10-steps-choosing-next-printer

By far the most annoying peripheral for a computer has to be the printer. It either jams, runs out of ink or just plain acts funny. You have finally gotten to the point where you have to break down and buy a printer, but the technology changes every six months and you just can't keep up. Believe it or not the technology hasn't changed, it has only gotten better.
10. The most important thing to consider is how much can you spend on a printer. The price you are willing to pay ultimately determines the printer you get. Each type of printer has a different price range. Prices for home or small business printers range from $20 to $1000.

9. What features do you need is the next question you should ask yourself. These features are determined by what you do with a printer. If you print a whole lot (you will go through more than a ream of paper in under a month.) you might want to consider a laser printer instead of an ink-jet. Do you need color? A color laser printer is much more expensive to buy and maintain. Most all ink-jets today are color. Or, is it that you print on carbon paper and need something that impacts. For that you will need a dot-matrix printer. Dot-matrix printers are the old printers everyone used to have. They are noisy big and didn't have a very good quality. Just because they are old technology, do not think they are cheap. They are very expensive.

8. The popular thing with printers is photos. You might want to digitize your old photos, and for that you will need a scanner. Fortunately there are a plethora of printers that have built in scanners, and as an added bonus you will get the copier feature also. These are called All-in-one or Multi-function. Now if you want to scan pictures then most likely you will want to print them out. If you want to print a lot of photos, I recommend a printer with multiple color cartridges. This will allow you to print more before replacing cartridges thus reducing your cost of ink.

7. Another feature a lot of people need is a fax machine. Even though you might not fax all the time, that once in a while you need to fax is worth the purchase. The added fax machine in the printer is not much extra and is only included on All-In-one machines. You can not get a fax on a printer without a scanner.

6. Nowadays people have multiple computers in their house, and it would be very expensive to buy a separate printer for everyone. So, an option to consider is networking. This feature is called a print server. Built in print servers will allow you to plug the printer in to your home network and then every computer on the network will send its prints to the same printer. Note: You will have to have a router in your home to be able to set this feature up. Also: If you opt for the wireless print server, you will need to have your network set up with a wireless router.

5. If all you do is print text, the quality of the print should not be considered. But, if you print photos it is a key component. If you bought that low print quality printer and then tried to process you digital photos, the picture will not look that great and may have lines all over it.

Print quality is measured in DPI. (dots per inch). That means how many little dots of black or color can the printer fit into one square inch. It is usually represented on store tags by vertical x horizontal dots. A good quality is 1200 x 1200 dpi. That resolution is good for pictures, and anything much below that I would not recommend the photo savvy person.

4. Some people don't care about what brand they get, and consider that a printer is a printer. If your happy and satisfied with a printer by a certain company, by all means stay with that company, and remove all doubt in your mind that if your printer messes up it wasn't because you got a different brand. FYI: all brands of all printers have problems; some brands just have more problems than others.

There are only a few major printer brands on the market for home and small office. The most popular are: HP, Canon, Lexmark, Bother, and Dell. Some things to consider when choosing a brand are:

? Cost of ink. Ink varies in price from brand to brand. Reoccurring costs add up fast and your $50 printer just turned into a $90 printer in one month because it uses ink cartridges fast.
? Service. If you call them for support and are unwilling to help you solve your problem and or replace your defective machine, then do not consider them. Printers break ALL THE TIME.
? History. Talk to your friends and coworkers and see which one has the best ratings. Even better is to check out consumer reports to see what the reviews of the new printers are. www.consumerreports.org
? Style. You want your new printer to make everyone who sees it say. "You got a bad-ass printer!" You cant do that with a cheap piece of junk.

This part was a little more difficult to write without being biased. Take my opinion for what you will, but I have worked with computers and printers for many years and even sold them at a certain technology store. In my personal opinion the worst brand overall is Brother. I can not begin to tell you how many call I received about Brother Printers giving problems. The best overall I would say is HP in service and quality.

3. For the photo enthusiast with a digital camera there is a great feature appearing on more and more printers. It is the multi-card reader. The card reader will allow you to remove the memory from your camera and stick it in the printer. If the printer has a mini screen then you will be able to view the picture and print it out in any size without even touching the computer. This quick printing is very convenient, but I only recommend getting the card reader if the printer has the mini screen to view the pictures.

2. The biggest problem with printers when they get home is that they DO NOT HAVE A USB CABLE! True 99% of all printers today do not come with the stupid cable. Wherever you buy your printer get a cable too and don't forget to add the price of the cable into your budget, and unless your printer sits directly on top of your computer don't get the 3 foot cable. It will be too short.

1. Finally the warranty is a major consideration. Printers usually come with a 1 year manufacturer warranty covering defects. If you can afford to get the extended warranty get it! Almost all printers will start messing up within two years. The extended warranty will get you a new printer, for paying a mere fraction of the original price. Manufacturers mostly consider any printer under $400 not worth fixing and will just supply a replacement. Now, if your printer is more than a year old and you still have time left in you extended warranty, your printer has more than likely been discontinued and they will issue you the new model. Easy upgrade!

Overall the decision is up to you. These are just some suggestions on how to choose your next printer. Always do your research before buying anything that you will have to deal with often. The better printer you get the less aggravation and headache you will get. What value do YOU place on less headaches?

10-reasons-not-buy-voice-all-usa

Being a visually impaired person I find it hard to always know the color of the items I have around the house. Yarn and clothing are particularly important colors to know so when I saw the add for the Voice-It-All - USA.
"The Ultimate 3-in-One Identifier!!" With its color identifier and money identifier included on the Maxi aids web site I was quick to give it a try.

The Product description says it has the following features so you can understand my interest in this product.

Voice-It-All - The first and only unit to combine 3 talking functions in one easy to use product. Money Identifier - Reads US currency bill dominations: $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100. Simply slide currency in money slot - push 1 button and denomination is read back to you in a loud clear voice. Color Identifier - Place Voice-It-All color reader on the surface of an object and it will easily identify most colors in a loud clear voice. Voice Recorder - Convenient easy to use digital voice recorder - stores over 2 hours of information. Earphone jack for privacy. Volume control. Auto shut off. Lightweight
And Portable - measures only 4 3/4 inches x 3 1/8 inches x 1 inches. Uses 3 AAA batteries (not included). List Price: $349.95
There is also an optional Leather case available for this product. At an additional cost of $24.95

I was very dissatisfied with my purchase and for the following reasons.

1. The product is not very sturdy. It doesn't appear to be constructed in a manner that would hold up to regular use.

2. It is rather unwieldy and is hard to find the correct controls for the feature you want to use.

3. The money identifier is not accurate on a consistent basis and the fact that the bill has to be placed into the machine many times before you get it to identify the denomination is extremely frustrating. I grew tired quickly of it saying "don't know" every time I tried to check a bill.

4. The voice recorder voice is unclear and the overall synthetic voice is sometimes difficult to understand. The voice recorder controls are confusing to even someone with access technology. Experience...


5. The color identifier is very inaccurate as it has repeated told me my guidedog is green.

The only way I could get it to work with any accuracy is if I was in a brightly lighted area and held it at the perfect angle. I most certainly wouldn't trust matching socks to this device.

6. If it is possible to operate this device in a timely manner I haven't found it. I imagined using it to help with a garage sale or maybe take a trip to a flea market. No customer is going to stand there for 20 minutes while he repeatedly hears "Don't Know" about his payment.

7. The shutter control that switches the device from money identifier to color identifier is not marked clearly. It is left up to your memory for this setting.

8. The volume control is difficult to locate and is even more difficult to operate.

9. The battery control flips open way too easily and is difficult to return to the proper position.

10. Too expensive. The original cost was $349.95 but even at the reduced price of $269.95 I would not advise anyone to purchase this product.

On its web site Maxi aids does state that they are working to upgrade the Voice-It-All - USA. And the upgrades will include the new U.S. bills. Let just hope that it also includes the other features as the overall idea is one that I would like to see come to pass...

10-reasons-not-buy-sager-laptop

Sager Notebook has been around for quite a while. I first learned of this company and their computers years ago reading PC magazines when I was building computers in high school, back before Dell and the land of the $500 notebook. Now, I completely depend on my laptop to keep my business running and need one that is both powerful and dependable. In addition to these two characteristics, my laptop needs to be able to withstand the beatings all of my belongings take from multiple trips through airport security. While I think the TSA employees know what a laptop is, I don't believe they own laptops. If they did, I think they would handle my laptops less like a boulder they're trying to move from their backyard and more like a… well, like a laptop. That's neither here nor there. Let me get back on track.

My Sager Notebook has been extremely disappointing. I spent more than I had budgeted for my laptop so that I could have a true, battery-conserving desktop replacement. I'll give you the top ten reasons why I don't love this laptop or even like this laptop.

1. Keyboard Problems. Every once in a while, when my laptop comes out of "hibernate", my keyboard is completely non-responsive. Sager has failed to diagnose this laptop's malfunction.

2. Screen goes black. As with the keyboard problems, sometimes when my laptop comes out of "hibernate", the back light on the screen does not turn on. I can still see the items on the screen if I get just the right angle and the right light, but I can never seem to find the pointer. After several reboots, the laptop resumes normal operation. Sager's reply to this was to reinstall my video driver. Needless to say, that did not work.

3. Video Out. I work on the road and often need to plug my computer into an LCD projector to give presentations. Imagine my dismay when I find that this laptop has NO "monitor out" port?! Completely ridiculous!! I have tried using adapters and can't find a solution.

4. Touchpad. The touchpad on this Sager laptop is completely non-responsive. I have to roll my finger instead of just sliding my finger and the built-in scroll function is severely lacking. The finger tap for mouse clicking is fine.

5. DVD Controls. Many new laptops have DVD controls on the outside front of the laptop. This one has all of your standard controls, fast forward, rewind, play, stop, eject, and so forth. While this looks cool and sounds great, they don't work!

6. Volume Controls. Again, newer laptops typically have sound control hardware or you can press a Function key and another key to control the volume on your laptop that way. The Sager laptop has volume buttons on the front face of the laptop. Increasing and decreasing the volume is simple, but once the volume goes to minimum, you cannot use these buttons to control it until you open the volume control program in windows.

7. Noise. The fans on Sager's laptop are extremely loud. I haven't discussed this with Sager, but I'm sure they'll tell me to reinstall my fan drivers

8. Heat. The laptop runs very hot for a Centrino. I would understand if it was an AMD, but it is not and it is very uncomfortable to use on your lap without some surface as a buffer.

9. Price. While I thought that the price was reasonable, given the difficulties I have had, I would certainly pay 10% more to get a laptop from a large, reputable company. I have heard great things about Toshiba.

10. Tech Support. While the tech support is available for "life", it is difficult to get a service rep on the phone. The email tech support that I have experienced thus far consists of one-line answers that fail to offer much assistance.

Now, I have read laptop reviews that specifically look into the laptop that I have and am actually typing on right now. Almost all are extremely positive, and some are unrealistically positive, making the Sager laptop out to be some holy relic for gamers and business users alike. I, however, have not had a pleasant experience with this laptop and because my problems have yet to be resolve, I cannot sell it for fear that my problems would pass on to the purchaser.

If I were to replace this laptop, I would most likely get Toshiba's new flagship that you can get at Staples for a paltry $1,200. It has some great features such as fingerprint scanning, 2GB RAM, and large hard drive capacity. The two things that I noticed right away that I didn't care for in this laptop were the reflective screen and the slow (5,400RPM) hard drive. I hope you found this helpful! Choose your new laptop carefully and don't neglect consistency of the company when choosing your new laptop.

10-meditative-dvds-beginner

According to Wikipedia, meditation is a mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the conditioned thinking of normal life to enter into a deeper state of relaxation and/or self awareness. Meditation can also help one achieve a higher state of consciousness, greater focus, creativity or a peaceful frame of mind. If that sounds like something you wish to try, but do not know where to start and books are confusing, then maybe a DVD can help. Here is a short list for the beginner in mediation and yoga:
Mediation and Yoga (Suggested Retail Price $12.74). This DVD is a complete five part practice to prepare your mind and body for meditation. It guides you through each session to help one relieve body tension, anxiety, improve posture and breathe more freely while enjoying relaxing music and beautiful landscapes.

Meditation for Beginners (Suggested Retail Price $13.49). This DVD is an introduction to the practice of meditation which takes its slow for those not familiar with the practice. Further it comes with an instruction book and history of the practice.

Chi Kung for Heath (Suggested Retail Price $17.99). One of a multi-volume set of DVD to help guide you through mediations that utilizes your body's own energy to increase vitality and health.

Am and Pm Mediation (suggested retail price $14.99). Simple five to ten minute mediations to help one energize to start the day and then relax and calm at the end of the day.

Relaxation and Breathing for Mediation (Suggested Retail Price $14.99). This DVD guides you through a two part practice to help with relaxation and conscious breathing as well as a guided restorative mediation. Both practices last a half hour to help one reach a higher level of relaxation.

Om Yoga and Mediation Workshop (Suggested Retail Price $22.99). A deep introduction to mediation and yoga for both the body and mind to work through stressful times and centering a person on a higher level. Includes a CD for ones listening pleasure for quick mediation to help calm.

Chakra Dance Flow: Movement Mediation (Suggested Retail Price $11.99): Combines dance, freestyle movement and mediation to help release stress and tension. Uses the power of the body's charkas as guidance. One is able to refresh themselves with this DVDs ten minute routine.

Barbara Bizious' Momentary Mediations (Suggested Retail Price $4.99). An inexpensive priced DVD that allows beginners to understand the basic concepts from breathing to stress reduction and to positive thinking.

A Guide to Meditation Techniques (Suggested Retail Price $19.99). Set to soothing gentle music, this DVD is designed to relieve stress and tension as well as east into a total physical, emotional and spiritual relaxation. This DVD is recommended for those with a little more skill and understanding of mediation.

Journey to the Heart II: Music for Mediation (Suggested Retail Price $19.99). Pure music and sights to help one deepen their mediation and reach the state of mind in which they wish to be in. This is for the more advance and is pure music only with no instruction.

Whichever DVD one chooses, they are sure to reach a higher state of mind and peacefulness to help them cope with the day's events.

10-coolest-free-android-apps

Last year, T-Mobile released the first smart phone with Google's new Android operating system: The T-Mobile G1. The T-Mobile MyTouch is the newest Android device on the market. I have owned a white G1 for the better part of a year. My husband and I chose the G1 over the IPhone, which has similar features, for several reasons: cost of the phone, cost of the data plan, availability of free apps. Every app I list here is free. I have only ever paid for 2 apps and they're not the coolest ones I have. The coolest are free.
All apps mentioned below come from the Market unless stated otherwise.

Google Maps

Google Maps comes integrated with Android, so you don't have to download it from the Market. It still makes my 10 coolest apps list because of what it can do. It's better than our GPS because we can not only find our route but pan around that route to see where it's going. And it incorporates Street View. With Street View, you can pick a spot on a street and get a 360-degreee image. I can see my house in Street View. I can also see the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Sadly, I cannot yet view my beloved Prague in Street View. Kdy, Google, kdy?

LOLCats

If you love the I Can Has Cheezburger site or Fail Blog and such sites, you'll love LOLCats. LOLCats photos and videos are delivered right to your phone through an RSS feed. LOLCats, for those of you who have been missing out, are funny or adorable pictures of cats and kittens (with an occasional walrus) with hilarious captions. Some are also just videos of cats doing something cool or funny. Videos are played though YouTube. Yes, that comes with the G1, too.

Cats not your thing? Maybe you're a dog person. Well, LOLCats, the app, can get you LOL dogs. It also includes FAIL blog, Graph jam, Pundit Kitchen and There I fixed it. Just click the menu button and touch "Choose LOL" to pick your poison.

Abduction!

Abduction! is quite possibly the most addictive game in the G1 Market. Premise? You are a cow. The rest of your herd has been taken by an alien space ship. The tractor beam that got them also pulled up chunks of the ground. You jump from chunk to chunk (by moving your G1) to get up in the sky and reach that UFO to save your herd.

You get points for going higher. You also get points when you collect a parachuting cows floating back down. But not all parachutes are good. Bombs in the higher levels will kill you. As will gravity. There are little gifts along the way. Touch them and you open them. You might get Extra Life, which saves you if gravity or a bomb would kill you. You might get High Jump so you can jump higher, or More Platforms to give you more chunks to land on. Or you might just get points. But you might also get Fewer Platforms or Crumble. With Crumble, each chunk you land on disappears so you can't land on it again. Extra Life bonuses stay with you. The others last for five seconds.

The Easy level is fairly easy. Medium is a bit harder. Hard is just as it says. Honestly, I've yet to reach the UFO in Hard. But there's Infinite beyond that and even Evil Infinite. It's addicting, funny, and entertaining.

androidVNC

androidVNC allows me to connect to one of my home computers and control it remotely from my phone. If I'm home, I can connect my G1 to my wifi and reach any computer in my house through local IP addresses. That means I can even control my TV computer from my phone. If I'm out and about, I use T-Mobile's network to reach my external IP address, which then is forwarded by my router to a particular computer. Once in, I can pull up any of my computers though the VNC viewer on that computer and control them with my phone.

Lexic

Lexic is a simple game, but quite challenging. You are presented with a number of lettered tiles and a time limit. You must find as many words as you can in that time limit, using letters only once, and they must touch each other. The longer the word, the more points it is worth. I've never managed to find all the words. After the time is up, you can see which words you missed. Sometimes they're words you never heard of, but other times you want to smack yourself for not seeing them.

FlyCast

FlyCast allows you to connect to dozens of internet radio stations. Pick your favorite genre or a city to find stations. Or pick Top Stations to see the most popular. You can add your favorite stations to Favorites to pull them up quickly. Personally, I like Accu Mozart, BBC Online, NPR Boston, Comedy104, and several oldies stations.

BarCode Scanner

Barcode Scanner, in conjunction with ShopSavvy, Compare Everywhere, or Anobit, allows you to scan bar codes. The first two apps use Barcode Scanner to scan UPC codes and offer comparison shopping for the item scanned. Anobit allows you to scan a book's UPC using Barcode Scanner and then you can add that book to your Anobi account (not just for iPhones anymore) on either your Shelf or you Wish List.

My Coupons

My Coupons tells you about deals, free offers, and coupons at various stores and manufacturers. My husband has this app, too, and found out that on a particular day, if we wore a jersey or other sports wear, we could get a free sandwich from Chick-Fil-A. Right now it says we could get a free Quizno's sub with purchase of another. Or take $10 of a $25 purchase at Yankee Candle. Just keep scrolling for more and more and click on one that interests you.

Pro Translate

I downloaded several translation apps and chose Pro Translate as the one to keep. It translates to and from English, French, German, Czech, Hungarian and Russian (all languages I've studied to various degrees) and a plethora of others. Need to look up how to say Saturday in Danish? Lordag (with a slash through the o). It's there. Or how do you say kitten in Albanian? Choose the languages, type "kitten" and click Translate. Kotele is revealed. You can email, text, or tweet the result.

World Tour

Finally, World Tour is quite possibly my favorite free app. I use it every time I close an app, every time I turn my phone on or wake it up. It is my home screen. World Tour allows you to set up a live shot from a web cam as your home screen. Mine , of course, is Prague. Charles Bridge to be exact, from the Mala Strana side. It updates every 20 or 30 minutes. So now I can see my beloved Prague any time I want. Really, I wouldn't have any other web cam.

So there you have it, 10 cool free apps for the T-Mobile G1. I'm sure they work on the MyTouch as well. If only I could load programs onto my SD card and run them from there. I'd never have to delete an app again to make room for a new one. Sadly, I must from time to time. These are the ones I never let go of.

10-common-appliance-repairs

Have you ever wanted to repair that appliance that just isn't working at full capacity anymore? This article covers the top ten home solutions for fixing your broken appliances.
10. My garbage disposal blade won't turn.

Garbage Disposals are known to stop working. This is sometimes known to be caused by something becoming lodged in the gears. The easiest solution is listed below.

First you should use a flashlight to inspect the drain, and look for objects that might be caught up in the gears of the disposal. If any are visible, remove them with your hands. Now you should turn your garbage disposal on to see if it is operational. If it is not, use a broom handle to manually turn the blade counter clockwise. Keep turning until the object is dislodged, and your blade spins.

Please note that you should never use your garbage disposal without running water going through it. This is bad on the gears, and will significantly reduce the life of your garbage disposal.

9. How can I clean mineral deposits in my dish washer?

Start your dish washer without any soap or detergent solution in it. When the spraying cycle begins, open the door immediately. Remove around ½ gallon of water from the bottom of the dish washer, and replace it with white vinegar. Now start the washing process again. Once it's done, all deposits should be gone.

8. My toaster still works, but the bread won't pop up when it's done.

Always make sure the appliance you're repairing is unplugged before you start working on it.

The first step should be to open up your toaster. Look for small bread crumbs, as this is the most likely suspect. Either vacuum, or remove the crumbs with a very small clean brush.

Please note that shaking a toaster can dislodge parts inside of it.

7. The fans in my computer are making strange noises, how do I clean them?

Periodically it is wise to clean the fans in your computer. The dust in the air will clog up your fans, and can actually be very hardzous to your computer.

First you should open your case. If you cannot find the proper screws to remove the cover, you should reference the manual. Sometimes opening your computer case can be quite tricky.

Once it is open, use a can of compressed air to blow out your fans inside. The most common fans are your front case, processor, and power supply fans.

Please note that opening your computer case will sometimes void the manufacturer warranty. Please reference your warranty manual.

6. I burnt food in my microwave, and now it has a terrible odor that smells like burnt hair. What can I do to help it?

Burnt food in the microwave can make your entire house stink. First get a regular size coffee cup, and fill half the cup with water. Next place a single tea bag in it, and place it in your microwave. Cook it on low for 5 minutes, and let it sit for 5 to 10 additional minutes in the microwave. If the smell still persists, repeat daily until it is gone.

5. My vacuum cleaner emits a terrible musky smell whenever I vacuum. How can I make this smell go away?

This can be a very terrible problem, but it has a simple remedy. First you need to sprinkle a little bit of coffee on your floor. Now vacuum the spot with the coffee, and presto! The musky smell should be gone.

4. My dryer takes double the time it used to previously take to dry clothes. Is my dryer slowly dying?

This is more than likely the result of a bad dryer door seal. With a worn out seal, the warm air escapes from the dryer. New seals commonly cost between 10 to 20 dollars, and come with directions on how to install them.

3. My water heater makes a strange "rumbling" sound when it is filling up. What in the world is this?

This is usually the result of a substantial buildup of sediment in your tank. First turn off the water supply to the tank. The next step is to connect a regular garden hose to the spigot at the base of your water heater, and run the hose outside. Now go open any hot water spigot in your house, and your tank will drain.

2. My refrigerator is cooling very poorly lately, and the seal around the door is somewhat brittle. Can I fix this?

This is a very simple procedure. You can purchase a new seal at most any appliance store. You first need to remove the old gasket. This will consist of lifting up the seal, and unscrewing the screws that attach it to the refrigerator door. Now follow instructions included with the new seal for the installation procedures.

1. My stove and refrigerator both have a lot of small nicks and scratches caused from when we moved. Can anything help this?

To solve this problem you need appliance touch up paint, which is avaible in most hardware stores.

First you should use sandpaper or steel wool to rough up the scratched area so it will accept the new paint better. When you have completed this, clean the area thoroughly with a strong cleanser.

Now follow the directions on the touchup paint, and your appliance will look brand new!

The following article covers the top ten easiest home fixes for your broken appliance. Fixing your own appliances can save you a lot of money!

10-amazing-iphone-apps-moms

Here are some of the best apps I've seen so far for moms and what I love about them (in no particular order):

1. Mint.Com Personal Finance

I'm a big fan of Mint.com, in general, so naturally I had to get their app. Keep track of your bank accounts and budgeting while on the go! Mint.com is a great budgeting web site. It pulls all your accounts together and is totally free.

2. Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder

ParkFinder is a free app that helps you search for nearby (and farther away) state and national parks, as well as helps you search by activity desired. This app could prove to be very helpful for trip planning!

3. Food Gawker

I am addicted to Foodgawker.com! When I discovered they had an app for my phone, I about bursted! Foodgawker lets you search through images of well-photographed food, with linked recipes. Perfect for meal-planning (and drooling) while on a work break or even when on the couch cozied up and too lazy to go pick up a cookbook!

4. Real Simple

This app, brought to you by the magazine of the same name, allows you to create to-do lists and also includes pre-made to-do lists for cleaning and organizing. Okay, so I may not have actually DONE anything on my to-do list yet, but it's waiting on my phone for when I get there. Another similar app is from Good Housekeeping at Home . This app isn't really list-focused, but includes a stain buster and do-it-all cleaning tip area, as well as home decor and news and tips.

5. Driver Feedback from State Farm

Have a teenager or simply a husband who isn't the best driver? Run this app while they're driving to "grade" them from State Farm. It grades their acceleration, braking, and cornering. Apparently this is a newer app, but it works great, so no problems here!

6. Nike Training Club

Nike created this app that allows you to do multiple workouts and play your own music in the background. They also have instructional videos for each move if you need, allowing you to pause the workout timer while it shows you instructions. Provides countdowns for each move, which is very helpful so you don't have to keep staring at your phone. This app would be great for new moms with limited time to work out.

7. Walgreens

Need a refill? Simply scan the barcode on your empty bottle and this app does the work! For families who have a bunch of prescriptions to keep track of, this app is amazing! I haven't personally put it to the test yet since I don't take many medications, but I'm excited all the same!

8. Fooducate

Fooducate allows you to scan the bar code of a food item and see nutritional information, as well as suggests healthier alternatives. A grocery-store must have. My first scan? Gold Peak Sweetened Iced Tea (so delicious!). It suggested Lipton Diet Iced Tea Lemon.

9. GasBuddy

GasBuddy lists the prices of gas around you and allows you to sort by location/distance or cost (lowest to highest). With gas prices being so ridiculous, is it any question why I love this app? This app is totally free, so ignore any priced alternatives you see.

10. Touchy Books

This app is perfect for little fingers. Your first few books are free for your toddler. The books are read to you and some images are clickable and make sounds or animations pop out. My daughter loves it!

What apps do you find useful?