eBay Trend Spotter

Hot High School Musical Now on Ice

2007-08-10T12:30:00.000-07:00

Teens, 'tweens and kids everywhere are bracing for the sequel to High School Musical on Aug 17 on Disney Channel. If you escaped the first go-round in 2006, it became a pop culture phenomenon. The original movie, also on Disney Channel, reached 100 million viewers in 100 countries and won two Emmys. The DVD sold 7.2 million copies and book adaptation sold another 1.2 million. Watch for "High School Musical: The Ice Tour" to come to a screaming teen-filled arena near you, starting Aug. 31.

Rock Legend Milestones

2007-08-10T12:08:00.001-07:00

Milestones for two of rock and rolls biggest legends and influencers -- The Beatles and Elvis Presley -- are commemorated this month.

It was 40 years ago that the Beatles released Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, which the group made for the Summer of Love soundtrack in 1967. The Grammy-winning album took rock and roll to new heights, and Rolling Stone magazine calls it the greatest album of all time. The cover, which depicts 70 historic figures, including the Fab Four, also includes Bob Dylan, Albert Einstein and W.C. Fields among many others.

Elvis died 30 years ago this month, and a new documentary, The Truth About Elvis, coincides with Elvis Week starting Aug 11. For two years, 20-something Adam Muskiewicz investigates rumors around the King's 1977 death, apparently remains inconclusive. If you can't make it to Elvis Week in Memphis, check out the documentary or catch some memorabilia on eBay. And long live the King!

Magical Month for Harry Potter Fans

2007-07-11T08:37:00.000-07:00

For Harry Potter fans, July could not have arrived fast enough. And finally, it's here.

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" -- the fifth movie in the J.K. Rowling book series -- is now in theatres nationwide, and on July 21, the seventh and final book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" comes out in stores. Despite it not being available yet, fans are buying "Deathly Hallows" pre-sale books and other items on eBay.

Movie reviewers give "Order of the Phoenix" fairly high marks, largely for the movie's glorious production designs, mapped closely to the book, an experienced supporting cast, and how the three main characters - Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) - continue to grow up on screen and develop their acting trade. One criticism is that the movie, which is two and a half hours long, prunes a number of storylines from the 870-page book, and those that do get included receive relatively little attention. But overall it's considered an enjoyable experience for movie-goers as they are kept in suspense, even if they read the book.

Bonds Items Ramping on eBay as Record Nears

2007-07-11T08:24:00.000-07:00

With Barry Bonds on the verge of breaking Hank Aaron's all-time home run record -- currently at 751 as of the All-Star Break -- Bonds-related items on eBay have tended to increase by an average of 10 percent week over week since June 1. An average of 3,100 Barry Bonds-related items such as trading cards, jerseys and autographs are selling per week on eBay. Last year about this time, the Barry Bonds 715th home run ball -- the shot that broke Babe Ruth's record -- was sold for $220,100 on eBay.

Other key milestones over the first half of the 2007 baseball season -- and opportunities for collectors to stock up -- include Sammy Sosa hitting his 600th home run (left), Frank Thomas smacking No. 500, Craig Biggio getting hit 3,000 and reliever Trevor Hoffman recording save No. 500. Of course, all will pale considered to Bond's breaking of Aaron's long-standing mark. But don't look for MLB Commissioner Bud Selig to be present when Bonds cranks out Nos. 755 (ties record) and 756 (breaks record). The whole steroid controversy makes him a bit uneasy and as of July 10, he had not made a decision if he'll follow Barry from game to game, waiting for history to be made.

BYOB: Bring Your Own Bag

2007-07-11T07:54:00.000-07:00

On the heels of the Live Earth event, we thought it would be interesting to see how the ubiquitous "I'm not a Plastic Bag" canvas bags from high fashion designer Anya Hindmarch have been selling on eBay. Plastic bags have become Public Enemy No. 1 recently -- as they well should -- given that many end up in land fills in China or molded into huge blocks and put out to sea, according to the Green Issue of Vanity Fair. Simply put, the bags have been all the rage, first in the UK and as of mid June, in the U.S., too. People, mostly women, have stood in long lines, clamoring to get their hands on the must-have fashion-meets-function-meets-environment accessory of the season. Over the last month over 2,200 have sold on eBay, at an average price of over $113! One even sold for over $480. Most retail places are offering them for $7-15, but on the eBay marketplace, it's not uncommon to see the bags getting 20-30 bids per listing (the average is 10).

Naturally, the bags have a bit of controversy surrounding them. Apparently the bags are made with neither organic nor free trade materials, and were constructed in China; however, it was reported that the laborers in Asia made twice the regular salary and the bags were shipped by sea. Regardless of how and where they were made, the bag craze raises general awareness and consciousness of how we answer that simple, yet loaded, question at the supermarket, "Paper or plastic?" Hopefully, next time, your answer might be, "Neither. I brought my own."

Barker Signing Off After 35 Years on Price is Right

2007-06-13T18:14:00.000-07:00

If you have yet to be inspired by Bob Barker's pleas to have your pet spayed or neutered, time is running out. The 17-time Emmy Award winner, host of the long-running game show The Price is Right is retiring June 15 after one last Showcase Showdown.

Barker, 83, became a staple in American homes for more than three decades, hosting the show every day for 35 years, that's right, 35 years -- a span of over 9,000 episodes and countless spins of the big wheel. You have to imagine he's got quite a bit of vacation time built up with that sort of attendance record. Overall, Barker was in television 50 years, having hosted Truth or Consequences prior to The Price is Right.

To put the 9,000-show streak into perspective, Cal Ripken, Jr., baseball's Iron Man, played 3,001 games, including 2,131 straight to break Lou Gehrig's long standing record many felt would never be touched. Barker calmly lapsed that three times. No doubt wearing a suit for 9,000 shows requires less endurance than suiting up for 3,000 baseball games, but then again it was no easy task on Barker who had to endure countless smooches, hugs and general smothering from overzealous contestants.

If you want to bid on a piece of television history, check out the Bob Barker microphone auction on eBay, which ends on his last day, June 15.

'Webkinz' Most Popular Search on eBay

2007-06-13T16:39:00.001-07:00

Move over, PS3. Watch out, Wii. One iota, iPod.

In case you hadn't noticed, these long standing faves have recently been dethroned as the most popular search term on eBay, a title now held by none other than Webkinz. Web what? Webkinz are the latest craze for kids and can be described as snugly stuffed toy meets Second Life meets under-bottle-cap code redemption meets online shopping 1.0.

An article on About.com does a nice job explaining Webkinz, but briefly, when kids (or parents) purchase one of many variations of Webkinz toys on eBay or at an offline store, it contains a tag with a distinctive code which is input at Webkinz.com. The code let's a child "adopt" the virtual pet, and redeem virtual currency points for food, water and other fun items for pets to live in comfort within the Webkinz world.

Once kids input the code, they have a full year to play with the pet online. Not a bad option for junior who keeps asking for a puppy for an upcoming birthday -- no potty training, no shedding and no ugly lawsuits from the your postal carrier.

Some of more popular Webkinz toys on eBay include the Horse (3,300 sold over the last two weeks), Polar Bear (2,400), Chihuahua (2,300), Golden Retriever and Dalmatian (about 2,100 each), while the Black Lab is on the move, up 60 percent over the last two weeks.

LeBron Winning Battle Over Spurs on eBay

2007-06-13T16:12:00.000-07:00

While the San Antonio Spurs are certainly winning the war in the NBA Finals, Cleveland's LeBron James is single-handedly winning the battle when it comes to memorabilia sales on eBay. According to eBay market data, nearly 2,000 James' items have sold over the past two weeks compared to 1,700 Spurs items have sold over that time. In fact, James-related items are up 117 percent since June 1.

With his outstanding playoff run, James is even out-pacing perennial sales powers Chicago Bulls (1,300) (mainly due to the connection of Michael Jordan) and Kobe Bryant (1,250), and has put the Cavs in a position to win its first NBA title in 43 years. While that seems unlikely with the Spurs up 3-0 as of Wednesday, James certainly has solidified his place in the memorabilia world by taking his team to the finals in just his fourth season at the age of 22.

'Are we there yet?'

2007-05-29T22:57:00.000-07:00

If you plan to do any travel this summer, it's time to upgrade or buy a new portable DVD player. They're great for keeping the kids occupied, especially if there's a chance you'll get caught in traffic, simply can't hear "are we there yet?" again or plan to fly JetBlue. A number of airlines, including Southwest and Alaska, have removed the adapters on their arm rests, making a fully-charged battery necessary for most flights. To find more batteries for your current DVD player, or if yours didn't come with a car charger, find them on eBay.

To find the best portable player for you, check out CNet's reviews, and to feed the machine with some new DVDs, check out the top sellers on eBay Pop in the Movers & Shakers section, under CDs & DVDs.

World Series of Video Games Ready to Rumble

2007-05-29T22:47:00.000-07:00

June is a popular month for wrapping up sports championships as both the NBA and NHL crown their season's best. But don't overlook the World Series of Video Gaming starting June 21 in Louisville. With the release of new gaming systems, such as Xbox 360 (2005), and PS3 and Wii (both last year), these "athletes" are game for anything and are taking their "sport" to new heights (despite being just 3 1/2 off the ground and mostly stationary).

Think it's child's play? Think again. Last year's WSVG had 20 hours of TV coverage on MTV, CBS, College Sports TV and Gameplay HD, dished out $1 million in purse money and prizes, and attracted 100,000 spectators and participants, about the same amount that fill a sold-out Rose Bowl.

So game on and good luck!

Fantastic Four Rides Again!

2007-05-29T22:11:00.000-07:00

Spider-man creator Stan Lee (left), who first began his webbed creation in 1962, would have probably never anticipated it would turn into the multi-million dollar franchise. What many don't know is that Lee also created another popular comic creation at a time when he was at odds with his publisher on how to portray comic book characters.

Lee, who apparently was about to call it quits over this difference of style, put together one final book that played up the personalities of his characters, contradicting the simpler, two-syllable prose preferred by his publisher. As it turned out, the book was a smash and spawned not only a wildly popular series, but also another multi-million dollar franchise known as the Fantastic Four.

On June 15, the second movie in the franchise -- Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer -- screens nationwide. Like the original in 2005, the second installment stars Jessica Alba, Ioan Gruffudd, Michael Chiklis and Chris Evans.

You Spin Me Right Round, Baby!

2007-05-14T17:45:00.000-07:00

If those old vinyl records gathering dust in the attic or garage are the cause of marital friction during moves, garage sales or spring cleaning, consider Hammacher Schlemmer your marriage counselor.

The company has created the first-of-its-kind LP-to-MP3 converter, giving anyone the ability to turn those old albums into clear, hiss and pop-free digital music files for use on your iPod, Zune (pictured) or other MP3 player of choice.

While it doesn't appear they've made it to eBay (yet), these transforming wonders are available on the Hammacher Schlemmer web site for $170. All you need is a USB connection to your computer and the software comes with the turntable. Nice work, Hammacher!

Gentlemen, Start your Sanders!

2007-05-14T16:42:00.000-07:00

If this Spring's Indy 500 and Triple Crown aren't exciting enough for you, head to Seattle on June 23rd for the third annual Tool Race & Derby.

On this day, craftsmen of all persuasions put their circular saws, drills, sanders, leaf blowers to the test in a competition that turns run-of-the-mill, everyday power tools into pimped out, suped up racing machines that would make Richard Petty proud and Bob Villa gitty. The one-on-one races are timed on a 50-foot, 12-inch plywood track.

May the best (tool)man win!

Lucky Number 7

2007-05-14T15:06:00.000-07:00

It looks like it's a ball-and-chain summer for Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs.

On the ball front, his team continues its recent perennial playoff success, which could take the Spurs well into May and potentially into the NBA Finals, ending mid-June. On the chain front, Parker weds Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria at a French castle on July 7.

Significance of the date? 7/7/07.

The Association of Wedding Professionals International (yes, there is such a group) expects a 20 percent increase in knot-tying on that day as superstitious couples who missed last year's 6/6/06 take another shot at it -- presumably with the same partner.

Also on July 7, a panel of experts will unveil a New Seven Wonders of the World, bringing to 10 the total number of Wonders lists. Apparently, the Statue of Liberty is the only U.S. wonder from the list of, um, 77.

Lady Liberty is already part of "The Forgotten Wonders." So, does this mean she's part of two lists, has she been promoted, or did the experts simply remember? Anyway, check your local listings for a World Wonder near you.

Sports Shorts

2007-05-04T14:27:00.000-07:00

Tale of the Tape
Looking at this weekend's WBC super welterweight title fight between Oscar de la Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. through an eBay lens, de la Hoya should score a resounding victory. De la Hoya is crushing Mayweather in eBay sales, 800 to 100 in related items sold over the past month. Items related to de la Hoya jumped significantly each week in April, including an 87 percent jump in the middle of the month and 22 percent this past week.

Warriors are Golden
As the Golden State Warriors were improbably dispatching the Dallas Mavericks, on eBay the sale of related Warriors items, including memorabilia, tickets, pennants, skyrocketed 81 percent this week over last. A total of nearly 870 have sold, up from about 480.

Milwaukee's Finest
Another surprise winner is the Milwaukee Brewers who have the best record in baseball (18-9) and just swept the defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals. While Brew Crew-related items have jumped 25 percent week over week, fans are probably waiting to see what transpires as the young season wears enters the summer -- the Brewers haven't been in first place this late in the season since late August 1983, according to Elias Sports Bureau. At that time in Milwaukee, if you recall, a nation was embracing the Ballad of Joannie and Chachi as Happy Days was entering its 11th and final season.

Still Their Guitars Gently Weep

2007-05-04T12:32:00.000-07:00

There's been recent talk about how baby boomers, who grew up on Elvis, the Beatles, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Hendrix, are fueling the jump in guitar prices, especially vintage pieces. One of the country's leading guitar experts, George Gruhn, told the Seattle Times: "The guitar is the ultimate piece of art. You can look at it. You can play it. And if it's a good one, you can feel it come alive."

The two most popular electric guitars on eBay are the Fender Stratocaster and the Gibson Les Paul. Each week, between 800-900 Stratocasters are sold at about $150 each. Naturally, with an average price of $700 for the Gibson, few sell per week -- about 200.

If you don't play guitar but want to live out their rock 'n roll fantasy, there's always Guitar Hero II for Sony Playstation 2, which follows its popular predecessor, Guitar Hero. GH II features 55 songs that cross all the rock genres, and one or two players can play via a joy stick or gamepad.

For those about to rock, we salute you.

Spider-Man, Shrek, Pirates Duking It Out in May

2007-04-24T10:54:00.000-07:00

May is a movie-goers' delight as three blockbuster franchises roll out their respective tri-quels with just 21 days separating the three flicks' first showings.

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last few weeks, you pretty much know that Spider-Man 3 is in theatres May 4. The trailer looks pretty exciting and what appears to be doom for The Webbed One (but somehow I think I know how it turns out). The last Spider-Man (part deux) came out in 2004 and grossed $374 million, a drop from the $403 million reaped in 2002's original film.

Not far behind Spidey is the much-anticipated Shrek the Third on May 18 as Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz once again join forces along with some new voices, including Justin Timberlake as Artie, a king-in-waiting. Shrek 2, out in 2004, did $441 million in sales, a sizable jump from the original ($268 million) in 2001.

Pirates of the Caribbean, At World's End will close out the month by hitting screens on May 25. Didn't it just seem like the last Pirates movie just came out? Oh, wait, it did. What you won't be seeing is Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards promoting the Pirates movie, in which he plays Captain Jack Sparrow's (Johnny Depp) father. Apparently Disney execs see Richards as a beast of burden considering his recent comments about a recent "tribute" to his late father, later described as a joke. Nonetheless, last year's Dead Man's Chest grossed $423 million in box offices, up from $305 million in 2003 (Black Pearl).

So, parents, be prepared for your next few visits to the store. Junior will undoubtedly be pawing for those Spider-Man pajamas, Puss 'n Boots doll or Pirates Halloween costume. If they ask for the Keith Richards action figure, make sure you read the label.

Tags: Spider-Man, Shrek, Pirates of the Caribbean

Second Life's Linden Dollars Spiking on eBay

2007-04-22T22:43:00.000-07:00

With over 5.6 million people currently registered on Second Life, the online 3-D world created by Linden Labs, the games popularity has skyrocketed this year. Within Second Life, people use the "local" virtual currency called Linden dollars, which can be converted to US dollars at several thriving online Linden Dollar exchanges.

The sale of Linden dollars on eBay have also boomed recently. After 152 Linden dollar items successfully closed during the first week of April, an average of 670 have sold over the last two weeks, a 340 percent increase, according to eBay Marketplace Research. And the cost of Linden dollars on eBay has also gone up: the average listing is going for $87 over the last seven days, up from $73 over the previous week.

Tags: Second Life, Linden Labs

Earth Day is April 22: Break Out Your Solar Bikini

2007-04-16T08:35:00.000-07:00

So you've spent the last few months up in the gym workin' on your fitness; now's the time for all the hard work to payoff: you get to wear your solar-powered bikini to the beach in your new-found, post-Earth Day green-inspired life.

You can really make a statement with this cyber-goth suit from the folks at HippyShopper.com. Charging your iPod, digital camera or cell phone are a snap, and a USB drinks cooler will make you the most popular girl on the beach. The 1" x 4" photovoltaic film panels are stitched together with conductive thread and terminate in a female USB connection (appropriately enough), giving you (and all your BFF) 6.5 volts of beach-going party power.

While April 22 is officially Earth Day, consider making some simple changes in your life to help reduce your carbon footprint (or bikini tan lines). With millions of unused electronics stored in closets, garages, offices and warehouses, eBay's Rethink program gives some tips on how to recycle, donate or sell our old cell phones, computers, MP3 players and other electronics you've upgraded from. TIME magazine offers a global warming survival guide, including 51 everyday things we can do to make a difference, and Vanity Fair's Green Issue includes a dose of reality by outlining the average American's dramatic trickle-down impact on the environment during the typical day. Treehugger.com offers How to Go Green Guides, over 100 individual guides that outline practical ways to make a difference, including how to green your pet, electronics and even your sex life.

Tags: Earth Day, eco-friendly, global warming

Top MLB Rookies Outselling Griffey, Jr., Pujols, Bonds on eBay

2007-04-16T08:01:00.000-07:00

Touted Major League Baseball rookies Daisuke Matsuzaka of the Boston Red Sox and Alex Gordon of the Kansas City Royals both seen their share of strikes so far this season – Matsuzaka throwing them and Gordon whiffing at them.

But when it comes to the sale of related items on eBay – jerseys, rookie cards, signatures and more within the Sports Memorabilia category – the two players have a lot more in common and are actually seeing more sales than perennial stars and eBay favorites Ken Griffey, Jr., Albert Pujols and Barry Bonds.

Since Opening Day, nearly 1,300 Matsuzaka-related items have sold, a jump of nearly 100 percent vs. the previous two weeks, while nearly 700 Gordon-related items have gone up a respectable 14 percent and commanded $68 per item versus $40 for Matsuzaka. Items related to Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter are leading all MLB player sales on eBay, with nearly 5,700 items sold over the last two weeks. Check the latest stats on eBay Pop's Movers & Shakers section, under the Sports topic.

Meanwhile, as MLB celebrated the 60th Anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in baseball on Sunday (4/15), several No. 42 (Robinson's number) throwback jerseys have sold on eBay. In fact, in April all 17 that were posted on eBay sold, with prices averaging about $65-$70. The jerseys brought nearly 12 bids per item, very iPod-esque in terms of consumer demand.

Tags: baseball, MLB, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees

Final 7 Perform on AI this Week; Who's Next?

2007-04-16T07:22:00.000-07:00

Items related to American Idol finalist Blake Lewis (pictured) have seen a recent sales surge on eBay, according eBay Pop figures that track the AI contestants. Lewis items have jumped 142 percent over the last two weeks, while fellow Pacific Northwest finalist, Sanjaya Malakar, has fallen back of late with a 61 percent jump in sales. Haley Scarnato, also made a late charge in sales but saw her exit on April 11. Check the latest sales stats on eBay Pop's Movers & Shakers section, under the Celebs topic.

Don't be surprised if judge Simon Cowell's comments in March and Sanjaya's youthful (yet inexperienced) exuberance don't begin to catch up with him. There could still be a hair product endorsement in his future though. However, this week's eBay Pop predicted exit: Phil Stacey (7 items sold in the last two weeks). Sanjaya will live to sing another couple weeks.

Tags: American Idol

The Odd Couple

2007-04-04T12:44:00.000-07:00

What do Stephen Hawking, world-renown physicist and expert on gravity, and Gene Simmons, legendary front man for the band KISS, have in common?

Try $75,100. Over the past week, both men have held charity auctions through eBay Giving Works, and in each case, his respective listing closed at $75,100.

Hawking recently listed the opportunity to enjoy a weightless flight aboard The G-Force One. The undisclosed winning bidder and a guest will join Hawking on April 26 for a 90-minute flight. Departing the Kennedy Space Center, the flight makes a controlled ascent and descent, allowing passengers to experience the gravity of Mars (1/3 that of earth), the moon (1/6 gravity) and zero-G space. The charity auction benefited the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation.

Simmons and girlfriend S hannon Tweed auctioned off a chance for a lucky bidder and three guests to have a VIP dinner in Los Angeles on May 19, including the flight, limo service, fine wine, champagne, and a rare signed Collector's Edition DVD set of Gene Simmons Family Jewels that airs on A&E. The charity auction benefited the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

Both listings were managed by AuctionCause.

Tags: Stephen Hawking, Gene Simmons, KISS, charity auctions

Is Sanjaya the Next American Idol?

2007-04-02T08:09:00.000-07:00

With the top eight American Idol finalists performing next week, it's time to take a look at how eBay items related to the entertainers -- everything from key chains to t-shirts to photos -- are selling on the site, and how it can be a Magic 8 Ball in predicting the show's weekly send-offs.

Leading the pack is Sanjaya Malakar, with 82 sold over the last two weeks, followed by Blake Lewis (32 sold over the last two weeks). Coincidentally, both are from the Seattle area. Rounding out the top five are Haley Scarnato (15 sold) -- who was among the bottom three on Wednesday night -- Chris Richardson (14 sold), and Melinda Doolittle (13 sold).

But the big question on everyone's mind is, "Who's getting booted next?" Based on eBay sales, the eBay Bottom 4, heading into Wednesday's elimination episode, were Phil Stacey (4 items sold over 14 days), Gina Glocksen (6 sold) and surprisingly, LaKisha Jones (10 sold), and Jordin Sparks (12 sold). As it turned out, Gina (second lowest sales) was cut from the contest.

If you feel this prediction is far fetched, think again. Last year's winning Idol, Taylor Hicks, held a commanding lead in sales at this point in the elimination process. Weekly eliminations were accurately predicted as well, including Mandisa, who many considered a true, raw talent, was voted off in order as predicted by her eBay sales.

Tags: American Idol

Young Jedi, Book Your Hotel Early, You Must

2007-03-22T11:24:00.000-07:00

There are those events where we remember exactly where we were when we heard the news -- Kennedy being shot, 9/11, the Loma Prieda earthquake, and many more. It's funny how many of us also remember seeing Star Wars for the first time. And now, 30 years and six films later, it's still a force.

On May 24, over 30,000 people will be flocking to Celebration IV, a five-day gathering in Los Angeles of Star Wars fans and enthusiasts. Celebs from all six films will be there, along with prop exhibits and showings. Collectors will also be able to nab some rare, limited-edition memorabilia at a huge shop.

But you can't make it, you can still join the celebration on eBay! Visit A Galaxy Far Far Away to find out the hottest selling Star Wars stuff, based on Mpire's Movers & Shakers list, and link to other Star Wars items on eBay like DVDs, action figures, video games, entertainment memorabilia, books and more.

Tags: Star Wars, Star Wars Celebration events

Halo 3 Coming Soon; Pro Gamer's Top Picks

2007-03-20T15:41:00.000-07:00

Gamers anticipating the release of the Halo 3 beta will have to find something else to occupy their hands for a bit. XBox's sci-fi shoot'em up is now expected in "late Spring" as opposed to sometime in March, and the official release is happening this fall.

Halo 3 picks up where Halo 2 left off: The Covenant, a powerful alien collective was about to invade the earth. Sounds like a job for Master Chief, the game's human super-soldier. Halo: Combat Evolved broke sales records when it came out in 2002, and in 2004, Halo 2 was the fastest selling media product in history with an estimated $125 million in sales.

If you are still jonesing for some video game action, here are four top picks from video game ace Jonathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel. The 25-year-old PC pro-gamer has won 12 World Championship titles (there seems to be title for everything these days). Check out the Fatal1ty game brand on eBay too.

1. Enemy Territory: Quake Wars (for PC) Predicted to be the next huge multi-player sensation based on virtual warfare and the need for team chemistry for victory. The present administration could take a cue from this play book.

2. Wii Sports (Nintendo Wii) The interactivity of the wireless controller and its ability to read what your arms and hands are doing make this a crowd-pleaser. Has the potential to completely replace the need to do any sort of physical activity again.

3. Unreal Tournament 2007 (PC) Stellar and realistic graphics make this first-person shooter game a player favorite. Apparently the 2008 version comes with a choice of Dick Cheney or Charlton Heston action figure.

4. Guitar Hero II (Sony PlayStation 2) If air-guitaring dorks dream of cranking out a face-melting guitar solo in front of screaming, adoring fans, well, keep dreaming. But you can get awfully close with Guitar Hero II, which sounds challenging and downright fun. Apparently, Guitar I ain't no simple riffage either.

Tags: video games

Prepping For St. Patty's Day

2007-03-09T14:10:00.000-08:00

No doubt the 1,419 breweries in the United States (yes, that's a fact, over 1,400) have amped up their output in advance of St. Patty's Day with an anticipated 96 million people turning "Irish for the day." Over 34 million people claim some sort of Irish ancestry, about nine times the population of Ireland itself.

Nearly 1 in 5 Americans decorate or don green on March 17, so get your green crocs, bling, hats, handbags, you name it, all perfect fodder for the New York City's St. Patrick's Day Parade, now in its 246th year, or wherever the day may take you.

Tags: breweriana, St. Patrick's Day

March Madness Among Us

2007-03-09T13:47:00.000-08:00

This week kicks off arguably the most exciting event on the sports calendar: the NCAA Tournament, where unabashed passion and true grittiness mean any team can win (or lose) and grown men weep openly -- and that's just during the office pool.

North Carolina earned a No. 1 seed in the East, its 11th No. 1 nod and the most of any school all-time -- surpassing Duke (10) and Kentucky (9), neither of which will earn top seeds this year after average seasons. Kansas , a No. 1 seed in the West Region, made up some ground by earning its 7th No. 1 seed all-time. Ohio State and defending national champion Florida are the No. 1 seeds in the South and Midwest regions, respectively.

Tags: college basketball, NCAA Tournament

Sports Spotlight

2007-03-09T12:40:00.000-08:00

Former NBA star Dennis Johnson died Feb. 23 at the age of 52, and naturally his items took jump on eBay. After seeing months of sales of 10-15 items per week at less than $5, over 350 "D.J." items have sold for an average of about $20 each since his passing. Johnson, noted for his gritty, steady and defensive prowess, played on three NBA title teams, twice with the Boston Celtics and once with the Seattle Supersonics, when he was named the 1979 Finals MVP.

Switching to another court -- tennis -- there didn't seem to be much buying excitement around the new record set by Swiss tennis star Roger Federer, who has been the world's top-ranked men's player for 161 straight weeks, breaking Jimmy Connors' 30-year-old record of 160 straight weeks. Conner's still holds the record for most titles at 109, compared to Federer's 46. Still, no one has yet figured out how to stop the Fed.

Rock of Aged

2007-03-09T11:49:00.000-08:00

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions are taking place this week (March 12), and this year, a rap/hip-hop group is among those entering the Hall. Hip Hop pioneers Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five join R.E.M., Van Halen, Patti Smith and the Ronettes.

The fact that a group or artist can't be inducted until 25 years after their first album release has kept a number of legendary (yet relatively young) rappers looking in, but over the next couple year's, as they meet the year threshold, the flood gates will open for many of the genre.

Fourteen Genesis albums are being re-released, starting with five albums mid March. Phil and the boys have sold over 150 million albums since it started in the late 70s, and now they are loaded up on Gerital and hitting the road (what aged rock band isn't?) for the Turn It On Again tour in June. Unfortunately, Peter Gabriel won't be making the trip.

After its comeback kick-off at this year's Grammy's, The Police are back on the beat, starting June 6 in Seattle and ending up in Washington, D.C. in August. New shows are being added almost weekly. Tickets are on sale now. Word is also circulating that the band is planning live concert recordings to be available for resale, including right after the show.

Tags: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Genesis, The Police, Grandmaster Flash, Van Halen

Clinton, Obama Leading Candidates in eBay Sales

2007-03-01T19:54:00.000-08:00

While 2008 presidential candidates from both parties are setting up shop on YouTube, the sale of items related to the candidates are also ramping up on eBay. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama-related items are the most popular, while items related to John McCain (pictured below with David Letterman), Rudy Giuliani and John Edwards all trail the front runners significantly.

While Clinton items are bringing in the highest price -- over $20 -- and getting the highest number of bids per item -- over six -- Obama is winning the "popular vote" by selling more overall items -- nearly 2,400 compared to 2,000 for Clinton -- and the Illinois democrat saw a bigger percentage jump in sales the week after announcing his candidacy -- 54% to Clinton's 26%. Incidentally, if Al Gore were running in 2008, he'd rank a strong third with nearly 1,400 items sold over the last two months, much of them related to An Inconvenient Truth and his global warming campaign.

Tags: 2008 presidential candidates, political memorabilia

New Poly MLB Caps Fitting the Bill

2007-03-01T13:36:00.000-08:00

Major League Baseball and New Era have introduced its first significant change to player hats in 50 years. Wool is out and polyester is in, apparently with a built-in "vapor management system" to better "wisk" away perspiration from players' sweaty brows (as if they sweat), help combat glare, and keep the players from, well, stinking. Over the course of a 162-game season, sweaty wool can start to become a little offensive, especially when it rains. The 59FIFTY (100% polyester) is the style being used by players in games, while the 39THIRTY, a 60/40 poly/wool blend currently being worn by players at spring training, is used exclusively for batting practice. Still no word on if MLB will adopt breathable cotton as their uniform fabric of choice -- something first introduce by George Costanza on Seinfeld.

Tags: Major League Baseball, spring training, fitted baseball hats, Seinfeld

Battle of the Balds

2007-03-01T13:07:00.000-08:00

Call it the Battle of the Balds -- Britney Spears vs. Jack Nicholson. It appears Jack, who donned a clean, close shave at the Oscars is preparing for an upcoming movie role (no, he's not ill as some suspected), whereas, Britney (hopefully) isn't in an upcoming movie and is appearing quite ill. And while her items are no stranger to eBay, one of the more unusual items representing the new, wayward Diva of Dome -- a Britney Spears bald hair straight jacket action figure -- sold on eBay recently for over $182.

Tags: hair care, hair removal, Britney Spears, Jack Nicholson

Jimmy Buffett: (Super)Model Citizen

2007-02-19T10:09:00.000-08:00

The Sports Illustrated 2007 Swimsuit edition hit newsstands last week with Beyonce appropriately gracing this year's edition, dubbed "The Music Issue." It features the swimsuit models with Gnarls Barkley, Aerosmith, Kayne West, Kenny Chesney and Panic! at the Disco, among others.

Calypso crooner Jimmy Buffett (below) is also getting involved, to benefit charity, by auctioning his limited-edition Shellback guitar on eBay. Not only is the C.F. Martin guitar signed by Buffett, but also signed by all 21 of the 2007 SI swimsuit models. The famed six-string traveled with many string bikinis to photo shoots in 14 cities in four countries and is featured in Buffett’s "Getting the Picture" SI Swimsuit video. (Don't worry, this video does not feature Jimmy in a speedo.)

The charity auction, which surpassed $36,000 and received over 100 bids with two day remaining, benefits The New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic (NOMC) and the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity's Musicians' Village (NOAHH). Managed by AuctionCause, the listing ends Friday, Feb. 23 at 6 pm ET.

Tags: Jimmy Buffett, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, charity auctions

NASCAR Off to the Races

2007-02-19T10:07:00.000-08:00

No doubt, NASCAR is incredibly popular nationwide with 13 million fans attending races at 22 tracks in 19 states. It's definitely gone down the track of big business. Even six years to the week after his death at the Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt, Sr. items are still selling strong on eBay, a true testament to his legacy to the sport. Yet, with the start of a new season last Sunday (Feb. 18), items related to son Dale, Jr. (pictured) have been selling even hotter, nearly 7,500 over the last two weeks compared to 1,500 related to his father. By comparison, 4,500 items related to fellow driver Tony Stewart and 2,000 items related to last year's NASCAR champ Jimmie Johnson sold over the same period.

This year also is debuts the Car of Tomorrow, a newly revamped stock car that supposedly reduces costs, increases safety and promotes competitive racing. If you can't afford your own racing team, you may be interested in a die cast model one-tenth the original size. Not as fast as the real thing but much more economical to maintain.

Over the last quarter-century, Hollywood has even tried to get into the NASCAR act, some with more success than others. It all started with "Six Pack" (starring Kenny Rogers) in 1982, which was followed by "Stroker Ace" (with Burt Reynolds) in 1983, and then "Days of Thunder" (starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman) in 1990, but the one auto racing movie that has seemed to have any zip (and good reviews) was the most recent, last year's "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," starring Will Ferrell (right).

Tag: NASCAR

Help Help Me, Rhonda!

2007-02-19T10:02:00.000-08:00

Rhonda Byrne, author of controversial self-help book (and DVD), "The Secret," appears to have stuck a chord with people seeking a new approach in their lives -- but it's only been since she appeared on Oprah Feb. 8 that the book has really taken off on eBay. "The Secret" delves into the law of attraction, providing guidance on how one can manifest change and get what they want through positive thought. Apparently millions are hooked on the approach and are now taking it from head to heart.

Once Byrne appeared on Oprah, sales of "The Secret" hard-cover books, DVDs and audiobook CDs skyrocketed to nearly 3,800 across the marketplace, after selling just 50 per week since Thanksgiving. Now it's No. 1 on both the New York Times and USA Today Best-Selling Books lists, No. 7 on Half.com's Top 200 Books list, and has reportedly been selling out in stores. Currently, there are over 400 "The Secret" items available on eBay.

Whatever people find more helpful in the book or on DVD, the real bottomline secret is this: Get whatever you are hawking on Oprah.

Tags: The Secret, Oprah, self-help books

Death & Taxes

2007-02-19T09:58:00.000-08:00

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- the seventh and final installment of the Harry Potter series that hits streets July 21 -- is being pre-sold at various stores and sites, including eBay. While just a few have sold over the past week at an average of $13 each, it's been the Death Hallows t-shirts that have actually sold more and, at $20 each, commanded a higher price.

While CPAs everywhere have begun hunkering down for yet another busy tax season, it appears many eBayers plan to go it alone. TurboTax tax preparation software jumped 81 percent between Feb. 6-12, no doubt inspired by receiving W2s in the mail recently. About 500 copies of 2006 software are selling weekly, at about $41 each. Apparently, buyers are eager to get started this year as the software is getting an average of 11 bids per item (by comparison, a black 4GB iPod nano is receiving 13).

Tags: Harry Potter, IRS

Shoe Debut: Jordan XX2, D-Wade Converse, Nike AF25

2007-02-12T13:09:00.000-08:00

Nike's Jordan Brand is rolling out the XX2 in stores Feb. 17 in celebration of 22 years of the Air Jordan shoe line. Also coming out about the same time are the Dwyane Wade Converse 2.0 (unrelated to Web 2.0) and the Nike AF25 Premium, setting up a three-horse race for hoopsters' attention and dollars.

Some of the XX2 shoes are already showing up on eBay, selling for an average price of $173 since Feb. 1, while the D-Wade (pictured) and Nike AF25s shoes have yet to appear on the site. To see the XX2 commercial spot, see the link below. Incidentally, this time last year, a full set all 21 previous Air Jordans, signed by Michael Jordan himself no less, went for $425,000.

Tags: basketball shoes, NBA, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Nike athletic apparel

Change is Coming

2007-02-12T13:04:00.000-08:00

The next dollar coin hits circulation on Feb. 15, closely timed with the observance of President's Day. These new coins will feature U.S. presidents -- four issued per year, from now through 2016, about the time we'll all be using debit cards in lieu of cash or change. The 2007 starting lineup will include George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, and in later years, even Richard Nixon. Presidents will grace each coin only one time, except for Grover Cleveland, who will be on two because he was the only president to serve nonconsecutive terms. To be eligible, a president must have been dead for at least two years.

There has been some talk of eliminating the paper dollar, which is very expensive to reprint, in favor of the more durable dollar coin. Yet, 3 in 4 Americans surveyed in an AP/Ipsos poll said they would not want the paper dollar eliminated, besides it's not as much fun to play serial number poker with coins. One successful coin introduction has been the 50-state quarter program. Since it began in 1999, it has introduced many people, including a younger generation, to collecting for the first time. Time will tell if the new dollar coin finds the same affinity, especially that Nixon dollar.

Tags: President's Day, presidents, political memorabilia, U.S. coins, paper money

Is the Recording Academy Out of Touch?

2007-02-12T12:55:00.000-08:00

Did you know that the five nominees for Album of the Year during this year's Grammy Awards weren't even among the top four selling albums? Nickelback's All the Right Reasons (3.7 million copies during the eligibility period), Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts (3.4 million), High School Musical (3.1 million) and Mary J. Blige's The Breakthrough (2.7 million) all outsold this year's nominees, the closest being Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds (2.6 million).

What also seems a tad strange is the snubbing of Mary J. Blige for Album of the Year nomination. Apparently Breakthrough wasn't able to do just that when it came to the Recording Academy despite eight other Grammy nominations, nine Billboard Music Awards, two American Music Awards and two BET Music Awards. Blige (left) ended up winning three Grammies, including best R&B album.

In a pre-Grammy survey by Harris Interactive, nearly 4 in 10 of the 8-18 year olds surveyed thought Justin Timberlake's album should win this year's top honors, while just 1 in 10 thought the Dixie Chicks' Taking the Long Way -- last night's actual winner -- should receive the nod.

CD Tags: Pop, Rock, Country, R&B, Hip-Hop/Rap

Anna Nicole Smith Fascination Trending on eBay, Too

2007-02-12T12:09:00.000-08:00

Everywhere you turn, there seems to be discussion and coverage about Anna Nicole Smith -- and from the way she lived her life, she probably wouldn't have wanted it any other way. And that buzz is even spilling over to eBay sales. Since she passed away Feb. 8, 4,500 items related to her have been sold on eBay after selling a scant 30-40 related items per week over the past month. For those keeping track at home, that's an astounding 13,000 percent increase, week over week. The average price jumped to $25 per item, nearly five times from previous weeks figures.

Fashion Week New York Gives Fall 2007 Preview

2007-02-06T16:13:00.000-08:00

Fashion Week in New York concludes this Friday, Feb. 9, and what a week it's been. Shows by some of most popular designers and lines over the week -- Marc Jacobs, Rock & Republic, Baby Phat, Diane Von Furstenberg, BCBG, DKNY, Carolina Herrera and Miss Sixty -- have attracted all the big names, with some celebs even participating on the catwalk. Sitting in front row at various shows were Bono, Alicia Keys, Katharine McPhee, Fergie (pictured at left), Donald Trump and many others.

Miss Sixty designer Vicky Hassan feels the fashion trend to watch for during Fall 2007 is the 80's look. He predicts a move away from denim and into more elegant silk velvet. You have to believe denim is here to stay so we'll see. One person who's seeing a lot these week is eBay Style Director Constance White (pictured at left). She's been in the fashion industry for 15 years with stints at Elle, the New York Times and Women's Wear Daily, so she knows what she's talking about. Among Constance's many Fashion Week observations on her eBay blog.

Naturally, every event has its critics. A number of designers and glossy mag editors were quite critical in a New York Times article, saying that the 221 total shows running from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (yes, that's over 24 per day) is simply too much. In some cases, there are six shows scheduled at the same time at various New York hotels and venues. These editors, their writers, publicists, other designers, bloggers, sponsors, advertisers and others can only make it to just so many shows. But the show must go on (and this case, on and on and on).

Tags: New York Fashion Week, Constance White

Pop Kernels

2007-02-04T21:52:00.000-08:00

If you've had a chance to dry off after Prince's Super Bowl XLI halftime performance, well, gas up the TiVO because The Police are opening Sunday's 49th Annual Grammy Awards. The trio has won five Grammies, and rumors are swirling that a U.S. and European tour is in the works. Believe it or not, "Roxanne" -- the band's huge single from the 70's, turns 30 this year. Also look for Smokey Robinson and Lionel Richie to keep the night young with their performances at the Grammies. To snap you out of your time warp, catch performances by Mary J. Blige, who won nine honors at the Billboard Music Awards in early December, Chris Brown, and Shakira, among others.

Football collectors wasted no time in snapping up Peyton Manning items after his MVP performance in Super Bowl XLI. The game ended at just before 10 pm ET in Miami, and over the following two hours -- between 10 pm and midnight -- over 1,220 Manning items sold, compared to 460 during the game itself. Even leading up to the game, Manning jersey sales were up 30 percent with over 1,800 selling at a average of $55 each. His 1998 rookie card has also been a hot item, with the average price of a graded card running about $57 and non-graded cards averaging about $14 each.

Anheuser-Busch, which produced two of the most "TiVo'd" ads during the game, has been getting its share of continued blogosphere buzz, according to one metrics firm. BuzzMetrics says the nine Bud/Bud Light commercials resulted in over 15 percent of the buzz volume, which measures the number of people blogging about a particular topic. The Nationwide Insurance ad, which featured Kevin Federline, received six percent; however, much of the buzz on KFed took place prior to the game as Nationwide released the spot early to extend the visibility. See the most popular Bud Light spot below.

Pop Kernels

2007-01-29T23:15:00.000-08:00

Items by trendy, cheap-chic British clothier Topshop -- considered the fashion destination on the British high street -- have seen a recent surge on eBay.com since the beginning of the year. Over 6,800 Topshop items have sold with sales increasing week over week. Blending fashion forward appeal, almost on a weekly basis, without the cutting-edge prices has Topshop in tip-top shape, attracting school girls to models to women in their 40s. Now include royalty, or potential royalty, to that list. In early January, Prince William's girlfriend, Kate Middleton (pictured), was photographed wearing a Topshop dress to work and it was picked up by a number of celebrity pubs, including UsWeekly. (And yes, in case you were wondering, she still needs to work -- they aren't married yet.)

Tags: Topshop dresses, Topshop shoes, Topshop boots, Urban Outfitters (women's clothing), H&M (women's)

McFarlane Toys announced that in August it will begin selling action figures of 24's Jack Bauer, played by Keifer Sutherland. To suit Bauer's character, look for a new anti-terrorist category on eBay to go along with perennial faves Star Wars, Batman, Superman, GI Joe and sports characters. If you can't decide on any of the above, it's time to turn to Dick the Albino Bowler, complete with thick white sideburns, green bowling shirt, white bowling ball and real middle-of-the-lane action.

Here's a little water-cooler fodder: Over the past 20 years (1987 - 2006), the Super Bowl has accounted for 682 minutes of advertising, that's over 11 hours, or the time it takes to fly from San Francisco to London. Those 11 hours represent 221 different advertisers, more than 1,400 commercial announcements and translate into $1.72 billion of network advertising sales, according to TNS Media Intelligence. No mention of how many people actually bought something as a result of these ads. Check out some of the top spots on eBay Pop's Head to Head section and give us your vote.

Horse Racing Fans Mourn Barbaro

2007-01-29T22:51:00.000-08:00

It's not unusual, upon the death of a public figure, to witness a spike in related items on eBay. Recently, memorabilia sales for Gerald Ford, James Brown and Steve Irwin all skyrocketed in the hours and days following their deaths. Surprisingly, the phenomenon has happened again -- but this time, it's for a horse.

Barbaro, the 2006 Kentucky Derby winner who suffered an awful injury during the Preakness, was euthanized on Monday after eight months and two dozen surgeries that ultimately couldn't heal him.

Interestingly, many felt a connection with the horse -- or at least it appeared so, based on Barbaro-item sales on eBay. After daily item sales hardly registered for months, nearly 400 Barbaro items sold on Monday alone. In fact, 110 of those sold during the 1 pm ET hour as news broke that he had been put down. Pictures, pins, t-shirts, magazines and even a "Barbaro" license plate were among the items purchased by fans of the colt.

Tags: Riding-Western, Riding-English, saddles, tack, Triple Crown

KFed in, Britney Out in Super Bowl Ad Pool

2007-01-24T13:36:00.000-08:00

If 15 minutes of fame were a line of credit, it appears Kevin Federline has just got an extension and he's drawing against it. During the Feb. 4 Super Bowl in Miami, KFed will be the subject of a Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. spot where he goes from starring in a rap video surrounded by beauties and bling to working at a fast-food joint. See the ad spot here:

While FedEx is on tap for Super Bowl Sunday, his ex Britney Spears has found a much cooler, if not frigid, reception in her request to be a part of a spot promoting the NFL Network. The New York Daily News reported one source as saying, “She's too much of a train wreck. Besides, we already have Paris Hilton."

The NFL spot apparently features L.L. Cool J and country band Rascal Flatts and will be a celebrity cast of characters showing up for Chad Johnson's Super Bowl party.

KRZR K1m Rolls Out to Cingular/AT&T

2007-01-22T09:29:00.000-08:00

Cingular/AT&T customers, listen up! If you are still using that “old” RAZR phone you got within the last year, it’s time for an upgrade. Motorola announced the KRZR K1m phone for Cingular/AT&T service is now available. This is a bit old hat for Verizon and AllTel users, who have had KRZRs available for awhile now. Sprint folks, be patient, its coming to you eventually. Functionally speaking, not a ton of difference between the RAZR and the KRZR (nothing like Gillette adding a lubra-smooth strip to one of its new razors). The KRZR is more thin and slim, slightly heavier and actually has some glass on the front. Apparently its super durable in case you, oh, let’s say, drop your phone. KRZR phones are averaging about $230 since Jan. 1 after a $310 price point in late October, while a RAZR on eBay is costing roughly $130.

Tags: KRZR accessories, RAZR accessories, cell phones, PDAs and Pocket PCs, phones w/o service contracts, phones w/ service contracts, prepaid phones

Bears, Colts, Manning Items Soar Within Hour of Advancing

2007-01-22T04:55:00.000-08:00

Within the hour of both Chicago and Indianapolis locking up trips to Super Bowl XLI, sales figures show fans jumped onto eBay to purchase their respective team items. Over 850 Chicago Bears items were sold during the 6 pm ET hour, more than twice the amount of items sold during the previous three hours. Meanwhile, 400 Indianapolis Colts items sold during the 10 p.m. ET hour, nearly four times the previous three hours.

With Peyton Manning finally getting to the Super Bowl, nearly 375 Manning-related items were sold within the hour of the game’s completion, nearly equaling his team’s total. The average price of Manning items also jumped 80 percent to $72 per item, while Chicago quarterback Rex Grossman items rose 91 percent to $65, although Grossman items (56) sold far less than Mannings. Even Dan Klecko got into the act with a whopping six items sold. Who's Dan Klecko you ask? He's the former New England Patriot, now Colts offensive lineman, who caught his first-ever touchdown pass in Sunday's game.

Award Season Gift Bags: Paper or Plastic?

2007-01-16T23:51:00.000-08:00

Celebs at Monday's Golden Globes received one extra item in their gift bags this year: a tax form. The IRS is apparently cracking down on all the swag given away at each award show, requiring the stars to claim the gifts when they file. The Golden Globes' entire audience, not just A-listers, reportedly took home loot valued at around $600 (a mere fraction of last year's $40,000 bags), although a number of pre-event gift "retreats" took place. Greg Grunberg of NBC’s Heroes told the USA Today: “Of course, the year a show I’m on is nominated, Uncle Sam decides to start handing out traffic tickets.”

This year’s Golden Globe swag included a Blackberry Pearl PDA (yes, just one), iPod air freshener (for sweet smelling music), Keurig coffee brewing system (for the morning-after party), Fendi Eyewear (classy), Christopher Fischer cashmere socks (at $54 a pair, they'd better wash and fold themselves) and a Vonage V-Phone (cuz celebs have gotta watch the monthly long distance bill).

New Season of '24' Returns; DVD Sales Ticking

2007-01-16T23:14:00.000-08:00

We Americans sure love our drama. The top three selling “TV on DVD” programs right now on eBay – 24, Sopranos and Smallville – are all from the drama genre. In fact, 24, which started another gripping season last weekend, is the site's hottest selling DVD in its category, up 13 perfect over the last two weeks.

One new theatrical DVD available for rental is The Illusionist, a period magician drama, that got rave reviews. On the flip side, Snakes on a Plane, last year’s word of mouth, Internet-buzz sensation that wasn’t is one of the top rented DVDs right now. Other top DVD releases include The Devil Wears Prada (with Golden Globe winner Meryl Streep, pictured at right), Jackass Number Two, The Covenant and Invincible.

Beckham Sales Bending Upward

2007-01-16T22:43:00.000-08:00

David Beckham's move from the European football, er..soccer league to greener fields in the U.S. has caused Beckham-related items on eBay to pop. He joins the L.A. Galaxy for a five-year deal, reportedly worth $250 million, starting in August. Week over week, items sales jumped over 200 percent, including 100-item sale days on Friday (1/12) – the day after the announcement – and Sunday (1/14). He may bring in the dough, but based on eBay sales, wife Victoria, formerly Posh Spice, appears to wear the popularity pants in the family -- she outsold her hubby over the last two weeks on eBay, 800 items to 660.

Tags: Major League Soccer, Spice Girls, soccer balls, soccer cleats

Bears-Chargers to Meet in Super Bowl XLI

2007-01-11T11:40:00.000-08:00

The NFL Playoffs continue this weekend, meaning bridge and bunco boards will be getting a lot of action between now and Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 4). On the field, will the Seahawks avenge a mid-season thumping by Chicago? Will the Colts stick around for the next round, something they’ve had a hard time doing in past playoffs? Will the inspired Saints knockoff the surging Eagles? And will TD Tomlinson and the Chargers jolt the seasoned Patriots?

If memorabilia sales over the last two weeks are any forecast, the top two selling teams -- the Bears (7,500 related items sold) and Chargers (3,800) -- will face each other in Super Bowl XLI, while the Saints (3,300), Patriots (2,500), Colts (2,000) and Seahawks (2,000) will see their seasons’ end this weekend or next. Hey, this whole prognostication theory worked for American Idol; it can work for this too (we think).

iPhone Buzz Just Beginning

2007-01-11T10:59:00.000-08:00

Look for the Apple’s newly-announced iPhone (pictured at left) to create even greater buzz when it comes available this summer – but don’t expect to be able to buy one at a reasonable price anytime soon (and maybe just on eBay, a la PS3, Wii and Elmo TMX). Similar to Motorola’s RAZR phones, rolled out Christmas 2005, they were tough to get, insanely expensive, and toted by RAZR-thin people with last names Hilton, Ritchie, Lohan, and Simpson (no, not O.J.). Today, not so much. Their average price on eBay is $134.

The current iPhone (pictured at right), the one that's VoIP and Skype-enabled, is available on eBay. The new Netgear Wi-Fi phone for Skype is also very cool. The VoIP iPhone is from Linksys, a company owned by Cisco, which owns the name "iPhone." The iPhone name is at the center of the legal brewhaha, where Cisco is claiming trademark infringement against Apple. But don’t expect Apple to rename their latest gadget "mePhone" or "myself Phone" to replace "iPhone."

Streep: Prada to Prairie to ABBA

2007-01-11T10:33:00.000-08:00

Is there anything Meryl Streep can’t do? Egomaniac in Devil Wears Prada? Done. Great singing pipes in A Prairie Home Companion? Check. Overly protective mother in Prime. Aaand cut! Variety reports the actress will now play the lead in the film adaptation of the popular theatre production featuring the 1970s pop band ABBA. Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson will executive produce alongside the two of ABBA folks. Unfortunately for Streep, she made Mr. Black’s 2006 Worst Dressed List (see related blog post), which is certainly no reflection of her on-screen diversity and talents. In fact, another fine actress, Diane Keaton, did NOT grace Mr. Black’s dubious duds list, but should have, as she’s a regular in US Weekly’s Fashion Police.

Amateur Singers Get Their Own 'Grammy Moment' With Justin Timberlake

2007-01-11T09:44:00.000-08:00

HOLLYWOOD (Flashnews.com) Justin Timberlake has tons of fans but come Grammy night, he could be singing their praises instead. On Grammy Awards night (Feb. 11), one of 12 aspiring fans will get to perform on stage with Timberlake during the show.

The 12 finalists are part of a contest called “My Grammy Moment,” which will allow webheads to vote to give one of them the chance to bring “sexy back” with the star. One of the finalists, Jayne Rio of Vallejo, Calif., says she’s nervous but jokes she may “swoop in” on the newly-single Timberlake if she wins, as long as her boyfriend doesn’t mind.

Another finalist, David Moore of Orlando, Fla., has less amorous ambitions. He merely wants to show off his pipes to Timberlake. Says Moore: “I’ve emulated Justin since the N’Sync days, singing ‘Bye, Bye, Bye’ on my karaoke machine. I want to show him I can jam with him.”

Moore hopes to shine on stage without any Janet Jackson “wardrobe malfunctions,” but says he’s prepared to “act fast” if he has a nip-slip on the show.

Top Grammy nominees: Mary J. Blige, James Blunt, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Corinne Bailey Rae (pictured), Nickelback, John Legend, Chris Brown, Beyonce, Christina Aguilera

Britney Spears Shares ‘Worst Dressed’ Title With Paris Hilton

2007-01-10T10:10:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES (Flashnews.com) Britney Spears and Paris Hilton may be hanging out together but Mr. Blackwell (pictured) hopes they’re not sharing fashion tips.

The acid-tongued fashionista has just declared Spears and Hilton the worst dressed women in the world and describes them as “two peas in an over-exposed pod” and refers to the “style-free and fashion-deprived” duo as the “ScreamGirls.”

But the two pop tarts get some stiff competition from Camilla Parker-Bowles, who Blackwell calls the “Duchess of Dowdy,” and Lindsay Lohan, who he says has gone from “adorable to deplorable.”

Meanwhile, Blackwell says Christina Aguilera’s wardrobe is “all crass, no class!” and Mariah Carey is a “fashion pariah.”

Other ladies making the dubious list include Paula Abdul, Sharon Stone, Tori Spelling, Sandra Oh and Meryl Streep.

Tags: women's shoes, dresses, skirts, tops, women's sweaters, women's jackets

Britney Spears Gets Bad Skin Dermatology Oscar

2007-01-04T16:01:00.000-08:00

(Flashnews.com) Britney Spears had a lot of over exposure this year – including over exposure to the sun. That’s the skinny from San Francisco-based dermatologist Dr. Vail Reese, who says Spears got so much sun during 2006, that she deserves a “dermatology Oscar.”

To that end, Reese has just awarded Spears one of his annual “Skinnies Awards” for having bad skin due to over-tanning, a habit Reese says lead to skin cancer and melanoma.

Other winners that received Skinnies from Reese this year include Seal, who won “Proudest Pocked Pitchman,” for not being self-conscious about his scarred skin condition. The Ancient Mayans depicted in Mel Gibson’s flick Apocalypto get “Skinnies” for being the “Most Tattoed and Pierced Social Group.” Brittany Murphy wins a “Skinnie” for her “Surprisingly Lush Lips,” which Reese speculates are the result of too much cosmetic surgery.

However, Reese has praise for fair-skinned starlets like Rachel McAdams, Scarlett Johansson and Keira Knightley, who he has “actually take care of their skin.”

Tags: skin care, sun care, sunless tanning, anti-aging products, sun visors

T.D. over T.O.; Broncos Bucking After Win

2007-01-04T15:44:00.000-08:00

LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers star running back, was named the AP NFL Player of the Year on Thursday. He's had a tremendous season both on the field and on the eBay marketplace. Over 14,600 T.D. items sold since early November and reached their top rice of $46 per item the first week mid December, the week after he broke the NFL single season record for touchdowns on Dec. 11. By comparison, 5,800 Terrell Owens-related items have sold over the same two months at $28 each. Apparently, eBay buyers can really appreciate a great on-field performance or they’re simply just sick of T.O, maybe a bit of both.

After winning one of the most exhilarating football games in recent memory, the Boise State Broncos finally saw a blip in sales on eBay. Despite going undefeated during the season, the hype hadn't carried over to eBay sales as the team made it into Fiesta Bowl. But the day after the Broncos Jan. 1 OT win over Oklahoma, over 150 BSU items sold (vs. just 3 the Tuesday before), not including tickets for the game that sold on the site.

Tags: NFL, San Diego Chargers, BCS Championship

Waist Land

2007-01-04T15:27:00.000-08:00

Diet, diet, diet…that’s all people talk about for the first week of the year, just before they encounter a moment of weakness that finds them at the bottom of a Peanut Buster Parfait. For some, God love'em, they are sticking to their plan, their coveted New Year’s Resolution of getting in shape, eating better, dieting, blah, blah, blah.

If you find yourself on the dark side of the diet force, here are a few diet books that are popular, each differing and geared toward one’s personality, schedule and food preferences: The South Beach Diet, Eat, Drink and Be Healthy, Dr. Shapiro’s Picture Perfect Weight Loss, and The Step Diet. The No. 1 selling book on Half.com’s Top 200 right now is You on a Diet: The Owner’s Manual for Waist Management. At just under $14, it’s nearly half the price of the $25 list price. Naturally, check with you physician to see which one's best for you. But don't bother checking with Doc on the Parfait.

Tags: weight-loss books, dietary supplements nutrition, yoga DVDs, self-help items

'Wii' Dethrones 'Elmo TMX' as Top eBay Search Term

2006-12-29T12:18:00.000-08:00

If you want to know what’s on the minds of eBay buyers in the U.S., just check out the latest top search terms from across the marketplace. It really boils down to games, games, games. Some form of Nintendo Wii, Sony Playstation or Microsoft Xbox 360 hold spots Nos. 1-6 with Wii” ranking as the most searched term (as of Dec. 29). Music also appears to be on buyers’ minds with terms reated to Apple iPod taking spots 7 and 9, and Microsoft’s Zune music player, released mid November, at No. 18. Elmo TMX, the 10-year anniversary edition of Tickle Me Elmo, dropped to No. 6 after holding the top spot for several weeks.

E-Street Rocker's Gibson Guitar Brings $1,800

2006-12-29T11:58:00.000-08:00

Rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia has a place in many hearts, and now it’s found its way into a lucky bidder’s hands. Steve Van Zandt, guitarist in Bruce Springsteen’s E-Street Band, auctioned a signed Gibson Firebird guitar and an Underground Garage pick, both of which were used on the band’s tour to promote its 2002 album “The Rising.” Little Steven’s listing, part of the “A Wiseguy New Year’s Eve in Times Square Charity Auction,” received 41 bids and closed at $1,802.77, about twice the price of Gibson guitars on eBay over the last two weeks. The winning bid was placed by eBay user "ngala." The charity auction benefited VH1’s Save the Music program and was managed by Auctionwire.

Unwanted Gifts Finding Homes

2006-12-29T10:53:00.000-08:00

The act of regifting is becoming more accepted these days – in fact, 69% find it socially acceptable to pass along unwanted gifts, according to an eBay/Survey.com study that came out just before Christmas. That figure represents a 20 percent jump over the previous year’s “acceptance” rating. Some of the most popular items to regift include: knick-knacks (32 percent), bottles of wine or spirits (26 percent), DVDs, CDs or books (23 percent), bath products (22 percent) and finally, the ever-elusive fruitcake (17 percent).

Apparently, most regifters are playing their cards right: a whopping 85 percent say they have not been caught regifting, which may explain why its becoming so popular. Interestingly, grandma and grandpa are the least likely recipients of regifted items, while friends and co-workers were the most likely targets.

Vera Wang: Fashion Designer, Figure Skater

2006-12-15T06:55:00.000-08:00

Clothing designer Vera Wang is world renown for her stunning dresses, bridal gowns and lovely eau de parfum, but few know Vera Wang, the figure skater. Back in 1968, Vera's prowess on ice got her profiled in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd," a long-standing feature that highlights current amateur athletes' exceptional performances. This week, the magazine celebrates 50 years of "Faces," which has run 2,632 weeks and profiled 15,672 athletes, including hundreds of then-unknown, now-famous personalities such as Tiger Woods, Magic Johnson, Emmitt Smith, Jack Nicklaus, John McEnroe and even James Dean.

Turns out Vera, a freshman at Sarah Lawrence College in 1967, took the senior ladies' title with a near-perfect performance at the North Atlantic Figure Skating Championships, which ended up getting her featured in the Jan. 8, 1968, edition of S.I. At 18, she missed qualifying for the nationals by two spots, and by falling short, so too did her dream of the 1968 Olympics.

After that, Vera left New York City and traveled to Paris to "find herself." It was there that she ended up discovering her fascination with design and fashion, and it quickly became her full-blown love. Today, the likes of Mariah Carey, Jessica Simpson and Uma Thurman wear her gowns, and no red carpet event is absent her "look."

Now 57, does Vera miss the skating? She tells S.I., "My old coach Peter Dunfield recently said to me, 'Vera, don't you miss the wind in your face? And I said, 'I do. I miss it every day.' "

Sweet Item of the Week

2006-12-12T23:09:00.000-08:00

While ‘80s music was best known for asymmetrical hair, puffy pants, and the spawning of the music video, many may not realize the role Fairlight CMI keyboards (i.e. synthesizers) played in generating much of the era’s most defining tunes. Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer,” Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” Herbie Hancock’s “Rocket,” and U2’s “Unforgettable Fire” were among the most notable numbers that used a Fairlight.

Earlier this week, a vintage Fairlight keyboard – signed by 44 big-name musicians, composers and producers – sold through eBay Giving Works for $100,000. Gracing the white keys were signatures from Bono, Stevie Wonder, Sir George Martin, Gabriel, Thomas Dolby, Elvis Costello, and Annie Lennox, to name a few.

While the keyboard has no "engine" and is not intended to be played, it is a collectors item as the Fairlights discontinued production in the late 80s. The charity auction, managed by AuctionCause, benefited WITNESS, which uses the power of video to expose human rights abuses.

Rejected NBA Balls Could Bounce Up In Value

2006-12-12T22:48:00.000-08:00

DALLAS (Flashnews.com) – The NBA will be ditching its brand new balls come January 1 – and that means they could bounce up in value. At least that’s the way Rich Klein, a sports memorabilia expert for Beckett.com, sees it.

Since the composite basketballs were used for only a short time, Klein calls them the “New Coke of professional sports." Still, he predicts they could have tremendous value to collectors – especially if there’s proof the balls were actually used in NBA games. As an example, Klein cites the old red, white and blue basketballs used by the now-defunct American Basketball Association, which can sell for up to four figures these days.

Naturally, game-used balls have the most value but Klein predicts that even the composite balls sold in the average sporting goods store will eventually be valued collectibles. Even better for budding collectors: Klein says sporting goods stores are probably going to drop the price in order to get rid of them before the New Year – so it’s a buyer’s market.

Toy Story

2006-12-12T22:45:00.000-08:00

With tech toys receiving the media hype and online buzz this holiday, it’s easy for parents to buy what’s hot for the kids and be done with it. Not so fast, says Marianne Szymanski, president of Toy Tips, which offers parents a guide to smart toy choices. While e-gadgets are fine, Marianne encourages parents to introduce technology in toys that will add value to a child’s play experience. The Blue Man Group Keyboard Experience (pictured), Kindermusik educational music toys and the Wild Planet Digital Spy Camera are three examples of fun and creative toys she has tested and highly recommends.

Also, toys that reinforce skills, like LEGO sets, K'Nex building sets and Play Doh 50^th Anniversary Rainbow packs (now how old do you feel that Play Doh is turning 50?) are always a favorite. Parents can’t go wrong with themes of pirates, princesses and mermaids, not all of which have to be licensed from Pirates of the Caribbean or Disney, she says. Classic board games, like Monopoly (now with modernized editions), Chutes & Ladders, Sorry, Clue, and others, all can be a family experience, and bring back some great childhood memories for the parents too. Alex Toys’ Games to Go also rated high in Toys Tips' thorough testing.

Regardless of what parents buy for their kids, seeing their eyes light up when they open their toys is fun; however, sometimes things get a little out of hand as they did for this little guy below with a Nintendo 64. We're all curious about this year's reaction when he got a Wii.

Pop Kernels

2006-12-12T17:59:00.000-08:00

Heisman Highlights
While Heisman winner Troy Smith of Ohio State may have been this year’s top college football player, last year’s winner – Reggie Bush of USC – actually put up bigger sales figures on eBay. Over the course of the season, 3,700 Bush-related items sold on eBay at $52 each, while Smith sold a respectable 3,300 items at about $39 per, and Bush had about 50 percent more sales volume around the time of the Heisman announcement in early December.

Bowling for Tickets
BCS Championship Game tickets are the hot item of the past two weeks, averaging about $3300 per listing (note, that’s per listing, not per ticket), according to eBay Marketplace Research. The average listing is starting at $2200 and getting about 10 bids, and one block of 10 tickets sold for $16,000. Over the last 14 days, nearly 600 listings have successfully closed for the Ohio State-Florida match-up on Jan. 8 in Arizona.

Catch a Lift
Skiing and snowboarding is a whole lotta fun, but it sure can be expensive. Looks like smart slopers are finding nicely-priced lift tickets on eBay. According to eBay Pop data, over 300 tickets have sold in the past two weeks – a 107 percent jump -- at an average price of $42. A quick visit to Squaw Valley site shows discounted tickets starting at over twice that amount.

Taylor vs. Katharine, Part Deux
The top two American Idols from season five – Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee – are releasing CDs within a month or two of each other. Hicks’ CD, creatively titled “Taylor Hicks,” is out this week, while McPhee’s has been delayed until late January. Hicks still has the selling power when it comes to items related to him selling on eBay. Nearly 1,400 have sold over the last three months, 30 percent of which have been in the last two weeks around album and touring buzz. McPhee, on the other hand, has been sporadic on eBay, with only 250 items related to her selling on the site since early September.

Pop Kernels

2006-12-06T03:50:00.000-08:00

Looks like Rocky Balboa’s red and yellow boxing robe, his gloves and several other items from the sets of the Rocky movies will be enshrined in the Smithsonian, alongside Dorothy’s ruby red slippers, Abraham Lincoln’s top hat and Thomas Edison’s light bulb, according to the AP. Even after 30 years since the first Rocky flick, over 2,000 related items sold on eBay over the past two weeks at about $25 a hit. Not bad, Sly. Mickey would be proud.

Those artists who hauled the most hardware at the Billboard Music Awards on Monday – Mary J. Blige (9 awards), rapper T.I. (5), R&B singers Chris Brown and Rihanna and rock bands Nickelback and The Fray (3 each) – all saw modest bumps in sales of their music on eBay the day after the show. Although former American Idol winner Carrie Underwood (5 awards) saw a drop, and Fergie (0 awards, 1 on-stage performance) saw a small increase in sales. Hard to know who was busier, the guy wheeling the awards to the winners dressing rooms or the guy bleeping out all the not-ready-for-prime time language.

Of the 10 teams in college football’s Bowl Championship Series, it’s Notre Dame who wins the eBay BCS standings with nearly 3,500 ND football related items selling over the past month. Ohio State is second at nearly 2,000 sold over that span, and Michigan is a distant third at 1,100. Fans of BCS first-timer Boise State need to get clicking as only 20 items BSU football items have sold on eBay over the past 30 days. Someone needs a pep rally!

Sony’s late October/early November PS3 television spot featuring the exploding Rubik’s Cube may have rekindled interest in the 1980s puzzle game. From Oct. 26 – Nov. 8, over 1,100 Rubik’s Cubes sold on eBay, up 60 percent from the previous two weeks. It may get another bump in popularity when Will Smith solves the Cube in his upcoming movie, “The Pursuit of Happyness," hitting theatres Dec. 15. After solving the Rubik's Cube, next challenge is learning to spell "happiness."