mySimon Shopping Picks

How many tennis balls has your dog lost in the park, now that it's dark outside by the time you get home to walk him/her? Avoid having to look around for a loose stick; get one of these balls with LED lights. They're battery-powered and rugged enough to withstand a dog's jaws, and bright enough so your dog won't have trouble finding them. Added bonus: You won't have to risk stepping in something as you help Fido look for his tennis ball.

Would you believe the Get Smart box set comes out the same week the new James Bond movie hits theaters? The Emmy Award-winning spy spoof has been digitally restored and packaged in a 25-DVD collection that contains all 138 original episodes from the show's 1965-1970 TV run, plus more than 8 hours of bonus material. More great box sets.

What's even better than a cell phone with EV-DO, text/video/picture messaging, MP3 player, 2-megapixel camera, microSD card slot, and good call quality? A phone that has all that and a built-in hideaway Bluetooth headset. The LG Decoy is the first phone with such a feature. When you're not using the headset, you can store it right inside the phone. We love the idea of not having to buy a separate headset. And not having to turn our apartments/cars/backpacks upside down looking for loose gadgets.

Now that the election is over, something tells us there will still be strong demand for Obama apparel. You've probably seen this image of Barack Obama done by Shepard Fairey, the guy behind "Obey" and "Andre the Giant has a posse." It's available on tshirts for men and women in several different colors. Looking for something a little sexier? Hail to the brief.

Built by Alesis, a professional electronic drum manufacturer, the Ion Drum Rocker for Xbox 360 (other platforms coming later) delivers a set of four ultra-quiet pro-quality drum pads, a sturdy and highly configurable stand, cymbal pads, and a rock-solid metal kick drum pedal. So the better you get at Rock Band, the better you get at playing drums in real life. The Drum Rocker comes with 2 cymbals and mounting hardware out of the box, and a third cymbal (or a second bass pedal) is available as an optional accessory.

What is so exciting about Sorel boots, and why are so many people coming to mySimon to find them? Three reasons. First, Sorels combine leather uppers with rubber bottoms and removable felt liners, so you stay both warm and dry. Second, Sorels are comfortable enough for just about any outdoor winter activity. And third, they're surprisingly affordable as far as rugged, waterproof winter boots go. (The "Joan of Arctic" boots shown here cost around $120.) Oh wait, we've got one more: They're not ugly.

No fireplace at home? You've got several options: 1) make a bonfire in a bucket, 2) watch a DVD of a burning log, or 3) get an electric fireplace. Since the first option is dangerous and the second is just embarrassing, take a look at some of these electric fireplaces. They're not as expensive as we thought they would be (the one shown here is under $300). Their fires look convincing; they emit heat (and are a lot more fun to look at than a boring space heater); and there's no messing with logs or ashes. Next step: Sheepskin rug.

Keep your hands warm this winter with a pair of UGG gloves. They're not exactly appropriate for dressy occasions (we wouldn't wear them to the opera, for example), but for day-to-day winter activities like shoveling snow, starting snowball fights, and commuting, they look a lot warmer and more comfortable than those Isotoners Mom puts under the tree every year. Choose from a variety of styles, colors, and lengths for men and women. And if you're bracing for bitter cold, UGG also makes coats.

Before you jump from the Sprint ship, check out the new Samsung Rant. Design-wise, it's similar to the LG Rumor, with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard (for fast and easy texting, IMing, and emailing), but it's also got EV-DO for high-speed data transfer and access to Sprint's music store, movie channels, and on-demand TV. Additional features include a 2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, and memory card slot. Right now the Rant is just $50 with a 2-year contract.

New from Belkin: The GoStudio, a device that lets you record high-quality audio (16-bit, 44kHz WAV files) directly onto your iPod's hard drive. Designed for musicians, journalists, podcasters, and students recording lectures, the GoStudio has 2 built-in microphones as well as professional XLR and 1/4" audio jacks (for recording from external microphones or mixing boards). When you're done recording, you can put your files into iTunes, edit them, or upload them to your blog/website/Facebook page.

We learned about this 2009 Sarah Palin calendar in this Wall Street Journal article. The calendar features 50 never-before-seen photographs of Palin (as governor and VP candidate) and her family. The photographer, Judy Patrick, a Palin friend and former Vice Mayor of Wasilla, admits to making the calendar because she needs money for a down payment on a condo in Anchorage. So buy the calendar if you want the photos, but keep in mind that none of the profits go to the Palin campaign. Note: There's also an Obama calendar.

Spotted: OMFGG, the first companion soundtrack to the hit CW series Gossip Girl. The 13-song compilation, which became available digitally last month, is now out on CD and features tracks from the Kills, the Virgins, the Teenagers, the Ting Tings, Phantom Planet, and other lonely indie-rock boys. You know you love this show, but we won't tell anyone. XOXO.

The new HP Mini 1000, like the Dell Inspiron Mini 9, isn't just a tiny laptop. It's a "netbook," which is loosely defined as a small, lightweight, affordable, energy-efficient laptop that's geared for Web surfing and emailing. The Mini 1000 is less than an inch thick but its keyboard, according to HP, is 92% as big as that of a full-size laptop. The netbook starts at $400; the base price includes Windows XP Home, an 8.9" screen, 512MB DDR2 system memory, mini webcam, 8GB hard drive, and Wireless-G card. But you can upgrade components if you're willing to pay a bit more.

The November issue of In Style magazine has a full-page feature called "The Better Sweater" on the perfect cashmere cardigan. The author picked up 11 cashmere cardigans under $250 from big chains and department stores, and them took them to a cashmere expert, who examined them all and proclaimed the Ann Taylor cardigan the winner. Why? Because of its dense knit, tight buttonhole closures, knit (not sewn-on) collar, and smooth hem and cuffs. The sweater comes in 4 colors and costs $159, but as of this writing, when you buy one you can get a second for 50% off. More cashmere cardigans.

Ever notice how manufacturers never show DVD players, cable boxes, and other electronic clutter next to their sleek, flat-screen TVs? Because all that stuff takes away from the minimalist look of the TVs. We're fantasizing about how much nicer our "entertainment center" would look with the 32" LG 32LG40 and its built-in, slot-loading DVD player on the side of the screen. The 720p TV also has an HD tuner, 3 HDMI inputs, a PC input, and comprehensive color temperature controls. More LG flat panel TVs.

Introducing the Logitech Squeezebox Boom, a high-tech boombox that CNET calls "the best all-in-one tabletop Wi-Fi radio (they've) seen to date, and well worth its $300 pricetag." Connect the Boom to your home network so you can enjoy all the music on your computer (on much better speakers), or connect it to the SqueezeNetwork, which gives you access to internet radio, Pandora, Rhapsody, Last.fm, and other music services. The device also has an alarm fuction, so you can wake up to your favorite playlists. And with a small footprint (it's just 5" high by 13" wide by 5" deep), the Boom fits nicely on a bookshelf.

The 10-megapixel Kodak EasyShare M1033 has almost everything we want in an ultracompact, easy-to-use digital camera: Good photos. Slim design. Huge screen. Face detection. 22 scene modes. And a budget price tag. We wish it had more than 3x zoom, but that's the standard for cameras you can fit in your pocket. This one makes up for it, we guess, by letting you shoot movies in HD. Choose from 5 colors. More ultracompact cameras.

We're not sure what to make of the EasyBloom plant sensor. It's a gadget that somehow reads and records all the environmental data - sunlight, shade, soil moisture levels - in a place where you either already have a plant or want to put one in the future. When you plug the gadget into your computer, it tells you what kind of plant would work best in that spot and how to help any ailing plants you already have there. Plus it gives you access to an online database with info on 5,000 plants (or help creating your own online database to track your garden). On the one hand, we can see how the EasyBloom might appeal to gadget lovers who weren't born with green thumbs, but isn't half the fun learning by trial and error? And can't you get all the gardening info you need for free online anyway? Do you know anyone who might actually use this product?

Getting sick of "sexy" Halloween costumes? Why not take it one step further with Promiscuous costumes? That's the actual brand name. We just discovered them at Zappos - who, by the way, does overnight shipping so there's still plenty of time to slut up for Halloween. Promiscuous makes racy versions of nurses, Disney characters, bugs, law enforcement officials, and superheroes, but our favorite is the boxer, shown here, because there is nothing sexier than being fit, strong, and fierce. The costume comes with a robe, hooded top, matching belt, shorts, and boxing gloves, so you can bust a move, fend off suitors, fight to the front of the beer line, and even reuse parts of the costume later on to work out. More Halloween costume ideas.

Big fingers (or long nails) can make typing on your iPhone or iPod Touch tricky. And even if you have small fingers and chewed-off nails, your iPhone is no match for the grease on your fingers after a bucket of KFC. Check out the Pogo, a lightweight stylus with a soft, durable tip that won't smudge or scratch your screen. It works just like your index finger, only better. The included clip keeps the stylus handy. Choose from 4 colors. More iPhone accessories.