Target isn’t the only department store that has picked up its game, clothing-wise in the last few years.

Kmart has also been impressive of late, particularly with its Contempo womenswear range.

The range includes everything from basics, knits and workwear to going-out dresses and tops.

The latest Contempo range includes two panel dresses, as inspired by this dress actress Christina Ricci wore at a recent film premiere.

But while Ricci’s designer dress no doubt cost a motza, the Kmart interpretations of this look retail for just $39.95.

You can see more of Kmart’s Contempto range at this website.

By Caroline Warnes

The Logitech X-230 speakers are almost two years old now - and that’s getting on a bit in the A/V world.

However, sometimes an older product can be a blessing - especially when you consider prices tend to drop dramatically when newer models come onto the market.

Such is the case with the Logitech X-230s. They originally retailed for around $100, but these days you can pick them up for much, much less.

The X-230 is a small, compact speaker package finished in glossy black - in other words, they’re not bad to look at. The speakers put out a surprising amount of bass for their size, too - and distortion is low, which is also good news.

On the down side, the bass is difficult to control, however overall this is a nice, affordable option for speakers for your PC or iPod.

Click here to find offers on Logitech speakers near you.

By Caroline Warnes

Bringing the classic “Godfather” movies to game consoles was always going to be a risky proposition, however this adaptation for the Nintendo Wii acquits itself well.

What makes this version of the game so good isn’t just the compelling and involved storyline - though that is very good - but also the Wii’s unique interactive capabilities.

You can use the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk to throw actual punches in the game (great for a workout if you’ve missed your boxing class), point the gun, open doors, reload weapons and even to kill your enemies.

You enter the game as a low-level employee for the Corleone family, which means you start with some low-leverl racketeering. The point of the game is to rise up through the ranks of the mafia family.

The graphics aren’t as stunning as what they are on the PS3 or Xbox 360, however the interactive gameplay is great for anyone who likes to get their hands dirty.

Click here to find offers on Wii console and games near you.

By Caroline Warnes

We have double movie passes and soundtracks to one of the most anticipated Australian films of the year up for grabs this week - “The Black Balloon”, which opens in cinemas next Thursday.

It’s not easy being Thomas Mollison (played by up-and-coming actor Rhys Wakefield). He’s turning 16, and his autistic brother Charlie embarrasses him. So do his parents. When his pregnant mother (Toni Collette) is confined to bed rest, he is put in charge of Charlie (Luke Ford) and with the help of his new girlfriend Jackie, Thomas faces his biggest challenge yet.

Australian supermodel Gemma Ward stars as Jackie, Thomas’ girlfriend. Ward does more than just look good - she can actually act!

We have 20 “The Black Balloon” prize packs to give away - five first prizes of a double in-season pass to the film plus a soundtrack, as well as 15 runner-up prizes of a double in-season pass.

To be in the running to win, email movietickets@lasoo.com.au with the word BALLOON in the subject line and tell me in 25 words or less what is the greatest challenge you’ve ever faced. Entries close next Wednesday.

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By Caroline Warnes

Hot New York designer Zac Posen has just been announced as the next Designer For Target.

That is fantastic news for Australian women who love fashion - Posen’s designs are creative and beloved by a host of celebrities, including Natalie Portman and Katherine Heigl - however, the clothes from his main collection also carry the hefty celebrity-style price tag.

Bringing Zac Posen’s range to the Designers For Target collection will bring it all in reach of us mere mortals - pricing is yet to be confirmed but it is likely to be similar to previous DFT ranges, with the most expensive items being around $200.

Zac Posen is a New York born-and-bred designer who took the fashion world by storm back in 2000 when he designed a gown for supermodel Naomi Campbell.

He’s best known for his edgy take on 1940s fashion, and his designs flatter women of all shapes and sizes - whether you’re super svelte or on the curvy side.

You can now view the range online at the Designers For Target website and it will be in stores on April 3.

The Zac Posen collection launches next weekend at the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival next weekend, and I’m heading down there to report on the range up-close. Stay tuned to the blog next Sunday night for more!

By Caroline Warnes

Waking up to the sound of the radio in the morning is only slightly preferable to waking up to the sound of a buzzing alarm.

Even better is when you can wake up to the sound of your own music selection - and iPod alarm clocks such as the Philips AJ300D make that possible.

The concept is fairly simple - you dock your iPod in the cradle, set the time you want to wake up at and you’re ready to go. A range of connectors for the different iPods is provided, and you can also connect most MP3 players using a standard 3.5mm cord. And of course, at other times the system works as a regular iPod speaker.

In the middle is a large LCD screen that displays the time and on top there is a snooze button. Other features include an iPod charging dock and an FM radio.

Lastly, the sound from this unit is actually very impressive, given that it’s fairly compact and retails for much less than other similar units.

Click here to find offers on the Philips iPod system near you.

By Caroline Warnes

I don’t know about you, but I am hopeless at choosing gifts for other people.

Buying something for myself - no problem. Buying something for someone else - big problem.

It’s not that I’m stingy or cheap, and I love the thrill of giving someone the perfect gift. The problem is that I get a huge mental blank when it comes to deciding what to get, even if it’s someone I know well.

My brain becomes wracked with thoughts of “they’ll think I’m lame if I get that” and eventually I end up going with the trusty old bottle of wine or box of chocolates.

In fact it’s gotten to the point where family members have to tell me specifically what they want, preferably with written directions to the shops and a store map.

I’m not a big fan of giving gift vouchers - I always think, you might as well just give cash - however the vouchers from the Gift Card Store are a great idea as you can show you’ve put a bit of thought into the recipient’s likes and dislikes.

You can pick up a gift card in denominations ranging from $25 to $200 for a range of over 40 Australian retailers across a diverse range of categories including fashion, hardware, electrical, books, fitness and lots more.

Best of all, you can literally get these vouchers at the last minute because they can be purchased from newsagents, Australia Post outlets, 7-Eleven stores and Caltex petrol stations.

What a great idea!

By Caroline Warnes

The Kodak EasyShare ZD710 is a compact digital camera that looks just like a small digital SLR, thanks to the rather large Schneider lens.

However, the ZD710’s lens suffers the same problem as many compact digital cameras with large lenses - it’s not stabilised and you’ll have to provide manual support.

The Kodak ZD710 offers 10x zoom and 7.1-megapixels of resolution. This will allow you to make prints of up to 35×26cm. It can also take 640×480 movies in either 10.5fps (frames per second) or 20fps. It can shoot in either full auto or Program AE mode and you can choose from three scene modes from the main dial (sports, portrait and night). For more scene options you’ll need to access the menu.

The EasyShare ZD710 weighs in at around 300 grams. It features two viewfinders - one is above the lens and the other is an LCD screen. Because it’s styled as a “mini dSLR”, it’s not the most compact digital camera in the world, and nor is it meant for digital photography novices. However if you’re looking for the next step up from an entry-level digital camera, the ZD710 is an option to consider.

Click here to find offers on Kodak digital cameras near you.

By Caroline Warnes

If there’s one thing Sony Ericsson mobile phones do well, it’s music.

That should come as no surprise when you consider that Sony Ericsson’s music-orientated mobiles carry the famed Walkman brand, which was of course THE only name in portable music prior to the arrival of the iPod.

The W610i boasts the same exceptional sound quality as other phones in the series. Even the included headphones are good and seem to cancel out environmental noise to a fair extent. It also comes with a better music player so it’s all much easier to use. There’s even software to transfer music from CDs straight to the handset.

The W610i is also a great-looking mobile phone, if that’s an important consideration for you. It comes in either black and orange or black and white and features lovely rounded corners.

To round out the multimedia package, a 2-megapixel camera is also built-in.

Click here to find offers on Sony Ericsson mobile phones near you.

By Caroline Warnes

If you’re anything like me, your wardrobe is a mess.

I have shoes of all kinds coming out of me ears, shelves cluttered with scarves, gloves, hats and every other pointless accessory known to mankind.

Suffice to say that storage for me is a big issue. I tried buying a three-tier shoe rack from an el cheapo $2 shop and it collapsed after a month. I came home one day to find all my shoes in a sad heap in my bedroom. I kicked it in frustration and subsequently stubbed my toe.

Obviously I am not alone in my storage predicament as one local business has been established specifically to deal with situations such as this. Two Brisbane girls came up with Shoe Box Heaven, which sells strong, clear-ended storage boxes.

This is a great idea for storing shoes and other accessories as the clear end allows you to see what’s inside. They’re also stackable and have strong rope handles so you can simply pull out what you need without having to stack all the boxes.

The boxes are stocked in a few smaller retailers in Queensland and can be bought online at Shoe It Away in lots of 10.

By Caroline Warnes