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.

To celebrate 50 years of Sanrio, they decided to tour America with their Small Gift Pop Up Shops. I visited their Los Angeles stop but you can still catch the stops in Atlanta and Miami. Find all the information here about the events. If you are unable to make those locations, you can still purchase some of the special anniversary items on the Sanrio website here. There was a sweater at the shop in LA that I really wanted but they ran out in my size. So I was told to watch the Sanrio website because they will be adding exclusive items weekly. Which means there is still a chance I can get my hands on that awesome sweatshirt.

The event itself was amazing. Every Hello Kitty fan would have lost it just walking in! It was Sanrio paradise. In the middle of the hanger was a indoor minature golf as well as a full carnival for kids! They had prizes you can win and crafts that the kids could make. It was wonderful to see so many families having fun at the event. Boys and young girls were having a great time.

Sanrio also had some of the popular food trucks stop by. But I had no cash, so I proceeded to walk around the place. The female dj kept the music going throughout the event. The characters came out to take pictures with fans.

My favorite part of the show was the art gallery. It was amazing and in the picture gallery is only a sampling of what I saw. I ended up buying two prints, but I wanted so much more! My poor wallet was yelling at me to get out of there. I enjoyed the experience of seeing how other artists interpret Sanrio’s famous characters.

The one negative of the entire event was the pop up shop. The line was HUGE. Huge might be an understatement. It took two hours to get through the line, and then they were out of the one item I wanted. It was a HUGE FAIL. I thought they could have moved the line faster and have designed the store so that more people could get in. You had to wait in the line just to even see what was on sale.

In the end, I’m still in love with Sanrio and I hope that this tour helps many new young fans fall in love too. I hope you enjoy my pictures from the event!

Hello Kitty’s birthday was yesterday! Around the world there are and will be celebrations. One way to celebrate is to show your Hello Kitty love by wearing Sanrio themed Dr. Martens. Yes, the awesome boots and mary janes creator has teamed up with Sanrio to offer three types of shoes that celebrate Hello Kitty style.

Each package comes wrapped in 50th Anniversary packaging. They are limited edition and are the normal price for Dr. Martens. But totally worth it for HK fans!

If you’re brand-new to the whole “wedding planning” thing, you might not know that there are people out there in the world that can do amazing things with pastries. Cakes, more specifically. And if you think you’d be the first person to ask for a video game cake, well, you’d be wrong. To wit, the best Mario cake I’ve ever seen:

Cake by Let Them Eat Cake, who have another Mario cake on their website.

This is the best way to be sure that gaming has prominent placement. Find a talented cake artist, sit down with them, and work out a plan.

By Japanda, though she doesn't appear to have them for sale

However, this isn’t always cost-effective. In fact, I’ll go out on a limb and say that it’s one of the most expensive wedding options you can choose. If you’ve got the cash and no complaints from anyone who might be helping you pay for the whole event, go for it!

But if you’ve got a strict budget or parents that might not approve of geeky things taking such a prominent place in the reception (the cake is a very big deal, after all), don’t despair! There are more options for you, specifically a cake topper themed to your favorite game or other favorite part of geek culture.

One of the first stops you should make when you look for anything handmade or offbeat for your wedding is Etsy. You can create an alchemy listing to get crafters signing up to make a custom creation, or do a search and see what’s already been made.

For instance, Mario and Peach have already gotten the topper treatment. Etsy seller Hildoom has a few different kinds of “plumber and princess” cake toppers, from simple to complex. She also features a kitty bride and groom that @gamingangel would love, given her Hello Kitty fixation. Her hand-sculpted wedding cake toppers range from $50 to $150.

Etsy artists have already stepped onto tons of other geeky territory for wedding celebrations, as well. Try out this wooden Han Solo and Princess Leia if you love Star Wars, these bride and groom Domo-kuns, or even a set of vintage zombies. (Etsy sellers love zombies in weddings, if these links are any indicator.) Even if you love Sanrio, there’s a topper for you.

The Etsy route might not be for the most frugal brides, given that handmade items are typically still expensive – it takes a lot of time and love to make what you’re buying, after all. It’s definitely more affordable than an entire themed cake, though.

There are also more places to look than Etsy. Googling Halo wedding cake toppers led me to this special set of Halo toppers by Blackash. Artists are everywhere online, and it’s easy enough for you to find them!

If none of these have piqued your interest, trust me, there’s more. Try Paul Pape’s Mii wedding cake toppers on for size. If you don’t like Miis, he can do the Xbox 360 versions of your avatars instead. He’s actually got an entire section of geeky wedding cake toppers for your perusal.

You can get as little or as much customization as you want on these, and there are two different price levels associated with amounts of specificity.

993366;">The “Basic” level of customization pretty much gets you two figurines with one body painted white, and the other black. This costs $200. On the other hand, if you want to go all out, the “Deluxe” model is for you. $300 gets your groom in his actual tux, the bride figurine in a dress just like the bride’s (assuming you have a picture of it), and even a couple of accessories, like an Xbox controller (suitable for the Xbox avatar’s hands, natch!) or cell phone for no extra cost. Paul is also able to add pets or children to the topper for a little extra. These, of course, take a while to make, so be sure to order yours way in advance.

If none of these options work for you, don’t despair! If you still want a geeky topper, try finding poseable action figures and seeing what you can do with them. Lucky for us, there are action figures out there for tons of games. The problem comes in finding one that has enough articulate joints to get it in an appropriate position!

The Halo figures to the right definitely have enough, but more collectable dolls action figures might not be so easy to pose.

The solution? Try using kids’ toys instead of the more limited-edition versions if you can. They’re designed to cater to a child’s imagination, and are therefore a lot more poseable. You’ll have your characters’ fingers entwined in no time!

If the characters you’re looking for don’t have a topper, anyone willing to sculpt it, or an action figure, you might think you’re stuck with the traditional bride and groom. If you’ve got the right skills, you can make your own! Try your hand at sculpting with polymer clay, or paint your own figures. If you’re wanting a Sackboy like the one featured above, and you know how to crochet, you might be able to make your own, thanks to this tutorial posted on Offbeat Bride. Sure, it’ll take some time, but the end result is definitely worth it, and from then on, you’ll be able to make your own Sackperson whenever you want!

The moral of the story here is that even if you can’t make the entire wedding and reception 100% gamer chic, there are tons of ways to add your own touch – and a lot of these definitely take the cake when it comes to cuteness.

The collectible version includes $15 in Sanrio Cash Points, a choice of one of four virtual pets, the game client on DVD (beats wasting time downloading it), an 82-page full-color game manual and collector’s postcards.

HKO integrates gaming with social networking features by allowing players to keep blogs, share videos and send special Hello Kitty email. The game itself promises to keep your kids (or, let’s face it, you) busy with a storyline, quests to complete, farms, guilds and more.

“Offering Hello Kitty Online as a retail SKU makes for a great addition to the Sanrio Digital line-up of Hello Kitty gaming SKUs Zoo offers at retail in North America, “ said Mark Seremet, CEO, Zoo Entertainment. “We are excited to bring HKO to retail for the fall and holiday season.”

Hello Kitty Online retails for $20.

Sanrio is celebrating 50 years of bringing the world a dose of cute. To celebrate, they are teaming up with Build-A-Bear Workshop to allow fans to make-their-own Sanrio friends. Chococat, Keroppi, and My Melody will be joined by Hello Kitty at the store.

The partnership starts on August 20 and lasts until supplies run out. Hello Kitty and Sanrio characters will also be featured in the online virtual worlds of Build-A-Bear.

“We are excited to celebrate this special milestone by partnering to introduce an extended variety of make-your-own Sanrio friends,” said Founder and Chief Executive Bear of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Maxine Clark. “Our Guests will delight in the opportunity to share some fun with Hello Kitty together with all her new friends.”

Guests can actually RSVP buildabear.com/rsvp to make an appointment during August 20-22. With the RSVP, guests can gt two free Sanrio tiny clips with purchase of a new Sanrio Collection Friend. I’m pretty sure I’ll collect them all.

Both Saniro and AERIAL7  joined forces to create a fashion forward headset the produces superior sound technology which has been know to be very popular within the DJ community.  The headset itself000000"> features Hello Kitty on the ear cups, with soft black and white printed ear cushions and “HELLO KITTY” printed across the adjustable reinforced headband.

The headset will be avaiable at a number of major retailers such as HotTopic, Urban Outfitters, Kitson, FYE, Saniro Stores, as well as online at sanrio.com and aerial7.com. Currently there is no suggested retail price.

At Royal T last year we went to a Hello Kitty anniversary party. At the party, we tasted the Hello Kitty wine and Rose sparkling wine. Which tastes amazing!

If you are in the Southern California area, Patrizia Torti of Tenimenti Castelrotto Torti, the source of the Hello Kitty wine will be at Wine Expo in Santa Monica from 11:30 – 1pm signing bottles and chatting. Maybe we can get an interview! I’ll be definitely having her sign a few bottles since I want to have the Sparkling wine at my wedding.

Here’s the address for Wine Expo:
WINE EXPO
2933 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica 90404

Our pictures from the Hello Kitty anniversary party are below if you missed them!

Loveshroom Necklace

Lately we’ve been talking a bit more about fashion for the female gamer on GamingAngels, showcasing some online stores and upcoming lines of clothing and accessories aimed towards those of us who are a bit older but still want to flaunt our love of gaming and geekery. Etsy is one of those great online destinations when you are looking to find unique items.

Glamasauraus opened on Etsy just over two years ago, but Andreanna has been crafting since… well, forever! A stay at home mom, she juggles taking care of her daughter as well as creating and running her Etsy store. Glamasaurus boasts an awesome 100% satisfaction rating and features an amazing variety of fashion accessories and hand-made figurines. I’ve already spotted a good $300 worth of things that I wish I had the money to splurge on right now, as well as seen a few items I wouldn’t mind customized.

Mario & 1Up Earring Set

As a gamer, my eyes went straight to anything and everything Mario Bros. The Loveshroom Necklace (pictured above), the I wanna be Super Mario or Get a Life cufflinks, even the Mario & 1Up earring set which I couldn’t wear because I don’t have pierced ears but considered re-piercing for a moment shortly after seeing them – all are great pieces for sprucing up our Spring wardrobes. There are more than just gaming goodies to be found. If you are a Hello Kitty fan, into gothic lolita, or you just like cute hand-made crafts, you will find definitely find a few items in Glamasaurus’ store that will make you wish you had more money in your wallet.

Well, you might get to start your collection sooner rather than later with a little help from Andreanna! From now until May 31st, simply leave a comment letting us know what you think of her shop or any pieces from her shop to be entered to win a $30 gift certificate towards any item from the Glamasaurus store. The contest is open to anyone who wants to enter and is limited to one entry per person. And if you can’t wait that long, Glamasaurus is currently offering free shipping until May 12th on orders over $30.

And now for a piece of Hello Kitty inspired bling because so many of you love Hello Kitty.

Angel Kitty Cameo

]]> http://www.gamingangels.com/2010/05/glam-up-your-style-with-glamasaurus/feed/ 71 http://www.gamingangels.com/2010/02/neverending-story-fairytale-fantasy-obsession-exhibit/ http://www.gamingangels.com/2010/02/neverending-story-fairytale-fantasy-obsession-exhibit/#comments Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:00:22 +0000 GamingAngel http://www.gamingangels.com/?p=26373

I love fairytales and I also love Royal/T. Royal/T is the maid cafe we last visited for the Hello Kitty Anniversary exhibit. Today we visit Royal/T again for a press event to check out their brand new exhibit examining fairy tales and it’s contemporary expression, fantasy.

We’re incredibly excited to check out the works curated by Laura Hoptman, Senior Curator of the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York. The exhibit will cover art from US, Europe, and Asia over the past decade.

We’ll be at the Opening Reception taking video and pictures of the event as they invite press to “Fall down the rabbit hole”. They promise music from DJ Dave Mueller, themed appetizers, and Alice and Rabbit characters. I’ll have to break my diet..just for you.

I hope you’ll enjoy our coverage as we venture down into the rabbit hole to see the land of fairy tales. If you would like to see this exhibit, it is running from Feb. 5th – Aug. 4th, 2010. Go to Royal/T’s website for all the information.