The Consumer Electronics Show is winding down today but there are still interesting facts coming out of CES. Blog Her’s Eliza Camahort Page presented a study at CES as part of the MommyTech summit. The survey was conducted by Nielsen and was across a community of 37 million women.

Interestingly enough, the survey showed that when it comes to purchasing products, women look out the opinion of other women before purchasing. 84% of Blog Hers and 69% of typical Americans turn to blogs for references before they buy. 56% of BlogHer members turn to social networks for information.

In terms of marketing to women, the survey found that “women want to read online reviews by women”. As a group it seems more women are price-conscious over early adapters of technology. A device that women love is something that is all-in-one and combines communication and entertainment.

Below is a copy of the study which is incredibly useful in getting some information on how in general women determine their purchases. Of course, this isn’t true for all women, as many women do read male sources for information as well. Overall, it supports our mission at GamingAngels that we work to provide women with a source that they can trust for their gadgets, video games and book choices.

I thought I loved doing laundry. But now after the announcement that Samsung made at CES, doing laundry just isn’t going to be the same.

Since College I have been frantically looking for quarters in order to clean my clothes. I remember having to go to banks, grocery stores, even knocking on friends’ doors to get quarters. Then you had to compete to even find an open laundry space. Forget doing laundry on Sundays. In my apartment, things did not get better. I still needed quarters (but more now) and it was still a fight for resources. Each load had to be taken outside and down the stairs into the garage. Rain or shine, one load at a time because that’s all I could carry.

When we bought my house the first thing I went to check out was the laundry situation. I fell in love. The laundry has it’s own little room with drawers and there it was a full washer and dryer. No more waiting and no more quarters. I think the first few months I did laundry at crazy hours just cause I could. Or I let it…sit overnight. Why? Cause no one was going to take my stuff out of it.

Silly I know, but I was happy in my ignorance. But now Samsung goes and announces their brand new washer and dryer that is a tech geek’s dream. The WiFi-enabled WF457 washer’s Smart Control system allows you to really continue living your life while doing laundry. Using an app you can monitor the cycle, remaining time and finishing alerts, as well as remotely start or pause the washer from anywhere in the house. Um..yes please? If there are any issues the system will also send warnings to your connected devices so that you know exactly what the issue is.

The washer and dryer are huge and offer seven different settings to help fine tone how you wash your clothing. There is a monitor/touchscreen for the settings as well. In talking to my mom about this she stated that she would love the idea of being able to remotely monitor the laundry. Right now she has to go out into the cold, garage and check on how the loads are doing.

The WF457 Washer and dryer will be available in Charcoal and white in Spring 2012. I think the only thing missing is the robot arm to take things out of the washer and place it into the dryer.

Mimoco is the company behind those adorable and stylish USB storage devices. At CES today, Mimoco announced their latest line of USB Flash Drives, Mimomicro. The Mimomicro is a smaller line but also has increased functionality. The USB flash drive has interchangeable microSD memory cards but can also be a reader to transport data between digital devices.

The Mimomicro has a flip-out USB plug and a built in keychain with a LED indicator light. It’s only 1.6″H and 1.0″ W which is super tiny. In March, the first two collections will launch featuring designs from Star Wars and DC characters.

“As the pioneers in the licensed flash drive marketplace, Mimoco is excited to unveil our first new product line to build upon the success of our popular MIMOBOT platform. MIMOMICRO leverages compatibility with both USB and microSD enabled memory devices and taps into the growing usage of mobile memory solutions,” said Evan Blaustein, CEO of Mimoco.

The devices are so cute (I want Wonder Woman!) but no mention of price. We’ll update you in March with that info!

Mimoco introduces MimoMicro! from MIMOBOT & mimoZine on Vimeo.

Tuesday CES 2012 kicks off. I used to cover the event for GamingAngels every year, but this year I can’t go. We will have coverage from other editors and we’ll be trying to keep up with the flood of information coming in. We can then ooh and ahh at all the gadget pretties we want.

The video below is my predictions for what we’ll see at CES 2012. Let us know what you are interested in hearing about.

Barnes and Noble reported a record holiday season for sales of their Nook products. NOOK sales, including NOOK Simple Touch™, NOOK Color™ and the new NOOK Tablet™, increased 70% over the last year during the holiday. The NOOK tablet fared well in the tablet war.

“We see substantial value in what we’ve built with our NOOK business in only two years, and we believe it’s the right time to investigate our options to unlock that value,” said William Lynch, Chief Executive Officer of Barnes & Noble. “In NOOK, we’ve established one of the world’s best retail platforms for the sale of digital copyright content. We have a large and growing installed base of millions of satisfied customers buying digital content from us, and we have a NOOK business that’s growing rapidly year-over-year and should be approximately $1.5 billion in comparable sales this fiscal year. Between continued projected growth in the U.S., and the opportunity for NOOK internationally in the next 12 months, we expect the business to continue to scale rapidly for the foreseeable future.”

Pros

• Easy to use. I clip the device to my bra, because it is very stable there, and other than that, I don’t have to do anything with it all day.
• Lots of data. Of course, I do look at it all day, because you can get a lot of data just on the device itself. With the push of a few buttons, I can see how many steps I’ve taken so far in the day, how far I have gone, how many calories I have burned (approximately), how many flights of stairs I’ve climbed (or hills with at least 10 feet in height gain), a flower that gives an indication of my overall activity level, and the time.
• Great website. On the website, I can see even more data: how much time I have been sedentary, lightly active, fairly active or very active, how many times I woke up during the night and how much actual sleep I got, badges that I have earned and my rank compared to other fitbit users.
• Food logs. Although I don’t believe in dieting, I do believe in the importance of eating healthy food. Logging what I eat makes me more aware when I am eating bad stuff and when I am not eating enough good stuff. I don’t really pay attention to the calorie totals–I look at them, but if I am hungry, I eat something, whether I have calories left according to the food goal or not.
• Motivation to move. Just looking at the stats on my daily exercise makes me want to move more. Exercise is so important to health, whether it leads to weight loss or not. Whenever I use a good pedometer (this is not the first one I have had, but it is the best, thanks to the additional information beyond step counts), I am surprised to find  both how easy and how hard it is to get to 10,000 steps in one day. If you take the long way whenever you go somewhere and get in a 30 minute walk or two, it isn’t that hard to reach the goal, but on the other hand, if you aren’t paying attention and you have a desk job, it is easy to miss it, too.

Cons

• Emphasis on weight loss. Much of the community support centers around weight loss. This isn’t surprising, given our cultural emphasis on dieting, but I don’t like it. I certainly won’t mind if I lose a bit of weight thanks to this device, but that isn’t my goal–my goal is to be healthy. Too much emphasis on weight loss often leads to less than healthy choices, in my experience.
• Food logs can be difficult to use. There is no way to add a recipe and have the nutrition calculated for the whole recipe. It is sometimes hard to know which food to choose when you search on a particular food. You can add an item with nutrition information, and there is good information on restaurant meals, but for someone who does a lot of home cooking, it can be time-consuming and tedious to log. This really isn’t a huge deal for me since I don’t care if I am exact on the calories, but if you are, it is a bit difficult.
• You can only sync through the base. I have the base hooked up to my home PC, so the website is out of date all day long while I am at work. Come to think of it, though, that may be a benefit–I can’t spend as much time osbsessively checking my stats when I should be working. I can still keep track of all data points that are available on the fitbit itself, so it continues to motivate me to move throughout the day. In theory, you can get a second base for charging and syncing for your work computer, but I cannot find a way to purchase one separately.

There is a lot of integration with other networks and devices available. You can hook your account up to Facebook, Twitter, WordPress and Foursquare for more social interaction. I enjoy finding friends that are using the site for some friendly competition and support. You can also connect your fitbit account to Microsoft HealthVault, which will allow you to export and store historical data free of charge. There is an iPhone app to help you log food and water on the go. You can get additional detail and analysis by purchasing a Premium membership at $49.99/year. It isn’t necessary, because you can get a lot of information without it, but you can get more detailed reports and easily export your data into Excel with the membership.

Overall, I love my fitbit. I exercise more, and I feel like I am eating more healthily. Mostly, though, the exercise is awesome. I feel like I am getting more toned, and I just feel better when I move more. This isn’t a terribly cheap device at $99.95, but I feel that the value I am getting is worth the price. Also, according to the forums on the site, several people have gotten free replacements when their unit was not working correctly, so that is an awesome benefit. I am glad I have this gadget–like I said above, gadgets are awesome! If they come with charts and data, so much the better! This is highly recommended.

Facebook

Facebook users can currently “check-in” but that didn’t stop them from absorbing the technology founders behind “check-in” service Gowalla. The odd thing is that Facebook does not plan to use the Gowalla service. They are also closing the current service.

According to Reuters, “In talking with the Gowalla team, we realized that we share many of the same goals: building great products that reach millions of people, making a big impact quickly, and creating new ways for people to connect and share what’s going on in their lives,” Facebook said in an emailed statement on Monday.

“While Facebook isn’t acquiring the Gowalla service or technology, we’re sure that the inspiration behind Gowalla will make its way into Facebook over time,” the company said.

It will be interesting to see what Facebook is looking to do with the technology in the future.

Kindle Fire
Price: 199.00
Rating: All Ages
Recommended by: Trina

The Kindle Fire has amazing specs for a tablet that is only $199. If you can do without a camera, this may be the best tablet for your dollars. The Silk Browser will provide even faster web browsing and while the tablet has a dual core processor, it works faster by storing things on the cloud for easy accessibility. I also like the User Interface on the tablet, something tablets other than Apple’s have not been able to master.

iPad
Price: Starting at $499.
Rating: All Ages
Recommended by: Trina

How can you not recommend an iPad for anyone that may not have one yet. Yes, a competitor is on this list, but if you really want something that is established, has a great apps and games library. It’s easy to use and from what I see, kids quickly know how to use it. Throw some educational games on there and pretty soon you’ll have them entertained and learning!

Griffin Crayola Trace & Draw Case:
Price: 39.95
Rating:  All Ages (Designed more so for children)
Recommended by: Netzach

Whenever I talk to parents about the gadgets they they buy, other then the “I use it for work.” statement that I get, the second statement that I get is “My kids can play with it.” For those gadgets lovers with kids, this is a case is great for you. This cases not only protects the IPad, but it turns the IPad into a art table for you little one.The case snaps around the IPad with ease of getting it off and on for kids use. The case comes with a free trace and draw app for the IPad. Best part, it has been kid tested!

Skullcandy Headphones
Price: 29.99-149.99
Rating: Pre-Teens-Teenagers
Recommend by : Netzach

I don’t know about you, but I see more and more teenagers and preteens walking about with headphones either in their ears or around their ears. Down the hall way, sitting at the bus stop, or even walking through the mall in packs.  Trust me, I was one of them while I was in university. But since I have been working at Gaming Angels, I understand the need for a great pair of headphones. Skullcandy headphones are a great brand of headphones, that offer great sound quality. The designs and styles range so that you can pick out a pair that really show off the wearers personality.  Not to mention that it

Note to parents: Please talk to you child about the volume levels of their music. I spend a lot of time in my profession telling kids that if I can hear their music half way down the hall, it is too loud. I would suggest that if they won’t turn it down, then opt for a set of headphones that do not go directly into the ear. Though most headphones that go over the ears now are a little more pricer then in ear headphones.

Turtle Beaches:

Price: 29.99-270.00
Rating: Everyone
Recommend by: Netzach

Now, from music headphones to gaming headphones. I recommend the Turtle Beach brand of headphones. I have been using these headphones for the last little while and were introduced to them while playing Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.  The sound quality is superb, and I found that not only could I hear all the action within game, but I was able to block out the external sound around me. No more distractions while trying to get that last kill.  Also, the headsets are comfortable, and hardly any sound escapes. Which means that someone can watch a movie in piece while someone else plays their  games. These headsets come in varieties for the Playsation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. If you are ordering for a person with all systems I would suggest to get a headset that is compatible with all systems. If not, look under each headset type and see what you believe you need.  Remember, some headsets are used to amplify the stereo sound and other have soundround sound build into them. It depends on price range, and what you think would be best for you gaming geek.

Mimobot Flash Drive
Price: 19.95-22.95
Rating: Everyone
Recommend by: Netzach

You got that techy person for secret santa? No problem! I don’t know how many time I can recommend these awesome little USB drives of style. These drives come in a variety of popular culture reference (Batman, Transformers, Star Wars, Hello Kitty, and Emily Strange), and artistic renditions. (Tokidoki etc.) There is really something for everyone when it comes to these cool little flash drives.

We’re only a few days before Thanksgiving which means it’s time to get ready for tons of great food and fun with family and friends. I hate cooking. Spending a full day inside cooking while others are having fun is not my idea of enjoying a holiday. But I’m willing to take on parts of the cooking detail if I get to play with some cool gadgets. The following are top five gadgets and applications that I think are pretty cool. Comment below with what you are going to use this turkey day.

1. Emerson Wine Bottle Opener: I received this as a wedding gift from my friend Robin and it’s changed my world. As someone with joint issues, this takes all the pain out of opening a wine bottle. You just peel the foil, place it over the top of the bottle push the button and it grabs the cork. Then you press a button to reverse it so the cork falls out of the opener. It’s easy and will be very handy if you have to spend a long time with the in-laws.

2. Turkey Fryer: This may be the most dangerous thing on the list, but is totally worth it. Everything tastes better deep fried right? It’s also a great thing to do for a secondary Thanksgiving with friends. Trust me, you’ll start searching for anything you can deep fry within minutes. Just be very careful. Operator probably should not have wine.

3. Infared Temperature gauge: I love this because then you don’t have to worry about a)getting dirty and b) reading it incorrectly. The only problem is that it’s on backorder right now, but you can order it to be ready next year.

4. Thanksgiving Menu Maker: This free app is for the iPhone and iPad and is really popular for helping to create the perfect Thanksgiving menu. Also it allows you to be daring and try to make one new thing on the menu this year.

"Can I play with you? Can I play with you...please?"

5. Kinect with Dance Central 2: To get out of the food coma you need a Kinect and Dance Central 2. Burn those calories that way you’ll have room for desert guilt free! You didn’t think I could make this list without adding some gaming! Another great group game is You Don’t Know Jack

To begin with, the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Collectors Edition controller for the Playstation 3. Would be
considered one stylish controller. This controller features analog sticks which are concave  and a D-Pad which is fully functional. The style is much like the “old school” D-pads, of earlier controller of the gaming era. Not only are the gamin button features there, the style is beautiful with the black and carbon colouring, grips on the handles, and the “night vision” green glow of the MW3 logo.  The controller retails for 49.99.

The Call of Duty: Black Ops Collectors Edition wireless headset for the Wii is another addition to the gaming gear spectrum. This is a sleek and sexy looking black headset with the Call of Duty logo on the ear piece. The headset is suppose to provide clear sound, for while you are playing these first person shooters.  The headset also works with both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, and Call of Duty: Black Ops.