trendSpotting Report

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In this edition, we choose favorite Facebook widgets (or applications)

The Compass: From the fine folks at Washington Post, this meter measures your political leanings on your profile based on 10 unique questions.

Superheroes: Wondertwin powers, activate! With this spiffy app, you choose powers and battle friends (for what, who knows, but it’s a fun time-waster).

World Clock: This is actually useful if you have clients in different time zones. Or “phriends” who are always disappearing.

Obopay: With Obopay you quantify (with serious cash) how much your friends like you. Go, Obopay!

e-Cards: Someecards (sic) has made all the niche cards Hallmark forgot about…and they’re always hilarious!

Entertaining Blog Space: Life as lived by uber-dingbat Sally Tomato is chronicled in The Tomato Diaries. No false pretensions—all stories true. You can’t make this up: many volumes-worth.

Dance A Party: Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night Swing is the most fun (still after all these years) under the stars this summer. At $13/night, it’s likely the cheapest night in New Yawk. Heck, go, swing, and do yourself a turn.

Cancelled My Foot: We’re not sure where Jeff Goldblum has been hiding but Raines was a TV show to behold. Right until NBC yanked it. So go to the corporate site and watch all seven episodes, then tell NBC to bring it on back (we’re inciting a riot of a campaign, which worked for Family Guy!).

Goofy Beverage: Not sure what folks in Atlanta are smoking…Diet Coke Plus??!? We just think it’s hilarious.

Starbucks Home Grown Alternative: If you have four years’ of patience you can grow your own coffee beans…we think not. But roasting your own beans is much easier than you think!

Summer Loving Novel: Dublin is hot now, but in the 1950s it was the cool place to be. Like all perfect beach reading, Christine Falls is a murder mystery replete with a conspiracy worthy of Dr. Jack Hodgins.

Batteries: Panasonic does have an idea for life with their new Oxyride Batteries, which bring stronger power to high-drain devices like digital cameras.

Tiny Entertainment Device: A complaint we heard about products shouted about during CES were they either iDon’t exist yet or are over iPriced. The mobiBLU Cube is available now for a price that won’t make you cringe and is a fun marriage of style and substance, without the iHype.

Huge Entertainment Device: You know how we encourage you to consumer media from outside the U.S.? With the Sansa Connect Wi-Fi MP3 player you can listen to radio everywhere and play the songs you download no matter from where.

In With The Old (Tech): Years back, savvy execs touted mini-cassette-recorders as the new ‘in’ thing. Olympus’ WS-100 uses today’s tech to accomplish the ages-old task of dictation. It’s tiny and yet it does a big job.

The Holiday Edition of Our Favorites includes our collective Wish List, which we’re e-mailing to Santa as a bcc…

Plaid, Baby: Form and function come together in the lovely Burberry House Check Duffle.

Completely Firm Wrist: The Cartier Roadster watch is pure elegance…and an indulgence suitable for the season. It comes in Men’s and Ladies’.

TDF Accessory: The need is real: since the Chanel python flap bag is class in a package.

TV: It’s about time we had a favorite TV, and the 42LB1DR from LG (boy, talk about a product name!) takes the cake. This 42” LCD flat panel has it all, including HD and a built-in DVR.

Bathroom: Yes, our favorite bathroom. We all spend time there, so what nicer gift than a newly remodeled lavatory? The range of options is truly astounding, and with Kohler you can create a restroom that is your very own.

Car: This year, the Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet is our clear favorite. Midnight blue, please, with a beige interior and beige top with the Tiptronic. If this is a little rich for your blood, it’s also our favorite rental car.

Video Game Console: Far be it from us to be left out of the game fracas this season…our favorite is the Xbox 360. So there.

Time waster: Pimp My Stewie is more fun than humans should be allowed to have Laugh riot, and then some. Stewie is our hero. We wish we’d have talked to our mothers this way—and gotten away with it.

iAccessory: Altec’s new Lansing M602 iPod speaker station is a triumph for form & function. It’s so pretty. And it’s nice to listen to.

Fall coat, fall coat! Let us muse. We’re talking about the Burberry Prosum Trench that is classic chic in the loveliest black and white herringbone. Gosh it’s pricey. But aren’t you worth it?

Monster Site (not that one): Monstrous has everything you ever wanted to know about monsters, demons, dragons and a pumpkin-full of other creatures.

Monster Ed.: Ever wanted to take a college course in monsters? Had you been at Washington State University a few years back, you could have done so. In honor of the week ahead, WSU has helpfully put the fascinating course’s content online.

Scary Movie: Psycho is the best scary movie of all time. Ever. Disagree? Well then speak to my mother about it. You will lose…

Cell Phone Application: Almost 90% of mobile phone toting Americans have dumb phones…ones that don’t come out of the box knowing how to handle e-mail. Flurry has solved this problem with a free and easy-to-use downloadable app that teaches any phone how to handle fully-featured e-mail. And gosh it works.

Travel Accessory: XPower Pocket Powerpack 100 is a bundle of joyful power that plugs in anything battery-operated and fits your carry on spiffily. No more hanging out in the lav to recharge—and no more wondering why no one’s invented something like this!

Anatomical Part: Meniscus are cartilaginous tissues providing structural integrity to the knee when it undergoes tension and torsion. Be careful here. These tear!

Indulgent Chocolate Snack: When you think of chocolaty gooeyness, Target doesn’t really leap up, but their Choxie line is simply divine. Especially the tub of bite-sized dark chocolate raspberry truffles—how else to make life better! Plus, what a cool name, a branded combo of moxie and the thing we live for.

Chocolate Ice Cream (minus guilt): How can you feel guilty about something so tiny and fun? Dreyers Dibs are tiny flashbacks to a simpler time when you cared more about your tennies than that palm-sized device.

Chocolate Café: Yes it’s a bit of a trek to Tokyo, but when you get to the the 100% Chocolate Café you’ll thank the airline!

Belgian Chocolate: Leonidas is our hands-down #1 reason for existing. We can only describe them through dance. And we have tried them all, thanks. (Oh and one of our friends goes to London “on business”—but actually for super fresh Leonidas treats.) Not easy to find, but worth searching high and low. In New York go to Madison Avenue and rejoice!

September Holidays and Observances: September is chock full of notable holidays and observances. Our favorites (in chronological order): Milton Hershey’s birthday, Constitution Day, Rosh Hashanah and, naturally, Save the Tiger Month.

Laundry Soap: Because we all do laundry why not use the best soap? We’ve used a lot of different ones, and Tide with Bleach Alternative Mountain Spring Scent is by far the best. Because you might be washing new fabrics as the temperatures drop, check out the fabric advisor. PS: Tide has RLM’s new favorite slogan… “Make The Roses Stop to Smell You”

Future of Telephony: If Wi-Fi phones reach half their potential, they will be set as phone playahs! UTStarcom’s Vonage phone is available (and cheap!) and the Netgear/Skype model is taking pre-orders now (more expensive). We think Vonage has a shot!

Un-Promoted Product: PocketDish from Dish Networks. Downloadable TV (+ music and games) to a tiny machine from your satellite box. Oh and did we say each show is FREE? It seems way too good to be true; does that mean that jinx of a cliché is gone forever?

Tech Podcast: TWiT (This WEEK in TECH) has it all— terrific name, superlative content, and a sense of humor. Well worth your time. Plus, doesn’t everyone want to recommend a twit!

Under-Appreciated Dessert: Bubbly, light and just sweet enough, Chocolate Mousse is an ideal dessert on warm summer evenings. We are, you know, currently obsessed with it.

No-Hassle Business Transport: When you factor in the three-hour check-in process and additional hour to collect the bag you had to check because you cannot carry shampoo on board, Amtrak looks efficient these days! We vote train. Plus, you get a great view of this country and you can use your mobile phone and Blackberry even after liftoff! All aboard…

Scenic Vacation Spot: Fly into Dublin or Shannon (Aer Lingus and Continental offer scrumptious fares) and take a train (yep, train) to County Clare to visit the Cliffs of Moher while staying at the fabulous Falls Hotel.

Lively Vacation Village: Jack Colton and Joan Wilder had a great time in Cartagena…who could ever forget that dance?

Far Off Vacation Paradise: If you have time and cash, Christmas Island might be paradise found. Accessible from Singapore or Perth, it’s a teeny island in the Indian Ocean. If you don’t know where that is, that makes it better. Study an Atlas on the flight, dude.

Digital camera: You’ll want to document something this summer involving water, so how about a waterproof digital camera?

Web Site for Video iPod-ites: Guba.com is the site for downloading free material. Rush, everyone! We’re kinda sure it’s going to be shut down soon.

Reality Show: Yes, we finally have a reality show for this list. You’ll have to jump the pond to see it, but the UK version of The Apprentice is truly worlds distinctive from its horrible American counterpart. We’re working on a petition to BBC to allow American IP addresses to watch it online.

Bathroom Feature: This is the neatest toilet ever. We saw it recently and were bowled over. Ha-ha.

Book Series: Always a fan of retro, Hard Case Crime combines superlative words with over-the-top covers. We can’t get enough.

Place to Help Fellow Man: We were sad to read about the number of sites set up to defraud people who want to donate money to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. The American Red Cross is your bet. They’re helping—every day.

Place to Help the Animals: The Humane Society of the United States has undertaken a massive relief effort to help animals in Louisiana and Mississippi. It’s a tough job, and they need all the assistance they can get.

Place for Info: Every day, The Black Table combines news, commentary and cultural insight into a heady mix of simply fantastic information. We can’t enough of the topics.

Place for Electronica : Trust us—even if you’re not a fan of electronica, you might like the Chemical Brothers. We know they’re hot right now, but we can’t help ourselves.

Entertaining Blog: Not an entertainment blog, Vanessa Virtue’s view of the world makes us laugh out loud daily and cringe in sympathy.

New Music Station: Many of you wrote about our WXRT favorite (thank you). Now we’ve taken a fancy to one of your suggestions—independent internet station WOXY.

Desktop Cloaking: If you maintain an “open door” policy or live in Cubeville, there are times you don’t want folks reading over your shoulder. StealthSwitch allows you to hide what’s on your screen with the press of a footswitch.

Mobile Phone Graveyard: Many of us have old cell phones lying around…those we stopped using but were afraid to toss in the trash for fear of harming the environment. If the old phone still works, this place will pay you cash for it!

Radio Station To Adore: Yes, we have one favorite radio station. WXRT in Chicago is like no other station, and defies simple categorization. It’s not pre-programmed, which makes for interesting listening like Buddy Guy followed by the Cranberries.

Not-Our-Newsletter: Trendwatching is a trendy and focused newsletter from Amsterdam that is full of what we think are fascinating insights. Sister publication Springwise concerns new businesses around the world…some wacky (cone-shaped pizza), some thoughtful (Oogles n Googles) and all unordinary. Thanks to a reader for this fab suggestion.

Marketing Gimmick You Can’t Ignore: We’re not sure why our friends at Starbucks aren’t making more of their “The Way I See It” program. You’ve seen the quotes on the cups…were you aware you could submit your own? [The cup is hot.]

Mini Zoo Visit: Since you probably can’t get away from your desk long enough to visit the National Zoo, check out Panda Cam for a live viewing of Mei Xiang and her tiny baby.

Brilliant Invention: We love it when someone solves a problem that needs solving! The Xpad is a shield that attaches to the bottom of your laptop so you can use it on your lap without getting scorched or on a desk without it overheating. If you use a laptop, you gotta have one.

Beach Book: Carl Hiaasen is back in fine form with Skinny Dip. To tell too much of the tale would spoil it…suffice to say that the South Florida world Hiaasen describes, replete with kooky inhabitants, isn’t as far from reality as you think!

Museum Exhibit: If you’re in New York before July 30, don’t miss FIT’s FABULOUS! Fashions of the 1940’s exhibit. Aside from the chance to gawk at some gorgeous threads, you get insight into the cultural role fashion played during this a fascinating, fashionable decade (the 00’s could use some inspiration). This one’s free.

Warm-Weather Beverage: It’s a classic, and hot summer days aren’t the same without it: iced tea. We’re not fans of fancy flavors like raspberry kiwi…fact is, southerners know how to do it right (sweet or unsweet, thank you).

New York Dining Establishment : Blockhead’s has multiple locations, but the roof-top dining at 499 3rd Avenue makes it our favorite after-work burrito, taco and margarita spot. The food is fan—tastic…and CHEAP!

Lazy Summer Activity: When you’re too sunburned to go outside, watching TV shows on DVD is an indulgent indoor activity. Honestly—don’t you miss TJ Hooker?!?

Green Guilt-laden Food: Doritos Guacamole are green and divine. Just spicy enough for you to withhold a dip. . Are they healthy? Not really. But they sure are scrumptious.

Mobile Phone Accessory : We’re just tired of mobile headsets that look weird, don’t work well, and more importantly are damn uncomfortable. Luckily, Bang & Olufsen’s EarSet 1 Mobile has come to the rescue. Pretty, too.

Screen Saver: You know those motivational posters with the cats [YOU CAN DO IT!] and people in a rowboat [TEAMWORK!] emblazoned on them? Our favorite screensaver is the antithesis of that. You won’t stop laughing either.

Not-New Summer Movie: Forrest Gump is a classic. You probably haven’t seen it in a while…so grab a beverage of your choice and pop it into the DVD player. And we don’t care what they say! THIS is the highest-grossing fast-action comedy of all time (not Meet the Fockers).

Another Star Wars : If we tried to describe the MPire, you might not visit it. Suffice to say it’s fun… Burgers not included.

Wireless For Sure: We love all the hot spots for sure, but worry about data flying around and becoming the electronic equivalent of billboards for anyone with a little hack sense. Sweet Spot’s solved the problem for us. Our CEO loves the fact it sniffs around looking for spots to get online. Ah, freedom.

New MacGyver Is Back: Remember you were a kid and spent weekends building or making something that usually worked? And then you watched MacGyver break out of a high-security prison with his handy paperclip and rubber band? Well, Make: Technology on Your Time is a new magazine for you! And for us.

Inanimate (Fat) Pet: Rocks are so passé and weight-loss drugs are dangerous at best. We know something you don’t: mypetfat is a sensational (and media-adored) invention that you have to experience once to believe!

Under the Radar Collection: Squirrel Nut Zippers came and went, and unfortunately for you….you probably never heard of them. Featuring old school jazz and pop tunes and Big Band galore HOT is scorching. Make sure to check out track #7; it’s an instant classic that just never was.

“Fad” Drink: Bullshot features strong, cold beef bouillon and vodka. The Bullshot raises such interesting questions as….who the heck would drink this thing?

Summer-Is-Coming Book: In memory of late great Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas follows the antics of Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo as a journey to cover the Fabulous Mint 400 degrades into an over-intoxicated quest into the heart of the American Dream. Long live Gonzo Journalism. We knew you when.