Tech Gifts for Dad on Father's Day

Find the Best Tech Gifts for Dad this Father's Day

Father’s Day, aka “Dad Appreciation Day,” is rapidly approaching and there are some great online resources that can help you to show dad (or help the kiddos show their main man) that he’s one of a kind. Before you pick up another tie or coffee mug, consider easy ways to customize and make it unique. Get inspired with Pinterest and links to simple crafts, or if dad is a technophile we’ll suggest a few of our favorite gift-worthy gadgets.


One of the quickest ways to make a gift distinctive is to use custom labels, referred to as “printables.” Armed with your computer, a decent color printer and some sheets of un-cut labels, you can make your own cards or turn any ho-hum gift into a custom show-stopper.

At first the idea of creating a custom label seems too work-intensive. From having to be creative enough to come up with a cool design, then meticulous enough to get the label sized correctly for the finished product – it makes you want to just head to the store for a gift card instead. Luckily, many friendly bloggers and talented folks have done the work for you and posted their templates online so you need only find a style and message that appeals to you, print and cut at home. Some will be available for purchase but there are loads to be had for free.

DIY crafts abound. The crafty and creative bloggers at “How Does She” (www.howdoesshe.com/26-adorable-fathers-day-ideas/) have compiled a collection of projects for all skill levels, including free printables and links to customized gifts, most often with detailed walkthroughs. Not feeling creative? Some items can be purchased so you look like you made it yourself without busting out the scissors.

Before you wrap up a pair of socks or a bottle of dad’s favorite cologne, slap on a quick, free Father’s Day label to give a run-of-the-mill gift a little extra pizzazz. Babble.com provides links to chic, free Father’s Day printables, already created and sized: www.babble.com/home/10-amazing-fathers-day-printables/

Treat your beer or wine aficionado to a truly custom bottle when you upload your own images to personalize a bottle of wine or beer at GrogTag (http://www.grogtag.com). Tags run $20 for 48 labels, and they’re reusable so you can get more bang for your buck. There are video tutorials if you run into trouble, but the process seems pretty simple.

If you still haven’t decided on the perfect gift or gesture of appreciation, Pinterest (www.pinterest.com) offers Father’s Day gift inspiration. While searching for pins labeled “Father’s Day” will return an overwhelming number of results, try searching for boards instead. Scan images (you’ll see the one the pinner has selected for their cover image as well as their most recent four pins right on the search results page) for someone whose tastes are in-line with yours. Check out their board for a quick path to a collection of gifts, crafts, or things to do to show dad you appreciate him.

Finally, it your Nerdy dad is hinting that he wants to increase his collection of gadgets; here are a few favorites that are sure to please:

For the dad who’s always lamenting the lousy WiFi in the far reaches of the house, the Amped 600mW Compact Wi-Fi Range Extender (www.ampedwireless.com/products/rec10.html?gclid=CITtju-Ty7cCFQ1xQgodiBAAJA, $80) plugs into any electrical outlet and boosts the signal from your wireless router. Never dropping off the network in your own home again? Priceless.

For the guy who loves his snazzy home theater but hates fighting with the remotes to go from movie to TV to video game, the Harmony One remote control (www.amazon.com/dp/B005FO43OU, $300) is truly an all-in-one, press one button and it works like a magic remote. Use your computer to customize it to your equipment and from that point you’ll press one button, such as “watch TV” or “play game” and every device is changed to the right channel and input to work. No more struggling to remember that you need to scroll to “surround 7.1” when you want to watch a movie and the docking station will let you save on batteries.

If his computer can never be fast enough, a solid state drive will give him blazing fast start-up and responsiveness. The installation and set up process can be daunting (“Happy Father’s Day! Now spend the weekend reinstalling your operating system”), but he’ll thank you every time he turns on his computer to get some work done. The Samsung 840 series 2.5” SATA III Solid State Drive (www.samsung.com/us/computer/memory-storage/MZ-7TD120BW ) starts at around $100 for 120GB of storage.

Helping Mom Out With Mother's Day Tech

Help Mom With Mother's Day Tech

The best Mother's Day gifts are often those that don't come wrapped with a pretty bow.  It's great when you're able to buy Mom the latest new gadget, but she may not know the first thing about setting it up or operating it.  What better way to show Mom your love than to spend a few hours together helping her to get comfortable with her new toy?  You will both love the one-on-one time.  Just don't forget to take her out to brunch when you're done.


Mom wants a new laptop.  Instead of sending her off to the store on her own, tag along to help her pick out the one that’s right for her.  You know Mom doesn’t need a gigantic hard drive and upgraded video card, but she’ll enjoy the faster boot up time of a solid state hard drive and lots of RAM.  It may even make sense to consider a touchscreen or tablet if she won’t be using it for work of a lot of typing.

Don’t just send her home with a box and a kiss.  Plan to spend a few hours helping her to get it set up and get familiar with her new equipment.  Start her off with the basics while you’re there, and then leave her with teaching tools such as Help pages and Tutorial Videos.  Both Microsoft and Apple have them so bookmark links and show her how to navigate to them.

If Mom sprung for a Mac or iOS device, Apple has a support community she can join to pose questions to the community (questions are often answered by repair or tech support professionals) or scroll through previously-asked questions to get some help.

Remote support is a lifesaver in those times when you just can't figure out why your printer isn't printing.  Many computer repair companies offer to login to your computer remotely to fix something, install an application, or show you how to do something that has you flummoxed.  If you aren’t comfortable being Mom’s sole tech support, find a reputable company that offers remote support and get her set up with an account and/or any software they require.

"Send your parents a Tech Support care package" by Google (www.teachparentstech.org) lets you send Mom a little tutorial video (or multiple videos), in a cute little message format.  It works great for subjects like "how to copy-paste" or "how to attach a file to an email."

Another idea for a really personal touch is to make your own tutorials that Mom can refer back to whenever she needs them, for specific issues you know she's been having.  Most people are visual learners so video is an optimal format.  Start a YouTube channel with all your how-to videos and share the link with Mom.  You can also write out the step-by-step details for tasks she needs to perform.  Make sure your instructions describe the task visually: "left-click on the Windows icon in the lower left-hand corner of your screen" rather than "click on the Start Menu," as Mom might not know what the "Start Menu" is.

Most Moms these days love to see your Facebook status updates about the grandkids or your latest vacation pictures.  Make sure Mom is getting the full experience.  If she's not on Facebook yet, help her create an account, post a nice profile picture, customize her privacy settings and send out preliminary friend requests to connect with family and friends.

Even established Facebook users may appreciate a tutorial.  Last year, I had Mom write down all the questions she had about her computer, email, and Facebook over the course of a week.  Then we sat down and I walked her through them.  She loved it and it was great for me to be able to help her feel more comfortable with her technology.

If Mom hasn't gotten on the computer bandwagon yet (and you're pretty sure she's not ready), maybe she shouldn't.  There are plenty of devices that fill in quite nicely for a computer, like an iPad or Kindle Fire.  They’re intuitive and much less complicated and can probably do just about everything she'd need a computer to do.  There are even external keyboards available if she doesn't like typing on the touchscreen.

Before you hand Mom some new tech bling, just make sure it comes with a bit of set up time from you.

 

Nerdy Valentines Day Gifts

Nerdy Valentines: What to Buy

If your beloved is more envious of gadgets than chocolates, there are many ways to show him or her how much you care with a gift of technology this Valentine’s Day.  You don’t need to break the bank, either.  The secret to an unforgettable token of your affection is to make it unique and personal and these gifts for your techie Valentine are a great alternative to generic flowers, cards or candy.


The days of laboriously crafting a mixed tape of your favorite tunes for the object of your affection are over – he or she probably doesn’t even own a cassette or CD player.  Yet you can achieve the same objective by picking up an iPod shuffle in their favorite color (it’s available in seven different ones) and loading it with the songs that speak to you.  Or choose his favorites if you don’t share the same taste in tunes.  For $49 the iPod shuffle won’t store his entire library, but it’s a great grab-and-go MP3 player that will maintain its usefulness beyond the life span of a CD.

If movie nights are more often than not spent streaming a video or TV show to your tablet or handheld electronic device, snuggle on the couch and share the experience without straining to hear the dialog over the device’s included audio.  An inexpensive headphone splitter like the Monoprice 35-HSSVC (http://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-35-HSSVC-Headphone-Splitter-Separate/dp/B0016CFZQ0/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1360137740&sr=1-5&keywords=headphone+splitter, $5, Amazon) will allow each of you to plug your own headphones into the same tablet.  I like this splitter because it gives each listener their own separate volume control, so you don’t have to go deaf if she likes to crank it up.

If you’re planning to rent the latest romantic comedy and watch it on your device, make sure to get the technical stuff taken care of in advance.  Nothing puts a damper on a romantic evening like leaving your sweetheart cooling her heels on the couch alone while you track down your credit card, wait for the video to download, or worse, get stuck with a movie that pauses every few minutes to buffer.  Most online rental services like Amazon Instant Video, iTunes or Xbox give you several days or weeks to activate your rental from the time you pay and at least 24 hours to watch your flick from the time you start it.

If your love is never far from their Smartphone or laptop, consider a customized skin or case.  What better way for her to remember you with a smile than every time she picks up her phone and sees her favorite shot of the two of you on vacation, or her favorite character or logo.  Even better, she’ll never again have to pause to determine which of the iPhones on the table is hers when she goes out with friends.

With a wide selection of styles of cases for just about any popular phone as well as vinyl skins for laptops, tablets and more, skinit (www.skinit.com) lets you easily create a custom case or skin using one of their many designs or by uploading your own image.  I like that the site has more than one style of case since many people are particular about the feel, cut and durability of their phone’s cover.  Now you don’t have to sacrifice the features they want in a case or cover to achieve a fully unique accessory for the device they use so often.

Finally, bring some love to their desk with a digital frame filled with images of your life together.  It doesn’t take long to transfer over some of your favorite shots and will give him or her a stream of photos instead of a stationary one or two.  Share the love!

Image by Flickr user pat 7047

Great New Year's Resolution Websites

Resolution Websites for the New Year

Whether you've dreamed of making delicious meals like a professional chef or would like to become fluent in French, this is the year you've resolved to make it happen.  In the past, you would have had to enroll in a class at your local college, requiring that you accommodate your work or personal commitments around the class time parameters.  Today you need only a computer and access to the Internet to dive into the abundance of knowledge available online – in many cases for free if you know where to look.

Start Cooking Like a Pro.  We love Epicurious (www.epicurious.com) for their inventive recipes and delicious food ideas, and now they offer online classes in conjunction with The Culinary Institute of America.  Learn everything about Italian cooking or how to concoct the perfect dessert.  The first class is free, and then you pay about $50 for several hours of video instruction on the topic of your choosing.


Become More Crafty. Always wanted to learn how to knit a sweater?  Maybe you've thought about baking a unique cake for your son's 5th birthday party, but don't know where to begin.  Craftsy (www.craftsy.com) offers courses on knitting, baking, jewelry crafting and much more.  Costs for full individual classes vary, but there are many free mini-classes you can try, and they offer a money-back guarantee.  Watch classes from any device with an internet connection – they even offer an app for iPhones and iPads.

Pinterest (www.pinterest.com) is also a great resource for inspiration and links to craft how-to’s, most are free with photos or videos. Many are geared toward the novice so you can learn from your fellow hobbyists how to tie-dye, create your own candles, decorate adorable cupcakes, and much more.

Become your Own Handyman (or Handywoman).  If you feel like your home is falling apart, one leaky faucet at a time, look no further than www.diynetwork.com for everything home-improvement.  VideoJug (www.videojug.com) is another great resource for short videos showing you how to complete a bevy of common repairs - they promise to help you "get good at life."  The “DIY & Home” tab gives you a wide selection of tutorial videos on topics like Electrical, Plumbing, Interior Design and much more.

Learn to Play the Guitar.  Learn a little about music theory before you get started.  Get yourself a music lesson from Ricci Adams' Music Theory (www.musictheory.net). Choose from two apps for iOS devices, designed to teach you the fundamentals of music and to practice what you've learned.  Once you've mastered the basics, check out Justin Guitar (www.justinguitar.com) for your free guitar lessons.  Improve your Internet karma and donate if you can to support the cause.

Wrap your Tongue Around a New Language.  Rosetta Stone may be effective, but it’s pretty pricey.  The BBC has a nice program for complete learning of upwards of 40 languages (www.bbc.co.uk/languages) with step-by-step courses including pronunciation, grammar and exams.  Once you're beginning to master the language, you can test your knowledge further by listening to BBC World Service broadcasts in the language of your choice.

Anki (http://ankisrs.net/) can help you learn more quickly.  It's a flashcard program that runs on computers and smartphones and is designed to put a large number of words into your long-term memory rapidly while allowing you to "study" anywhere you have a few minutes to spare.

Feed Your Intellect. We all have that class that "got away" while we were attending university, but never fear: there are resources for free online education aplenty.  Apple device users should start at iTunesU (www.apple.com/education/itunes-u/).  With courses from hundreds of universities, including Stanford, Yale and MIT, you can watch lectures and take entire courses on all subjects from biology to economics.  It seamlessly integrates with iBooks in case you want to purchase the textbook for future reference.

Finally, the Open Courseware Consortium (www.ocwconsortium.org) is a worldwide community of institutions that provides free continuing education, complete with notes, memos and examinations.  They also have a list of member schools so you can take courses online directly with the university.

Computer Tune Up for 2013

Resolve to Regular Computer Tune Up This Year

New Year’s morning – you wake up and within a few hours you’ve broken half the resolutions you’ve set for the year. “I’ll start tomorrow,” you swear. You log on the computer, go directly to Facebook (another resolution down) and start to browse. Just like you, another year passes and your computer gets a little bit slower. If only there were some way to make sure it went to the gym and ate more healthily.

According to a study performed by Crucial.com, 4 out of 5 computer users would like to change something about their computer. The top 5 changes they’d make: faster startup, faster programs, more reliability, longer battery life, and more storage space.

While your computer can’t make these changes on its own, unlike you, there are some things you can resolve to do to make sure your computer stays fit.


1. Faster Startup:

Humans need a cup of coffee for faster startup, but don’t pour one on your computer. Instead, check your startup programs and get rid of anything you don’t use. If you’re unsure of something, consult a computer repair expert with questions. To get rid of programs bogging down your computer, hold the Windows key, then press R, type ‘msconfig’ (without quotes) and go the “startup” tab. Uncheck anything you’re not using.

2. Faster programs:

While you can’t just make your programs run faster with something as simple as the above trick, adding more RAM to your computer will usually speed it up. Talk to a computer repair expert to see if you can add more memory. This is a cheap way of upgrading your computer to squeeze some more life out of it.

3. Improved reliability:

If your system isn’t rock-solid, it means there’s something wrong with it. Computers run like they should until an outside force intervenes. Most often, that outside force is a virus or malware. Make sure you install an antivirus software this year. We recommend Microsoft Security Essentials. It’s free and gets the job done. MalwareBytes is also great for periodical scans, which you should resolve to do as well.

4. Longer battery life:

Laptop owners are perpetually cursed by the low battery warning. If you want to avoid this happening to your laptop you just got for Christmas, resolve to do a few things. Make sure not to let it overheat. Long-term heat can severely damage your laptop’s battery. Also, don’t let the battery drain all the way out. Just like driving your car on empty can strain it, running the laptop out will damage it as well.

5. More storage space:

This is by far the easiest resolution to carry through on. You can even fulfill it today. If you have a laptop, you’ll need to get an external hard drive, which you can buy online or in your local store. They come in capacities up to two terabytes, but that will surely be tiny by the time this year is over. If you have a desktop, you can install another internal drive for more storage. And if you want to be able to access files from anywhere, you should consider looking into a cloud storage solution. Google Drive has ever-increasing storage and is free!

Infographic by crucial.com

Video Chat to Connect this Holiday

Video Chat With Family & Friends

The holidays are all about connecting with loved ones, but it can be a challenge when you’re separated by miles… or oceans. While you can pick up the phone, you miss out on seeing your nephew’s gleeful happy dance when he opens the super deluxe Batman Batcave action set you sent. There’s never been a better time to try one of the free video chat services to host a virtual get together. It’s the best way to feel like you’re there when you can’t be.

Everyone needs to have a computer, high-speed internet connection and a webcam with audio. Most newer laptops and tablets will have a built-in camera and voice-transmitter. While the screen is tiny, many smartphones can support video chat as well.

In the event that Aunt Edna is missing the necessary hardware, there are many inexpensive plug-and-play webcams with built-in audio. I like the Logitech 720p Webcam C510 (www.amazon.com/Logitech-960-000593-720p-Webcam-C510/dp/B003LVZO92, $50) for its clear video and integrated noise-cancelling audio. The swivel feature is nice because you can adjust placement to accommodate your monitor size and location. Also, it’s really easy to install and will likely be automatically recognized on most systems.

If everyone has a Wi-Fi enabled Apple device or iPhone, Facetime is probably the easiest of the available software applications. I use it when my husband is working in our Sacramento office so we can still have family dinner “together”and my 4-year old knows how to “call daddy.” Everyone with an Apple computer or mobile handheld device should already have it installed and it’s super easy to use.

Just launch the Facetime app and select among your contacts for the person you want to chat with. If you want to FaceTime with a FaceTime-enabled iPod touch, iPad 2 or Mac, select the email address that is linked to their Apple ID from your Contacts list. If you both have iPhones, just place a call to the recipient and tap the FaceTime button when it appears on your screen in the grid of six options (alongside mute, keypad, speaker, etc).

The biggest drawback of Facetime is that it ONLY works on Apple devices, and doing it on an iPhone’s small screen isn’t exactly endearing. The winner for cross-platform simplicity is Skype (http://beta.skype.com/en/), a name that just about anyone who has ever heard of video chat is likely familiar with.

Skype is great solution for its ability to work over just about any operating system and a bunch of different devices, like tablets, smartphones and more. Video chat is free between Skype members, so everyone will need to create an account and download the software to use it.

While video quality is great, some users complain that the audio doesn’t sync perfectly, which can be annoying and distracting. Also, while the software supports group chat so you can connect with multiple parties simultaneously, it’s only available when you upgrade to Skype’s premium service ($9.99/mo or $4.99 for a “day pass”). There are several other cool perks to a premium account, particularly if you plan to call landlines or internationally, so it may be worth considering.

If you’re looking to put together a multi-party virtual gift opening extravaganza, your best bet is Google Video Chat (https://www.google.com/chat/video). It’s free and pretty easy to use. It works across platforms which is a big plus, though everyone needs a Google login (usually a Gmail account). Google+ Hangouts allows you to add up to nine video chat participants simultaneously with a split screen, all for free. While the interface will likely be easy enough to navigate for someone familiar with Google products like Gmail, others may require time and assistance to get their Google+ login established and chat to launch.

If, for example, Grandma doesn’t have a web cam, Skype and Google Chat both support one-way video so that she can see and hear you while you only hear her (provided she has a microphone). Worst case you can piggyback a standard phone call so you can hear each other while she gets to see you on her computer screen.

Photo used by permission: stefan.erschwendner

Last Minute Unique Gifts

Unique Gifts For The Procrastinator

Every year I swear I will have my Christmas presents bought, wrapped and under the tree by the first week in December. Yet as the big day nears I inevitably note the passing of the last day to reasonably expect to ship online purchases with dismay, knowing I have at least a few gifts left to find and acquire. Lucky for you, dear reader, this has led me to amass a variety of great last minute gift alternatives that are easy to get a hold of yet more unique than a standard gift card.

Check out the deals available through sites like Groupon (www.groupon.com), Living Social (www.livingsocial.com) or Google Offers (www.google.com/offers) for great deals on unique services and experiences that you can gift. Think half price sky diving or heli-skiing for the adventurer on your list; half off online cooking, photography or music lessons; or discount online personal training sessions for your favorite workout junkie. While deals are made available by area, just pick the nearest major metropolitan area to your gift recipient. Online deals are typically redeemable anywhere, but if you spring for a certificate for an in-person adventure you’ll want to make sure your recipient can take advantage of it without too much travelling.

Amazon Prime isn’t just about the free two-day shipping (though that’s a pretty amazing selling feature). It also gives members access to their sizable collection of movies and TV shows free to stream to any WiFi enabled device that supports Amazon’s app (most of them do). While anyone with a Kindle or the Kindle app on their computer, smartphone, or mobile handheld device can buy or access some free eBooks via Amazon, Prime members gain an expanded collection of free titles.

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.

Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to find a way to gift an Amazon Prime Membership. However, I’d suggest a $79 Amazon electronic gift card with an attached note that you’d like to give them the joys of Prime.

I loved story time in school, particularly when the librarian seemed to vocally act out the dialog with different voices. As an adult I’ve discovered that many great audioboooks convey that same engrossing experience. Even better, I can enjoy a great book when I’m driving or doing the dishes. Audible (www.audible.com/mt/giftmembership, 3 months for $45) allows members to instantly download any their more than 100,000 audio books. Install the Audible app on just about any mobile handheld device and listen to audiobooks on your phone, iPod, or a wide selection of MP3 players. Membership typically covers one audiobook download per month with additional books at a reduced price. If gifting by the month seems too impersonal, you can gift a specific book.

If you know someone that breaks their piggy bank every month downloading the hottest new music from iTunes, Google Play or Amazon, a gift subscription to Spotify (https://www.spotify.com/us/get-spotify/e-card/, $9.99/mo) will surely be the highlight of their holiday. A Spotify Premium membership gives them access to millions of tracks that can be streamed while online, or downloaded to a device for listening offline. In addition to unlimited music synced across all their devices, they’ll be able to listen to custom, ad-free radio stations tailored around their favorite artist or song. Purchase Spotify e-cards by number of months you’d like to give and then email or print the certificate.

We all know someone who grumbles every time they tear open their cable or satellite bill. Consider gifting them a membership to Hulu Plus (https://secure.hulu.com/plus/buy, $7.99/month). Using a Hulu-compatible internet capable device (like a computer, gaming console, Roku Box or even many internet-ready TVs), a Hulu Plus membership allows users to stream TV shows - including many first run shows shortly after airing on regular TV and entire seasons of older episodes - and thousands of movies on demand.

Those Presents Are Going To Need Batteries & Cables

If you splurged on that perfect gadget gift, you've probably imagined an ecstatic squeal accompanying its discovery. But if you extend that fantasy five minutes, is the scene as jubilant? Gadget givers everywhere forget to make their toys useable straight out of the box, leading to frustration before the fun can begin.

So, here are my last-minute reminders to make your tech gifts truly perfect.

#1 Make sure portable electronics are charged. If they require batteries, add them before the gift goes under the tree. If it's too late for that, make sure you have the appropriate batteries on hand so the gift will be functional in minutes. If the device doesn't require batteries, make sure you have a charging device in case it doesn't come with full battery. The recipient of a LeapFrog LeapPad learning tablet or iPad surely will want to play immediately.

If you're giving an MP3 player, gaming device or tablet, consider preloading some content so your loved one doesn't have to spend the first few hours loading games, apps or music to enjoy the device. Pre-installing Angry Birds will generate immediate smiles before the recipient launches into synching his or her music library.

Certain accessories can improve a gadget gift.

#2 Don't Forget A SD Card: If you're giving a lucky loved one a camera, keep in mind that most digital cameras require an SD card for storing photos. Unfortunately, not all cameras come with one. Look at the box to make sure it's included -- and has sufficient memory. If not, pick up an SD card compatible with the camera so the recipient can snap photos immediately.

#3 USB Cables: Printers notoriously lack the USB cable necessary to function. You'll also want to confirm there's ample ink for printing a few photos. Always check to make sure what's included in the box, and get the additional part required for it to function.

#4 Screen Protectors: Portable electronics: Screen protectors or cases can ensure that devices survive the first excited tumble or spill. A car charger makes a smartphone far more functional, and a decent set of earphones will ensure that an MP3 player is immediately awesome.

#5 High-def equipment: If you're giving an HDTV or a Blu-ray player, remember that the image will appear crystal clear only if the content is high definition. For most cable and satellite subscribers, this will require a package upgrade to HD channels. Consider giving a Blu-ray movie with the player so you won't suffer the otherwise inevitable complaint, "But it doesn't look any better than it did before." And of course, make sure that your gift recipient has a compatible TV with HD capacity if you're giving them a Blu-Ray player

#6 Get Discounted HDMI Cables: Most devices will require at least one HDMI cable, and it's unlikely you'll find it in the product box. Before you buy that cable, charger or case off the rack, know that most retailers drastically mark up accessories to compensate for the loss they take on the TV or camera itself. If you have time, order online. Monoprice.com has a huge selection of low-priced cables, and Amazon.com offers almost any other accessory at a reasonable price. Don't be fooled by Monster cables or similar overpriced cables as places like Best Buy. Due to the way that HDMI cables work, a cheap cable will provide the same signal as an expensive one.

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

 

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.

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