What a funny time of year...

This time in between Christmas and New Year needs a name of it's own.  It's not quite Christmas, not quite New Year, just a kind of middle ground.  Some people have taken extended holidays, whilst others are back to the grindstone after a brief break. 

I think that a lot of us still feel very much in the party mood, and work, although quieter for lots of us, offers a good distraction from the excesses of Christmas.

The good news is that this means that many of us can spend our evenings (or days if we are lucky enough to be off) catching up with some of the years best films.   Some of our top titles of the year have included Sherlock Holmes, Avatar, Shutter Island, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and 2012. 

Children and families alike have enjoyed Toy Story 3, How to Train Your Dragon, Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief, Nanny McPhee & the Big Bang and The Sorcerer's Apprentice.  We've also got some great World Cinema options such as Heartbreakers, Lebanon and MicMacs. 

New Releases this week include The Last Exorcism, Jonah Hex and the popular Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.  We also have some great December releases in store, such as Knight & Day, The Last Airbender, Eclipse and Inception.  So if you didn't get one of the top titles from 2010 in your stocking this year why not pop in to catch up on some fabulous films. 

We are business as usual today and tomorrow and will be closing early on New Year's Eve.  We'll be offering 4 films for £10 on December 31st, and the great news is you get to keep hold of them until 6th January so start 2011 with a fabulous film fest!

Keep Calm and Carry On!

Are you panicking about Christmas yet? With adverse weather affecting much of the UK deliveries are being delayed and it’s difficult for many of us to get put and about to go shopping. Well don’t worry too much – we have a great selection of gifts for men, women and children at The Hub in Dunblane High Street to make sure you can keep calm and carry on this Christmas.

Our pick of the top gifts available are:

For Men

Kymera Magic Wand – This magical buttonless remote control took Dragon’s Den by storm just a few months ago. The must-have gadget for men this Christmas. Available exclusively within Dunblane at Gadget Hub £49.99

Motormouse Wireless Mouse – This mini-Porsche wireless mouse appeared on Dragon’s Den in 2009. Superbly stylish and a must have for every desk. We’d recommend the black, silver or red for men. £29.99

Pass the Popcorn Movie Trivia Game – 2 games are included to create a perfect evening of entertainment for all film buffs out there. Suitable for Ages 12+ you can include the whole family in fast paced movie fun. £10.99

For Women
Motormouse Wireless Mouse – This stylish wireless Porsche shaped mouse is available in Pink too for all the gadget girlies out there. £29.99

Urban Bar Cubana Champagne Flutes – These beautiful glasses are the must have in contemporary elegance. Gleneagles Hotel uses this stemware when serving champagne in the hotel’s main bar. Buy a set of two for just £19.95. Large Red Wine glasses are also available at £21.00 for a set of two, or why not enjoy a G&T in one of the Cubana Double Old Fashioned glasses at just £14.00 per pair.

Dolci Colline Prosecco – A light refreshing tipple perfect for Christmas Day. This is shop owner Helen’s preferred tipple and sure to be a hit, particularly if combined with the Cubana Champagne Flutes as a gift. £9.75 per bottle.

For Boys
Star Wars Lightsaber Room Light - The final challenge in becoming a Jedi Knight is to build your own lightsaber. With the Lightsaber room light young Padawans can construct their own Jedi Lightsaber and mount it on the wall. Choose from 8 awesome colour effects using the remote control. £25.99

Star Wars Death Star Planetarium – Explore the Star Wars galaxy like never before! Project the Star Wars Galaxy on your walls and ceilings and then project Earth’s night sky. Your darkened room will be transformed into an amazing planetarium. £22.99

Lego Brick Light – How to make a boring night light Awesome! Perfect for all Lego fans they are wall mountable, but can be removed to allow them to be carried around if you need mobile illumination – ideal for night time jaunts to the bathroom or kitchen. Available in red or blue for £9.99

For Girls
Rainbow in My Room – This projects a brilliant rainbow across your walls and ceiling and is a sure way to make any room a happier place. Features an Auto-shut off and 2 illumination modes. £19.99

Toy Story 3 Alien Freefall – Toy Story 3 inspired version of the Kerplunk game – perfect fun entertainment for the whole family. Recommended for ages 5+ select a coloured stock and give a gentle tug, but be careful not to let the aliens fall. £14.99

Club Penguin Puffle – Disney Club Penguin game has become an online phenomenon for children everywhere. These cute little plush puffles, which feature in the game as a club penguin pet, come in a variety of colours complete with a token which can be used online. Boys and Girls collect these, but the pink puffle is particularly favoured by girls. £6.50

If you want to see more, pictures of all these products are available on our facebook page www.facebook.com/gadgethub

Snow Business

It's been a very challenging week or two for the people who live and work in and around Dunblane.  This weather has been testing even the most resilient of us!

Throughout it all we have managed to stay open at Gadget Hub, albeit operating reduced hours.  We even managed to open for a few hours on Sunday as promised.  Deliveries are proving to be problematic, but fortunately we had pre-ordered much of our Christmas stock so are managing to supply the town with toys, collectables and independent wines.  The latest releases have been delayed, but with over 1600 titles available in the shop you are bound to find a movie that suits your mood.

Our planned opening hours during this adverse weather are:

Midweek 10am - 4pm
Friday/Saturday 10am - 6pm
Sunday 12.30 - 4pm

If in doubt call us on 07725 161 837 or e-mail us shop@mygadgethub.co.uk before heading out in the cold.

We are also updating our facebook page regularly with the latest news at www.facebook.com/gadgethub

Friday Cocktails!

Thank goodness Friday is finally here.  We love this day of the week and the Friday Feeling of anticipation for the weekend is catching.  A lot of people enjoy a drink over the weekend, so we thought it might be nice to share some of our favourite Cocktail recipes with you, just in time for the Festive Season.

The weather outside has turned very frosty, with temperatures plumeting.  Fortunately as Christmas is just around the corner we have the most wonderful excuse to start making Mulled Wine or Gluhwein. 

The Gadget Hub Gluhwein recipe is:
1 cinnamon stick
6 cloves
1 bottle of red wine (we recommend Namaqua Soft & Fruity Red only £4.99)
30ml port (try our Krohn LBV port for £13.75)
1 tablespoon sugar
lemon & orange, thinly sliced
Combine cinnamon, cloves, wine, port, sugar and lemon/orange in a heavy based pan.  Heat gently without boiling.  Serve warm; do not strain.

The festive season always needs a bit of Sparkle - there are lots of different ways to use Champagne or Sparkling wine in cocktails, but our personal favourite is the Champagne Cocktail.

The Gadget Hub Champagne Cocktail recipe is:
1 sugar cube
dash bitters
15ml brandy
chilled champagne (We recommend J.M.Gremillet at just £17.50 or why not use our Dolci Colline Prosecco at £9.75)
Place the sugar cube in a champagne flute.  Add a dash of bitters and then the brandy.  Slowly top up with champagne.  Delicious!

TOP TIP:  When making chilled cocktails pop your glasses in the freezer for 10 minutes before starting.  You can also dip the rim of the glass in lemon juice and then in sugar for a nice frosting effect.

For the kids, drivers or non-drinkers why not consider the non-alcoholic classic Shirley Temple. 
The Gadget Hub Shirley Temple recipe is:
dash of grenadine
lemonade
ginger ale
Place some ice in a highball glass and add a dash of grenadice.  Fill to the top with equal measures of lemonade and ginger ale.   

Enjoy your Friday Night!

Stocking Fillers for 2010

Where does the time go!  We all know how busy we get in the run-up to Christmas Day and it's easy to forget about the all essential Stocking Fillers.   We've created our guide to the top 10 Stocking Filler Gifts available at Gadget Hub in Dunblane to help make sure you don't miss out on the smaller must-have items for this year!

1.  Disney Club Penguin Puffle - these are the cute fluffy pets of penguins in the ever popular Disney Club Penguin online game.  Great for boys and girls we have a great selection in stock including the 4" puffles at £6.50 or the 2" keychain puffles at £3.99.

The puffles come in a variety of colours with different facial expressions making them the perfect collectable cuddly toy.  

2.  Littlest Pet Shop LED Keychains - Girls love to collect the LPS range of characters and these LED light-up keychains are excellent for stocking fillers at just £4.99.  With 4 designs to choose from they can clip onto most bags or backpacks, or even be added to a coat to create a funky zip pull.

 

3. Party Animals - Ideal for little girls this christmas these are collectable bears who come with interchangeable outfits.  Priced at £1.99 for individual foil packs or £3.49 for a 2 pack.  These little bears come with a string that can be attached to bags, coat zips, DS consoles or phones. 

4.  Lego LED Key Lights - Perfect for boys the lego characters come in 4 different designs for you to collect, priced at £5.99 for the simple Lego Man Key Light or £6.99 for the various Lego City Men Key Lights.  These are fabulously bright, making them ideal to hang off a schoolbag during the winter months, and the perfect size to squeeze into a stocking.  

5.  Lego Playmat Zipbins - Every parent knows what it's like to get out of bed in the morning only to step painfully onto a piece of Lego left lying around.  This playmat zipbin will make sure that kids can keep their Lego together in one place.  Shaped like a Lego mans head, it cleverly unzips to create a perfect playmat.  Priced at £9.99 it's a great stocking filler that's sure to please the kids - and mum & dad too!

6.  Mighty Beanz - These collectable beanz are great for boys and girls alike.  Available from just £1 for an individual foil pack, or at £2.99 for a 3 pack, which may contain one of the rare small beanz.  Great size for stocking fillers - and a collectors case is also available priced at £9.99 to store all the beanz safely.

7.  Superstars Gogo's - The latest design from Gogo's Crazy Bones - these little critters come in a new flocked coating complete with a little brick shaped home.  Priced at £1.99 they are great fillers for boys and girls.  The Gold Series is also available in store at £8.99 for the set, including collector tin. 

8.  Star Wars Force Attax Cards - The majority of boys (and a few men) absolutely love the Star Wars series.  Star Wars Force Attax are a collectable set, priced at just 50p for a pack of 5 cards. With over 190 different designs to collect, why not pick up a collectors pack to for £4.99 which comes complete with a special binder to store all the cards.

9.  Club Penguin Card-Jitsu Water Cards - Due to be released on 26th November, these are the latest in the series to complement the Disney Club Penguin game.  Individual Packs priced at £1 come with 6 cards, 1 code card and 1 sticker sheet.  Collectors Packs priced at £4.99 and Collector Tins priced at £9.99 will also be available in store.  Great for boys and girls! 

10.  Silly Bandz - Collected by boys and girls these shaped rubber band bracelets have been the must-have trend for 2010.  Priced at £3.99 for a pack of 24, there are lots of designs to collect.  Perfect size and price to include in everyones Christmas Stocking this year.

So that's our round up for you!  If you want to order any of the great stocking fillers we've reviewed simply e-mail us at shop@mygadgethub.co.uk or call us on 07725 161 837.  Payment can be taken over the phone and we can post throughout the UK - or simply reserve to collect at store.

Independent Wines by the Case

I know that a lot of you enjoyed our wine tasting last week, so by popular demand below are the details of the festive cases we've put together for you.


Simply Wine Case
6 bottle case £35 – equivalent bottle price of £5.83
12 bottle case £65 – equivalent bottle price of £5.41

Primo Prosecco - Italy – A soft sparkling wine with a light citrus finish and gentle fizz.
Cape Mountain Sauvignon Blanc – South Africa – Refreshing and unoaked fruity white
Mirabello Pinot Grigio – Italy – A fresh dry white with gentle floral and citrus aromas
Seppelt Unoaked Chardonnay – Australia – Medium bodied, bright fresh and enticing
Val de Salis Merlot – France – A well balanced wine with rich cherry aromas
Tolva Cabernet Sauvignon – Chile – Intense fruity full flavoured red

Wine Lovers Case
6 bottle case £50 – equivalent bottle price of £8.33
12 bottle case £95 – equivalent bottle price of 7.91

Prosecco Le Dolci Colline – Italy – Shop owner Helen’s favourite! Light and creamy fizz
Fairhills Chenin Blanc - Chardonnay – South Africa – Fairtrade refreshing fruity white
Chablis La Colombe- France – Classic Chablis with creamy fruit and rich buttery sensations
Kuki Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc – New Zealand – Passion fruit and gooseberry aromas
Vina Paceta Rioja – Spain – Vibrant, potent, fresh and balanced
Wolf Blass Bilyara Shiraz – Australia – Medium bodied wine with spicy fruit flavours

World Explorers Case
12 bottle case £80.00 – equivalent bottle price of £6.66

Prosecco le Dolci Colline – Italy - Shop owner Helen’s favourite! Light and creamy fizz
Le Charme Sauvignon Blanc – France – Refreshing and quenching on the palate
Mirabello Pinot Grigio – Italy – A fresh dry white with gentle floral and citrus aromas
Finca El Picador Chardonnay – Chile – Full of citrus with an almond aftertaste
ARA Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc – New Zealand – Dry and aromatic with clean finish
Niel Joubert Chenin Blanc – South Africa – A luscious white wine with fruit finish
Chateau Berjuquey Bordeaux Claret – France – Fresh fruity aroma, intense plum, dry finish.
Rioja Lanzado Joven – Spain – Produced in the first Bio-climatic vineyard in Europe, fruity
Chianti Castello di Gabbiano –Italy – Bold Tuscan red from the Sangiovese grape
Santa Luisa Malbec - Argentina – A pleasant softly tannic red wine, spicy undertones
Anakena Cabernet Sauvignon – Chile – Smooth on the palate with cherry and spice aromas
Cockburns 2001 Late Bottled Vintage Port – Portugal¬ – Full and fruity port with a long finish

Sparkling Sensation
6 bottle case £69.00

Pink of Yellowglen x 2 – Australia – Excellent fun sparkling wine
Prosecco Le Dolci Colline x 3 – Italy –Light and creamy fizz with vanilla undertones
Champagne Marie Stuart NV x 1 – France – Named after Mary Queen of Scots, elegant and refined champagne that rivals many of the famous champagne houses

We can also put together a case of your choice - simply drop into the shop or e-mail us shop@mygadgethub.co.uk for details - and we offer free delivery around the Dunblane area. Orders for Christmas are being taken now.

Festive Sparkle

Well now that fireworks night is past we are officially allowed to mention the "C" word....Christmas!  In order to get your party season off to a bang we'll be hosting a Wine Tasting evening in the shop on Thursday 11th November from 4pm - 8pm. 

Our experts will be on hand to answer any questions you have about our selection of Independent Wines.  We will also have some of the wines that feature in our Pre-selected cases for you to try - these include the "Simply Wine Case", the "Wine Lovers Case" and our "World Explorers Case". 

Gez and I will be around to help you with your purchases, and to tell you more about the wines we like the best, especially our "Sparkling Sensation" case which we personally designed for the festive season. 

Are you looking for wine as a gift without any hassle factor?  We also offer 2 bottle gift boxes which start at just £12.50 for our Chilean set.  If you are looking to splash out a bit more then our Sparkling & Flute sets are fantastic at £25.00 for our Prosecco set or £45 for our Champagne set - all packaged and ready to present to a loved one this Christmas. 

So for the best of independent wines from a local shop, just pop along to see us and we'll help solve your wine dilemas this Christmas. 

Lego Lands in Dunblane!

We have some fantastic new products that have arrived in store this month.  Lots of great toys picked exclusively for you in Dunblane by our 7yr Old Toy Director -Jake.

Lego is the coolest thing around for kids at the moment and Jake has gone to town with his Lego choices for the shop. Keeping gadgets very much in mind we have chosen the must-have Lego electronics.  This includes 4 different designs of LED Keychain Lights - priced at £5.99 for the plain Lego Man or £6.99 for the larger more detailed City Lego Men. 

We've also introduced a limited number of Large Lego Man Dynamo Torches - where you simply wind the arm to generate a charge, which is stored until you press the button on his tummy. 

The item that has caused most excitement are the Lego Star Wars Ballpoint Pens.  The combination of a classic film and classic toy produces a must-have stocking filler this year - priced at £5.99 and available in 4 different designs.   

Of course when you have finished playing with your Lego there is only one place to keep it all - in your Lego head zip bin of course!  These are also available in store, alongside the Lego Brick Light and other toys and collectables.  So pop into Gadget Hub to see what gifts and stocking fillers we have to suit your needs this year.  You can also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gadgethub to make sure you keep up to date with the latest in kids trends and other goings on online!

Top Titles for September

September has been another busy month for us here at the Gadget Hub in Dunblane.  Can you believe that we've been on the High Street now for 6 months!

Top 10 DVD Titles this month have been:

1.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
2. Kick-Ass
3. Shutter Island
4. The Blind Side
5. Robin Hood
6. Prince of Persia
7. Four Lions
8. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
9. Green Zone
10. Hot Tub Time Machine

Our Blu-ray titles are also becoming more popular as people update their home entertainment systems.  Top 5 Blu-ray Rentals for September were:

1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
2. Clash of the Titans
3. Sherlock Holmes
4. Prince of Persia
5. The Blind Side

In October, as you would imagine, there will be a lot of Horror Movies released.  Our pic of these include Frozen, 30 Days of Night: Dark Days (the much awaited follow up to the 1st film), 13 Hrs and the re-make of classic horror Nightmare on Elm Street!

Alongside these we have some great new titles in our recommended section and some excellent World Cinema movies that are sure to keep you and your family entertained!

Magic for Muggles

Arthur C. Clarke’s third law: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”

For all you Harry Potter would be's out there mystical magic can now be performed by us mere muggles (people with non magical ability according to JK Rowling)!

The Kymera Magic Wand was recently featured on BBC's Dragons' Den, where Duncan Bannatyne bravely fought off offers from the other 4 dragons to secure a deal. 

It's magical ability to control gadgetry within your home is a real wonder to behold.  Anything that uses infra-red technology can be controlled with the magic wand, so now with a simple swish of your hand you can open and close blinds, change TV channels or even pause live television. 

This must have gadget has been reviewed on BBC's "Something for the Weekend", Channel 5's "The Gadget Show" as well as too many gadget blog and tech websites to mention. 

Utterly astounding this is a beautifully crafted gizmo that is oh so simple to use.  Straight away the quality that exudes from this product is impressive.  From the white cardboard carton, to the faux dragon skin and red brocade silk lined box, even the instructions are beautifully presented as a folded parchment.  The wand itself is weighty and supernaturally pulses to let you know that it is ready to learn, and after about 10 - 15 minutes practice you are ready to train it.  You can assign various functions to to various moves, flick to change tracks, spin to turn up volume, swish to dramatically turn on etc.  Before you know it you'll be using one of the 13 predefined gestures to mystically control all the gadgetry around you.  

This is the remote control for all confirmed gadgeteers out there!  In Dunblane it is exclusively available at Gadget Hub for only £49.99 - pop in to see us demonstrate it and have a magical Halloween! 

200 years ago you would have been burned at the stake for displaying this kind of witchery, but then you wouldn't have had a 50" Plasma to show it off!  

Gadget Man

I know that a lot of you are aware of many of the services we offer in the Gadget Hub in Dunblane - the main thing being DVD rental.  However, we have our own resident Gadget Man, Gerard Gourley, who regularly writes for local publication The Wire. 

Gerard is working hard fixing the towns IT problems, including laptop/desktop repair, IT troubleshooting and generally getting your home techonology to talk to each other.  One of the best services we offer is our laptop/desktop healthcheck, which is available instore at just £39.99.  The Gadget Man will put your technology through its paces and ensure it is working to the best of its ability.  He can also make recommendations for any updates required to help you get the most out of it.  He can offer general advice from anti-virus and fraud prevention online through to parental controls - or simply which computer to buy next...

So the next time you feel like throwing your computer out the window due to sheer frustration....just stop, take a deep breath and call down to the Gadget Man to help you out.

Wine Special Offer for September

Our special offer where you can buy 2 x Tolva wines for only £10.00 has been a fantastic success throughout August. 

For the month of September we are offering you an amazing deal on one of the UK's most popular wines.  Our ARA Marlborough 2008 Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand normally retails at £9.39.  However for this month we can offer you it for only £7.99 a bottle, a fantastic saving. 

The purest distillation of Ara’s brand philosophy yet, ARA Marlborough wines have been hand selected from grapes across the vineyard, finely crafted to offer a balance between the renowned Marlborough fruity vivaciousness and the elegance and texture for which Ara is becoming internationally recognised.

 

A bottle from this Award Winning vinyard is a must for your evening in, and as it's a bank holiday we've decided to start this promotion early to make sure you can make the most of your long weekend.   

Top Ten Films

We've been in business now for 5 months, and are learning more and more about the type of films our customers love to watch. 

In this time we've added a World Cinema section - with fantastic titles such as "Lemon Tree" and "A Prophet".  We've also introduced a Most Recommended section, full of fantastic titles including "Taken", "Derailed" and "Casablanca", to name a few.

Big name titles are still our most popular type of film, so I've compiled for you a list of our Top Ten Most Watched Films since we opened:

1. Sherlock Holmes
2. Avatar
3. 2012
4. Law Abiding Citizen
5. It's Complicated
6. The Men Who Stare at Goats
7. Did You Hear About the Morgans
8. Alice in Wonderland
9. The Lovely Bones
10. Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief

It's free to become a member and films cost only £3.00 per night, so why not drop in and see if we have your personal favourites here. 

Tolva - Two for only £10.00

For the month of August we have been running a special offer on our Tolva range of wines.  During this time you can get any 2 bottles for only £10.00 (normally £5.99 each).

This is a fantastic offer no matter what kind of wine you like to drink.  With a Merlot, a Cabernet Sauvignon a Rose or a Sauvignon Blanc all included in the offer.  You can get two the same or mix and match - a great idea if you like different wines in your house.

Pop into see the other wines available in store, including our fair trade and organic selections. 

Mighty Beanz

We've bean going crazy for Mighty Beanz in the Gadget Hub this week.  We now have full stock of these collectable toys, suitable for all children aged 5+.  As well as the individual packets, we now have a multitude of extra's to expand your collection. 

There are over 100 Mighty Beanz to collect, including rare and ultra rare limitied edition characters.  Each character is themed to belong in one of the teams, including Zoo Beanz, Pet Beanz, Fantasty Beanz and Baby Beanz (to name a few).

Special 3 packs and 6 packs of beans are available, which may include a Mega Bean - one of the ultra rare collectable beanz.  There are also 1000 limited edition Moose Beanz to be found - the most exclusive of all the Series 1 Mighty Beanz.

There are a couple of ways to store your collected Mighty Beanz. The Flip-track - available in 3 different colours, each with a different trick bridge, doubles up as a carry case when folded in half.  It's easy to clip onto a pocket or belt when going to play with friends and comes together with one special edition Mighty Beanz. 

The Collector Case holds up to 50 Beanz in their own clip close homes, and comes with 2 special edition beanz.

We also have the fantastic Slam n Smash track - perfect as a special gift with a difference.  These are extremely hard to get hold of in the UK, but at the gadget hub we have stocked up.

A great way for friends to play with their collections together.  Get ready to Slam it, Smash 'em and win!  The ultimate race track which creates a new rolling race every time!  It includes 2 Exclusive Beanz and everything you need to make your own tracks.

So pop into the shop and see what other fun collectables we have and how easily your children can be entertained throughout the rest of the summer holidays. 

Wine Tastings

Each month we will be hosting a wine tasting either at the shop, or in conjunction with another local business.  We are delighted to announce our first wine tasting in our shop on Thursday 29th July.  Our experts will be on hand between 5pm and 8pm to chat to you about our range as you sample a few of our favourites.  So pop in to pick up your evenings entertainment, and try before you buy.

We will also  have a couple of bottles open each weekend for you to taste so you can find out for yourself why our independent selection are so much better than your average supermaket offering.   

 

This weekend we have a couple of our personal favourites: 

Ancora Pinot Grigio Rose is a dry & fresh Rose from Italy which retails at £6.99.  Perfect chilled on its own or with food.

Sibarita's Selection Pinot Noir from Chile is an award winning red wine, which works well with chocolate, or other sweet nibbles.  At £8.99 its a fantastic price for such a great wine, ideal to enjoy with one of your favourite films.

Silly Bandz!

Watching GMTV this morning I was delighted to see Lorraine Kelly et al talking about one of the products we have just started stocking at Gadget Hub.  Silly Bandz or Rubba Bandz are trend-setting designer bracelets favoured by celebs, including Sarah Jessica Parker, of Sex & The City fame. These are little shaped bracelets that come in a variety of designs and colours, that are worn round the wrist and pop back into their shape when taken off.

Our collectables are considered mainly for children, but clearly in this case they can be collected and worn by people of all ages.  SJP is pictured above sporting a yellow silly bandz with her layered selection of designer bracelets.  The trend is causing a huge stir in America, with some schools even resorting to banning them as the children are so focused on swapping and trading them.

 

So it's nice to know that those of us in Dunblane are ahead of the trends, as we stock a full range of these designs, priced at just £1.99 for a pack of 12.  Pop into the shop to have a look at some of the collection available, including farm animal shapes, body shapes and mystical shapes.  Trend setting starts here!

Wine Available Now!

I am so excited to be able to tell you that Gadget Hub has now officially obtained it's license to sell Alcohol on the premises.  So now as well as your favourite film you can pick up a great bottle of wine to compliment your evenings entertainment. 

Whether a fan of red, white, rose or sparkling we are sure to have something that suits your taste.  Prices start at only £4.99 and all of our wines are sourced from independent vineyards, so you won't find them in the supermarket.

We've also tried to bring you some fantastic scottish related products, including our Champagne Marie Stuart which is named after Mary Queen of Scots (as close as you can get to Scotland in a Champagne in our opinion) and our organic Le Vin de Levin, made by Scotsman, David Levin.

With wines available by the bottle or the case, and free delivery throughout Dunblane,  pop into our shop for a look and a taste of something different.

The Invasion of the Collectables!

Here in the Gadget Hub we've had a very busy week, what with the huge success of the High Street open day on Monday and the fantastic feedback we got from our winetasting.  Champagne Marie Stuart was the big favourite receiving 5 out of 5 for both taste and value from every person that tried it (and there was a lot).  We also managed to get a snapshot of Owner Gerard Gourley in the Allanwater News, showing off some of the fantastic independent wines we hope to have available from July. 

With the summer holidays fast approaching we have expanded our range of collectables to encourage every boy and girl out there to keep their bedrooms tidy for the whole of the summer break!  The 2 Junior Directors here at Gadget Hub have been very busy assessing all of the options and have both had hands in deciding which items we stock. 

We now hold Hello Kitty Plush Keychains, selling at £3.49 - courtesty of our 3 year old girl Junior Director.  After a lot of searching we have tracked down some Club Penguin Plush Puffle Keychains, £3.99, thanks to our 7 year old boy Junior Director.  Both are also extremely enthusiastic about the new range of Rubba Bandz bracelets that come in a packs of 12 at £1.99.  These are in a range of designs from farm animals to mystical creatures and even body parts!  The latest craze to hit the UK, coming over from the US.  These bracelets can be collected, traded and worn by boys and girls alike and are a great fun accessory for all ages. 

So if you are looking for healthy encouragement that will keep the kids happy, and ensure that your summer is full of smiles pop down to our shop in Dunblane for collectable inspiration!

Midweek Special Offer for World Cup Widows

Well we are only a few days in, but I am happy to be in the mainly football free zone that is Gadget Hub on Dunblane High Street. 

We have just launched our World Cup Widows Midweek Special Offer where you can create your own perfect night in.  Rent any film + bottled drink + pack of Cadbury's buttons/large Dairy Milk Bar for only £4.50.  That's much cheaper than going to the local flicks, and you can relax and enjoy the movie in the comfort of your own home!

Pop in to see some of the great titles we have available.  With new releases every week, there's sure to be something to suit your mood.

World Cup Widows

All over the country couches are about to be tested out for endurance, beer kegs are being stocked up and men are ready for the World Cup - kicking off tomorrow night.

At the Gadget Hub we appreciate that not everyone is delighted about this!  So if you are a World Cup Widow then pop down to see what we have to offer.  With a huge array of Chick Flicks there is sure to be something to please you.  Why not send hubby off to a friends or local pub to watch the football and invite some girly friends around for night of indulgence, with chocolate, a good film and maybe a bottle of wine or two (we are hoping to receive our alcohol license early in July).

We have classic titles, such as Dirty Dancing, Mamma Mia, The Holiday and Bridge Jones Diary.  You could also try some of our latest romcom's including All About Steve, It's Complicated, The Ugly Truth and Did you hear about the Morgans?

If romcom's aren't your thing - why not try a fright night with fabulous titles like Paranormal Activity, The Stepfather and Daybreakers to send a shiver of fear down your spine. 

For an award winning night in you could enjoy Crazy Heart, A Single Man, An Eduction or the remarkable Precious.  Why not pop a bottle of fizz and get glammed up to make you feel like you are at the awards ceremony!

Remember that on Saturday Nights we also offer you 4 Movies for 2 Nights for only £10.00.  So, whatever your taste, we're sure to have something to suit in our football free haven - The Gadget Hub! 

Summer's Coming...to Dunblane High Street!

Help us kick start Summer & Wimbledon on Monday 21st June -all day 'til late!

The High Street retailers in Dunblane are hosting a summer celebration, where you can pick up special bargains in each store.  Pop down to the street anytime betwen 9am and 9pm on Monday 21st June to enjoy the superb customer service offered by the great selection of local stores.

The promotions offered on that day will include:

Charisma - Pimm's & Nibbles, plus £5 off all purchases over £25 - open 'til 9pm
Neroli - Half price Pedicures and Manicures - open 'til 7pm
Beach Tree - BYOB & relax, enjoying free strawberries & Mackies ice cream
Gadget Hub - Book your laptop/computer in for a health check and get £5 off - open 'til 9pm
The Point - Wine & Nibbles 'til late
Archie's Florist - Wine & Nibbles - open 'til 9pm
RS Erskine - 20% off Maui Jim sunglasses - open 'til late
Alaska Beauty - Prepare for summer evening with special offers - open 4pm 'til late
Old Curiosity Shop  - 10% off purchases over £5, sweetie dip & raffle - 'til 9pm
Bannerman's Pharmacy- 10% off all sunscreens - open 'til 6pm
John Hill Butchers- BBQ all day & free Murray burgers for all customers 'til late
Shenanigans - 20% off all purchases over £25, drinks & nibbles 'til 9pm
Fresh as a Daisy - special offers all day 'til 6pm
Bennett's Butchers - spend £3 on mince, stew or sausages & only pay £2 - free samples all day

So make sure you bring the whole family down to Dunblane High Street on Monday 21st June and experience the best of local hospitality!

Bank Holiday Bonanza

At the Gadget Hub this weekend we are offering a Bank Holiday Bonanza where you can hire 4 films, for 3 nights for only £10.00.

What a fantastic excuse to come down and catch up on all the great titles around at the moment.  Whether current Top 10 films such as Sherlock Holmes, Avatar, It's Complicated and Did you hear about the Morgan's or why not have a horror fest with titles such as Descent 2, The Stepfather, Paranormal Activity and Prototype.

We also have fantastic title's to keep the kids happy whilst they are off school, including Alvin and the Chipmunks - The Squeakuel, Planet 51, Where the Wild Things Are and St Trinian's 2. 

We also have our "recommended" section with new titles such as 80's classic Withnail and I, Stanley Kubrik's The Shining, Academy Award Winning Saving Private Ryan and the classic Marilyn Monroe comedy Some Like it Hot.

So pop down to see us on the High Street in Dunblane - membership is free!

What's On Watson?

Sherlock Holmes has been the big rental of the week.  This incredible all action blockbuster features Robert Downey Jr. in the title role, with Jude Law as his trusted ally Watson.  Their on screen chemistry is a joy to watch with Law creating a strong and watchable character in Watson, rather than the usual bumbling portayal in previous movies.  The banter between the two main characters is quick witted and lively and shows a real connection which demands a sequel. 

Mark Strong is superb as villian Lord Blackwood a psychopath obsessed with satanic rituals and dominating the streets of London. The twists and turns in the plot are truly worthy of a Sherlock Holmes mystery and offer plenty of opportunity to demonstrate Holmes genius.

Directed by Guy Ritchie the mood set for Victorian London is atmospheric and the connection between the characters remains tense and strong through the whole film. Hans Zimmer's score blends well with the tone of the film, and suits Downey Jr's quirky characterisation of Holmes.

All in all this is a tremendous action packed adventure with clever plot twists and phenominal special effects, even better enjoyed in hi definition through Blu ray.  It's sure to keep you hooked right until the end, and leave you wanting more. 

Gadet Hub Recommends

We have been very busy at the Dunblane Gadget Hub selecting a few choice films that we recommend as great viewing.  Note these are not the titles you will see in the latest top rental selections.  These are some of the key films we've watched over the years and have loved.

Current titles in this section include As Good as it Gets, Some Like it Hot, Saving Private Ryan and Derailed to name a few.  We'll be reviewing it over the coming weeks and changing and adding movies we are watching.  When you're next in Dunblane High Street pop in have a look and let us know what titles you would like to see here.  You can also add a comment to our blog here and we will make sure we watch each recommendation.

Gogo, goin' crazy

DVD and Game rental is just one little section of our business.  We've been gogo goin' crazy at Gadget Hub with all our collectable items.  We stock a full range of these small hobby items guaranteed to cause a mad frenzy in any local school playground.

Perfect for birthday goodie bags or pocket money treats are our collection of Gogo's Crazy Bones, Club Penguin Card-Jitzu Fire cards and Mighty Beanz - all of which we sell for £1.00 per pack.  We also have the latest Dr Who sticker collection and Hello Kitty collection - sticker packs cost 40p and the sticker albums are as little as £1.25.

We also have some larger items perfect for birthday presents or extra special rewards.  These include Gogo's Crazy Bones collector box's (£2.99) and the limited edition Gold Series (£8.99).  Starter Packs are also available to keep all those little cards together, priced at £4.99, and include 2 packets of Gogo's crazy bones - series 4.

For Club Penguin fans we also have Starter Packs priced at £4.99 that include a collector binder, 2 card packets and an exlusive pop-up card.  The collector tin's are also available at £9.99 and include 30 game cards, 5 code cards and 1 golden card, amongst other special items.   

For older children we also have the latest Pokemon Heart Gold/Soul Silver trading cards and booster packs.  These are available at £9.99 for the full trading game, and £3.49 for booster packs. 

So to save you travelling out of the town, next time your children are asking for the latest schoolground craze pop down to Gadget Hub on Dunblane High Street and take a look at what we have available.  You'll maybe even be able to watch a DVD whilst they are busy playing with their new collections.