Productopia

If you're searching for a way to keep tabs on your kid, look no further: GPS trackers can tell you where your child is at any given moment.

Child-tracking GPS products are gaining in popularity. Best Buy recently released the Little Buddy, under its in-house brand Insignia. The gadget costs $99 and it's designed to fit "easily into a backpack, lunchbox or other receptacle," according to BestBuy.com. More expensive models are also available, such as the highly customizable WorldTracker GPRS (*Est. $600) and the newfangled Amber Alert GPS 2G (*Est. $380).

So how do these devices work? Parents can set up what's called a geo-fence, which designates a child's safety zone. If the child leaves the safe zone, a text message notification is automatically sent to the parent. Using a cell phone or computer, parents can then monitor the child's location. Some models can also be programmed to alert the child that they have traveled too far.

If you're among those who missed out on Black Friday's Blu-ray player deals, fear not: The cheapest of them all is set for a return engagement. Home Media magazine reports that beginning this Saturday, December 12,  Wal-Mart is again offering the Magnavox NB500 at $78, the same price as on Black Friday, when it was a doorbuster special. The sale is set to run through Dec. 18, or as long as players are available, but you will have to go to the store itself to get one, as the deal is not being offered on line.

Beer brewing at home can be a very complex process -- just check out the elaborate home brewing setups pictured in this Popular Mechanics article -- but it doesn't have to be. There are a handful of home brewing kits available that distill the process of beer making into just a few steps. Although major publications don't review equipment for home beer making, we found blogs, user forums and a few video reviews that can help you choose the best home brewing kit.

Whether you're fixing a pitcher of margaritas or making a batch of homemade hummus for guests, one thing's certain: You need a good blender to be successful. The good news? You don't need to spend a lot of money -- though you certainly can if you opt for the best overall multipurpose blender, the Vita-Mix 5200 (*Est. $450). High price is just about the only drawback you'll find there, however, as the 2-horsepower Vita-Mix excels at everything from crushing ice and making fruit smoothies to grinding grains into flour. Just cover your ears -- some reviewers compare the noise it makes to that of a jet engine.

Whether you're fixing a pitcher of margaritas or making a batch of homemade hummus for guests, one thing's certain: You need a good blender to be successful. The good news? You don't need to spend a lot of money -- though you certainly can if you opt for the best overall multipurpose blender, the Vita-Mix 5200 (*Est. $450). High price is just about the only drawback you'll find there, however, as the 2-horsepower Vita-Mix excels at everything from crushing ice and making fruit smoothies to grinding grains into flour. Just cover your ears -- some reviewers compare the noise it makes to that of a jet engine.

Read more