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I’m usually not fussed about putting my bag on the floor in a restaurant, but a Bag Holder is a good idea - in theory. A small hook that clings to the table and keeps the purse off the ground could be helpful, especially if we’re talking about your favorite Louis Vuitton. And hanging the purse on the chair can be risky since you never can be 100% sure there’s not a thief eyeing it.

Finding a free corner could be an issue, though. If the table is too small, the bag could end up sitting in your lap or hanging between your legs, which is not a really desirable result, is it? And a large hook pretending to double as a keychain spells trouble, I can see it getting tangled in some of the many things all women carry around.

A good idea implemented badly, says I. It is useful, but only in a handful of situations, so I wouldn’t run off to get one just yet.

How much under $29.99?
Some: ~$17 on UpToYouToronto.com.

Via Outblush

I’m all in favor of technology, but I think sometimes we take it too far. Tradition is tradition… so a LED Motherboard Menorah strikes me as odd, especially since real menorahs are beautiful objects.

I’m not Jewish (or religious for that matter), so I won’t pretend my opinion counts very much, but I’ve always felt that candles should burn, not be replaced with LEDs. Yes, even tealights… my parents were very excited by the electric “tealights” they got, but they just look so fake to me.

Then again, I think chandeliers with lightbulbs look silly and yet people buy them, so what do I know. If you can feel the holiday spirit when you look at a piece of circuit board, good for you.

How much under $29.99?
A little: $25 on FredFlare.com.

Via ChipChick

It might seem unbelievable for some, but there are actually people out there who don’t like coffee. Shocking, I know. But that doesn’t mean they don’t occasionally need that extra energy caffeine can bring. Think about those poor souls who can’t drink a big black coffee in the morning…

Caffeine candy is a relatively new product but there’s already a lot of brands offering various energizing sweets. So ThinkGeek thought about it and offered the world the Caffeine Candy Sampler (version 8.0 even!). No need to go out of the way to buy it separately; it includes: Penguin Mints - Peppermint, Penguin Mints - Cinnamon, Foosh Energy Mints, Blitz Energy Gum - Original, Headshot Gamer Bar, Chargers Chocolate Espresso Beans, Jolt Gum - Icy Mint and Jolt Gum - Spearmint. After you try them and decide which tastes like candy and which tastes like someone scrubbed the bottom of a Red Bull can opened 3 days ago, just go to the supermarket and stock up.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $19.99 on ThinkGeek.com.

When people want to be listened to they call their best friend. Or they write in their diary. Or they start a gadget blog. I could go on and it still wouldn’t occur to me that talking to a fake plant would be an idea.

But see, I don’t live in Japan, which is where the Pekoppa Nodding Pot-Plant Robot comes from. The name says it all: the plant nods when you talk to (or rather at) it. Which would make anyone feel better, right? Not pathetic because s/he doesn’t have anyone to communicate with and has to resort to a plant that’s not even alive. Uh-huh…

Really. Get a cat.

How much under $29.99?
A little: ~$23 on Strapya-World.com.

Via OhGizmo!

The Party Rats aren’t the stupidest party accessory ever, but they’re pretty close. If you like drawing attention to yourself however… this will definitely work. Whether it’ll be the good or bad kind of attention, I don’t know.

Each pack comes with 5 rats and each of them sends out a differently colored beam. By placing them on your fingers and then moving your arms around you can get pretty impressive results… although that won’t erase the fact that you’re wearing plastic rodents.

But then again, given that most of the people at parties or in discos are in various stages of getting drunk… no one will notice.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $5.95 on McPhee.com.

Via ShinyShiny

Fess up: did you know how to do laundry before you left home? If you did, I bow before you. My mother must’ve explained it to me 10 times and I still didn’t get it. Then I moved out and, amazing, now it’s the easiest task ever. All it takes is a little practice…

But first anyone needs to be told how to do it. And because mum won’t always be around… she should get her kids one of these Laundry Bags with Printed Instructions. 3

It covers all the basics: powder and liquid detergent, cold, warm and hot wash. It can carry two loads of laundry, so now there’s really no excuse: even college students can wash their clothes without assistance. No more running home with a bag full of dirty socks as a “present” for the parents. Really.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $9.99 on Dormbuys.com.

Via FashionablyGeek

Bookmarks are a big part of book lovers’ lives. Most of my friends have tons of interesting bookmarks and keep buying more - even though they usually end up using receipts and candy wrappers instead. A new bookmark with something special is always welcome, however.

The Burning Bookmark is definitely impressive. Big orange flames coming out of the pages… very Fahrenheit 451-ish. Fortunately, it’s not just about looks: it screen-printed onto die-cut clear flexible plastic, so you can bet it will last.

While it’s not very practical for those of us who prefer reading on the move, its uniqueness makes it just about the perfect gift for a book lover. Together with that book they keep talking about, naturally.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $6 on Gama-Go.com.

Via BoingBoing

My brain refuses to work with me. On one hand, I think so many women’s accesssories are perfectly silly and marketed to bimbos, and I feel a bit offended that people think that talking to me like I’m 10 is a good approach. On the other hand, I feel oddly attracted to a fair share of them… even the silly ones.

As far as “can’t live without” things go, the Miss Oops Rescue Sponge is not even close to Top 10. A white mark on a blouse is never the end of the world. But… wouldn’t it be lovely to skip the “oh, maybe it will come off with water” part? It’s tedious and never works well enough. This smart sponge promises to get it off with no effort (and no water), and that’s so tempting. Face powder marks on clothes? Again, just rub it with the sponge and it’s gone.

Since every pack come with 2 (reusable) sponges… I think that curiosity might be worth $10.00. It could pay off.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $9.99 in our store, powered by Amazon.com.

Via Outblush

I keep telling myself I won’t pay attention to crapgadgets, but some are… just… too bad to pass up.

How could I resist a pink phone shaped like a shoe? Naturally, it’s called the High Heels Phone and it’s aimed at girls. 10 year old girls, I hope. I pity the woman whose boyfriend shows up with this atrocity and claims it’s a gift. There’s no way anyone can get away with it: he’s either seriously lacking in the taste department (which is not a problem in itself, but itrequires extra attention not to screw up), or he’s a misogynistic bastard who thinks women fall over if a pink object is presented to them. No thank you, I’d rather have someone with half a brain.

I usually find at least some redeeming quality even for the most horrible garbage… but this time it’s impossible. Oh, and did I mention the price? Scroll down and wonder how much neurons you need to spend that sum on this trainwreck of a product.

How much under $29.99?
A little: $22 on Gadget4All.com.

Via DVICE

Sometimes I run into a product with such a quirky concept behind it that I don’t even know what to say.

My initial reaction to the Aromatherapy Interventions Co-Dependent Therapy Candle was a long “ummm”. I don’t believe scents influence us so much, but I suppose they can have a small effect on someone’s mood or feelings. A pleasant smell will make anyone feel a little better, that’s for sure at least.

I had trouble understanding the tagline (“Must light both wicks for full aromatherapy effect.”) and then it hit me. Co-dependent… two wicks… doing things by yourself… it’s pretty smart, actually.

The supposed effects sound good: the essences of orange and lemon counteract passivity and self blame, while ylang ylang and bergamot calm anger. There’s a whole range of Interventions for a variety of moods, so even if you’re not feeling co-dependent there might be a witty candle out there for you too.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $17.95 in our store, powered by Amazon.com.

Via bookofjoe