It’s thin… really thin.

Apple has completely redefined its iPod Nano with a very thin square look, 2-inch screen, and metal finish. It has also upgraded the user interface to include cover flow and even games. Still available in 4GB and 8GB, the iPod Nano is now available in blue, metal, green, purple, and PRODUCT (RED).

Links:  

• iPod Nano on Apple
• iPod Nano on Amazon

Leading off the updated Apple product lineup is the refreshed iPod Shuffle. Still a small clip on music player with 1GB capacity, the iPod Shuffle is now available in blue, metal, green, purple, and now also in PRODUCT (RED). You can pick one up at Apple for $79 or save a few cents on Amazon.

Links:  

• iPod Shuffle on Apple
• iPod Shuffle on Amazon

Looking through some of our stats, we noticed that quite a few people have reached our site while looking for Transformers Alternators Corvette Autobot Tracks.

Transformers Alternators is a line of 27 different 1:24 scale accurate Transformer models of real vehicles. In this case, Swerve is an Autobot Transformer based on a real-life Chevrolet Corvette C5 Z06. Since it is nearly sold-out everywhere, we are posting links below to various stores that may have it available.

Links:  

• Transformers Alternators Corvette Autobot Tracks (Amazon.com)
• All Transformer Alternators (Amazon.com)
• Transformers Shop (Amazon.com)
• Transformers Shop (toysrus.com)
• Transformers Shop (WalMart)
• Transformers Shop (eToys)

Amazon has just discounted the Xbox 360 Premium (that’s the Xbox with a 20GB Hard Drive) to $329.99. Just this week, Microsoft reduced the price to $349.99 and now Amazon is discounting it another $20.

Link:  Xbox 360 Console Including 20GB Hard Drive

There is all kinds of noise on the Internet today about a rebate for the Toshiba HD-A2 HD-DVD Player. Since this HD-DVD players sells everywhere for around $400, this $100 rebate brings the price down to a very manageable and tempting $300.

While we encourage and support rebates, we found a much quicker way for you to get this player for that price (even a couple dollars less) without having to fill out forms and wait 6-8 weeks for a check. Amazon has already reduced the price by $100 so you can buy it right now for $296.99 (yes, it’s in stock and eligible for Prime shipping or free Super Saver shipping).

The specs for the Toshiba HD-A2 include HD-DVD playback at 720p/1080i with audio support for Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS HD, along with the usual Dolby Digital and DTS. It up-converts standard DVDs to HD via HDMI and includes Ethernet, component video, s-video, and composite video connections.

If you ever wondered where Amazon hides their lists of discounted products (from 10% off to 90% off), look no further. The list below includes links to all the official discount pages on Amazon. Make sure to bookmark these links as Amazon constantly reduces items.

Apparel and Accessories:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Beauty:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Bed and Bath:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Books:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Camera and Photo:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Cell Phones and Service:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Computers and PC Hardware:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Computers and Video Games:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
DVD:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Electronics:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Furniture and Decor:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Gourmet Food:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
GPS and Navigation:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Grocery:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Health and Personal Care:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Home and Garden:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Jewelry and Watches:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Kitchen and Housewares:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Magazines and Newspapers:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Musical Instruments:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Office Products:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Outdoor Living:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Pet Supplies:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Shoes:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Software:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Sports and Outdoors:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Tools and Hardware:	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
Toys and Games :	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%

Turn the lights off on another week. Learnings:

• The world’s smallest and lightest helicopter makes a great stocking stuffer
• Kids like toys that make loud noises
• Time is running out on printing holiday cards and photos
• Seems like everyone is pushing last minute gifts
• There is still no excuse to holding back in-demand products

Rush over now, before the clock strikes Midnight PST, and sign up to be eligible to buy a Nintendo Wii or a Playstation 3 (20GB or 60GB) from Amazon‘s Customer Vote. Just go to this page, login to your Amazon account, and sign up for one of the products. If you’re lucky, you will be notified that you’ve won and you will receive a claim code which will allow you to purchase the product on Tuesday. According to Amazon, your chances of wining are:

• Sony PS3 20GB – 22 to 1
• Nintendo Wii – 27 to 1
• Sony PS3 60GB – 43 to 1

Not bad, eh?

Link:  Amazon Customer Vote

The promotional materials for the next product leads off with “Harness all the energy and excitement of the Blue Man Group” but we really know this about harnessing that energy and excitement of kids who usually hit, bang, and slap everything in sight.

The Blue Man Group Percussion Tubes, based on the innovative percussion instruments created by those three guys with blue painted faces, features eight motion sensitive tubes that play sounds by simply waving the percussion sticks (meaning no drumming required, but I bet that won’t stop your kid from doing it). This battery powered musical toy comes with six different instruments including drums and xylophone. In a sign of the times, it also features an iPod/MP3 player dock which allows your kids to drum to music tracks.

This gift, great for your niece or nephew since you don’t have to deal with the noise, is designed for kids 8 and up and requires 4AA batteries. Selling at $60 to $70, it’s a top seller so keep checking these retailers to see if it’s in stock.

Links:  Blue Man Group Percussion Tubes at Amazon, Toys R Us, eToys, and Walmart

The clock is ticking on the holiday shopping season and we, for one, have learned quite a bit during this wild stretch. For example:

• Gifts can be fun and wacky, so surprise someone with joystick bling…
• … Unless it’s that special someone. Get her the real shiny stuff
• Music comes in all kinds of flavors: rich and beautiful with a free MP3 player, commercial free with a discount, or Latino
• Winter is here so start booking your ski trips and your summer getaways
• Vote soon and often because you may be randomly selected to buy an affordable Zune, a cheap grill, or a desirable TMX Elmo