Of course our MP3 players can be used for much more than music. Here's a great CD for those who want 25 minutes of relaxation at the end of a busy day. On your journey home, or relaxing in bed, listen to the soothing voice off hypnotherapist Georgia Foster on her CD Ultimate Unwind. Designed to induce a hypnotic state, this CD can help you to feel more positive, to release tension and to enter a deep relaxation.

You can download (£9.99) or buy the CD (£13.99) from www.spacetobe.co.uk.

This is a really cool ad for Beatles Rock Band released today.

Available from Amazon from £29.99 for the RockBand game or £179.99 for a bundle with PS3 XBox or Wii

It seems to be a day for surveys.  Panasonic have been observing our TV viewing habits and claim that despite the popularity of games machines, the TV is still the gadget that lies at the heart of the home.

I was really interested to see that 17% of the population are what Panasonic calls TV Minimalists.  This group watches less than 10.5 hours a week of television.    I guess Panasonic would have to put me in this group, as  I've long since got rid of mine.  Even with the plethora of TV channels, I don't find there's enough to interest me.  And since ditching the square screen the kids have become much more active, talk to us more, sleep more effectively and have a generally more interesting life.  However, they do still love their laptops and MP3 players.

I'm fascinated to see that 21% of homes have more than 4 TVs in their homes and 75% of homes have 2 or more TVs.  What are we all watching?!!!  Of the people Panasonic surveyed, 16% are labelled Chatterboxes - families who gather around the TV to chill and chat - so perhaps these aren't really watching anything in particular.   This group have the widest TV watching habits and have the TV on for around 21 hours a week.  By far the largest group at 31% was the Go-to-bed Square Eyes who also watch for 21 hours but sit down specifically to watch their TV and choose their programmes more discerningly.

Now my favourite gadget by far is my PC - both a work tool and a source of entertainment, it's a brilliant machine to have at the heart of the home.  Although I accept I'm unusual.

Still whether it's PCs or TVs that are your most favourite gadget, it's nice to know that there's a good range of them here on Gadgetspeak to have a look through for a nice honest opinion of what's the best out there.

Check out the TV reviews and the extensive list of PC reviews on Gadgetspeak.

And if you'd like to see the range of Panasonic TVs on sale right now - check them out here.

Here's an interesting survey for anyone who wants to find Christmas presents for left-handed friends and family.

According to the survey by Anything Left-Handed here are the presents our left-handed friends will be looking for:

1. Non-smudge Pens
2. Left-handed Scissors
3. Stationery Sets
4. Leather Conference Folders
5. Books about Famous Left-handers
6. Bread/Carving Knife
7. Corkscrew
8. Ergonomic Pens
9. Backwards Clock
10. Left-handed Playing Cards

Anything Left-Handed is a great site.  It's brightly coloured, easy to navigate and is serving a real need.

We love our mobiles and most of us wouldn't be without them.  However, they can be very dangerous and everyone should treat texting and driving as a socially unacceptable behaviour.

Gwent police have released a disturbing to watch and realistic film about the dangers of texting and driving.  I'd urge you to watch this and send the link onto others.

http://www.gwent.police.uk/leadnews.php?a=2172

News from Mobile Fun - the on-line retailer of Mobile Phones and Accessories:-

Mobile Fun tell us they are launching the lowest priced Nokia Sim Free handset with touch screen.  The Nokia 5530 Sim Free has a launch price of £199.95 and is now in stock from www.mobilefun.co.uk.  Nokia's latest touchscreen device for music lovers, the 5530 Xpress Music is a customizable smart phone that uses the latest touch based Symbian operating system. The operating system allows the user to flip through their music, photos and
contacts quickly and easily. 

The 5530 Xpress Music has a 2.9 inch screen and using its Wi-Fi connection can connect to the Ovi Music store to download music directly to the handset. Nokia has given the 5530 Xpress Music a faster processor allow fast switching between applications, pictures, video and music.

According to a survey out today by iome 20% of us have dropped our phone down the loo at some point in time.  Fully a third of us would feel lost without our phones and 25% of us would feel out of touch with our friends and family.  However, 12% of people would find loosing their mobile a positive experience, claiming it would make them feel free.

Phil Eames, CEO, iome said: “The survey demonstrates that many people now rely on their mobile devices to connect and interact with friends and contacts – whether via text, calling or even via mobile internet. The way

in which people communicate with one another has evolved over the years and the reliance we have on these devices is obvious. It is now seen as a multi-function device that enables conversation, social interaction and keeping up to speed with where your friends are and what they are doing, at any time.”

Personally I'd feel more lost without my PC and my yoga mat - I'm always being nagged for leaving my phone out of charge, off or at home!

What's the wierdest place you've left your phone and would you feel lost without it?

For further information on iome, visit http://www.io-me.com.

It's not often that a technology story surprises me, but this one from the BBC news website opened my eyes today.

It seems we are really on the way to seeing moving images in our newspapers.  Well at least, its happening in the US, so look out for it over here before we know it.   Video-in-print advertising is to appear in Entertainment Weekly.  A slimline screen around the size of a mobile phone display, that can contain as much as 40 minutes of video is being launched in the US magazine out on 18th September.

Check out the full BBC coverage here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8211209.stm

Way back when I worked in the mobile phone industry, when handheld mobiles were the latest thing, we used to dream of the time when mobile phones would take over the world.  Predicting when mobiles would eventually replace landlines was a daily pursuit as was the nirvana of one unit that would ' do it all'.  Now new research from www.rightmobilephone.co.uk tells us that our all singing all dancing mobiles are used by 1 in 5 Brits for internet usage, personal organisation, taking photos and even replacing the good old alarm clock.  Actually I'm surprised that it's not an even bigger number given the amount of functionality in phones these days

The research of 1,448 people found that 82% now own a mobile phone with 21% using their mobile phone to get them up in the morning, organise their day, take pictures of friends and family, use the internet and check their
emails.  A further 52% of Brits use their mobile phone as their alarm clock, of which 37% also use their mobile phones reminder facility to set alerts for meetings and days out with friends. In addition, 19% of respondents used their internet-enabled phone as their main or only source for internet access, including browsing the net,
interacting on social networking forums and dealing with emails; showing that for at least 1 in 4 people, the mobile phone has become their desired method of accessing the internet.

A little way to go then before the 'do it all' nirvana scenario but well on the way.

One for the girls!   We have mouse mats at our desks, now here's a heat protecting mat for your hair straighteners.  The mat is designed to protect your surfaces from the heat of straighteners and hair dryers.  The black (or pink) mat is a convenient size and what's more it changes colour when your straighteners are hot - a very handy safety feature.  My teenage daughter put it to the test and it was an instant hit.  No more standing them upright against the wall in her bedroom!  It's not a bad price either at under £10 and could prove a nice stocking pressie if you are thinking that far ahead.

The Gripeze is a heat resistant, non-slip silicone glitter mat designed for all hot hair tools and helps protect surfaces from heat damage up to 250C.  The mat is designed to grip most surfaces as well as the straighteners or tongs.  After use you can unplug your straighteners and leave them on the mat to cool down, or roll them up in the mat with the band provided.

It's a worthwhile investment to prevent damage to your carpet or dressing table - perhaps every mum should consider this mat an essential for teenage daughters!

Gripeze is available for £9.99 included P&P from  www.parmagray.com