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?

7-information-technology-facts-all-computer-users

Over the past decade, I have repaired computers, given tech support over the phone and managed computer systems for an entire office. I have enough experience in IT support to actively hate it.
There are few jobs as annoying as explaining how to fix a computer over the phone, and even when I could just visit one of my coworkers to fix their computer issues, a simple problem would often turn into a full day of work simply because people don't know the basics of how their computers work. If computer users had some idea of what IT guys go through on a daily basis, life would be a lot easier for people who work with computers.

Here's seven things that every person should understand before picking up the phone for repair or support.

1. By fixing your computer, we don't take responsibility for your future computer problems. IT people often hear stuff like, "you fixed my computer two weeks ago, and now it won't boot up." People assume that something we did in the course of fixing a computer caused it to break for some reason.

When we repair your PC, we don't do anything else. We're not responsible if something else breaks at some point down the line.

2. Most computer problems can be easily solved by turning a computer on and off. It sounds too simple, right?

When you turn off a computer, the machine closes its running process and allows them to boot fresh. It also reloads drivers and other files that the PC needs to run. In many situations, the PC fixes itself in the process.

3. You should understand your computer's basic specs. This is especially important if you run games, photo editing programs or other demanding software. Write down your computer's processor speed, video card, and RAM. This information comes in handy when you're buying new software.

To find important computer specs in Windows 7, click Start and type "System" for a brief overview.

4. Some of the most effective antivirus tools are free. Programs like Microsoft Security Essentials, AVG Antivirus and Panda Cloud Antivirus work well to keep your computer free of malicious software. All three programs are free, so you can save $50 and a lot of headaches by installing one of them.

5. Every running program takes up system resources. If you have a dozen programs running, your machine will probably struggle a bit to keep up. You can see a list of running programs by hitting Ctrl + Shift + Esc in Windows and clicking Applications. You can also organize a list of running processes by clicking Processes in the same window. Don't close anything if you don't know what it does.

6. There are multiple types of memory. Many of my coworkers think that they can get a faster computer by installing a new hard drive, because they've heard somewhere that their PC needs "more memory." They don't understand that hard drive memory and RAM are two different things.

Think of your hard drive as your PC's long-term memory and RAM as the short term memory. Random Access Memory (RAM) gives your computer a better ability to handle short-term tasks, which could conceivably make it faster. While your hard drive plays a role in your overall computer speed, it's important to recognize the distinction between the two memory types.

7. You need to regularly back up everything important on your computer. All hard drives, solid state drives and flash drives eventually fail. Back up your computer through an Internet service (Carbonite, Dropbox and Mozy are three options) or to an external hard drive regularly to avoid losing data.

What do you think every PC user should know? Post in the comments below.

6-free-iphone-game-apps

The internet is full of apps that are great for whittling away your commute or lunch break. But sometimes, we need some mental stimulation instead of a mindless action game. If your daily crossword is going nowhere and you're tired of yelling at the "retry" screen on Angry Birds, try these 6 games that are hard on your mind and easy on your wallet.

Moxie
Moxie is a gorgeous word game that hides a shocking amount of complexity. The object of the game is to make as many words as possible with the 52 letters supplied. They come up one at a time; put a letter in a box, build up a word, and evolve it. "Moo" turns to "moon" and then "moony," after which you'll tear out your hair trying to figure out how to avoid the dreaded Twaddle (a ruined word) while racking up points. It's a brain-bender for sure.

7 Little Words

7LW is another gorgeous app from the creators of Moxie, and yet another simple mind-breaker. Letters are displayed in nonsensical puzzle pieces, such as "DER" and "UD." Using these 20 pieces, you must make 7 little words. It sounds easy, but piecing together words from the clues ("squirts out milk"?) is tougher than it looks.

Sudoku 2

As a Sudoku addict that has tried nearly every app version of the game, I can safely say this is the best Sudoku app out there. It comes with four different designs that suit all tastes, with a pen and a pencil mode to sketch out your plan of attack. This app stands out because it tells you if your number placement is right or wrong instantly. Scores are calculated by time, and with five modes of difficulty, this app could keep you busy for a long time.

Whirly Word

How many words can six letters make? You'd better find out. Spin the wheel of letters to mix it up and help solve the puzzle. You progress to the next whirly level by making a satisfactory amount of words with your six letters.

Zed's Alchemy

Use air, earth, fire, and water to create all the elements of the world. What sounds like a bad chemistry lesson is an addictive challenge of thinking outside the box. With more than 200 elements to mix together and create, it will take more than basic logic to figure them all out. You'll find yourself drifting off into space during board meetings, wondering what elements create dinosaurs or beaches.

Cut The Rope!

The aim of this adorable game is to feed little dinosaur-lizard hybrid Om Nom the candy dangling above his head. Every level can be completed easily; however, completing a level perfectly gets you three shiny stars and bragging rights. That alone will entertain even the most avid puzzler.

5-things-know-about-flip-phone

If you own any type of a flip phone there are some things that you can do to protect it from becoming damaged, broken or having the software crash. My Kyocera Lingo recently went through some software problems that ended up being resolved by the service provider resetting the phone. None of my information was lost but I did have to power down the phone and remove the battery several times before the reset actually worked. If you own a flip phone of any style, make or model, there are some things that you need to know about it that the company may never tell you about.

1. Avoid Unnecessary Flipping! I was a habitual flipper. I usually had my phone set to silent so the screen would flash when I would get a call, text, picture or video. There is a small alert button on it that flashes when there is something waiting for you but that was never good enough, I had to open the phone and check the internal screen. All that flipping open and closed led to the phone acting up from time to time and the eventual "white screen of death". If you are home or at work and are expecting a lot of text messages, just leave the clamshell or top part of the phone open. It will save a lot of unnecessary flipping and slamming of the phone door.

2. Phone Cases Are Useless! 90% of the phone cases are useless. I have several and they are sitting in a drawer collecting dust. They made it hard to the phone when you get a call and can end up putting scratches on it when it is designed to keep it from getting scratched. If you are someone that trades their phone in once a year, this will really cut the offering price down because of visual imperfections. Phone cases for flip phone muffle the ring tones and alert sounds, make it harder to text and can cause moisture to build up on the inside if it is exposed to direct sunlight.

3. Don't Keep It In Your Pocket! In the summer months your body throws off heat and that heat could cause moisture to get trapped in the phone. That could short it out, mess up the battery contacts or fry the software. Likewise, it is prone to getting banged into things and unnecessary roughness can result to internal and external damage. A zipper pocket on a backpack is one of the safest places to keep it. For flip phones, keeping them in your pocket is doubly dangerous. Things can get wedged in between the cell phone door (either side) and scratch the internal screen or make it impossible to open the door if it gets jammed in the hinge section.

4. Never Believe What A Salesman Tells You! When I took my phone in to have it looked at the screen was unreadable yet I was still able to get and make calls. That did me no good since I relied on my phone book to make calls. When the phone powered up I was able to see the Kyocera screen clearly so I knew that it was something with the software. The guy looked me dead in the eye and told me I needed a new phone and there was nothing he could do to try and fix it. I called my service provider and after three attempts, the phone reset itself and the internal and external screens were working perfectly. I waited almost two weeks to have service restored to it to make sure that it powered off and on perfectly, charged and worked without fail. When I went back to the store and confronted him about it he shrugged his shoulders and said he didn't understand what I was saying. He understood how to charge my credit card for a new phone but couldn't tell me how (mysteriously) it was able to be fixed. One of the biggest things that stores hold over your head when you own a flip phone is that the opening and closing of the case will eventually be its downfall. Every time you close it, it causes a sudden jolt to the phone. If you close it 20 times a day, that really takes its toll on it.

5. Phone Insurance Is Useless! Unless your phone insurances covers everything, it is worthless. If it only covers defects then you are wasting money every month. If it is lost you will have to file a claim. If it is stolen you will have to file a police report. If it accidentally goes into the washer or toilet, you are out of luck because most insurance plans that you pay to the provider won't cover it. Save the three to five dollars a month you are paying for insurance and put it in a coffee jar. If something happens to your phone use that money to buy a new one. The insurance for my flip phone would have been $5.99 a month. Over the course of the year that would have been close to eighty dollars and it would not have covered the phone "dying" (his explanation). If there is a way that they can use a loop hole to avoid giving you a new phone, rest assured, they will.

If you are thinking about getting any type of flip phone my best advice is to do your research. Read about what others have to say about them. I love my Kyocera Lingo when it works but when it has problems, the problems are major. I was lucky that it was just a software problem. I did end up buying a new phone to replace it without using some restraint to wait and see if it could be fixed. I couldn't imagine living without my cell phone or being able to send text messages. I realized, in hindsight, that if I would have just waited a few days everything would have worked out and I wouldn't have been out about a hundred dollars.

5-reasons-consider-for-prepaid-phones

1) No Commitment. This is a big one for a lot of people. Many cell phone customers get roped into a contract deal and continue on for years because they keep coming back for whatever high-end phone is offered in the latest low cost subsidized phone deal. For instance, with Verizon Wireless, customers may get excited about the Samsung Galaxy S4 or the new iPhone 5, and decide that they want to get the phone at a very discounted rate, and will sign a new contract just for the privilege of using this new phone.

With prepaid phone plans, there is no commitment and no contract so you can leave at any time. But, that being said, you are going to pay more upfront for a brand new phone. This is why it's a good idea to get a slightly older phone or take advantage of a really good deal. Deals pop up quite often on prepaid plans because they need to compete with all of the other providers out there. This leads me to the second reason to consider prepaid cell phone plans.

• 2) Great Deals. The beautiful thing about prepaid phone plans is that you can often find really good deals on great phones. For instance, right now you can find pretty good offers on the iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S3, two of the best selling phones from last year. You might be wondering why you can get a pretty good deal on these phones from prepaid providers. The reason is that they are both about a year old and there are newer versions of the phones coming out, the iPhone 5S and Samsung Galaxy S4. See how this works? If you are smart about it, you can find a solid deal on a slightly older but brand new smartphone. Now you have your prepaid smartphone, but just how good are prepaid plans? Let's move on to point three.

3) Unlimited Plans. Most of the prepaid phone companies that offer high end smartphones have unlimited plans. This makes sense because smartphones need a lot of data and texting capabilities. Otherwise, what's the point? Companies like Boost Mobile (Sprint owned), Virgin Mobile (Sprint owned), Straight Talk Wireless (America Movil owned), and Cricket all have unlimited phone plans that operate with their better quality phones like iPhone 5 (at the moment all of the providers above have the iPhone 5).

4) Great Phone Selection. I touched on this above already, but I'd like to highlight it once more here. Prepaid cell phone companies are now providing really good phones for use on their plans. It hasn't always been this way. Three years ago, you would not have been that impressed with the smartphone selection most pay as you go companies had in their lineups. They were older phones and just not impressive. You would be more likely to find an older Motorola flip phone a few years out of date rather than anything too desirable. This has changed, and now that you can own an iPhone 5 with out contract, the rules of the game are never going to be the same. More selection-between prepaid companies and contract companies-is a really good thing for people looking for the plan and phone that works best for them.

5) Save Money. You won't typically save money on the actual phone you use with your prepaid plan unless you're opting for a lower end phone, in which case you can get a very good deal. For instance, with Boost Mobile, you can get a low end Kyocera smartphone and save a bunch of money. You can get a Tracfone of Cricket flip phone and save bunch of money. It really depends on what kind of phone you want. Even though you may pay full price for your prepaid smartphone, you will probably save money on your prepaid plan. With Virgin Mobile's iPhone 5, you can pay only $35 per month for 300 anytime minutes and unlimited data. For 1200 minutes, you're going to pay $45, which is just about equivalent with the unlimited plans you can get from Boost Mobile, Cricket, Straight Talk, and Net10.
Conclusion: Should You Buy a Prepaid Phone?

My answer to this question is that it totally depends on what you're looking for out of your cell phone. Just like I wouldn't be able to recommend a minivan or a sedan to someone who I don't know unless I know what they're looking for, I can't tell you with any conviction whether or not you should buy a prepaid phone. What I do know and what I hope you've pulled from this article is that there have never been more prepaid options than there are now. One of the reasons people used to NOT buy prepaid phones is that they couldn't get the new high end phones with this type of plan.

However, that trend is starting to disappear as more and more high end phones like iPhone and HTC One V are being made available with prepaid plans. I would take a look at what you pay for your cell phone bill every month and decide whether or not you could save by switching to a prepaid plan. For instance, if you are paying $80 per month to Verizon to use your iPhone 5, but you rarely pick up the phone to call anyone, you might save money by using the Virgin Mobile unlimited plan with 300 talk time minutes for only $35 per month. Of course, you need to check the coverage of the phone plan to see if it works for you. This is the type of analysis I think will help you make the appropriate decision in regards to your next cell phone purchase.

5-of-advantages-using-linux

Often, whenever I recommend for someone to try Linux or for them to use it instead of their current operating system, I'll get asked "Why should I use Linux?" or "What's so great about Linux?"

There are many advantages to using Linux over other operating system, and in this article I'll list just a few out of a list of so many.

Linux is Free

Usually considered one of the biggest reasons for someone to use Linux is that it's free. It's free in both price and is free as in freedom.

Linux can be downloaded and installed onto your computer completely free of charge, and from there you're free to customize and change the operating system however you see fit.

Much of the software and applications available for Linux are also open-source and free of charge. If there's a program that costs you money, chances are there will be a free open-source alternative you can use.

Fewer Viruses

Not only are fewer viruses made to infect Linux, but with how Linux is designed the few viruses that are made for it can't do much harm.

Because Linux doesn't have anything similar to the registry in Windows for viruses to install themselves to and it doesn't give up root (Administrator) privileges easily, viruses don't affect Linux as much as other operating systems.

Also, virus makers tend to ignore the minority and will often go after operating systems that have a larger user-base, and because so few people are currently using Linux, that makes Linux users the minority.

Linux is Fast

Anyone that has ever used Linux will agree that it's incredibly fast, and with boot times less than half that of its rivals.

It accomplishes this through a mixture of it's small hard drive footnote (Some Linux distributions only use 50MB of your hard drive), the type of file system(s) it uses, and its simple design all help to make Linux a very fast operating system.

Since Linux primarily uses the ext3 and ext4 file systems, you almost never have to defragment your hard drive and you wont experience your computer's speed diminishing over time like operating systems that use the NTFS or FAT32 file systems.

Increased Stability

Because Linux is primarily used as a operating system for servers, it is by design, meant to be very stable. You will rarely experience random crashes our computer lock ups and freezes when using Linux, and if you do it usually will only require a simple fix to get things back to normal.

Which Linux distribution you choose will determine how stable your operating system install will be. Some Linux distributions will rarely update, sometimes only updating once a year or two.

While keeping things updated may sound like a good idea, unless the updates have been thoroughly tested they can often cause many issues, and so distributions like Slackware and Debian will keep updates to a minimum to ensure maximum stability and will only issue updates after they have been tested to perfection.

For those of you who wish to have the latest updates and bleeding edge features, you have the option to install a different distribution that will update more frequently.

Regardless of the frequency of updates, thanks to the basic design of Linux, all distributions are very stable.

The Community

In my opinion, one of the greatest things about Linux is its community. There are many websites and forums full of helpful and knowledgeable people that will aid you in your journey to learning Linux.

While every community will have its fair share of bad eggs, in my experience these are few and far between. By and large, most of the Linux community will be some of the most helpful people you could ever wish to meet.

Conclusion

There you have it, five excellent advantages to using Linux over other operating systems. While there are many more reasons to use Linux (And even some to not use it), my advice would be to just try it and come to your own conclusions. Perhaps after trying it you'll have your own list of advantages as well.

4-sync-makes-online-storage-eas

You have probably read about Google's attempts at "cloud" storage or at Dell's "cloud" storage" servers or, possibly, Microsoft's "SkyDrive," however, if you notice that each of these is run by a major computer firm and it is tied to their service, however, that does not have to be the case at all.

With 4Sync, while it is still located off-site on "cloud" drives owned by an ISP, it is local enough to allow you to sync all of your: videos; files; photos; slide shows; workgroup projects and more.

4Sync allows you up to 15GB of free storage space and you are limited by your subscription as to the amount of additional storage you can purchase and use. It is a very quick process when you upgrade a single office or group of workgroup machines than it is to upgrade and synchronize a large enterprise system.

The key to 4Sync, though, is the fact that while you are saving your files across the "cloud" to another remote site - like the major ones already mentioned - you are focusing, still, on the files that make sense and affect your business or family.

The nice piece to 4Sync is that, using its wizard and login, you can have access to files and upgrade them from virtually anywhere on the net without resorting to the need to log into major companies, whose Cloud services do work well, but they usually are far more enterprise-oriented than is 4Sync.

4Sync allows you to sync up your devices, drop the results in your organizations "bucket," if you will allow the analogy, and then when you want to look at just your files or photos, you just log into your account and there they are.

You can share your files across Windows or Apple systems or, with the right app, you can use an Android-controlled system to access and watch your or sync the data you have in your "bucket."

And, while it is not as quick as some of the enterprise-oriented systems such as SkyDrive or Google's "cloud" system, you will find that you can share your personal files with only those people with whom you want to share them with, knowing that they are safely stored on a smaller, more personal system. It is an interesting concept in "personal cloud computing", specially for those smartphone users who until recently had not so many options for their personal online storage.

4-inclusions-of-microsoft-its-next-xbox

If I worked from Microsoft's games department, I would confidently say that the Xbox 360 succeeded. The content leaped and bounded everything the Xbox originally brought to the table. Going into the next console generation, the next Xbox must improve the formula used for the Xbox 360. We've seen an increase in Xbox Live support, the controller, and entertainment options. There must be more of that without going overboard.

These are 4 improvements the next Xbox should have in order to make it a console that exceeds the success of the Xbox 360. It doesn't have to have all of these of these out of the gate, but at some point during the consoles life cycle, it should.

1. Make It Upgradeable

Microsoft supports the PC by releasing games for it as well as making its OS somewhat friendly towards it. Their console, on the other hand, is specifically for people who want to buy a gaming platform, and play it without having to worry about upgrading it. They should progress that idea.

Gaming PCs are expensive, so it would be beneficial for Microsoft to release its next Xbox traditionally as a console, which means a cheaper price with cheaper hardware, but with the ability to upgrade it. Both types of consumers would be satisfied. The ones who don't want to buy an expensive PC or upgrade their console can play games with the latest console technology. Those who don't want to buy an expensive PC but still want something they can upgrade, can with the upgradeable console.

All the options are left in the players hands. Those who want to buy a PC and upgrade their PC will do that but those who want a vanilla console can get that but with the option to upgrade it, similar to a PC. Developers can develop PC games that function with the Xbox also which makes developing for the next Xbox easier.

2. Lose the Xbox Arcade and Indie sections and Add Steam Support

This would go against Microsoft's moneymaking goals I'm sure, but it would be better for them. The Indie section for Xbox Live doesn't get enough exposure, so why keep it. What about Xbox Live Arcade? Lose that too. There is a market for it, but they could probably earn more money through royalties from adding Steam while Steam would earn greater exposure--and more money. If they decided to keep Xbox Live Arcade, Microsoft should put games that people have exclusively made for it.

Also, with digital downloading increasing, it's the perfect match for a console.

3. Leave the Controller Layout Alone. Fix the D-pad.

We've come to live with the current poor excuse for a directional pad that Microsoft gave to us, and we're constantly reminded how bad it is every time we touch it. Even the redesigned D-pad found on the newest controllers doesn't cut it. Simply because of their controller, Microsoft is losing the fighting game genre and other D-pad dominant games.

With a complete controller, one that leaves the current layout with a better D-pad, there's no denying that it would be one of the most comfortable controllers ever made. There will be people who don't like the weight compared to the Dual Shock controller, but the comfort and ease of use will win people's hearts.

4. Xbox Live Integration between PC and Console

Now is the time to swing things full circle. Microsoft is touting new ways to do everything with the coming of Windows 8 and other technologies. Along with that, integration of Xbox Live with console and PC users would be a huge draw.

Imagine the amount of people that could play together simply by combining the two platforms. That's a lot of people. Microsoft would hold the largest online gaming user base. That's a positive for Microsoft. For the players, more players is always a plus. No need to worry about controller issues either. The option of using a gamepad or PC controls is already offered on some games, so the thought of duking it out with a different controller format isn't farfetched. It's a win for everyone. Microsoft wouldn't lose much money either because PC gamers want to play on their PC while console gamers want to play on their console. So, merge.

The Xbox 360 improved everything the original Xbox offered. The next Xbox has a lot to live up to. These changes would put the next Xbox in a league of its own. Some of it may be fantasy but if Microsoft can see the potential user base and not just the dollars, fantasy could become reality and they could see their greatest console run ever.