Mollini has just received a new shipment of shoes and accessories ready for winter and there appears to be some decent basics for work.

Plus, if you buy online between May 1 (tomorrow) and May 7, you’ll get free shipping - great news if you’re not close to a Mollini store.

They have some new knee-high and over-the-knee boots, which are going to be big this winter season. (I strongly recommend going the flat option if you’re wearing an over-the-knee style, to avoid looking like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman).

I think the Viper style pictured here is cute - something shiny to brighten up your working day and quite affordable at $138.

By Caroline Warnes

And the winners are:

Main prize: A. Harrington, 2251.

Runner up prizes: S. Smart, 3183; T. Penney, 6065; C. Mitchell, 2077; J. Legiman, 3028.

The Flip MinoHD is one of a new generation of mini-camcorders that combine portability; decent performance and functionality; and affordable pricing.

These devices don’t pretend to be the best-in-breed in terms of performance and features, but deliver “good enough” performance - with portability and an affordable price tag being the key selling points.

This latest iteration of the Flip Mino HD offers several upgrades over the 2009 model, including twice the memory (8GB, so you can now record up to 120 minutes of standard definition footage); a larger LCD screen (up by 0.5-inches to 2-inches); plus the ability to upload your videos directly to Facebook, YouTube and MySpace using the on-board FlipShare software.

Aside from these upgrades, not much has changed, but this is still a nifty little device. Basically, it’s an ultra portable mini-camcorder that can record in high-definition at 30 frames-per-second (though admittedly at 1280×720 it’s not Full HD, but once again - it’s “good enough”). The top of the Flip MinoHD has a flip-out USB connector, which allows you to plug it into your computer to upload the footage and share it as you wish.

Sounds simple, and that’s the beauty of it. The image quality isn’t what you’d expect from a full-sized HD camcorder, but this device isn’t intended to be used to film cinematic masterpieces. It’s for filming and sharing as simply as possible, and that’s good enough for many of us.

The new Flip MinoHD mini-camcorder is available now with a local price of $299.95.

Buy a cheap Flip camcorder on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes

Nine West claims it is offering 20% off all bags as a Mother’s Day promo, but in my opinion that’s just an excuse to shop for yourself.

Well, I guess if you’re a really nice person you can buy mum a bag, but the rest of us can hold our heads high in the knowledge that shopping is a purely selfish activity.

The email I received this morning promoting 20% off all Nine West bags for a limited time didn’t mention any conditions, so I’m assuming it also includes bags that are already on sale.

For example, this Kelly large satchel bag is already reduced to $89, and if the discount does apply, it will be down to $71. I quite like the style of bag, it reminds me of Balenciaga.

By Caroline Warnes

Just a quick note to let you know that another Aussie fashion retailer is offering a free $30 voucher - this time, it’s Ojay.

For a limited time, if you sign up for an Ojay Style Card, you’ll get $30 credited to your account to spend in-store (although this one can’t be used on sale items or accessories).

The Style Card loyalty program is well worth joining anyway, as it gives you access to special Ojay offers, sales and member events.

Ojay has some smart looks for winter in-store at the moment, especially for work - including trench coats, jackets and more - so get in quick to claim your voucher.

By Caroline Warnes

Telstra is giving you the chance to win a trip for four to Japan to see The Australian Ballet.

Connect or upgrade to an eligible Telstra service, enter online and you will go in the running to win this fantastic prize.

The winner will receive tickets to see the The Australian Ballet in Tokyo, return flights and accommodation and $4000 spending money.

If you’re looking for the perfect lapdesk for your laptop or notebook while you’re sitting on the couch at home, then the Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N700 is worthy of review.

Not only does it provide a stable and comfortable surface for your notebook to rest upon while it’s on your lap, but it also comes with a built-in cooling system to prevent your legs from overheating and stereo speakers to enhance your audio output.

In terms of design, the best way to describe the N700 is to think of it as a specced-up Stable Table, complete with a soft, cushiony part on the underside for your comfort and a stable surface on top to rest your computer. But naturally, there’s a lot more going on under the hood.

The fan does an excellent job of keeping your lap cool, and it’s also extremely quiet - which is most important if you’re going to be watching TV or listening to music or videos from the speakers. And the speakers themselves perform adequately for a device around the $150-mark. There are four speakers located at various points on the exterior.

Because it packs in all these components, it’s unsurprising that the N700 weighs significantly more than your humble Stable Table, coming in at a little under 2kg. Thankfully, 2kg of weight on your lap doesn’t come near to being umcomfortably heavy.

The Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N700 has a local price of $149.95.

Buy cheap Logitech speakers on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes

I just discovered a new site called File on Style, which offers some decent discounts on Australian designer fashion.

The e-boutique has some older styles from brands such as Piper Lane, Hussy, Bless’ed are the Meek and Natasha Gan.

I’m desperately short of knitwear and warm clothes as we head into another winter, so I’m leaning towards this Sweet Sensations cardigan from Piper Lane.

It’s marked down to $84 and would be perfect for layering right through until spring.

By Caroline Warnes

The new Acer Aspire One 532h is a nice basic netbook for under $600.

While it lacks most of the bells and whistles of the most expensive netbooks, for $599 you’ll get a solid performer that handles all the basic essential tasks well.

Under the hood, you’ll find the usual specifications for netbooks, including an Intel Atom N450 CPU and 250GB hard drive. The good news is that this new Intel processor provides excellent battery life, so you can expect up to 10 hours when perfoming low-power tasks.

The 10.1-inch widescreen display with 1024×600 native resolution is also a fairly standard specification for an entry-level netbook. There’s also a touch pad, which is unfortunately on the small side and may prove tricky for anyone with larger hands.

Acer has also equipped the Aspire One 532h with 802.11n Wi-Fi (but unfortunately no Bluetooth).

The Acer Aspire One 532h is available now for $599.

Buy a cheap Acer netbook on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes

If you’re planning on doing some online shopping over the weekend, you might want to consider visiting the Leona Edmiston online store.

If you spend $200 at the store before Monday, you’ll get $50 off your order when you use the code 50OFF.

The code applies to everything, including the main Leona Edmiston collection, Little Leona, accessories, sleepwear and more.

I think the Rosemary dress is really pretty, and it’s already reduced to $245 from $495. With the extra discount, you’ll pick it up for $195 (and shipping is free).

By Caroline Warnes