to try it. He looked on the back of the bottle and lied to be to give me courage. He informed me that there was caramel inside, leaving out the fact that the caramel was in coloring and coloring only. This gave me a hint of optimism that maybe, just maybe, it was called Tofurky and Gravy, but it really tasted like candy! Like the name was some sort of psych out. You know, only the strong survive and all that.

So into the fridge it went to get cold.

Confident it would taste like candy, I cracked it open and took a very small sip.

It did not taste like caramel or candy. Though it did have a somewhat mild sweet flavor, it definitely tasted like an interesting combination of meat and a salty but subtle gravy. I wanted to take a second sip to get a better idea of the flavor, but I just could not bring myself to. It tasted exactly like I thought it would on first impression: liquid meat and gravy. The tiny taste of sweetness did not mesh well since I don’t typically eat my turkey and gravy with sugar on it, usually salt. Though salt is the second or third ingredient in this particular soda.

No, no, not for me. But I think that everyone needs to try out the soda once in their life. It certainly is an experience to taste something like this… Thanksgiving in a bottle and ice cold with a hint of sugar. When everyone is around the holiday table about to eat dinner, break out a case of this and serve it up for the full holiday experience.

As for me, I am going to turn over the rest to my boyfriend and let him try it. Serve him right for telling me it was going to taste like caramel!

My iPod goes with me everywhere. I take it to the office, to class, in the car, and I frequently lay in bed and listen to it while I read or relax. Having my music is absolutely essential to me, so I use it every day in some form or another. I watch a few videos on my iPod, but I find that I most like being able to listen to music and save the space for my immense playlist… 10,000 songs and counting. I also use it for some of the many audiobooks I am accumulating. Here, take a look at my precious baby:

There is nothing like lying down, closing your eyes, and listening to a good song or book. But when I am lounging around the house, usually in my bedroom, I do not want to sit there with earbuds plugged in. Personally, I find that I move around too much and end up ripping them out of my ears constantly. After a while, I get so fed up that I just toss the iPod aside. So, a pair of speakers to play your iPod or iPhone is essential. Not any pair of speakers will do, though. If you expect good quality sound out of your home stereo or car stereo, you should expect it out of your iPod player. Just because the iPod is a small piece of equipment doesn’t mean you have to expect a little sound.

Yamaha just came out with their PDX-60 model, which boasts yAired ™ wireless technology so you can use it with your iPod plugged into the dock or using a transmitter. It is really the wireless feature that I like the most, and that I think people who have iPhones will like in particular because it means being able to use your phone at the same time. Though the PDX-60 comes with a remote control, I think I would prefer it if I could have my iPod in my hand to flip around properly. It is a big hassle to get up and choose a song through all of your various playlists and options.

The PDX-60 has four different colors to choose from so you can match them to your decor. The PDX-60 also promises a high quality of sound and a rich bass with absolutely no sound interruption. Sound like a good gift to get someone this year? I think so.

The internet can only stay as it is for so long. Every day, users and developers reshape what the internet means and how it can assist people in bringing them information. User submitted content has made an immense contribution to to content of the internet. Social media has perpetuated this; Twitter and Facebook, myspace and youtube are updated thousands of times a second by people all over the world. People share information, news, culture, and opinions with one another over the internet. It has now gotten to be quite vital that people use these services, that people share information through different platforms. The search engine leapfish integrates social media with real time media, news, and regular search engines.

It only makes sense to combine the different forms of internet information and social media. You should be able to search whole you connect, update while you get up to the second information as it pours onto the internet from millions of sources. Sounds complex? Like the video said, you need real time and multi-media, not a static internet that lags behind when it comes to updated content. It is and it is supposed to be because that is the way the internet is. But with customizations, widgets, and an easy interface, the complex becomes a simple tool at your fingertips to get full advantage from the internet. After all, why be content with the .1% you get so far when you can get so much more from it? It is only going to keep getting more complicated and multi-faceted, so you need a website, a tool, to help you keep up and utilize it effectively. Get on the boat, guys, because we are the new internet.

I am a DirectTV customer myself and have been for over a year now. I can speak from experience when I say that the reception is wonderful, the prices are good, and the customer service is always on the ball. Right now you can get over 150 channels all for $29.99 a month. That’s for their Choice Package for 12 months. Less than $30 a month for that many channels? Sounds like a good gift to me, and easily affordable. I have the Choice XTra package myself, which is 200+ channels for $34.99 a month for 12 months. Because, yes, I AM a TV lover and I need the Chiller TV channel!

You can also add HD access to your Directv package for crystal clear viewing. They also have a DVR service so that you never have to watch the same show twice because you can pause, fast forward and rewind your shows. You can also record shows so that you never miss them. Got sport lovers in the house? You can also add an NFL Sunday Ticket to your package, or upgrade to the NFL SuperFan.

What do winners get?

The grand prize winner gets an all expense paid trip to Austin, Texas to play in a March, 2010 concert festival. This includes room, meals, Guitar Center gift certificate, and cash prize. Four first place winners will also be selected. They get some free CDs, Converse shoes (the best brand!), and a Guitar Center gift certificate. Get your entries in soon because voting will be starting here soon.

That no longer has to be a problem for students today, or for you if you happen to be that student. With the advent of technology that makes communication efficient and easy, online math help is easily obtained. TutorVista is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week offering free online math help. Through TutorVista, you can get free online math tutoring by simply picking your subject and submitting a question. Once your question is submitted, it’s just a matter of getting the assistance that you need in a secure online environment. The online math tutoring is delivered via an online whiteboard– no explaining obscure and complex concepts through words alone, you get to see them work out for yourself. As you and your tutor work out math problems on the whiteboard, you chat with the tutor who is providing you the online math help. The real time discussion facilitates learning and question answering.

I can’t imagine help coming any easier.

If you find that you need help in multiple subjects, TutorVista offers a $99.99 package wherein you get unlimited help a month for all subjects.

One room I am very picky about is my bathroom. I absolutely loathe those standard scenes of lighthouses or fish, or any of the author sea/nautical themes that people give bathrooms solely by virtue of the fact that bathrooms have water. If you are like me or perhaps just want to redo your bathroom for the holidays, SHOP.COM has a massive selection of unique shower curtains because they link to stores all over the net such as Target and Overstock. Some of the curtains are elegant, some playful, some youthful, some inspirational, and all at very good prices. With so many to choose from, you are sure to find one that will fit your taste and theme.