New year nears; the lists begin

Santa isn't the only one making a list these days. As much as this may be the gift-giving season, it appears to be a list-making one, too.

We were alerted to no fewer than three separate, random lists last week and won't at all be surprised if the pace picks up as we get closer to the new year. It's an easy way to look back at the year — and sometimes look ahead.

What's more, there seems to be a particular fondness for the number 10, as in "top 10."

The first list comes from Yahoo and measures the top 10 tech trends of the year, based on searches at Yahoo.

1. YouTube

2. Wikipedia

3. Facebook

4. iTunes

5. iPod

6. iPhone

7. Nintendo Wii

8. Xbox

9. Sony PlayStation 3

10. Guitar Hero

Somehow, don't you get the feeling that we spent a lot of time staring at a screen in 2007?

The second list, from the Computing Technology Industry Association, is another "what I want for the holidays" list with a high-tech veneer.

CompTIA, a trade organization representing tech companies, conducted an unscientific Web poll to find, not surprisingly, that the HDTV tops the list.

Here's CompTIA's list, in order of "most wanted":

1. HDTV

2. Sony PlayStation 3

3. Nintendo Wii

4. Xbox 360

5. Personal computers

6. Digital camcorders

7. Digital cameras

8. Mobile phones

9. Blu-Ray DVD players

10. HD DVD players

Yes, looks like we'll be spending even more time staring at some kind of screen next year.

Finally, advertising giant JWT uses its 10 to identify the trends that it thinks will shape the marketing world in 2008.

1. Blue is the new green: The thinking is blue, as in sea and sky, will become the color of the green movement.

2. Outwitting disease: We'll continue to see more advances in genetics.

3. Demography's dead: It's becoming more difficult to categorize people meaningfully by age, gender, marital status, etc.

4. Radical transparency: Notions of privacy and showing off will continue to transform.

5. Rethinking "instant gratification": We'll see "custom-made" become more important than having something now.

6. The world is local: Online and location-based technologies are giving a boost to local products and services.

7. Queen trumps king: As JWT puts it: "It won't stop being a man's world overnight, but over the coming decade, women will increasingly be shaping the world according to their needs."

8. Cooperative consumption: We're sharing ownership of a lot of things these days — art, cars, even designer handbags.

9. Stretching the bubble: As a result of the world's economy, the market will have a "serious reality check."

10. Personal CPM: JWT says people will have their own cost-per-thousand rates — i.e., individuals are becoming their own media properties and are viewed by marketers by how influential they are in their social networks.

Shopping 4 good

Seattle-based mPoria wanted to help after last week's storm destroyed homes across Western Washington.

So the company, which helps retailers sell goods on mobile phones, will be donating 10 percent of all orders made until the end of January.

The catch? The purchases are made at the company's "mobile shopping mall," found on your phone's browser at mporia.mobi.

The company recently launched a newer version of its service, which allows consumers to shop at more than 80 retailers offering over 5 million products.

The proceeds will go to the Red Cross storm-victims fund and will be based on purchases made at the mall, with up to a $100 donation for each order. The purchaser must enter the code "Help4U" on the phone.

Download, a column of news bits, observations and miscellany, is gathered by The Seattle Times technology staff. We can be reached at 206-464-2265 or biztech@seattletimes.com.