Listography - Top 5 gadgets

I have not taken part for absolutely ages in Kate's Listography, I think I hit a stumbling block with the listography about disastrous dates as I am afraid I don't have a very colourful love life behind me and struggled with it!

This one though I can do, I am not fussy about that many gadgets but t'husband is the gadget king, so I am surrounded by them and I do admit that some of them have proved their worth (but don't tell him that!).

In most essential order I think my list includes:

1. My phone - it is like my life, it literally beeps at me to tell me to get dressed, all my lists are in it to remind me to do things, the kids social life, swimming, school events etc, all my contacts and an even bigger bonus is the Internet connection. I would struggle without my phone despite the fact I hate the current one I have (an HTC Desire, I have had nothing but problems with it, and still have 6 months to go on my contract which is killing me. I have been told by Vodafone I can upgrade online aorund Christmas time but I bet I won't be able to get a new iPhone. I can not wait to change the HTC, and think I will try the iPhone out. I use to have an iTouch which I loved but t'husband broke it and I can't afford to replace it so the iPhone is not dissimilar and would do the same job as the iTouch as well as being a phone - bonus! Fingers crossed I am able to upgrade to one at Christmas).

2. A simple gadget in the kitchen is my pampered chef food chopper. I would of been lost without this especially when mini man was a baby as he refused to eat any type of lumps or vegetables so I use to chop all the veg down as small as possible and use it as a base for pasta sauce etc and it made life so quick and easy and also has the added advantage of being a good way to relieve any pent up tension through bashing the top of it with vigor.

3. Hair straighteners - these have become an essential part of making me look less scary in the mornings, I am not sure if it is an age thing that my hair now appears to be wild and uncontrollable or the fact I don't sit for hours blow drying it anymore, possibly the latter in hind sight!

4. The Internet - how did I manage without it? I use it for everything - shopping, bargain hunting, reviews, keeping in touch with people, the news, gossip, inspiration, and more importantly if I don't know something there is the magic, all knowing google. I love google. If I fancy cooking something and my trusty Good Housekeeping cookbook (which I also love) lets me down (which is rarely does I hasten to add) - I google things, I enjoy cooking and find looking on line for ideas great.

5. My camera - I was always the one when we went out with a camera hanging off my arm, I love capturing memories, I love revisiting places and events and the memories the photos create. I like the idea of capturing moments in time. I guess I could live without it if push came to shove but I would rather not.

 If you can add to the list, pop over to Kate Takes Five and join in.

By the way if my husband was doing this, god knows what would of made the list but it would not of been so boring, it would of been things like his X-streamer (a media streamer, although he wants the new one now), Xoom, garmen sat nav or something similar, blue tooth headphones he uses for gaming so I don't feel like I live in a war zone, this gadget from vodafone which he can use to connect to the Internet anywhere and god knows what else!

Cameras

Right I am looking for some advice here please.  A couple of years ago we bought a fantastic Sony digital camera. One of the small ones which fits really easily into my handbags (pre-children type size, not the suitcase I now carry around which would quite frankly fit the kitchen sink in along with all the cars, pens, pads, and transformers). Anyhow this Sony camera has been great, it fitted into suit jackets of t'husband at weddings as well and we loved it.

Recently I have taken it with me to conferences and it has been a godsend as I am able to take photos of the slides in presentations, and/or posters which make my job of writing the scientific report after the event infinitely easier. However  at the last conference, my poor camera decided to start having fits and just goes into shaking mode. It is like it is unable to stabilise on an image and shakes around thinking it will find its focus but never does. It makes a horrid buzzing noise as it does it as well.  I am gutted as I loved this little compact digital camera.

I am also the type of person who produces my camera at any given opportunity, I love capturing all moments, at Uni everyone always use to say they could rely on me to take photos of a good night out! Nowadays it is more about taking photos of the boys when out and about but once in a while I get a night out, maybe not quite as wild as pre-kids days but still good.

Anyhow I need a new camera and was wondering if anyone could recommend one. I need one with a pretty decent zoom, and good quality image as I am sometimes at the back of lecture theatres, a nice lightweight small one as well.  I have looked at a couple of Sony;s again, Nikon, Olympus, Canon, Kodak etc but to be honest I am a little confused, and always like a recommendation, So if anyone has one  that has proved an old and faithful friend, please can you let me know and I can then check them out. It is also important that it doesn't take ages to focus. My husband thinks I should check out lots of forums but I decided to ask you lot first as I know many of you take part in The Gallery and Silent Sundays so might be able to recommend.

I keep thinking I will just plump for another Sony but budget comes into it and Sony tend to be on the more expensive side. I am just a little cautious though of paying £80  for one and then finding it is not as good as I should of got or something

Right I am doing as my blog name suggests here and rambling, so I look forwards to your comments and recommendations.