I attended a jewelry party last week and the hostess had set out a card reading Only 14 Shopping Days Until Christmas! Uh, what? Her reasoning is that most of us don't have time to do any shopping during the week and we wait until the weekend. There were 14 weekend shopping days until Christmas. Now there are 12.

No matter what winter holiday you are shopping for, it's time to start thinking about what we're going to buy and for whom. You can't go wrong with a mobile device: it's portable, it's techy (which usually means it's sexy), and it's handy.

Stephanie at Peachy Green offers 10 Solar Gadgets - Green Gifts for the Holidays. My favorite on her list:

Solar Powered Charge Case for iPhone - Your iPhone (classic or 3G) owning friends and family will love this inexpensive gift (less than $50) which will not only recharges their device, but also protect it from scratches by a leather case. Solar panels on the outside of the case recharge the lithium battery when exposed to sunlight. Never worry about finding a suitable plug again.

The Flip Mino video camera ($159) has been a favorite of mine for the past few months. It holds 60 minutes worth of video, fits in my pocket, and the video quality is decent. However, Flip is now making an HD version of the camera for you. Katherine Boehret gives the low-down on the high-def version of the Flip (read her entire review for excellent information on the Flip).

Today, Pure Digital adds a high-def member to its family: the $230 Flip MinoHD. This handheld camcorder looks like the original Mino (more digital camera than video camera), but the MinoHD is capable of capturing high-definition footage in 1280×720 pixel resolution, or 720p. (The regular Mino records at 640×480 pixels.)

Both cameras can be personalized with colorful designs that people can either make themselves or select from TheFlip.com. It’s also possible to upload personal photos to decorate the camcorder. This personalization process is free on new Minos, but people who want to personalize Minos they already own are out of luck.

For those people on your list who aren't quite as techy, but do like to check e-mail, consider the Peek. I know two people who have used the Peek and both really liked how easy it is to set up and use. Michelle at Scribbit says:

Andrew has a Blackberry that he keeps at his side at all times but the thing kind of intimidates me. As much as I like gadgets I'm never good at figuring out how to use them and all the dials and keypads and functions to his device have turned me off rather.

However even I was able to use the Peek and within about ten minutes I'd got it started, set it up and was checking my emails like I'd been doing it for years, it's that easy to use.

The Kindle is another mobile device that has enjoyed a lot of press in the last year. My first question to my friends who covet a Kindle is Why not just read a book? Their answer: Because if you're traveling books can take up a lot of space and they're heavy. The Kindle can store over 200 books and it only weighs 10.3 oz. The screen looks and reads like paper so there is little eye strain. But are those things enough to warrant the price tag (a Kindle is $359)? Some owners think so. Sassymonkey wrote Kindle One of Oprah's Favorite Things in October and covered why people love it and what an Oprah endorsement may mean for the Kindle.

Sex On My Desk at iVillage has a list Guy Gift Ideas for the Holidays (though I'd argue that these gifts are appropriate for the tech woman in your life as well). I could definitely go for an iPod accessible stereo. I drive a seven-year-old minivan. Not to dis the mini, I love my van, but it's annoying that I can't listen to my iPod while running errands, picking up the kids, hiding, etc. (What? You don't occasionally find refuge in your minivan?)

Want to Find Gadgets for Less?

Black Friday isn't officially until the Friday after Thanksgiving in the US. However, ads are being leaked and discussed. There are also a few places you can go online to do price comparisons to ensure you're paying the lowest possible price (be sure to consider shipping costs when comparing prices).

• Dr. Augustine has an overview of a new site called Beat My Price. Beat My Price will help you find the lowest price for whatever you're considering buying.
• PriceGrabber.com
• MySimon.com
• Black Friday Ads
• BlackFriday.info
• BlackFridayAds.com

Melanie Nelson writes tips and instructions for beginning bloggers at Blogging Basics 101.