Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Top Listmania!(TM) Lists: All Categories

Amazon publishes a list of "Top Listmania Lists," but it's not entirely clear how these lists are rated. Ratings don't seem to be based on helpful votes or number of times read -- at least not entirely. I suspect they are rated largely according to their conversion rates -- how likely readers are to actually purchase items from the list. That would certainly make sense from Amazon's point of view, and come to think of it, mine too.

For the most part these lists supply additional information beyond just the automatic pictures, prices, and links to product pages. Whether you find this information credible or not is your call, but apparently others have found it helpful, and that is a big plus!

  1. Some Cookbooks for a Creole or Cajun Kitchen
  2. My favorite Bond movies!
  3. Nick Hornby and Company!
  4. Doctor Who - Sixth Doctor (Baker Seasons 21-23)
  5. The Poetry of Ryokan
  6. Cool Passions I Profess
  7. Recommended Tanka Poetry Books
  8. Kanshi
  9. Refined Kabbalah
  10. Japanese Poetry
  11. Buddhism & Women - The Feminine
  12. The U.S. invasion of Vietnam
  13. Ryokan's poetry
  14. Haiku
  15. Zen Buddhism: Old-Style
  16. Japanese Novels and Stories in Good English
  17. Doctor Who - Third Doctor (Pertwee Seasons 7-11)
  18. Koto and Shakuhachi
  19. Doctor Who - Seventh Doctor (McCoy Seasons 24-26)
  20. Fun books about Chickens
  21. Top Ten UNIT Operations (Doctor Who)
  22. Issa - Haiku Poet
  23. Doctor Who - Fifth Doctor (Davison Seasons 19-21)
  24. Historical Fiction set in Asia (includes India)
  25. Off the Beaten Path in Historical Fiction
  26. Beautiful Kyoto
  27. Dharma Bum Inspiration
  28. Candlemaking Mysteries by Tim Myers
  29. Hanshan - Cold Mountain Poems
  30. Appreciation for Sanford Goldstein
  31. HK Fantasy
  32. Best Books I've Read This Year
  33. Buson - Haiku Poet and Painter
  34. Some Great Burton Watson Books
  35. Heroic Friendships
  36. Wandering Through Japan
  37. Basho - Haiku Master
  38. Intellectual Apothecary
  39. The Psychedelicon
  40. Great SciFi Books Harriet Klausner has NOT reviewed!
  41. Inspiring sci-fi and fantasy (yes, it does exist!)* under construction
  42. Qumran Cave
  43. Samurai - Origins to Warring States Part I
  44. Sweet ,Romantic DVDS
  45. Explorer Series - Complete*
  46. The Art of Andrey Tarkovsky
  47. my favorite music
  48. Welcome Oscar
  49. A Few Good Catholic Titles
  50. Amazon Shorts: GOLD-DUSTED-GATEWAYS into Star-Studded Minds.
  51. Doctor Who - Second Doctor (Thoughton Seasons 4-6)
  52. A little perfume goes a long way...
  53. Hemmingsonia!
  54. Czech books
  55. Autumn
  56. Doctor Who - First Doctor (Hartnell Seasons 1-4)
  57. Horror Books That Shouldn?t Be Missed
  58. Faith Scrapbooking
  59. Book Video Trailers!!!!!!!
  60. HUMOR IN MANY LANGUAGES
  61. Self, Soul & Consciousness; Physics, Philosophy & Biology of
  62. Books to Read Aloud to a Kid an Adult Can Love, Too
  63. Reading Films is Fun--Spanish Language Films
  64. "Rockin Good Stories, Good Wine, and Great Food"
  65. My Favorite Ambleside Online "Extras" List 1
  66. Doctor Who on DVD -- The New Series
  67. Doctor Who: The Handbooks
  68. Cifford Pickover
  69. Infinite Wealth of Knowledge and Networks
  70. Vernon Joynson
  71. I Feel Better Because of.......poems?
  72. Mystery in History
  73. Book clips, book videos, book trailers
  74. Not Your Typical Board Games
  75. 25 Mucho Fantastic Horror Stories
  76. What I've read in 2007 (to be updated)
  77. Stranded on a Deserted Isle With Just 5 Books
  78. The most underrated Doctor Who stories
  79. Third Set of The New Adventures (Virgin Doctor Who novels)
  80. LOVE HAS STRANGE WAYS
  81. A CLASSICAL SCHOLAR : MICHAEL GRANT (As Author&Translator)
  82. The Old Testament
  83. Rainbow Water
  84. Space-Age Cocktail Music
  85. Be a (Thinking) Conservative
  86. Best Doctor Who on DVD
  87. I really DO love Lucy!
  88. The Thinking Man's Guide to 30 Best Japanese Films on DVD
  89. Ghost Toasties Part II
  90. Historical Romances I've read and loved
  91. Great Music accompanied by Oscar Peterson
  92. Star Trek Movies--Best to Worst
  93. Not too cool for school--movies about school
  94. Kojeve and the End of History; Primary &some Secondary Texts


Amazon's Most Wished-For Electronics

In addition to their Gift Guides, Amazon.com publishes a series of "Most Wished-For" items, taken from customer's wish lists. Their gift guides generally parallel these wish-lists pretty closely, but sometimes there are significant differences.

Not too surprisingly, these Most Wished for Electronics tend to be a little more expensive than their "most gifted" counterparts.

  1. Apple 16 GB iPod touch
  2. Apple 4 GB iPod nano AAC/MP3 Player Silver (3rd Generation)
  3. Canon Digital Rebel XTi 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens (Black)
  4. Apple 80 GB iPod classic (Black)
  5. Apple 8 GB iPod nano AAC/MP3 Player Black (3rd Generation)
  6. Garmin nüvi 350 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
  7. Canon PowerShot A570IS 7.1MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
  8. Apple 8 GB iPod touch
  9. Canon PowerShot SD1000 7.1MP Digital Elph Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Silver)
  10. Canon PowerShot SD850 IS 8.0 MP Digital Elph Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
  11. Zune 80 GB Digital Media Player Black (2nd Generation)
  12. Canon Digital Rebel XT 8MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 Lens (Black)
  13. Canon PowerShot Pro Series S5 IS 8.0MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
  14. Canon PowerShot SD800 IS 7.1MP Digital Elph Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Image-Stabilized Optical Zoom
  15. TomTom One, 3rd Edition 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Vehicle Navigator
  16. Apple 80 GB iPod classic Silver (6th Generation)
  17. Apple 160 GB iPod classic (Black)
  18. Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60-Minutes (Black)
  19. Garmin nüvi 360 3.5-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator
  20. Canon PowerShot A560 7.1MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
  21. Garmin nüvi 660 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator
  22. Apple 8 GB iPod nano AAC/MP3 Player Blue (3rd Generation)
  23. Sony Cybershot DSCW55 7.2MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Black)
  24. Nikon D40 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens
  25. Western Digital WDXMS1200TN Passport 120 GB USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive
  26. Toshiba HD-A3 720p/1080i HD DVD Player
  27. Sandisk SDMX4-4096 Sansa e260 4 GB MP3 Player with SD Expansion Slot
  28. Western Digital WDG1U5000 My Book Essential Edition 500 GB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive
  29. Canon PowerShot A720IS 8MP Digital Camera with 6x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
  30. Western Digital WDXMS2500TN Passport 250 GB USB Portable Hard Drive
  31. Garmin StreetPilot c340 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
  32. Magellan Maestro 3100 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
  33. Western Digital 160GB 2.5-inch Passport USB Portable Hard Drive
  34. Canon PowerShot G9 12.1MP Digital Camera with 6x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
  35. Apple 30 GB iPod AAC/MP3 Video Player Black (5.5 Generation)
  36. Apple 1 GB iPod shuffle Purple (3rd Generation)
  37. SanDisk SDMX4-2048-A70 Sansa e250 2 GB MP3 Player with microSD Expansion Slot
  38. Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
  39. Samsung LNT4661F 46" 1080p LCD HDTV
  40. Garmin nüvi 200 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
  41. Canon PowerShot SD870IS 8MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Silver)
  42. Zune 30 GB Digital Media Player (Black)
  43. Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Router
  44. Sony DCR-DVD108 DVD Handycam Camcorder with 40x Optical Zoom
  45. Nikon D40x 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens
  46. Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60-Minutes (White)
  47. Apple 1 GB iPod shuffle Silver (3rd Generation)
  48. Sony Cybershot DSCW55 7.2MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Pink)

Featured Brands



Amazon's Most Wished-For Video Games

In addition to their Gift Guides, Amazon.com publishes a series of "Most Wished-For" items, taken from customer's wish lists. Their gift guides generally parallel these wish-lists pretty closely, but sometimes there are significant differences. While these Most Wished for Video Games are substantially similar to the "most gifted" category this list places considerably more empahasis on the Nintendo Wii, which was in short supply at local retailers during the Christmas rush.

Please note when ordering these items that many games have been ported to more than one gaming platform, so you should double-check to ensure that you are getting the right game for your system.

  1. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
  2. Assassin's Creed (XBox 360)
  3. Mass Effect (XBox 360)
  4. Wii Nunchuk Controller (Wii)
  5. Wii Charge Station (Wii)
  6. Wii Zapper with Link's Crossbow Training (Wii)
  7. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (Nintendo DS)
  8. Halo 3 (XBox 360)
  9. BioShock (XBox 360)
  10. Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Wii)
  11. Wii Play with Wii Remote (Wii)
  12. New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo DS)
  13. The Orange Box (XBox 360)
  14. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PlayStation 3)
  15. PlayStation 3 80GB Motorstorm Pack (PlayStation 3)
  16. Assassin's Creed (PlayStation 3)
  17. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PC)
  18. Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day (Nintendo DS)
  19. Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii)
  20. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Wii)
  21. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PlayStation 3)
  22. Mario Party 8 (Wii)
  23. PlayStation 3 40GB Spider-Man Movie Pack (PlayStation 3)
  24. Mario Kart (Nintendo DS)
  25. Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings (Nintendo DS)
  26. Carnival Games (Wii)
  27. Wii Classic Controller (Wii)
  28. The Orange Box (PC)
  29. Nintendo DS Lite Onyx Black (Nintendo DS)
  30. Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (PlayStation 3)
  31. PlayStation 3 Wireless Sixaxis Controller (PlayStation 3)
  32. Xbox 360 Wireless Controller (XBox 360)
  33. Crysis (PC-DVD)
  34. Super Paper Mario (Wii)

Featured Brands



Amazon's Most Wished-For Cosmetics

In addition to their Gift Guides, Amazon.com publishes a series of "Most Wished-For" items, taken from customer's wish lists. Their gift guides generally parallel these wish-lists pretty closely, but sometimes there are significant differences.

Their Most Wished For in Beauty list is a good example: It appears that all Bare Escentuals products, and several other brands are now sold exclusively through Sephora, which may effect the terms of Amazon's Free Shipping offer (although Sephora is currently offering free shipping on orders of $50 or more)

If Santa didn't bring you the beauty & cosmetic items you were hoping for consider these popular products, just in time for that New Year's Eve soirée.

  1. Bare Escentuals bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation
  2. Bare Escentuals Get Started Eyes ($94 Value)
  3. Bare Escentuals Get Started Kit - Fairly Light/Light ($181 Value)
  4. Bare Escentuals Get Started Kit - Medium Beige/Medium ($181 Value)
  5. Burt's Bees Head To Toe Starter Kit
  6. Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil
  7. Bare Escentuals Smoky "V" Eye Tutorials ($54 Value)
  8. Bare Escentuals Classic Rock Flawless Diamond 9-Piece Color Collection ($145 Value)
  9. Marc Jacobs Daisy
  10. Vera Wang Princess
  11. Dior Diorshow Mascara
  12. Philosophy Hope in a Jar
  13. Sephora Brand Face & Eye Travel Tool Kit
  14. O.P.I. Russian Collection
  15. Bare Escentuals Buffing Brushes The Essential Collection ($87 Value)
  16. Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue
  17. Imju Fiberwig Fiberwig
  18. Bare Escentuals Wearable Lip Kit ($40 Value)
  19. Bare Escentuals Beyond the Basics ($110 Value)
  20. Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Multi-Tasking Face
  21. Stila Gift of Glaze
  22. philosophy cinnamon buns shampoo, body wash, and bubble bath
  23. philosophy amazing grace perfumed shampoo and shower gel
  24. Urban Decay Eyeshadow
  25. HAPPY For Women By CLINIQUE eau de parfum
  26. Sephora Brand Slim Pencil - Eye
  27. Philosophy All Stars
  28. DuWop Lip Venom
  29. philosophy amazing grace 4 piece pampering gift set
  30. Benefit Cosmetics Eye Bright
  31. The Body Shop Bath Pillow
  32. Bare Escentuals Wearable Eye Kit - Meet The Plums
  33. Dior J'adore
  34. Sephora Brand Luminous Trio
  35. Bare Escentuals bareVitamins Prime Time
  36. Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Eyeshadow
  37. Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Essential Brow Kit
  38. Bare Escentuals Wearable Eye Kit - Meet The Browns
  39. Bare Escentuals 100% Pure Moxie ($154 Value)
  40. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
  41. DKNY Be Delicious
  42. Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Liner Shadow
  43. OPI Classics
  44. L.A.M.B. Fragrance By Gwen Stefani

Featured Brands



Amazon.com's Featured Bar Sets

It's getting a little late for Christmas merchandise (of course January is another big month for sales, with all the exchanging, Gift Cards, and purchasing by people who didn't hint quite hard enough in December). Besides, New Year's Eve is coming, and there's just enough time to get those items you'll need for the perfect New Year's celebration!


LIMITED OFFER! Check out Amazon's Year-End Deals


Amazon.com publishes a series of gift guides, which change over time and may even disappear altogether. These snapshots are an excellent indication of what products are popular on any given day. While the content of the guide may vary, these bar sets should be around for a long time...

  1. Stainless Steel Wine Saver gift Set
  2. Metrokane 6-Piece Deluxe Rabbit Wine Tool Kit
  3. Pinzon 9-Piece Stainless-Steel Cocktail Bar Set
  4. Libbey Munich 7-Piece Beer Set
  5. Pike Street 5-Piece Red Bar Set
  6. OXO SteeL 1058010 7-Piece Barware Set
  7. Pinzon 12-Piece Martini and Wine Set in Aluminum Case
  8. Riedel Vinum Extreme Cabernet Decanter Gift Set
  9. Nor Pro Stainless Steel 8-piece Bar Set
  10. Riedel Vinum Cabernet Decanter Gift Set
  11. Metrokane VIP 7-Piece Bar Tool Set, Black (plus Caddy)
  12. MIU Stainless-Steel Bar Tool Set
  13. Metrokane VIP 7-Piece Bar Tool Set, Red
  14. Calphalon 3-Piece Stainless-Steel Martini Shaker Set
  15. Calphalon 3-Piece Boston Shaker Set
  16. Napa Essentials Lever-Operated Corkscrew
  17. WMF 7-Piece Stainless-Steel Bar Set
  18. Wüsthof 3-Piece Bar Set

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Monday, December 24, 2007

Emergency Gifts from Amazon.com

It doesn't happen every year -- but when it does, it seems like only yesterday. You've made your list, checked it twice, fought the crowds and brought home the bacon. Then, suddenly, somebody falls through the cracks. Maybe an old friend comes to town unexpectedly. Perhaps you know someone who's been on hard times lately and you know they'd feel bad if you got them something and they didn't have something for you...

There are so many ways it could happen, I won't go on. The point is: its Christmas Day and you're a gift short. A lot of people keep a couple of "generic" gifts on hand for just such emergencies, but it's too late for that now. What to do? (Alas!)

Amazon.com can help. Their online store is open all day Christmas, and there are quite a few "instant delivery" items available:

The first (and most obvious) is the ubiquitous Gift Card. These have gained wide acceptance in recent years, and many would actually rather pick out their own gift. Amazon gift cards are about as good as they come, since they never expire, generally include free shipping on orders over $25, and are redeemable for such a wide variety of products (NOT just books!)

You can send them via e-mail or with a Free E-Card, which can personalize your gift a bit.

Another option is a nice magazine subscription. These aren't actually delivered until they are published, but you can get a nice card notifying the recipient that a subscription has been started in their name.

Finally, Amazon has downloadable items for the digerati on your list. Mp3 music, Unbox Digital Video, and Amazon Shorts are all great gifts. For those who already have Kindle: Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device Amazon currently features over 90,000 Kindle Books. (All of these items can be purchased with Amazon's Gift Cards, which might be a convenient way to handle the transfer.)

Magazine Listmania!(TM)

  1. Magazine Junkie
  2. Magazines to raise consciousness.
  3. Newspapers and Magazines
  4. Magazines I Love
  5. Magazines for The Homeowner
  6. Magazines For Psychological and Physical Well Being
  7. great magazines for girls
  8. "Magazines About Women's Fitness", "Books About Holistic Healing"
  9. Great Kids Magazines
  10. Great Magazines
  11. My Favorite Magazines
  12. Five Magazines To Read To Understand the United States and The World
  13. Dragon Magazine, list 1 (Misc + issues 54-70)
  14. Magazines for the discerning reader
  15. GD Magazines
  16. Amy's Magazine Subscriptions
  17. My Favorite magazines
  18. Magazines for the Military Historian
  19. Progressive Polical Magazines
  20. Wizard Magazine 06'/07' Best Graphic Novels & Trades
  21. Video Game Magazines
  22. Mens Faves
  23. when i want to take a picture, i think of you
  24. Revistas en Español
  25. Fun, educational kids mags, III
  26. Crafts Magazine
  27. Magazine Faves
  28. Magazines I Want to Read
  29. Bargain magazine gifts under $10, part II
  30. Hot Magazines
  31. Magazines for Christian music fans
  32. Wonderful magazines that are hard to find
  33. Favorite Magazines
  34. Periodic Interest
  35. Books and Magazines Of Special Interest
  36. Gotta have these magazines
  37. How to lose a girl in 10 magazines
  38. Mainstream music and magazines that sould rot in hell
  39. My Mags: A little something for everyone (Random Order)
  40. Art Magazines
  41. Favorite Magazines
  42. Favourite UK Magazines
  43. My Favorite Craft Magazines
  44. Magazines: 10 Best
  45. Hobby Magazines - Radio Control
  46. Hearst Magazines
  47. Essential Magazines
  48. Recommended Magazines
  49. Magazines for Strategy Consultants
  50. My favorite magazines

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Amazon.com's Featured Geek Gifts

"Geek" was once a pejorative, but with internet start-ups selling for billions of dollars it now seems that everyone wants to get into the act. Here are some of Amazon.com's picks for geeks and geek wanna-bes, possibly approved by über-geek Jeff Bezos himself.

Amazon.com publishes a series of gift guides, which change over time and may even disappear altogether. These snapshots are an excellent indication of what products are popular on any given day. While the content of the guide may vary, these Gifts for geeks should be around for a long time...

  1. Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga
  2. Marry Me
  3. The Ghost Brigades (Sci Fi Essential Books)
  4. Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.5 (Episodes 10-20)
  5. The Marvel Encyclopedia
  6. PlayStation 3 40GB Spider-Man Movie Pack
  7. Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories Boxed Set (Kingdom Hearts (Graphic Novels))
  8. Mass Effect
  9. The Essential Guide to Alien Species (Star Wars)
  10. Penny Arcade Volume 4: Birds Are Weird (Penny Arcade)
  11. Leatherman 830039 New Wave Multitool with Leather Sheath
  12. Serenity (Widescreen Edition)
  13. Fawlty Towers - The Complete Series
  14. Final Fantasy XI Online: Wings of the Goddess Expansion Pack
  15. Crysis
  16. Mattel Magic 8 Ball
  17. 300
  18. Nerdcore Rising
  19. The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. - The Complete Series
  20. Ghost in the Shell SAC Complete Collection Box Set
  21. World of Warcraft 60 Day Pre-Paid Time Card
  22. Planet of the Apes - The Ultimate DVD Collection
  23. Logitech MX Revolution Cordless Laser Mouse
  24. Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
  25. Atari: The 80 Classic Games in One (Jewel Case)
  26. Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection, Vol. 12
  27. J.R.R. Tolkien Boxed Set (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings)
  28. Logitech Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remote Control
  29. The Ed Wood Box (Glen or Glenda / Jail Bait / Bride of the Monster / Plan 9 from Outer Space / Night of the Ghouls / The Haunted World of Ed Wood)
  30. Dune (Extended Edition)
  31. Sling Media Slingbox PRO (SB200-100)
  32. Hacking Firefox: More Than 150 Hacks, Mods, and Customizations (ExtremeTech)
  33. Doctor Who - The Key to Time Collection
  34. Arrested Development - The Complete Series (Seasons 1, 2, 3)
  35. The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus 16-Ton Megaset
  36. The Lord of the Rings and Philosophy: One Book to Rule Them All (Popular Culture and Philosophy)
  37. Only Revolutions: A Novel
  38. Star Trek The Original Series - The Complete First Season
  39. Mind Performance Hacks: Tips & Tools for Overclocking Your Brain (Hacks)
  40. Power Sentry 5-Outlet PowerSquid Power Multiplier
  41. How To Draw Manga Volume 26: Making Anime (How to Draw Manga)
  42. Star Trek: Music From The Original Television Soundtracks, Volumes One, Two And Three
  43. How to Do Everything with Your TiVo (How to Do Everything)
  44. Super Mario Galaxy

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