The 6 Best Christmas Card Gift Ideas

Despite my best intentions to give personalized gifts to everyone on my holiday list, at least one or two people always end up with a gift card. Deep down I can't shake the feeling that I'm calling it in. This year, I've resolved to consider gifting some great online services, a gift that keeps on giving, month after month.

The Best Gift Cards For Music Lovers: There are several great options to stream music either to a computer or to any number of wireless-enabled personal electronic devices. Streaming music has gotten really popular -- and really easy. Services such as Pandora and Spotify offer the ability to listen to a wide variety of music without having to purchase and/or download it. Unfortunately, the free versions also have annoying pop ups and commercials. Consider a subscription to Pandora One (www.pandora.com), where a year of ad-free music streaming can be had for $36. Spotify's library and service is constantly improving, and you can buy gift cards at major retailers, or its premium membership is 7.49$9.99 a month.

The Best Gift Cards For Book Lovers: If a Kindle is out of your price range, consider a membership to Audible. Members can instantly download any of the more than 100,000 audio books in its holdings. Membership typically permits one download a month, with additional books at a reduced price. You can give a membership by the month (three months is $45, six months is $90, etc) or give a specific book. Install the audible app on any number of personal electronic devices and stream books from a smartphone or a wide selection of MP3 players. With the gift of audio books, your avid reader can catch up on "The Hunger Games" -- Suzanne Collins' young-adult series -- while picking up the house or carpooling the kids to soccer practice. Win-win!

The Best Gift Cards For Movie and TV Lovers: There are options. If that special someone doesn't already have Netflix, you can purchase a gift membership for $7.99 a month. Netflix's gift memberships are limited to the streaming service, not movie delivery. Keep in mind that the certificate is nonrefundable and requires that the recipient enter a valid credit card number and authorize automatic re-bills after the gift membership expires.

Or give Blockbuster Total Access a try. Gift memberships start at $9.99 a month for one DVD out at a time and are available in various combinations of months and number of movies out. Movies can be returned or exchanged in store, and the monthly rate includes the ability to rent video games. Some users have complained about movie turnover -- the time from mailing a movie back to the receipt of the next movie -- being longer than Netflix, but Blockbuster claims that new releases are available up to 28 days before Netflix or Redbox. That may make up for waiting three or four days for replacement movies to arrive by mail.

Or consider gifting a membership to Hulu Plus, a TV streaming service that lets users watch their favorite shows and thousands of movies, on demand, on any number of wireless-enabled devices. Gift memberships start at $7.99 a month. If Uncle Jim is distraught when he misses an episode of "House," make him and his couch happy again.

I've compiled links to all the cool Nerdy gadgets, services and products I've reviewed this season at www.nerdsecret.com. Friends don't let friends give boring gifts.

(Andrea Eldridge is CEO of Nerds on Call, which offers on-site computer and home theater set-up and repair. Based in Redding, Calif., it has locations in five states. Contact Eldridge at www.callnerds.com/andrea.)

 

Things Nerds are Thankful For

Nerds Give Thanks like a Baws!

Everyone has a nerd or two in their life these days, whether it’s a computer guru, video gamer or mobile gadget aficionado. From texting to email to blogging, the typical nerd often favors electronic communication over “real world” conversations, and this can make it difficult to connect. In honor of Thanksgiving, here’s a bit of insight into the heart of the nerd you love with a few things that just about every nerd is thankful for this year.

Nerds are thankful for loved ones that accept our quirks. We are thankful you finally got cable. We are thankful for Dr. Who, Peter Jackson and the preponderance of free WiFi.

Nerds are thankful for websites that let us keep in touch without speaking.

Nerds love social media. It lets us stay in touch with friends and family that we might otherwise never see or hear from, what with our propensity to sequester ourselves indoors with our computer and home theater system. If you want to hear more about what’s going on in the life of your favorite nerd, join their preferred social media site, be it Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc and soon you’ll be sharing LOLs and know more about the dietary habits of their cat than you ever thought possible.

Nerds are thankful for the ability to do holiday shopping without having to get dressed.

We nerds are grateful for the annual holiday shopping day for the public-phobic, Cyber Monday. The Monday after Thanksgiving has grown to be one of the best online shopping days of the year. Major online retailers like Amazon, Walmart.com, Newegg and Dell slash prices on computers, televisions, handheld electronics, computer parts and much more, allowing those of us that shudder at the sea of people swarming Walmart on Black Friday to still get a crack at some of the lowest prices of the season. Plus we get to compete with our fellow nerds in the sport of snapping up limited quantity sale items, just like we would on Black Friday, just without any actual physical interaction.

Nerds are thankful for expanded access to high speed cellular data.

Smartphones have become the nerd’s go-to gadget to stay “plugged-in” on the go. Nothing drags down our sunny disposition like slow mobile data – waiting while that YouTube video buffers can really fray the nerves. Thank goodness 4G networks are expanding beyond major city centers. Now we can actually get some benefit from that next generation 4G compatible phone we sprung for 2 years ago in the hope that 4G would come to our area soon. It’s finally here!

Nerds are thankful for the promise of more Star Wars.

In October 2012 the unthinkable happened: Disney purchased Lucasfilm Ltd and simultaneously announced that production will soon begin on the next installment of our beloved Star Wars series. Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted to release in 2015. Regardless of whether the nerd in your life greets this news with glee or horror, they’re surely going to see the movie when it comes out. Will it be awesome? Many of those that were disappointed with George Lucas’ rendition of Episodes 1-3 argue that it can’t be worse. Or will Disney over-commercialize the file, stripping out the true spirit of Star Wars? Only one thing is certain: it will provide fodder for debate in the nerd community for years to come.

Nerds are thankful for algebra.

Nothing cramps a nerd’s style like slow internet. Luckily we have an international team of telecom technology researchers from MIT, Harvard, Caltech, the University of Porto in Portugal and the Technical University of Munich to thank for discovering what many believe is the future of broadband: algebra.

Typical broadband works by breaking up large amounts of data into packets and sending each packet separately to the user requesting the data. On average, 2-5% of packets are lost in transit, requiring that the data be re-sent. Researchers have discovered that sending data in the form of an algebraic equation instead of traditional packets allows the recipient computer to “fill in the blanks” of any missing packets, resulting in significantly faster internet transfer speeds and more stable mobile data connections.

And these Nerd Chicks are thankful for you, dear reader; we hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving.

Create Custom Gifts Online

Who has Time For Custom Gifts?

Nothing says you put time, thought and effort into a gift like personalization. I don’t mean just pasting Uncle Barry’s name on the coffee mug you bought at Target. I mean creating something unique for that special individual. Before you book a weeklong craft-a-thon at your neighborhood paint your own pottery shop, check out these great ideas for creating a totally custom gift online.

These days it’s easy to get your photos printed on any number of items, from shirts to mugs to jewelry to canvas. Costco, Snapfish and Shutterfly are just a few of the sites that offer a wide array of photo gift products.

If you’re looking to branch out beyond photos, however, Café Press (www.cafepress.com/make/personalized-gifts) maintains one of the most comprehensive collections of single-run, design-your-own products. Choose from an overwhelming list of clothing, drinkware, kitchen items, home and office décor, and accessories - from stuffed animals, bags and wallets, custom cases for mobile electronics and much more. Add full color graphics; enter your own text in a wide variety of fonts and colors; and adjust layout until you have your masterpiece.


While there are many other sites that offer a large selection of customizable products, what makes Café Press special is the ability to get a single item at a reasonable price. Most other sites require a sizable minimum order (in many cases it starts at 10 or more). Giving out the same hand designed t-shirt to everyone you know makes it a bit less personal, even when it’s undeniably awesome.

For the soda-lover on your list, Jones Soda Co. (http://www.jonessoda.com/) offers a fully custom label that you can have printed on any of their twelve most popular flavors. Upload a photo and enter your own text for the back of the bottle. A 12-pack will set you back $30, but it will be the most memorable blue berry lemonade soda they’ve ever enjoyed.

Little ones on your list are sure to love a book all about them. I See Me! (www.iseeme.com) offers a great selection of personalized books about their name, the holidays or their birthday, even “The Super, Incredible Big Sister” (or Brother). Simply provide the child’s name and a few additional specifics depending on the book (such as date of birth, gender or name of sibling) and they’ll send you a beautiful, personalized, hardcover book. My son has the “My Very Own Name” book where it tells the story of animals selecting each letter in his name. Each letter has a poem in which the animal of the same letter (Jaguar for J, etc) sings the praises of the letter. He got it when he turned one, still loves it now that he’s four, and has memorized it (despite the fact there’s more than 20 letters in his name).

Trailblazers and on-the-go snack-lovers alike will get a kick out of the custom nutrition bars you devise for them at You Bar (www.youbars.com/buildabar). Choose your base from a variety of nut butters, dates, soy or sunflower. Then select protein powders, nuts and seeds, fruits, sweeteners, seasonings, cereals and infusions. If there’s anything you want that’s not listed, you can write it in under a “special requests” option. As you add ingredients the nutrition facts automatically updates so you can see the effect on fat and calories if you add those chocolate chips.

The choices can be overwhelming so they’ve added tips and recommendations along the way as well as a “Taste Tester” to ensure your concoction is delicious, not disastrous. Name your creation and you’re ready to order a box of thirteen for about $3-5/bar (depending on size). Ingredients are all natural and their online support can help you build a bar to fit just about any nutritional requirements. Bars are “guaranteed delicious” – if you don’t like your bar they’ll help you replace it for free.

Even those of us that aren’t crafty enough to sew mom a custom tea cozy can achieve personalized present perfection with a few clicks of the mouse.

Top Tech Gifts You Don't Know About

Ditch That Gift Card for a Top Tech Gift

Now that so many of us rely on electronics to read, watch movies and listen to music, you may be thinking that giving gift cards is the only option to help fill out your loved ones media library this holiday season. Yet the generic ease of a gift card makes for a very impersonal gift. Luckily you can achieve gift nirvana with a variety of truly useful digital products and services that are sure to please even the most difficult to buy for loved ones on your list. Here are our Top Tech Gifts of 2012.

With the increasing popularity of eReaders, it may seem that giving the gift of a great digital book requires you resort to an Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card. Not so! If there’s a specific title you’d like to share, you can gift an eBook to your favorite Kindle or NOOK user. As long as you have the recipient’s email address, neither of you need wait for the title to arrive in the mail.

For Kindle owners, find the title in the Amazon Kindle store and choose the “Give as a Gift” option on the right side of the page, under the “Buy now” button. Share the love with the NOOK users in your life by finding the title you’d like to give at www.barnesandnoble.com, scrolling to the NOOK Book option and choosing “Buy as Gift.”


Give the Apple gadget lovers on your list a better excuse for wasting so much time on their phone by gifting them a few great apps, movies, TV shows or tunes. While you may consider just picking up an iTunes gift card, take the time to find a game, video, album or tool that you think they’d enjoy for a more personal touch.

To gift an app, start at the iTunes app store and find the app that you think your loved one will enjoy. To the right of the “Buy App” button, click the smaller grey button for an additional options menu. At the top of the menu select “Gift This App.” You can send the gift via email or print a certificate to wrap or deliver by hand. A similar procedure can be followed to gift a movie, TV show, song or album.

If you know someone that has a towering stack of magazines that they love to peruse for inspiration and leisure, a gift membership to Next Issue (http://www.nextissue.com/gift/, 3 months of premium membership for $44.97, longer periods are available) will give them all-you-can-read access to over 70 digital magazines delivered to their iPad or Android 7” tablet. While titles are limited on the Android application, the iPad’s list of titles is comprehensive, including just about every magazine I’ve heard of – Vogue, Cooking Light, Cosmopolitan, Fitness, GQ, Money, and many more. Upgrade to Premium to get Entertainment Weekly, People, Time, and Sports Illustrated.

For the person who has everything - particularly if a lot of it is stored on their computer – a gift membership to a cloud-based data backup service is a truly thoughtful and likely unexpected gift. What better way to show you care than helping to protect them from the sorrow of losing precious photos, family movies and possibly years of work due to hard drive failure. Crashplan+ is a great, easy to use data backup solution for the home user. Simply pick a plan from their list of pricing options (www.crashplan.com/consumer/store.vtl, starting at $1.50/month). Complete the payment form, entering your email address so that you get the receipt and license key. Clear the auto-renew check box if you want to just purchase a one-time gift. Now all your recipient need do is download CrashPlan and navigate to Settings – Account – License to activate it with the license key you gifted them.

We totally stole the picture from Crashplan, but we recommend their service all the time, so we hope they'll forgive us.

3 Easy Ways to Save on Gift Cards

Score a Deal on Gift Cards

Gift cards are a ubiquitous staple of the holiday season. Whether you’re looking to show some appreciation to someone you don’t know very well (like your newspaper delivery person or your gardener), or have someone on your list that’s hard to buy for, a gift card can be the perfect present for giver and receiver.

However, sometimes you get a gift card that you can’t or don’t use. What can you do with it? This dilemma has led to the creation of a gift card resale market where you can snap up gift cards at a discount. Saving money while giving more value – now that’s a gift.

My favorite gift card resale sites are Cardpool and eCard Exchange. They buy gift cards from people who want to cash out a card they don’t need. Once received, they verify the authenticity and balance on the card, and then resell them at a discount. While the savings isn’t as substantial as you may find on eBay, the balance is guaranteed to be valid at the merchant (Cardpool covers up to 100 days from the date of purchase, eCardExchange covers for up to 30 days). There’s a large selection of retailers and restaurants available, including Target, Walmart, Petsmart, Outback Steakhouse and Olive Garden, just to name a few. Shipping is free, so the price you see is what you pay.

Most merchants will allow you to use one gift card to purchase others. For example, you could buy one $90 TJ Maxx card for $80 and trade it in at the store for three $30 cards which you can give as gifts. Or use the card to pay for the gifts you’re buying and score yourself an instant discount on your purchases.

Discounts are proportional to the popularity of the retailer. As such, Target cards carry an average 3% discount while you can score 30% off PacSun gift cards.

Gift Card Granny is a gift card resale consolidation site. They collect lists of gift cards available across a multitude of other sites, including eBay, Coupon Trade, Cardpool, eCardExchange, ABC Gift Cards and more. Since each site’s stock is limited by what they’ve acquired from individual sellers or partner retailers, this site is a great way to find and compare available deals all with one search. It has, by far, the largest selection of gift cards available across the net. You aren’t buying direct from Gift Card Granny, however, so pay close attention to the terms and conditions of the site you’re re-directed to in order to ensure the site guarantees the balance on the card before you buy.

Speaking of guaranteed balances, many people choose to sell their unused gift cards through eBay in order to obtain the most money on the sale. Resale sites purchase cards at a greater discount than they sell them for. This means that the person who sold the $90 TJ Maxx gift card in the example above probably netted about $65 dollars for it. Those looking to try their luck at getting more for their card often turn to auction or direct to buyer sites. While cutting out the “middle man” consolidation site can score you a better deal, you lose the guarantee that the card you buy will have the promised value on it when you show up at the store.

Finally, if you maintain a membership at Costco or Sams Club, check out their gift card offerings. Unlike grocery stores that sell a variety of retailer cards at face value, wholesale outlets typically offer cards at a discount. Purchase $100 worth of gift cards for $80 and you’ve scored an instant 20% discount whether you use the cards yourself in lieu of cash of give them as gifts.

Photo used by permission y2bk

Move over Black Friday, Cyber Monday Tops Charts

Cyber Monday: Better than Black Friday

Many have heard the term “Cyber Monday” floating around. But what exactly is it? Is it just a marketing term designed to sell more products or it is actually an event worth taking note of? It’s mostly both – and definitely worth paying attention to if you’re looking to buy lots of gifts this Christmas season.

The National Retail Federation is an international group of retail companies, the largest in the world. One of their major divisions, and one that is growing quickly, is shop.org, a consortium of online retailers. In 2005, shop.org coined the term “Cyber Monday,” claiming that “77 percent of online retailers said that their sales increased substantially on the Monday after Thanksgiving, a trend that is driving serious online discounts and promotions on Cyber Monday this year.”

How this pseudo-holiday started was when online retailers wanted to take advantage of the holiday craze for gifts, but could not compete with brick-and-mortar stores for once. Too many people were spending all Friday in line at physical stores and not online with their computers. So to capitalize on the trend, many online retailers started offering significant discounts on the Monday following Thanksgiving. Contrary to popular belief, Cyber Monday doesn’t just apply to cyber gifts like computers, tablets or smartphones, but simply to those goods offered solely online.

Cyber Monday Factoid

Because of its timing on the first workday after the holiday, many people started doing their Christmas shopping while on their work computers. In 2005, 37% of those surveyed said that they would secretly shop online while at work. In 2010, that number nearly doubled!


Despite some employers’ lost productivity from employees shopping online, many online retailers are making lots of money. In 2010, Cyber Monday shopping exceeded the $1 billion mark for the first time at an increase of 16% over the previous year. 88% of online merchants now offer Cyber Monday discounts.

The most common markets for Cyber Monday purchases range from the expected to the surprising. Jewelry and luxury retailers actually see the biggest benefit from the event, while the predictable consumer electronics market experiences the second biggest bump. The demographics of people taking advantage of the sale range wildly too. 70 percent of 18-34 year-olds shop online, but 30 percent of 65+ year-olds do as well. From young to old, more and more people are transitioning into online retail. In 2010, online sales totaled more than 165 billion dollars, meaning that almost a half billion dollars are spent each day on products online.

Sadly for some, all this online activity is taking its toll on previously-established major corporations used to working with a physical business model. Many companies like Best Buy are adapting price-matching strategies to keep up with online sales. However, these guarantees apply only to a limited number of items, and specifically in Best Buy’s case, are suspending that offer during the major shopping week that contains Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Trendy Tech Gifts for 2012

Black Friday Goto Guide

In the sea of tech toys and gadgets that hit the shelves every holiday season, a few stand out as the year’s sure-to-sell-out favorites. With the first new console gaming system in six years and a mini-tablet war, this year is no exception. Here are the hottest trending tech goodies of the 2012 holiday season.

Video Game Consoles

Nintendo’s Wii U (http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu, $299.99 for an 8GB “basic”, $349.99 for a 32GB “deluxe”) is the first new console gaming system released since the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 first debuted in 2006. In addition to the standard game controls, the GamePad incorporates a 6.2-inch LCD touch screen (which they’ve dubbed a “Personal Second Screen”) with motion control. Additional game content is beamed to the controller screen so you can see maps, complete challenges with the stylus or your finger, or use it to move your character or vehicle on the big screen. It can be used for handheld gaming, even when the TV is unavailable.

It’s the must have item this season, and it’s sure to sell out fast. If you want one, don’t wait for a sale. The best you can hope for is a bundle deal where retailers may package in an extra game, but you’ll risk losing out to resellers that snatch them up in bulk to mark up $100 or more and sell to the desperate on EBay.

Tablet

Despite the much heralded release of Apple’s new iPad mini, my pick for the best 7” mini tablet is Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008GGCAVM/ref=kindle_dp_comp), starting at $199. An entry-level iPad mini will set you back $329, making the Fire’s price a big draw. Unless you are already married to Apple’s iTunes store, rest assured that the Kindle gives you access to just about all of the most popular apps, as well as the huge library of books, videos, TV shows and music housed in Amazon’s massive library. With an HD display, dual antenna for stronger WiFi reception and both a USB and Micro-HDMI port (for connecting it to your home theater), anyone on your list looking for an ultra-portable mini-tablet is sure to be pleased with the Kindle Fire HD.


If 7” seems just too small to accommodate your handheld web surfing, video watching and game playing needs, Amazon is releasing an 8.9” version of the Kindle Fire HD in time for the holidays starting at $299.99 (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008GFRE5A). Pre-order now – they expect to sell out.

Video Games

Call of Duty (http://www.callofduty.com/blackops2, $60 for XBox 360, Playstation 3, Nintento Wii U and PC) is going to be the hottest video game of the season. This first-person shooter game has developed a huge fan base since the series first launched in 2003, making it the biggest-selling title on Microsoft’s Xbox gaming system. Holiday sales of their annual game releases have outpaced all other games for the last four years and this season will be no exception.

Players battle it out online over a variety of “maps” and game styles. New “map packs” are released regularly to keep game play fresh. Just keep in mind that content is mature so it’s best saved for the older gamers on your holiday shopping list.

Trendy music lovers are clamoring for the pricey but oh-so-fashionable Beats by Dr. Dre headphones. The colorful can-style headphones are about style even more than sound, though many swear by the quality and durability. With many versions available, the entry level Beats Solo HD (www.beatsbydre.com/headphones/beats-solohd-black/900-00011-01,default,pd.html) will set you back about $200, though many retailers are offering them on sale for the holiday shopping season.

With eight colors to choose from, they sport an in-line control and microphone to easily switch from your tunes to an incoming call. Reviews are mixed with users seeming to love or hate them, but they’re unquestionably popular.

Use Pinterest to UP Your Holiday Game

Unleash your inner Martha Stewart with Pinterest

The holidays are my favorite time of year – gathering with friends and family over special meals, showing you care with gifts, watching the kids explode with excitement over pumpkins, decorated houses, lit Christmas trees… you get the idea. If you’ve yet to explore the wealth of inspiration that is Pinterest, this season is the perfect time to take a tour. Whether you’re a holiday lover like me, looking to build some memorable traditions without going overboard, or a budding Martha Stewart ready to make over your home in festive extravaganza, Pinterest has something for everyone.

Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/) is a social, image-sharing website that functions like a shareable scrapbook. Users “pin” images to a virtual board from the Internet, other user's boards or their own computer, resulting in a collection of images that you can visually scroll through until something catches your interest. Boards are all public, so once you’re a member you can see anything that anyone posts.

The biggest challenge for those new to Pinterest is the overwhelming abundance of material and a relatively weak search function. Search is limited to a single text box where you enter keywords and choose to search Pins, Boards or Pinners. Searching for Pins results in specific images where the “pinner” has listed your keyword in their description of the image or link. Search by Boards for collections of images that pinners have categorized under your keyword. Search by Pinner if there’s someone on Pinterest that you’d like to follow.

When it comes to using Pinterest for holiday inspiration, I recommend that you start with a relatively generic keyword search by either Pins or Boards. For example, search Boards for “Thanksgiving” and you’ll get hundreds of images: crafts to keep the kids busy; beautiful ideas to decorate your home with pre-made printables, nature or artistically presented edible arrangements; and food upon glorious food. My favorites are the ideas to help me connect with the spirit of the holidays with creative family activities, charitable acts or homemade crafts and gifts.
When you find an image that links to something that you like, click through to view the other pins on the same board and then the other images that the pinner has collected on different boards. In many cases, once you find someone with similar taste, style or interests, you’ll end up discovering a wealth of great ideas that they’ve already done to footwork to collect. I’ve also discovered that perusing the boards of others who have repinned something I find appealing often leads me to like-minded individuals and the ideas they’ve found to be appealing.

Once you find inspiration, “repin” the links onto your own boards so that you can have them at hand when you’re ready to get in the holiday spirit. I’ve collected numerous ideas that I can come back to when I want to take some time to do a craft with the kids or make a special themed treat for family or friends. There are many, many things I will surely never get around to, but even if it gives me two or three memorable things to try, it’s a win.

In the same way that leafing through a fitness magazine can motivate you to go for a walk or choose a healthier snack, it’s not the specific project so much as the overall feeling that you can create something cool or beautiful. It gives those of us with little time and creativity the opportunity to find achievable projects while offering those with more crafty skills tools, tips and tricks to take their creations to the next level.

While I’ve grown to love Pinterest, it truly is an Alice In Wonderland-style “rabbit hole.” You start off looking for homemade gifts you can create for the neighbors and before you know it you’ve ventured into DIY garden gnomes or motivational quotes. Time on Pinterest is like dog-years – an hour morphs into five more often than I care to divulge.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to attempt to make marshmallows into snowmen.

Top 5 Ways to Save on Your Holiday Shopping

Use Technology to Save on Holiday Shopping

November seems to sneak up on me every year. I’m minding my own business, working out costume details and sugar coating trick-or-treaters when, BAM! Out of the blue it’s time to get cracking on holiday shopping. To help myself get in the game and to help you save some money, here are my top five ways you can use your tech savvy to save money on your holiday shopping.

1. Check out the resale market:

I know, you’re thinking, “wrapping up used gifts?” but a lot of things available though sites like Craigslist and Ebay, or even at your local gently-used second hand store, haven’t actually been used. We’ve all received a present that we thought for sure would come in handy but instead just gathered dust. That posh purse may be perfect for your sister-in-law and is significantly less expensive than buying it in the store. If you have any youngsters on your list I can assure you that they aren’t going to care that the shiny new tricycle took a few spins in someone else’s yard before it showed up under their tree.

2. Use discount gift cards:

Just as there’s a resale market for items that people didn’t end up needing, there’s a resale market for unused gift cards. Check out eCard Exchange (www.ecardexchange.com) or Cardpool (http://www.cardpool.com ) for an extensive selection of discount gift cards that you can use to get instant savings on your holiday shopping. Benefit from those looking to cash-out a gift card they don’t need with savings averaging 10%. Unlike buying on eBay where you have to take a leap of faith that the balance on the card will be valid when you receive it, these sites act as a middle man. They purchase the card from the seller and then guarantee the value to you, the buyer. There’s even free shipping. While you can certainly re-gift the gift card itself, I like to buy discount gift cards for the places I know I’m going to shop for presents, earning myself an instant discount that I can then combine with sales and coupons.

3. Become a coupon printer:

Before you head out the door to cruise the mall, check out the in-store coupons available online through RetailMeNot (www.retailmenot.com/printable) and Coupon Cabin (www.couponcabin.com/printable-coupons/?tn=printable-coupons). You can earn yourself a quick $10 or percent off your purchases with just a couple of clicks and an available printer. If you’re buying online, be sure to check the coupon codes section for instant savings on your order.

4. Compare, compare, compare:

The Shopping Assistant browser extension (http://taoassistant.com/, available for Chrome, Firefox, Opera or Safari) gives you a toolbar that automatically shows similar products to what you’re shopping for at other online retailers, such as Walmart, Newegg and slickdeals. If you prefer to peruse the shelves in person, make that Smartphone data plan earn some money back for you with ShopSavvy 5 (http://shopsavvy.mobi/, for iPhone, Android and Windows Phone). Once installed on your Smartphone, simply use your phone’s camera to take a picture of the barcode of the item you’re considering. The app will instantly report back prices of that item online and at other local retailers, allowing you to request a price match or drive next door to get the best deal.

5. Make your credit card work for you:

Many credit card companies have discovered that the key to keeping customers is to help them save money on purchases they are already making. Most deals and special coupons can only be activated by logging into your account and navigating through the associated deals section. For example, Bank of America cards now offer “cash back deals” that give you cash back on purchases made at certain retailers, restaurants and more. The catch is that you have to activate the offer in advance of making your purchase to get the reward. Citibank now offers Citi Price Rewind which it calls “buy now, save later.” Register your covered purchases and Citibank will track prices at online retailers for 30 days. If the price drops by at least $25, you get the price difference back – up to $250 per item.

Photo used by permission: stevendepolo

The ZeroAccess Rootkit Trojan

ZeroAccess Rootkit: Doomsday and Armageddon all-in-one?

The ZeroAccess Rootkit Trojan is the latest rootkit virus to gain widespread infiltration into a huge number of computers. While traditional viruses attempt to infect and destroy as many computers in their path before they're stopped by anti-virus software, rootkits aim to keep your system working but under the control of an outside party. They typically give a remote user administrative power, allowing them to manipulate files and maintain control of your system.

Once your system is controlled by the administrator of the rootkit, he can cause it to execute actions. Your system becomes a “botnet,” or “zombie” computer, assisting the culprits to perform fraudulent acts, downloading additional malware and opening software back doors for hackers to enter. Since rootkits execute at the same privilege level as anti-malware software, they’re harder to remove – your computer can’t decide which program should have greater authority to shut down the other.

According to James Wyke, Senior Threat Researcher for SophosLabs, The ZeroAccess Rootkit Trojan and its nine known variants has been installed over 9 million times. Its resultant “botnet” is comprised of approximately 1 million zombie machines, generating huge profits for their masters. In his Technical Paper, “The Zero Access Botnet – Mining and Fraud for Massive Financial Gain,” Mr. Wyke calls ZeroAccess “one of the biggest threats on the Internet.”
There are two primary ways this virus is distributed. The first is through something called a Blackhole exploit kit. Through a compromised website or a spammed email, the victim is directed to the hacker's landing page. Ad servers are prime targets for this type of corruption because their high traffic leads to widespread infection. The bad web page contains a JavaScript that scans your computer for vulnerabilities. If they're found, the virus silently downloads into the background workings of the computer and begins to take over.

The second method of distribution is through social engineering. The victim is convinced to run an executable file because they're attempting to obtain a piece of illicit software, bypass copyright protections, etc. For example, one lure the ZeroAccess creators have used in the past is an illegal copy of a popular game called Skyrim. The user attempts to download it, is prompted to open a Zip file, and the virus is installed, essentially with the user's permission.

Initially, victims notice that computer processing slows to a crawl. Internet searches are re-directed to unrelated sites and pop-ups appear much more frequently during web browsing. Advanced forms of the virus have even been linked to information mining and financial fraud, with hackers gaining access to your personal information and performing identity theft.

According to SophosLab’s research, hackers will pay up to $500 for every 1000 infected U.S. systems that a rootkit administrator can prove they’ve added to their botnet.

Defend yourself before you're infected. Make sure all your browsers, plug-ins and operating systems are updated with the latest version of software. Out-of-date Firefox, Internet Explorer and Google Chrome, in addition to Adobe Flash, Acrobat and Java are prime targets of Blackhole exploit kits. Don't give in to the temptation of downloading illegal software through sharing and torrent sites. Keep your anti-malware software current and run it often. Regular backups of your data and applications will allow you to more easily perform a re-format/re-install of your operating system if you become infected and are unable to remove the virus through conventional methods.

If you suspect you may be infected, contact a computer repair professional as quickly as possible. Not only does this virus open doors for other malware to enter your system un-detected, but removal is extremely difficult. It is known to leave behind portions of itself and continue to haunt your computer if not removed properly.

Photo used by permission: Brett Jordan

Social Media Election Apps

Election apps that work like Social Media?

Politics used to be an old man’s game. I mean, just look at the writers of the constitution. For years, it stayed that way. Then in the twenties, women got the right to vote and the game changed a little. But one of the last holdouts of the voting populace has not been by law, but by choice – or the lack thereof. For many years, the youth of America have not been nearly as actively involved in politics as the older generation. The 18-29 demographic turns out to polls about 14% less than those older than they. But that trend is changing. After a brief decline in the 90s, the youth vote is rising closer to the national average than ever before. And one of the reasons for this is the new focus on social media to promote the issues to those using the internet: the youth. One site attempts to offer an unbiased or at least user-driven) source for election information to the young demographic.

TheBallot.org, aimed at young voters, is one of the many new election apps that allows them to explore the election in the manner that they’re familiar with. Upon entering the site, potential voters can enter their address. The site then presents them with a list of applicable votes that they are eligible to cast, from local assembly people to statewide measures. From there, voters can explore the issues and read others’ opinions and see who has voted for what. They can use this information to register their vote and to leave comments for others to see. These responses can then be shared on Facebook or other social networking sites.

TheBallot.org was founded by the League of Young Voters (http://www.theleague.com). It was originally created for the 2008 election, but has not received much national attention. Their goal is to increase the youth vote by fostering a discussion of politics within that sphere. According to a study by UCSD, social networking like Facebook can have a massive effect on voter turnout. (http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/sep/12/facebook-message-boosts-voter-turnout-ucsd-study/) In the study, a message was sent to 60 million facebook users, which resulted in 340,000 new voters coming to the polls. While the results may not seem particularly impressive, this study and others were able to conclude that peers’ comments on social networking sides had a noticeable effect on voter turnout. TheBallot.org is attempting to harness this power for the good of the community and voter awareness.


Photo used by permission:League of Women Voters of California

FBI Virus is “Ransomware”

FBI Virus is a Scam Out to Get You!

I never thought I’d look back fondly on the days when malware just caused annoying pop-ups. The newest bug crawling the Web is called "ransomware," and it holds your computer hostage until you pay a demanded ransom. The latest has several names: FBI Moneypak, Citadel Reveton or simply, Reveton Virus.

The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is the result of a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center. Designed to give cybercrime victims an easy way to report crimes, they also assist law enforcement in obtaining evidence to prosecute culprits. The IC3 first began receiving complaints about Reveton Ransomware in 2011. They issued a warning about it on their website in May 2012 (www.ic3.gov/media/2012/120809.aspx). Today, the IC3 receives dozens of complains each day from all over the world.

Most viruses activate after opening a file or attachment. Reveton is particularly insidious because it can install itself when a user simply clicks on a compromised website. It then locks down the computer by encrypting files on the hard drive or producing an inescapable black screen. A message is displayed directing the user to a bogus FBI, Department of Justice or IC3 website. The user is accused of a variety of Internet crimes, from illegal downloading of copyrighted materials to possession of child pornography.

There are a multitude of variants of the malware, but in all cases the user is instructed to pay a penalty fine in order to unlock the computer, typically $100-200. Most versions demand that payment be made with pre-paid credit card, such as a Moneypak card (sold at Walgreens or Wal-mart) or “Ultimate Game Card” (sold at Walmart or CVS).
Some variants of the virus turn on the computer’s webcam, recording video and displaying images back to the victim as an additional “we know who you are” scare tactic. Others disable current anti-malware and antivirus software. Once users have paid the "fines" or clicked through the warning message to investigate, it gets worse. The virus remains in the background, sending personal information to the hackers to be used in further crime, such as identity theft and capturing of credit card numbers or financial information.

While you certainly should NOT pay any “fine” demanded by the bogus malware, what should you do if you're infected with Reveton Ransomware? The answer depends on how much control you maintain over your computer. If you’re able to access the Internet, download Malwarebytes (www.malwarebytes.org). They've kept up with variants as the malware has adapted and evolved, making it a strong contender to remove all versions from your computer.

Some victims are completely locked out of their system, unable to access the Internet or their desktop. The IC3 and the FBI recommend that these users contact a computer repair specialist. They warn potential victims that even if they’re able to unfreeze their system, the malware “may still operate in the background” and “certain types of malware have been known to capture personal information such as user names, passwords, and credit card numbers through embedded keystroke logging programs.” (www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2012/august/new-internet-scam)

If you’re feeling confident and want to try some DIY options, repair suggestions are detailed here: http://botcrawl.com/how-to-remove-the-fbi-moneypak-ransomware-virus-fake-fbi-malware-removal/. Just keep in mind that many are advanced, may lead to data loss or operating system damage, and there’s no guarantee that the virus won’t continue to run in the background as the IC3 warns.

If you haven’t been attacked by this nasty bug, make sure that your system’s malware protection is up to date, downloading updates and running scans regularly. Consider installing a firewall router to limit unauthorized, outward-bound traffic from your computer to the Internet and limit your surfing to lesser-known sites, particularly those that facilitate file sharing.

Windows 8 is Here! Now What?

Windows 8: A Simple How to

Windows 8 is finally here. If you've been reading our recent articles, you know that it’s promised to change many things about how we use our computers. If you’re one of those who have decided to make the switch, there are a few things you should know before installing it on your computer.

First, make sure that your computer is actually compatible with Windows 8. This shouldn’t be a problem for most computers made within the last six years or so. The minimum requirements are:

• 1GHz processor


• 1GB RAM


• 16GB of Hard Drive space


• Graphics card with DirectX 9 and WDDM driver

You can look these up by right-clicking on “my computer” and clicking “properties.
If you want to support the touch features, you’ll obviously need a tablet or monitor that supports it. Some laptops will support a few of the touch gestures on their track pads.

Second, you’ll want to make sure that your programs and external devices are compatible with Windows 8. Most that work with Windows 7 will work with Windows 8, but if you’re not sure, check Microsoft’s Compatibility Center to figure out if everything will work.

Now that you’re absolutely sure Windows 8 won’t have any major issues with your computer, do some cleaning to prepare it. Uninstall programs you don’t use anymore. Download CCleaner for free in order to do some maintenance. You can completely uninstall programs, and clean up your registry from here.

Once you've done this, update all your software. Open Software Update from your control panel to download all the features for Windows that may not have been updated recently. Once you’ve done this, go to the programs left on your computer after the cleanup and use the “Check for Updates” feature (usually under the “help” menu) to make sure that you’re running the latest version. This will ensure that the most current version compatible with Windows 8 will run smoothly when you upgrade.

Now, unless you absolutely don’t care about the data on your computer, you’ll want to back your computer up. You can plug in an external hard drive and use Windows’ built-in backup utility. When it connects, it will ask you what to do with the drive and you can tell Windows to use it as a backup drive. Once you’ve backed up, make sure that the files are correct by testing a few of them to make sure they open. If you use an online backup solution, make sure to force an update so that the latest versions of all your files are on there.

Finally, make sure you have all the drivers for your devices, like your video card or printers. These should have come with your PC. If you don’t have them, locate them online BEFORE you install Windows 8. If you don’t, you could be stuck without functioning internet access and no way to get the drivers later. And for any programs that require keys to install, track those down too.