TWiT Live Sidebar Gadget

Thanks so much to Justin Belec who wrote a handy little TWiT Live sidebar gadget for Vista. This gadget lets you listen along to TWiT Live without taking up much screen real estate. When you need it you can pop-up our official programming calendar or zoom the video open. Download Justin's Vista Sidebar Gadget here: TWiT Live Gadget Justin says it's beta, so give him your feedback in the comments. (I've already told him "calendar" is misspelled.) Incidentally, it's for Vista-32 bit only. Apparently there's no 64-bit version of Flash. Windows, Mac, and Linux users can also use Peter Elst's TWiT Live Air App for a full screen window.

Gadget Ideas for Kids

Here are my gadget picks for the kids in your life, as heard on the Bill Handel Show on KFI Los Angeles, Wednesday 19 December 2007 at 7:45a.

• Kajeet - the cell phone for kids, with parental controls on what the kids can do and when. No activation cost. No termination fee. 35¢ per day. Phones for $60.
• Everybody wants Webkinz, the stuffed toys from Ganz that have a second life online. $10 and up
• But if you want a dinosaur instead, how about Pleo. An autonomous robot that learns as you play with it. $350.
• Rock out with Rock Band for the Xbox360 and Playstation - the whole family will love this game as you form your own band, create and customize your own rocker, and travel on a fast rise to fame around the world. $60 for the game, but you'll want to get the guitar, drums, and mic, too, for a total of $170.
• Get up close and personal with your belly button lint, hair follicles, and fingernails (eww) with the Jakks EyeClops Bionic Eye. This $40 200x microscope camera hooks up to any TV and provides hours of grossout fun.
• The Leapfrog FLY Fusion Pentop Computer puts a computer in a pen. Not as useful as they make out for doing homework, but lots of fun and a real tech marvel. $80
• I mentioned it Monday, but it's still a great idea: A USB, camera, and green screen for the kids for under $100, the RipRoar Creation Station.

What are you getting for your kids this holiday season?