I got an iPhone and want to know what accessories and cases I should get. What’s your favorite app?Cutegeek Fans give me your advise and tell me what has worked best for your iPhone?!

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A recent study by BroadbandExpert.com shows that 94% of us who pay for broadband in these United States of America feel that we overpay for our broadband internet connection. I am one of those 94%.

But shopping around for broadband isn’t easy either. The same study found that 35% of us are discouraged by how complex it is to research broadband. I find it difficult to just find out who services my home.

This is why this weeks Web Wednesday site is BroadbandExpert.com. They make it easy, for us to find the best deal in your area. In these hard economic times I am all for saving money and why not lower my broadband bill?

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I have tons of passwords to remember, from my favorite shopping sites, to those local deal sites I am addicted too and lets not forget my bank accounts. I have so many passwords I often click the “Forgot Password” link so that I can either get a reminder, the password or reset the password.

My life may be getting a little bit easier as, Symantec is releasing in beta their Identity safe. The software will allow you to store your passwords in the cloud so that you don’t have to remember them. I am signing up right now!

The software is available for free during the beta test at http://identitysafe-beta.norton.com.

.

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It seems like once one gift-giving occasion is over, another one is on its way. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, i wanted to bring this hidden gem of a site to light.  I first heard of it through Oprah’s O magazine (which i absolutely adore) and fell in love with all of the cool potential gifts showcased in it.

You can go to: GiftingGrace.com/om1 for exclusive offers, just make sure to use code omagazine =)

Check it out!

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And why we shouldn’t!

I don’t think I’ve ever posted a picture that just speaks to me. I saw this picture yesterday on one of my Facebook friend’s feeds and I had to share. The woman in the picture is Licia Ronzulli and she is a member of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s People of Freedom Party. The reason why the picture caught my attention is because it shows a woman, a professional woman, being a caring mother. To some that may sound like an oxymoron, but to me, it’s inspiring. It is inspiring to see a woman, with a career, not just a job, who openly admits and shows the world that she didn’t have to choose a career or choose to breed.  I copied that phrase from someone who commented on the picture – because they said she should choose to do one or the other.  

My favorite picture is when she kissed her 7 week old baby on her forehead, as the baby is strapped to her body. Ronzulli hoped the pictures of her being at work with her baby would show the difficulties working parents face. She also mentioned that she wanted to exhibit the flexibility she has, because many others are not blessed with the ability to bring their children to work. While some said it was a publicity stunt, she disagreed and said it was only a maternal gesture. Prior to her bringing her baby to work, despite working in the Parliament for some time, Ronzulli was never interviewed by the press – funny how that all changed.

Does anyone else find this picture motivating?

She is striving for more, for all of us, all the while performing her motherly duties and not having to sacrifice one for the other.

These pictures are about 2 years old – obtained from Reuters.com and Telegraph.co.uk

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Priceline.com has been around for a long time, and everyone knows ‘its’ face – and probably even the voice behind it.  I have started using it religiously because the savings are unbelievable.  From cars, to hotels, to even flights – the savings are sprinkled all throughout the site and the ‘Name Your Own Price’ feature blows away the competition. 

I really enjoy using Priceline.com and feel like it’s worth mentioning because Kayak.com and other flight search sites do not always show all of the airlines, for example, jetblue.com.  Using Priceline.com I am able to see more flights and there are no fees associated with booking trips through it.

I started using Priceline.com so much recently that I even applied (and got accepted) for their Visa Rewards credit card.  My most recent travel plans consisted of a $17 car rental in Puerto Rico, $20 car rental in New York City, $50 4 star hotel in the Dominican Republic and much more.  I have yet to buy a flight using the name your own price feature because you’re required to have a lot of flexibility.  You are able to choose the dates you want to travel, but you are unaware of the times of travel, until after your price is accepted.  It’s a good deal if you have the time, but if not, just save your money on the other aspects of your trip.

Check out Priceline.com for your latest travel needs – especially if your plans are flexible and you are not commited to one car or hotel brand.

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Today Starz Digital Media, announced a new FaceBook game “Spartacus :Vengeance The Game, which will launch on the 27th of January in conjunction with the third season of Spartacus on Starz.

Fans of the TV Series are invited to view a video teaser of the game, and be notified when the game is available.

Starz also announced that that on Friday the 20th of January you can watch the first episode of Spartacus for free at http://www.startz.com/spartacus it will also be available for free on demand from Comcast, DirectTV, Dish Network and Charter.

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I am a fan of piggy banks and can admit to probably being a collector
of them. While I don’t have a ton, I do have about 4 at my home and I love them. My mom recently gave me one for Christmas – a Hello Kitty one and I absolutely love it. If I find a nice can of some sort, I’ll turn it into a piggy bank –it isn’t always useful though because sometimes having the money around makes it feel like we can spend it, so why not open up a virtual piggy bank? A piggy bank that will help you track your progress towards a goal by deducting whatever it is you need, per week, or month, to reach it.

I opened up an account with SmartyPig.com and I’ve decided to use it to save money for vacations.  It’s something I don’t want to think about, yet still want to do.

I am also going to use it to take out a weekly $20 for my Christmas Fund. I’ve been doing this for a couple of years now and it is very relieving when the holidays come around and I am not thinking about having to blow a paycheck because the money is already there for the gifts. The nice part about this site is that you have the opportunity to make extra money for saving through the site and choosing to get retail gift cards once you reach your goals.  You can get up to 11% extra cash, depending on which retailer you choose.

Try it. Check out how it works. I find breaking down financial goals makes them a lot less
intimidating and once you see yourself taking baby steps towards a purchase, for example, a brand new TV, it makes it all the more rewarding when you finally get it.

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Tell that to Julianne – who absolutely loves playing with her Sesame Street Rockin ABC Big Bird doll.

Watch the power of music move her – literally…

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I’ve always thought that cell phones, iPhones, and the like should automatically stop charging when the battery is full.
Why? Because it would preserve your battery for a longer time and your gadget would have a longer life span. This year at CES my dream is coming true, well in a way…

The folks at Bracketron created something called a Mushroom GreenZero Wall Travel Charger.

The charger automatically senses when your device is fully charged and cuts off the power! They aren’t available yet. The official unveiling of the Travel Charger is this week at CES.

The product is intended on being planet friendly, so we don’t waste electricity and at the same time we save on our utility bills.  Personally, I think this is great for both the earth as well as extending the lives of our beloved products! I know that I’m definitely guilty of leaving my phone charging overnight…which is MUCH longer than it requires to be plugged in. I need one …NEED one of these… or 3 of them…

Would you use the Mushroom GreenZero Wall Travel Charger?

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Who doesn’t like promos?

I don’t think I’ve ever won anything through a magazine, but there are a ton of free stuff out there so why not give it a shot @ CosmoPromo.com?

You have nothing to lose and something really cool to potentially gain.

Good luck!

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During my vacation, while laying poolside, I went through a ton of magazines and I picked a couple of articles that were worth sharing with our CuteGeeks.  Cosmo had a fun read regarding how to step up your life this new year using a couple of strategies.

Here is the list, many are self-explanatory so I’ll save the fluff for the magazine:

1. Make your passwords work for you – change them to reflect goals
2. Turn off the TV during dinner
3. Send a card
4. Lock down a romance ritual
5. Force something for 15 minutes – cleaning your closet, dusting your shelves
6. Make a teeny-tiny resolution – it’ll increase willpower
7. Create a vision board
8. Move the crap out of your bedroom
9. Look forward to your commute
10. Change your desktop screensaver regularly
11. Get it on in the a.m.
12. Stare temptation in the face
13. Ask: What would ROLEMODEL A do? (in the mag they used Taylor Swift or Adele or Beyonce)
14. Only eat food on a plate
15. Pay for everything in cash
16. Pop a mint
17. Write a letter from your future self
18. Have a friend do the dirty work
19. Agree to a random date
20. Establish a rule

If you’re interested in learning more about these things – check out January’s Cosmo – or go on their site and read some of their other tips at Cosmopolitan.com . I tried searching for the article and it is not posted, so email me if you want the details, I took a picture of it.

Here are a few extra recommendations that I have, that I am currently doing:

1. Turn off text notifications to avoid unnecessary distractions throughout the day (9 days going strong!)
2. Smile at strangers
3. Call people for their birthdays
4. Send random postcards to friends
5. Read a book a month
6. Buy no books and borrow more from the library
7. Save 10% of each paycheck for ‘play’ money (You should always payyourself first)
8. Pay off all credit cards in full each month
9. Start a vacation fund (get money deducted directly from your checking account)
10. Start a Christmas fund
11. Open up an account on SmartyPig.com
12. Read or blog during my ride to work
13. Have a monthly date
14. Block out a day a week for no commitments – Me Time
15. Drink vitamins every day

These are all fun things you can do to start a new year on a different foot. Good luck – feel free to share any of the things you’re doing in the comments below.

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Hi everyone, I’d like you to meet…me.

The reason I made myself January’s Brilliant Woman in Tech is because we didn’t have someone for this month, and one of our goals is to represent a cool new lady.

I also wanted to encourage everyone to recommend women that they know, or to nominate yourself if you feel you are a brilliant woman in technology.

The purpose of these posts are to highlight and exhibit careers in technology that others can pursue.

I hope you find this useful…here is a little bit about myself…

Send any nominations to RadirisD@cutegeek.com (name + email address)…Thanks in advance!

-Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?

My name is Radiris Diaz. I was born on January 2nd, in Brooklyn, NY.  My parents are of Dominican decent, making me a 1st generation Dominican American.  My first language is Spanish and I went to NYC public schools all my life, up until college. I attended college at Carnegie Mellon University, where I majored in Business Administration.  I am very outspoken, love making people laugh and can fall asleep anywhere, even under extreme circumstances.


-How did you get started in technology, or at your current position?

I became immersed into the world of technology as a student in Carnegie Mellon, once I realized I would have to take programming because it was mandated for all.  It was eye opening, but thanks to a special someone, I passed.  I started my career in consulting in college at IBM, and as of March, have been a part of Ernst & Young’s Strategic Technology Advisory Services group.  I worked in the Energy industry and now work in Financial Services – two industries that are both heavily regulated and influenced by legislation.  While I don’t consider myself a ‘techie’, I can say that I am where I am because of how technology impacts our lives.  For example, I purchased my first smart phone because I was so restricted from speaking on the phone on one of my projects – HELLO text messages.

Working with companies that are undergoing change, or trying to improve something they currently do has exposed me to the many ways technology surrounds us.  From the systems we use, that save us time, money and energy, to the people that are impacted and need to be trained on some of the change.

While consulting is a tough industry to describe, if you are not familiar with it, I can say that I use technology to communicate, and using it well means I communicate more effectively – from choice of words, colors, pictures, etc.

On the flip side, after 5 pm, I am a blogger, and boy do I love it.  I love blogging because this website is how we spread information – we spread our opinions on products, events, lifestyles, education, etc.  Women are usually stigmatized with being chatty and I am here to confirm that I am one of those women who love to ‘talk’.  I didn’t think this was something to brag about until a research study exposed groups work better when women are present in them – aka The Female Factor.  Collective intelligence increases with the amount of women in a group because they are better able to communicate, read social cues, and attend to a team’s individual sensitivities. I may have summarized it incorrectly, but that was the gist of it… (Go Carnegie Mellon – you brought this one to light…)  Either way, blogging is a form of journaling, and on a website like this, it is also considered a web publication.

-Was it tougher because you are a woman?

As a woman, yes – it is tougher because I am a women, especially because I am in technology.  In college it was tough because I didn’t want to be an investment banker and it seemed like that’s what everyone wanted to do, especially the men.  I didn’t think I was creative or spunky enough to go into marketing or advertising.  Consulting was something completely knew to me, and because of INROADS, and the way they described it, I realized an internship at a place where I would get a breath of experience was more valuable to me than working on Wall St, and I have no regrets.

I will also say that it continues to be difficult to be a women in technology because I can’t always look around and find something who ‘looks’ like me.  While we don’t need to work with twins, it is nice to be able to find someone to look up to, or to guide you, in the area of unknown.  As a woman, a latina woman, I found myself on projects where I was the youngest group member, and sometimes only female.

When I first started blogging, I started at HardwareGeeks.com and the reason why CuteGeek.com was started was because I felt too uncomfortable during a press meeting with an international company. I felt uncomfortable because I was being blatantly ignored, despite having press credentials, being well dressed and even smelling good (that was a joke).  This company, because of their culture, did not feel the need to speak to me, or acknowledge my presence and I pretty much went on an internal rant, and walked away.

As the PR representative chased after me to ask why I was leaving, I simply said I would not listen to someone who had no interest in showing me their products.  Women have a lot of buying power – a lot. We’re known for shopping, overspending, buying cute things and you know what – some of us do! I do! And I was pissed because the spotlight wasn’t on me.

In college I was told to look as unfeminine as possible – because I was interviewing at a bank that was on Wall St and today – thank God – I can wear the funkiest pumps I want, but the tightest pencil skirt my body desires, without being ridiculed or sexually harassed for having a working brain with some sense of style.  I don’t recommend going to work like you’re going to a club, and different industries will have different unspoken rules but it is nice to have that flexibility.

-If there was such a thing as reincarnation, would you come back as a man or woman-holding all other things equal…?

I would not come back as a man.  As a child, a middle child at that, I constantly told my mother I would get a sex-change because my brother got to do so many other cool things that I didn’t. I lied though. I didn’t get a sex change, and given the option, I wouldn’t come back as a man.  The constraints imposed on me by my family, friends, society and even cultures have only driven me to be more than I could’ve ever imagined.  Had I not been told to ‘not’ do so many things, I probably would be okay to go to work where a ceiling is right above my head, or to go into a career that I had no interest in, but seemed ‘fit for a girl’.  Being told no, and realizing it was really ‘not now’ has turned my life into an adventure worth publishing.  Women and men were not created equal – I know that. But this whole lil’ next career that I have – aka motherhood, is something I wouldn’t trade for the world.

-Describe a “normal” day in your life.

In consulting, a normal day can mean flying across the country to a client, or having an all day workshop with a room full of clients regarding changes that need to be made.  It is a very difficult job to describe in one day but one team that I’ve been on, on multiple occasions, is project management. As a project management team member you evaluate risks and issues, track progress, communicate to the greater team, document accomplishments and changes and compare to the scheduled plan.  As a consultant you are a chameleon whose role changes depending on the need of the day. The ambiguity that exists is exciting because it barely ever gets boring.

As a blogger a normal day can be attending a large public relations event where companies exhibit their latest products.  It means you meet a lot of people, exchange business cards, ask questions, take pictures and then write about it when you get the chance.  Often time you get to try out products or see live demos.  Blogging is a lot of fun.

-What’s your favorite aspect of working in technology?

Change.  Change is the coolest aspect of working in technology because as soon as one thing is released, whether its code in a system, or a better camera on a phone, there is someone thinking about how to make it better.

-What have been some of your challenges you faced, and how did you tackle or overcome them?

I mentioned what the challenge was above – 1.  Not being respected because of my sex.  I am slowly overcoming this one by giving women, and the many hats we wear, the chance to be heard. 2.  Being disrespected because I was a woman – clothes/age/etc. I speak up. When I am uncomfortable with something, I say something.  It is inevitable to be a woman working with men, and feel as if you are an equal when you are much younger than them, or single.  Either way, I speak up and voice any and all concerns, even if only to a confident or mentor at work, because sexual harassment does exist and should not be tolerated. 

-Have you ever felt like you needed to hide your femininity or that fact that you were a female?

In college when I was interviewing for jobs on Wall St I was advised to be as unfeminine as possible, to not look cute, not wear perfume and to avoid being attractive.  This was all for the interview – in hopes of not being taken less serious.  Hearing all of this was a bit intimidating because I didn’t really know how not to be a woman, but hey, things work out for themselves. 

You will sometimes find that you have to play a certain role, or act like the Romans when in Rome, but I’ve learned to embrace my femininity, even if only in the hot pink pen that I choose to write with.  There is a time and place for everything though. 

-What advice do you have for females interested in getting into your field?

 Ask questions. Google everything.  Dream big.  Imagine the impossible. Get a mentor.

-What’s one gadget you can’t live without?

My phone. The more I traveled for work, the more I relied on my phone to connect me to the world back home, and to my friends and family.   

-Do you have a personal ‘mantra’ or certain words you live by?

I believe everything passes with time. That sometimes no answer is the answer we need and that a job that pays my soul will always outweight a job that only pays my bills.

These are some of my favorite quotes:

1. “Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” – Teddy Ro

2. “To tell a woman everything she may not do is to tell her what she can do.” Spanish proverb

3. “I’m tough, I’m ambitious, and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a bitch, okay.” Madonna Ciccone

4. “Some of us are becoming the men we wanted to marry.” Gloria Steinem

5. “…that knowledge is power, that knowledge is safety, that knowledge is happiness…” Thomas Jefferson

-And lastly, what drives you?

A couple of things drive me:

1.  Believing in others and myself.  Believing in others drives me because I see how impactful it can be.  As a child, before I knew what believing in oneself was, someone believed in me, and it was their belief that pushed me further than my small mind imagined.  I have seen the difference that the simple task of believing in someone and telling them you believe in them can have, and I strive to believe in more and more people.

2.  Doing the “impossible”.  “Impossibilities” drive me because all they are an issue waiting to be resolved. I am a thinker. I like doing the unexpected, breaking norms, going against stereotypes and being different.  I say being different because I hate the stigma that comes along with being a woman, or a Latina woman at that.  I don’t like being put into boxes, regardless if they are imposed by my culture, or by society, or even the media. 

3.  Education.  Through education boundaries have been broken, roles have been redefined and doors have been opened. When I encounter “impossibilities” I use educating myself as my superpower, and through it I can do it all.

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Happy New Year everyone! I went on a much need overseas vacation, where I had limited access to technology so I am here with so many things to blog about.

First off, many may have noticed that we did not have giveaways during the holidays – we wanted to give you all the opportunity to get the gift-giving and shopping out of your system.  We will have contests coming up in the next couple of weeks, to help you protect those shiny gadgets you received over the holidays.

Every where you turn people are talking about their new year’s resolutions – the top ones are usually around losing weight, saving money, managing money, smoking, new jobs, etc.  CuteGeek.com has been working real hard on uncovering applications that help, services available thanks to technology, and just random information to get us all on the right path to a better year.

We will be writing about websites to use to save money, how to improve your credit and where to periodically check how it is doing, how to work out with a virtual trainer, tips for financial planning in this market, best times to shop, upcoming holidays this year and how to mentally/financially prepare, vacations, applications for your phones, etc.  We will also continue reviewing products, introducing the cool stuff at CES, etc.  This year I am not attending CES but will keep abreast of all of its happenings thanks to some friends that are traveling to Vegas this year.

We wanted to start the new year with a new brilliant woman in tech, but due to the vacations and conflicting schedules we were unable to.  I decided, although some may think it is narcisstic, to answer all of the questions myself.  Why? Because many people do not know who I am, where I am from/going, and why CuteGeek.com was started.  I also hope others are encouraged to recommend some brilliant women in technology.

Happy New Year everyone!

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Happy New Year Cutegeeks!

Some of you may believe in new year resolutions, because it gives you an opportunity, or the illusion of starting fresh. Many folks make resolutions to  loose some extra pounds, or something to a similar effect. If you’re one of those people, don’t do it for the pounds, to it for your quality of life, energy, and to live longer!

Watch this video from Lifehacker: A Half-Hour Walk Can Make a Big Difference, Even If It’s Your Only Activity

The video was made by a doctor who is passionate about preventive care. His main point is, go on a walk, get up and move for 30 minutes. Why? Because out of everything else you can do for your health, mild activity shows the most improvement for everything from diabetes, dimensia, and decreases bone fractures (because you’re making your muscles stronger which make your bones stronger).

He also mentions how even if your activity doesn’t cause you to loose weight, exercising regardless will boost your life expectancy!

So go on, get some comfy shoes on and “walk like an eqyptiaaaaaan”.

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A picture is worth a thousand words…found this one as I searched for something on Webgrrls.

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With the premiere of “Spartacus Returns with a Vengeance” a little over a month and a half away, Starz has launched a Facebook interactive experience called Spartacus “Take Up Arms”.

Fans of the Spartacus series can like the page and take part the campaign designed to connect the shows global fan base. Fans who participate will be entered into weekly giveaways for Spartacus DVD’s and other gifts, and will be entered for a chance to win a trip to New Zealand for 8 days to visit the set of Spartacus. 

I have tested out the experience and it’s somewhat interesting and fun. You basically have to follow one of the main characters and invite your friends to play along and complete challenges.

While the series is premiering on the 27th of January, I’ll be sure to get my Sparty fix on the Facebook App.

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The website does not have all of the new features just yet, but if youre interested in seeing what they are, download their new app, or update your own if you already have it.

Check out the video of the new features:

Follow us @CuteGeek

Tell us what you think!

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If you are in NYC from now until the 17th of December, and spot that asterisk to the left, scan the bar code that is near it for a chance to win prizes such as a brand new Blackberry Bold 9900/9930 smartphone. Blackberry accessories and coffee gift cards to warm you up on these frigid December days!

I am going to hunt for the symbol now, I just won a Playbook would love to have a new Blackberry Smartphone to go along with it!

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…out your business cards!
(yea, I said it!)

Holiday Party Season is back and I have a rack of dresses ready to be worn.

This time of year is the best time to gather up with folks, eat yummy food, drink on someone else’s tab (preferibly) and mix and mingle because the star in Rockefeller Center shouldn’t be the only thing shining – we all should be shining too! and bringing that light into the lives of others.

Being a huge networker and natural born woo-er…I absolutely love this time, but not just because I have a bunch of evenings filled with events, but because this is also a time where you can bring your greatness into the lives of others. This week I’ll be posting various networking events for individuals in technology and I want you all to take advantage of the various memberships you can obtain, and also the new invaluable resources that these can bring you.

I have a couple on my list already starting with WebGrrls, SHPE-NYC, and WITI. I will start giving the scoop on those events on Thursday & Friday. Don’t be shy. You don’t really need a business card – you just need to have a smile (and a toy if you’re going to SHPE-NYC’s Holiday Toy Drive).

Send me any other opportunities to my email and I’ll be sure to showcase it on CuteGeek.com! (RadirisD@cutegeek.com)

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Ok, come on everyone say it with me… technology blows my mind. I’m not talking about a typical gadget on your holiday shopping list.

This is about how technology allows us to touch the lives of those you never thought possible. A friend of mine posted about this website, Women for Women and I couldn’t help but share it with my fellow Cutegeeks!

“Our Vision: Women for Women International envisions a world where no one is abused, poor, illiterate or marginalized; where members of communities have full and equal participation in the processes that ensure their health, well-being and economic independence; and where everyone has the freedom to define the scope of their life, their future and strive to achieve their full potential.”

This organization helps women get the training, leadership education and tools they need to become active citizens. They were awarded the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize and recognized by CNN, BBC, and CBS for their efforts.

Women for Women International launched their Winter 2011 Gifts that Give Back program. You can donate by one of their four categories: Organic Farming, job skill training, animals, or education. There are multiple levels of contributions and you can pick which particular thing you want to give, like rulers and pencils for school! 

My friend and I love batik fabrics for sewing, they are incredibly beautiful hand-dyed fabrics. After playing around on their website, I saw that one of the gifts is rubber gloves for the women who make the fabrics, to protect their hands from dyes and chemicals. (Awesome right? –not the chemical part of course)

If you love gifts that give back (or know someone that would love this as a gift), check out their website! …and ravel in technology and how it provides us the ability to touch and empower our fellow women! WaHOo!

ACLU to Apple: Fix Siri’s birth-control black hole

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Microsoft is celebrating the 2012 Chinese New Year with three limited edition mice designed exclusively with artwork for the “Year of the Dragon”.

Two Wireless Mobile Mice 3500, feature a design from artist Nod Young, who took his inspiration from the Nice-Dragon Wall in Beihai Park, China, and the popular Dragon Ball Z cartoon. Artist Lin Xu embraced Chinese heritage and incorporated a five-finger dragon claw into the Arc Touch Mouse, the five-finger claw symbolizes nobleness and was a symbol exclusively used by royals.

The Wireless Mobile Mice 3500 are on sale now for $34.95 in both red and gold, and the Arch Touch Mouse will be available soon for $69.95.

For more information visit the Microsoft Hardware Blog.

Gung hay fat choy!

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If you have an iPhone or Android device you probably have heard of the credit card processor Square. Square allows you to accept credit card payments on your iPhone, iPod, iPad or Android device. You can even set up discounts and coupons through their web interface.

Everything is free from signing up for the service to receiving the reader they send you.  There is a tiny fee of 2.75% per swipe but you can gift the reader to a friend or relative.

What better gift to give than the gift of getting paid? For more info on how you can gift a Square credit card reader click here. It will cost you $1 to gift wrap it.

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Todays deal is the Lenovo ThinkPad T410 and I don’t think I have to remind you how much I love ThinkPads. They are the most solidly built notebooks on the market and every business persons best friend.

I have been using ThinPads for years and the 14.1″ Lenovo ThinkPad T410 with a Core i5 2.53GHz Laptop w/4GB RAM, 160GB SSD, Windows 7 Pro for only $799 is a steal.

Price breakdown: 1299 – $500 = $799 with free shipping and FREE $100 Microsoft Store Coupon for use on a later purchase.

Click here to get deal.

Past deals.

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This Saturday, November 26th, join Ken Denmead, blogger for the popular DaddyGeek blog on Wired.com as he host sa free “Do it Yourself” event in the Wired Store in Times Square, NYC.  Bring the kiddies because there will be a guest appearance by Snoopy!

The event kicks off at 11am and runs until 2pm.

I’m going too – so I’ll see you there

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Todays deal is for the Lenovo ThinkPad T520, which features a Core i3-2350M 2.3GHz Dual-core Business Laptop w/4GB RAM, 500GB HDD for $689 with free shipping.

We at CuteGeek love Lenovo because of their top notch design and durability. The $689 price tag for the T520 in our opinion is dirt cheap!

Price breakdown:  $1,395 – $556 instant savings - $130 coupon code(Expires November 21) = $689 plus free shipping.  Coupon Code: THINK1117

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The Monterey Bay Aquarium has started a program called Seafood Watch.

If you’re concerned about eating ocean-friendly food (and nutritious), then this app is right for you!

The Seafood Watch program started with pocket guides featuring safe seafood depending on region. Now they have apps for the iPhone and Android devices! The app allows you to search seafood by Best Choice, Good Alternatives and seafood that should be avoided because they are farmed in harmful ways.

The app allows you to add/tag restaurants with the “best choice” seafood so that others can search for them as well, knowing that they are great places to eat! It also features a section with  new-stories and breakthroughs in the seafood industry.

So, perhaps you don’t eat seafood, or you might not care at all…but this is truly a great way to know that you’re putting delicious, nutritious and economically friendly food in your body.  Think about it this way, right now a food industry is researching ways to grow salmon 4 times faster…would you really want to knowingly eat that genetically altered Salmon?

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I missed website Wednesday, so I’m posting this now.  

I have never been a big reader, I know, I know, my sister is a librarian…what happened to me, right?  Well recently I have become a mini-bookworm, I feel like I’m 10 years old and I just re-discovered imagination! <–thank you HUNGER GAMES!

However, my biggest struggle has always been finding new books to read.

Where do you start?
INSERT:  GoodReads.com

Why I love it:
The thing that is cool about good reads, is you can share the books you are reading with your friends. You can save the ones you want to read in the future, and rate the ones you have previously read. You can view updates from your friends and add their books to your ‘shelf’

What’s the best part? (for me anyways)
Like I said, I’ve always had a huge problem with finding books to read. Recently GoodReads added a feature similar to Netflix, where if you rate 20 books, they will recommend others to you based on your reading history.

What’s even cooler…they have lists already going, that you can browse in specific genres! So say if you like books about vampires… they have a list of top 100 best books featuring vampires. Or if you like books with strong female lead roles, they have a list of that. LISTOPIA it is called!

Check out GoodReads.com, it’s awesome.

Now, go on and re-discover your imagination!

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Today AOC showed off their new Aire Pro LED monitor which I have to admit looks pretty darn gorgeous with its aluminum brushed finish.

I am not one to get all googoo-gaga over a monitor but I wouldn’t mind having it on my desk. The WLED backlit HD widescreen 23 inch Aire Pro is only 9.2 mm thin, and offers full HD resolution with a 50,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio – which means, watching anything, even my home made videos would be great.

It also has illuminated touch controls which is a nice touch. Built in speakers, 2 HDMI ports, so you can use this as a desktop monitor and a television at the same time.

For more information on the AOC Aire Pro visit http://aoc.com

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We have two cute new bloggers joining us, 6 year old Isabel and 7 year old Emily will jointly be reviewing various gadgets and products for kids! Check out their video.

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Today Biscotti Inc. not the cookie company, introduced what they are calling the first High Definition TV Phone. Michael Reyes from HardwareGeeks.com checked it out at CES Unveiled a week ago.

The Biscotti TV Phone turns your high-definition TV into a communication hub, where you can speak to your friends and family on Skype or others with a Biscotti TV. The unit requires no computer just an internet connection (Wi-Fi or Wired) and from what I was told by Michael Reyes who was able to check it out, it’s so easy to set up my grandma who knows not a lick of English could set it up in a matter of minutes on her own. That’s something I want to check out for myself.

Biscotti TV Phone is now available for sale in the United States and Canada for just $199.  Unlimited free video calls are included - there are no monthly fees! For more information or to purchase, please visit www.biscotti.com.

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Today Verbatim announced their new mobile keyboard for tablets or mobile phone running iOS or Android. The keyboards connect to the tablet or phone via a Bluetooth connection.

They feature a soft-touch keys for silent typing and hot keys for iPad/iPhone users, so that they can easily copy & paste, easy access to menu screens and applications. For a full list of compatible devices and hot key functions click here.
 
For more information on the keyboards click over to their product page at Verbatim.com.

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Just a FYI for all those perspective Amazon Kindle Fire buyers, Hulu has confirmed that Hulu Plus will be available on the Kindle Fire. This means you will be able to watch some of your favorite TV shows with-in hours of their airing on network TV on your Kindle Fire device. The Hulu Plus service will cost you $7.99 a month.

For more information head over to the Hulu Blog.

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In August, Maya and I brought Feeling Good about Feeding the Fashionista in Your Girl with Fashion Playtes and we are back to tell you that the urge to keep creating, once born is never quelled. Maya recently designed a fancy holiday dress’ for parties which we are impatiently waiting to arrive in the mail any day now..Check out Maya’s dress with purple sequin pockets and a rhinestone burst design on the chest. What do you think? Not your style? What would you create?

Maya wants to know and she wants to share the thrill of designing with Cutegeek girls so Fashion Playtes and Cutegeek want to give you the chance to win a $50 gift certificate so you can bring your inner designer to life with a design of your own creation on the Fashion Playtes website.

To Enter: All you need to do is check out the website and give us an idea about something you would add. You could suggest a new accessory …like design your own winter hat and scarf set…or you could suggest an idea…like when a girl designs a fashion, she should be able to e-mail it to her mom or grandma… you get the idea, be creative!  Post your ideas as a comment to this post. Maya announce the winner in one week and Fashion Playtes will send that lucky gal a gift certificate to get her designing!

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Today I was able to unbox the We Vibe 3. Check it out!

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Last year I had a ton of fun at the WIRED Store, which is almost like a museum for all the cool tech stuff you didn’t know you ever wanted.

Last year the store was in the Meat Packing district of NYC, a bit out of the way if you asked me, but this year it will be smack dab in the middle of times square on 42nd street and Broadway. I can’t wait!!! (especially because my office is right there?)

The store will officially open on the 18th of November and will remain open until the 24th of December from 12pm – 7pm (It should be open much later, just because of its location -but hey, its not my store).  It will be closed on Thanksgiving Day – for obvious reason.

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Today hundreds of Newegg.com customers received a special gift from Newegg.com. 12 dozen eggs, and in those 12 dozen eggs there was 1 orange egg with a prize ranging from a 5 dollar gift card to a beanie.

Some even luckier Newegg customers got a special GOLDEN egg which contains a $1000 gift certificate! I believe only four lucky customers got them. I got nothing but Michael Reyes from HardwareGeeks.com won a 4GB USB stick.

Neweggs purpose of the promotion was to let all of us know that their Black Friday sales take place the entire month of November and not just that Friday and Weekend after thanks giving.

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Halloween is around the corner so we have a “Wicked” little giveaway for all of you!

Cutegeek is giving away a pair of  Wicked Little Buds to the guy, gal or ghoul that posts the silliest (keep it clean so I can tell it to my kids) joke to this post.  These “barely-there” light weight, mini-buds are noise-isolating with an edgy look, petite, semi-glossy and available in four colors. Check out the audio demo on their site. This little bud keeps out alot and delivers sweet sound quality in a petite package.

We will choose our winner on Halloween to break out your party humor and let’s see what you’ve got.

Want to bias the judge (think “Maya”)…then I will give you a little insider tip: She is partial to knock-knock jokes….

Happy Haunting…

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Say goodbye to not being able to get your favorite song because its either not out – or because your latest jam is a crazy mix you heard on youtube.com – Zamzar.com is hereeee!!

Thankfully, my wonderful cousin told me about it this weekend and he opened up my eyes to a whole new world of wonderful. While I still buy albums – yes, I do support – I am also a fan of NOT having to spend money, so the way this works is that this website converts your files, as long as they are up to 100MB, into almost whatever you want – from a file or from a website…

Have a favorite video on youtube.com? Want to listen to the song on your way to work? Well put the URL, choose the file type, enter your email and bada, bing, bada, boom! You’re all set.

The file will be available for 24 hours after receipt of the email, and you get all of this for how much? Oh wait, its free!!

Enjoy – we have to take advantage while this lasts!!

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Tomorrow Starz Entertainment will make available on Facebook and on Starz.com the first episode of their new series Boss which stars Kelsey Grammer who plays Mayor Tom Kane.

The show is about the inner workings of Chicago Politics, and debuts on Starz on October 21st at 10PM. The season premiere will also be available on Xfinitytv.com, DishOnline.com and Charter.net.

For more information visit http://www.starz.com/boss

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Michael Reyes over at HardwareGeeks.com convinced me to install the new SRSLabs MyTunes App onto my iPod touch. He said it would deliver a music experience like nothing I ever heard before.

I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try so I downloaded the app from the App store and began to listen to my mix of music, at first I didn’t notice any real difference and realized I wasn’t using the app. I’m a brunette but I do have my blond moments.

So finally I opened up the App and began to play my music again and I heard a vast improvement. It was as if the music suddenly had soul. It didn’t sound flat anymore.

I haven’t unlocked all the features yet it cost $4.99 to do so, but I might just buy it because there are some pretty cool features such as the DJ Transition.

The App is available in the Apple App Store now. Download it!

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I stopped by the Apple store on 59th and 5th Ave. here in NYC as I wanted to pay my respect to Steve Jobs. Everyone seemed a bit somber.

Today I honor and celebrate your life. Not with sadness but with joy, because of how much you transformed the world through tech.

The tech world has lost a great man, but we have gained so much from him and he will live continue to live on, because if you own an iPod or not it is the iPod that revolutionized the music world, it was the iPhone that revolutionized the smart phone market, and it was the iPad that revolutionized that tablet market.

Thank you Steve Jobs for innovating, and forcing others to innovate as well!

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I met Lauren Harich at an HP calculator event, an event to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 12c calculator.

While the 12c calculator may not seem HIGH TECH it is the longest selling calculator and rumor has it that the competition *cough*Texas Instruments*cough* even uses it to verify that their calculators are giving the right answer. 

Click read more to read out interview with the lovely and ever so talented Lauren Harich!

-Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?

While I was in college at the University of California, San Diego, my friend and I started a business running educational chess programs at elementary schools in Southern California. After about five years, I went back to school at the University of San Diego to get an MBA. Within a few months I landed in the calculator business at Hewlett-Packard to round out my career as a professional nerd. Marketing calculators to high school students seemed like a logical progression from marketing chess classes for elementary students.

-Describe how you got to where you are? (How did you get started in technology, or at your current position?)

The combination of an MBA program and my background in entrepreneurship propelled me into my current career. More importantly, my background was in educational services. I am not a tech guru by any means, but I understand the intimidation many people feel when they look at a chess board for the first time or purchase their first specialized calculator for a finance or math course they don’t understand. Mastering technology is a lot like mastering chess. For beginners, we break it down into simple steps so it’s easy to master the basics and build confidence. The rest comes in time.

-Was it tougher because you were a woman?

Absolutely not! I’ve had the great fortune of working with a number of driven, successful women. While some of the guys in my MBA program were angling to find the right good ol’ boys club, the women ran circles around them, taking over student leadership positions, landing stellar internships, and in some cases even getting married and having children at the same time. As a woman, you have to be able to juggle a lot of balls and work flexibility into your career plans if you want to have a family. I think that’s what makes us dynamic and resourceful.

-If there was such a thing as reincarnation, would you come back as a man or woman-holding all other things equal…?

I don’t think I can really answer this question until after I’ve experience child birth. Sometimes I do wonder what it would be like to be a man. I have an alpha personality, which looks good on a man. But as a woman, I’ve had to tone that down a bit. I think people see an alpha male as a boss and an alpha female as bossy. However, while an alpha male might go through life pounding his fists and ruling with intimidation, a smart alpha female learns how to work effectively with others to gain their buy-in and achieve results. That’s my theory, anyhow, so I’d like to come back as a man to see if it’s true.

-Describe a "normal" day in your life.

I don’t think there is a normal day in my job. Every day is something different. One week I’ll be writing a marketing plan, and the next I’m investigating new media advertising opportunities, copy-writing, or running a booth at a tradeshow.

-What’s your favorite aspect of working in technology?

Mobile apps are the most exciting thing for me today. We’ve created mobile apps for some of our most popular calculators, but with this new technology, you have to ask, what more can I do with an app that I can’t do with hardware? That question gives us the opportunity to get creative.

-What have been some of your challenges you faced, and how did you tackle or overcome them?

I was only 20 when my friend and I started Master Minds together, so at first I felt that I was too young to make decisions and manage employees. Building confidence was my biggest struggle, and it’s absolutely necessary to succeed in business. You have to have an unwavering faith that in the end, you will prevail. (I got that last line from Good to Great, but I’m pretty sure it’s paraphrased).

-Have you ever felt like you needed to hide your femininity or that fact that you were a female?

In general, I think my gender is a great asset. I work in a very egalitarian environment, so I have never felt discouraged from being myself in my work environment. At times, I’ve dealt with people outside my company who have revealed ulterior motives and put me in an uncomfortable position. In those cases, it’s important to have the wherewithal to recognize bad intentions early and remove yourself from a negative situation.

-What advice do you have for females interested in getting into your field?

Be assertive. Ask questions. Offer to take on projects. Enthusiasm is contagious, and if you’re excited about the industry, people will recognize that you’re the right person to have on the bus.

-What’s one gadget you can’t live without?

My smart phone and my HP 17bII+ financial calculator. My 17bII+ got me through 3 statistics courses and an MBA emphasis in finance. If feel like we are war buddies.

-Do you have a personal ‘mantra’ or certain words you live by?

Always run 100 mph toward your goal. It’s okay if you stop to change direction, but pursue every goal with fierce determination.

-And lastly, what drives you?

My parents had high hopes for me when I was a kid. I want to make them proud, and I want to be an example for my own children some day.

If you have a suggestion for a Brilliant Women in Tech email us at news@cutegeek.com

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Today Research in Motion the makers of the Blackberry has launched a new program for youth called “BBM Generation”.

BBM Generation is an online hub that will offer our youth access to contest and promotions designed for them and help promote collaboration and achievement among themselves. The first contest will revolve around fashion, music, film, sports, pop culture and entrepreneurship.

The contest will be judged by the BBM Challenge Council which include Whitney Port, Greyson Chance, Michelle Trachtenberg, Hope Solo, Jared Eng, and Lauren Berger.

Here’s how the BBM Challenge Council contest works:

Beginning October 3rd, candidates for each of the categories named above are invited to submit a video or photo and essay at (www.bbmchallengecouncil) telling the BBM Challenge Council member why they should be picked as a protégé.  Up to 25 protégés will be selected in each category and invited to compete in the Challenge.*

Protégés will be sent a new BlackBerry® 7 smartphone for themselves and up to three friends, who will collaborate on the Challenges outlined below.  Each BBM Challenge Council member will also provide their protégés with their personal BBM™ PINs and communicate directly with the protégés during the course of the program to issue challenges and offer support and encouragement.

The BBM Challenge Council will issue four separate challenges to their protégés over an eight week period.  Challenges will range from pitching an idea for a business to raising money for charity.  Protégés will use their BlackBerry smartphone to document their entries, collaborate with their teams using BBM, and tap their social networks to garner support as they compete for the attention of their council member.  

At the end of the contest, a winning protégé will be selected from each category, earning a trip for their team to visit and spend time with their council member.

The contest will unfold online as program followers can see videos featuring the BBM Challenge Council detailing each of the Challenges and watch video footage generated by the protégés for each of the challenge submissions.

But this isn’t all, along with the BBM Challenge Council Contest, Blackberry has sponsored events and activities at over 65 colleges and universities across the US and Canada. Blackberry will be recruiting students at these schools to be Brand Ambassadors of sorts.

For more information on BBM Generation visit http://www.blackberry.com/bbmgeneration

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Today at 6 pm Samsung held a press conference introducing the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and two players, the Samsung Galaxy Player 4.0 and 5.0.

The Galaxy Tab 8.9 is extremely thin – that is the first thing that you notice.  It has a nice metallic finish and while I’ve handled many tablets this one fit perfectly in my hands – like absolutely perfect, as if it were made for my hand.

It was funny hearing the product manager speak about it because they said ‘One size does not fit all’ and all I could think was – ‘You’re damn right!’.

The Galaxy Player 4.0 and 5.0 are entertainment focused devices – bringing you everything but a phone call (games, media, and services).  Taking a quick glance will make you think it’s an iPod Touch – I’m not going to lie – but its not, and its very nice.

The Galaxy Tab 8.9 will be available on October 2nd for $469 (16GB) and $568 (32GB).

The Galaxy Player 4.0 and 5.0 will be available on October 16th for $229 and $269 respectively. 

Check out our pictures on twitter http://www.twitter.com/cutegeek

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I will be attending the Gears of War 3 Launch party tonight with Michael Reyes from HardwareGeeks.com and we both plan to live tweet the event. We won’t stay for the entire party I need my beauty sleep, but we will stay long enough to get all the cool info you probably want to hear about.

So follow me @CuteGeek and Michael @HWGeeks on Twitter!

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I love when I get the feeling of ‘a-ha!’ in my head – as if I have a secret magician that just twirls its wand when something extraordinary happens, or when two things click in my head or simply when things become crystal clear.

During one of my most recent travel excursions in JetBlue’s Terminal in JFK Airport, I found myself walking around the Border’s store – the one that had ‘Going Out of Business’ plastered everywhere – staring at a book that seemed familiar to me, but I couldn’t remember why. I picked up this canary yellow book and read the back and though WOW – I’ve been to this website. I had been there and had bookmarked it because I was impressed from everything I read and its one of those websites that you know you can go to when you need a dose of ‘happy’ in your life.

I picked up The Happiness Project!.

I came across the website a couple of months ago, and like many things that peak my interest when I have no time, I bookmarked it and told myself ‘totally gotta blog about this’. The concept was so nice – doing something nice everyday…that’s all I could remember, but that’s the most important part.

I picked up the book and started reading and I swear – I could not put it down. I went to the Dominican Republic that weekend and although I was in a beautiful, fun-filled country – I read before I went to sleep and as soon as I woke up…I went on a birthday extravaganza trip with the sisters that I chose in my life, aka awesome friends, and in between wine and champagne tasting I was reading my book. I got ready before all of my girls, something that never happens, to go to the car and have quiet time to read.

The book had me – all of me. I wanted to finish the book so bad, but let me tell you why.

I love reading. I enjoy books that teach me something the most – business, self-help, memoirs, etc. – call them what you want. I love to make myself better but it’s because of the experiences that I’ve endured and the goals and challenges that I set for myself that I am always striving for more or better. The author, Gretchen Rudin, didn’t have a weight loss problem, or a terrible breakup, or a desire to transform herself because someone else she should – she did it because although she was happy, she wanted to become happier.

Who does that? Who tells themselves ‘Hey, I’m great at this, but you know what, I’m tired of being the best – I want to be the greatest.’

When you think about it – maybe athletes, or people who are compensated or rewarded according to their performance think that way, but many of us don’t. Many of us are comfortable with our current situations, can probably point out a way that it could be worse before it could be better.

Gretchen personified the ideals that I hoped to one day obtain – to focus on better, even when I was well off.

This book is an extremely enjoyable read and the website will keep your creative juices flowing as you try to identify ways that you can improve things in your life. I absolutely recommend it and am actually considering starting a Happiness Project of my own in NYC. Let me know if anyone is interested in joining – email me at RadirisD@cutegeek.com.

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Wow – William S. Dietrich II, a Pittsburgh native, is going to donate $265 MILLION just because…he loves it.  Now how would you show your love?

Makes me feel like going back for Carnival each year, and donating to CMARC just isn’t enough…hmmm…

Now those that are not familiar with Carnegie Mellon – here’s a quick scoop:

• Located in Pittsburgh, PA
• Known for their drama program, business school, emphasis on the sciences and technology and also psychology (not to say that the other programs are not superb)
• Has Intel, Google, Apple and Microsoft living under one roof
• Is one of the first university’s to have wireless
• Created the first smiley
• Some famous alumni – Josh Groban (Singer who got discovered before graduating), Ted Danson (Actor), Judith Light (Actress), Gela Nash-Taylor (co-creator and co-founder of Juicy Couture), Randy Pausch (The Last Lecture), Aron Ralston (127 Hours), Judith Resnik (Astronaut), Andy Warhol (The Artist – Duh!), etc…

The gift will be used across disciplines, facilitating the fusion of right/left-brain thinking, amongst its undergraduate and graduate students, across the seven schools and colleges, merging technology, innovation. creativity and of course, sprinkled with all sorts of global initiatives because that is just how Carnegie Mellon works.

With this gift, the school of Humanities and Social Sciences will also be named in honor of Bill Dietrich’s mother – Marianna Brown Dietrich.  The school will now be the Marianna Brown Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

I am honored to be an alum and look forward to reading more about this gift, and how others are giving back. 

To learn more, check out the following links:

The gift

The Little Brag Book of Big Ideas

More on Carnegie Mellon, taken from their website:

Carnegie Mellon is a private, internationally ranked research university with programs in areas ranging from science, technology and business, to public policy, the humanities and the arts. More than 11,000 students in the university’s seven schools and colleges benefit from a small student-to-faculty ratio and an education characterized by its focus on creating and implementing solutions for real problems, interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation. A global university, Carnegie Mellon’s main campus in the United States is in Pittsburgh, Pa. It has campuses in California’s Silicon Valley and Qatar, and programs in Asia, Australia, Europe and Mexico. The university is in the midst of a $1 billion fundraising campaign, titled "Inspire Innovation: The Campaign for Carnegie Mellon University," which aims to build its endowment, support faculty, students and innovative research, and enhance the physical campus with equipment and facility improvements.

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I recently wrote about The Future Project and because I felt such passion when I learned about their mission and vision, I felt compelled to write about them once more – because this is the last opportunity to become a Future Coach. They need coached in NYC, DC and New Haven, CT. Time commitment is 90 minutes a week to work with High School Students. (Deadline is 11:59PM September 9th)

This is the first year and it’ll be very exciting. Besides being a pioneer – there are so many things to learn, so many people to meet, and so many ways to spread the word. There are power in numbers – GroupOn and other sites have proved it. Instead of aiming towards obtaining bargaining power – why not strive to establish some sort of superhero-like intellectual power that’ll cause all sorts of goodness…

Surprise…You Can!

Go to TheFutureProject.Org and find out how…even if you are not able to become a Future Coach, but you can contribute your time in another way, reach out and offer yourself – you won’t regret it. If you want to see what I wrote before – go here, or check this one out.

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Celebrating 30 years of greatness usually occurs in a club, or in a tropical destination with all of your closest friends – at least in my world, but in HP’s world it’s held in a very intimate setting, with folks passionate in a plethora of things. That’s how my Tuesday evening began. Actually, it began after I greeted HP’s lovely Laura Harich, and then spotted a fellow CMU alum, whose father was also in attendance, who also loved CMU…great times! I love running into my fellow Tartans everywhere I go – especially when its at a technology event, or simply an event that brings working brains together.

Back to the topic at hand – in a dimly lit backroom, hidden in a steakhouse in the financial district, I was introduced to HP’s masterpiece – the HP 12c. I didn’t tell a soul in the room that I had never heard about the 12c, but now, shoot, I can talk to you all for at least an hour about it.

As I tried to avoid the HP 12c guru (Gene Wright), because I had no idea what question to ask to make it seem like I knew what I was talking about, he found the best seat in the house – next to me. We spoke for too short of a time and by the end of it all I could tell him was wow – HP must be paying you the big bucks…until he told me he doesn’t even work for them! I was blown away to hear so many great things about this calculator from someone who simply loved the product and knew almost everything there was to know about it.

I’ll give you the scoop – paraphrased of course.

HP’s 12c is the bomb.com because:

It hasn’t changed since 1981

(Here’s the proof)

It calculated well then, and calculates even quicker today.

Its form factor exudes the ‘I belong on your desk’ vibe that calculator users (in this case lots of finance folks and engineers)

It’s not intimidating, despite being a scientific calculator, and its display is very clear, no matter from what angle you’re looking at it

Requires a new way of thinking about calculators because it stacks numbers instead of calculates them separated so instead of putting 1+2+3 you would put 1 2 3 and then +…weird, but hey, once you go 12c, you don’t go back!

Original batteries lasted over 20 years in some cases (crazyyyy)

And the best thing I heard about it, was that if reality calculated something for you and gave you X, and the HP 12c calculated it at Y – you need to double check reality…(this sounded a lot better coming from Gene, especially when he used the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy as a reference).

Congratulations – way to show us how to make something work on its first attempt…we don’t see that too often anymore, and sometimes we need reminders.

Happy 30^th Anniversary!!! Be sure to get the Limited Edition 12c for all the geeks in your life. And if you want to learn more about the history, why it rocks and why it’ll remain a timeless beauty – check out HP’s take on the 12c…

The best part of the night, although I’ve listed so many already is that they had a giveaway…and I won…ironic thing about the contest is that I was recording it and then realized I had won…I’ll post that video as soon as I can Thank’s HP!!

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FHumor.com is the reason I couldn’t go back to sleep today, after waking up at 4 am and going on Facebook to ‘kill’ time, or read myself to sleep…a friend linked a picture from this site and I went and 15 minutes later, I was still clicking to pictures – cracking up.

(BTW-I blame not being unable to fall back to sleep on the amount of oxygen my cells received from laughing as much as I did)

Check out the site…I guarantee this will become a bookmark that you frequently visit when you have time to kill or need a good laugh…

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There are times when I receive invites and I’m not sure if I should feel super cool, or if I’m just Mike’s +1. Yesterday, despite being Mike’s +1, I felt super duper cool because we had an evening of 3 tech events – back to back to back. Needless to say, we only made it to two – but probably the best two I’ve been to this year.

Lenovo – our first stop had a beautiful set up at the W in Union Square NYC. I love Lenovo – and for more reasons than just being ex-IBMers, like myself. I have been a ThinkPad fan since my college days – Carnegie Mellon encouraged its students to get IBM laptops, and in the graduate business school, it was mandated (if I remember correctly). The computers are great – they’re durable, last a long time, don’t crash, feel nice and they have the lovely reminder to ‘think’…it’s wonderful.

At yesterday’s Tablet event, I am embarrassed to admit but I found out, 8 months after taking a huge picture with the best advertisement at CES, what Corning was about. They really are tough, yet beautiful, and in more devices than we think.

(First of all, if you’re thinking about Corning products being in your kitchen – you’re right…they used to make kitchen tools, but switched out and went into the wonderful world of consumer electronics.)

Lenovo chose them as their screen provider because of how strong, sleek and unbreakable their glass is – unless you have a lot more muscles than me, and let me tell you, I’m also tough. I tried my hardest to break the various glass pieces they had us demo and even after putting my back into it, I couldn’t break it. The screen on Lenovo’s Tablet is only .07 inches and it’s the best .07 inches you’ll ever get in your life…I mean, it has to be right? This is Lenovo, aka IBM for the oldies but goodies…it has to be good.

I got my hands on the Tablet ThinkPad (IdeaPad for consumers) and felt a closeness that only a mother feels with her child…I’m not a mother, but hey, I can imagine. I felt like I was reunited with an old flame…I felt all warm inside, just by holding their latest product to hit the market. I swiped screens, looked at apps, picked a project managers brain and then came across the coolest app.

MyScript Notes Mobile (also available for iPad users –I’m just saying…)

This application turns your tablet into a notebook, allowing you to take notes in over 25 languages, recognizing what you write, or allowing you to write in a freestyle manner. Erasing, and navigating in the application is incredibly intuitive and after receiving a demo, I loved it a tad bit more.

Mike and I were fortunate enough to meet a Latino that worked at the company (we were very excited because he was able to give us a demo in his beautiful Colombian Spanish). Giovanni worked for this French company and lived there. Honestly, the highlight of the Lenovo event were all the Hispanic/Latino elements…from the Spanish demo, to the extraordinary combination of the finest cheeses with guava balls…Never, ever, have I ever…(remember that game)…had such yummy guava and cheese, outside of someone’s home.

Lenovo’s tablet starts at $479 (base config) but for a couple of more bucks you can add the handy dandy stylus, get the keyboard doc ($99) which kind of turns the tablet into a PC…you get true HD on it, and if you like Android, and aren’t worried about it crashing (and you shouldn’t be because Lenovo worked really hard to ensure that it won’t) then go for it. Buy a Tablet and let the thinking begin…and never stop…

Find out more about the ThinkPad and the IdeaPad (which comes in Red, White or Black).

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In July I shared the news of Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster and an adorable video featuring a business savvy Cookie Monster along with Tim Schafer, the games developer. Well, in celebration of the upcoming Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster video game launching October 11^th on Kinect for Xbox 360, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has released a new video the kids are sure to find funny!

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3. SUPREMACY MMA Cranks Up the ‘KILLER MOVES’ in Latest Trailer

Supremacy MMA launches in North America on September 20, 2011 and Europe on September 23rd on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. Here is a sneak peak at the trailer…

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Ever needed a specific doctor/dentist and couldn’t find them?

Limited availability? Traveling for work? Living in a new city?

I’m sure you’ve said yes to at least one of those questions and have been frustrated by the runaround that some insurance companies give you, even if you’re searching online.  There is never enough information – either the phone number is missing, or you can’t see their availability.

The answer is ZocDoc.com – a good friend just told me about it this week and I’ve already used it.  It’s FREE, easy and reliable.

If you need a doctor, even a specialist, you put in your location, or desired location, your health insurance type and TA-DA! You’ll get a bunch of results that also include available appointment times.  You can book online and go to sleep with a smile on your face, instead of cringing at the thought of not ever finding a doctor for that crazy back pain you’ve been experiencing for weeks…Thanks AC!Oh and they have a free app!

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Thanks – my 401k probably went down another 9% this week because of you two.  How is the tech world supposed to move forward with this uncertainty of what next i-gadget is coming out, or if they will continue being cool.

And HP – damnit HP.  Can you not do such a good job at confusing the heck out of the world…

HP TouchPad…cute…not so great web OS, but still sexy…$499…and then $99…

Come onnnn…why not send a memo to your top fans, like me…now I can’t buy one anymore and I even though I signed up for the ‘please pick meeeeeeee’ website, for those that are still interested, I’m still not hopeful. I bet I was potential HP TouchPad buyer #29485723542394.

Should I stop envisioning what other coolness you’ll create? Bluetooth mouse was the thing I wanted for my new mini…but um, is that the end of an era of beautiful designs, affordable toys that instantly add value in your life use and just overall great products that last forever?

Some cool facts about HP that I didn’t know prior to this week is:
Their consumer pc business is worth over $40+ Billion
If Fortune were to rank them, as a solo company, they would be a Fortune 60 company
They have the largest supply chain in the world
They can create 2 pcs per second and they sell in over 170 countries

(impressive right? Also very reassuring…)

It means is that there are a lot of options – and like we saw with Lenovo, IBM didn’t lose it…they just transitioned their great reputation to folks that weren’t colorblind…

Oh yea – Jobs, enjoy life.  I haven’t i-fied my life, but thanks for inspiring us with your Stanford speech.  I really hope you enjoy life – I think you’ve worked hard enough, and am not sure if you should play hard, but hey, why not?  – just enjoy the fruits of your labor, you deserve it.

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What the…crap?

Did I just read that?

That is what I asked myself this morning when I read about this new device that may potentially hit our markets…

A waterproof USB drive that vibrates and stores…stuff…

I am still confused and waiting for the “haha, just kidding…” but I think it may be real.

I think it is wrong for so many reasons…
1. Making size matter (again, as if people really believed it didn’t)
2. It’s inappropriateness everywhere – school, work, etc…how are you going to share pictures with your friends after knowing what its other purpose is…imagine your friend waiting, with open arms, and a big smile on their face, knowing that USB is potentially covered in…wait – would you accept a USB glistening in some nice chunky flu-like boogies…probably not and this is just as nasty…
3. Really??

More info: www.lovecrave.com/duet you can also pre-order one now.

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There are many folks who hate to read, yet spend their day online…do they not know they’re reading? Well, the difference is that they’re probably reading something they enjoy – something they are passionate about.

The Future Project used a very similar analogy to frame their mission. There are too many students that are not motivated, not graduating, not excelling because they just aren’t connected or engaged with their work/school/community/body/etc (add whatever else you want).

Through the identification of your passion, bringing the passion to life and impacting others – The Future Project believes it can inspire folks across America, starting with students from urban cities. I believe it too, and think it makes the most sense to start in a big city. First – because of the resources, second – because of how many people you can reach.

Would you rather throw a pebble in a puddle or in a river of ideas…I pick the river – my pebble will make a splash, a ripple, a something – and it’ll probably continue traveling with its current.

If you’re from NYC, New Haven, CT or Washington DC – I want you to go to The Future Project’s website and learn about what they do and hopefully come to the same realization that I came to, which is wow – this can benefit me just as much as that high school student. If you have the time to invest 90 minutes each week, bring your experiences, energy and simple curiosity to learn more and make things happen – then apply to be a Future Coach.

I learned about this opportunity through my employer, Ernst & Young LLP, through one of their ‘give back because it’s fun and it’s what we believe in’ emails and instantly applied. I received a response from their recruiting team and they advised me that I would be contacted about an interview and I thought damn, this is pretty serious.

My interview was on Tuesday and this is how I can best describe it:
My insatiable (also my favorite word to use any where that I can) zeal to give back was quenched when I realized that I found my true passion, and that it was okay to be passionate about it. My passion is helping others achieve their highest potential, a potential they didn’t even know existed – and that’s what The Future Project is striving to do.

Who went to sleep with a super duper smile on their face…this cute geek did.

If you have any questions about the organization – feel free to contact Lauren@thefutureproject.org – feel free to tell her I sent you.

Good luck!

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I love words – because of words, you folks visit CuteGeek.com and we appreciate that.

But so much can be said, without saying it…it’s like love. Don’t tell me you love (fool), show me (babe)…

I have two videos to show you that exemplify the power of our eyes, and how easily we can drive a point without spelling out what it is.

Video #1:

Created for The Future Project – watch to learn about it. I watched this after I interviewed with this organization to become a Future Coach. As I watched it, my head tilted from one side to the other, waiting for it to climax…to sort of get to that point where all is well and BAM – I get the message.

I got it.

Do you?

Video #2:

Created by one of my favorite (most talented) Carnegie Mellon students – Stefan Dezil . He’s going to be huge, and I’m just thankful to know him before he blows up. Check this out and tell me if you need words?

Who needs words when we have our imaginations and technology… 

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HP is seeking 100 people interested in participating in an ink challenge. To participate you must be willing to complete various activities alone or with your family.

HP will give you a free printer, ink and paper, which you will get to keep after the challenge. HP wants to measure the quality and durability of their inks in the challenge.

If you’re interested in participating email HPInkChallange@hp.com with basic contact information and they will follow up with you with more details.

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Have you heard about “Jonathan’s Card”?  A gentleman was doing a social/technological experiment and it involved Starbucks coffee.

He made his Starbucks card available on his website, and yes you guessed it, he made it available to ANYONE. He even had a twitter account open that was updated with the card’s balance. One of the things that GOOD reports is how many people not only used the card, but actually contributed and donated to it’s balance! (People can be so sweet!) I am sorry to report, but as of this past Friday, the card has been shut down by Starbucks (see  Jonathan’s note on his website). Is this the future of how we will make payments at stores, not only Starbucks. No more plastic? Can you imagine?

Would you use an app on your phone to pay for your coffee?  Another question, would you be concerned about the security around having your credit card so readily available?

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GameMill Entertainment announced that Country Dance 2, the sequel to the best-selling country dance video game, is set to hit store shelves this Holiday season for Wii.

Country Dance 2 is sure to please any country music lover because of the various features that it possesses. With an all new sing-a-long feature, duet dancing, a new calorie-counting exercise mode and more you will never want to stop dancing! Wondering what tunes you will be shaking it to? How about over 30 of today’s hottest country tracks from chart-topping artists such as Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Gwyneth Paltrow, and many more…

Be ready to grab you cowboy hat this holiday season and show off your moves!

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Zumba Fitness 2 is coming in November for Wii and this sequel is sure to please!

Featuring “Pause” from Pitbull, an exclusive remix of “Poison” by Nicole Scherzinger, “We No Speak Americano”by Yolanda Be Cool & DCup, as well as many other popular dance tracks, this will mark the first time that commercial artist tracks will appear on a Zumba Fitness game. Players get up and moving with Zumba creator Beto and international celebrity instructors Tanya Beardsley and Gina Grant through 20 different international dance styles.

Another feature that will set Zumba Fitness 2 apart is that players are given the ability to customize their own class with their favorite routines, follow their improvement through an all new Progress tracker and track calories burned. Whether playing in Single Song, Full Class or Zumba Party modes that support up to 4 dancers, players are sure forget they’re even exercising.

Some of you jealous you don’t have Wii? Majesco Entertainment has announced that Zumba Fitness 2 will be released on another platform early 2012!

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Just yesterday this super cool site that makes ‘stuff for smart masses’ turned 12! One more year of not being ‘teen’ – so if it were a human, one more year of freedom!

Now what does this mean for you??

That you get a free t-shirt with any purchase over $20.

Who doesn’t like free??

(BTW – ThinkGeek has the absolute coolest toys, gadgets, gifts, unique items that anyone smart and cool would appreciate…Like I find a She-Ra tshirt yesterday – She-Ra!!!!! I loved her growing up…anyway, check them out – they are super duper hot!)

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Majesco Entertainment Company, in association with TWC Games, has released Spy Kids: All the Time in the World. Available on Nintendo DS, the game is based upon the major motion picture Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4D starring Jessica Alba, Jeremy Piven, and Joel McHale being released in theaters nationwide on August 19th.

Spy Kids everywhere are called to action in this adventurous game. Using high tech gadgets and gear, the spies need to stop The Timekeeper from taking over the planet. There are eight levels to master in which you are able to play as either Rebecca or Cecil, master state-of-the-art gadgets to fend of enemies and find hidden goodies, and earn special attacks, such as Double Speed Attack, Attack Power-Up, Mega Super Power Boom, Blue Cheese Bomb, and more…

I would recommend this game for any Spy Kid with some end of the summer/beginning of school blues!!

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You know that look on the face of a little girl offering up her latest artistic creation full of pride and anticipation of your response… “I made it for you,” she whispers as she drops that finger painting or play doh sculpture into your lap and plants a wet kiss on your cheek.  “Do you like it?” she asks basking in your praise…then she is gone and back again, this time dressed-up with your sequin shawls and stiletto heels, asking “How do I look?”… waiting for you to respond “Devine, darling!” Lesson here: Little girls want to create, they want to express themselves and they want to share their uniqueness with the world… and Fashion Playtes is a marvelous way to do just that and spend some quality time together at the same time.

Fashion Playtes a is new website, a new cyber-creative experience for girls that is all about letting her uniqueness shine through…and it is oh so much fun! Imagine the sense of pride and accomplishment as a girl discovers that she can design her own clothes, in her own size, in styles that you would actually let her wear out of the house and even to school. Imagine her glee as she realizes that her designs, those creative wonders of femme fashionista glam and glitz that she just created on-line, can actually be made into real clothes which she can wear, exactly as she designed them. She can even have her own designer label for the clothing she designs…

Honestly, as the mother of a diva-in-the-making, It sounded too good to be true but Fashion Playtes is the real deal. You sit down with your girlie girl and create a log-in so that you can save your designs…and then the fun begins! You pick a piece of apparel (that fancy for clothing!) together and then you select among available sizes and colors…then, oh then you can work with her or sit back and let her creativity reign selecting appliqués, rhinestones, ruffles, lace,  tulle trim and countless other frilly-silly-oh-so-girlie details that make her piece unique. The website has a simple interface which steps you both easily through the design process until her design is completed, then Fashion Playtes invites her to create her own label…her personalized brand. Plug in your billing information and the order process is quick and easy.

Maya could not wait to try out Fashion Playtes. I set up our account and then talked her through the clothing choices to select one piece, a “Samantha” camisole, and then I sat back and watched her work through her design selections offering guidance when asked and discussing how ‘costs’ are affected by her design choices. She needed to prioritize between a decal or a flower and choose between the embellishments based on how they can be combined according to some ‘behind the scenes’ rules that are build-into the design interface.

20 minutes later, Maya had proudly designed a dress (no no, a camisole) that was distinctly Maya. Maya named her ‘fashion playte,’ her label, her distinct and unique brand: “Beautifulist by Maya Elektra”…I love it! Once she was done reveling in her lovely design, she stepped back and I entered our billing and shipping information. Pricing is like pizza…a base price for each piece of apparel and then additional for each frill… like the toppings. Maya had a lot of ‘extras.’ Take a look….

Maya could not wait to share her design on my facebook account so her grandmother and aunt’s would see it. What a surprise when Maya’s first “Beautifulist” design was chosen by Fashion Playtes as one of their “designs of the week” and her design was featured on their Facebook page. When Fashion Playtes choses a girls design, they e-mail the parent to extend the offer to feature a photo of the young designer wearing her creation on their Facebook page (with parental approval, of course!). Take a look at some of Maya’s photos…she had a hard time deciding which to submit.

A few days after our order was submitted (and Maya was driving the post man crazy! waiting for her special delivery), I got a ‘Between the Seams’ e-mail which acknowledged our order and explained a bit more about the production process that occurs between the time Maya and I clicked ‘submit’ and the much awaited moment when our doorbell rings and the mailman hands over a package addressed to Maya herself. It is a great touch! I read it to Maya and we discussed a bit more about clothing manufacture and the concept of  ‘quality.’ I would love for Fashion Playtes to share a few videos about the production process so kids can see how their clothing is made.

On the day the package arrives…

This is it! You read the return address and know it is from Fashion Playtes so wait for them to get home from school before you open it…it will be worth it! Get the camera ready, because you don’t want to miss the expression of shear pleasure and pride as she tears into that envelope to find her creation wrapped in pretty printed tissue paper, sealed with a sticker and accompanied with a glittery Fashion Playtes Key Chain and a card just for her! Maybe she tears into the paper, or maybe, like Maya, she opens it ever so daintily…but regardless, once she recognizes her creation ‘in the cloth’ in her lap, she is going to scream, giggle and hug you all simultaneously. It is a thrilling moment to see the pride in her eyes… “Hey look what I made…and it’s just for me!” (but you still get the wet kiss planted on your cheek). Check out Maya modeling her Samantha Camisole (which I forgot was a camisole not a dress…so she will be wearing out of the house with capris!).

Fashion Playtes creations are well made. I pulled on the stitching and the lace, frills, tulle and whatnot. I scratched at the rhinestones and they remained intact. I will not dry it since the sizes are true sizes and I want to avoid shrinking it or destroying the design but I think it is sturdy enough for a day at the playground or around town. The embroidered flower is pinned on so it can be removed for washing (good thought!) and the seams are well done.

Base apparel prices are in the range of The Children’s Place and once you add your extra’s are in the range of Kids Gap but I the experience of designing an outfit with your girl is priceless. Watching her design her own Avatar on Fashionplaytes.com should be equally special. Maya and I have not done it yet but we will soon.

Fashion Playtes offers gift certificates and supports split shipping/billing addresses making it an ideal gift for any little girl you know. Fashion Playtes offers many apparel choices and accessories galore, but my all time favorites are the matching girl and doll ensembles. We have not ordered one of those yet but Maya’s birthday is coming up and that is what she wants most…an outfit she designs for herself and her American Girl doll. I may get her cousin a matching gift certificate so they can create matching outfits and maybe even a joint co-designer label. Since I am comfortable with Net-Meeting, Skype, Face Time and the like, we can set up a video work session between the girls to collaborate on their design even though they live far from one another.

My next favorite is called ‘the violet’ a hand dyed, personalized messenger bag which serves as a school bag, an overnight bag for slumber parties and a tech bag for when Maya needs to go out and wants to take a portable tech toy like the Leapster LeapPad or our iPad 2 and some headphones.

Maya loves her ‘Beautifulist’ design so much that she wanted to do her own fashion shoot. Here a a few shots…

If you want to see which one made the Fashion Playtes “design of the week” post, then check out their Facebook page.

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What does networking mean to you? Do you consider meeting new people networking? Do you disguise dating under this term? (Don’t shake your head, some people do!)

How do you network? Who do you want to meet? Why do you want to meet them? Do you have a clear expectation when looking to find these people?

There are so many questions to ask, and sometimes there just aren’t enough resources to help you find the answers. Up until recently, I didn’t really know how to network effectively (with other women in technology that is) despite my craving to meet more like-minded women. I actually still don’t know how to do it, but I’ve found some interesting ways that brings me closer to what I want.

Working at IBM gave me a lot of great benefits, including a membership to WITI (Women in Technology International). Through this organization, I have been able to keep up to speed with some of the happenings in technology, workshops, resources, events, etc.

I met someone from another ‘chick-blog’ at one of these networking events too – her site is SheBytes.com – cute right?
I joined Girl Geek Dinners last year, and attended a wonderful dinner about gaming and women in gaming (where I got to see the Kinect prior to it actually launching – oh yeaaaa!)

Another good organization is called Webgrrls.com – I joined this one because they had a workshop regarding Confident Communication for Women…My favorite part about being a part of Webgrrls are the special tips sent to us and email discussions that float around. You can ask anything and everything and someone is bound to know, or knows someone who does. It is a great network.

Most of these memberships are fairly inexpensive, if not free, and can add so much value in your life. It doesn’t matter if you’re a student, someone looking to change careers, or simply a woman who uses tech.

I believe women don’t support each other enough, and that there is huge power in numbers – so if you’re looking to meet some women. Join one of the above organizations. I will try to get a contact at each – so that we can write something individually about them.

If you know of any other ones to include – please email me at RadirisD@cutegeek.com.

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What a night to be a VIP! Last week, AT&T rolled out the red carpet treatment for us at the LG Thrill 4G Smart Phone launch event which featured a live Jane’s Addiction concert…but the experience is so much more than just a concert. Our hosts hooked us and about 100 other people up with the new LG 3D phone with stereoscopic technology to shoot concert footage in 3D while enjoying the concert. All of that footage will be compile to create the first-ever user generated concert video – a multi-user, multiple-dimensional music video experience / documentary which will air on August 4th on youtube.com/comealive.

Check out the jam and experience the music, the lights and the vibe just as we did that night. Impatient? Then go check out the LG Thrill 4G 3D at your local AT&T store.

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You may not have ever heard the name Lisa Kurahashi before, but I guarantee you have used or at least heard of the product she works as an engineer on. A product that is rated one of the best if not the best security products on the market; Norton Internet Security.

Lisa is a principal software engineer at Norton by Symantec and is also a Brilliant Women in Tech.

Check out our Q and A with Lisa below!

-Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
I’m a native Los Angeles gal, but I don’t know anything about movie stars or go to the beach. But I am attached to my car (pepper-white Mini Cooper, named “Button”).

-Describe how you got to where you are? (How did you get started in technology, or at your current position?)
I took my first CS class in high school and majored in computer science and engineering (the “and engineering” part means they threw in some electrical engineering) at UCLA.

I landed a job on Symantec’s Norton Utilities team as a Quality Assurance Engineer. As I moved through a few internal teams, I became a software engineer.

-Was it tougher because you were a woman?
No. No one ever told me that I couldn’t do something because I was a woman.

-If there was such a thing as reincarnation, would you come back as a man or woman-holding all other things equal?
If you’d asked me this when I first started in computer science, as a woman in a male-dominated field, I might have thought it would be easier as a man, but as the years pass I become more comfortable in my own skin. I’ve decided I make a pretty good woman.

-Describe a “normal” day in your life.
It really depends on where my team is in the development cycle. But it always varies between periods of extreme individual focus mixed with collaboration with coworkers.

If we’re in the requirements and design phase it goes between heads-down planning to bouncing ideas off coworkers and meeting with folks with a stake in the outcome.
In the development stage, it’s focused coding mixed with planning with quality assurance and other internal teams.

In the testing stage, it’s debugging and researching mixed with working with QA, tech support and other internal teams.

-What’s your favorite aspect of working in technology?
Seeing our yellow Norton boxes lined up on a store shelf is always a thrill… the code I write protects millions of computers every day. When I add a feature, when I fix a bug, I’m helping millions of people. It’s humbling and exciting.

-What have been some of your challenges you faced, and how did you tackle or overcome them?
Making the switch from quality assurance (QA) engineer to programmer was a challenge. QA is about looking for flaws; finding the places where a programmer didn’t think through every scenario and the code can break. Being a programmer is about both handling the general scenario as well as edge cases. Both require detail-oriented thinking, but they have different mindsets.

When I switched to programming, it was intimidating to realize that I’d need to write a bunch of code from scratch instead of looking for problems in the existing code. In college I had only written programs with a few hundred lines of code. In the real programming world, there are tens of thousands of lines of code in a single component, to say nothing of the entire product.

I realized that a bunch of my experience from QA did carry over. Problem solving is key to being a good programmer, and I had practiced that as QA. I progressed to bigger projects, and with experience, got more comfortable. And it sure helped that other programmers were willing to spend time with me and give advice.

-Have you ever felt like you needed to hide your femininity or that fact that you were a female?
Sometimes. As a woman in a male dominated field, it sometimes seemed like it would be better to be one of the guys.

But there’s something to realize about programmers. They respect competence. If you are good, and especially if you can articulate your ideas clearly, you’ll get respect.

-What advice do you have for females interested in getting into your field?
Try it. Pick something that interests you – any aspect of technology – and try it. Create a web page, learn a programming language, assemble a computer. It doesn’t matter where you start, just pick something that sounds interesting and dig into it. There are billions of resources online these days.

-What’s one gadget you can’t live without?
Well, I am pretty dependent on my iPhone, but it’s the boring ol’ PC that I can’t live without. I need my full keyboard and a big honking monitor (or two).

-Do you have a personal ‘mantra’ or certain words you live by?
This year, for the first time, I picked a mantra for myself. It’s “Explore.” A reminder to look at life, at work, at everything, as a treasure trove of possibilities, not as a fixed landscape.

-And lastly, what drives you?
I need to create. To make new things with my own brain and my own hands.
As a programmer you can literally turn your thoughts into reality. I can type for a few hours and create something out of nothing. (It does help, however, when a few thousand coworkers have your back.)

We hope you enjoyed our Q and A with Lisa!

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Once again, HP and Project Runway have teamed together further uniting fashion design and technology. While watching the season premier of Project Runway last night you probably noticed each designer was given a HP EliteBook Tablet PC notebook , loaded with a second-generation Intel® Core i7™ processor, to create this seasons winning looks. HP will be assisting the designers throughout season 9 by also providing products such as HP TouchSmart desktop PCs, HP video cameras and the HP Veer. A $50,000 technology suite by HP and Intel will also be part of the winner’s prize package.
As a graphic and web designer I am excited to see all the ways the contestants will be able to utilize these products from HP to be able to do everything from creating designs for challenges to keeping in touch with their families throughout the competition. Many of the contestants already raved about their love of the EliteBook and how it can cut development time in half because of its ease of use.

Fans can even enter the On the Runway Sketching Challenge, a drawing contest, which the HP and Intel Brand Boutique will announce at www.mylifetime.com/hp.

Be sure to catch the next episode of Project Runway Thursday at 9pm ET/PT on Lifetime Television.

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Supremacy MMA, dubbed “the dirtiest MMA game yet” by GamePro, is to be released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on September 20th, 2011 and also available on PlayStation Vita later this fall. Why should a CuteGeek be awaiting the release date? Supremacy MMA is not only going to pack a punch when it comes to the fast paced brawls inside the octagon, but it also features female MMA fighters Felice Herrig and Michele Gutierrez. Take a peek at the trailer below!

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You have not seen just how much fun science can be until you put a compact digital microscope in the hands a curious child and tell them to go explore! The Celestron LCD Handheld Digital Microscope is an all-enclosed, totally-portable and utterly cool piece of tech that opens up your home, your world and your child’s mind to exploration in a whole new way. The microscope has a 2.4″ LCD Screen Panel for viewing magnified objects and includes a digital camera/video camera with 4x digital zoom so you can capture some of your discoveries, still or in-motion, and upload and share them with via USB connection to your PC. It also has 128MB Internal Flash memory and an SD Card Slot that can support up to 8GB for storing your discoveries.

Within minutes of unpackaging the microscope, my kids were studying the skin on each other’s feet and making lists of samples they wanted to collect…some of which I really had to pull the ‘mommy card’ and say ‘maybe not’ to…

This is a great little device to have around the house for hobbyists and novice explorers alike.  You can study your rock, stamp, coin or bottle cap collection in a whole new way. House plants and insects are fascinating to observe as are many common household materials and foods. I can think of a few practical applications I would use this for that it is not really intended for such as threading a needle (I would be able to see the eye!), fixing broken jewelry and checking to see if I got all the gunk out of the sippy cup tops after I washed them. I am sure that my imagined applications will prove dull in comparison to what the children will come up with. Maya was already used it to study the detailed artwork in some of her illustrated books.

We were able to use it right out of the package once we put in the batteries however, this device does require an adult to (dare I say it..) read the owner’s manual and complete a few steps, push a few buttons to configure it because the default setting may not be the optimal for you. For example, the out-of-the-box setting for auto shut-off is 1 minute to save battery life but that can be disturbing if you are using it and it goes off every minute, which it was doing for us, so you have to reset that value to one that better aligns to your usage behavior. I shut off the auto shut-off…we will use rechargeable batteries and we can explore unimpeded!

The Handheld Digital Microscope is a powerful yet intuitively easy device to use once configured. It has a simple focus knob, one touch photo and video and adjustable LED illumination powered with 2 AA batteries. It weighs less than 7 ounces, is durable, portable and ideal for exploring out-and-about, at the park, on vacation or anywhere. Our first field day with it will most likely be to the park or the zoo and then to the American Museum of Natural History’s Children’s discovery room where they have all sorts of bones, rocks and prepared slides that kids can view under a microscope…but not photograph or video…so we will get souvenirs! Then we may flip through Usborne Activities’ 50 Science Things to Make and Do to find a batch of kitchen-chemical reactions we can observe under the microscope (like crystalization)… oh what fun!

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I recently told you about the Wi-Ex zboost and the Cobra PhoneLynx, now let me tell you why I think they are a perfect couple!

• Both are ‘barely there’ devices that you buy, take 10 minutes to setup and then don’t need to think about again, like your home Wi-Fi router
• Both enable you to get more out of your cell phone service plan with improved signal at home and improved cell phone battery life
• Combined, you get consistent dependable cell signal at home and can leverage that signal to use normal ‘home’ phones to make and receive calls, just like having a land line phone plan
• Neither hit you with additional monthly charges like a home phone would

The zBoost paired with the Cobra PhoneLynx are a great solution for mobile and remote employees, like myself who don’t want a land line but like to work on a larger phone with better speakerphone. It is also ideal for college students in dormrooms. Don’t miss calls because of signal or because you forgot to put your phone ringer on. If the signal isn’t dependable or strong, use the appropriate zBoost, then pair your cell phone with the PhoneLynx and whenever you are in range, the PhoneLynx will pick up your cell’s presence via Bluetooth signal and your dorm phone will ring.

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Tonight I went to an xbox 360 cocktail party in downtown NYC with Mike from hardwaregeeks. Having only ever played the xbox once, goaded on by mike during one of our recent and ever-amusing Best Buy excursions, I was a tad shy to jump in and splay my limbs all over, so I sat and watched while we indulged in duck spring rolls and dim sum. Appetite sated, my curiosity overcame any inhibitions I had about jiggling arms and spastic legs and I dove right into a Disney reality experience. It was so much more fun doing it, then watching it. Next up was my air guitar jam… Oh so very public and silly, followed by a smashing, slashing fruit game which brought out the Bruce Lee in me and gave me a better upper body workout then Tae Bo!

The best part of the evening was confirming my suspicions that the xbox technology has and is being applied in non-gaming modes including gross and fine motor skill development, core strength building, vestibular and other therapies. I enjoyed the user experience more than I ever imagined I would. I am curious to explore the gaming, social and family experiences an xbox could bring into my home and even more curious to explore what else is going on with xbox technology in education and life sciences.

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Sony rocks Major League Baseball and the NYC Tech Community with its 2011 holidays product line up at the MLB fan cave last night. I thought I was in for a total jock night when I looked up the venue, the official cave of two full-time professional baseball viewers with thirteen flat screens and a fully stocked bar ten paces from the sofa, but no…there was something for everyone. I got my ‘girlie’ on with a sweet henna tattoo on the back of y left hand and running up my wrist compliments of SONY and Henna Studio.

 Highlights of the night for me were the SONY VAIO Series Laptops, especially the Z series, the Bloggie Touch 3D HD Video Camera (oh how I want one…please Santa) and a wide array of over-the-ear headphones, some of which might actually work for Maya.

Tim Harris of SONY walked me through the repertoire of headphones and settle on recommending the PIIQ Impact Resistant on-ear headphones in teal and pink…cutegeek colors!

 We got to check out music unlimited streaming with Qriocity, a subscription service that is giving away free 30 day trials right now. The DJ was sweet, the photos opps got sillier by the minute with face mustaches and twitter-happy people all over the place. The sliders were so yummy, and fans were so hungry we almost bit the servers. The top of my evening was was watching Mike get his annihilated at air hockey, first by Sony’s Ana Reyes and then again by me! Oh yeah!

 Thanks SONY for the sweet gift bags…no one has ever given me a copy of the Sport Illustrated Swimsuit Video, much less in 3D Blu-ray ;o)

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Dependable phone service is a necessity for a home-office professional. It is just not acceptable to drop off in the middle of a teleconference or get disconnected during a net meeting just because your cell service is spotty. Even having the top floor apartment and putting my desk next to the outermost window, I still experienced dropped calls on occasion, more frequently on one of my carriers than the other. Dropped calls are even more prevalent when to work from my living room where my cell signal isn’t as consistently strong. Rather than invest in a home land line and another monthly expense, I decided to try the Wi-Ex Zboost Cell Phone Signal Extender and was impressed to find that my AT&T service was consistently more dependable and consistently had more bars.

zBoost cell coverage extenders support all mobile devices using 800 and 1900 MHz frequency bands except those using Nextel. This includes your mobile phones, smartphones & wireless data cards. Since I have AT&T and Sprint in my home, that worked out just fine for me. I have had it installed for a few weeks now and like, a modem, it is a device that you are barely aware you have around, but that is working for you 24/7. It has made a huge difference with AT&T signal. I have less dropped and missed calls, my texts come in rather timely and my phone battery life is longer since it doesn’t spend so much juice ‘searching’. Unfortunately, since Sprint is a different type of network, I would need the zBoost-One YX400-P for help with the Sprint/Metro PCS service…and it does need help in my house.

My AT&T cell phone has now become my default phone, even for work because the zBoost has made it so much more dependable for my important teleconferences. The zBoost Metro YX540  boosts indoor signal up to 1500 square feet. It is designed for users in single story urban dwellings or businesses and doesn’t require an outside antenna placement. The set-up is easy, just place the signal antenna on a window where you get signal. This is great for apartments, possibly dorm rooms and small businesses (I wish my hair salon would install one…it is a one-bar zone which sucks my battery-life halfway through my usual treatment). zBoost Metro YX540 iP is the same model but is optimized for use with the iPhone. The zBoost SOHO extends indoor signal up to 3000 square feet for multiple users making it perfect for any house or office that needs a cell signal boost. It is great for any home that has low or inconsistent signal, be it a home or business.

zBoost packages up everything you need to create a zBoost ‘Cell Zone’ in the box, every wire, every suction cup, so there is no running back and forth to the hardware store. You can have it up and running in 10 minutes and the set up instructions where easier to follow then many of the preschool toys I get for my kids. If you live or work in a dead zone, you have my condolences, but if you live or work with spotty, inconsistent coverage then a zBoost could make all the difference for you.

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Bobble is a reusable water bottle that filters your water as you drink. They are made of recycled plastic and is free of BPA, Phthalates and PVC and the replaceable filter meets or exceeds NSF International Standard 42, the standard that governs public and private drinking water. Since the average American is consuming 167 bottles of water a year, this is something that should be in everyone’s home. They come in three sizes: 13, 18.5, and 34 oz. and, even though they have a unique design, they can fit in most cup holders. Children are drawn to the shape of the bottle right away and love Bobble’s as much as adults, so in addition to the 6 different colors they come in there is also a children’s line of multicolored Bobble’s.

Check out www.waterbobble.com to purchase or learn more!

Still not convinced you need to run out and buy a few?

* One Bobble filter= 300 water bottles
* Plastic bottles take 700 years to begin composting
* 90% of the cost of bottled water is due to the bottle itself
* 80% of plastic bottles are not recycled
* 38 million plastic bottles go to the dump per year in America from bottled water (not including soda)
* 24 million gallons of oil are needed to produce a billion plastic bottles
* Bottling and shipping water is the least energy efficient method ever used to supply water
* Bottled water is the second most popular beverage in the United States

Plastic Bottle Facts- Doug Gunzel (GreenUpgrader.com)

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Sophisticated, Exquisite, Luxurious…are just a few words that come to mind as I run my fingertips over the hot Pink handcrafted leather of my new personalized Crocodile Embossed iPad 2 case and matching Smart Phone case designed by Graphic Image, creators of unique and beautiful leather-crafted expressions of practical and necessary accessories. Oh, these are so much more than tech accessories though… through color, texture, design..these cases make a statement about me…intelligent, beautiful, feminine and assertive.

My new handcrafted Crocodile Embossed iPad 2 case  has four leather wrapped corner straps to secure my iPad 2 in place and is designed to fold horizontally or vertically, positioning my tablet at a comfortable angle for typing or watching videos. The Crocodile embossed leather looks luxurious and feels so elegant in my hands. It is available in lime, pink and brown and can be personalized, as mine is… and is available to you with a 20% discount just for being a CuteGeek yourself! Read on to find out how…

Graphic Image personalized leather iPad2 Case and matching iPhone 3G/3GS Case, a 2012 Leather Agenda Book and a leather envelope style business card case personalized with Maya's name

Graphic Image is a family owned company with stylish and elegant personal and professional accessories, crafted with quality and care. They offer styles and textures ranging from stoic traditional (think university professor!) to young, hip and edgy (ummm…bright pink crocodile skin!). Receiving one of Graphic Image’s elegantly boxed gifts is an experience in and of itself.  Most Leather crafted accessories come wrapped in a soft protective cloth pouch, and can be personalized with full name or initials, making them very touching and appreciated gifts.

Bookmark their website for year-round gift ideas (for others or for yourself!) and take advantage of CuteGeeks’s special promotion code when purchasing through Graphic Design’s website. Just use the code CUTEGEEK to receive a 20% discount off your purchase.

For future product information and promotions, follow Graphic Image via Facebook or Twitter.

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Do you love your local library? Is it your rainy-day ‘go-to’ place to get the young ones out of the house, engaged with other youth, and with learning, literacy and books? We love our local library, the puppets shows and story times, and all the programs they offer. If you love yours, then nominate them to win Leap Frog products which can add more fun and learning to your next library visit….

LeapFrog is hosting a Love-Your-Library giveaway but you have to act fast! Nominate your local library by August 1 and it could win a $1,000 LeapFrog Tag Reading Kit! The kits include the Tag reading system, interactive books and maps.

Tag engages children with favorite characters as it helps them learn to read by reading with them. Maya and I used this system to reinforce early literacy skills and she found it very engaging, entertaining and educational. If you are not familiar with the tag reading system then Maya will give you a demo in this video…

If you would like to nominate your library, then follow these easy instructions.

You can also enter in their weekly Tag book giveaway by visiting the website and answering their daily question. While you are there, check out Leap Frog’s Daily Summer Reading Activities Suggestions.

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The Logitech Keyboard Case for iPad 2 by Zagg has an embedded wireless Bluetooth keyboard designed with aircraft-grade aluminum and an anodized finish that precisely matches the iPad 2 and that with the high-density foam-padded inside corners, provides superior drop protection, a definite consideration for an iPad that gets as much use and abuse as mine does. The look is sleek and elegant, adding less then an eighth of an inch to the iPad 2 while granting the ability to type and stand the iPad 2 securely in either profile or landscape orientation, which is great for watching movies or enjoying read-to-me eBooks.

The Logitech Keyboard Case is charged using a micro-USB charging cable and the rechargeable lithium polymer battery lasts for several weeks of normal on a full charge. The keys are large and comfortable enough for QWERTY-style typing and the keyboard is fast and responsive, but the experience is not the same as a laptop (nor should it be…it is a tablet after all!) which allows you to lazily rest the base of your hands on the keyboard. If you don’t have good posture and hand positioning as part of your typing habit then your hands end up resting uncomfortably on the corner lips of the case. I like the special function keys for cut/copy/paste, music control, volume control, slideshow, home, search, and lock screen. When you open the case, the iPad 2 automatically wakes up and when you close it into the keyboard then it goes back to sleep.

I like this case for tabletop use anywhere, whether at home or around town, with the iPad 2 either propped into the case or used in conjunction with a tablet stand like the Clingo Universal Podium. Because the iPad is not securely locked or strapped into the Logitech Keyboard in the propped position, I am not comfortable with it for lap use (just to be on the safe side) however, because it is a wireless Bluetooth case, if you use a wall mount, a car mount or any other type of secure mount when on the go, you can sit back comfortably and type using the keyboard on your lap…ie) using a Cling Car Mount for front seat or a back-of-seat car mount and the keyboard to e-mail while in the backseat of a car on a road-trip.

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You have all heard me rave about how much I adore and depend on my Netflix streaming. The ability to stream Netflix is one of the first things I look for in my Smart Devices (iPhones, Android Phones, Windows Phones, Nintendo Wii, Boxee Box) because we stream our children’s videos and we love documentaries! I just got an e-mail from Netflix thanking me for my business and advising me that they are almost doubling what they charge me for my current service….a hug and a slap in the face and I am not sure if I want to turn the other cheek…

Effective September 1, Netflix is separating unlimited DVDs by mail and unlimited streaming into two separate plans and charging $7.99 a month for each…almost double what I currently pay for both. I haven’t even been a customer for 6 months…boy do I feel like I got the bait-and-switch!

• Unlimited Streaming (no DVDs) for $7.99 a month
• Unlimited DVDs, 1 out at-a-time (no streaming) for $7.99 a month

And it only goes up from there!  I would say ‘so what’ and just cancel the DVDs BUT Netflix withholds a few seasons and a few episodes of major series as ‘available on DVD only’ which means if I just stream, I don’t get the whole story. If anyone has suggestions for streaming services similar to Netflix, where I can get my ‘Law & Order’ fix on-demand, on any smart device, please post a comment and let me know…with this kind of price hike, I really want to know what my options are.

If you are a current Netflix customer and are not thrilled with your media costs nearly doubling, you can easily change or cancel your unlimited streaming plan, unlimited DVD plan, or both, by going to the plan changes page in your Netflix account or by calling Netflix at1-888-357-1516.

follow me on Twitter @wendyevelynwick and CuteGeek @cutegeek

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The Barnes & Nobles Nook Color is out and drawing lots of looks from the ladies (and gents!) who already have a Nook in their pocket but want more from it. I don’t yet have an eReader but have considered how beneficial and enjoyable one would be given my love of reading. Imagine the example I could set for Maya by dedicating ‘down’ time, like time on the subway, or in waiting rooms, to reading with her even more. The Nook is just so portable…enabling me to take my reading materials as well as the children’s reading favorites anywhere we go!

I have asked around about the Nook and by coincidence, my sister and my son’s teacher where over, with Nooks in their pocketbooks and  where willing to share the details of their Nook-Affairs with me in this video…

Jackie has a recent model black and white nook while Sam is sporting the newest in color nooks. Both talk about what they love about their nooks, what they can do, can share and what they are still figuring out. They both seem to agree that Nooks are a great solution for encouraging reading at all ages, including young children, and the portability of an eReader like the Nook just opens more opportunities for adults to share their love of literature with young minds anytime, anywhere.

I used to say I was having a “book-affair” when asked what I did last night (I went to bed with a good book!) …now that I have Nook envy, I want to have a Nook-Affair too! I am really curious to know what tablet owners think about Nooks and whether it makes sense to invest in a Nook if you already own an iPad or another tablet…

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I am laying in bed reflecting on one more day survived: a productive workday in my pajamas, four therapist visits for my son with an overlapping drop-in afterschool playdate for my daughter (I am still in my pajamas), dinner chaos because my son wanted his Legos more than his dad’s cooking, a hour of decompression time with Kyle XY via Netflix snuggled on the sofa with my favorite men…Ben and Gerry…..and oh, my recent debut as a blogger on Cutegeek…my very first blog experience! Oh wait…

Maybe not my first…you see, three years ago when I returned to work after having my son, I was traveling between New York and Philadelphia four days a week…and I was breast-feeding (yes, I said ‘breast’…’boobie’…). Do the math: Mom in Phili and hungry baby in NYC….where’s the milk? Did the aha moment hit yet? I was pumping! Yes, didn’t see that coming right…we are going to talk about breast pumps…and my true ‘first’ blogging experience…the Milk Mama’s.

The Milk Mama’s’s is a ‘community’ of global IBM nursing mothers supporting each other through what is a truly trying and sometimes absurd experience in any professional woman’s life: the collision of motherhood, office environment, the need for privacy, some freaky and unpredictable hormones and a natural act made to feel somehow mechanical and which requires ‘gear’ that most co-workers shy away from (”ugh, is that the thingy that you do…well,…you-know-what with?”). That commiseration and cyber-companionship of other professional and lactating moms, and the book off which the group was based, The Milk Memos ,went beyond inspirational to sanity-salvaging. We mothers interacted through postings and responses, we reviewed the ‘tech’ and shared tips and tricks. So, I guess I have blogged before…about babies, boobs and nursing basics so I know the topic and the tech inside and out (and the standard layout to most Babies R Us stores) and these are my tips:

• Your nursing experience is your own, envision it and plan for it. Get the right tech and accessories to help you balance the experience of nursing with the need to sleep, work and yes….(I am not ashamed to admit…) …get some time alone, away from the baby.

• If you plan to pump, purchase one before you deliver. Read up and ask around because once you open the box, there is a strictly enforced no-backsies policy at most stores (something about breast-milk….go figure!)

• Purchase a dual action (both at once) battery/electric pump. I had great success with the Medela Pump in Style. I could control the suction strength (he-he…yeah, how did you think it worked?), the design led to less spills (a.k.a. lower dry-cleaning bill) and it comes with the discreet four bottle cooler and ice pack you will need to refrigerate at the office and keep cool on the commute home. Replacement parts are easy to purchase or order on-line and it is a good idea to have two sets.

• Also purchase a comfortable manual pump that you can use discreetly with one hand. I loved my Avent handheld, and I went through a few to find that gem.

• Lactation consultants, grandmothers and random ladies you meet who have breastfed all have an experience to share…which may have no bearing on your experience. Listen, adapt and find what works for you.

• Moisturize… (ask the lactation consultant or grandma what I mean if it isn’t obvious)

• Laugh at your goofs (there will be a few…some worse than the breastmilk in the coffee) and don’t get discouraged.

• Don’t cry over split milk…no, literally, don’t. You can make more if you calm down and laugh

Feel free to occasionally oogle enviously at other women who still have anti-gravity cleavage but focus on enjoying your unique nursing experience in your own way and know that one day you will be shamelessly sharing your “weirdest place I ever” stories, but they will be about pumping in airplanes, public bathrooms, on Amtrak and while driving….possibly no different that the stories you tell now about…

Oh and despite what you read in the owners manual, breast pumps have a decent resale value on craigslist and are appreciated as hand-me-downs. I have never had trouble giving away a gently used digital camera nor a breast-pump.

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Warner Bros. Interactive is going to be releasing the first of their Sesame Street video games this fall for Kinect. Check out legendary video game designer Tim Schafer pitching the idea of Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster to one VERY well known and cookie crazy exec below…

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Taking your kids to the movies this week to see Winnie the Pooh? Disney Publishing Worldwide, the world’s largest publisher of children’s books and magazines, has an app your children will love.

“Winnie the Pooh: What’s a Bear to Do?” was released yesterday and marks Disney’s first step into the Android Market. With so much popularity behind other Winnie the Pooh digital products Disney Publishing Worldwide left nothing to chance with this app. The digital storybook features four interactive jigsaw puzzles, Tap ‘n Play animated surprises, and Pooh’s Cupboard matching game. Not to mention that, once downloaded, the story has three reading modes: Read to Me (already downloaded and available on the app in five languages: English, French, German, Spanish, or Japanese), Use My Recording, and Auto Turn Pages. Yes, that is right, you can record your own voice to read the story to your child!

As soon as I downloaded “Winnie the Pooh: What’s a Bear to Do?” I handed the phone to Landon, my son, and watch on as he pointed, “-Ooh, -Ooh!” (aka Winnie the Pooh, for all of those that need Toddler to English translation). He was captivated by the jittering motion of Winnie the Pooh’s honey jars on certain pages and giggled to sounds, such as Pooh’s snoring, on others. Once Landon decided I could finally have my phone back, I started to take a look at the options the app enabled users to choose from and was impressed by the thought and effort that Disney put into development. My favorite option has to be the Use My Recording option, because it is something we can use in our house to have Landon’s father read him a bedtime story even when he is across the country for work.

This is an app I recommend to all parents!

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Intel and Toshiba just launched a new campaign called “The Inside Experience,” a Social Film experience directed by DJ Caruso, starring Emmy Rossum, and possibly Maya! Maya is going to enter a video audition clip to see if she qualifies to cast in this LIVE entertainment experience which will blend film and social media.

For those of you who don’t film well (umm…have you watched my unboxing videos?), We can play our part through Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. We can submit clues to the main character, Christiana, through social media during the show’s airing, which will be in episodes from July 25th through August 4th. The film editor will incorporate tweets into the show that best fit the story line.

For more information visit: http://www.theinsideexperience.com and follow via twitter @ToshibaUSA and @TheInsideExp.

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Armed with a pocket full of business cards and comfy teal-sequined kicks, I donned my press badge and had field day at the 2011 CEA Line Show in NYC last month. It was a science and tech playground for the blogger in me! I got to touch all sorts of new tech toys that hadn’t even hit the market, share perspectives with industry leaders and learn about new techniques and concepts in everything from wireless technologies, security and cyber-safety to social networking for pre-teens.

I talked with companies big and small, some names you know and some that you are only now just hearing of and I captured a few great convo’s to share with you, some of which I have posted about and some which you will hear more about once products and interviews become available. It was a sweet day to be a blogger…

Oh course, I told you all about Intel’s Education Service Corps and shared this video: Intel’s Wayne Grant Tells Us about Intel Service Corps & the Classmate PC

But I haven’t yet had the chance to tell you about these…

Music Lites Talks to Cutegeek at the 2011 CEA Line Show

Azuna Talks to CuteGeek about its Print Technology at the 2011 CEA Line Show

Cell Handle Talks to CuteGeek at the 2011 CEA Line Show

Celestron Talks to CuteGeek about a few of its hottest new products:

• The Retrace Personal GPS
• The Sky Prodigy Telescope
• The USB Microscope

And Cutegeek wil be checking out Celestron’s SkyQ app for the iPhone this week so watch for that.

I shared my thoughts on the Motorola Droid X2 and unboxed the Motorola Roadster with you, sharing the following videos:

• Motorola Gives CuteGeek a Droid X2 Demo at the 2011 CEA Line Show
• Motorola Rewards Safe Drivers…Get On-Board!
• Wendy Unboxing Motorola Roadster.mov

Of course, Radiris and I told you all about our Ladies Night with HTC at Blow NYC and some of the great products we got to preview including the new HTC phones, some with 3D functionality and the very sleek HTC Flyer. If you missed it, check out: HTC Hot Products Chat, Ladies Night @ Blow NYC. All dolled up from our glamour treatments at Blow, Radiris and I hit Pioneers Party where I played at being a DJ, wrapping the night with good food, good music, great company with amazing hair…

Everyday can’t be a like this but it is sweet to land one once in awhile! Best of all, I gathered tons of ideas and suggestions for back-to-school, holiday gifts and a few other lists I am pulling together for CuteGeek so watch for them…and as the Fedex and UPS burn tracks to my door with deliveries from our latest CEA friends, some interesting product reviews will becoming your way…

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Wendy got an on-the-spot DJ-101 lesson at a Pioneer press event last month. With The Crystal Method mixing onstage amidst the funky retro-mixers-made-art show, Wendy was off to one side with her pioneer DJ Master, a DJM-900 Nexus 4-channel professional DH Mixer wired to a Macbook Pro with an unreal techno/house/hip-hop music library and a pair of noise canceling headphones. It was music bliss! After a 5 minute tour of the board with some hands-on how-to’s on scratching, mixing and adding effects, Wendy was syncing beats across 4 songs in her own little “I’m-a’DJ” world for the next 20 minutes. The Nexus has a multitude of color and sound effects, a new X-pad control that provides quick easy access to manipulate the parameters of each beat and supreme sound quality with a built-in 24bit/96kHz high performance sound card. It offers versatile connection options with Pro DJ Link and top panel USB connector. It was so easy to learn that urban-mommy was in her alter-ego chic-mix-master in minutes. Sweet innovation Pioneer!

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Wondering what the next emerging ideas are in technology? Latitude, an international research consultancy, asked 201 kids, ages twelve and under, across the world to draw something they would like their computer(s) or the internet to do differently. 4 in 10 responses indicated the desire to merge the contrast between online and offline. The children illustrate that they seek to experience more human-like interactions with technology. Some of these ideas range from a computer where virtual input produces real life products, such as food, to children even envisioning virtual companions or assistants.

Through this study, Children’s Future Request for Computers and Internet, we are getting an intriguing sneak peak into technology to come. Some of the other ideas included video calling with real-time translation, virtual travel, virtual search engines, and solar powered computers.

With statistics showing 77% of the kids envision more interactive technology to come and 48% of the kids desire more gaming and entertainment in the future I am sure a few of us parents are going to be put to the test of getting our hands on a Wii U, PS4, or XBox720 within the next year or so…

A summary of the study is available here.

Image: Arvind Balaraman

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Whether food is your thing or you are a culinary illiterate, the NetChef is an ideal kitchen companion. The NetChef is more than networked kitchen recipe rolodex, it puts the art and science of food at your fingertips with touch screen technology and Wi-Fi connectivity. Whether you are a well-weathered cook who regularly strains your brain looking for new meal ideas or a novice learning your way around your spice rack, the Netchef’s preloaded (up to 500!) recipes can help you get creative with your cooking.

Because the Netchef is a ‘connected’ device, it pulls the latest information form the internet so your content is always current. The Netchef has food categories you’d recognize such as Appetizers, Breads, Main Dishes, Soups, Salads, Beef & Pork, Seafood, Desserts etc, pulled from a website. You can also search and download recipe websites, recipe applications, cooking videos and RSS cooking news.

The NetChef has a high-resolution 8” touch screen, two hi-fi speakers for enjoying music in the kitchen, a built-in 2GB memory to store all your favorite recipes and family secret sauces, and external memory can be expanded to 32GB. NetChef is very open to working with popular recipe and cooking websites to add to their preloaded content. Sungale has already integrated Youtube’s most popular cooking channels in NetChef and will continue to expand the content to suit the needs of the NetChef cook. The NetChef will be available in August.

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No preaching intended, these are the facts: If you are driving while sending texts, you are 23 times more likely to be involved in a car accident. Car and Driver conducted a study in 2009 that indicates that texting while driving is significantly more dangerous than driving while intoxicated and we all accept that drinking and driving don’t mix; now we have to open our eyes to the dangers of texting-on-the-road….and do something about it…and AT&T is…

AT&T is committed to safe driving and is delivering this message loud and clear to teens through its Txting & Driving…It Can Wait campaign aimed at educating teen drivers on the dangers of driving and texting. The campaign funds short 10 minute education and awareness films such as The Last Text, four stories of texting, driving, tragedy and needless loss.

Watch the movies, learn about the campaign and test your safe-driving IQ. Commit to the cause by taking the pledge to stop texting while driving and share this vital point of view with the text-aholics you love. And, when the tempting ‘ping’ of a new text makes you reach for the phone while driving for fear of missing out on something or keeping someone waiting, you may think twice and do the safe thing…

We share because we care. Have a safe fourth of July holiday weekend!

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Maya is so excited to have a laptop she can call her own. She starts exploring the desktop to see what apps come pre-installed.

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Hi CuteGeeks!

A little over a month ago, I attended a workshop titled “Confident Communications for Women”. I had a personal interest in this because I feel that I do not know how to effectively communicate sometimes. The workshop was a lot of fun and I received so much information that I definitely left feeling more confident (knowledge if power!). I met Jezra Kaye at the workshop because it was hers! – and I just had to ask her to be on our site because she intrigued me so much. If only because of her deep passion for helping women to get to better places – through confidence – or because of her wit, and how she uses technology…actually, I have a lot of reasons why I admire her, but let me let her tell you why she rocks.

CuteGeeks meet Jezra….

-Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
I started out my adult life as a jazz singer, and worked in that field for about 18 years, supporting myself with secretarial, bartending and odd jobs until, at age 33, I decided that it was time to look for a new career. That led me to corporate speechwriting, which ultimately led me to the speaker coaching business I have now, Speak Up for Success.

-How did you get started in technology, or at your current position?
Working in offices all my life, I was an early adopter of some great new technology: The IBM Selectrix II typewriter; the Xerox Mag-Card 6500 (which could hold an entire line of text? in memory, allowing you to edit one line without retyping for the first time in human history); the Wang word processor (the first machine that allowed operators to exchange information through a central server); and, in 1984, that newfangled thing, the personal computer. My first was an IBM XT, which had no internal hard drive (you had to switch 256K floppy discs to change from WordPerfect’s writing to editing functions); my husband and I bought a 40mg. hard drive for $200 (big money back then), and he installed it himself.

This has all come in handy for understanding my tech clients, and for working with technology as a speaker coach. But in terms of how I got to where I am as a speaker coach, the simple answer is, lots of work.

-Was it tougher because you are a woman?
The feelings of self-doubt and the persistent suspicion that I didn’t really belong in a high-powered career made it tough; and although men feel those things, too, I think they hold us women back more.

-If there was such a thing as reincarnation, would you come back as a man or woman-holding all other things equal…?
A woman. I would never give up the closeness, camaraderie, and emotional expression that women are capable of.

-Describe a “normal” day in your life.
I’m a seat-of-the-pants businesswoman, so every day is different. Typically, mine include checking email, drinking coffee, writing a blog post or newsletter or workshop plan or client document, drinking more coffee, doing some chores (I work at home), drinking coffee, relaxing with a romance novel, eating ice cream, and then settling down after dinner for the serious work (writing a book, for example) that’s hard to get done in the day, with its interruptions. Some days I meet with one or more clients, some days I lead or attend a workshop, and once or twice a week I go networking or have dinner with a friend or colleague.

-What’s your favorite aspect of working in technology?
My favorite aspect of coaching people in technology is how damned smart you all are! It’s wonderful to work with clients who get the big picture, understand the points you’re trying to make, and can improve so quickly between sessions.

-What have been some of your challenges you faced, and how did you tackle or overcome them?
I find the hardest challenge (still!) to be self-acceptance. It can be scary to rely completely on yourself for your own career development and success, and there are days when it’s hard to believe that my boss might actually know what she’s talking about!

-Have you ever felt like you needed to hide your femininity or that fact that you were a female?
No, for me as a coach, being female has been fine. But there are times when I wish I could hide my age!

-What advice do you have for females interested in getting into your field?
Find a good mentor and a supportive community, and get ready to hunker down. If you care about developing a high-level skill set, it’s going to take at least five years to get there — and mastery takes about ten.

-What’s one gadget you can’t live without?
My stovetop espresso maker. Also my Macbook Pro. I can’t believe it took me 26 years to switch!

-Do you have a personal ‘mantra’ or certain words you live by?
“I know how to do this. I know how to do this. I know how to do this. I know how to…”

-And lastly, what drives you?
Passion. I love being a speaker coach, and if I can help even one person, that adds another layer of thrill.

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Intel Inside…that’s what you think when you hear the name Intel, that chip that just keeps getting faster and faster, powering our computing at lightening speed. Well, Intel is not just inside… Intel is out there in the world empowering children worldwide and preparing them for the 21^st century through the Intel Learning Series, a unprecedented display of corporate citizenship and dedication to educating global youth…

“Knowledge is the new currency” and Intel knows that putting technology in a classroom is not a panacea. Teachers need support and training to utilize classroom technologies and children need to be motivated and engaged to learn through them. Based on years of ethnographic research, field studies and with effective partnering, Intel has developed an entire ecosystem that unifies PC Manufacturers, Operating System vendors, content and software providers, and educators with the common goal of collaborating to create comprehensive education solutions that meet the local needs of students in grades K through 8^th in over 60 countries and twenty languages around the globe The Intel Learning Series is a sustainable model that benefits individual students and local economies, meeting local needs and respecting local cultural identity.

I met with Wayne Grant, Intel’s director of Research for the Education Market Platforms Group at the CEA Line Show last week and was so moved by our discussion that I wanted to hug him and I said so. I went back a day later to do just that and he summed up our discussion for you in this clip…

The Intel Learning Series model is designed to support students who learn in different ways and at different paces by engaging them in a fun and multi-sensory interactive education experience. Intel works with teachers to integrate multi-media content and internet resources into the existing curriculum. Intel has a reference model design for the Classmate PC which it licenses to local PC Manufacturer’s. Intel employees are so committed to the success of this program that they have developed the Intel Education Service Corps through which Intel employees volunteer to travel and provide their technological know-how to improve technological literacy of children worldwide during their vacation time! That is dedication I admire!

Connect with these great do-ers and experience their adventures at Intel’s Education Service Corps (IESC) blog site.

Subscribe to the Classmates PC YouTube Channel and follow the progress of this phenomenal program.

To the 100 plus Intel Education Service Corps Volunteers, you are my heroes. You demonstrate that ‘corporate cares’ enough to give some time (away from family and comfort), roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty in the challenges that society faces to make for a brighter tomorrow. You do much more than your motto suggests; “Putting Social Responsibility on the Agenda”…because you get it done! You are the role model for the difference each individual can make. Thank you!

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You just bought a new laptop, received a new camera for your birthday or won an MP3 player through a giveaway. What about your old one, or your broken one…are you really ever going to use it or is it going to sit in a drawer and collect dust?

Gazelle believes “your gadgets are worth more than you think” and they will put their money where their mouth is. Gazelle purchases your used electronics and resells them on their eBay store or recycle them. They have a database of over 250,000 products they repurchases and depending on the condition of your gear and its accessories, cables, etc. the website quotes you a price and you can accept or decline. Through July 15^th,Gazelle will give you an additional 5% on your next trade in if you enter code GDGTNY at check-out.

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Just wanted to take a moment to say hi and tell everyone a bit about myself!

I love all things design and technology. As a web designer during the day I specialize in front end development, and in the evening I am glued to the computer with freelance work. While I have a degree in Visual Communications I am now working towards a degree in Computer Science.

I have a handsome son, Landon, who is turning two in September. He keeps me on my toes and his laugh can turn my worst day around in a second! When I am not busy working or chasing Landon around I like to run (I am the organizer of a local women’s running group), learn more about photography, and try new things. I am also addicted to anything Adobe, online tutorials, my EVO, dark chocolate, and shopping

On CuteGeek I would like to bring some tech insight and recommendations for moms, fitness junkies, and designers!

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Leap Frog invited our cutegeek team to check out the new LeapPad which is available for pre-order starting tomorrow, June 29th at Leapfrog.com and other online retailers. It was cool to see so many toys that I have and that I share with my brother…and some, like the LeapPad, that are totally new. This is my Thank You to Leap Frog…

And this one too…

Thank you Leap Frog!

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Maya shares her knowledge of computer safety and how to care for a computer properly…

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Maya, with her little brother Elijah at her side, powers on her new laptop…

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Parents…you say you want an iPad? Well Leapfrog wants to give you one….and give your kids a LeapPad too. Just go to the Leapfrog Facebook page and follow the easy instructions by July 15^th.

Tell Leapfrog about your tech-toddler travesties and the three best stories will win. Did your son flush your phone because you said ‘it was dead’ when the battery drained? Did your daughter try to share her breakfast with grandma via a Face Time conversation by placing your new iPhone 4 in her Cheerios? Or do you have a heart wrenching ‘shattered screen’ story of comforting your child from the ‘oops it broke, mommy’ after the slip of your new tablet onto the kitchen floor.

Share your technology tales-of-woe. Laugh, cry and commiserate with other parents who have been there with you…you have nothing to lose and an iPad and LeapPad to win!

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Tablets, unlike smart phones, tend to be heavily shared devices and they need a ‘wardrobe’ to meet the habits and hazards of their users. I purchased an iPad2 in March of this year and was shocked to find that the only cover I could purchase at the Apple Store was the Smart Cover which only protected the screen. I left the store thrilled with my new tablet but weary of carrying it outside the home because it was under-dressed and vulnerable. At home, I only allowed the children to use it while sitting on my bed or on bean bags in an attempt to keep it safe until I could find the right case. I wasn’t the only iConsumer in this bind.

Incipio designed its ultra thin Smart Feather iPad2 case ($35) to fit with the Smart Cover and even created it in the same colors, so my tablet is lime green all around. It is thin, lightweight, durable, scratch resistant and I don’t have to forego the benefits and investment in the Smart Cover to get the ‘back end’ well dressed. Cudos Incipio!

If you already have a Smart Cover then the Smart Feather is an ideal mate for function and design. The shell clips on to the back of the iPad 2, wrapping around the aluminum rim but without covering the front bezel. Cutouts along the shell’s rim provide access to the headphone port, microphone, the sleep/wake button, side switch, volume control, speaker, 30 pin connector port and the rear camera. The case is designed to accommodate the magnetic spine on the Smart Cover. If you haven’t yet purchased the Smart Cover then consider some of Incipio’s full-bodies iPad2 cases.

Incipio also offers a full array of wardrobe options for all of your Apple gear, smart phones and tablets.

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You are a hands-free talker when you drive. You don’t fiddle with your phone and chat in the HOV lane. You are responsible and you do it because you know it’s the right thing to do and because you care about others. Motorola salutes your responsible attitude and wants to recognize you, reward you and make it worthwhile for others to follow your example.  June is Safe Driving Month and Motorola Mobility, Inc. is creating awareness in more than 40 states with existing hands-free communication laws by rewarding responsible drivers who keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road with hands-free calling and texting solutions. Through Mototola’s Responsibility on the Road program, Motorola is collaborating with state police in select cities to put Bluetooth devices into the hands of drivers who follow their state and local hands-free laws.

I met up with Juli Burda, Senior Manager for Motorola Mobility’s Gobal PR at the CEA Line Show this week and she filled me in on the program’s details…

Visit Motorola on Facebook during June and pledge to be “Responsible on the Road” by using hands-free technology and Motorola will give you 50-percent off select Motorola hands-free devices. Motorola Mobility offers Bluetooth headsets and in-car speakerphones so you can talk-on-the-go and respect state laws. Hands-free devices like the Motorola Roadster, a voice-enabled, in-car speakerphone featuring the MotoSpeak text-to-speech and speech-to-text capability will make it easy and safe for you to make and take calls or hear or respond to text messages while you drive.

Motorola Mobility also provides online resources to educate drivers on new and existing hands-free legislation and includes safe driving literature in-the-box with new mobile devices. Drivers can also find information on hands-free laws at Motorola.com/motospeak, and those with Android phones can access Motorola’s Smart Handsfree app which uses GPS to discern a user’s state and display an overview of cell phone and texting laws.

I took the pledge, got my discount code and I can not wait to get on the road with a Motorola Droid X2 and a Roadster to enjoy my driving responsibly and stay connected while I head to the beach with the kids this summer.

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Too cool to describe in words, just listen to the video and look at the pics to get the scoop on the event:

The goods

Trunk goodies

Wendy getting fab

Time to make me pretty

The amazing Paul doing his thang

Some of the lovely ladies who sponsored, hosted or simply enjoyed the event

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My feet are sore, my back hurts from lugging around my laptop + goodie bags, my room is a mess and I have a stack of papers, business cards and a ton of other stuff to go through. It means there’s a lot going on in tech this week.

I attended a Holiday Gift Guide Show (sponsored by Propel Media Events on Tues), GDGT event (also Tues) and Digital Experience (Wed) all in two days. Tonight there is an event sponsored by HTC at a Hair Salon and we can’t forget about the CEA Line Shows going on – oh, and my day job!

During my lunch breaks and anytime after my normal workday, I’ve managed to schmooze my way into the world of technology by simply saying ‘Hi, my name is Radiris Diaz…(they look at my badge…I wait for the question…and then BAM – ‘CuteGeek huh? Tell me about it…BAM – back to me’…CuteGeek was started about 2 years and we showcase the female perspective on technology, or in Wendy’s words (which always sound better – I love her!) ‘we cover Science, Technology and Lifestyles’…Ultimately, I’m all about improving my life, making it easier, saving time, etc – if anything can do any of the above, I want to know about it, so that I can bring it back to all of YOU (yes, you reading this).

I’ve met an extraordinary amount of talented people, have learned about cutting edge technology and have fallen in love with so many things – I want to paint my apartment, turn my phone into a universal remote for only 9.99, sign up w/ Tagged, check out new Orchid collection on 800-Flowers, set up my Buddah Board on my work desk, get one of HP’s wireless mice (only one on the market with no tiny usb thingies that I’ll end up losing), play a video game through OnLive since they’re sending me a free device!, watch videos on Swrv and reminisce about the days when The Box used to exist and…get a new digital camera – maybe one that projects my pictures (Nikon makes one).

Wendy and I have spent a lot of time pondering the toys, tech and articles we would like to bring to you, including polls and giveaways. Zenia and I handled the largest science fair like event in tech last night.

So follow the CuteGeek tech week adventures on Twitter and tell us what you think, what you want and what …

BTW – Pepcom (who hosts Digital Experience) has the absolute best events. They are by far my favorite to attend. The food is great, the people are beyond incredible, and it really makes getting to know tech, or the new product to hit the tech industry extremely enjoyable. I can’t wait for the next event!

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Last Thursday, June 19th IBM celebrated it’s 100th anniversary…100 years of solving difficult problems and reinventing itself, it’s workforce and the society’s concept of a ‘workforce’ to tackle mankind’s next most immediate hurdle.  For a quick and powerful trip through the last century of progress as seen through the eyes of IBM’s innovations and social contributions, watch the IBM Centennial Film: 100 X 100 – A century of achievements that have changed the world, check out the latest news on the IBM Centennial at ibm.com, or learn what it means to be building a ‘smarter planet.’

IBM has grown old by ‘staying young’ and thinking big, broad and beyond tomorrow. Sam Palmisano, IBM Chairman, President and CEO sums it up in his opening letter to the 2010 Corporate Responsibility Report, “To achieve long-term success, you have to manage for the long-term.” IBM is 100 years young and applying technology, creativity and innovation to challenges real and eventual, across all walks of life in over 170 countries. Happy Birthday, IBM!

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Toshiba wants to get you back-to-school with a variety of new, fast and sleek Satellite Series notebooks coming out this month. My personal favorite is the Satellite P700 Series notebooks which are ideal for multi-tasking students and young professionals looking for a trendy but sturdy, high-performance notebook for on-the-go social-networking, hyper-caffeinated internet-surfing, movies, music and to serve as the ‘hub’ for all of their ‘smart’ devices.

The Satellite P700 features:

• Toshiba’s textured Fusion X2 shell which resists fingerprints and smudging.
• 14, 15.6- and 17.3 inch HD LED backlit screens
• harman/kardon speakers with sound enhancements from Dolby and Waves Audio
• raised tile keyboards
• HDMI port and USB 3.0 port for faster data transfers
• 2^nd-generation Intel and AMD A-Series processors
• Storage options up to 750GB
• Optional features include: Intel Wireless Display, 4G WiMAX and a Blu-ray disc player

The Satellite P700 Series features USB Sleep & Charge and Sleep & Music, allowing users to charge and/or play music from their ‘smart devices’ while the laptop is powered down. Pricing starts at $629 with availability starting June 19.

If the P700 is more machine than you need and more than you want to spend, then check out the equally stylish Satellite L700 Series, which offers robust features, great performance and a sleek design available in a multitude of colors (Brushed Aluminum Blue, Graphite, Silver, White, Red and Brown), with displays ranging in size from 13.3 inches to 17.3 inches. Pricing starts at $449.

If you are looking for a dependable basic “no-bells-and-whistles” laptop, then check out the Satellite C600 Series, a very affordable, easy-to-use PC for basic productivity at home, office or around town. Basic features include DVD SuperMulti drive and standard keyboard with 10-keypad. Pricing starts at $379.

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1. The Cute Geek Back to School Guide: Toshiba Laptops
2. Back to School: HP Photosmart e-All-in-One Printer
3. Back to school review: chicboom Keychain Speaker by chicBuds

In my never-ending quest for tech that simplifies my life, I was googling on key themes that cause me strife. Spelling, believe it or not, is one of them…. “i” before “e” except after “c” is a mantra for me and yet I still can’t spell ‘their’ right the first time I type it each of the 20 or so times in a day…but I found a great piece of software to set my spelling straight…Ginger!

Ginger software products are designed to enable people with Dyslexia to effectively communicate but they are great for anyone who needs a smarter spell-checker. Ginger has spelling and grammar check with contextual spelling correction and misused words correction. Once you download the software, a little green button hovers at the top of your screen. If you want to invoke Ginger (sweet pet name!), you just select the text and click on the button. If fact, Ginger can correct in most common applications (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Internet Explorer and Firefox) you are using and alert you to the fact that you have made errors even before you ask.

If Ginger detects a potential error, the button will turn red and read “Mistake Detected.” If you choose to “Ginger It” then double-lined window opens that shows you the sentence you wrote and the how Ginger would like to correct it. You click to either accept or ignore. If you aren’t sure, Ginger has voice ability to read it out loud to you! This is great software for business professionals typing on-the-go e-mails and official documents (Ginger is watching out for me even now…) or kids learning to read and write. It is also an invaluable tool for anyone learning English as a second language. You can get a free trial download at Ginger’s Website.

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Victoria’s Secret Semi-Annual Sale started yesterday and you have to shop quickly to get your sales. Take advantage of this and say ‘no’ to paying full price for anything.

Happy Shopping!

(More coupons available through RetailMeNot.com – if you shop before Sunday, you can also get 20% off on any item using 1HotSummer )

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I love Bath & Body Works - they have a great sale going on. You can buy their products at up to 75% off!!

Use Thanks20 to save 20% on your purchase up until July 3rd

(Don’t forget to check RetailMeNot.com for additional savings)

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A Nervous Rex!!!! I resemble that remark….ok, seriously, I digress….

If your kids love dinosaurs and you all like to laugh, then Maya and I have an app for you…Silly Dinosaur Riddles! Beloved children’s science author Seymour Simon (author of the app Science Fun to Go) and his longtime collaborator, the hilarious illustrator Dennis Kendrick, have created an ebook of dinosaur riddles that is bound to get giggles from your youngsters!

Why did the T-Rex cross the road? And, what should you do if you find a blue Triceratops? Are just a few of the clever riddles you and your kids will giggle about. The app has a “Read To Me” option for the emerging reader and a “Let Me Read” option for young readers. Silly Dino has very engaging audio recorded by Grammy award winner John Marshall Media studio, which invites you to laugh along at dino-humor while reinforcing knowledge of dinosaur names…and let’s face it…it is cool for a kid to know the difference between an velociraptor and a brontosaurus. Silly Dinosaur Riddles is available for the iPhone, iPad, iTouch, or Android phones.

See what Maya has to say about Silly Dinosaur Riddles…..

Maya Reviews Silly Dinosaur Riddles App

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In my never-ending quest to maximize the usefulness and versatility of my gadgets, be stylish and true to my mobile lifestyle, I have come across an award-winning company that really ‘gets’ my on-the-go needs: iLuv, which stands for “Innovative Lifestyle Unquestionable Value” (see what I mean!). iLuv designs accessories for mobile devices that are functional, versatile, stylish and affordable. My latest wish list accessory is a phenomenal case that any iPad 2 user would relish, the iCK826 Professional Case for iPad 2 with removable Bluetooth keyboard.  This elegant leatherette case feeds my occasional need for the tactile response offered by a traditional keyboard over the touchscreen keyboard interface when writing extensively on the iPad…say for e-mail, blogging, journaling….you get the idea.

The iCK826’s most notable feature is the removable Bluetooth keyboard that adds a traditional keyboard experience to the power and portability of the iPad 2.  iLuv designed the keyboard so that the keys react and respond to the user’s touch in the same tactile manner as a traditional computer keyboard, providing a typing experience that is familiar to the user and completely different than that of typing on the device’s touchscreen display.

The iCK826’s keyboard includes a micro USB port for fast charging of the internal battery that will last up to 30 days on a single charge. Secured with four Velcro strips attractively and elegantly sewn into the leatherette case, the Bluetooth keyboard can be easily removed and will easily operate from across a table or at the foot of a bed in a hotel room. If you tend to wall-mount, stand or prop your iPad then you will appreciate the keyboard’s versatility and the retractable kick-stand, which ensures the most comfortable viewing angle when typing or consuming any kind of content on the iPad screen.

iLuv makes audio docks and accessories for the iPad, iPod, iPhone, Samsung Galaxy and Blackberry as well as a whole host of PC, audio and power accessories….and stylish, colorful cases for just about anything ‘smart.’ See for yourself at iLuv.

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It is approximately 2 pm and I’m in the Miami International Airport. I’m listening to Obama from some screen that I can’t see and all I hear him talking about is how high tech fields can’t hire skilled workers. He said only 14% of undergraduate students are pursuing degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. 1/3 switches out, and about 2 out of 5 actually graduate in less than 5 years. Obama said we need to make sure our companies have a steady stream of skilled workers to hire and this is why I think Lebron is still a winner, despite the loss last night.

Lebron is a winner because even though he ‘left’ the hood, and Cleveland, to pursue his own personal interests, he didn’t forget about the hood.

A couple of months back I received a press release regarding Lebron James, and him bringing more than just Heat to Miami…Lebron James, in partnership with HP, donated so many computers throughout the states, in big cities, urban cities, because he sees the value that technology has.

Technology can help decrease the educational gap that some of us are faced with, when we leave these inner city schools and go away to college. There are so many choices out there, but one of the choices that many of us NEVER had to make, was the choice to be as equally prepared as the student next to us. That is one decision that was out of our grasp, and Lebron James is trying to change that.

Many criticized and still criticize his decision to leave Cleveland to join a team with ‘better’ players, but in the end, look at how far the Miami Heat made it in the playoffs – they were 2 games away from possibly winning it, showing his decision did in fact bring him closer to putting a ring on his finger.

As someone who grew up in the ‘hoods’ of NYC, who still lives in the ‘hood’ and who is actively searching to LEAVE the hood, I plan on leaving because of many reasons, number 1 being my safety, and my decision to have more space, and more resources to bring me closer to my dreams. I don’t want to make the direct comparison of me being like Lebron James, because I for sure, don’t consider myself the ‘queen’ of anything, but if leaving the hood means I’ll be closer to something that’ll make me better, than hell yea, I’m moving.

Why not?

Why should Lebron have the burden of something he didn’t create?

He didn’t forget about Cleveland – and his donations prove that.

I won’t either.

Lebron – you’re still a winner in my eyes and always will be, as long as you continue trying to help those that are less fortunate that the NBA has made you, in hopes of them reaching their next level.

(Thanks HP – you’re always winners in my eyes)

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…to Miami and a bunch of other major cities that is.

On March 2nd, the Lebron James Family Foundation & HP announced they would contribute to the intelligence of our nation’s future by providing them with the technology to help them achieve success. 1,000 computers will be donated to 59 Boys & Girls Clubs across America – Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Cleveland, Connecticut and of course, Akron, OH – his hometown & the location of my last project.

This isn’t the first time Lebron invests in education, last year he blessed after-school programs in Akron with 1,000 HP computers. Stories like this are what really make me smile – seeing someone literally not forget about the ‘little people’ even after he’s made it big.

“Our goal is to empower young people and having access to state-of-the-art computers and technology ensures that children will have the tools they need to achieve success”, said Lebron, and I agree with him 110%. Students will be able to do their homework on the PCs, learn about tech, develop the skills they need to compete, and prepare for the world of work.

“We’re delighted that our technology will help Boys & Girls Clubs members pursue their passions and learn necessary skills that will allow them to succeed in a more connected and collaborative world,” said Satjiv Chahil, advisor, Global Market Development, Personal Systems Group, HP.

(I should’ve posted this sooner – but I forgot…better late than never and today is the perfect day!)

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I spoke too soon last week. I have to take everything I said about not being sore back…approximately 24 hours after my run, I took a 3 hour nap after work. When I woke up from the nap, I realized I had worked out a lot of muscles the night before on my 7 minute (if that) run. The muscle, which I associate with sexy baseball players, above my knee, going towards the inside of my leg was extremely sore.

My inner thigh (front & back – just in case they are different ones) – both extremely sore.

My shin – extremely sore.

I would point to all of them and take pictures, but I can just take a picture when I get home, of the shoebox, which highlights all of the key muscles that it aims to work out.

I love these sneakers, have raved about them to those around me, and I just ordered my mom a pair! Go Reebook RunTone Action – while I still don’t enjoy running, I definitely enjoy being sore and feeling like I’m a lil’ closer to being tighter and toner!

(This is the cheapest place that I could find them online – Amazon.com is the best!!!! Look at the different color options to make sure you get the cheapest price, if that is all you’re interested in…also, don’t forget to sign up for Amazon.com’s Mom Club, to get Free Amazon Prime for a year, which means Free 2 Day Shipping for a year…$80 value)

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Even the most gregarious, playful and adoring fathers need a moment alone and a space to call their own…a Man Cave. Whether this space is his ‘home office,’ his ‘work room,’ the basement, the garage or the den, it is that place that wear he rules when he is in-the-house and all else defer lest they wish to suffer his ire…

If any of this rings true with you then rejoice because you have a chance to become your cave-dad’s hero. TiVo has launched its Dad’s Tricked-Out Man Cave Sweepstakes to award one lucky father the man cave he has always wanted. Every dad deserves a place to escape and watch the game in peace, so this Father’s Day, enter Dad for a chance to outfit his pad at facebook.com/tivo.

The prize includes:

• the world’s first Smart DVR — TiVo Premiere
• a TiVo Wireless G Network Adapter
• one year of FREE TiVo service
• a brand new 46″ Samsung LCD HDTV

TiVo Premiere is the world’s only Smart DVR and the perfect gift for dads this year. Not only is it the best at pausing and recording live TV, but what even the smartest dad might not know is that TiVo Premiere provides access to the world’s largest on demand library from services like:

• Netflix
• Hulu Plus
• Amazon Instant Video
• YouTube
• Pandora
• and more…

Whether your dad prefers movies, online programming or live TV, he can quickly and easily access all of his favorite actors and television characters through TiVo’s gold-standard user interface and universal search feature. TiVo Premiere also records up to 45 hours of HD programming — much more than any generic DVR — allowing the most Brilliant TV to shine through.

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Many of you may not know this about me, but in the late ‘90’s, I was a Peace Corps volunteer in two Panamanian villages, Pedernal and  Embera Drua, and experienced life without bathrooms, without walls, without shoes.  For many, there is nothing to adapt to, this is life as they know it. Shoes are a luxury and are often a barrier to receiving education. Lack of shoes exposes children to injury, soil-born illnesses and parasites that enter the body through skin.

I used to travel home and collect my younger sister’s outgrown shoes to bring back to the village. I could do that since I had access to 1) a little girl’s outgrown wardrobe and 2) village children who needed and wanted my sister’s gently warn shoes. I still want to help but can’t fly as often and I know of countless others who would love to help but also don’t frequent rural villages in developing nations….and then there is that ever-looming concern that “what difference can one person really make”…Yesterday, Moraima Avalos, a sweet and savvy, socially-conscious 17 year-old NYC high school student gave me the answer:  Tom’s Shoes. For every pair of shoes Tom sells, they give a new pair of shoes to a child in need, one for one. Tom’s even publishes an annual giving report so customers can really understand the breath of the impact their purchase has.

The shoes are stylish, washable, comfortable, affordable and for each pair you and your loved ones wear through, you are ensuring that somewhere, possibly a place you don’t even know exists, a child is getting a pair of new shoes personally sized and placed on his foot (no exaggeration!) because you choose Tom’s for your beach shoes or playground shoes. That feels good for me, does good for other’s and espouses the values I want to teach my children. What a win-win with no effort on my part.

If you want to truly understand Tom’s inspiration, watch this short video and if you want to experience shoelessness, then sign up for 2012’s One Day without Shoes. Imagine that if your family all wore them, then an entire family somewhere would have shoes. if a hospital’s staff decided to wear Tom’s shoes, or if a school that requires uniforms decided to recommend Tom’s shoes, then an entire village of children would have shoes. It is inspirational…and actionable. Thank you Moraima!

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Getting good grades is its own reward but Blockbuster is sweetening the deal for American youth by rewarding students who work hard with a little ‘down time’ through their “Good Grades, Free Rental” program.  Children in kindergarten through 12th grade who earn a B average or better on their report cards can head to participating Blockbuster stores nationwide to receive a free, one-day, non-new release movie rental. Qualifying students are eligible each grading period for one free non-new release Blockbuster movie rental in DVD format.

Blockbuster store across the country. The report card must be from the 2011 school year, show a B average grade (Satisfactory, 2.7 or 80% grade) or better, be signed by a parent or legal guardian and be presented within 30 days of issuance of the report card. Rentals must be made by an authorized renter on the Blockbuster account of the student’s parent or legal guardian. For more details, check out Blockbuster’s FAQ’s at Blockbuster.com.

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Motorola’s Sanjay Jha and Sprint’s Dan Hesse got together with NYC techies to unveil the Photon 4G, one of several Motorola Android phones coming to Sprint. The Photon 4G is as fast as ‘smart’ gets at the moment with a dual core processor and 4G speeds, 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB for storage. The Photon is sleekly designed with rounded corners, a textured back for comfortable hand grip,  a phenomenal display resolution and a kickstand around back so it stands on it’s own. It has everything you’d expect: Gingerbread, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 8 megapixel HD video front-facing camera and a few things that you wouldn’t expect but will be thrilled with like International GSM capabilities and 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot capability for up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices. The talk was heavy on specs but sparse on availability and pricing so the best I can tell you is to watch for it this summer…and it is worth watching for….

While you wait, check out this video of the Photon in action…

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Since getting my Android Infuse last month, I noticed that I tend to use the phone rather than my tablet for quick and dirty web-searching and had to ask myself why. I have gotten addicted to Android’s 4G speedy returns and was frustrated with the 3G on my iPad 2. In the hectic haze of a typical multi-tasking, micro-device-at-my-fingertips day, I need dependable, flexible and fast WiFi at home and on-the-go, and these days I need it to support laptops, tablets and multiple smart phones. I also realized that I dread the looming warning e-mails that I am approaching my cellular data plan limits. Who needs that stress?

I spent some time considering my options and decided to leap into a newer 4G service called Clear.  For $45 per month I can create your my own personal portable 4G hot-spot anywhere and connect up to eight simultaneous wi-fi enabled devices. This is “super fast take-it-with-you internet” for on-the-move professionals with a pocketful of wi-fi enabled gadgets. The way I see it, this service may pay for itself if it lowers my exorbitant monthly Starbucks tab by freeing me from the enticement of free wi-fi.

Clear is offering a web special right now where you get their new Rover Puck for $25 with carrying case, free activation, one month free and free shipping (usually next day) with a two year service agreement. They offer the same low price for month-to-month verses contract but the only the contract comes with the freebies and discounted modem.

It only took me minutes to sign up for the web special over the phone and I am one day away from my own personal hot-spot! It should work right out of the box with registration and it will be password protected so no one can steal my wi-fi but I can offer to share it! I will be the girl at the park getting work done on a breezy day, or the mom at the playground on a video conference or the friend at the waterfront café chatting on FaceTime with family in South America while she waits for you. More to come on where my new hot-spot will take me…

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I have never stayed at work as late as I did yesterday, without doing work that is, but the fact that I ‘wanted’ to test these bad boys out made me find all the things in the world that I had to do…I eventually went ‘home’ – aka my hotel, and I changed into my workout clothes, dreading its tightness, as I reminded myself ‘I need to do this – you are going to Miami and have too many summer trips planned. Only Jell-o should jiggle…’

I put on the sneakers, took a picture…a before…and can say from the moment I put them on, they felt like a world of difference. I have Nike running sneakers but I bought them over 2 years ago, and while running sneakers are supposed to be upgraded every X number of months – I don’t really run, so I still have them. The RunTone’s are extremely light, offer tremendous arch support, even for those with flat feet, it felt nice. They came laced, which I think is common now, but I’m ol’ skool and barely buy sneakers, so I remember having to lace mine up. Whoever laced these knew they were going to be mine because they felt perfect – they were a perfect fit.

I jumped around a bit to feel the ‘balance ball inspired’ tech in action, and because I didn’t have my other sneakers I can’t really explain the difference, but the weight of the sneakers was. I went running outside, in Hopewell, NJ – the center of fun in South Jersey…and I didn’t run more than 1.5 miles because I was running on a road, leading to the i-95 and it just felt weird. I need trees and people, and not military helicopters flying above me.

The run went well, and probably would’ve lasted longer had I not cramped up on my right side of my rib cage/lung/that area of my body. I felt like I had some pep in my step, but many people say running is mental, so maybe the fact that I had these new sneakers made me want to run. It was fun and bouncy though – that wasn’t mental…The lightness of the sneaker and the ‘bounce’, if that makes sense, made it more enjoyable. I was running on cement, not a nice track or anything but I didn’t feel any discomfort what so ever – except when I started running on what I thought was flat grass, and ended up on bumps and random holes in the ground…minus my close call with the ground, I enjoyed myself. I went home and had my tank top wet from the sweat, which is a nice indicator of getting something done, and I was red for about an hour after…woohoo to my heart rate being super high!

As someone who does NOT run, I would like to say that these sneakers are a motivating factor to my future workouts. That decision is solely based on the comfort it provided. After my run I also went bike riding for a while, because it was still light outside and I figured I’d take advantage, so today, while I did not wake up feeling all kinds of soreness on my leg muscles, I did feel some soreness, but it was from biking. Even after my run, my legs and feet felt good and that’s something that I wasn’t used to. Some recommend buying running sneakers half a size bigger, to alleviate some of the pain, or tightness that one feels after running, but my toes felt great before, during and after the run.

The best part of working out is feeling the pain leave the body, as you wake up sore, meeting muscles you never knew existed. Although I am not sore today, I can imagine tomorrow, or the day after I will be, especially if I continue trying to run longer distances. The sneaker has a net-like fabric in the front, allowing your feet to breathe and something else that was interesting is that everything is seamless. I couldn’t find anything in the sneaker to potentially cause some pain…but it was my first run!
I recommend these sneakers that ‘tone and strengthen key leg muscles with every run’. I purchased mine on RueLaLa.com, but you can purchase them close to anywhere – and they have a bunch of nice colors. I stuck with black because the pink ones were sold out.

Strutting my stuff!

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The GoFlex Satellite Mobile Wireless Media Storage Drive is the ideal gift that you will want to borrow back from your man. This Father’s Day wow him with the altruism of a tech toy instead of a tie and simultaneously, get back at him for the kitchen appliance he gave you for Mother’s Day! With 500 gigabyte capacity, this little 5 inch drive:

• stores over 500 of your favorite HD movies
• has it’s own WiFi to stream content to up to three WiFi enabled devices simultaneously
• automatically syncs media and docs from your computer
• fits in your purse!

Imagine all the possible scenarios in which you could put this sweet device to work for you. Long car rides with one kid streaming a movie on the iPad, another is streaming music to their iPod Touch and you on your Smart Phone streaming photos to organize and post to Facebook. It works with other tablets and Androids too. Think long flights, think airport time, think about anywhere you spend a lot of time waiting with others and could leverage that time to simultaneously read, watch, listen and work.

You can even stake your claim on some of those gigs before it gets into his hands by doing the set up and loading it with your media in advance. This way you can demo it as soon as the bow comes off.

Setting up the GoFlex Satellite is as easy as opening the box, connecting the device to your computer with a USB cable and following the instructions on screen. You will be ready to migrate your media in minutes! The drive comes partially charged and WiFi-ready right out of the box. All you have to do is point each of your Smart Devices to the GoFlex in the WiFi Settings. Apple Users can download the free GoFlex Media App from iTunes / App Store and Androids and tablet users (including the iPad) can access the content by going the www.goflexsatellite.com once connected to the devices WiFi. If you are tech-gun-shy, do the setup on a weekday so you can take advantage of Seagates standard business hour tech support and 30-day warranty.

My Seagate GoFlex is the perfect content hub since I work between PC and Mac environments at home (the home-home office and the home-work office), am constantly on the go for work and play, and love to share my photos and videos with family and friends but don’t want to keep it all stored locally on my phone where other family members don’t have access to them. The city girl in me loves that I have finally found a way to watch movies on long subway rides without filling up my phone and using earphone splitters for the kids because they can be on their own devices streaming alongside me.

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One day I will admit to the world that I am a techie, until then, I will continue denying it because I don’t want to be categorized, or placed in the box of ‘techie’ which has the negative connotation of being boring, not being able to speak to other people, programming all day, wearing jeans at work, smelling like yogurt and crayons from being in a carpeted room full of computers (that’s how the apple clusters at Carnegie Mellon smelled), or anything else that makes being ‘geeky’ not cool. So no, I’m not a techie damnit. I smell good, love my job, and am surrounded by tech which I love because I don’t need training to operate.

For those that don’t know, I went to Carnegie Mellon University, where I studied business administration. The business majors in my school were the most personable, the hottest were in the Drama school – I can’t even lie about that. Even though I was a business major, I was required (mandated/commanded/etc) to take a programming class. Randy Pausch was still at CMU when I attended it, and I had the honor of learning to program using Alice – which makes programming fun and super cool to make (my first/major project was having a couple dance salsa-very fun!). As a CMU alum, people always assume I’m a techie because of their extraordinary Computer Science program, or Robotics, or Electrical Engineering – but I wave my business degree with pride! I use tech but I can carry a conversation (it is a terrible stereotype – but I can’t change it overnight).

Photography – a class that I yearned to take as an elective is ‘tech’. There is so much ‘tech’ in it – the development, digital photography, graphic designs, etc. Being a director in the Drama school requires tech too. Being an editor for the school paper requires tech as well. Even if you were an English major – I’m sure you use tech to drive people to want to read you stuff.

Tech is everywhere and there are so many opportunities that women can pursue to join this industry. I pursued a career in consulting after college and now, as I try to figure out what certifications to get, I am seeing the greater value technology adds. I would’ve never dreamed to be in IT, or to have a site that focuses on women in tech/who use tech/who like tech – yet, here I am, almost admitting that I am a techie.

The day that the phrase ‘techie’ has all of the positive attributes that it actually has, will be the day that I wear my ‘I’m a techie and I’m proud’ cape…until then, I’m not a techie, I’m just a regular cute geek.

Thanks.

(btw – if any women in college, or even out of college want to learn about other opportunities in technology, or what working in technology mean, feel free to contact me, if I can’t answer your questions, I can find someone who can – RadirisD@cutegeek.com)

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Blogging on our site is simple – we do a quick background check, thanks to google, ask about your interests, see if there is a good fit, order business cards, create an email address, give you access to our wordpress, all the key passwords and BAM – you’re a blogger.

We’re currently looking to add more bloggers – bloggers that can cover some of the other hats that women wear – students, kids, mothers, professionals, etc. Within those groups, we would also like to get an intern that would like some experience with managing different forms of media, that can help us create a constant flow of content on our site.

All of our bloggers are X by day, blogger when they have the time. None of us are full-time bloggers and while I would love to blog all day, having fun doesn’t pay my bills, or anyone else’s (yet) so we need some help.

If you’re interested, contact RadirisD@Cutegeek.com. A media manager will work with all of the bloggers, but will require very little time, and will be a great resume building opportunity.

(Thanks in advance)

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Having recently “i-ified” my life, I am still smarting from the frustrations of duplicate photos/movies (yes, I copied them twice…sometimes thrice), multiple iTunes accounts / Apple Ids and utter confusion around what content I purchased and where it has gone off to. Worse yet, having once wiped-out my device (and um…with the help of Apple Support…overwrote my back-up with factory settings!), I live in constant fear of data loss. It can sometimes be quite a burden to be so ‘smart’…

Apple to the rescue with iCloud, a (obviously!) cloud-based content service that will store and stream all of your music and media content, not just your iTunes purchases to up to 10 devices automatically, and best of all wirelessly! No more tangles of USB 2.0 cables! Your content will automatically be available on all your Apple portable devices and computers, both Mac and Windows.

Before you get too giddy, iCloud and the Apple iOS 5 operating system for the iPhone / iPod Touch are months away from my hungering hands and won’t be available until the fall. In the meanwhile, Apple has provided a “purchases” tab under the store which shows all of your purchases on all devices synced with your current iTunes. Apple support tells me that it will actually show all content purchased on my current computer and any devices I sync to it using iTunes but I have not tested the multiple iTunes account content just yet. So, we can at least install anything we purchased on our iPad onto our iPhone or iPod with ease.

iOS 5 will offer a lot of new features, photo editing in the camera app, tabbed Web browsing, managing my To-Do lists with reminders, unlimited Wi-Fi texting for iPad and iPod Touch, Twitter integration and a host of others. We will be able to seamlessly upload photos when taken, tunes when purchased or documents as created without running for cables to sync, or texting/e-mailing to share to another device. Your calendar entries will be up-to-date and your contacts will be current on all of your devices…Nirvana!

iCloud and iOS 5 will make iOS devices provide a more seamless and personalized media experience for the individual but it may create complexities and possibly additional cost for families that associate multiple member’s devices with one master iTunes account. All content on associated with an Apple ID  (pictures, documents, pdfs as well as music and videos) is game for automatic synchronization. This isn’t so much of a problem for laptops that have profiles but iPads do not and they are often shared among family members so security and content-appropriateness is a concern. It will be great for iPhones and iPods which tend to be single person user but I am concerned about what content and apps may suddenly become available on my iPad, and to my children when I intended it for myself. I am going to believe, for now until I can test-drive the iCloud myself, that Apple has already thought out family-sharing on the iCloud and the ability to manage and secure device-specific content. In fact, I bet they are filming the on-line tutorials even as I type…

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I love basketball and as we approach Game 4 and start mentally preparing for the Heat to win tonight (let the hating begin) – there’s also a cool idea to start mentally prepare for. Gaming – in the world of physical motion.

Last year, at E3, Microsoft turned ‘us’ into the remotes of our gaming consoles – we’ve done yoga, danced, ran in Olympic games, etc – but imagine how this new concept of gaming, which is changing up and infiltrating all of our experiences, would change playing a simple game like basketball.

Forget NBA Live, the game I think my brother lived for each year it was released, and picture yourself physically getting into the game, with more than just your fingertips. This game is set to be different, and in a world where different is the goal, and being unique and all that other good stuff, it is pretty exciting to just think about the possibilities. Imagine watching yourself play in the game.

Majesco has partnered with the National Basketball Association (NBA) and have committed to releasing a new game that utilizes motion-based gaming technology in the Spring of 2012.

Majesco makes casual and family oriented games (console and digital) and have over 20 yrs of operating history. They are headquartered in Edison, NJ and have an international office in Bristol, UK. They are known for Cooking Mama, TETRIS Party Deluxe and Zumba Fitness (which I would love to try out on my Wii).

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Working out is fun for some, but not so fun for me – because of that, I am always looking for ways to make it cool. Buying new things always feels nice, because its like Christmas when I go home, as I open up my packages. I recently bought these sneakers because I got tired of hearing about these ‘shape-ups’ devices (aka sneakers) who apparently work out the troubled areas we all have…well, everyone but my little sister who apparently has a perfect body even after eating tons of pizza and McDonalds. (I say apparently because I just realized yesterday how perfect her body is, and by perfect I don’t mean skinny, I mean she has curves, and looks fit – btw, please return your white bikini, thank you.)

As I get better, I mean older, I’ve noticed that my #1 physical asset – my legs, are not as toned or tight as they once were…look at the pic circa 3 yrs ago…I bought these “RunTone Action” sneakers to put their ‘balance ball inspired tech’ to the test.

I’m going running tonight, and plan to bike ride within the next week.

If anyone is interested, I’ll take ‘before and after’ pictures of my legs, while reviewing these sneakers. We’ve never reviewed sneakers, but there is a lot of ‘tech’ that goes into these products.

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Thanks WITI (Women in Tech Int’l) for starting this a couple of years ago. I would love to celebrate Women in Science & Tech every month, but I already know how hard it is to find women that want to be showcased on our site as a Brilliant Women in Tech, so CuteGeek.com is going to start volunteering some women they know, websites run by women, women bloggers, etc.

Kudos to all the women in science or technology, who are working to make our presence in this industry known – we’ve made great strides, but we still have work to do.
If you work or know a great women in tech – recommend her to us (radirisd@cutegeek.com) – send us links of sites you like, anything – we don’t know what we don’t know, put us on!

Happy Women in Science & Tech Month!!

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If someone were to ask you how you visualized yourself – what would you say? Who would pop into your head? Which memories?

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I just emailed my friend about no longer eating food for nourishment, but starting to only think about food because since I would no longer be consuming it…thanks bikini season…thanks for arriving quicker than planned, like a ninja in the night…

Summer is almost here and now is when we all start brainstorming ways of losing weight, or jiggle, whatever you may call it – the quickest, cheapest, most dramatic way possible. (Mission: Rediscover my ribcage or Check out this cool thing called Clavicle). I go through waves of emotions, excitement, desire, etc…like many of you…when trying to tackle this issue of wearing a bathing suit that will allow me to exude confidence, walk without holding in my tummy, or belly – depends who you ask…that will also disguise any lines that should not be visible to the world…aka…crack. I get excited when I find something new.

It’s hard. My friends know – forget runner’s high, or craving a workout – I DO NOT know what that means. I can tell you a funny joke – maybe even cook you an amazing breakfast, but finding a workout that works, which I enjoy is something I haven’t discovered.

P90X, Insanity, Bikram Yoga, etc. – I’ve tried them… I actually enjoy some parts. Like the end of the 90 minutes of Bikram Yoga, where I’m dying and melting into my yoga mat, as I stare into the ceiling, hearing my breathe and thanking myself for still breathing.

Technology giants are hearing us though – because this sentiment isn’t unique to me. Today I ordered a pair of purple (because I need bright colors to motivate me) of Reebok RunTone Action sneakers…in hopes of eventually finding the sneaker that will do all the working out for me…

The reason I bought these new sneakers is because I will get to try out TomTom/Nike’s running watch, to be able to update my cool friends on where and how long I’ve been running from. There is another aspect of social networking that people don’t talk about – like how easy it makes it to fish for compliments, or how easy it is to find a workout buddy…

I wore a BodyMedia FIT device earlier this year – during CES, to see which blogger would walk the most and the best part about it was syncing it up to your PC – determining what you wanted to do, whether it be lose weight, or lose weight in X amount of time. The fact that it told me how much activity, or calories burned I would need to get to that point made me want to walk more, or run, or climb stairs. I loved that it tracked my activity. What was even cooler is that I was familiar with the device because a lot of its ‘brains’ were started at Carnegie Mellon University, when I was a student there, so I can say I contributed to some of its coolness. It’s pretty pricey, but really helps in assuring you burn enough, by tracking your activity and making it extremely easy to wear, charge, sync in your computer or phone, etc. I’ll write further about this device. It really is great.

What is everyone doing to prep for this big event called the summer? Are you changing your eating habits? Are you working out?

Please share!

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Meet Maya Elektra, CuteGeek’s youngest tech reviewer and the star of our HP Wireless Printer Video clip earlier this month.

Maya is 7 and a half years old and is just learning to read. She has grown up around technology, art and literature and loves anything that brings them together. She attends The Child School on Roosevelt Island where she competed in this years science fair against kids from kindergarten to twelfth grade and she won a Science Award this month in her Washington Heights community through The Children Arts & Sciences Workshop. Her Science Club teacher has agreed to let Maya demo some educational tech in class when they reconvene in September.

This is Maya chillin’ in the subway at Columbus Circle, immersed in playing Angry Birds on the new Android Infuse.

(Maya is Wendy Wick’s daughter – if you are interested in getting Maya to review items – please email Wendy@CuteGeek.com)

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Scene It? Movies 2 is an engaging way to test your knowledge of the last 30 years of Hollywood movies alone or with friends via AirPlay. While I consider myself to be pop-culture challenged and current-events-impaired, I fared pretty well against the ‘put your money where your mouth and wager’ option….of course, for me that means I attempted 10 questions before I lost my shirt!

Seriously though, I was surprised at how much I did know and how much fun it was to rack my brains for movie trivia. Playing Scene It? Movies 2 also gave me a few good titles to add to my Netflix Queue and was a more entertaining way to do it then surfing the cover art! The App is available via iTunes for both the iPhone/iPod and iPad.

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AT&T recently launched a nice enhancement to their individual and FamilyTalk Calling Plans for people with Unlimited Text Messaging. If you have or want to sign-up for unlimited text messaging, you now get unlimited calling to any (yes, ANY) mobile number on any network in the US (and Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands) at no extra charge. Yes, free mobile-to-mobile calling, regardless of the network your friends and family are on!

If you are like me, always on-the-go chatting with friends and colleagues who are also on-the-go, then free mobile-to-mobile calling offers huge savings on monthly minute consumption. Only catch…you have to ask for it, so call up AT&T or stop in a store and they can upgrade your account in seconds…and so you can start banking your mobile-to-mobile minutes into your rollover minutes.

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Farrah from New York City is proud to be a Geek on Geek Pride day!!! Send us your pic and we will post it today! Radiris@CuteGeek.com

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Thanks Jelissa Toro! Definitely looking mighty geeky with your latest accessory!

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