CuteGeek

New York Baby Show This Weekend – I kid you not!

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 16 May 2012 03:05:02 +0000

NY Baby Show - Yup, I’m serious.

Who would’ve thunk it?

We have this show, that show, all sorts of shows…it was only time before the babies got their own show…especially since Snookie may have her baby ‘debut’ on TV (I heard it on the radio this morning – she may record her delivery…)

If you have time this weekend, come check out the games, speakers, vendors and activities that they’ve planned for this family experience.

Although I do not have any children of my own, I do plan on attending on Sunday. There are lots of ‘baby-tech’ gadgets out there, and strollers to be test-driven.

Oh and I can’t forget the nursery giveaway! If i win, I may just have to get a baby

For $12 discounted family tickets click here – sponsored by the Daily News.

Here’s their message:
The New York Baby Show, running 10AM to 4PM on May 19th & 20th at Pier 92, is a family-friendly event for new and expectant parents from the Tri-State area and beyond. Explore a mix of top products and services for maternity, baby and toddler, along with an inspiring menu of speakers and demonstrations from highly regarded and beloved figures in the world of parenting and pregnancy.

Favorite Website of the Week: UrbanGirlSquad.com

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:42:10 +0000

Boy am I glad I live in NYC and it is not because of our attractive athletes or incredible shopping…it’s because of the opportunities that exist here, especially for women, created by women.

The Urban Girl Squad is an organization that strives to give women the opportunity to meet other women, while doing really cool out-of-your-ordinary activities. I loved the site because it says its networking without collecting business cards and actually CONNECTING. Sign me up! They have events tailored around food, music, dancing, physical fitness, fashion, networking, etc.

This FREE social network is for women in their 20′s (55%) and 30′s (40&), who are interested in sharing a key to the city with a bunch of cool women. While these are not requirements, many of the Urban Girls are single (82%) and have a college degree or higher (about 92%) – talk about the perfect group of ladies to want to meet!

I feel so lucky to have been introduced to this site – I am very much looking forward to meeting new ladies and experiencing some new things this wonderful city has to offer!

Interested in TechnOrganizing?

Radiris Diaz — Sun, 13 May 2012 16:58:05 +0000

Well if you are – TechnOrganizing: 6 Principles to Enhance Our Relationship with our Technology is a call that is taking place tonight that I just HAD to share with everyone.

Who isn’t tired of all their tech? Or maybe overwhelmed by the number of email accounts they have to manage? Or maybe you have chargers coming out of the wazoo at your place??

I know I can nod and put my hand up for some of those – if you feel the same way, then please check out PerformHigher.com.

PerformHigher.com hosts weekly 1 hour calls on Sunday – to help you start your work week off right. Yesterday, I just so happened to be blessed with meeting its creator, Jullien Gordon, and ironically enough – tonight’s topic is right up CuteGeek.com’s alleys!

I hope you all take advantage of this FREE opportunity to learn some new insights in how we can enhance our usage of our technology. I know I will!

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id America Calligraphic Leopard Case for iPhone 4-NINA CERTIFIED

Nina Pena — Mon, 07 May 2012 18:15:07 +0000

As most of you know I am a royal but graceful klutz. My first E3 with cutegeek I had a sprained ankle and even then Radiris was worried I could injure myself further. Where am I going with this? I drop my iPhone 4 at least once a day so cases are crucial for my iPhone’s survival.I feel as though it says help every time it goes into my purse.

When I first got an email to review a Leopard case I immediately flashed back to the Dave Chappelle’s show skit “It’s Leopard.” I had no idea on the color they would ship or much about the case. I have utilizing cheap plastic cases that have not been cutting it. I was curious and when my purple leopard case from id America arrived I was impressed.

The texture is a rubberized coating on the outer shell of the case which improves grip but it also has a soft touch. The case is 19.95 on line and to be honest at first I thought who would pay for a case until I received this one. It comes with a lens wipe and protector as well and it was simple to snap on to my phone. I have dropped my phone, immersed in water by accident (not by choice),and left it in a hot car. I am convinced this case is not destructible. Cheers to id America for making a case that is truly Nina certified. Click here to purchase this case and stay tuned for E3 updates as it gets closer!

www.vistaprint.com

Nina Pena — Tue, 01 May 2012 23:46:43 +0000

I had t-shirts made on Vista Print for My Take Steps Walk I am doing and it literally took me under 30 minutes to design this from their pre-designed patterns. The pricing was reasonable and I was so impressed on how inexpensive and how cool the designs were. Re-ordering of the same design is also easy but will take 2 weeks for printing. Check out my design for the walk- all I did was import pictures and simple text…the rest was a breeze!

Stay tuned for picture of us in our fancy Vista Print shirts!

iPhone 4 Fav Apps

Nina Pena — Tue, 01 May 2012 23:18:37 +0000

I have been busy fund raising for the CCFA walk in San Francisco 6/9 and became a team captain. This is why I heart the iPhone 4; I have a funding raising tool app for my walk Team Nina’s Nincompoops through the Take Steps mobile app. It keeps me updated and organized for the walk!

I ended up downloading the MS Messenger due to the fact I have had a hotmail account since 1997…yeah that ages me but no matter how much I try to get rid of it people know me from it therefore I downloaded the MS Messenger app and I use it daily since I forward all emails to that account anyhow…Why I have no idea…Loyalty?

It’s baseball season and well LET’S GO GIANTS! I got the MLB iPhone App so I can keep tabs on my boys the SF Giants because we need to win! Admittedly after I watched Moneyball I have a soft spot for the Oakland A’s so if the Giants aren’t playing I am watching them. This app keeps me in the know of the games and also quickly lets me buy tickets. Again where was I before the iPhone Apps?!

Ringtones app is another one I love and makes me chuckle daily. I swear the free ringtones alone will entertain you for hours or maybe just me…I’ve gone Robin Hood style on my ringtones as I would refer to it. Each tone has a trumpet or horn that expresses the importance of the text, email or facebook post.

I recently sent one of my pals a pimp-my-text message and I think I blew her mind! Another fun free App to utilize to through anyone off or surprise someone!

Get the Evite app! No explanation needed! If you ask you then you don’t know. I did my first yelp post from my iPhone as well for a local restaurant and felt pretty cool.

Please inform me of any apps you think I would enjoy to test out.

The Power of Technology & Your Social Network

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:22:37 +0000

I’m not sure how fast the news spreads across the country or world, but this past weekend NYC suffered a terrible accident. A minivan with 7 passengers, 3 generations of a Dominican family died in a car crash in the Bronx. As a Dominican American – my network consists of many Latinos, many college graduates and many people who share newsworthy articles and links – so anything affecting Dominicans comes my way, one way or another.

Yesterday, one of my first times on Facebook in a long time, the topic on my newsfeed was this tragedy…to my surprise, people in my network knew the family – from church, school, fraternity, etc. It hurts when you hear about bad things happening, but even more when you know people close to you are suffering. It was impossible to not watch news clips of the family, for example, the well spoken son Jonel Gonzalez, and not shed a tear or cringe from the thought of how he must feel.

But with all tragedies, some good should be found – there is always some light at the end of the tunnel. Jonel is a recent brother (as of April 10) of the Latino fraternity called Lambda Upsilon Lambda (LUL) and through the power of their network, of technology and simply, human compassion – support for this family is growing at exponential rates. Whether it is sharing an article to spread the news, or emailing the link to send donations to the family, the impact is phenomenal, and just one of the many ways that you can never take your network forgranted – regardless if its on Facebook, at work, or on a basketball court.

Kudos to La Unidad Latina for their support and initiative in raising funds for this family and a big thank you to all that have used technology to spread, share or contribute to the information/opportunities available at the tips of your fingertips.

Contribute to the Gonzales family fund.
Information about the accident.
More on the accident from CNN
Learn more about LUL.

Happy 42nd Earth Day

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 03:06:17 +0000

If anyone is near the Big Apple – you may be wondering if Mother Earth is crying her eyes out, or crying tears of joy today.

Today marks the 42nd year that Earth Day is celebrated. While some argue that we should make everyday Earth Day, it is still a nice reminder to have this one day to show us things that we can do.

As of today, Philips has started selling their 10 Watt L Prize-Pro LED A19 Dimmable 2700k light bulb – expected to last over 20 years, save money and a lot of energy consumption. The price of the bulb will vary by location because many utilities are providing rebates and Home Depot is currently selling it for only $49.97

Last week, at Pepcom’s Annual EcoFocus event, I met a lot of new companies that are striving to improve and encourage sustainability amongst all ages. An interesting, and very fun campaign is ‘Littering is Wrong Too’. This campaign is highlighting wrongs that we’re all aware of (like drunk texting…that was the ‘wrong’ that I contributed). It is a very fun way to help keep America beautiful by understanding and acknowledging that littering is wrong.

The wonderful city that I live in, aka the Big Apple, has a lot of different initiatives going on, helping us become more green and some have started saying we’re going to be the Big Granny Smith get it??

Happy Earth Day everyone…and in Barney’s voice…clean up, clean up, everybody, everywhere…clean up, clean up, everybody do your share.

It’s National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day!

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 21:30:51 +0000

Did you know that every year, the day after the good ol’ mass robbery (aka Tax Day), it’s National Wear Your PJs to Work Day!

It’s pretty awesome, if you asked me. I wish I could wear my pajamas to work. Oh wait – I can…I may get arrested though – jk!

Nina’s fav free iPhone 4 apps this week…

Nina Pena — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:18:19 +0000

I went to play in the apple app store again before my trip to LA and downloaded every free app I could find to occupy my long drive to LA. I have always been able to make myself laugh at my own imagination however owning an iPhone 4 has enlightened my entertainment horizons.

First why the heck was I driving to LA? Last minute trip to see my cousin’s band Schwarzenator play at the Viper room. As any reasonable techy I downloaded Kayak and started checking out flights and also hotel deals. In minutes I had results and realized driving was my only option due to poor planning (totally my fault). I loved how quickly the Kayak app worked and also schooled me…j/k.

I downloaded some games most of which I did not use but one of them is a blast. I love me some skee-ball and though my highest score in bowling has been under 100 I enjoy the sport…it’s about the experience! I downloaded Xenocade which has HYPER STRIKE or ULTRA RAMP. I learned two things I still suck at bowling even digitally and still rock in skee-ball!

Another game I downloaded was Draw Something Free OMGPOP. One of my friends sent me my first draw free request and it was hilarious and I didn’t get it at first b/c my parents didn’t school me on the Bon Jovi. It read “I’m a cowboy on a steel horse I ride”…all I had to do is type Bon Jovi and yet I didn’t know it.

While on my journey to LA we encountered rain, snow and drove through a rainbow. I downloaded the weather channel app b/c one day I tried to check the weather just using my iPhone weather app and it was off. In fact I got laughed at b/c it literally said it was 13 degrees outside and when I looked out my window it was sunny and not snowing plus it’s San Francisco. I texted one of my pals locally and asked dude is it really 13 degrees outside and the response was “LOL no.” This warranted me to get the Weather Channel app which I utilize daily.

Still on my journey to LA the highway went to a dead halt. Certainly there is an app for traffic in California especially in LA and there is. I downloaded while on the road the CHP traffic app that you can get on the California Highway Patrol website. It gives you pretty accurate information on traffic delays and has a map to inform you when you will be out of traffic misery.

What I am about to say makes me feel like an adult but I downloaded the Wellsfargo app. I know it’s not a game but ease of use is nice and these days we all need to keep a good eye on our bank accounts with fraud being easier to happen. This is another app I use almost daily.

While I’m on the feeling adult moment I also got the New York Times app; a girls got to stay on top of her tech news and USA today wasn’t enough. I just need to turn off all the alerts because at times I am getting news overload!

I also have began to read books on my phone which I think may decrease my vision. Currently I downloaded Great Expectations to my iBook book shelf and quickly got bored therefore I moved on to a much better book…10 Fun things to do with your Microwave. I love the first thing on the table of contents “Will it blow up? What can we stick in? Microwave Night at MITERS.”

Dictionary word of the day reminds me of my childhood BFF who had to read the dictionary daily while I ate all the yummy fried food her mom made (don’t judge the fry daddy is a great invention). It also reminds me of Pee Wee but it’s doubtful any will utilize the words of the day they send in an average day- needs to be provoked I suppose. I still enjoy my word of the day alerts and use the thesaurus every once in a while.

Lastly my newest discovery is the Evernote app which for me who has been an Executive Assistant for 10 years wonders where have I been without this tool? I use the voice recording tool for reminders for my day. Sometimes I pull a bazinga on myself earlier in the day while recording and tell a joke in the middle of my note reminding which makes me instantly laugh.

I have many more apps I have downloaded so stay tuned and HAPPY HUMP DAY!

Intuit Credit Card Swipe for a good cause…

Nina Pena — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:26:55 +0000

I saw the Intuit ad online and thought why not for the cure of Crohn’s and Colitis Next Steps walk for the cure fund raising?! The intuit credit card swipe is an amazing iPhone tool and app plus it works on Android as well.

The set up was pretty simple. I downloaded the app on my iPhone 4 and created a user account once I got my free credit card swipe in the mail. It connects to your 3.5 mm jack and requires no set up- just plug that sucker in. After downloading the app and plugging it in it was ready to go!

Next you will get a credit card in the mail for your Intuit account which again was simple. It’s a visa card and usable just like a credit card. I created my account online and BOOM I made my first swipe! My aunt for the cure of Crohn’s and Colitis Next Steps walk sent me a check in the mail therefore I cashed it and used the Intuit for the first time for my fund raising account.

OMG it was totally cool to charge your card on your phone…this could be dangerous…or fun but ease of use for this product is amazing…plus you can use this for fund raising which it has an app for.

Sweet deal, great for fund raising and cool to just bust out when your friends can’t front the bill…

Friend:”oh I’m sorry I don’t have cash”

You: “No problem I have my Intuit credit card swipe should I include your portion on the tip?”

Friend: (speechless and dumbfounded)

All in all this is being used for a good cause and I love it!

Skype-a blessing in our lives or a potential curse?

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:20:48 +0000

Skype has been around for years and its been on the map even before Microsoft bought them. I never used it though because if I was webcaming I did it through Windows Messenger. As texting raged across the world, even if it was only mine, the convenience of not plugging in to say something won the battle with the webcams – that and being able to take a picture and send it less than a minute later.

Skype was big amongst my international friends, but since I went abroad in 2007 – MSN was enough to chat with my then partner, despite the ocean between us.

Most recently, a tech savvy prospect, encouraged me to Skype. I thought nothing of it, but if you can think about those ‘tingles’ new people in your life give you, I’d like to say having a pokerface is mandatory to skype. Unlike Lady Gaga, I have no pokerface. None whatsoever. You make me blush? You’ll see it…you make me uncomfortable? You’ll see it…

Which brings me to the point of Skype is freaking awesome! I wish i used more of it when my life consisted of barely being home, and always being on the road. It provides the comfort of seeing a smile, instead of just hearing one on the phone. It brings your loved ones to your fingertips, or about 20 inches, depending on how you have your phone or screen positioned.

Now while that is all fine and dandy I’d love to bring to light an issue that hasn’t been quite ‘out there’ so to say. We’ve all heard of phone sex, ‘sexting’, even cyber sex but what about Skypey-time (Borat voice).

What happens when you’re Skyping with a loved one, not necessarily sending explicit messages, or pictures but you’re in pajamas, hanging out in bed. Would you want those pictures out there? Probably not.

Be very conscious of who you ‘bring’ into your personal space, because on top of seeing your body, they can see where you live and maybe other important things you are not aware of.

Another cool thing about technology is that you can multitask, you can be in the middle of a conversation, while typing up a paper, creating a PowerPoint, or even creating a collage of pictures. Pictures can easily be captured through Skype by a plethora but one of the easiest that comes to mind is the Print Screen features most PCs have.

Like the way you look in that cami? Well I hope you don’t mind someone having a picture of you in that cami, because they can, if you’re skyping with them.

While technology can serve as a blessing to the lives of many, it can also be detrimental to others, if misused. Please educate those around you, especially teens, who tend to live in the now. I was there, I know what its like to feel invisible, but it is important that we all know the benefits and risks of using video capabilities on your phone or your PC.

On a brighter note, Skype is a great tool to use to study with people. A friend offered the option this week and since then I’ve been amazed on how technology really is making my life easier.

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Favorite Website of the Week: Hipmunk.com

Betty Abinader — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:41:37 +0000

Many of us are used to booking travel through the typical websites, such as Kayak, Hotwire, Orbitz, Expedia, Priceline, etc. I honestly can’t even remember what traveling was like before the internet. Maybe I’m aging myself?

Whoops!

Just two years old, Hipmunk is a new take on travel, and it strives to make travel planning less agonizing. A cool feature about the travel website is that it displays flights in calendar format. All the usual flight info is included, however, you can also see if Wi-Fi is available on your flight so you can plan ahead on whether you want to use the travel time for leisure or for work. Obviously, Wi-Fi availability is subject to change depending on the carrier and any changes they make to planes.

After signing up with Hipmunk, you can enable calendar integration and find flights that work with your schedule. Nice! You can book hotels on the website too. Hipmunk displays hotel locations using Google maps and includes Trip Advisor ratings for each hotel. Another really awesome feature for the hotel search is that you can select heat maps to display various hotspots for dining, nightlife, shopping, tourism, vices, and Walk Score.

Hipmunk is a one stop shop for everything you need to know about the place that you are traveling to, and they have a mobile app. How cool is that? They are definitely taking the agony out of traveling. Woohoo!

Let us know if you’ve used Hipmunk.

Nina’s top 10 iPhone Apps for now…

Nina Pena — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:16:45 +0000

I have to be honest I have been using smartphones with Web OS or Windows for so long when I got the iPhone I geeked out on the apps. I went crazy in the free apps store; I was like a kid in a candy store. Chloe was a tad confused on all the odd noises mommy’s (me) phone makes and continues to be confused.

Rightfully so one of my favorite apps is Pocket Whip. I have no idea why this makes me chuckle but just shaking my phone for the sound effect of a whip is hilarious. Chloe each time looks at me very confused and I have a feeling I cannot use this app at restaurants or bars just so there is no spit in my food.

My favorite website is facebook as you all know. Having that app has been awesome posting pictures, status and where I check in. The updates are also great; that commercial “That was so 4 seconds ago,” is me telling Marco. LOL!

For those in the city or for those who take road trips this app is perfect and free! GasBuddy app helps you locate inexpensive gas nearest to you. Sadly I went to high school when gas was .97 and now to pay over 4.00 the GasBuddy app helps me find the best solution for inexpensive gas on the go.

I took over 5 years of Spanish and to this day unless I am submersed in the Spanish language for over a week I am literally a deer in headlights when anyone speaks Spanish to me…and I’m Mexican! So to help me learn the language I got the Google Translate App. It’s pretty cool I just spoke into my phone and it translated it to Spanish or French or maybe Mandarin. I shall never be at a loss for words again!

As I continued my journey of downloading as many free apps known to man I stumbled upon Camera Awesome by Smugmug. Ironically the polite folks at Smugmug asked me to review it after I downloaded it via cutegeek email. I can honestly say I haven’t had much experience with it yet but I have been playing around with it and my favorite feature is the instant touch to take a picture and it looks amazing. I’m still toying with this though I think this picture I just took says it all- AWESOME!

I literally own about 5 different glosses due to the fact that I loose them to the giant abyss of my purses or the fact that I change them all the time. The Flashlight app has been a blessing for locating items in my purse or finding my glasses. My Husband downloaded this for me embarrassingly…enough said.

While we are on the topic of me loosing items I decided to also update and install Find iPhone just in case I would loose my phone again in the abyss of my purse. It’s a great feature and helpful for those who may leave their phone at another location. In my experience as an Executive Assistant I can vouch and say that every phone should have this feature.

USA Today app I had to download even though the news depresses me in a world where technology moves quickly and news continues to change by the second it was necessary. At this point I thought well heck I guess I need the NY times as well which I downloaded to my iPhone newsstand.

Here in San Francisco you never know if it will be cool, cold or abnormally hot. Here is when my The weather channel app helps me out daily. Free download and usability is easy.

I have yet to use this but I think it is the coolest app for anyone who has become a fanatical like myself with the iPhone…Voxer Walkie Talkie. Since I’m from Texas I had to check this out; downloading was easy now I just need other pals who want to to Voxer with me.

Favorite List (in no particular order):

Pocket Whip
Facebook
GasBuddy
Google Translate
Smugmug
Flashlight app
Find iPhone
USA Today App/ NY Times Newsstand
The Weather Channel

10. Voxer Walkie talkie

I’m getting a Intuit® GoPayment Pay as you go to test out! Online Enrollment Review…

Nina Pena — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 22:48:41 +0000

I don’t work for a company or job that I need an Intuit Go Payment swiper but lately every restaurant or food delivery place now has this tool and it’s A-W-E-S-O-M-E! I was curious to see how it works and how easy will the usability be for the iPhone 4. I have heard so many great things about this product and it just keeps showing up at all my local restaurants.

I decided to go online and Enroll in the Pay as you go since it’s free and they send you a free credit card swipe to test out for 30 days. I have no idea how I will utilize this iPhone tool yet but I will find a way. Or find a way to somehow break it. Below are the payment plans to choose from.

The application was fast and one page- no credit check needed since it’s pay as you go. Below is the confirmation I received. I can’t wait to test this out and plan to check my mail box daily.

“Congratulations! Your Intuit® GoPayment application has been approved. Here are your next steps:

#1: Download the GoPayment app onto your phone.

If you have

iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch
Android phone
Blackberry phone

Download GoPayment

iTunes App Store
Android Market
Blackberry App World

#2: Look for an email from us. In it, you’ll find out:

Your monthly credit limit
How to create your User ID and Password
When you can expect to get your FREE credit card reader (which will save you a good chunk of money on processing fees).”

Stay tuned for a review on this product and maybe it can even be Nina Certified.

Happy International Women’s Day

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 02:26:53 +0000

Better late than never right?

I was meaning to write earlier but I totally lost track of time due to travel, but either way – kudos to all the women in the world.

Here at CuteGeek.com – we want you to know that one of the main purposes of the site, and actually the driver behind why it was created – was being a woman. As women, our voice is important and will always be. Why? Because we play many roles and wear many hats. We’re daughters, sisters, wives, mothers, teachers, professionals, etc. we have immense buying power and who not else to talk about technology – but us? The ones who use it for oh so many reasons.

CuteGeek.com wants to celebrate women everyday – not only today.

Inexpensive iPhone cases- Nina Approved!

Nina Pena — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 19:52:56 +0000

Everyone knows I am clumsy. In average I go through about 3 phones a year and one NB a year. I have been known to throw my phone out of frustration of not working. My motto has always been use your electronics to the max regardless because something new will come out. Why not use your personal electronics to the extreme for the short amount of time for pure enjoyment?

Rumor has it my purse is where all electronics go into combat and eventually die. I like huge purses, I love having several perfume bottles,make-up and lip gloss plus I carry books in my purse. I imagine my beauty products having it out with my electronic in an epic battle in my Louie V to which the electronic always looses.Sorry guys!

I recently bought an iPhone 4 (without the S because frankly I want to be smarter then my phone plus it reminds me of Tron). Knowing that this phone will not survive in my purse I went to Amazon and Ebay and found some great cases for under 4.00-10.00that snap on and off and add little to no extra weight to the phone. Pretty simple just do a search inquiry on iPhone hard cases and BOOM. Below is the search I utilized for example…

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1/177-0547794-9537410?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=iphone+4+hard+cases

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=iphone+hard+case&_sacat=See-All-Categories

My new cases are sleak, protective of the iPhone and adds some personalization to the product. All in all I love these two cases; some days I like pink others I like the white case. It’s fun to switch the cases up like Swatch Watch back in the 80’s.

Some sites to explore for unique cases below. Personalization is everything these days and I think these companies honed in on what consumers (women) want besides pink crystals (though my favorite color is pink).

http://www.applehour.com/iPhone-Accessories/iPhone-Armbands—Cases

http://www.accessorygeeks.com/iphone-cases.html

If your willing to spend the extra buck I also suggest checking out these websites. Ingenious design! They are over 30.00 but if you are obsessed with your electronics plus rough on them hard cases are the way to go.

http://www.zazzle.com/iphone+4+hard+cases

http://www.hardcandycases.com/iphone-4.html

Enjoy shopping!!

Beware of Ugly Trend on YouTube

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 10:50:39 +0000

Remember Hot or Not?

Well imagine hearing what someone thought about your appearance on the spot, via YouTube.com- scary right?

Not scary because of how you look, but scary because of the pure evil that exists out there.

I recently came across an article on Jezebel (click here to read more) that exhibited this nasty new trend hitting YouTube. It’s a bunch of teenagers asking to be rated – mostly young women. The responses their videos get, along with their hits is astonishing. It is astonishing and simply devastating.

Imagine being a blossoming young person, in that awkward stage that toddlers go through, where certain limbs or body parts are too big for the rest of you, or where those massive intruders called pimples are Occupying Your Face. These comments are detrimental to the development of these young people and we have to spread the word that being thin, fat, skinny, short, tall, blonde, brunette, blue eyed, brown eyed, curly haired, straight haired, etc. is all beautiful and that we’re all different and should embrace it.

Unfortunately, beauty, like fashion, is sometimes driven by what we see on TV or through other forms of media. It does not mean its what beauty is. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder – yes, I agree with that, but what made me beautiful to one person, is not the case to another. As a young woman who also endured the joy of growing up with people who ‘didn’t look like me’, I too have struggled with my own definition of beauty, but looks fade and intelligence doesn’t (at least at a much slower rate), so why not try to beautify your mind – something the media, or YouTube commentators can’t take away, or break down. Some education may do the world of ignorance some good.

It’s not easy, and it’s not always fun, but man, its life. It’s growing up. I have an inspiration in my life and her name just so happens to be Mariely Garcia and she is trying to combat this – this low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence tearing our youth apart. Her project is called Perfectly Made, and as soon as it is complete I will post so much about it because we need things like it and other positive endeavors to cause ripples of mass-sharing through our social networks. We can’t continue contributing to the negativity we are innocuously being exposed to. We need to remind ourselves and others that we are perfectly made, regardless of the opinion of someone.

Listen to some truth, thanks to Perfectly Made & The Future Project for inspiring Mariely.

CuteGeek.com is a supporter of Perfectly Made, The Future Project and the war against how beauty is defined.

(Thanks to this site for the picture – one day we’ll all be as happy when we look in the mirror)

The Lorax Mustache You A Question!!

Nikki — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 16:11:30 +0000

March 2nd: The Great Dr. Seuss’ birthday AND the release of The Lorax!

Looking for a way to celebrate with your kids?! Download The Official Lorax App for Android and iPhones, and turn yourself and your friends into The Lorax himself!

The app has two main features. The first gives you the ability to hold your phone in front of your mouth, and as you talk a full-screen Lorax mouth moves along with your words. It’s great fun. You can sing songs, tell stories, or even read along with Dr. Seuss as he tells the tale of The Lorax!

The other exciting and fun feature lets you give yourself and your friends The Lorax mustache. You can hold your camera in front of someone’s face, adjust the size and placement of the mustache, and then take a picture. You can also place The Lorax mustache over an image you already have on your device.

Sharing the fun with friends is super simple. The Lorax app gives you the ability to post your fun image directly to Facebook or Twitter. Users can also share their images with their friends and family with the Postcardin’ feature. The Lorax app comes with two free Postcardin’ shares.

Download it today. Get in on the fun. Stache your friends. Stache your family. Stache yourself.

And did I mention The Lorax app is free?!

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More 3D Games for Kids

Nikki — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:31:09 +0000

3D Bears is going to be released this March for the App Store, Android Market, and Amazon AppStore. It is a silly, fun game for children that allows them to dress the bears up head-to-toe in over 140 accessories and clothing options. Then, they are able to put the bears on stage and make them dance. Tap dancing, ballet, hip-hop, these bears know how to move!

I personally love apps like 3D Bears. They are perfect when I need to entertain my child in the car, at the doctor’s office, or on the train. I like that it is something that will make him giggle and is engaging. It’s an adorable little game, so be sure to check it out!

The Gift of Pandora One

Nina Pena — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:41:46 +0000

I was gifted with the Pandora One and now that I have my iPhone 4 I wonder how I survived without it?! Those that know me well know I am a goof ball-I have a Pandora Kris Kross station and the humiliation does not stop there…I have an 80’s station and an NKOTB station…

To be honest this is one of the best gifts (not for all girls dudes) as music to me is the best way to escape or reminisce when life was simple. Usability was not only simple but being able to skip the BS with no commercials was a major plus! Below are the specs; if your chick is like me she will love this!

Pandora One

For a yearly payment of $36, Pandora listeners can upgrade to a Pandora One account. The benefits of Pandora One are:
• All advertising removed
• Access to the Pandora One Desktop App, which functions independently of a browser window
• Higher Quality Audio – Listen to Pandora at 192 KBps on the web or in the Desktop App
• Increased number of skips – The 12 skip per day limit is removed (the 6 skips per station per hour limit remains)
• Custom skins – Surround the Pandora tuner with a range of designs

Ah, Reboot, Le freak, c’est chic…

Nina Pena — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 18:07:11 +0000

Imagine your all snuggled your in your bed with a cold/ flu buzzed on Theraflu or Nyquil and all you want to do is watch TV and forget you have 102 fever…and then an error message comes on your cable channel. There is now no cable and and since your motor skills aren’t as on target (remember you are on Nyquil/ Theraflu) what do you do at 2am? Or what if you’re a mom and right in the middle of the kiddo’s cartoons when this error occurs? I am guessing a lot of tantrums and confusion would end up occurring? I know I don’t have kids but I have younger brothers and I know for a fact this would not fly with them when they were younger.

I, on the other hand, blankly stared at the screen thinking maybe it will fix itself in my Nyquil state thinking are these instructions serious? Who has time especially for all those Mom’s and Dad’s out there who have toddlers running around have time to take action to all these steps. It reminded me of this song I use to sing in any office I worked in when we had the blue screen (ironic) of death…

”Ah, Reboot, Le freak, c’est chic.”

I have to admit the first time I would say this people would laugh but anyone else tries to make it theirs not so much…I have witnessed it. Glad to know 10 years after I created this little song from the 70’s disco song “Ah, Reboot, Le freak, c’est chic” IT still asks you: “Did you try to reboot?” I always reply with a sarcastic remark.

I resolved the problem by yes rebooting. There should just be one sentence-let’s not complicate something as simple as cable. “You have reached the blue screen of death please reboot and if the problem continues please call yada yada”. Easy right?

At 2am on Nyquil 5 steps just seems excessive. Who has time and brain capacity to check cables and play the reboot game?

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Guess who’s back? NINA the OG Cutegeeker (besides Radiris of Course:-) )

Nina Pena — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:52:13 +0000

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?!

What a Cute Geek wants for Valentines Day

Radiris Diaz — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:08:27 +0000

With Valentines day right around the corner, I decided to make a guide on what we would love to get for Valentines day. Please don’t call 1800-Flowers, or send me chocolates, and while a teddy bear would be nice, I really want technology and things to better use the technology I have.

Flowers die, chocolate gets devoured and end up on my thighs, but my technology last a full TWO months until a new version comes out – I kid, I kid. I had a bit of trouble on deciding on how many items to include in this short guide, but after the oh so wonderful win tonight (Go Giants!) I decided to just put 4 items – to highlight how much we won by…

First on the list is my new favorite toy, the Nokia Lumia 710 for T-Mobile. It took some getting use too but I love it and think it would be a great device for everyone. It’s available in Black and White, only at T-Mobile, and for just $39.99. (Must note that price is with a 2 year contract.)

Windows Phone is blowing my mind, and if you’d like to see some cool videos on Windows Phone, check out the Smoked by Windows Phone Videos on Youtube.

Next on the list, will help me and you use our touchscreen phones in these winter months, and it’s the NuTouch Gloves from New Tech. Gisselle from CuteGeek en Espanol reviewed and loved the gloves. I need a pair!

The NuTouch Gloves allow you to interact with a touchscreen device with out having to take your gloves off. The finger tips of the gloves are made in a way to allow the electricity in your body to transfer to the screen, as that’s what allows you to work with a capacitive touchscreen device.The Gloves cost $19.99 and are available at NewerTech.com.

How do you show someone you have their back? Give them a Powerbag. Powerbags are a fairly new brand to have hit the market and they make extraordinary backpacks and messenger bags. Why do I love it? Because you can charge your gadgets in the bag and because it is extremely comfortable to wear. The way the weight is distributed really makes it comfortable, especially when carrying a laptop that is literally larger than life. If you care about your cute geek’s body, specifically her back, and her posture and the fact that she probably wears some sexy heels to work – show her you want to take that burden off her back by giving her this bag. I’ve found the best deal on Amazon.com . The bags are over 100 but they are worth it. I promise.

Last but surely not least, while Vday is about showing love because – well, because Hallmark says you have to, I think we should strive to show love, even when you’re not being directed to…so – my top gift is a We-Vibe 3. Why? Because how else can you ensure the lucky recipient always has a smile on her face? You really can’t, but I can almost guarantee gifting a We-Vibe III will be the ultimate smile provider – despite your presence there or somewhere else. BTW – the We-Vibe III/3 ranges in price – typically around $120. It comes with a very handy, discrete carrying case that also serves as its charger (wonderful idea). It also comes with a remote, for those creative folks, who like to flip the script here and there. While it is pricey, an almost equal equivalent is the We-Vibe II (which I reviewed). You can get it for about half its price but it only comes with a satin pouch to carry your gadget in. Either way – they are both winners in my life, and I”m sure in the lives of who receives it.

Happy Valentine’s Day Month…may we continue showing each other love – even when February is over.

Web Wednesday: BroadbandExpert.com

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:02:00 +0000

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?

Public Beta Norton Identity Safe

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

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.

Fun with the Fiat 500

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:50:22 +0000

This week I was given a Fiat. A Fiat 500. I went back into the rental office and asked if there was anything else.

It was way too small for me. My body started aching from the thought of having my knees at my chin as I drove home…and even though I begged for anything else, and even offered to pay extra for anything else – all they had was a Crown Royale. So I J-Lo-ed my behind home…

And fell in love with this little beauty of a car. Watch the video to check out my thoughts.

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Web Wednesday: GiftingGrace.com

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:15:12 +0000

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!

Choose to Work or Choose to Breed

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:20:36 +0000

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

Favorite Website of the Week: Priceline.com

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:43:58 +0000

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.

Spartacus: Vengeance The Game

Deal Geekette — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:03:34 +0000

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.

Drink healthy At Jamba Juice

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:53:08 +0000

CES 2010: Mophie Juice Pack Air & TV (FloTV + iPhone)

Web Wednesday: SmartyPig.com

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:01:30 +0000

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.

Who said learning can’t be fun?

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:16:11 +0000

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…

Coolest Travel Charger Yet

Sylwia — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:58:30 +0000

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?

Web Wednesday: Best Sites for Cheap Flights + Other Travel Deals

Favorite Website of the Week: CosmoPromo.com

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:08:52 +0000

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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Tips To Start 2012 With a Big Bang

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:06:59 +0000

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.

Brilliant Women in Technology: Meet Radiris Diaz

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 06:29:42 +0000

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.

Happy New Year!

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:53:56 +0000

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!

Work-it, Walk it Girlfriend.

Sylwia — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:19:29 +0000

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”.

More Last Minute Holiday Gift Ideas

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:30:07 +0000

With only one week left until the biggest gift exchange of the year, stores are packed with shoppers, lines are out the door, and some folks are still trying to think about what the ‘perfect’ gift would look like. You may not know what to get the cute geek in your life, and if you do, it may be out of stock. Sucks to be a procrastinator doesn’t it? But don’t worry – because retailers like Amazon.com are letting you procrasinate a little more, by giving you FREE 1 day shipping until the 21st, to ensure your gifts arrive in time.

If you’re still not sure about what to get, we’ve put together a another list of items your cute geek may enjoy!

The first item on our list is the Samsung Galaxy Tab. An 8.9 inch android powered tablet that is super thin, super fast and super fun to play with. It’s small form factor makes it great for using as an eBook reader (nook and Kindle apps available in Android market or you can borrow books from your local library), great for browsing the web and checking email. Its high definition screen also makes it great for watching videos. The forward facing camera makes it ideal for Skype (don’t forget to download their lateest version) and the back camera with flash takes fantastic pictures.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 is available at Best Buy and BestBuy.com for $449.

The next Item on the list is something reviewed by our Spanish site, CuteGeek en Espanol. It is the Pantech Pocket Android powered smart phone for at&t wireless. The Pantech Pocket has a huge 4” 1280x720p display and is probably the chubbiest smart phone on the market – but that’s alright, because we still love it!

The Pocket features a 5 MP camera, which does both still pictures and HD video. It also runs on the at&t 4G network which is the fastest network at&t has to offer. Provided you have a tethering account you can also use the Pocket as a wireless hotspot which you can connect up to 5 devices too.

The Pantech Pocket will run you $49.99 with a 2 year contract from the at&t store. It’s not an iPhone but we think it’s just as fun as the iPhone for a lot less in price.

Next on the list will keep your cute geek’s hands warm when she uses her Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 or Pantech pocket outside this winter. As you know if you wear gloves you can’t really interact with a touchscreen, but with the NuTouch Gloves you can. The gloves have special material on the finger tips that allows for you to touch away on any touchscreen with out giving your finger tips frost bite.

The NuTouch Gloves are normally $19.99 but are on sale now (unsure until when) for just $11.99. For more info on that deal click here.

Next on the list is the HP Wi-Fi Touch Mouse X7000. It’s a wireless mouse that does not use up ANY of your USB ports. Michael Reyes at HardwareGeeks.com has used one and loves it, Gisselle our Spanish writer loves hers as well. I am a little sad that I have yet to try one, but it is okay – I’ll hold them true to their word and will still encourage folks to get it for their loved ones.

The X7000 is available from HP Shopping for $47.99 for a limited time, it typically costs $59.99.

Finally we have the Canon PowerShot A3300 a 16 Mega Pixel digital camera. What girl doesn’t need a camera?

This camera is gorgeous and very easy to use, It’s great for those of us with shaky hands as it has image stabilization, and with its 5x optical zoom you can get pretty close to the action. It also has 20x digital zoom but we know digital zoom isn’t that great on any camera.
The A3300 is available at best buy right now for just $98.88.

Happy Holidays (again)!

Free Shipping Day is here!

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:10:33 +0000

Over 2,000 retailers are participating in helping you bring all the goodies to your loved ones before Christmas Eve.

Take advantage!!

There are some restrictions but go to FreeShippingDay.com for more information

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Must Have Tech Gifts for Women

Deal Geekette — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 02:40:06 +0000

The holidays are upon us and for many, it means trying to create a last minute wish list that our loved ones will actually be able to shop from. While it is always nice to get perfume and other “girly” items, we women have tech needs and gifts that we want too. Tech toys aren’t only for the men in our lives, and below are a few great gifts for any techie woman:

Versetta iPad 2 Bag

For the iPad or tablet owner who also happens to be a fashionista, a designer Versetta iPad bag is an excellent gift. Not only does the case provide a safe pouch for you to keep your tablet in while you are on the go, but it also comes in the form of a stylish and functional purse. The Versetta bags come in two distinct styles – the professional style which is similar to an attache and comes in neutral tones, and the other in a more modern, fashion which comes in bright and bold colors.

Agloves

One of the worst parts of owning a gadget with a touch screen is having to text, game, or scroll through your screen in winter. In biting temperatures, you have to pull your gloves off to answer a phone call or scroll through Anywho.com or Netflix only to subject your fingers to frigid wind chills. No one wants colds hands, but no one wants to put the use of their smartphone on hold all winter either.

Agloves are seamless, knitted gloves that allow you to keep your hands warm while also using any gadget with a touchscreen.

Amazon’s Kindle Fire

The Kindle Fire was perhaps one of the most talked about tablet releases of this year. Available for an inexpensive $199, the Kindle Fire grants users access to their books, magazine subscriptions, and web browsing on a 7 inch screen.

Black Cat Crocheted Headphones

For those looking for a fun and warm way to listen to their iPod or other MP3 player while walking to work or school, look no further. The Black Cat Crocheted Headphones offered by Uncommon Goods literally look like a set of black cat ears and they encase your favorite pair of headphones, keeping your ears from those chilly temps and allowing you to have a little fun with an accessory that normally looks so dull.

iPad 2

The iPad 2 is truly the gift of the year. There is no other tablet that even comes close in both looks, functionality, and applications. At 10 inches, the sleek iPad has a beautiful display, access to thousands of apps, and comes with great accessories such as the iCade and iPad Keyboard Apprentice which can add to the fun the device provides.

Don’t be afraid to put a few tech friendly gifts on your wish list this holiday season. Not only will it keep you from getting the predictable bath and body set, but it could potentially get you a few of the great techie gifts that you normally wouldn’t buy for yourself.

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Machinima Inside Gaming Awards 2011

Bee Simmano — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 22:48:37 +0000

Technology has been a worldwide source of entertainment. It offers us the possibility of never being lonely. Video games have been number one to all of technology. So, over the weekend. I, attended the third annual Machinima Inside Gaming Awards held at The Music Box in Hollywood, CA. Since Machinima, is a Youtube based company. I relish how they didn’t have celebrities presenting the nominees and awards. They had true avid gamers and Youtubers presenting them.

With so many single name sensations of the Youtube community in one room, any average Joe would feel apart of the group. Just to name a few, I met ijustine , xJawz, & ProSyndicate. They were all

modest individuals and I am very impressed with the type of fan base one person can build for doing what they all love to do.

What would an award show be without video games? With Uncharted 3 having seven nominations and winning the award for Best Game Cinematography. Everyone at the show were able to get their hands on the game itself, in a secluded room on the rooftop where the after party was held. If you weren’t playing video games or mingling. You could head downstairs and enjoy the performance by an Electronic Dance music producer, PorterRobinson.

As you’re having a little fun during this month of festivities, family gatherings and end-of-the-year sighs of relief that another year is behind us. Technology offers us the illusion of companionship without any demands of friendships which leads gamers awaiting for next year’s prominent video game to be released.

Click the link for the full re-cap of the award show. Machinima IGA 2011

Award winners for each category:

Best Trailer
Dead Island – Official Announcement Trailer
Best Multiplayer
Gears of War 3
Best Narrative
Portal 2
Best Art Direction
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Best Animation
Batman: Arkham City
Best Game Cinematography
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
Best Indie Game
Bastion
Most Compelling Character
Wheatley – Portal 2
Best DLC
Fallout New Vegas – Old World Blues
Best Downloadable Game
Bastion
Most Original Game
Rock of Ages
Best Original Score
Bastion
Best Sound Design
Dead Space 2
Gamers’ Choice Award
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Game of the Year
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

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Occupy Your Mind – The Revolution Begins Within

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:44:29 +0000

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

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Spartacus Facebook App – Take Up Arms

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:55:58 +0000

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.

Get FREE shipping for a YEAR with ShopRunner.com

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:55:18 +0000

I signed up when they had the offer last week. Click here for their latest - and it is not for a month, it is for a complete year. The reason they ask for your credit card information is to let you check out of websites easily - like Amazon.com’s 1-click. BUT – you can skip over it, if it makes you feel better.

Enjoy…this comes just in time for the holidays!

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Twitter is Enhancing Big Features on Their Site

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:06:27 +0000

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:

Tell us what you think!

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Deal of the Day: HP Envy 17 3D $1172.49

Deal Geekette — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:38:47 +0000

I am a huge fan of the HP the Envy Series. They are one of the most stylish consumer notebook on the market.

Today we found an awesome coupon for the 17” 3D HP Envy that knocks $577.50 off the price. So you can own an Envy 17 3D with an Intel 2nd Gen Core i5 Processor, 80 GB of DDR3 memory, a 750 GB HDD, Blu-Ray player and of course a 17.3” full HD 3D Infinity LED LCD display. It’s a powerful machine!

This is an amazing deal if you are looking for a high end notebook snatch this one up before the deal ends.

Price break down: $1,749.99 – 33% Coupon Code: NBK3573 = $1,172.49 with free shipping and 2-year warranty.

Past deals.

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Spot the Blackberry Symbol NYC!

Radiris Diaz — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:42:59 +0000

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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SHPE-NYC STEM Toy Drive

Radiris Diaz — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 03:08:51 +0000

How About That For Some Acronyms!

Let me try that again…The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, New York City Chapter, is holding a Toy Drive next Friday Dec 9th, focused on toys that encourage learning of the Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). It makes sense. We have a very apparent gap in what are future decides to pursue as careers and what better way to address the gap than by getting to the source itself, our future, in a language they speak and enjoy, toys.

I am a member of this organization and while I am not an engineer, I sure am Hispanic and I’m finally a professional =) you don’t have to be though. The reason i joined this organization is because of the hard work and effort that they put into their chapter events to make us, more marketable and knowledgeable, through their professional development events. What I also admire is their commitment to the community, as seen with this event.

Last year was my first time attending their holiday spectacular-which is just that-and as soon as I left, I told myself I would go the following year.

It was held in Con Edison’s building, had a menu to literally drool over, with the longest cookie assortment ever, while providing a plethora of speakers, ranging from college scholarship winners, to super big dogs (aka executives) at companies also making their footprint known in our communities and global worlds. Last years event also had a toy drive, and hearing the principal of the charter school that received it was both heart warming and just invigorating because the 5 minutes it took to buy the $25 vetch laptop in RadioShack couldn’t compare to the goosebumps I felt reading the thank you notes from some of the students.

I encourage you all to join professional organizations, because they can help you meet other professionals, find your next job, contribute and be an active member in your greater community, and pursue a passion that may not necessarily be aligned with your day job.

Back to the Toy Drive – when I read it was a STEM drive, I thought holy moly, how can I find a cool $25 gift, because when I thought of the requirement of it being a STEM toy, my mind starting over-thinking/heating/processing (at the same time) because automatically my brain envisioned it would be some crazy complex scientific chemistry set that would just entertain a child for maybe 5 minutes, until he put juice in his flask or something…but then I clicked on their suggested gift list – yes they got one…and thought wow, these toys are fun!

I am excited to go to the holiday party, which is open to everyone, members and non-members, next Friday evening (RSVP here if interested). I haven’t quite decided on my toy, but I may go with Kikkeland’s Rainbow Maker because its my favorite thing I received this year – solar panel, screws, crystals, light = BAM = rainbows in my room. That qualifies as a STEM toy .

For more information or questions about the event, go to their site or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Happy holidays! See ya’ll there!

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Facebook Ecstatic to Have Gowalla User Data

Radiris Diaz — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 00:53:31 +0000

It’s confirmed! Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg just confirmed the acquisition of Gowalla. Facebook tweeted, “We’ve acquired Gowalla. I’m ecstatic and can’t wait to have access to thousands of users’ location data.”

I am not a Gowalla user, in fact I have no idea what Gowalla was until I just googled it, but knowing that Facebook just settled a privacy lawsuit their comment by their CEO makes me wonder if they are really concerned about protecting our privacy or is our information simply a money making tool for them.

Why so ecstatic Mark?

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Deal of the Day: Lexar TwistTurn 64GB USB Drive $49.00

Deal Geekette — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:57:04 +0000

We need storage! It’s as simple as that, from 1st graders to CEO’s we need storage. Be it for Home Work or to bring that SEC filing home to look over it before submitting it, and storage can be expensive.

That’s why when we saw the Lexar TwistTurn 64GB USB flash drive for just $49.00 with free shipping we knew we had to let you know about it.

Price breakdown: $49 + free shipping regular price $79.00.

Past deals.

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‘Tis the season to start giving…

Radiris Diaz — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 22:11:52 +0000

…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)

Gifts that give back – Help Women Survivors of War

Sylwia — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:37:18 +0000

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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Deal of the Day: Apple TV

Deal Geekette — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:13:34 +0000

Today’s deal of the day will turn your television into an AppleVision. Apple TV will allow you to stream movies, tv shows and your music from your iTunes account to your television. You can also use it to watch NetFlix, MLB and NBA games, and share your own personal pictures and videos on your television.

Normally priced at $99.99 plus shipping, we’ve found a deal for $84.99 free shipping! So check it out.

Price break down $99.99 – $15 off (instant) = $84.99 plus shipping UPDATE use coupon code “ShipTV7” and the price drops to $77.99 still with free shipping. Coupon expires 12/2 limit 1 per customer.

Past Deals

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Microsoft Mice Honor “Year of the Dragon”

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:06:09 +0000

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!

Give the Gift of Getting Paid

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:49:32 +0000

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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Deal of the Day: 21.5” Dell S2230 LED Monitor

Deal Geekette — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:32:56 +0000

We haven’t posted a deal of the day since the day before Thanksgiving, because Black Friday and Cyber Monday there were so many deals we had a hard time just picking one, plus we were out shopping out selves.

But we have restarted and todays deal is awesome. It’s for a 21.5” 1080p (Full HD) Ultra-Slim, LED-Backlit Dell monitor, and as you can see from the picture to the left it looks amazing, and the $149.99 price tag with free shipping is amazing too!

Price breakdown: $219.99 – $70 off = $149.99 with FREE shipping.

Past deals.

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Holiday Gift Guide!

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 05:50:50 +0000

Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Happy Kwanza and Happy Hanukkah, what ever you may believe in – this is one of the most amazing times of the year and it’s my favorite. It’s a time where everyone trios to be nicer to everyone, and happiness fills the air. If only it could be like that all year long.

Oh but it can be…

Our annual 2011 Holiday Gift Guide is finally here! In the guide we include various items that we think you and your loved ones may enjoy for the holidays. Some items are marked with this image “” it simply means it made the HardwareGeeks.com gift guide as well.

The first item on the list, also made Radiris Diaz “Best Buy Wish List” and made our holiday gift guide last year. It’s the Xbox 360 with Kinect. It does what the Nintendo Wii wanted to do, and that’s turn you into the controller. With the Xbox 360 Kinect there is no need to hold any remotes or controllers as you are the controller. You can use the movement of your hands to navigate through various screens, your body to control your characters movements on-screen and your voice to tell the Xbox what to do.

It is a great piece of technology. It will bring your family together, it will help the kids in your life be more active even if they do not go outside. The Kinect for the Xbox 360 is the future now.

The Xbox 360 with Kinect is available from various retailers, such as Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, Buy.com, eBay.com and more!

The next item on the list is for the fashionista in all of us! Just because we are Geekettes does not mean we don’t have any fashion, and just because it’s fashionable it doesn’t mean it can’t be functional. Jill.e designs brings us fashionable, functional bags that any geekette like me would love.

I have fallen in love with two of Jill.e bags. The Laptop Valise and the Laptop Satchel. They are both pictured below. They are available in White, Purple and Black, and a Tanish version is available as well. They are BEAUTIFUL BAGS and have loads of pocket space.

Jill.e has loads of camera bags as well, and if I had a camera I’d snag one up.

Next on the list is the Jawbone Era. The Jawbone Era is an amazingly beautiful Bluetooth headset and one of the best around. It’s “NoiseAssassin” feature kills any background noise around you and makes for a clearer conversation with whom ever you’re talking too.

It also has HD audio which allows you to hear your phone calls, music and videos in full spectrum. There is even an android app to help you save battery of your Bluetooth device. It’s also available in 4 colors, check them out the four colors in the image to the right.

The Jawbone headsets are available at BestBuy.comfor $129.99.

The next item on the list is probably the most expensive, the Samsung 55” LED 3D TV, model number UN55D7000L. It’s a beautiful, super thin with silver finish 3D television. It’s any gamers dream just as BombHor (Professional Gamer) on twitter, what TV she wants and she will tell you this one. (I love love love love love Samsung TVs FYI)

Various women from Cute Geek and even Michael from HardwareGeeks.com have seen this television in action at the Samsung Experience in NYC and it’s simply amazing. If it weren’t for the price tag I am sure we all would snag one up!

The television is available at Best Buy.

Next on the list is something small but will brighten up your home. They are the Energizer Flameless Candles which are available on Amazon.com. The candle is pretty sweet and I personally thought it added a bit of class to my living room. I turn it on at night and it adds a bit of light to the room but not too much. It sets somewhat of a romantic mood.

The candle turns on with a simple touch, and there are no cables or anything. It’s 100% battery-powered. The candle even flickers as if it were a real candle and the flickers are random and look very realistic.

This in our opinion is a great gift for the home!

Now onto the 6th and 7th item on the list, the Toshiba CAMILEO X416 1080P HD Camcorder and it’s on sale at ToshibaDirect.com for just $279.99 until the end of the year.

The CAMILEO X416 features 23x optical zoom and 120x digital zoom, electronic image stabilization for those with shaky hands like me, 16 GB of memory which equals about an 2 and a half hours worth of record time, expandable via SD card.

Also available at TigerDirect.com, is the 21.5” DX1210 All in 1 PC . The DX1210 is a work horse. It has so much power in it thanks to the Intel Core i7 processor inside. The 21.5” touchscreen also makes it a great PC for toddlers who just like to poke things and are just learning how to use the PC.

The DX1210 comes with a wireless keyboard and Mouse, and will fit perfectly anywhere in your home. With a starting price of just $729, it’s sure to be in the budget for most looking for a new PC these holidays.

Now we move onto our final recommendation, for this guide and its CELL PHONES and guess what we aren’t going to recommend the iPhone 4s. Everyone else is recommending those so we are recommending everything else. There are dozens of phones on the market currently that offer so much more than the iPhone. The LG Thrill 3D for at&t is a great phone with a large screen and a 3D camera. Guess what it also runs on the at&t 4G network. It’s also only $49.99 or the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play another great phone for just $49.99.

For Sprint you have the HTC EVO 4G and the Samsung Conquer 4G. Verizon has a bunch of great phones for under $50. Skip the iPhone there are plenty of better phones out there. My absolute favorite and the one I would urge all Verizon subscribers to buy is HTC’s Rhyme. The Rhyme is my favorite phone of the year because it was made with women in mind. I truly believe it was made for women, by women, because it just seems to be so resourceful and useful. It’s a beautiful plum color, very slim, has a beautiful resolution (the pics come out great), the charging dock turns into a speaker (a really good), comes with super comfy headphones, has a charm that lights up when you’re phone is on silent or on vibrate and you’re getting called or receive a notification…and its amazing…although that seems to be the word of the day for me. I love this phone. You have to just get to a store and try it out. While it does not have a QWERTY keyboard, it has everything else you can possibly desire. I love it…if you haven’t already noticed.

There are a couple of gifts that I like to leave to the end because by this point, only the ones that are truly interested in getting someone the best gift out there are still reading…

For that special someone that brings magic into your life:

Kikkerland’s Solar Powered Double Rainbow Maker I absolutely love waking up to a plethora of rainbows in my room. It’s one of those gadgets that I never knew I would appreciate so much, Wendy, our super mom blogger, got it for me earlier this year and it instantly puts a smile on my face. Very relaxing and just magical.

For that geek in your life that just loves to work hard, but plays so much harder:

Ali’s Spagnola’s Shot Glass USB featuring her awesome Powerhour songs (after each song – 60 seconds long, you take a shot…guaranteed an awesome time)…Ali you’re hot! The songs are hot! We love you for this! Way to bring being a nerd cool – even at the bar!!

For women of all ages – those are okay and conscious of their sexuality. Listen, I’m not all pro-masturbation, but I am pro-identifying and calling out your needs and wants, dreams and desires…here’s something that has helped me a lot…the We-Vibe 2…and as of recently, the We-Vibe 3. I was never one to run home and just…you know…but…wait, I’m still not. But I am a-okay with my sexuality, and love using this line with my loser ex-boyfriends ‘Hey that thing you do, yea…I can do it better, quicker and with less drama’. Thanks We-Vibe. I recommend the We-Vibe 2 because it is much more affordable, and although the We-Vibe 3 comes with a remote, I already lost mine, and its only been 3 weeks…great gift though, I truly recommend it (it’s number 1 on my list…the gift I give to all of my girls getting married or experiencing a breakup…)

For those that love listening to music, working out with music, etc…

Yurbuds are still top on my list. One year going strong and they are the most comfortable to wear during my commute to work, or when I am trying to work out. Perfect gift for your fit-geek!

We hope you have a great holiday season! As we get more items, we’ll post more recommendations – just remember, we’re a bunch of opinionated Cute Geeks – we’re going to like a ton of things. If you ever need help buying something for someone, I will offer my personal advice – I give the bestest most thoughtful gifts. My email is RadirisD@cutegeek.com - contact me and let me know if you need help getting someone a gift. While this list contacts a lot of things, presence over presents will always hold the most value in my world.

Happy Shopping, Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays…

Deal of the Day: 14.1" Lenovo ThinkPad T410

Deal Geekette — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:39:42 +0000

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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Celebrate your GeekDad on Saturday at the Wired Store

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 08:27:28 +0000

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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Deal of the Day: 60" Sharp AQUOS LC60LE6300U $999.99

Deal Geekette — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 18:46:34 +0000

Today’s deal will make any movie fanatic or game lover drool, as they would love to have a 60” Sharp AQUOS tv in their living room. How does the commercial go? It has YELLOW!!!

My first LCD TV’s over 7 years ago was a Sharp AQUOS and it’s still going strong!

Price Breakdown: on sale for $1,699.99 – $600 instant savings = $999.99 and Free shipping. No coupon code required!

Past Deals.

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When phones become teething toys

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 02:04:02 +0000

While we all want the children in our lives to eat apples – preferibly an apple a day, to keep the doctor away…having them chew away at our apple products just isn’t what we had in mind.

My 5 month old god-daughter – aka Julianne – the iPhone 4Slobber – is an avid lover of all apple products – her favorite being her mommy and daddy’s iPhone. While this picture is extremely cute, and we are all patiently awaiting the arrival of her adorable teeth, having to speak into a drooled phone just isn’t cool.

Being the tech collector that I am, I was able to donate an old flip phone to the cause, but like many of us know, today’s babies are smart. They are so smart they want ‘smart’ phones – so I’m sorry Fisher Price – you just won’t cut it with my precious Julianne because she knows her divalicious mommy will not sport a highlighter yellow colored device. Right Glo?

Don’t worry, I found a solution on Amazon.com!

Did you know they sell ‘dummy’ phones (please don’t get offended) that look just like the real thing – so real they are marked as display phones? They are even sold as toys for children, so why not spend $75 on the replacement phone that you will after get from all the water damage the drool causes…just buy a display phone!

In less than 24 hours – thanks to my free 2 day shipping, our precious Julie will be chewing on her own BlackBerry Curve, for only $14.99.

I also purchased her a Palm Centro – because I rock two phones, so why shouldn’t she.

Anyway – for any parents or folks with children who love to put everything in their mouth – here is your solution.

BlackBerry or Palm, you choose. ($14.99 and $9.99 respectively)

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Deal of the Day: Lenovo ThinkPad T520

Deal Geekette — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:47:05 +0000

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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Worried where your seafood is coming from — Seafood Watch App!

Sylwia — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:37:24 +0000

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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If you’re a read-a-holic, check-out GoodReads.com

Sylwia — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:08:49 +0000

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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Gorgeous New Monitor from AOC

Radiris Diaz — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 18:17:18 +0000

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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Deal of the Day: Xbox 360 Gaming Bundle with Television!

Deal Geekette — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:33:23 +0000

This is one great deal, for $1499.97 you can be the proud owner of a 55” 3D LED HDTV, an XBOX 360 plus a Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary Bundle. The perfect bundle for any Cute Geek!

Essentially you are getting a 55 inch 3D television for under $1000. I can’t think of any other 3D televisions on the market for under $1000. You know what I may just buy this bundle for myself before it expires tomorrow.

Price breakdown: $1,999.97 – $400 instant savings (ends 11/22) applied in cart = $1,499.97 + shipping cost based on location.

Click here for past deals.

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Let’s merry with some Starbucks!

Radiris Diaz — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:43:02 +0000

According to Starbucks, we’re merrier together, so let’s merry.

Today, from 2 – 5 pm, when you purchase one holiday drink, you get one of equal or lesser value free.

Now who said its better to give than to receive…

This merry event will go on until the 20^th - Sunday.

Get your Starbucks on everyone.

Text MERRY to 697289 to have offers sent to you.

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Web Webnesday: BFAds.Net – holiday shopping site

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:08:10 +0000

As if Black Friday wasn’t more than a week away…

Here is one great resource for those that strategically plan out their shopping – whether it starts at midnight, or online come Monday morning. There are coupons, full scans of the store’s Black Friday specials, and much, much more!!

Enjoy BFAds.Net!

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Holy Moly – AblePlanet Noise-Canceling Headphones for only $69!

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:42:44 +0000

Okay – so I am almost freaking out – but not in a bad way, in a really good way, because I’m so freaking excited!!! Thanks to GroupOn - this deal is on!

AblePlanet makes just as good, if not better, headphones than Bose – yea – I said it. Their stars on the front are also cuter so yea…if you need the cute factor, forget bose and go with AblePlanet. The sound quality compares to no other and they are very comfortable to wear – even for long periods of time. I own these headphones and while I’d be pretty pissed if I purchased them at full-price, I didn’t, they were a gift :)

These headphones are amazing. I’ve owned them for over 2 years but always used them on the road. They make zoning out – more real, especially if you’re commute to work is done on a plane.

There are 2 days left to purchase these!!! Jump on it!! They are worth over $250! Oh and there is free shipping…this is an awesome gift option…i’m just saying…

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Review: Kindle Fire

Juliette Megumi Sumida — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:38:23 +0000

The Kindle Fire Review

I’ve had the Kindle Fire for a few hours now and been able to play around with most of the features it has to offer. You can go on the web, download apps, games, books, documents, movies, videos, music.

My initial reaction upon receiving it was the weight. It’s not heavy, but it was much more than I anticipated. It weighed about a size of a medium paperback book to me. I wasn’t expecting that since the previous versions of the kindle have been extremely light and thin. It’s about 19cm x 12cm x 1cm; slightly smaller than a playbook.

Once I turned it on it was like heaven! The color, the features, is absolutely amazing. The screen is shiny like the iPad so there is some glare; unlike the commercials for kindle, you cannot bring this one to the beach and read it under the sun.

The kindle is set up with a main screen, which gives you your most recent apps/documents/books you were on. Then there are sub screens for Newsstand, books, apps, video, music and the web. Each of these sub screens are set up differently. There is also a search option, where you can search for anything in your kindle or the web.

For Storage – You can either save it on your kindle or the cloud. You are given 5GB free space and after that there is a charge.

Books – It’s set up just like the iBook application in the iPad. You can choose to see it by Grid or List View and filter by Author, Most recent or Title. It will tell you what % of the book you have already read and you can also bookmark pages. It is identical to the iBook application except that you can change font sizes and types.

Apps – It uses the Amazon App Store as its source so if you already have an android device it should be seamless. It automatically pops up in your cloud. If you already owned tablet compatible apps you can just download them onto your fire.

Videos – If you have Amazon Prime, you can stream TV shows and movies. You can also purchase movies and TV series to download on your kindle or stream. (If you download, you can watch them when you are not connected to Wifi)

You also have the option of downloading a Netflix app or a Hulu App if you don’t want to purchase Amazon Prime.

Music – You can either transfer MP3 files directly into your kindle or upload to the cloud. In order to upload to the cloud, you need to download the Cloud MP3 uploader. It manages the Music by Artist, Song, Genre.

Web – Accessing the internet on the kindle fire was always a question mark, since we didn’t know what we were expecting. It looks like its using a Google chrome like program, where it has tabs and remembers the recent sites you’ve been on. You can add bookmarks and manage your pages. The speed was fast. I was able to go on Facebook and go on a few websites at the same time and was fast as my computer would be.

Transferring files – It’s a breeze! You can just connect your kindle to your computer via USB and just drag and drop. I was able to transfer 400 books, 20 MP3’s, and 15 pdf files within 15-20 minutes. You can manage your files from your kindle or your computer.

When you transfer files into your kindle by computer, you are transferring to your kindle and not the cloud.

Pros:

-It’s a kindle!

-Lending Library – you can borrow a book a month for free from their library.

-Amazon App Store – if you have an android phone/tablet you can download onto your kindle automatically (if its compatible)

-It’s $199 for a tablet

-Fast processor. Can view websites and run apps like any other computer or tablet.

-Easy to transfer from your computer.

Cons:

-Need an Amazon.com Account

-Can’t find a versatile cover (iPad and Prior Kindle’s have covers which help with battery save/turn off when covered function)

-WiFi Only. Cant access the cloud all the time

-Volume is not high enough to listen to music from afar.

-No Camera so can’t take pictures and upload. (Also have not found a screen capture ability built in)

Overall the speed of the maneuvering within the kindle is very fast and easy. It has all the features a tablet would have except it does not have a camera. I think it’s under valued for what it does for you. I definitely think it will be a big competitor in the tablet market because of what it can do for the price ticket of $199.

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Sneak Peak into Amazon.com Black Friday Deals

Deal Geekette — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:36:18 +0000

Black Friday is a week and a few days away and we have a sneak peek into Amazon.com’s Black Friday deals starting on the 25th, we also have word on some earlier starting deals.

To view the full list of deals click read more!

BLACK FRIDAY DEALS (11/25)

· AK Anne Klein Swarovski Crystal Accented Rose Gold-Tone Leather Watch: $29.99 (list price: $125)

· Invicta Specialty Collection Chronograph Rose Dial Rose Gold Watch: $69.99 (list price: $595)

· 14k White Gold Diamond Twist Pendant: $59.99 (list price: $182)

· Save up to 70% on jewelry gifts

· Mr. Coffee 20-Ounce Frappe Maker: $49.99 (list price: $79.99)

· Furi Rachael Ray 7-Inch Sharp-and-Store Self-Sharpening Knife with Stand: $29.99 (list price: $75)

· Canon PowerShot 12 MP Digital Camera: $199 (list price: $349)

· Save up to 50% off cashmere items including sweaters and cold weather accessories for men and women

· Save up to 33% off boots, slippers, athletic and accessories from endless.com

· Select DVDs as low as $.99

· Save up to 40% off select Melissa & Doug toys

· Invicta Specialty Collection Chronograph Blue Dial Stainless Steel Watch: $69.99 (list price: $595)

· PSP-3000 PlayStation Portable Core Pack: $99 (list price: $129.99)

· Save up to 60% off kids’ and baby sleepwear

· The Complete Calvin and Hobbes Box Set: $76.77 (list price: $150)

· Buy one Webkinz pet, get one free

· Spend $75 or more on select toys, get an Amazon-exclusive limited-edition Gund Bear free

· Subscribe to select magazines like Woman’s Day, Spin, Entertainment Weekly and People, get an instant $5 code for the Amazon MP3 store.

· Buy select jewelry, get a pair of pearl shell stud earrings free

· Buy the Plantronics Voyager Pro+ Bluetooth Headset, get the Plantronics Carry Case free

· Pre-order a JJ Cole Broadway Stroller, get a color canopy free

· Buy a select Windows 7 PC, receive a $50 Amazon.com Gift Card

· Amazon Appstore for Android will feature Jetpack Joyride as the Free App of the Day on Black Friday

EARLY BLACK FRIDAY DEALS

· Sharp 32-inch LCD HDTV: $249.99 (save $100)

· Kodak EasyShare MD55 Digital Camera, Black: $79 (save $70)

· SpongeBob SquarePants Tooncast Studio: $4.99 (save $15)

· Sterling Silver Black Diamond Round Earrings: $79.99 (save $99)

· The Original Christmas Classics (DVD): Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Comin to Town, Frosty the Snowman, Frosty Returns, Mr. Magoos Christmas Carol, The Little Drummer Boy and Cricket on the Hearth: $12.99 (save $16)

· Save 70% off Men’s Pea Coats

· $20 off Rockwell 12-Volt LithiumTech 2-Tool Combo Kit

Visit Amazon’s Black Friday Deals store to check out all the deals and be sure to follow @Amazon on Twitter to get the most up-to-date news about what Amazon is up to this holiday.

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HTC Vivid the Porn Phone?

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:34:00 +0000

According to TMZ, the people who paid Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton for their sex tapes, is threatening to sue HTC over the name of one of their newest smart phones pictured left, the “HTC VIVID”.

Vivid (the porn company) claims that users may get confused and think that they are behind the phone. Vivid has given HTC until Monday to change the name of their smart phone to something else, or they will sue.

I wonder what HTC will do, I think it will be pretty hard for them to change the name of a device that is already on the Market and available from at&t wireless.
What porn company makes cell phones anyway? Well besides Playboy.

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You’ve Got Ghosts!

Nikki — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:28:25 +0000

With Christmas around the corner, I think it is safe to say that many of us have a “gamer” or two on our list. I always find it so hard to think of which games to purchase for them because, let’s be honest, there are too many games that are very similar.Majesco Entertainment has just released a game that is sure to be one of a kind.

The Hidden, an augmented reality (AR) ghost hunting adventure for the portable Nintendo 3DS™ system, allows you to investigate real-world environments with the Nintendo 3DS camera in order to search, capture and destroy supernatural entities as a paranormal investigator.

Rated E10+, this game is sure to please Nintendo 3DS fans. Be sure to view the video below to get a better idea of how the camera creates the background for the levels!

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Deal of the Day: Dell XPS 17 $899.99

Deal Geekette — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:06:20 +0000

Today Daily Deal is for the fully loaded super fast Dell XPS 17 2nd generation Intel Core i7 notebook PC with 8 GB of memory, a 1 TB of Storage, a 1080p full HD display with built in Blu-ray player.

Talk about mobile entertainment hub! I can only imagine what you could do with all that power!

The system is on sale for $899.99 and while the price may sound a big high, it’s a bargain when you consider the amount of power the XPS 17 can deliver.

Price break down: $1,613.99 – $564 off – $150 coupon code = $899.99 + FREE shipping

Click here for past deals.

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Emily and Isabel Coming Soon

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 23:42:29 +0000

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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Biscotti Introduces High Definition TV Phone

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 22:51:22 +0000

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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Verbatim Unveils 2nd Gen Mobile Keyboard

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 20:09:36 +0000

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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Deal of the Day: Dell Inspiron 15R-2nd Gen $774.99

Deal Geekette — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 19:13:36 +0000

For todays deal we feature the Dell Inspiron 15R-2nd Gen 2.2GHz Intel Core i7 Quad-core Laptop w/8GB RAM, 750GB HDD. If those specs don’t make the geekette in you drool I have no idea what will. There is so much power under the hood of the 15R you probably use it to replace your desktop.

In order to take advantage of this deal you must use coupon code “4J4XPNDZ1PKR2B” during the check out process, you can customize it and still use the coupon code however customized machines will cost more.

Break down of price: $1,343.98 – $543.99 off – $25 coupon code = $774.99 with FREE shipping.

Click here for past deals.

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Farmville Collectible Plush Toys Available @BestBuy

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:25:40 +0000

Zynga the people who have cluttered our Facebook news feeds with pictures of pigs and plants and countless other things that leave us scratching our heads, has introduced just in time for the holidays FarmVille Plush Toys. The plush toys are limited edtion, which will make them hard to find considering how many millions of people play FarmVille.

The plush toys will be exclusively available at Best Buy and you can pre-order them now.

Each collectible blind box will be on sale $9.99 and it has 1 of 8 collectible plush toys, a 10 farm cash card and an exclusive in-game animal. These are blind boxes so you will not know which toy you are getting.

If you buy a $25 dollar FarmVille game card you can buy the blind box for just $0.99.

If you are able to collect all 8 you will earn an in-game Super Orchard!

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Hulu Plus available on Kindle Fire

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:12:49 +0000

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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Deal of the Day: HP Pavilion G7-1260us

Deal Geekette — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:01:49 +0000

We have teamed up with LogicBuy to bring you a new deal every day of the week and we start today with the HP Pavilion g7-1260us notebook pc. The g7 features a LED backlit 17.3-in HD screen, an Intel Core i3-2330M 2.2Ghz dual core processor, a 640GB hard drive, 4GB of memory, SRS Premium sound, built-in Wi-Fi and of course Windows 7 Premium.

The price $629.99 – $150 Instant Rebate – $50 mail-in-rebate = $429.99 plus you get free shipping.

Who says you have to wait for Black Friday or Cyber Monday to get a great deal? Click here for more information on the deal.

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Fashion Playtes $50 Design-Your-Diva-Dress Giveaway for Girls

Wendy Wick — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:31:35 +0000

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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A new App favorite for the iPad: Chuggington: Terrific Trainee!

Wendy Wick — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:08:32 +0000

Chuggington: Terrific Trainee! Is a fun and easy-to-use iPad app for our little pre-school Choo-Choo aficionados. Elijah, my nearly four-year old all-things-trains expert was thrilled from the launch icon onwards. “Trains!” he exclaimed and tapped the app before we were even seated with the iPad safely balanced on our legs.

The app launches with a catchy tune and the choice between ‘easy’ or ‘hard’ and again, I didn’t even get the chance to guide his choice. He went with ‘easy’ because it was blue.

Now the big choices…do we ride the rails with Wilson, Brewster, Koko or Action Chugger? Eventually we ride them all on challenging missions! Elijah keeps sneaking in ‘one more round’ because he wants to ride all the trains. Each train takes you along the rails at a brisk pace and you have to have to tap traffic cones so the engines can jump them or drag your finger between rails lines so they can change rails and avoid obstacles. Each engine has it own unique animation and responds humorously to bumping and jumping the cones which amuses Elijah immensely.

Chuggington: Terrific Trainee! Is an ideal app for a pre-schooler who has used the iPad for basic pre-school games, has experience with the touch paradigm and is ready to get more anticipation and adventure in his game experience. I was surprised and thrilled to see that Elijah responded to the brisk pace with focus and giggles, following Vee’s (the games narrator!) encouraging instructions on how to proceed. The app offers a few activities which are fun to repeat as well as a ‘hard’ more advance level. Elijah was able to figure out what needed to be done and catch on quickly. Pressing, dragging, tapping actions are increasingly used as the activities unfold: honking horns, opening cargo doors and loading the special delivery car, collecting pick-ups and revealing each of your badges. The game remembers your scores and awards you a badge for each mission which then unlocks new adventures. The check marks and badges gave him a clear indication of accomplishment which he responded to.

In short, as a mom with a train-crazed boy, I like this app for the Chuggington characters but more so for the fine motor skill development and visual tracking skills development. I especially like the clear achievement indicators which encourage a health pursuit for improvement against ones own best and the silly animation which evokes the giggles and surprised expressions I relish sharing with Elijah during our shared play.

In one week’s time this App has made it to the Request-by-Name Apps that Elijah asks to play…it is a short list. This boy knows his mind, he loves his trains and adores this App. If you know someone with a three to five year old boy and iPad, send them an iTunes gift of this App (all you need is their email address and your own iTunes account) for less than the cost of your latte or espresso shot.

The launch price for Chuggington: Terrific Trainee! is $1.99 (iPhone) and $2.99 (iPad) at the App Store.

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Chugginton: Terrific Trainee!

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Starz Digital Media today announced that their iPad, iPhone and iPod touch game “Chugginton: Terrific Trainee!” is available for purchase from the Apple App Store for $1.99. The game features 16 missions and 4 levels, starting your kids favorite characters from the series.

“The Chuggington: Terrific Trainee! App is another way for fans to interact with the most loved Chuggington characters anywhere they want to play,” said Megan Buecher, director of licensing, Ludorum. “Preschoolers can play to earn badges just like the trainees do on the show.”

Wendy Wick, and her kids Elijah and Maya have been playing the game for a few days now and should have a review up tonight.

The launch price for Chuggington: Terrific Trainee! is $1.99 (iPhone) and $2.99 (iPad) at the App Store.

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Unboxing the We-Vibe 3

Radiris Diaz — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 03:51:09 +0000

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

All We Want For the Holidays is a Phone Call

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 03:08:47 +0000

That according to a study conducted by research firm Toluna on behalf of VTech. manufacture of cordless landline phones. Some of which are REALLY COOL like the LS6245 and the LS6375-03.

According to the survey, we are feeling the effects of the economy with more than half of those who participated in the survey saying they “wished they had more money for presents”. The survey also found that a lot of us including myself although I did not participate in the survey would love to have a phone call from Friend and Family during the holidays. Please note the emphasis on FRIENDS and FAMILY.

The survey found we really don’t want calls form our co-workers during the holidays or people we really don’t get a long with, so before you pick up the phone think about it first if we aren’t related or good friends maybe you shouldn’t dial the number.

Now off to call my mami!

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Polaroid Making a Comback?

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:13:21 +0000

Maybe I am misinformed, but didn’t Polaroid exit the instant picture business and started to focus purely on printing pictures? I remember seeing and hearing that back in 2008. But I suspect someone at Polaroid didn’t get the memo because today at CES Unveiled Michael Reyes from HardwareGeeks.com spotted what he described to me as a dinosaur with a LCD screen.

The Polaroid Z340 is an instant 14.0 megapixel digital camera with a 2.7” LCD screen. It instantly prints out 3×4 full color images and unlike the polaroid film of old you don’t have to wait for the picture to develop it comes out developed!

What’s also so cool about the Z340 it doesn’t use INK to print your images. I’m confused too but it’s technology called ZINK (Zero Ink Printing).

The Z340 is available now, for more info visit Poloaroid.com.

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WIRED Store Opening again in NYC for the Holidays

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 20:57:04 +0000

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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Amazon Opens Black Friday Store

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:48:52 +0000

Yesterday Newegg sent out a dozen eggs to let the world know their black Friday will be everyday, and today Amazon.com announced that their Black Friday store is officially open and will be open until Black Friday!

Click read more for a sample of some of the DEALS amazon.com will have, and guess what they all have free Super Saver Shipping or free two day shipping for Amazon Prime members.

Here’s a sneak peek at some of the deals that will be available at various times leading up to Black Friday:

Fujifilm FinePix F505 Digital Camera (includes 4 GB Memory Card): $179 (list price: $399.95)

· TomTom XXL 5-Inch Widescreen GPS Navigator: $79.99 (list price: $169.95)

· Philips Speaker System for iPod/iPhone with LED Clock Radio: $49.99 (list price: $79.99)

· Altec Lansing Digital Boombox: $199.99 (list price: $299.95)

· Invicta Men’s and Women’s Subaqua Watches: $169.99 (list price: $995)

· “Arrested Development: The Complete Series” (DVD): $28.99 (list price: $89.98)

· Up to 20% off Disney Nintendo video game bundles

· Buy two, get one free on select Electronic Arts sports video games including best-selling titles like FIFA Soccer 12, Madden NFL 12 and NHL 12

· Sony 9-Inch LED Digital Photo Frame: $69 (list price: $139.99)

· $20 off purchase of $100 or more on select Porter-Cable power tools and accessories

· Up to 50% off contemporary clothing for Women, Men, Kids and Baby

All of the products listed above are eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping or FREE Two-Day Shipping with Amazon Prime.

For more information on Amazon’s Black Friday Deals store see the official press release below. Also, make sure to follow @Amazon on Twitter to get the most up-to-date news about what Amazon is up to this holiday.

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Newegg Halloween Promo

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:43:54 +0000

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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My Best Buy Holiday Wish list

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 20:10:47 +0000

I’m a geek CuteGeek! And as a CuteGeek one of my favorite pass times is shopping, and one of my favorite places to shop at (especially during the holidays) is Best Buy and BestBuy.com. The reason is because their prices tend to blow out the competition, have a larger selection of items and typically have everything I want; from that big screen TV to that tiny keychain digital picture frame or as you can tell from my picture everything for my Wii (which I purchased last year)!

Best Buy is the spot to go to for batteries, movies, games and even some of your favorite child-hood candy since their checkout counters resemble the latest CVS – with a ton of impulse buys, that I, impulsely buy - it’s where I go when I need an electronic that I prefer to touch and feel, instead of just checking out through a click. That’s why our first sneak-peak holiday gift guide of the season are things that I want/have/recommend from Best Buy.

The first thing on my list is the 55” Samsung UN66D6000S LED HDTV! Who says girls don’t like big…

…screen TVs?

I love big screen televisions and Samsung makes the best ones if you asked me - at $1399 the UN55D6000S is a steal!

Don’t forget your HDMI cables if you’re getting a new TV this year! You don’t want to spend a ton of money on a nice TV that makes your shows look crummy.

The thoughts of wall mounting that baby in front of my bed is a major turn on for me!

While I may love my Nintendo Wii, this year I want a Microsoft Kinect and an Xbox 360 (why not??). With all the cool games like Dance Central, and the new Star Wars game which is coming out for it – who in their right mind wouldn’t want one? Plus you can also use your Xbox 360 for media content and watch Netflix and Hulu on it (hello – cancel that cable right now!).

Best Buy has various Kinect Bundles available starting at $299. The Kinect itself cost $149. If you live in a small apartment like me, you may also want to invest in the Nyko Zoom for Kinect, it allows you to use your Kinect in smaller rooms and it is only $29.99.

The next item on my list would have been something that CISCO brought us, but they decided to kill their camera biz and got rid of the Flip. Their loss, now my money will go to Sony as I want the Sony Bloggie. Sony now has a 3D version of the Bloggie which I am dying for. The bloggie pictured is the 3D version.

I never owned a bloggie but Michael from HardwareGeeks.com did and before losing his (what a tool) he swore by it. He loved it more than his Flip and used it more than his Samsung TL325 digital point and shoot.

Best Buy has a full range of Bloogies to choose from, I say go for the 3D one!!! (Gunnar makes some sweet 3D glasses BTW)

I also want a Nikon DSLR camera! I am not big on DSLR cameras, but it is on my list of goals - I want to learn how to use them. Something about a camera that powerful, just makes me feel powerful, and I would love to get my hands on one of those Nikon D3100 cameras. The price is a bit high for my budget at the moment but as soon as I need some retail therapy, they better be in stock because I want one! Just look at that bad boy below!!! Growl!

I can smell the hate mail already if I don’t include the next item on the list. Apples iPhone 4s, I know if I did not include it someone would find away to make Siri say she hates me and all CuteGeeks out there

But yes I do want an iPhone 4s, and I would love to have one and I know plenty of other people would love to have one, and while best buy has them, I don’t think I can justify the expense of one right now (they go up to $800+ WTHeck???!!!). It makes the list because it is an AWESOME device! (according to the world of i-DOers)

Finally I really want, and while some may not consider it to be a geeky gadget, I do and I really want the CHI Air- Flat Iron, in PINK! I never thought I loved pink until I looked at most of my accessories and noticed they were pink…I’ve definitely come a long way since my tomboy days. I also have to keep my hair done in order to remain Cute! although the curls never get old – straightening it just guarantees a couple of more minutes of ZZzzzZZZ’s.

The Chi Air features a switch that will allow us ladies to set the heat settings. I for one am tired of 1 temp for every style hair irons. It also is supposed to help maintain your hair healthy which is always a top concern for me. The $99 price tag may seem steep for some but beauty and healthy hair shouldn’t have a price-fixing it or reworking it is usually more painful.

Everything in this guy can be found in Best Buy stores and online at BestBuy.com.

Happy Shopping and Happy Holidays!

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A “Wicked” Little Giveaway…

Wendy Wick — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:45:36 +0000

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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Firmware Update for GoFlex Satellite

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 08:05:37 +0000

GoFlex Satellite owners there is a new firmware update for your wireless hard drive.

The new firmware is version 1.2.0.012 and it has a host of new features. My favorite being the ability to add music to a photo slide show. You also can now view your music’s album art.

This is the first update of the firmware since it was released in July. Wendy Wick had a chance to review it and she loved it. Check out her review here.

You can download the firmware and also see instructions on how to update the device here.

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WD Live TV

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 05:17:40 +0000

Two weeks ago Michael Reyes from HardwareGeeks.com let me hold his brand spanking new WD TV Live streaming media player, and I have yet to give it back. He probably won’t get it back either because it’s an awesome device.

The WD TV Live allows me to stream content from my computer, or network storage device and see it on my television. I can now easily show my friends and family pictures with out them hovering around my laptop’s monitor, or I can watch Netflix, Hulu (Oh man I used to love this show called Outlaw), rent movies from Blockbuster and CinemaNow, and even listen to music from Pandora or Spotify. You will have to update your Spotify account but it is well worth it. I can even check my Facebook without opening my laptop.

Setup was SUPER easy. I am not completely clueless when it comes to setting things up, especially a a device like this so I expected it to take me much longer than it did. Only two steps – Connect to television and then connect to Wi-fi. I was able to do it all in under 5 minutes.

If you are curious why did it take me the entire 5 minutes?
Minute 1 – 2: Connecting it to the TV, Wi-Fi and a Power Outlet (Not in that order)
Minute 3 – 5: Calling the cable company to cancel. (Who needs cable when you have HULU, NetFlix and Blockbuster) I’ll save myself over $120 a month! Haha – just kidding. I would have to confirm that with my roommate first but hey…

I would love to save $120 a month. I can also connect a hard drive to the WD LIVE TV and stream that content or content from off of my network.

Overall I love it and sorry Michael you will have to syndicate this review on HardwareGeeks.com because you are NOT getting this back.

I suggest you all head over to http://westerndigital.com and pick one up, it will make the perfect gift for any girlfriend, wife, sister or mother this holiday season!

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MAINGEAR to offer Intel Core i7 2700k Overclocked

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 04:01:00 +0000

MAINGEAR today informed the world that they will have the the new Intel Core i7 2700k in their Shift and F131 desktops.

The i7 2700K is a quad-core (4 core) processor with a clock speed of 3.5GHz and 3.9GHz Turbo boost. MAINGEAR is also overclock the 2700K Intel processor to 5GHZ which will make it SUPER fast, think of all the multi-tasking I can do!!!

The price of the F131 and Shift with the 2700k is $1228 and $1985. I in no way can afford one, at least not right now but would love to have one. For more info click here.

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Holidays are Coming so here are some Deals!

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:38:10 +0000

I was strolling through K-Mart the other day and was astonished to see Christmas decorations already on sale. Halloween hasn’t even passed and they are already selling us Christmas Goodies.

So with Christmas right around the corner and the economic situation many of us are in, I thought it would be a good idea to share various deals I encounter from now on until the Holidays and who knows maybe I’ll continue to share them after the holidays.

So here are some deals that made their way into my inbox today!

Buy.com Sent me these deals
Get an Xbox 360 System – 250GB Kinect Bundle (Earn BONUS 5,000 Super Points – $50 Value*) for $399.99 at Buy.com! Valid through 10/25/2011

Get an Apple iPad 2 32GB w/ WiFi + 3G (Black) – Refurbished for $638 at Buy.com, a $91.99 Savings! Valid through 10/25/2011

Get a Western Digital Elements SE 500GB USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive – Refurbished for $49.99 at Buy.com! Valid through 10/25/2011

Here are some BJ.com Deals
$130 Instant Saving With Purchase of ASUS K53e-XB2 15.6" Laptop with Intel i7-2670QM Processor!

HP ENVY 17-2280NR 17.3" Laptop with Intel Core i7-2670QM Processor At BJ’s Wholesale Club!!

Barns and Noble for those of us who love to read like me!
Affiliate Exclusive! 40% Off ALL 20 National Book Award Nominees at BarnesandNoble.com!

Will post more deals as I find them, if you know of any other deals you think we should share feel free to let us know about them too!

Happy saving!

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Want to Avoid New Bank Fees? Try One of These 3 Free Checking Accounts

Bethy Hardmen — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 22:42:49 +0000

Bank customers are not happy. With more big banks imposing new banking fees without improving their services, consumers are becoming more vocal than ever. But how many of those customers will be walking away from their banks? Will you?

If you’re considering switching, but don’t know where to turn, Credit Karma has done some research for you into some of the best free checking accounts. Check out these three suggestions and decide whether or not you should make the switch.

Bank of Internet USA. The name may be a bit dull, but this online bank offers some great customer perks. You can open a free checking account with a $100 minimum deposit and start earning interest after you complete several financial actions each month. These include making direct deposits and utilizing the free online bill pay. One of the best things about having a checking account with Bank of Internet USA is that you’ll never have to worry about ATM fees; they’ll reimburse you for every one.
Caution: Since there are no physical banking branches, you’ll have to deposit your checks remotely by scanning them or by mailing them using the postage-paid envelopes provided by the bank.

Alliant Credit Union. As an Alliant member, you’ll have access to a network of more than 80,000 ATMs to use fee-free. When you open a checking account, you can begin accruing interest at 1.10% APY if you opt out of paper statements and make one online deposit per month. This is great news because 1.10% APY is a higher rate than most savings accounts will get you. Plus, Alliant’s free checking account has no monthly service fee or minimum balance requirement.
Caution: Not just anyone can join Alliant Credit Union. You have to either work for one of the more than 175 qualifying companies or organizations or make a one-time $10 donation to the charity, Foster Care to Success.

USAA. USAA was originally founded by army officers in San Antonio, Texas, and remains a bank that serves active members of the military, their families and veterans. One of the best things about opening a checking account with USAA is that there’s no minimum initial deposit required. If you’re checking balance remains above $1,000, you can earn interest.
Caution: Like a credit union, USAA has membership restrictions. Before applying to open an account, check to see if you qualify.

Switching Banks: A Checklist

Whenever you decide to switch financial accounts, make sure to keep in mind the following:

If your paycheck is directly deposited into your bank account, make sure to follow up with your employer to fill out a new direct deposit form.
Make a list of the automatic bill payments you have set up from your bank account. If most of your bills go through at the beginning of the month, consider switching right after they’ve been paid. That way, you’ll have some time to make the necessary changes before another bill is due.
Make a list of websites attached to your bank account. For instance, if you’re a frequent Amazon shopper, make sure to remove the account you’re leaving from your “one-click payment.”

Credit Karma™ is a completely free credit management service that provides free credit scores, personalized savings recommendations, and financial education. We believe free access to one’s credit score is a fundamental consumer right. Credit Karma helps more than 3 million consumers realize the everyday cost savings of having a good credit score. Visit us at www.creditkarma.com.

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Web Wednesday: Zamzar.com – get free music online

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 05:01:32 +0000

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!!

Own a Blackberry Free Apps Coming your Way

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 20:21:49 +0000

Due to that huge service outage last week, Research in Motion (RIM) has said it will give blackberry users free premium apps valued up to $100. The Free premium apps will be available starting October 19th and will remain free for 4 weeks. RIM has also said enterprise customers will get one free month of Technical Support.

Tens of millions of Blackberry customers world wide were left with out email for up to a day,

So if you have a Blackberry check the App World starting Wednesday for those free Premium Apps!

Catch a Sneak Peak of Starz “Boss” Tomorrow 10/14/2011

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 02:09:51 +0000

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

TeleNav GPS Navigator 7.1 for Sprint Android Devices

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Today at CTIA TeleNav announced GPS Navigator 7.1 for Sprint Android smartphones.

The new GPS Navigator is designed to help people who are always on-the-go like me, who always need to know where they are at and where they need to be.

Navigator 7.1 has a new home screen, called “My Dashboard” which gives quick access to all the things they need to know, yes like your current location and real time traffic. I love my Sprint Navigator even more now!

Navigator 7.1 also features improved map options real time traffic and turn by turn navigation. You can now also change your little car icon!

There is now also a widget for Navigator, something it lacked and something I welcome since I will now have even quicker access to my beloved GPS!

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Norton 360 v6 Free Public Beta

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:33:38 +0000

Today Symantec announced a free beta for Norton 360 version 6. The free beta will allow those who accept the beta agreement to download and use the full version of the software during the beta period.

So think of it as free AV for a month or so! Norton 360 features some new cool features such as Norton Identity Safe in the cloud, which will keep your passwords on a remote server in the cloud so that you can have access to them from any PC, Norton Management a new web management which allows you to remotely control some of Norton’s feature (sounds pretty cool), along with other changes that just went over my head. My favorite feature is the metered bandwidth. My friend who lives in Canada would love this feature as their ISP limits the amount of bandwidth they can use. (Pictured below)

Norton 360 v6 is available for download for free at http://us.norton.com/beta

MyTunes App Review

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:45:57 +0000

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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ScandalousDirt.com

Radiris Diaz — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 22:23:36 +0000

Kelsey Grammer has been in the news a lot lately, and well some of it’s been good and some of its been bad, but today he is in the news because of a new website that has just launched ScandalousDirt.com.

So what does ScandalousDirt.com and Kelsey Grammer have in common? Well the website is part of his new TV show which is set to premiere on Starz on October 21st called BOSS. The show is about the inner workings of Chicago politics and we all know how corrupt Chicago politics can be and Kelsey Grammer plays Mayor Kane.

The Scandalous Dirt website while part of the new TV show is also a real time political aggregator with news and polls about current real life events, but at the same time it will feature live tweets from the BOSS TV show, essentially blurring the lines between reality and fiction.

I’ve checked out the site and it’s pretty cool, and it helped me brush up on some of the garbage going on in our real life politics.

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WD Launches WD TV Live Wi-Fi with Spotify

Radiris Diaz — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Today WD announced the newest WD TV Live which features everyone’s favorite new music program Spotify. Spotify premium users will be able to listen to music on their WD TV Live devices in what I think is a gorgeous user interface. Michael from HardwareGeeks.com got to check it out a few weeks back and showed me some pictures.

The new WD TV Live will also feature 1 TB of storage and Wi-Fi making it not only a device that brings content to your television but a device that will store your content as well.

Along with Spotify, users of the newest WD TV Live which features a new UI will have access too NetFlix, Hulu Plus, Blockbuster, CinemaNow, Pandora, Youtube, Facebook and more.

Michael from HardwareGeeks.com also informed me that current WD TV Live owners will not be able to get Spotify in an Update hopefully WD changes their mind on that.

The new WD TV Live is available starting today at the WD Store, for $99.99.

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Paying Respect at NYC Apple Store

Radiris Diaz — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 02:00:25 +0000

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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RIP Steve Jobs

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 23:42:30 +0000

The Associated Press is reporting that Steve Jobs has died. The man was a genius we all can admit that, he brought us the iPod, the iPhone and Mac.

He was a force to be reckoned with as he brought us products that made his competitions knees buckle.

Steve Jobs you will be missed! Rest in Peace

http://www.apple.com/stevejobs/

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October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 22:46:38 +0000

One of the biggest threats we face today as internet and smartphone users is the theft of our identity. Our identity can easily be stolen if we are tricked into entering private information into a fake bank website for example, or if we lose our mobile phones.

We all know how to protect ourselves online, we are wary of the websites we visit, we use security software and other tools to make sure we are safe from website to website. But we don’t do much about our mobile phones. Sure there are fine my phone features if you have an iPhone or Windows Phone but what about an Android based device? Like a android powered tablet or smartphone.

According to a NPD Groups study on Emergency Technology Trends in Mobile Security, nearly 40% of us are aware of the threats out there, however 82 percent of us use no security products on our mobile phones and 25% of us have no idea where to find such software.

We have partnered with MyLookOut.com to give away 5 pro subscriptions of their Lookout Mobile app a $39 value each to 5 of our visitors, to help you protect yourself on your mobile device.

The Lookout mobile software will help you locate your phone if stolen, it backs up your data and so much more. So click the Market Icon on your android powered device and download it. There is also a pro version which we are giving subscriptions away for which will run you $39.Read down below for info on how to win your subscription.

I had a demo of the software a few weeks ago at an event here in NYC and it ROCKED! I downloaded it onto my phone as soon as I got home!

The MyLookOut.com blog is also sharing 5 tips with you on how to protect yourself.

Steps to Protect Your Smartphone:

1. Set a password. A password is the first line of defense so only you can access the important data on your phone.

2. Download the software updates for your phone. It is important to stay up-to-date with the software on your phone and apps. They can include patches to security flaws that can put your information at risk.

3. Download a security app. Just like your PC, you should download security software like Lookout Mobile Security to stop malware, spyware and malicious apps. With the right app, you can also locate a lost or stolen phone and back up your data.

4. Use discretion when downloading apps. One of the most exciting things to do with a new smartphone is explore all the great applications you can download onto it. But, as you explore, make sure to only download apps from sites you trust, check the app’s rating, and read the reviews to make sure the app is widely used and respected.

5. On public Wi-Fi, limit email, social networking and only window shop. Public Wi-Fi networks are everywhere, but security for these networks is not. Be careful what you do on public Wi-Fi networks, and in particular, use extra caution when shopping and mobile banking unless you’re confident you have a secure connection.

To find regularly updated information about mobile threats visit http://blog.mylookout.com/.

Now if you want to win a Subscription to the Pro Version of MyLookOut, comment to this post with what measures you take to protect your self.

Good luck and even if you don’t win the free version works great as well!

Just an FYI contest ends on Halloween!

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Brilliant Women in Technology Lauren Harich

Radiris Diaz — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 01:06:51 +0000

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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RIM Announces “BBM Generation” Program for Youth

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 17:06:46 +0000

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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Video: Unboxing Lenovo’s ThinkPad Tablet

Radiris Diaz — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 02:07:51 +0000

It has the body of a tablet and a head for business…sa-weet!

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Video: Transformation Nation

Radiris Diaz — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 01:35:38 +0000

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Toshiba Thrive 7

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 04:40:22 +0000

Today Toshiba announced an Android powered tablet with a 7” screen available in December. The Thrive 7 will have a similar look and feel as the 10” Thrive, although it will not have a full size USB, HDMI or SD port, only mini for HDMI and USB and micro SD.

We had a chance to play with one earlier today and I must admit, I think it would make a great eBook reader for those of us who are on the NY City subway system often. The NVIDIA Tegra chip makes it great for gaming as well.

Pricing not available yet but it will be sub $400. There will also be an optional dock available.

Here are some images of the Thrive 7.

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VITAband – the future of medical bracelets

Sylwia — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 19:48:12 +0000

VITAband – The future for medical ID bracelets.

As an extreme sports enthusiast, (or so I claim to be ;-)), I’m really excited about the VITAband. The VITAband is essentially a new-age medical ID bracelet. How? Well each bracelet comes with an imprinted personal identification number (VITAnumber). So, should anything happen to you a first-responder can call the VITAband number to access your personal information.

On the VITA website you can set up your profile to include medications, allergies, and emergency contacts. But wait, theres MORE…the VITAband also features Visa payWave (contact-less payment). It’s a prepaid card so you don’t have to worry about someone running off with your fortune.

The VITAband is great for anyone into hiking, cycling, running (marathon training..whoa!) and lastly climbing (or you can wear it because it’s sweet).

I recently took up climbing as a hobby, it’s a sport where safety is utmost important. Having been out-door sport climbing a handful of times (its so scary but REALLY fun too!), makes me really appreciate what the VITAband folks are doing.

This brings me to the reason why the VITAband is so awesome. It’s because you can have your information on you at all times — JUSTINCASE! But at the same time it doesn’t get in the way of your activity. In other words, you won’t have to complain about not having a place to put your license in your cycling shorts.

Way-to-go VITAband!

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Sony Video Unlimited Headed to PS3

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Sony today has announced PlayStation 3 users can download the Video Unlimited app starting October 11th, which will allow them to discover video and related content in a whole new cool and sexy way.

I checked out a video of the Video Unlimited app and I will be honest I now want a PS3! Check out the video over at http://blog.us.playstation.com

Users can download a Preview of the App starting today, from the PlayStation Store. For more information visit: www.VUPreview.com.

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Unboxing the Galaxy Tab

Michael — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 04:41:06 +0000

Today Michael Reyes and I from HardwareGeeks.com were able to check out the brand new Galaxy Tab 8.9 from Samsung. The device which features a dual core processor, gorilla glass, and 16 or 32 GB of storage is the thinnest tablet on the market.

Check out my unboxing video and check back soon for my full review!

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Samsung Expands Galaxy Line

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 23:46:04 +0000

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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Favorite Website of the Week: DoctorOz.Sharecare.com (Transformation Nation)

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 19:58:51 +0000

Have you heard of Transformation Nation – or Dr.Oz’s goal of transforming all Americans from 7 different aspects of our lives?

Well if you haven’t, I urge you to go check out his website because this is a big deal and if you are the winner of this transformation nation project, you can win a million bucks!!

Dr.Oz is known for many things – in my eyes he is the Oprah of health. Anything that comes out of his mouth is taken with very high regard, and he instantly makes skeptics his followers. I’ve been watching and listening to his advice for years and am very excited to be a part of this program.

Check out DoctorOz.Sharecare.com for more details and be sure to tell your friends.

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What’s in a Credit Score: Your Credit Portfolio

Bethy Hardmen — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 19:01:44 +0000

For the past couple of months, we’ve been brushing up on credit scores. At CreditKarma.com, credit scores are our bread-and-butter and we like to spread the knowledge with all of you Cute Geek readers.

Our first installment discussed how your credit utilization rate affects your credit score. Then we covered what factors in your credit history impact your score. For this final installment, we’ll be talking about how your credit portfolio factors into your credit score.

The two main pieces of your credit portfolio are the average age of your open credit lines and your total number of credit accounts.

Average Age of Open Credit Lines

When you opened your first line of credit, whether that was a credit card, student loan or auto loan, you established your credit history. The older your credit history, the more accurately a lender can assess your creditworthiness over time. The average age of your credit cards and other accounts is a strong indicator of your credit history. Your credit history length accounts for about 15 percent of your credit score.

For credit health: Be cautious when you’re considering closing your oldest credit card account. A closed account immediately impacts your credit score by shortening your credit history. Additionally, it also reduces your available credit, which means your utilization rate can be negatively affected. The good thing is that your credit age will lengthen with time, which positively impacts your credit score. However, you need to keep these accounts in good standing if you want that boost to your credit score.

Total Number of Credit Accounts

Consumers with more credit accounts generally have better credit scores because s variety of credit indicates that lenders are willing to extend credit to them. Also, having various types of credit, both revolving credit (like credit cards) and installment loans (like student loans), is a good sign of creditworthiness and the ability to manage multiple kinds of credit.

For credit health: Take a look at your different credit accounts. Do you have a good mix of credit accounts? If not, don’t rush to apply for new credit just to build credit. Instead, consider your life situation. If you use air travel a lot, but don’t have an airline rewards credit card, consider researching cards that will give you a return when you fly. If you’ll be in the market for a new car soon, know that an auto loan will also help diversify your credit portfolio and improve your credit mix. Just remember to do your research to know which auto loan would work best for you.

If you’re afraid your credit score won’t get you approved for a new line of credit, try a secured credit card to start building your credit now. A secured card requires a cash security deposit from you that functions as collateral if you default on your payment. Since you’re the one taking on the financial risk, a secured card typically offers guaranteed approval. Your new card will help you start building your credit so that, later on down the road, you can apply for different types of credit with your established credit history.

Bottom Line: Your credit portfolio indicates your creditworthiness by showing lenders that you have a good track record of managing different types of credit accounts over a long period of time. The more robust your credit portfolio, combined with a healthy credit history and responsible credit use, the better the impact on your credit score.

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Gears of War 3 Launch Party

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:26:24 +0000

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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Favorite Website/Book of the Week: Happiness-Project.com

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:08:27 +0000

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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Carnegie Mellon University Set to Receive Record-Breaking Gift of $265 Million

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:37:50 +0000

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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Favorite Website of the Week: TheFutureProject.Org

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 10:15:35 +0000

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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Celebrate timeless beauty with the Limited Edition HP 12c

Radiris Diaz — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 04:28:19 +0000

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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Web Wednesday: FHumor.com

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:59:02 +0000

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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Lenovo’s New Android Tablets

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:34:07 +0000

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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Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster’s Release Date is Getting Closer

Nikki — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:52:10 +0000

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!

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

Nikki — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:04:11 +0000

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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Favorite Website of the Week: ZocDoc.com

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 05:01:29 +0000

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!

Thanks for Nothing HP & Apple

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 00:11:32 +0000

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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Vibrating USB, The Duet

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 18:33:22 +0000

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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The Future Project – and why you should join the movement to inspire

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 18:19:07 +0000

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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The power of words…or lack of…

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:57:24 +0000

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…

Favorite Website of the Week: GroupOn.com – Collective Buying Power

Sprint Ticket Takedown!

Nikki — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 19:29:47 +0000

Sprint is having a promo where you can buy movie tickets for $4 each – Limit 2, valued up to $14.50 each and they don’t expire till October 15!

The sale started today and lasts till tomorrow but there are only 100,000 tickets available… so grab a pair quick! There were about 60,000 left when I purchased mine!

https://m.sprinticketakedown.com/index.php

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Sexy new Mouse from Microsoft

Ashley Giordano — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 17:21:44 +0000

Microsoft today announced it’s stylish and dear we say sexy new Touch Mouse artist edition. It’s a laser engraved mouse that is quite stunning in my opinion.

New York based artist Deanne Cheuk, was inspired by the motion of our fingers and items such as circuit boards, and as you can see from the image to the right it’s a gorgeous design. I can’t wait to rub my fingers over it and find out what it feels like. Looks to me like it would feel nice!

But the Touch Mouse Artist edition isn’t just about having a great mouse, it also features multitouch technology which allows you to make gestures on the mouses surface and the ability to you se 1, 2 or 3 fingers. Clicking, swiping, pinching flicking and snapping have never been sexier!

Microsoft has put together a video showing how the mouse was designed, enjoy!

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What’s in a Credit Score: Your Credit History

Bethy Hardmen — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 21:21:31 +0000

At CreditKarma.com, we know credit scores. We know the ins and outs, what keeps them strong and what damages them. We’re sharing some of that knowledge with you CuteGeek readers so that you can take control of your credit life.

Last time, we discussed your credit utilization rate and how important it is in determining your credit score. Today, we’ll talk about how different aspects of your credit history factor into your credit score. The two main pieces in your credit history are your percentage of on-time payments and number or derogatory marks.

Percent of On-Time Payments

This is simply the number of on-time payments you’ve made divided by the number of payment cycles you’ve had on a given account (such as a credit card). For instance, if you’ve had one credit card for four years—or 48 months—and you’ve paid on-time all but twice, you have an on-time payment rate of 95.83%. In school, that’s a good grade, but when it comes to your credit score, just one missed or late payment could bring your score down 20 to 40 points, according to the Credit Simulator.

According to CreditKarma.com’s Credit Report Card, any rate below 96% constitutes a grade of “F” in this category. Don’t worry, a grade of “F” won’t necessarily ruin your credit score, but it will take continued on-time payments over time to make up for it.

For credit health: Your payment history accounts for 35% of your credit score. In order for lenders to find you creditworthy, they must trust that you’ll pay back your debts on time. That’s why your percentage of on-time payments is so important to your credit score. The best thing to do is to keep track of your credit card payment deadlines. Set up automatic payments or email alerts so that you never miss one. If you can’t pay off your entire balance each month, pay at least the minimum by the due date.

Derogatory Marks

Any negative actions against your credit, such as a late or missed payment, will cause a derogatory mark on your credit report. Other examples include accounts in collections, bankruptcies, foreclosures and tax liens. They’re bad news for your credit score because they’ll stay on your credit report for seven to ten years. Let’s look at how a few derogatory marks might impact your credit score:

Account in collections: For a “good” credit consumer with a 721, they’ll lose 45 points. The same goes for a “fair” credit consumer with a score of 660.
Tax lien: For a consumer with an “excellent” credit score of 765, their score will take a hit of nearly 100 points.
Foreclosure: For a “good” credit score of 712, you’ll stand to lose about 50 points. If you’re in the “excellent” score range with a 785, it’ll knock your score down about 75 points.
Bankruptcy: With a credit score in the “good” range of 680, a bankruptcy could drop it a whopping 150 points.

For credit health: Also included in that 35% portion of your credit score, derogatory marks like past-due payments and charge-offs should be avoided at all costs. The best way to avoid getting hit with a derogatory mark is to keep forming good financial habits: make and stick to a budget and build up an emergency fund. That way, if you find yourself facing a difficult debt repayment, you’ll have some cash in reserve to keep a derogatory mark at bay.

Bottom Line: Your credit history is one of the most indicative factors of your past credit health. In order to ensure healthy credit in your future, make sure you always make your payments on time and keep those derogatory marks at bay by making smart financial moves.

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HP Ink Challange

Shoshana Diggs — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:22:00 +0000

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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Wii games for $9.99, includes free shipping

Nikki — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:16:09 +0000

Here are 5 titles that Newegg.com is offering for $9.99 today. Plus, shipping is free!

LEGO Batman for Nintendo Wii
Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2011 for Nintendo Wii
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed for Nintendo Wii
Ghostbusters The Video Game for Nintendo Wii
Bust A Move: Bash! for Nintendo Wii

Hurry, these are sure to go quick

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Free Starbucks Coffee! (Well, it used to be)

Sylwia — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:57:29 +0000

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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Something for Any Country Music Lover

Nikki — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:09:20 +0000

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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How Dropcam Has Made Me a Better Mom

Nikki — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 21:31:13 +0000

Any parent has been there. You need your child to do something, but that heart-aching cry from they protest with makes you cave in. Ok, so maybe some of you aren’t putty in your child’s hands… but I am.

My son, Landon, was not one for taking a scheduled nap. His father and I were on HIS time, and we had come to accept it. Why? Because we cave into tears and pouty lips. Then, Dropcam arrived at my doorstep.

Dropcam gives a good pitch- “Watch what you love while you’re away” And they allow everyone to do it in the most tech savvy of ways- your very own wi-fi internet video cameras. I immediately followed the quick step by step installation directions on the box (connected a cable to my router just for the initial set up, plugged the power cable in, went to www.Dropcam.com to enter my activation code, and added my wireless network) and BAM, we were live! At first, I used our Dropcam Echo for a few days in all the usual ways. I used it as security for our house, used it in our living room to check in on my family while I was at work, used it to watch my dog comfortably sleeping on the couch he isn’t allowed on when everyone was gone from the house, tons of ways. And I loved it! I could log in my account from any computer or use Dropcam’s Android and iPhone apps to check in day or night and get a live view of what was going on. I also would get audio and visual alerts if I opted to. Oh, yeah, and this little puppy can record!

Then, this past week, it hit me. Dropcam could be the ultimate nap time tool at our house. No more having Landon guilt me into opening his door and letting him skip a nap when he started to cry. I quickly unplugged the camera from where it was placed and planted it on Landon’s bookshelf to look over his room. I shut the door and watched him cry from the Dropcam app. I was able to see his sneaky look towards the door to see if he should continue to cry. No more wondering if he had hurt himself or if he was scared of something… I was at peace,doing house work, knowing he had been milking me all along. Once Dad came home I passed an account invite to him to shared the camera stream so we both could use our own emails to log in to the same account. It was a war we actually have been winning since we have placed the Dropcam in Landon’s room. Another bonus? No more waking Landon up at night when I try to sneak in his room at night and trip over a toy. Dropcam has become my at home nanny.

Not convinced you need a Dropcam? Here are a few other possibilities for the Dropcam I haven’t mentioned yet:
Caring for the elderly.
Securing a storage unit.
Keeping an eye on your yard or driveway.
Watching a new babysitter.
Worry-free vacations since you can look in at your house.

Visit www.Dropcam.com to purchase your own!

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Zumba, Pitbull, Shaaake!

Nikki — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:44:26 +0000

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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Happy Birthday ThinkGeek!

Radiris Diaz — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:18:25 +0000

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!)

Spy Kids: All the Time in the World

Nikki — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:04:36 +0000

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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Feeling Good about Feeding the Fashionista in Your Girl with Fashion Playtes

Wendy Wick — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 17:51:24 +0000

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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Bring Home the Fizz with a SodaStream Fizz Home Soda Maker

Wendy Wick — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:43:46 +0000

I love drinking sparkling drinks (agua con gas) like perrier and pelligrino but it gets to be an expensive habit. A friend recommended awhile back that I look into getting a home soda maker but I just never jumped on the idea…until this week. I just got a SodaStream Fizz Home Soda Maker!

The Starter kit comes with everything you need to make you own soda at homes: the Fizz soda maker, reusable carbonator that makes up to 60L and a reusable BPA-free 1L carbonating bottle. You can start with tap or filtered water based on your preference. The Fizz is available in four colors: black, red, blue and green…and naturally, I went with the candy apple red!

The Fizz is ready to use right out of the box. Assembly was very easy. You just need to pop in the carbonator, rinse the bottle and fill it with water, and then you are ready to start making homemade soda ‘a tu gusto.’ The sequential ‘getting started’ illustrations are very intuitive. I had a little problem figuring out that the silver bar under the name plate was actually the ‘carbonating lever’ and was getting very frustrated while abusing the poor reset button. It took a few deep exhales and flipping the page between the written instructions and the diagram for me to figure out that that part actually moved…not my brightest moment! So there are only two things to push, the reset button and the fizzy bar…easy. I made the first bottle with my husband and 4 hyped-up soda-hungry kids made bottles two and three.

I just got my machine set up less than a week ago and we have used it twice while entertaining (once for a playdate with Heather and Jason, once with grown-ups!) and everyday for ourselves…

I even went as far as taking Perrier off my shopping list this week because my hubbie makes me fizzy water just as I like it. The Fizz has a fizz-o-meter indicator that shows the carbonation level as you are making your drink and you can control just how fizzy you make your drink. I like my drinks alot fizzier than the kids do and I prefer lemon/lime or just plain fizzy water while my family likes fruity flavors. Therefore, I find it useful to have at least one extra bottle so you can make a variety to suite everyone’s tastes, make extra if you are entertaining or make it to go…like for a picnic, weekend sports practice…you get the picture.

There is a variety of flavors and essences available to create many health and delicious sparkling beverages. SodaMix flavors are concentrated syrups which contain no high-fructose corn syrup and no aspartame, and are available with regular and diet flavors. Sparkling Naturals are made from all natural ingredients and contain no artificial flavors, no artificial colors and no artificial sweeteners, nor preservatives. MyWater is an unsweetened, all-natural flavor essence for making lightly flavored seltzer or sparkling water.

The Fizz has a gas level indicator that monitors the amount of CO2 left in the carbonator cylinder, so you’ll know when it’s time to exchange your carbonator for a full one. You can order the refills on-line and have them shipped to your home so you never run out and you can take advantage to stock up on the natural soda flavors at the same time.

My entrepreneurial daughter has decided that she is going to put a soda stand outside of our building to make fresh fizzed soda and sell it as a fund-raiser in lieu of the messier lemonade stand…(that video to follow!)

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How to Meet Women in Technology

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 09:57:23 +0000

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.

Jane’s Addictions Comes Alive with AT&T and the LG Thrill 4G in 3D

Wendy Wick — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 18:00:24 +0000

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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Brilliant Women in Tech Lisa Kurahashi

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 05:00:57 +0000

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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When Fashion Design and Technology Collide

Nikki — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 22:30:16 +0000

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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For the ‘Mean Girl’ in All of Us

Nikki — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 18:53:27 +0000

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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Celestron Shows You Your World in a Whole New Way with the LCD Handheld Digital Microscope

Wendy Wick — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:00:34 +0000

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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Pairing zBoost and PhoneLynx to Maximize My Cell Experience at Home

Wendy Wick — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:00:58 +0000

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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Xbox 360, Dim Sum and Disney…Quite the Cocktail Experiece!

Wendy Wick — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 04:30:05 +0000

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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CuteGeek Parties with SONY at the MLB Fan Cave

Wendy Wick — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 04:00:40 +0000

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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HappyLight Makes a Happier Me? We will See….

Wendy Wick — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:00:54 +0000

I just received a Verilux HappyLight and I can not wait to try it out. In my quest to create a home-office ‘experience’ the HappyLight should fit right in. The Verilux HappyLight is a compact energy lamp that improves your mood and energy naturally by providing natural spectrum daylight to combat the effects of seasonal change, malaise, jet lag, shift work..etc. You use it for one to two hours a day and start to feel the affects after only 4 or so days.

Watch my unboxing to learn more and watch for my follow-up to see how effective I find it.

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Cobra PhoneLynx….Did You Know Your Cell Phone Could Do This?

Wendy Wick — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 16:00:41 +0000

I just got the Cobra PhoneLynx, Cell Phone to Home Adapter with Bluetooth Wireless Technology that allows you to use standard land line telephones with your cellular service plan.

Cobra PhoneLynx pairs your cell phone to your home phone so that when your cell phone rings, all the home phones ring, and you can choose whether to answer with one of the home handsets or with the cell phone itself. When you make an outgoing call on your home phone, the call goes through using your cellular service (and minutes if applicable). In short, you can make and answer calls on a normal home phone, even wireless handset leveraging the cell minutes you are already paying for as well as the free nights and weekends.

The PhoneLynx is really easy to setup. You literally just take it out of the package and plug it into the wall, connect the home phone to the PhoneLynx with a standard phone cord and then pairing your cell phone to the PhoneLynx/home phone combo just as you would pair any bluetooth device. It took me less than 10 minutes to connect.

The PhoneLynx is ideal for people who don’t have or don’t want to keep paying for their home phone service, those that have spotty cell signal at home or that, like me, simply forget to carry or turn on the cell phone ringer at home and miss a lot of calls. I especially like it because I can now take conference calls using a home wireless handset with a good speakerphone and dependable mute button. The call clarity is excellent and the price is affordable: about $60.

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Like My New Graphic Image Leather iPad Case? Want to Win One for Yourself?

Wendy Wick — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:00:16 +0000

Last week I was showing off my elegant new handcrafted Crocodile Embossed iPad/iPad 2 case by Graphic Image and many of my fellow iPad 2 owners oogled in envy of my posh pink and personalized leather folio. I spent the weekend daydreaming about accessories that could be fashioned to match my new case and serve vital functions for my personal and professional needs like for instance, a matching Nook case (for the Color Nook I don’t yet have) or a ladies briefcase… all in pink crocodile embossed leather… you get the idea! Well, Graphic Image wants those ideas…

Graphic Image wants to know what accessories your imagination spawns. It doesn’t have to be pink crocodile, it just needs to be something that you need or want in a leather accessory that aligns to their current accessory line…your inspiration could win you an iPad case just like mine! Read on to find out how…What do you need to do?

Go to the Graphic Image Website and check out their current leather accessories and pick an accessory or a line as your inspiration
Come up with one creative suggestion for an accessory that Graphic Image does not already have and add it as a comment to this posting
We will announce the winner next week by flagging your posting so check back to see!

One lucky CuteGeek will win their own iPad / iPad 2 Crocodile Embossed Leather Case/Stand in the color of their choice, personalized with their initials.

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zBoost Brings the Bars (Cell Signal Bars!) into Your Home or Office…

Wendy Wick — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 21:47:33 +0000

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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Jillian Michaels’ Fitness Adventure Will Get You Moving

Nikki — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 02:25:05 +0000

Expected to launch in November, Jillian Michaels’ Fitness Adventure on Kinect for Xbox 360 looks like a great fit for anyone trying to liven up their fitness routine. Jillian’s motivational coaching is going to spice up your ordinary workout in a jungle type theme with a fully customizable personal trainer experience.

The training allows you to reach your goals within the Fitness Adventure Mode, Circuit Training, and Fitness Training. Integrate your own equipment into the training program or use follow training that allows you to use your own body weight, Jillian Michaels’ Fitness Adventure has a fitness routine for whichever you choose. Another great feature is that best performers will be recognized and posted on Jillian’s Facebook page. Through Social Integration you will also be able to view you own online records as well as your friends. All of your data, including progress, your workout calendar, breakdown of calories burned, etc., will be available 24/7 enabling users to keep track of everything you would normally trying to keep track of in a notebook.

Take your workout to the next level and allow Jillian to train you at home engaging you to be more involved with your health.

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Have you heard of Bobble?

Nikki — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 16:17:52 +0000

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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Graphic Image Will Dress Your iPad 2 in Elegance…

Wendy Wick — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 16:00:38 +0000

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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What’s in a Credit Score: Your Credit Utilization Rate

Bethy Hardmen — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 21:23:26 +0000

At Credit Karma we like to geek out about one topic a lot: credit scores. We get so excited talking about credit scoring and credit score ranges that you’d think we are talking about the latest Harry Potter movie.

Today, we want to share our geekfest with you. That’s why we’re starting this CuteGeek series all about what goes into calculating your credit score. By knowing what makes up your credit score, you’re better equipped to manage your credit health. Let’s break down one of the six key factors that goes into your credit score: your credit utilization rate. We’ll also talk about what you can do to make sure you’re on the road to continued credit health.

First, a quick overview of credit scores.

What’s a Credit Score?

Your credit score is a three-digit number that affects many areas of your financial life. Lenders use it to determine your creditworthiness, or the likelihood that you’ll pay back your debts in a timely manner.

Each credit bureau (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) has its own proprietary credit scoring model, but they all essentially take into account these main factors: your credit utilization rate, percent of on-time payments, derogatory marks, average age of your open credit lines, total number of accounts and total number of hard credit inquiries.

Credit Utilization Rate

Your credit utilization rate measures how much of your available credit you’re using and helps lenders determine whether or not you use credit in a healthy manner. You can calculate your credit utilization rate by taking your total credit card balances (how much you’ve charged) and dividing it by your total credit card limits. That percentage is your utilization rate.

A simple calculation. To help you better understand credit utilization rates, let’s take an example. Let’s say you have three credit cards to your name, and each card has a $1,000 credit limit. Your total available credit would be $3,000. If you’ve maxed out one of your cards and charged $200 on another, leaving the third alone, you’re using $1,200 of your available credit, or 40% of your total $3,000 credit limits. That’s your current credit utilization rate.

For credit health: Ideally, your total credit use across all cards should be under 30% of your total available credit; go over 40%, and lenders may see you as less creditworthy. You don’t need to carry over a balance on your credit card from month to month either. To show healthy credit utilization, use your credit responsibly throughout the month and always pay the balances in full. As long as your total credit use is under 30%, even using your card for one small purchase in the month and paying it off at the end of the month is enough to show active, healthy credit use.

Your credit utilization will work to the benefit of your credit score as long as you show active, healthy credit use each and every month. Lenders generally take a look at the past 24 months’ worth of credit activity. Whether you choose to use 5% or 25% of your available credit, responsible credit use can boost your creditworthiness and come in handy when you’re ready to apply for credit or a loan.

Bottom Line: Your credit utilization rate is just one of several factors that make up your credit score. But credit use one of the more important factors, accounting for about a third of your credit score, so be sure to keep an eye on how much credit you’re using from month to month. Keep that usage under 30%, and you’re on your way to good credit health.

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Being a Geek…According to Maya

Wendy Wick — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 18:26:09 +0000

Maya learns to how to install software from a CD on her Toshiba Satellite L635 Kids Laptop so that she can connect her Leap Frog Leapster II, and with Parental Guidance (and mom’s login and password) learn what ‘rewards’ she has earned through her educational play on the Leapster.

While the software installs, Maya tells us what she loves about the Toshiba Laptop and then regales us with her idea of what a ‘geek’ is!

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Leap Frog Gifts Literacy and Learning to Libraries You Love

Wendy Wick — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:00:36 +0000

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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Tom’s is Giving Back One-for-One from Head to Toe, from Shoes to Sunglasses

Wendy Wick — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 19:00:46 +0000

Tom’s One-for-One movement is well known. Buy a pair of shoes and Tom’s gives a pair of shoes to a person in need somewhere in the world. This business model has been so successful that Tom’s has expanded its model into saving sight. For each pair of Tom’s eyeglasses purchased, somewhere in the world (Tibet, Nepal and Cambodia with plans to expand…) someone receives the eye exam, eye glasses, medication or surgery they need to restore vision. That’s visionary (pun intended)! By protecting our eyes from the sun with Tom’s sunglasses, we prevent damage to our eyes and restore vision to someone else in the world. Want to know more? Check out the story at Tom’s website, watch the video and shop!

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Get your Fingers on the Logitech iPad 2 Wireless Keyboard Case

Wendy Wick — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 18:22:51 +0000

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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Netflix Pricing Just Got Nasty…

Wendy Wick — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 14:22:48 +0000

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 Eton Rover… A Self-Powered Device You Didn’t Know You Needed…

Wendy Wick — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 17:50:36 +0000

The Eton American Red Cross Rover, part of Eton’s TurboDyne Series of products that uses Hand Turbine Technology to power devices is a self powered tool which uses hand turbine technology to produce energy. This model is an AM/FM/NOAA Weather Radio with Flashlight and USB Cell Phone Charger. It is easy to use, durable and utterly necessary for home and car. This little device only needs a few hand cranks to power on the flashlight and radio in an emergency and to charge your cell phone enough that you can call for help. I like the white LED light source and the direct USB power transfer. It has a telescopic antenna to ensure maximum range of radio reception and a headphone jack. At less than 8 inches long and 13 ounces, it easily stores in a kitchen drawer, a utility cabinet, in a vehicle’s glove compartment, the side pocket of a dive bag….you get the idea.Check out my unboxing and demo video to see how the Eton Rover looks and works…

The only improvements I could make to this device is to have a compartment to store the included USB cable so that it is always on hand when you need it and to provide a mildew resistant, water-proof pouch like a Re-pac Cloth Bag or a Loksak waterproof bag to protect the Rover when it is not being used.

I wish I had one of these when I was in the Peace Corps but I am just as happy to have it now, living in a big city with two small kids. Having lost electric, lived through a fire in our building, and been stuck on the side of the road in a car, I appreciate having the Eton Rover on hand. I would definitely recommend one of these for boaters, driver’s, families and anyone who depends exclusively on cellular phones for home use.

Eton is committed to safety and preparedness at home, on the road and anywhere that life, love and family take you. Check out Etoncorp’s website for additional info and a full line of amazing self-powered products. Download the free Red Cross Preparedness Guide at Etoncorp.com, make a safety plan for you and your family, get prepared and remain informed.

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Dishing Details on Nook-Affairs…

Wendy Wick — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 17:39:37 +0000

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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When the Girls are Away, the Little Boys Play (on their HP TouchSmart PC!)

Wendy Wick — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 13:32:31 +0000

Maya went off to school today with the usual peck on the check for mommy and ominous but sweetly delivered warning to her younger brother…”Don’t touch my stuff!” As if words are going to make a difference to a 3 year old boy with a goal…which in Elijah’s case is to collect all the wireless mousse in the house (they look just like Zhu-Zhu Pets!) and play on Maya’s new PC!

He slips his little pajama’d butt into the desk chair and clicks all the powered-on mice buttons to see what will happen. The HP TouchSmart 310 PC doesn’t mind. Then he ever so sweet calls over his shoulder, “Mommy, I wanna pop the bubbles…” How can I say ‘no’? He wants to play Bubble Wrap, a simple but genius and highly addictive touch app on the HP in which you see how many bubbles on the wrap sheet you can pop in a given time. Who doesn’t love to pop bubble wrap?

After a few rounds he switches over to another favorite, touch app, Tap Tap Bear where you have to tap the head of bears that pop up but avoid accidentally hitting the little girl. Elijah has ideas of his own and tries to convince the HP that the game should be “Hit the Girl” without much success…

http://youtu.be/81uDMgsavm4

So he decides to draw instead, using the Paint It! Touch app which has a number of great brushes, colors and affects to keep kids and adults creatively entertained for hours. You can even edit and adorn photos that you import but Elijah is more interesting in creating a fireworks display of colors and then spinning the paper on the screen….

http://youtu.be/0chiyG_mYNQ

Where computers, smart phones and tablets are concerned, it is very tempting to take the standard parental stance…the one we use for the coffee pot and the Blu-ray player….”Careful, Don’t Touch, That’s a grown up toy…not for kids…it’s expensive, it’s delicate, it can break….” but there is a world of experience that is shut-down for our children when we say ‘don’t’…

Getting small kids on computers and other multi-media devices, in conjunction with (not instead of) traditional teaching, sharing and knowledge transfer techniques helps open their world of reference and prepare them for a life and a lifestyle where technology is integrated into their daily experience… to be used and appreciated so go ahead and touch! The HP TouchSmart begs to be used, to be explored, to teach through hands-on experience and wrong turns (launching Turbotax instead of turbo race cars…) that can be easily backed out of. The TouchSmart is an affordable durable and highly flexible computing experience, appropriate for any age.

I even like it for members of the older generations who are less familiar with computers and typing because it is intuitive, encourages a fuller range of motion through the use of the mouse, the keyboard and the touchscreen, and 3 year old Elijah can easily show his grandmother how to open an app and 7 year old Maya can show her how to find a find a website, google something like a chocolate chip cookie recipe or the show times for Harry Potter 5, or send an e-mail to an auntie’s smartphone to invite the cousins along.

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Did She Say “Blogging” and “Breasts”?

Wendy Wick — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 19:12:54 +0000

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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Sesame Street is Coming This Fall

Nikki — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:00:58 +0000

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…

Winnie the Pooh: What’s a Bear to Do?

Nikki — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:48:31 +0000

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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Kids Can Touch…the HP TouchSmart 310 PC

Wendy Wick — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 04:35:36 +0000

The HP TouchSmart 310 PC with HP TouchSmart 4.0 software gets today’s kids who are growing up with smart phones and tablets at home and Prometheus boards in the classroom. They get touch navigation and multimedia, mult-tasking, multi-everything with ease. Young kids drink in the universe through their senses and HP Touchsmart is an ideal feeding ground for them at home and in school. I knew I was going to love this computer for my children who are ‘different’ learners and I was fairly certain that they were going to master it with ease, but I did not expect to get sucked into TouchSmart 4.0 myself. I honestly can not get over how much I enjoy using this computer! This from a PC-for-work, Mac-for-pleasure girl…

The HP TouchSmart gets right-brained people like me. Its desktop actually resembles the way I use my own desktop (the wooden one with four legs!) I have sticky notes and post-its around, To-Do lists and a calendar, some photos…I have a thousand apps open (or maybe closer to 9) and then my Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, personal e-mail accounts and calendar…and I move and shuffle them depending on what visual cues I want for the next morning…When I have to run out to a meeting, I gather all my post-its and stick them on my keyboard before closing my laptop so I will see them as soon as I open it back up…imagine a computer that could make my sticky-notes superfluous and still keep me organized…

The HP TouchSmart can do just that! It has these cute magnets allow you to pin up lists (oh, how I love my lists!) and favorite photos and videos on your free-form desktop/refrigerator door/message board…it really is all of those things in one…with scrolling panoramic wall-paper and all sorts of eye-candy that just make the use experience optical ecstasy for the visually dominant and kinesthetics among us.

The easy touch and drag navigation allows me to move applications and content around freely so I can decide what needs to be at my fingertips. The app carousel task bar resembles those that you now see on the latest Smart Phones. It provides easy access to scroll through applications for quick launch and play. So, to be clear, you can install full application software and quick ‘apps’…tell me that is not the best of both worlds!

The HP TouchSmart is a natural family media hub for storing, managing and actively enjoying your family media. The clarity of the 20” diagonal widescreen display is nothing short of stunning so photos, videos, movies, Netflix and Hulu are all as enjoyable as on your TV. Web-browsing with a mixed mouse-click/touch interaction is a far more enjoyable experience and my kids ‘get it’ better since they are used to the tablets.

The HP TouchSmart gives me access to everything I get in a normal PC (as in non-touchscreen) but with a computing experience that is so much more…more intuitive, more reflective of my personal style, more fun for learning, gaming, working and with no trade-offs, no-kidding. The HP TouchSmart is fast with its AMD Athlon processor, the all-in-one design along with the wireless bluetooth keyboard and mouse makes for a clutter-free computing experience. The integrated webcam and 6-in-1 Digital Media Reader mean easier skyping, sharing and managing media with less gadgets. Did I mention the great sound quality? Did I mention how affordable the HP TouchSmart is?

It is really an ideal family computer, the only problem I can see are the arguments over which room to put it in for maximum benefit. The kids will want in their room for homework (yeah right!), watching videos, games and apps. I want it in the family room where I can use it for all that organizing, scheduling and list-making that I do…and umm…of course, for some light blogging in the late evening and maybe a little social networking! My husband is going to fight to get it in the kitchen where he can use it to watch cooking videos, using the recipe apps to store his favorites while streaming some horrible music he knows we keep me out of his way!

Honestly, The HP TouchSmart is the Oreo’s you swear you buy for the kids but always end up eating yourself! If you love the touch paradigm of a tablet or smart phone but are looking for a powerful and versatile computing experience or need an intuitive media-hub for the home, I would check out the HP TouchSmart. It really goes without saying that if you have pre-teens, this machine is THE best first full computing experience a child can have. Don’t take my word for it…ask Maya…

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The Inside Experience

Wendy Wick — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 19:24:25 +0000

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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Get Eye Catching Computer Couture with the Latest in Logitech’s Wireless Accessories

Wendy Wick — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 21:34:18 +0000

Logitech’s Creative Spark computer accessories are artistically designed to personalize your computing experience with comfort and color. The wireless mouse, wireless keyboard, portable lapdesk and HD Webcam come in matching patterns. The elegant design, ergonomics and affordability make these accessories are excellent anyone that uses a laptop frequently. Logitech’s accessories are become even more affordable thanks to Logitech’s Upgrade and Save Trade-In Program (read on for more details….)
Personally, I love the Wireless Mouse M305 with the virtually unnoticeable USB nano-receiver. I just plug it in and forget about it is even there. I have had a Logitech mouse (candy apple metallic red) since 2005 which still works just fine despite 5 years of road-warrior wear-and-tear in the bottom of my computer bag. It is a great mouse but has a much larger dongle. Now that I am working from home, I have noticed that I tend to remove the dongle and work without the mouse when I move from my desk to my beanbags or the sofa, which is really bad for my wrists. With the new wireless mouse, the dongle is so small that I am no longer concerned (or even cognizant) that it is plugged in, and combined with the matching Logitech lapdesk, which has a mouse pad pullout, I can work anywhere at home or out and about and still enjoy my wireless mouse, good posture and ergonomics and a sweat-free lap.

The Portable Lapdesk has an anti-slip surface so the laptop sits comfortably on the lapdesk, on my lap without sliding around even as my keyboard-bashing typing bounces the laptop. I can even lean back and tilt the laptop desk on bent knees, opening up the viewing angle of my laptop screen and work slightly reclined because the pull-out mouse pad has a subtle lip which catches the mouse if you tilt but does not disturb your hand when you are using the mouse.

The laptop desk is small, lightweight and thin, so it can fit in many computer bags and sleeves if you want to take it with you for travel. As a temporarily pardoned frequent flyer, I can tell you that this lapdesk would be far more comfortable to use in an airplane than the pull-down, pull-out tables provided and it gives you the advantage of providing a mouse pad to use your wireless mouse. The lapdesk is also good for hotel room, hotel lobby and even working in the back seat of a car…yes, any of us have been there!

The Wireless Keyborard K360 is a sweet laptop or desktop accessory when you want to sit back and relax while typing or use your computer to access media. It has six hot keys and twelve programmable F-keys for instant access to music, e-mail, etc.

For older model laptops and desktop computers which don’t include webcams, you can purchase the matching HD Webcam C270 and encourage skyping for study and family contact when students are away at school or parents are on-the-road. Logitech HD Webcam’s have Fluid Crystal Technology which provides a smoother video experience with sharper pictures, richer colors and clearer sound in real-world conditions. There is even abuilt-in microphone that reduces background noise so you will be heard clearly.

Logitech even has an Upgrade and Save Tech Trade-in program. So if you already own Logitech accessories but want to get the matching bundle and upgrade to the latest tech, you can trade in your old Logitech gear and save on a new mouse, keyboard or any other item from Logitech.com. Just follow the instructions and Logitech will send you a coupon code that will save you 20% off most items at Logitech.com and 25% off most gaming keyboards, gaming mice and gaming headsets.

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A Sweet Day in the Life of a CuteGeek Gal…

Wendy Wick — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 17:39:35 +0000

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:

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:

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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If Wendy Can DJ, Anyone can DJ

Shoshana Diggs — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 18:07:21 +0000

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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My Muliti-media ‘Man’: The Motorola Droid X2 Android Phone

Wendy Wick — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 17:39:29 +0000

Ken Murphy from Motorola talks us through the tech and features of the Motorola Droid X2 with Verizon Wireless. Watch what you can do with an HDMI cable and the Droid X2! You can connect the Droid to your TV and it becomes your mobile and agile multi-media host as well as your personal information device. Look at maps, play games, update a document with Quick Office, or watch a video on the TV with no resolution loss.

I like the look and feel of this phone in my hand. I can’t say it plainer than that. The weight is comfortable the size is not too big to grip and the screen is just right for what I want to do with my phone. Droid is fast to respond to my multimedia demands with his dual core processor and has the battery stamina to keep up with my constant use without forcing me to Starbucks for a Plug-in-and-charge. His robotic/androidesque voice when I power him is charming to me and I like his unique features the living wall-paper and the social media carousel. I can access just about anything with a thumb-swipe and a tap so I can intuitively reach for what I am looking for as I walk, talk and multi-task without having to stop, stand-still and grip the phone with one hand and finger-peck with the other to find what I need. The Droid X2 and I get along just fine and I am not sneak-finger-swiping on other smart devices to compensate for anything. He meets my personal device needs.

Back to that multi-media host concept….I am big on sharing videos and photos with family and friends and I love to share a quick powerpoint with colleagues being able to shimmy up to any flatscreen, or anything that takes a mini HDMI connection really, is a big bonus for me. If you want to look under the hood, watch Ken’s video blurb or check out the specs at motorola.com.

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An Eye Opening Glimpse Into the Future

Nikki — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 16:36:09 +0000

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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NetChef, Your ‘Connected’ Cooking Companion

Wendy Wick — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 21:26:29 +0000

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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Texting doesn’t Kill, People who Text While Driving Do….

Wendy Wick — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 13:56:03 +0000

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 Explores the Apps on the Toshiba Satellite L635 Kids Laptop

Wendy Wick — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 15:00:15 +0000

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.

Samsung Delivers Ultra-Everything with Series 9 Laptops

Wendy Wick — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 18:44:45 +0000

Today, Samsung announced an expanded Series 9 laptop line that is scheduled to arrive on store shelves in time for the August back-to-school shopping season. The expanded line of sophisticated, ultra-sleek, ultra-thin and lightweight models all come with solid state drives, backlit kepyborads, SuperBright displays and Windows 7, and are available with five different Intel Core processor and storage configurations designed to meet your needs and budgets.

Samsung has packed the three new 13.3-inch models with powerful performance enhancements, creating a more dynamic experience without breaking your back or your purse. The new 13.3-inch models are still less than 3 pounds and less than 2/3 inch thin. Samsung brings two 11-inch versions for those looking for an even more compact mobile computing solution.The new Series 9 laptops retain the sleek, breakthrough duralumin design, which is twice as strong as aluminum. This design choice, coupled with rugged solid state drives (SSD) for storage, makes the Series 9 an attractive option for frequent travelers and coffeeshop-computers looking for an ultra lightweight solution that can withstand the road-warrior, compute-on-the-go lifestyle.
The entire Series 9 line features a bright backlit keyboard for added productivity in dark environments. Offering twice the brightness of traditional laptop screens, the Series 9 laptops’ HD LED SuperBright displays make them easy to see both indoors and out and the 7 hours of battery life will keep you working all day, anywhere.

Centered on product enjoyment and seamless operation, all models are equipped with Samsung’s FastStart technology, which readies the Series 9 for use in as little as 3 seconds. The Series 9 models also feature chargeable USB 3.0 connections which can conveniently charge a cell phone or MP3 player, even while the laptop is off.

The new line of Samsung Series 9 will be launching over the next four weeks at major electronics retailers and online. Pricing for the new models will range from $1,049 to $2,049. Many retailers are offering a promotion where if you purchase a new Windows 7 laptop, you get a free (yes, FREE!) Xbox…and Samsung’s Series 9 is one of them!

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Brilliant Women in Technology: Meet Jezra Kaye

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 05:01:21 +0000

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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Swim with Mighty Fin on the iPhone

Wendy Wick — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 07:41:55 +0000

Mighty Fin could be the next must have game on your iOS device. You only need one finger, a quick eye and a few minutes to play. Maya and I really enjoy this game and find it as addictive as Angry Birds.

Mighty Fin is a fashionable fish who is zooming along the sea floor through obstacles and predators consuming bubbles as he goes. The touch of a finger causes him to dive and letting go will cause him to surface and jump as he continues along his trajectory avoiding boats, crabs, icebergs and being eaten by seagulls. Collecting bubbles increase your score while collecting the costume accessories like bunny ears, dreadlocks and baseball caps hidden throughout add to Mighty Fins wardrobes.

We want to get you swimming with Mighty Fin so read on mate to find out how…

The game has a nice tune and Fin moves so quickly from left to right that you have to react quickly, dragging your finger to drive him low and releasing so he can buoy to the surface. It takes practice to time the dives and jumps, clearing the obstacles and earning passage to the next level and because the levels are randomly generated, it is no easy feat to ‘game’ the level by remembering the sequence.

Check out Maya enjoying Mighty Fin on my iPhone 3GS…

This week, Mighty Fin announced a new Survival game mode where you have to try to maintain control of Fin as he swims faster and faster, wrecklessly, depending on your finger-play, but with the determination to unlock 8 new costumes, including a jester hat and Roman Centurion helmet. Not bad for $0.99. There is also a Might Fin lite version just released which contains three full levels with all three gameplay modes (Normal, Survival, and Endless) as well as 11 costumes.

Cutegeek wants to get you swimming with Mighty Fin! Just comment below and share your idea on the next fabulous costume for Mighty Fin. The best two ideas will win iTunes codes to download the App!

Safe Swimming Everyone!

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Intel’s Education Service Corps & the Classmate PC…a Story I Want to Tell…

Wendy Wick — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 22:51:00 +0000

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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Gazelle Will Give You $$$ for Your Gadgets

Wendy Wick — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:00:14 +0000

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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It Is the Most Dreaded Time of the Year, Ladies… Bikini Time!

Nikki — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 17:31:23 +0000

And how does a CuteGeek get into shape? With the help of her phone, of course! No matter if you are looking to download these from Apple’s App Store or Android’s Market, even Windows Marketplace, there is something for you.

SoftwareX Ltd. has five apps that will have you strutting your stuff poolside: Two Hundred Sit-Ups, Two Hundred Squats, One Fifty Dips, Hundred Push-Ups, and Fifty Pull-Ups. Even though they specialize in Apple development, their sit-up app also is available on the Android Market and their push up-app is available for the Android Market as well as the Windows Marketplace.

Rittr Labs has created three apps for the Android Market that will help you tone up for summer: Push Ups, Sit Ups, and Squats. The concept is the same as the apps from SoftwareX Ltd. but these are free, where SoftwareX Ltd. sells their for $0.99-$2.99, and Ritter Labs design their apps with more visual appeal the number of reps completed are “written” on notebook paper that is attached to a clip board, a very cute way to log your info. Another positive thing about Rittr Lab’s is that their apps are not set with a specific amount; you are able to choose from four different goals.

All of these apps follow the same theme. They start by giving you a number of reps you need to perform, once you have completed them you click the “Done” tab, and then you are given a certain amount of time to rest before the clock reaches zero and you do another set of reps. The idea is that you gradually work your way to your goal by shortening the amount of time between reps as you progress.

Download them today and tone-up this summer!

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New to the Team

Nikki — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 11:30:47 +0000

Landon and I video chatting with Grandma

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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Thank You Leap Frog!

Maya Conejo — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 02:45:35 +0000

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…

Also, because they invited me to come visit them like two weeks ago, I made some videos with my mom and my brother playing with some of the Leap Frog learning Toys I already love like my Leap Frog Tag Reading Pen (they have new cool things to use with it) and my Leap Frog Clickstart (which I have played with since I was 3 and I now share with my brother). I didn’t make a video with my Leap Frog Leapster (which they didn’t show me anything new for but I am hoping for new games) but I carry it with me to play all the time.
This is me with my Tag:

This is me and my brother playing the ClickStart:

And this one too…

Thank you Leap Frog!

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Maya Discusses Computer Safety and Care

Wendy Wick — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 01:28:26 +0000

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

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Maya Powers On The Toshiba Satellite L635 Kids Laptop

Wendy Wick — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 23:09:00 +0000

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

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Win an iPad for You, LeapPad for Kids…

Wendy Wick — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:55:05 +0000

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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Incipio’s Smart Feather Case for the half-dressed iPad2

Wendy Wick — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 02:52:46 +0000

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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My Brand New Toshiba Satellite L635 Laptop

Maya Conejo — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 23:56:25 +0000

Look what I got!

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Boxee Brings Family Together to Share Media Experiences

Wendy Wick — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 05:34:09 +0000

Just days after a chic evening at gdgt in NYC, there is a Boxee at my door and I am all too thrilled to invite him in. He is small, sleek and edgy with his square lime-green monkey-face and he is a media magician, bringing all that I love about my smart devices and social-networking onto my TV. With the wave of my wand; the boxee remote or my iPhone with a free Boxee Remote App from iTunes, I am off to ride a media wave of my own design.

So, what’s a Boxee? It’s a device made by D-Link that gives you access to all of your favorite internet television and movies, subscription services, RSS feeds and social media through your TV. Boxee allows you to set up multiple users and parental controls so each family member has a profile unique to their age and likes. Boxee can store or stream your music and media library to your TV. There is no monthly fee. None.

I usually dread anything that requires me to touch the intricate wiring of my TV, Wii, Router, Modem mesh but the Boxee’s promises of content on demand brought out the daring darling in me. And it was too easy to be true. I just unboxed the Boxee and connected it to the TV with an HDMI cable and to the wall with the power cord. Voila! With a push of a button on the Boxee and on the TV, Boxee was guiding me through a painless setup to calibrate the screen, find my Wi-Fi network and set up my Boxee account. With my PC on hand, I had my Facebook, Netflix, Twitter, YouTube, Mube and Play.me accounts linked in minutes and then I turned my attention to downloading the Boxee App onto my phone.

Within 15 minutes of breaking the seal, Boxee was at home in my entertainment center and streaming my favorite youtube video, My Little Dyslexic World, Isabella Ramos, a student of The Child School whom I have never met but who is one of my heros. This video always makes me teary-eyed and inspired on my phone, on my computer but wow was it impressive to see it consume my living room with her message of hope and tolerance. Then I was off to home videos, Pandora and other content I didn’t even know was available…I will be exploring for weeks.

New apps are constantly becoming available as Internet TV explodes through connected devices. Slingbox will be offering the SlingPlayer for connected devices including the Boxee, through public beta next month. The player launches and feels similar to the SlingPlayer mobile apps, as demonstrated at the gdgt event. If you are interested, then sign up at Slingbox

If you don’t want to buy a Boxee, you can make one and Boxee tells you how. Download Boxee’s free software and install it on any computer capable of being connected to a TV. Add a cable (which one depends on your TV and computer) and use an iPhone or Android to control your Boxee (or buy a PC remote).

Boxee brings a family together to share media experiences usually relegated to personal devices like computers or smart phones. With Boxee, I am able to share video clips from family and friends, from Facebook and Youtube with my children in our living room. We can enjoy our music collection as a family and access the internet together. Profiles allow us to have individual and shared experiences and regulate content for each family member. Boxee belongs in my home.

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Responsible Drivers Everywhere, Motorola Wants to Reward You

Wendy Wick — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 20:57:55 +0000

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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Credit Karma Tidbit #6: Buying vs. Leasing a Car

Bethy Hardmen — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 20:04:35 +0000

It’s time for you to replace the car you’ve been driving around since high school. It’ll be sad to say goodbye to “The Silver Bullet” (or whatever you’ve nicknamed your vehicle), but now you’re faced with your next important decision: Should you get an auto loan or lease a car?

Some people are able to save up the cash to pay for a new or used car outright, but many of us will be paying for a lease or loan for several years. In fact, four in ten of us are currently paying on an auto loan, according to the latest Credit Karma data.

One great thing to note is that both options, whether you lease or buy, can help you build your credit. But there are also several differences between the two financing options. Here are some helpful guidelines to get you started.

You might want to get an auto loan if…

…you’re living well below your means. By taking on an auto loan, you’re likely taking on a higher monthly payment than a lease. Make sure your budget can take the new expense without squeezing too tightly. Figure out where you can cut back to make way for your new monthly obligation.

…you’ll happily drive the same car for years. If you want to invest in a reliable car you’ll keep around for years, buying your car is the way to go. Once your car is paid for, you’ll be free of car payments and own the car free and clear. You’ll also be able to sell the car at your own discretion.

…you have some cash saved up for a down payment. In addition to a higher monthly payment, buying a car will typically require a down payment unless you have excellent credit. A down payment isn’t all bad; you’ll start hacking away at the cost of the car, but it’ll be a large chunk of change out of your savings.

…you want to build equity in your vehicle. As you approach ownership of your car, you’ll build up some trade-in or resale value. This can come in handy as a down payment toward your next vehicle, or a nice return on your investment if you no longer need a car.

You might want to lease a car if…

…you’re a small business owner. Car leases are tax-deductible for small business owners. Even if you’re self-employed, you can write off your leased vehicle.

…your car of choice costs more than $30,000. Many banks won’t lend more than $30,000 for a car loan, so it might not be possible for you to buy the car of your dreams. Start your research at Edmunds to see how much you can expect to pay for your car. If it’s over $30,000, either reconsider the vehicle or look into a lease.

…you like the idea of having a brand-new car every few years. Leasing a car is kind of like renting for an extended period of time. The cost you pay each month basically covers the depreciation of the vehicle over the time you’re driving it. So after your lease term is up, typically three to four years, you’ll have the option to return it and lease a brand new car. You also sometimes have the option to purchase the car you’ve been driving for its depreciated resale value.

…you drive an average amount of miles each month. Your lease will have mileage stipulations on it, and you’ll end up paying additional fees if you go over in your lease payments. If you use your car a lot to commute or travel, leasing might not be the best choice for you.

Your new car and your credit score

Whichever route you choose, your credit score stands to benefit from your decision. Initially, the hard inquiry from applying for a loan or lease will knock a few points off your credit score. However, like other installment loans, such as mortgages and student loans, your credit will benefit from the additional credit line and your responsible, on-time payments.

Where your credit stands to lose is if you get in over your head. If you find it difficult to maintain a budget and make on-time payments, your credit health will suffer. Set up automatic payments to make sure you don’t miss even one payment.

Credit Karma™ is a completely free credit management service that provides free credit scores, personalized savings recommendations, and financial education. We believe free access to one’s credit score is a fundamental consumer right. Credit Karma helps more than 2.6 million consumers realize the everyday cost savings of having a good credit score. Visit us at www.creditkarma.com.

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Ladies Night – sponsored by the oh so wonderful folks from HTC @ Blow

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 05:00:24 +0000

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

Pics from 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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Big Week in Tech

Radiris Diaz — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:24:56 +0000

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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iPhone 4 Users: Keep your Eye on the Dot

Wendy Wick — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 03:58:12 +0000

Have you ever had one of those moments in life where you felt like you were the star of your own movie, or in the mist of something so spectacular that you didn’t even bother to pull out your video camera because you knew what it captured would not do justice to the moment? I think we have all been there, and in the retelling, used phrases like ‘oh, if you could have seen what I saw’ or ‘if you were in my shoes…’ With the Kogeto Dot your iPhone 4 becomes a 360 degree panoramic video camera, allowing your friends and family to ‘see the world through your eyes’ and even see some of what you missed in the moment. The Dot snaps onto your iPhone 4, and looks like a retro-siren in a holster. To use, you just place it on a flat surface or carry it horizontal at torso-height as you walk. Dot can live-stream your whereabouts and doings in real-time or archive the video on the iPhone for later upload and editing. Using Kogeto’s free Looker software app, you can share your videos via facebook or twitter.

Dot’s technology is based on that of her big sister, Lucy, a professional-grade panoramic camera for video professionals, educators, and security. Lucy was originally developed by Kogeto Founder and CEO, Jeff Glasse, to capture and assess teaching effectiveness in the classroom.

Check out what Dot and Lucy can do by viewing sample videos. Dot is currently available for pre-order through Kogeto’s website or directly on Kickstarter.com for iPhone 4 and will eventually be available for Android. So, as Kogeto, likes to say, “Put down the camera. Enjoy the party!”

IBM… 100 Years Young

Wendy Wick — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 03:23:26 +0000

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’s Got Bang for Your Back-to-School Buck$

Wendy Wick — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 08:18:24 +0000

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.

Help for the Misspellers, Bad Typers and the Gramatically Challenged…

Wendy Wick — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:17:09 +0000

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

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:33:55 +0000

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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Bath and Body Works Sale

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:30:15 +0000

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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What do you Call a Scared Tyrannosaurus?

Wendy Wick — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 00:16:18 +0000

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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iLuv to Accessorize your iPad 2 in Style

Wendy Wick — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 03:54:59 +0000

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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Why Lebron James is still a winner

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:48:14 +0000

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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Thanks to HP – Lebron James is bringing more than just talent…

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:45:17 +0000

…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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Post Workout / Reebok RunTone Action Sneakers – Day 2

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:39:22 +0000

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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What a CuteGeek gets her Daddy

Wendy Wick — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 00:54:00 +0000

Father’s day is this coming this Sunday and there are only a few shopping days left, and while only a procrastinator waits until the last week to get a gift, it’s never too late for us to tell you about a few great gift ideas. We at CuteGeek.com and what we like to call our Papa site, HardwareGeeks.com have worked hard to put together a Father’s Day Gift Guide with products we think dad’s will love.

First on the list is TiVo Premiere HD, the perfect gift for any man. Technically, the TiVo is for Dad but we kids, wives and girlfriends will not hesitate to enjoy it too! Dad will load the TiVo up with his favorite shows and we will do the same but now that dad knows he won’t ‘miss’ anything, he is more likely to finish some of those around-the-house project while we watch our programs LIVE, knowing that once we go to bed, the TiVo and TV are his!

TiVo Premiere can be purchased at BestBuy or TiVo directly for $99 (45 hour recording time) or $299 for the XL (150 hour recording time) monthly service plans start at $19.99. It works with Cable, Fios and over the air antennas. TiVo is also giving away a Man Cave, click here for more info on that.

Second on our list is something that will help keep dad active and healthy. It’s the Nike GPS watch powered by TomTom which is available at Nike Stores and at Nike.com for $199. It encourages dad to be active by promptly him to know if he wants to go on a run, praising him when he does and will even track how fast and where he ran. He then can connect his watch to his computer and sync it with the Nike website so he can see a visual map of where he ran. Any dad would love to have this watch.

The next product to make this gift guide is also from TomTom. It’s the Go 2535M Live GPS Navigation System for automobiles. Radiris, one of our founders, loves her Go Live and never leaves home without it. TomTom is the only GPS maker on the market with GPS devices that get smarter the more you use them.With the HD Traffic, IQ Routes and live traffic updates every 2 minutes, the TomTom Go 2535M is a great Father’s Day Gift. It is available at Best Buy for $349.

If your dad travels or works on-the-go, you may consider signing him up for Mobile Broadband service. Clear.com offers 4G plans that start at only $45 a month and for a limited time you can get the modem for only $25 dollars. Sure you may stick dad with a new bill but at least when he travels he can still be online secretly playing Farmville on Facebook! Monthly plans are also available.

Another great gift for dad, whether he travels, carpools or works from home is the Seagate GoFlex Satellite, an external 500 GB hard drive that dad can wirelessly connect to through his tablet, PC or smart phone. This gadget is perfect for the dad who takes long trips and wants to watch movies without paying $6.00 while he is 30,000 feet up in the air.

If your dad isn’t a road warrior, he would still enjoy loading this wireless drive up with content to use at the office, during the commute or on family car trips, and since it supports up to 3 simultaneously users, he won’t mind if you all log into it too (using your headphones of course!) so he can have his choice on the car radio. For more info on the Seagate Satellite visit Seagate.com.

Not all great dad gifts need to be big ticket item. Here are two accessories your dad can use with his laptop that he may like…. a notebook sleeve and a USB Key Chain branded with the logo of his favorite sports team. The company that makes them is called Centon and they have licensing agreements with MLB, NASCAR, NFL and various colleges across the US.

Michael from HardwareGeeks.com loves his New York Mets branded Sleeve and USB Keychain. The sleeves fit notebooks 15.6 inches or smaller and the USB Key Chains are available with 2 – 16 GB of storage. You can pick them up at Best Buy, K-Mart and other retailers.

Whatever you do for Dad this year, he is going to love it because you took the time and were thoughtful enough to remember him. If you want to choke him up a bit, personalize your gift by unboxing it, getting it set up and maybe even loading some content onto it…whatever it takes to show him that you chose this gift for him for a reason (which was not the sale price!)…. like for instance, load some family photos or home movies on the Seagate GoFlex Media drive, get a matching sportswatch for you to show him that you plan to sweat alongside him, or commit to a monthly movie evening of marathon “Star Trek” or whatever it is you and dad enjoy together so that TiVo becomes the tech that bonds you.

Happy Father’s Day!!!

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Win Your Dad a “Man Cave” with TiVo…

Wendy Wick — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 02:27:28 +0000

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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A Shoe that Gives is a Shoe Worth Giving…

Wendy Wick — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 17:55:08 +0000

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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Blockbuster Rewards Good Grades with Free Movies

Wendy Wick — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 04:32:33 +0000

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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Sprint and Motorola Announce the Photon 4G…Take a Sneak-Peek…

Wendy Wick — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 03:40:29 +0000

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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I’m The Girl with the Hot-Spot!

Wendy Wick — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 00:47:28 +0000

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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Running with Reebok’s RunTone Sneakers – Day 1

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:47:20 +0000

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 Father’s Day Gift that You Will Want to Borrow Back…

Wendy Wick — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 14:07:11 +0000

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.

Careers in Science and Technology

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 02:43:29 +0000

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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Media Manager Intern Needed

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 02:37:22 +0000

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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Getting on the iCloud…but Not Just Yet…

Wendy Wick — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 21:58:43 +0000

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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Majesco Entertainment set to change traditional NBA Games

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 17:44:44 +0000

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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Reebok Women’s “RunTone Action” Sneaker

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 17:40:12 +0000

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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June = Women in Science & Tech Month

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 17:27:00 +0000

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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Intel’s Museum of Me…

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 17:25:45 +0000

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

Michael (HardwareGeeks.com) sent me an email earlier this week with a link to Intel’s Museum of Me, and I tried logging into my Facebook account to see what it would do, and it did nothing…so I forgot about it and went on my merry way. This morning, a friend of mine posted a link to her museum and I thought, crap, it didn’t work for me.

I gave it another shot and then smiled for about 3 minutes – the length of the ‘exhibit’. Intel has strategically figured out how to allow the world to visualize themselves, according to their social network, words they choose, and pictures they post. It was great.

I felt like a child on a class trip, to an awesome museum called Me. My favorite part was when the screen filled up with words and I tried to read as much of it as I can and what I got was ‘smile’, ‘nerd’, ‘best night ever’, ‘love’, ‘all’, etc…such a cool project…create your own and share with your friends. This was my exhibit:

301,152nd person to like this…what number will you be?

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Countdown to the summer – June 21st

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 18:03:40 +0000

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

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 17:50:30 +0000

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 App for iPhone/iPad Movie Buffs

Wendy Wick — Mon, 30 May 2011 21:13:04 +0000

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 Is Giving Me FREE Mobile-to-Mobile Minutes…Want Some?

Wendy Wick — Mon, 30 May 2011 20:53:10 +0000

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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Tempted BUT….Is the new Samsung Infuse worth jilting my current smart phone?

Wendy Wick — Thu, 26 May 2011 03:29:10 +0000

On Cinco de Mayo, I attended a Samsung/AT&T Event to launch the new Samsung Infuse with my colleague Mike Reyes of HardwareGeeks.com. It was all about fajita’s as-you-like-them, best Guacamole on the upper west side, soft-pink margaritas with a kick AND the chance to touch and play with the new Samsung Infuse, the latest in Androids running on 4G….and they sent me home with one!

So why did I wait so long to tell you all about it? Well, I wasn’t sure how I felt about my new Android. I felt like I was cheating…on my iPhone 3GS. I needed time to get over the awe of the wow-me-better-than-my-tablet video graphics, the subtle thrill of the keyboard touchsense and convince myself that it was truly love; that Andy and I (Yes, it is nickname worthy!) could have a productive, fulfilling and fun relationship and that I, a committed iPhone user, could get with an Android and be as content with my ‘smart’ experience.

I gave it a chance, carried it around this month, setting up a Google Voice phone number so I could 50/50 respond to calls and text on my two phones. Both are on AT&T wireless service and it seems unfair to pit my 3G-powered-second-husband against a 4G-bad-boy that I just met over Margarita’s …but that is life, right? That is how we upgrade and change phones. No guilt, no qualms…it is all about me! What is that phone going to do for me and how much am I going to love doing it and being seen doing it…and talking about how and what I did and do with it… It is a relationship. My phone spends more time on my person than well…anything and/or anyone that demands my attention so I demand fuller sensory engagement and the Android Infuse delivers.

I made those boys fight for my multi-tasking attention and vie to serve my entertainment, distraction and multi-media needs. I took them both abroad on an impromptu-central American get away weekend to see how much of a companion they were without voices (I had on airplane mode to avoid hefty AT&T roaming charges).

So where do Andy and I stand? I am mildly awestruck with vibrant colors and almost-3D video quality and am thrilled to have Quick Office (think MS Office) in my pocket on a display large enough to actually use it. Truthfully, the look is sleek, thin and sexy BUT (there it is..there is always a ‘but’) the Android Marketplace experience, which is a crux of being ‘SMART’ is not as easy, enticing and informative as the Apple App Store and I can’t get my Netflix on it yet (just edit my Queue…what a tease!). Part of being ‘all about me’ is being all about my Apps, so I think I will remain married to Apple for now because I know and trust the in-laws…and I feel safe in the Apple community in terms of add-ons, accessories and security… but I am going to keep my eye on what the Android gets up to in the next few years because it may well entice me away once the Android eco-system is as provocative as the Android Infuse itself.

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Farrah is Proud to be a Geek!

Radiris Diaz — Thu, 26 May 2011 00:47:58 +0000

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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Geek Pride – Calculating at the Bar

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 25 May 2011 15:49:38 +0000

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

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Geek Pride – Rights and Responsibilities

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 25 May 2011 15:30:17 +0000

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Geek Pride: Kate and Paulina

Sylwia — Wed, 25 May 2011 14:59:08 +0000

Two of my most favorite Cutegeeks: My sister the “Super Information Investigator” Paulina and “Excel Master” Kate

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Firefox Add-on

Sylwia — Wed, 25 May 2011 13:41:33 +0000

Hehe, I had to! Happy Geek Pride Day everyone!

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My personal ‘geek’ pic

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 25 May 2011 13:27:57 +0000

I have been wearing black plastic framed glasses for about 10 years now, before they were cool to the world and Jay Z started sporting them and ever since about the age of 16, I have always been told ‘You look like a teacher’, ‘You look like a librarian’, ‘You look smart’, etc…so thank you glasses…you give me that extra ‘umph I need when I want to feel geeky…So here is me giving the world, the teacher they all envisioned – Halloween…

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Happy Geek Pride Day!!

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 25 May 2011 13:20:21 +0000

Go celebrate your geek-ness everyone!

Today, May 25th, is officially Geek Pride Day – google it!

Here is the proof!!!

Today and maybe for the rest of the week, depending on how many pictures we receive, I’ll be posting ‘geeky’ or ‘nerdy’ pics from our bloggers and readers…Email me at RadirisD@cutegeek.com – along with your name, where you’re from and anything you would like to add…

Woohoo!!

Wireless Printing from Anywhere… Really, Anywhere with HP!

Wendy Wick — Fri, 20 May 2011 06:00:12 +0000

My new HP Officejet 6500A Plus all-in-one color printer/scanner/copier/fax is my new best friend, assistant and nanny all-in-one. Within ten minutes of completing the setup, I was able to print from my Macbook Pro, My Lenovo X200, and scan from the printer to both computers and to my iPad. I can also print from my iPhone using HP iPrint Photo and HP ePrint Service apps. The HP ePrint center provides a document dashboard where I can determine who can ePrint and I can download free apps that provide legal and business templates, games for the kids, coupons and goodies I have not even begun to explore. No kidding! I can color print from anywhere in the world just by e-mailing my printer. I feel like I am living with the Jetson’s because all my gadgets talk to my printer and it even has it’s own contact entry (complete with photo!) in my iPhone contacts…I think I may need to give it a pet name!

The print quality is smooth, crisp and the ink costs half what I pay for my current printer. I am really excited about the sheet-feeder for scanning documents which will save me a lot of time given the amount of document scanning I do. Oh and the scanner is so ridiculously easy that my 7 year old daughter mastered it within minutes of me getting the HP on-line. She scanned some of her own artwork from the printer to the iPad with the touch of a button and the mischievous glint in her eye that I glimpsed as she started to realize the endless possibilities …rang true for me too. Check out my daughter, Maya Wirelessly Scanning Artwork using the HP Officejet Wireless Printer. I can not wait to return the favor to all those facebook junkie friends of mine who posted prom or 1980’s Halloween costume photos. My archives are going digital!

Faxing…something I need to do but not all that often and certainly not often enough to warrant the investment in a telephone line. I am going to research eFax options for sending faxes using http://www.faxcompare.com/ and will forward received faxes to my printer using the printer’s e-mail address.

Now to give some context to my gushing, I am only 10 minutes removed from my third 2 hour HP customer support call in the last 20 hours to get the printer set up and connect to my home WiFi [exhale…..ahhh]. To be fair to HP, apparently only 5000 of every million printers sold actually have the new owner call in, and no one needs six hours of support to get it up beside me. Could happen to anyone…but let me share a few pointers so it doesn’t happen to you! Your wireless router can not have WPA-2 Security and the router name can’t have non-alphanumeric characters nor spaces. I was hosed by the creative Spanish phrase I had assigned to my Netgear Router. The general advice that I got was to download the printer drivers from the internet regardless of the operating system and to update the firmware on the printer from the outset. Doing that would have saved me 6 hours of tech support! If you have a Mac, you will have an amazing customer service experience…if you don’t…lie.

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Surround Sound Around Town with the SRS iWOW 3D

Wendy Wick — Thu, 19 May 2011 05:51:06 +0000

The SRS iWOW 3D seriously enhances the listening experience on the iPhone, iPad and iPod. I put this four-inch audio attachment to the test by launching Netflix on my iPad 2 and loading the most recently played item in my queue, The Pink Panther. I could feel little Inspector Jacques Clouseau rolling his smooth nasal french R’s! I was surprised at the difference in the sound clarity with and without the iWOW. It was easy to experiment with since the gadget has a handy little “wow me!” on/off button. Off to a bigger sound experience…I plug my Skull Candy Smokin’ ear buds into the iWoW on iPhone, launch episode 12 of Heroes and absorb the theme song resonating through my body. I am so immersed that I don’t hear my doorbell ringing and my girlfriend has to text me to get my attention…Oops.

The setup took me less than 5 minutes and was as simple as downloading a free app, powering down and then back on, plugging the slinky little iWOW gadget into the 30 pin connector at the base of my iPad and connecting the head phones to the iWOW. I hooked it up to my iPod and iPhone 3GS with the same ease and was equally thrilled with the sound. The free SRS iWOW App offers advanced settings to control audio preferences like Wide Surround (wallowing in it!), Deep Bass or High Treble and you can enable all or just one to create your own audio pleasure. Lilly Allen droned with fuller apathy and Massive Attach was a beyond trippy! The iWOW gives a nice boost to on-the-go listening experiences and has a permanent place in my purse alongside my earbud pouch. Better yet, it works great with my Gigaware headphone splitter so I can share the experience whether it be a movie, some music or a great audiobook.

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If “He’s Just Not that Into You”, TiVO can help

Zenia Duran — Wed, 18 May 2011 18:08:42 +0000

I am a sucker for relationships and love, it is in the crab in me, so you could imagine the excitement when I received the opportunity to read about TiVO’s new campaign: TURN ON THE LOVE

The TiVO Premiere is the “world’s first Smart DVR” that can stream music, movies, shows and web videos, in addition to recording your favorite TV shows, and even suggesting what you should be recording based on what you have been already.

How can this heat up your love life?

TiVO conducted a survey, asking TiVo, cable DVR and non-TiVo and non-DVR users questions about the quantity and quality of time they spend with their honeys, and what they found out is that TiVO is the new Doctor of Love. To read more about the survey: TiVo Date Night In Sweepstakes – TiVo

According to the survey, 86% of TiVo users spend at least one hour a night plus weekends snuggles up next to their significant others opposed to just 75% of non-TiVo users. TiVO users even admitted that bringing the TiVO box has heated up the home, even in the bed. It could be due to more nights staying in, which I must add that staying in means less money being spent, and in a recession that can lead to less time fighting and more time for romance, with TiVO.

TiVO linked up with Greg Bernhardt, relationship expert, comedian and author of He’s Just Not Into You (the self-help book the movie was based on), to offer the dos and don’ts of using technology to improve the love meter. He offers: “With any relationship, you each have your own favorites when it comes to music, television or movie preferences. If your significant other loves “Grey’s Anatomy” and you can’t miss a Lakers game, TiVo helps you find a middle ground to build a collection of both your favorites. This way no one misses what they want to watch and both parties are happy.”

TiVO is celebrating Turn on the Love by hosting the TiVO Date Night Sweepstakes. One lucky winner will receive a prize pack that consists of a TiVo Premiere DVR; one year of free TiVo service; one TiVo wireless G network adapter; flowers from 1-800-Flowers.com delivered to the winner’s significant other valued at $100; and a $100 gift certificate to Restaurant.com for the couple’s romantic dinner. Those interested in improving their relationship with TiVo Premiere can enter for a chance to win at facebook.com/tivo.

HURRY!! Sweepstakes ends May 31, 2011 but if you want, you can just get it on your own. Check out TiVO’s website TiVo product information – TiVo

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TomTom GO 2535 M Live

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 16 May 2011 18:18:21 +0000

Being late to events suck – but missing keynote being given by the CEO of a company is worst…that was my Wednesday night.

Thankfully, Mike and I arrived to TomTom’s event just in time to still receive a demo on their latest technology. I have been out of the GPS devices for a while, solely depending on my Sprint phone, and now, thankfully my Blackberry. While I hate having to carry two phones, and started using my phone to avoid having to carry a GPS, I am making the switch. Tomorrow.

I hate the lousy directions my phone gives me, or its temperament – one day it works, one day it goes on strike, etc. The way TomTom’s device was described to me was that it would be a smart GPS, no longer obtaining intervaled updates, well, wait, they are still coming in intervals, but now they’re coming in every 2 minutes! That’s pretty quick, and pretty useful if you’re driving in a city around rush hour, or in LA where congestion is a norm.

Some of its features are its bluetooth capability, which I like because i only wear a bluetooth in the car, so why not allow my hair to not get messed up, or my ear to get numb from something uncomfy. It’s LIVE services come active for a year, so you’ll get to know where fuel is the cheapest (and maybe even if its worth driving out that day considering how high prices are going) and you’ll get to search using Google.com…love, love, love it!

I haven’t unboxed it yet – when I got home it was too late to do it and my little sister refused to allow me to open it in my home, she said I must do it in my car, to then use it – so I will. The glass screen is 5.0, it has a magnetic base, is touch screen, lasts about 3 hours per charge…etc…etc…

The one thing I want to note is that this device gets smarter each time you use it. What I mean by that is that it will capture your driving information, and if you approve, will use that information to improve their routes. An interesting site they showed us optimized routes – by using their Route Planner you can plan a trip on a specific day and hour, and know what route to take. I tested out what route it would give me from my home, to my job, because I work in South Jersey and one of the worst routes to get on is Route-1 and its the one it recommended! I told TomTom’s folks I would put it to the test so I can’t wait to have to drive to my client’s office. I will definitely update the world on how it works! As a skeptic, I need to see the ‘smarts’ LIVE – like they suggest.

I came home with a goody bag, and a new toy to play, but the highlight of my night, besides smelling the yummy sliders at the rooftop of the Empire Hotel, was chatting it up with one of TomTom’s own, Tim Roper, and while I regret not grabbing a business card, I’ll never forget how easy-going and how phonetically pleasing his subtle British accent was…I almost missed it until he said “literally and please take the italics to mean very, freaking awesome sounding. We were chatting with their cute PR girl, and man, we spoke about everything. He even told me to go to London because you know I had to tell him how awesome his accent was. He said I’d be a ‘hit’. Going anywhere outside of the US is nice – when you’re surrounded by people who don’t look like you, you become exotic – try it!

I have a new appreciation for GPS devices, outgoing public relations personnel, TomTom’s employees and their ability to woo a room and work a crowd…and also, while not yet confirmed, the road trips I’ll take this summer. Thanks TomTom! I have never been so excited to drive into the middle of nowhere!

(it’s priced at $349 – but if it really does provide the HD traffic updates it suggests, because time = money, it’ll save you all the time you need to make it worth it…wait for the real review!)

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Give a girl a rainbow…

Wendy Wick — Mon, 16 May 2011 18:10:50 +0000

You know I love my gadgets and the time they save me but I also love the do-dad’s that bring pleasure and joy into my free-time and that remind me to just simply stop…breathe…smile and to appreciate the magnificence of being me, being mom, and BEING in the moment!

The Kikkerland Solar-Powered Double Rainbow Maker is a great-for-the-whole-family gadget that makes any on-the-go multi-tasker stand still and gape in wonder…BE in the moment…and challenges even the most inattentive grump to not exhale in wonder. It is a window hanging with two Swarovski crystals and a small solar panel that, when hit directly with sunlight, will rotates the crystals to create a world of rainbows gliding along the walls of your room…like magic. Mine has been hanging in my living room for over 18-months and it never fails to amaze me, my kids and guests when it is suddenly triggered by a ray of sunlight at an unexpected moment.

Imagine the magic a rainbow maker brings to a nursery, a children’s room or a hospital room..It is my absolute favorite baby shower or get-well-soon gift. We purchased ours at The MoMA store but you can get them on-line at Amazon. The unboxing is almost as much fun as seeing the rainbows for the first time! People open it, scratch their heads and smile awkwardly muttering ‘um..thanks’… not-quite-getting-what-it-is-but-grateful-you-thought-of-them-nonetheless. I have given them in person, sent them in care packages and even secretly hung one in a depressed friend’s home unbeknownst to them and the reaction was always the same…wide-eyed wonder and amazement…a moment in the NOW. How many gadgets can do that?

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Credit Karma Tidbit #5: Tackling Credit Card Debt with Balance Transfers

Bethy Hardmen — Sat, 14 May 2011 03:52:14 +0000

Credit card debt. Most of us have it. 92%, according to Credit Karma data. And it’s not just on one credit card. We’re hacking away at an average of about $6,500 in debt across six different credit cards.

The good news is that there are lots of ways to work on paying off that debt. Most people choose to pay each bill separately and try to manage them all at once. But juggling several credit card payments with different interest rates can be overwhelming, and often times you won’t know where to start or which card to pay off first . But there’s another way. And it’s called a balance transfer card.

What’s this balance transfer business?
A balance transfer card allows you to consolidate your credit card debt from several cards on to one. From there, you’ll make one monthly payment, usually at a lower interest rate, instead of multiple credit card payments per month.

The best balance transfer cards are typically available to those with good to excellent credit ratings and have an introductory 0% APR on balance transfers and purchases for six to 18 months. So when you open a new card, you’ll have a while to work on paying off that debt interest-free.

However, you will pay an initial cost for the balance transfer. Most cards have a 3 to 5% balance transfer fee. So make sure you shop around for the lowest balance transfer fee.

Tip: Don’t let the 0% APR on purchases on your new card tempt you to spend. You should focus your efforts on paying down your debt, not accruing more.

Additionally, the new credit limit will add to your overall available credit, lowering your credit utilization rate. This is a rate calculated by taking your total available credit and dividing it by the amount of credit card debt that you owe. It’s best to keep it low, under 30%, so that lenders will see you use credit responsibly. If you’ve struggled to keep it under 30% in the past, a new balance transfer card will help decrease it.

But I thought opening a new credit card was bad for your credit score?
It’s true that opening a new credit card will initiate a hard credit inquiry, which will ding your score a few points. But the benefits of opening a balance transfer card could far outweigh the few points lost.

Tip: Don’t apply for several credit cards at once. While one hard inquiry won’t do severe damage to your credit score, multiple inquiries will, and will show lenders that you’re credit-hungry. They might flag you as high-risk.

What are some good balance transfer cards?
Capital One Platinum Prestige Credit Card: This card has one of the best balance transfer offers out there with 0% APR until August 2012 on balance transfers and purchases and no annual fee. When that introductory period ends, your interest rate will be lower than the norm, at 10.9%. You’ll need excellent credit to get approved for this card, so it’s not for you if your credit score’s not great.

Citi Platinum Select MasterCard: With a 0% APR on both balance transfers and purchases for 21 months, this card is a better choice for those whose credit is less than perfect, but still fair. Once the introductory period ends, your APR will jump to somewhere between 11.99% and 20.99%, depending on your credit, so be sure to pay off most—if not all—of your balance before then. This card has a cash rewards program, but don’t let that sway you from your goal of paying off that debt.

Bottom Line: A balance transfer card isn’t right for everyone, but might be right for you if you’re struggling with paying multiple credit card bills each month. If you’re thinking about applying for a balance transfer card, do your research to find which one would work best for you.

Credit Karma™ is a completely free credit management service that provides free credit scores, personalized savings recommendations, and financial education. We believe free access to one’s credit score is a fundamental consumer right. Credit Karma helps more than 2.6 million consumers realize the everyday cost savings of having a good credit score. Visit us at www.creditkarma.com.

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Microsoft Studio Series: Artist Edition Wireless Mice – new designs

Radiris Diaz — Thu, 12 May 2011 19:08:06 +0000

Last night I attended a Microsoft event where they showcased 5 new premier, international artists they partnered with to make the wireless mouse even more attractive. These artists created these six beautiful pieces of art and Microsoft transformed them to be on your desktop, or at your fingertips, on their cute wireless mouses. The five artists are Kirra Jamison (Australia), Matt Moore (Maine), Linn Olofsdotter (Sweden), Mike Perry (Brooklyn) and Jonny Wan (UK).

I fell in love with their Australian artist because her use of watercolors and pencil, as described by Microsoft’s Young Soo Kim (an Industrial Design Manager). It reminded me of my childhood, and my many attempts of being a painter with my watercolors.

My second favorite was Matt Moore’s unique designs – he had a very colorful painting, that just llowed me to daydream into another land. Jonny Wan’s was quite interesting to look at because he was all about symmetry, repetition, while including cultural facial expressions, so imagine a hieroglypic-looking masterpiece, and thats as close as you come. Linn Olofsdotter’s art was Wendy’s favorite because she said it reminded her of her scuba diving pictures, where you would see some blue, and then coral with such vibrant colors – in Linn’s case, instead of coral there were exquisite flowers. Last but not least was Brooklyn’s own Mike Perry – Mr.Doodles as I called him, who created such cool artwork, that I wasn’t surprised when I saw the clients he’s worked with – Apple, Target, Mac, etc.

Artists attended the event as well and Zenia and Wendy each got their own personalized mice! I’ll let them show you their images.

(Oh, before I forget, Sony Vaio’s clutch-like laptop was there making a special experience – I fell a little deeper than what most call LOVE – it’s beautiful!!!!!)

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Brilliant Women in Technology: Meet Renee Schmidt

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 04 May 2011 16:40:48 +0000

Hi CuteGeeks!

Earlier this week I attended an event sponsored by WITI (Women In Technology International).
The event was about positive psychology, hosted by Reuters. I am an avid fan of motivation theories/’self-help’-like topics and as I patiently waited to personally meet Louis Alloro (the presenter), I realized I had so much in common with the lovely lady in front of me – Renee Schmidt. She’s a techie, entrepreneur, etc. is a Techie, Entrepreneur, and Cloud Computing Expert as well as Co-Founder of Madison Technology, a NYC-based Cloud Hosting and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provider.

The rest is history…Renee and I spoke for a bit, our excitement increased, our enthusiasm began oozing, and the power in networking, and specifically, women networking became apparent. Too often women compete with each other for no reason. Instead of welcoming each other, or helping and supporting each other, we get catty, kind if itchy (oops, I forgot the B) and there is no need for that. Networking is extraordinary, and meeting like-minded people, who have similar passions as you is so fulfilling.

WITI brought us together, and I am using CuteGeek.com to introduce you all to our latest brilliant woman in technology. Like CuteGeek.com, she recognized there was a gap in technology, the way women were addressed, or included in some of its happenings and decided to create a website (SheBytes.com & also her own company)..read on – she’s great!

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

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Aside from my being super energetic and pretty ambitious from an early age (I graduated from High School in 3 years instead of 4), I would say my upbringing was pretty conventional in every sense. I attended public school, my family is middle class. At the age of 20 I finished Baruch College with a degree in Real Estate Finance. I had every intention of making a career for myself in real estate and by the time I was nearing my graduation date, I had already started my first job in real estate banking (it was an interesting time to get into real estate; the market was just beginning its ascent). During my 5 year banking stint, I worked on billions of dollars of rather awesome and high-profile transactions. The hours were difficult but the experience was phenomenal.

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

“Why would you transition from Real Estate to Technology?” I get that a lot. It’s seems crazy, but it’s not. Technology has always been a huge part of my life. I’ve been fascinated with the Internet since its inception, having had at least one computer in my home as far back as I can remember. My older brother Alex has been in the technology business since computers hit the mainstream, over 15 years ago and I’m certain that had a lot to do with it. When Alex expressed over lunch one day that we should start an IT company, I knew instantly there was a synergy between us. My Park Avenue business savvy combined with his unparalleled IT expertise – it seemed like the perfect match. It took a lot of thought and time before I’d be all hands on deck, but fast forward 1.5 years and I am so glad I did it! Ironically enough, while in college, I spent 2 years working for an IT company. I never expected to make a career out of it, but looking back, it seems everything fell into place quite perfectly. Without first having the corporate experience (and the know how to do business with institutional clients), there’s no way I would have had the skill set to get Madison Technology to where it is today.

-Was it tougher because you are a woman?

Life is all about perspective. Reality is shaped by our state of consciousness at any given moment. Therefore, a challenge can be an opportunity if you view it as such. Has life been tougher for me because I’m a woman? Maybe. But you know what; I’ve never considered my challenges as anything but opportunities for growth!

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

All things equal, I’d reincarnate just the same. There’s nothing more fascinating than being the female energy in a masculine industry. By the sheer nature of being different, you have the opportunity to stand-out, reinvent the rules, make an impact and make a difference.

-Describe a “normal” day in your life.

A small business owner wears many hats; I’m no exception. One of my key functions at Madison Technology is Business Development. I’m responsible for sourcing, managing and implementing new business opportunities as well as managing existing client relations. I spend a greater part of my day handling branding, marketing, advertising, and promotion planning. I have a few online marketing initiatives running at any given time, so I’m constantly fine tuning those on the fly. I recently started blogging via a newly launched site called SheBytes.com. SheBytes is a technology news blog written by a woman (me) for women. I write about the latest in gadgets, cool new websites, apps, social media and more. The blog was inspired by my assertion that women’s publications disregard technology and technology publications disregard women –it’s my mission to change that!
My hours are quite hectic and I often work late nights and weekends but I make sure to have an active life outside of work as well. I’m really big on leadership and empowering others. I think networking with business owners and women is important and I try to frequent as many networking events as possible. I find philanthropic efforts rewarding and I volunteer a considerable amount of my time and energy to a few. I also do my best to never decline a meeting; I love to help people and I think there is an opportunity to be found and something to be learned from each person you encounter. And of course, I make time for family and friends; as of late that means weddings, wedding, and more weddings. Everyone I know is getting married!

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

I love technology because it’s never static. The industry is always evolving! There’s always something newer, smarter, better –forget cutting edge, technology is bleeding edge! Switching gears quickly is my forte and technology appeals to that side of me; it forces me into remaining sharp! That’s also a main reasons why I love blogging; not only does it have me scour the internet for the latest gadgets, apps, and technology, it’s also an opportunity to describe what I learn and share that with others.

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

As a first time entrepreneur, my main challenge has been learning how to successfully run and market a business. My biggest take away is this: the defining factor to success is not resources, but rather resourcefulness. Be resourceful! Talk to people, try a few different strategies (don’t put all your eggs in one basket) but also hedge your bets. Much like people, each business is unique. Who knows what will work for your business, given your personal strengths? Figure it out. Try different things but take calculated risks (the kind that won’t bankrupt you if they fail). And don’t be afraid of failure. You’ll never succeed at anything if you’re too afraid to try. Give yourself room for mistakes but make sure you do your homework. Don’t walk into anything blindly. Due diligence is key!

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

To be honest, when I worked in banking, I felt like I did. I was junior and I wanted to be taken seriously for the merit of my work. Much like technology, real estate is a male dominated sphere, so I tried to play down my physical ‘assets’ rather than play them up. Now that I own my own business, I don’t feel as much pressure to conform to a standard. I quite enjoy being a woman in a male dominated industry; the paradox is liberating. Because I’m an entrepreneur, I don’t have to compare myself to colleagues. There’s no measuring stick, no performance review. My review comes at the end of the year when I check my books and calculate the bottom line.

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

Go for it! Women are unrepresented in technology: CNBC reported that in the U.S., only 3% of all new businesses are founded by women and only 1% are high tech firms! Some people see these statistics as a deterrent; I see them as an open opportunity.

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

My Verizon iPhone 4. I have it configured to ActiveSync with Microsoft Outlook 2010 (my corporate email system). My iPhone runs my life: contacts, calendars, email, etc. I also use it as a tether/hot spot for my iPad 2. I can’t be without it.

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

Wisdom is the ability to see the end at the beginning (i.e. what will the seed I plant today manifest into down the road?). If always ask myself this question before taking action; it helps me to make better choices.

-And lastly, what drives you?

I’m driven by a few things:
1. My commitment to integrity. Much like you wouldn’t drive over a bridge that lacks integrity (i.e, a bridge that is not whole, complete, unbroken, unimpaired, sound, perfected), an individual or business without integrity will appear to others as inconsistent, unreliable or unpredictable. Why would someone want to work with an individual or company that is inconsistent, unreliable or unpredictable? They wouldn’t! Meaning: integrity is a necessary condition to maximum performance.
2. “Tough times don’t last, tough people do.” Never take no for an answer! Find another way but get up and keep it moving!
3. Our goals are not the goal –it’s really all about the journey. Life doesn’t start at some future point in time when we have more money or a better job. It doesn’t start when we find the right partner or when we have kids –or even after we’ve solved all of our “problems.” Life is the right here and now. It is who we “be” every day and how we relate to the people around us as we face each new challenge. Make who you “be” about more than just you. Find the time to help others. If you do, then somehow, someway, something fortuitous will happen: you’ll get that extra lead, or that extra business. It may seem counterintuitive, but take care of others and the universe will find a way to take care of you.

Click to learn more about Madison Technology & SheBytes.com.

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Every Girl Needs One Good Reason to Get “Smart”

Wendy Wick — Wed, 04 May 2011 04:23:32 +0000

[Why I really got my iPhone]

I would like to tell you that I am a sexy slinky trendsetter and that as a strategy consultant I toted the latest tech toys, but frankly, I liked to keep my technology simple….and cheap. In late 2009, I was a flip phone kind of girl. I saw no valid reason for spending a few hundred dollars on an iPhone (which I perceived to be a delicate toy) just to integrate my iPod with my phone. That is… until our doctor opened my eyes….

It was a typical Friday evening and I was with my husband and two kids at IKEA shopping for lighting fixtures when suddenly my two year old sprouted red bumps, purple welts and white pustules all over his body. He was literally covered from head to toe within 5 minutes and it was worsening by the moment. He had been recently diagnosed with Asthma and we were borderline panicking about his semi-responsiveness. We called the pediatrician who told us to strip him bare, circle each bump and blemish with a ball point pen to see if they were growing and to send her pictures immediately. Send her pictures?

The pediatrician said that if we could send her photos of the outbreaks, she could determine if we needed to proceed to the emergency room (oh no, long hours exposed to goodness-knows-what…and the cost!) or hold off for a morning office visit (ahh!!). If we could take a video of my son’s chest rising and falling, then the doctor could determine if his breathing was impacted as well. Ok, great, good idea! My flip phone took photos, although I couldn’t send them…but video, no way. Our solution to avoiding that ER visit was to rush home, take photos and videos with our digital camera, use the card scanner to upload them to the laptop and attach them to an e-mail. It took over two hours from outbreak to verdict: come into the office.

The next morning, we went straight from the pediatrician’s office to the AT&T store around the corner and bought iPhones for the family while our comfortably medicated son dozed in his stroller. The next time (and there were many more ‘next times’ that winter) we had a major kiddie health concern, we shot the video and sent the link straight from our phones to the doctor in a matter of seconds. Some of those visits ended in over-the-counter meds and bed rest, two resulted in ER visits.

Over time, I accumulated quite a wealth of health info right on my phone, on hand during visits with specialists and available to provide context to the scribble-written faxed medical records. I now have private ”playlists’ for each of our children on YouTube.com and google health accounts to manage health records…all accessible from my phone. We use short videos I shoot with my phone to provide documentation of my son’s progress with his various treatments and therapies.

Did I like the way the iPhone and its sleek oh-so-pink case looked as I whipped it out to answer a call, the ping of a text message or check my e-mail? Oh yeah! Did I somehow feel sexier and more sophisticated as I touch-screen dialed and googled-on-the-go? Truthfully, yes…but would I have paid for that alone? No, I would rather have purchased another pair of leather boots. Do I use the productivity tools, manage my social networking, time my meditation, tickle Robi the Robot and play Angry Birds on my iPhone?….umm yeah…now that I am hooked, but better text messaging, a touch screen and cool apps didn’t get reel me in. Seeing that the ‘toy’ was a ‘tool’ to being an more effective mom is what sealed the deal for me.

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Meet Wendy Wick – Our latest blogger and first mommy on CuteGeek!

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 04 May 2011 04:17:52 +0000

Ever thought about some of life’s happenings and wondered ‘what the heck – how did that happen?’. You surround yourself with pieces, yet can’t seem to make everything fit, all the while creating an even better picture than you never imagined.

That is the best way that I can describe how I met Wendy, and where our friendship has evolved. We were coworkers, and through our demanding project, became close enough to evolve into family, which in 2011 means she is a part of the group of people who (given the opportunity) would’ve chosen to be .

I met Wendy at IBM – in 2007, while she was pregnant with her son, and had to drive her back to her hotel to fly back home early. It wasn’t until 2010 that I was finally able to work with her, and experience the magic that she brings – through her breath of experience, her work style/ethic, her love for dark chocolate, her choice of words, her style, her creativity, her children and the way she is raising them.

We are extremely excited to add her to our site because her love for technology and the way she uses it in her life is going to add a completely different perspective on how someone uses technology to make her life, and the lives of those around her, better.

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Sleeping with your laptop?

Sylwia — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 16:54:05 +0000

If you’ve noticed that you haven’t been sleeping that great, I hate to tell you, but it might be due to your laptop (or iPad, phone, or any electronic with artificial light). The National Sleep Foundation has performed studies that link sleepless nights to the usage of electronics before bed.

“Artificial light exposure between dusk and the time we go to bed at night suppresses release of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin, enhances alertness and shifts circadian rhythms to a later hour, making it more difficult to fall asleep.” (Huffington Post)

No, I’m not saying that we have to give up our gadgets, but merely reminding you to leave some time to yourself at the end of the day. Sleep is very important for not only mental health but also for physical health! So at the end of the night take some time and sip some tea, read a book, or my favorite STRETCH!

Here’s a video to help you unwind (and get yourself away from your beloved gadget, even if its only for a few minutes).

5 Moves for a better night’s sleep

Update!
To see if you’re getting quality sleep, take the quiz from Women’s Health Magazine.

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Earth Day 2011

Shoshana Diggs — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 04:45:47 +0000

Today is earth day and over the past day or so I have been able to play with two products from Belkin to help you save energy and be green, and also learned about a Wind Turbine that you can put together yourself in your own backyard.

The first of the two Belkin Products I was able to test out was the Belkin Conserve Socket. What is it? I wasn’t sure at first either when I heard the name, but its a socket with a timer. Basically it shuts power off to what ever device is plugged into it after 30, 180 or 360 minutes. Essentially it turns your wall socket into the perfect charging socket. Your cell phone, iPad or what ever mobile device you have can typically fully charge in less than 3 hours.

But when you charge those devices now they continue to drain power even if they are fully charged when they are plugged-in. So what the Conserve Socket does is shuts off the flow of power to your device saving you money and energy, it also prevents your battery in your mobile device from being over used and can potentially increase the battery life-span. It’s a pretty cool greendevice. The Conserve Socket will cost you $9.99 but I am sure it will pay for itself faster than you think.

The second device from Belkin was the Conserve Smart AV. It is a surge protector that auto shuts down your appliances. The Conserve Smart AV is the perfect companion for your Entertainment Center and even computer system.

The Conserve Smart AV will protect your equipment from electrical surges but it will also protect your wallet from that equipment that tends to use electricity when they are not in use. I am using it in my home office, I have my desktop plugged into the Master Plug and my printer, scanner, monitor and external Hard drive plugged into the outlets the Master Plug controls. When I power down the desktop the Conserve Smart AV powers down everything else!

It also works great with your entertainment center by shutting down your Blu-ray player, Xbox 360 and Wii when you power off the television. Just a FYI if you use it for your entertainment system, don’t plug your TiVo or Cable Box into the outlets controlled by the Master Plug as those devices can take forever to boot up. I learned that the hard way. Why TiVo takes 10 – 15 minutes to boot up is beyond me. The Conserve Smart AV will cost you $29.99.

Belkin offers two other devices aimed at helping you save energy, the Conserve Valet which is similar to the Conserve Socket but for USB devices and the Conserve Insight which helps you monitor how much energy you are using. I didn’t get to try those two devices out but they seem cool, I especially like the idea of knowing how much energy my electronics use.

For more info on those Belkin Products Visit: http://www.belkin.com/conserve/

Earlier this week, Michael from HardwareGeeks.com who covers events for us stumbled upon a company called Urban Green Energy.

Urban Green Energy is a company based in New York City WOOHOO!!!! I am a New Yorker. Urban Green Energy makes wind turbines which they call EDDY’s. These turbines you can install yourself with the help of 2 other people in your own back yard or roof of your home. They are supposedly super quite and vibrate very little so they are sure not to disturb your neighbors or damage your home. They also look kind futuristic which I think is cool. If I didn’t live in an Apartment I would definitely see about getting one of these. Click here to see a video of an eddy in action.

They even have an EDDY that would allow you to sell energy to the energy company. Can you imagine a negative balance on your con-ed bill?

That’s it for our earth day post be sure to check out the Belkin Products and the EDDY’s from Urban Green Energy. I hope you all have a great day and be green!

Kyocera Echo for Sprint

Shoshana Diggs — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 06:00:09 +0000

Today Radiris Diaz and Michael from HardwareGeeks.com were at a Sprint event in New York city, and they were able to see and play with what I think is the coolest phones I have ever seen. Or is it a tablet? You be the judge.

The video below is of Michael demoing the phone, he doesn’t say much as there was a lot of background noise, but I think what he shows us is super cool!!!

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I Love the Blackberry Playbook

Zenia Duran — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 00:49:25 +0000

This past Thursday, I and fellow Hardwaregeeker, Michael Reyes, was invited to the Blackberry Playbook Launch Party….
RIM…. THANK YOU for an amazing event

So, I just finished playing with the New Blackberry Playbook for the past 3 hours. I wish I had another one to make a video of it. I will get around to posting one up in the next couple of days (need to get Fancy for the camera).

So in the mean time I will make this short and straight to the point….

First thing I have to say is…. HELLO FLASH WEBSITES!!

The Playbook supports Adobe Flash and the loading speed in awesome!!! just as good as my laptop (using my home network).

With dimensions of 5.1-inches tall, 7.6-inches wide and 0.4-inches thick and weighing 0.9 lbs, it definitely has a smaller feel than its main competitor.

It offers a 1024 x 600 screen resolution and a mutlicaptive touch screen (was easily playing Beethoven’s Fur Elise with both hands on the piano app that I downloaded.)

I was taking pictures and video with its 3 MP high-definition forward-facing camera and 5 MP high-definition rear-facing camera and the clarity is superb, especially with the video playback that I heard through the speakerphones.

It has Micro USB and Micro HDMI ports to be able to connect it to a display screen (**cough cough** watch hulu on TV, please APPWORLD, get us a Netflix app!!).

It runs on a 1Ghz dual core processor and 1 GB of Ram. Grouped with the Blackberry Tablet OS, this is great with being able to run multiple applications and being able to navigate between screens/applications with the ease of just a SWIPE!

Blckberry phone users: You are able to bridge your Blackberry Device to the Playbook to access your calendar, email, BBM, files and other data on your phone. I emailed RIM to ask one important question, if through the Bridge Connection can you access the internet? Can you bbm from the playbook if you are not connected to a network? I am waiting on their response! So Blackberry users, think of this as a second, bigger and funner screen to acces your Blackberry. At the moment, it was not able to support my Blackberry Torch but as soon as they release it, hopefully you guys will let me know before I let you know (wink wink)

Setuo was easy, but not so quick since it automatically detected a software update in which I had to wait oh SO PATIENTLY a good 4-5 minutes to play with my new toy. It starts you off with a quick tutorial how to navigate through menus, as I remembered the first time I played with it a couple of weeks ago when Blackberry first showcased it, was a little difficult to find out how, but once you learn it, its so easy my not so tech savvy dad can do it.

In conclusion (need to come to an end to stay true to my short and simple), the Blackberry Playbook is an amazing tablet, with a great touchscreen and sleek look and design. Two things I can’t wait for is to accesorize it and download apps that I’m sure will grow over the next few weeks.

When can you get the Playbook? APRIL 19th!!! at a Blackberry retailer, including Best Buy, which you can pre-order there now.
April 19th April 19th April 19th….

Enjoy!

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Tips for Paying Back Your Student Loans

Bethy Hardmen — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 16:45:38 +0000

The average college student is facing some difficult facts:

- More young people are going to college, which means more young people are taking out student loans. In 2009, more than 70% of graduating high school students enrolled in college, the highest percentage on record.

- A CollegeBoard report stated that the number of student loans issued in the 2009-2010 school year increased 10% from the previous year. Of the estimated $154.46 billion in student financial aid, 43% came in the form of federal student loans.

- The latest Credit Karma data shows that the average consumer has $29,151 in student loans.

- The Class of 2011 will be graduating into an economy with a 9.2% unemployment rate.

Is your head spinning from all the numbers yet? It’s very possible that this generation’s graduates will be in more student loan debt than Americans have ever had to face.

To college grads out there, what’s your strategy for paying back the government? If you don’t have one, here are some tips on chipping away at your student loan debt.

Don’t postpone your loan repayment.

Although there are a several reasons why you might need to defer your loan payments after graduation, such as unemployment, disability, school enrollment, and economic hardship, if you’re able , start paying back those loans before you graduate.

It may seem daunting to start reducing a student loan upwards of $30,000, but it’s worth it to begin paying back what you can.If you are currently earning a paycheck while going to school, start putting aside a chunk of your earnings to chip away at your loans.

Determine how much you can pay toward your student loan balance. Even if it’s just $25 per month, you’ll be better off doing so.

Prioritize your loan payment.

Did you know that paying off your student loans on-time builds your credit history? It’s not wise to take out a student loan specifically for the purpose of building credit, but if you’re already stuck with one, use it as an advantage to better your credit health.

Your student loan is an installment loan, which means that you pay a specific amount each month, versus revolving credit like credit cards. Installment loans are an important variable in your credit report to show lenders that you have a good mix of credit. As long as you pay on time every month, the due diligence of paying your loan will help your credit.

Pay more than the minimum.

This is great advice for any loan repayment you make each month, not just your student loan. If you find that after budgeting your savings account and emergency fund, you have some extra cash to save, don’t just blow it on anything. Use it to reduce your student loan faster and reduce the amount of total interest you’ll pay in the end.

Get a better deal.

If you’re struggling to pay your student loan each month, reevaluate your financial situation. You may be able to renegotiate the terms of your repayment. Here’s three repayment plans that could work for you:

- Graduated repayment: With this repayment plan, your payments start out lower and increase every few years.

- Extended repayment: If you can’t handle your monthly loan payment, you may be able to negotiate to extend the life of your loan repayment in order to reduce your monthly payment.

- Income-based repayment: If you didn’t get the paycheck you needed to repay your loans, you may be able to negotiate income-based repayments. In order to qualify, your payments must be less than 10% of your income.

You should only go with one of these adjusted repayment plans if you need to. Don’t extend your repayment plan simply because you want to have more available cash from month-to-month; extending your repayment plan for a longer term means you’ll pay more in interest in the long run.

Bottomline: You may find yourself paying back your student loans for years to come. To keep from burning out don’t forget to celebrate whenever you hit a landmark in your payments, like paying off your first $1,000 or even $10,000. Marking these accomplishments will keep you motivated to continue responsibly paying back your student loans and maintaining healthy credit.

Credit Karma™ is a completely free credit management service that provides free credit scores, personalized savings recommendations, and financial education. We believe free access to one’s credit score is a fundamental consumer right. Credit Karma helps more than 2.4 million consumers realize the everyday cost savings of having a good credit score. Visit us at www.creditkarma.com.

SeeHere.com From FujiFilm

Shoshana Diggs — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 01:04:14 +0000

FujiFilm today announced that next week they are re-launching their SeeHere.com website. SeeHere.com allows users of the site to upload their pictures and create anything from Calendars to Photo Books and Mugs.

I have tried out SeeHere.com and it was really easy to use. You select the item you want to make, in my case it was a photo book, you upload the pictures and you place them into the book the way you want. You can easily resize, tilt and move around the pictures on the pages. You can also have the pictures be placed automatically onto the product you are making.

Starting April 5^th (sorry we are a day late in letting you know) through April 18^th, when you sign up for an account at SeeHere.com you will be entered into the ‘See What’s Here’ Sweepstakes for a chance to win a prize package including a FUJIFILM FinePix Z90digital camera, a SeeHere.com 12” x 12” Classic Photo Book, and a FUJIFILM 4GB SDHC Card. SeeHere.com will give away 14 prize packages over the new site’s first 14 days.

Loads of cool prizes!!!

Here are some coupon codes for a free Picture Book and Mug from Seehere.com. Let us know how easy or not so easy it was for you to create something!!! Good luck if you enter the contest.

Editors note: We had included some coupon codes with this post in error. We believed them to be valid coupon codes and they were not. We apologize for any trouble we (CuteGeek) may have caused.

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Samsung Prevail for Boost Mobile

Zenia Duran — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 23:32:08 +0000

Today Samsung and Boost Mobile officially unveiled the Prevail, their first Android powered smartphone. The phone which will be available later this month at Boost Mobile stores for $179 (plus taxes) on the $50 a month, with shrinkage, plan. What is shrinkage? It means that for every 6 months that you pay on time (does not have to be consecutive), your monthly charges will decrease by $5 until it hits a monthly minimum of $35. Remember, Boost Mobile is UNLIMITED TEXT, UNLIMITED WEB AND UNLIMITED TALK over the Sprint network.

The Prevail is the latest Galaxy phone from Samsung offering 3G service and features a3.2 inch touch screen, a 2MP camera, bluetooth capability, unlimited and free Telenav GPS .

It is powered by an 800 MHz processor and 128mb internal storage. It also supports up to a 32gb microSD card, but comes with a 2gb microSD.

Initial impressions of the device is that its suits the Boost Mobile demographic, teens to young adults. It’s a great device for a beginner cutegeek to have. It is one of the smaller Galaxy phones. It is lighter than the Blackberry Torch but similar in size. It is definitely something to look into, especially if you are a beginner to the Android world. You can also install all of the applications available on the Android Market Place.

The phone will be available later this month, no specific date for more information visit: http://www.boostmobile.com

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Getupp – Get Motivated!

Sylwia — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:11:05 +0000

If you have trouble staying motivated then Getupp just might be the webapp (and iPhone app) for you! Getupp uses GPS to help you stay committed to your activities. So if my goal is to go to the gym, I log it into my Getupp app. At the end of the day if I feel too tired and go to the grocery store instead, it calls me out on it! ON FACEBOOK!

Getup also tells your friends when you make a commitment, then shares the outcome (both, if you kept it or if you didn’t). This can be a great way to help you stay motivated to achieve your personal goals!

Getupp features 18 different commitment types, gym, running, study, work early/late, do taxes…etc. I’m not sure if it will help me do my laundry or clean my house, but it will definitely help me get to the gym, track, trail or park.

Check out Getupp at the link below! Check back and let me know how it has helped you achieve your goals and stay motivated!!

Get Motivated – Getupp!

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Firefox/Mozilla: Focus Keyboard Add-on

Sylwia — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 20:01:56 +0000

I’m sure you have been hearing all the buzz about Firefox 4.0. Well, if you’re a fan of the browser and shortcuts, I recommend you check out the Focus Keyboard Add-on. What is it? It allows you to use your browser with less keystrokes and mouse movements. Just one of it’s many features is the ctrl-v function (yes, also known as “paste”) and whatever you have on your “clip-board” will automatically paste into the address bar, without having to physically click on the address bar. It also allows you to select your preferences so you can use as many or as few of the shortcuts as you want. OOoo it’s magic, you knOOooow!

Anyways, enough singing from me, check out and download the Focus Keyboard add-on here.

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Visit us at CuteGeeks.com

Shoshana Diggs — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:02:06 +0000

For two years we have been known as CuteGeek.com, and we ask ourselves why? There s more than one of us we are many so the name didn’t fit, atleast we did not think so.

But we had a problem, someone else owned the domain. However on March 7th 211 it expired and was put up for auction by GoDaddy.com. Guess what! We won the auction and paid a whopping $15.00 for it!!! So now you can visit us by typing in http://www.cutegeeks.com afterall there are more than one of us…just click here to see how many.

Another note, we also can be visited at http://www.cutegeek.net

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Credit Karma Tidbit #4: How to Choose a Retirement Plan

Bethy Hardmen — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 01:16:48 +0000

When it comes to your financial well-being, it’s easy to think about the present, like which credit card you should choose or how to monitor and plan out ways to improve your credit score. But it’s much more difficult to plan for your financial future.

Retirement seems so far away for many of us, but it’s something we need to start thinking about today.

Plan for your retirement today and, years from now, you can enjoy the fruits of that planning. So if you’re ready to start saving for your retirement—or if you’re already saving, but want to make sure you’ve made the right choice— check out this quick guide to find the right fund for you.

If you’re employed by a company that offers a 401(k) matching plan…

Open a 401(k). If you don’t know if your company matches your 401(k) contributions, ask! Most companies will match up to a certain percentage of your contribution, so always take full advantage of that offer. It’s free money in your nest egg.

A 401(k) plan is tax-deductible and tax-deferred, meaning you won’t be charged income taxes on the amount you contribute until you’re ready to take it out for retirement. You will earn more on the larger tax-deferred amount throughout the years before you need to worry about paying taxes on it.

Tip: With a 401(k), you invest your savings into various funds. If you choose to go with this type of fund, research how to invest and vary your investment.

Your contribution. If you can, contribute the maximum, which is $16,500 a year if you’re under 50 and $22,000 if you’re 50 or older.

If your employer doesn’t have a 401(k) matching plan or if you’re self-employed…

Open a Traditional IRA. If you have any income, you can open a Traditional IRA. Even if your employer does offer a 401(k) matching plan, you can open an IRA in addition to your 401(k) to save even more for your retirement.

A Traditional IRA is tax-deductible and tax-deferred, just like a 401(k), so you will only be charged income taxes on your contributions when you begin taking them out for retirement.

Tip: You can use your IRA to help you purchase your first home, pay for higher education, or pay for unexpected medical or disability costs. But if you need to take funds out before the age of 59.5 for any other reason, you will be penalized with an additional 10% on that income tax deduction.

Your contribution. If you can, contribute the maximum, which in 2010 was $5,000 if you’re under 50 and $6,000 if you’re 50 or older.

If you plan to use your retirement account to save for your future and the future of your loved ones…

Open a Roth IRA. While a Traditional IRA requires you to begin receiving distribution from the account after April 1 of the year you turn 70.5, a Roth IRA does not. You can allow your account to continue to grow, and you can pass it along to your heirs.

Tip: Roth IRAs are tax-exempt, meaning you’ll pay taxes on the contributions as you make them. This will benefit your heirs if you pass on your Roth IRA because they won’t have to pay the income tax.

Your contribution. If you can, contribute the maximum amount, which in 2010 was $5,000 if you’re under 50 and $6,000 if you’re 50 or older.

This is a simple guide to retirement funds. There is more to consider when you decide on which type is right for you.

Be sure to stay on top of your financial health in general by keeping a close eye on your credit score and credit health. Careful planning and wise decision-making will help you reach a happy retirement.

Credit Karma™ is a completely free credit management service that provides free credit scores, financial education, and personalized savings recommendations. We help more than 2 million consumers realize the everyday cost savings of having a good credit score.

What does IBM mean to you?

Radiris Diaz — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 23:19:57 +0000

A little embarrassing fact that I have is that I didn’t know what IBM meant until I was in their training class during the summer of 2005…don’t tell anyone…

(It stands of International Business Machines btw)

Prior to joining IBM whenever I thought about it, not that I did it often, it was often due to being at a checkout counter and seeing IBM on their machines…oh yea – computers…those darn IBM computers were everywhere!

I’m sure a ton of things come to mind when you think of IBM – in the case that it is only computers, check out this amazing video that captures all the ways IBM has changed the world we live in.

This video was created to celebrate IBM’s 100th year…now what does IBM mean to YOU? Today, when I hear IBM all I get reminded of is to THINK…gotta love it!

(It was the slogan TJ Watson created, way back in 1911…if my plan to marry rich comes true, this will be my wedding favor-we all need this reminder)

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Yurbuds, A Runner’s and Fit-Geek’s Dream

Sylwia — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 20:14:16 +0000

While in Vegas for the CES conference this past Janurary, I was introduced to Yurbuds. I’m not a tri-athlete…yet, but I do try to exercise on a regular basis so naturally, I was very excited to test these out. Plus I’m always looking for the best and newest headphones.

What do you get when you buy Yurbuds?
·   Yurbuds Ironman Series Earphones – Fitted with red yurbuds – Light style
·   Extra red yurbuds – Intense style
·   Red Ironman nylon carrying case – Zippered pouch
·   Ironman trading cards – Inspirational stories of personal triumph
·   Quick-Start guide – Installation and care instructions

When I first opened them up, I immediately noticed the soft plastic that they’re made of. It’s for extra soft comfort! I used the Quick-Start guide to see how to use them, its a small card that shows a pictorial view of how to angel the headphones into your ears. At first I thought, “man these are too big for me, I’ll never like them.” Half a song into my jog, I forgot they were there. I’m not even exaggerating! It was like I was in my own little music room! They didn’t move, I could hardly feel them, they were plain amazing.

Since I tend to be a skeptic, I had to keep using them to see if my satisfaction wasn’t a fluke. I am happy to report that as of today, I have used the Yurbuds over 20 times while running, resistance training, elliptical-ing, and for general activities (work). Only during one of my workouts did one of the ear-buds shift and I had to adjust it.

Now I can’t imagine working out without these. I have always been an ear-bud kind of girl because they’re the most comfortable while exercising but sometimes they tend to fall out and Yurbuds don’t and that makes me very happy. (oh! and they don’t hurt)

The acoustics are really good as well. They help me focus on my workout and not the person on the machine beside me. They make your music sound great and help to tune out the outside world by just the perfect amount.

Another thing to mention, I truly love the cord material. Its soft, pliable and doesn’t get kinky no matter which way you roll, wrap, or tangle it. Which is more than I can say about all of my previous headphones. The little zippered pouch is convenient to throw into a bag too.

Yurbuds – Ergonomically Brilliant
Ultra-Soft Comfort and Extreme Fit Guarantee
Richer Acoustics
Bluetooth® Devices (Enhancers are compatible with Jawbone® ICON & Jawbone® Prime headsets)
Universal Compatibility
Designed by a Triathlete
Sweat Proof

You can get a pair of the Ironman Performance Raising Yurbuds for $49.99.

Check out Yurbuds and their other products on their website. Free shipping when you purchase from www.yurbuds.com and use the code CUTEGEEK at checkout!

Forewarning, you’ll never go back to your other earphones/earbuds/headphones!!

YurBuds are available for purchase for $49.99 at Amazon.com and BestBuy.com

One last thing: Our own Cutegeek Radiris wore her Yurbuds during a 10k race in Puerto Rico just this past weekend! Congrats to her!

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Web Wednesday – RobWilson.tv & MarchMoneyMadness.net

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 15:57:48 +0000

In lieu of exhibiting just one website today, we decided to do two because they go hand in hand. The first one is RobWilson.tv – this is a website that uses various forms of technology to bring you the latest and greatest (most applicable) financial advice. Why? Because everyone is filing their taxes, receiving their tax refunds and then throwing their money away. Rob Wilson knows something most of us don’t…MONEY. Check out his website for weekly financial segments, taken from a local Pittsburgh television station-KDKA.

The other website is MarchMoneyMadness.net – in his own words, Rob says “In an effort to use the popularity of sports to teach people about finance, investing and the stock market, I’ve created a new online competition called March Money Madness. It works just like filling out a bracket for the NCAA Tournament, only instead of using 64 college basketball teams, I use 64 stocks!

The stocks are matched up in a bracket and the “game” between the two stocks occurs during one week in the actual stock market. The stock with the highest return during that week wins the “game” and so on until a winner is crowned. Players can register on the website and play against all of the other players or they can set up a smaller private competition amongst their friends. Last year I did a pilot of the program and it worked very well. I even gave away an iPad!”

Rob knows all the tricks, tools, and things we need to do to make sure we don’t end up broke and unable to retire. Rob Wilson is an alumni from the University of Pittsburgh & Carnegie Mellon University and is a financial advisor for professional athletes and entertainers (@ Blazer Capital). He is also a very good friend of mine and the financial guru in my life. He uses technology in a variety of ways, from having his own website, providing financial advice on TV and also through other channels. Check out both of these sites to learn a lil’ (or a lot) about finance!

I don’t think we’ll ever know enough about money-how to make it, how to keep it, and how to make it grow once we’ve saved enough…We look forward to hearing more from you on CuteGeek. Got any advice for women in general – since some of us shop like crazy?!

Happy Birthday to CuteGeek.com!

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 18:08:07 +0000

On March 1st 2009 we made our very first post “Welcome to CuteGeek.com!” and in these two years, we’ve come a long way since that very first welcome post. At first we were worried no one would visit us (who wouldn’t worry) but as the days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, we realized we shouldn’t worry so much.

Over the past two years we have featured Brilliant women such as Ann Finnie (HP) and Leslie Sobon (AMD), and brought you reviews on the 2011 Lincoln MKX and The Netgear Stora.

You guys have also had the opportunity to enjoy the Girls out Loud Podcast hosted by Maya and Cristina.

We wouldn’t be the site we are today with out the help of all the ladies who blog for us!

To celebrate our birthday we are going to have a twit-away! Get it?! Giveaways on twitter

Every Friday in the month of March we will give away a prize to one of our twitter followers on Twitter. @CuteGeek is our Twitter Handle follow us and you’ll be entered automatically.

The first 3 Fridays (4th, 11th, and 18th) we will give one lucky follower a $25 gift card, on the 4th Friday which is the 25th we will give away an Amazon Kindle Wi-Fi. For more information on the Kindle visit http://www.amazon.com.

We may also have random giveaways during the entire month so make sure to follow us and thank you for being part of CuteGeek.com

Remember, we do this because we love it – we love technology and love bringing you the latest ‘happenings’ in the industry. If there’s something missing on the site, or if you want to recommend anything, or simply give us kudos – do not hesitate to email me RadirisD@cutegeek.com/comment on the posts/comment on our youtube videos – thanks again for supporting us all

Lovely new Mice from Microsoft & Webcam Too

Shoshana Diggs — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:59:35 +0000

Many, myself included forget that Microsoft makes more than just software and the Xbox, they also make what Michael from HardwareGeeks.com has told me are some of the best mice on the market. Something I have come to agree with after playing with an Arc Touch Mouse and loving it.

Today Microsoft announced their new Express Mouse. The Express Mouse is a wired mouse that can be used on any surface with out a mouse pad. The new mice also come in five cute colors. Flint Grey and Hibiscus Red will be available in April, Turf Green, Dahlia Pink, Ultramarine Blue and Coast Blue will be available in June for $19.95.

Microsoft also announced its newest LifeCam HD-3000. The LifeCam webcams are probably the most affordable HD webcams on the market. The HD-3000 can record up to 720p HD video and has a sensor called TrueColor that will allow it to display bright vibrant colors in any lighting situation. The LifeCam HD-3000 is available now for $39.95.

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Favorite Website of the Week: Etsy.com

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 03:07:23 +0000

Gift-giving isn’t always the easiest thing, especially when you have a particular person in mind, who has absolutely everything, or something who always says they don’t need something. When that happens, I try to find a gift that I can personalized – 1. so that they can’t re-gift it, and 2. so that they know that it took more than just the swipe of my credit card to purchase, but that i actually put some deep thought into it.

Etsy.com is the perfect site for this…

This site has sellers and buyers, so if you are also a creative lil’ one, you can sell your stuff on this site. Sylwia-the blogger on our site, was the one who told me about it and my favorite part of her experience is that the sellers are usually very open and willing to make sure they meet exactly your needs. So you can get anything you want here – go check it out!

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Web Wednesday: TheBump.com

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 05:27:08 +0000

While I personally believe that watching too much television will eat your brain away, I truly feel that having the internet will make you smarter. Thanks to search engines, I am able to find absolutely everything I don’t know, by simply inputting a couple of search words. If you’re using Google.com you don’t even need to put the correct spelling – it’ll know what you mean

A very special person in my life is currently expecting, and while I am not a parent, or expecting, this wonderful site has come in handy. TheBump.com is also one of the main reasons why I’ve slept so little this week. Talk about there being A LOT to know about babies and such. Sheesh! I’m not even the one expecting and I’m overwhelmed!

I wanted to showcase this website because as a ‘techie site written by women – for women and those that love them’ – this is a site that should be bookmarked. It has a plethora of useful information regarding getting pregnant, what happens when you’re expecting, baby shower planning (why I’m on the site every single day – it provides a lot of good links), and other important information regarding the growth of your baby inside the womb and after its arrived.

If you’re familiar with TheKnot.com – they are behind this site, so the format of the site mirrors the knot. I love this site. Check it out and tell your lady friends, or those who love them. We never know enough, and its never too early to start prepping for the future. Good luck to all the preggos in the world!

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Machine vs Man

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 03:46:46 +0000

As a proud IBMer – the things that this company continues to do, never ceases to amaze me. This week I received an email with the following…while many of you are probably aware of this cool event that happened – many aren”t…

“The landmark event with the potential to re-shape the future of computing will be broadcast nationwide on February 14, 15, and 16. The Watson system, developed by computer scientists at IBM Research, will challenge human champions in the game of Jeopardy! Win, lose or draw, the IBM team has advanced the state of analytics, optimized systems, and the field of Question-Answer technology in a way that promises to transform industries.

To support this event, please consider watching the NOVA special on PBS: The Smartest Machine on Earth! We highly recommend this as an excellent learning event. Please check the viewing times on the PBS website. In some areas, it is already on the air. In others, it’s beginning on February 9th. It will usually be scheduled to repeat several times in each area:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/smartest-machine-on-earth.html

Another fabulous site for information on Watson is http://ibm.com/watson. The countdown begins to the Watson Jeopardy matches on February 14…”

Now Watson, for those of you who don’t already know is about 6 ft tall and about the size of a room. It should be very interesting to see how it competes for the millions, and how it compares to the human mind. Be sure to check it out.

(oh wait – another fun fact is that Carnegie Mellon students/faculty are yet again part of this historic event. As a very proud alum – if anyone reading this has any questions about CMU or if you’re interested in Computer Science/Robotics/Business/etc (they’re great in everything) do not hesitate to contact me @ radirisd@cutegeek.com. I’d love to answer any questions or to connect you to someone at the university)

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Web Wednesday: Yipit.com

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 05:01:52 +0000

DailyLivingGroupOnSocialCandy…there are too many sites to keep track of. I found another site that actually consolidates what many of the other sites offer – into one quick email per day.

If you live in a major city, signing up for Yipit will guarantee you don’t miss out on all the cool deals going on. Check it out

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Brilliant Women in Technology: Meet Leslie Sobon

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:06:54 +0000

Happy Winter-bury – seems like the whole United States is getting a little extra loving from the Winter Gods! Hope everyone is warm and safe.

Meet our Brilliant Woman of February – Leslie Sobon! Ms. Sobon is the Vice President, Worldwide Product & Outbound Marketing at AMD. While I have never had the pleasure of meeting her personally, Michael Reyes has, and thinks she is *brilliant*! He even went as far as to say, she’s geekier than him. I find that highly doubtful.

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

I’m a Northeasterner living in Texas. So, I long for seasons, diners, and another Boston Red Sox World Series win. But I adore TexMex food, so thank you Texas!

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

I found technology by accident – not by design – but once I was in it I’ve never wanted to leave. I started my career in marketing, working for high tech magazines like Surface Mount Technology, Printed Circuit Board, and Automated Test and Equipment (ATE) magazines. Let me tell you, once you see an ATE do some wafer testing, you’re hooked. From there I moved to Texas Instruments, Dell, and five years ago to AMD.

-Describe a “normal” day in your life.

As with most people in high tech, there isn’t one. I travel a lot, because I don’t believe anyone can do a global job effectively while sitting at their desk. In general, though, a typical day for me anywhere in the world means engaging with colleagues, customers, partners, press and consumers about our products.

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

It’s not guacamole. I have a friend who worked in high tech all of her career, but recently moved to run marketing for a company that makes guacamole. (Delicious guacamole I may add.) I told her to call me in six months, because in that time she will have done everything there is to do with guacamole.

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

During my eight years at Dell, I had various product marketing roles. But for one of those years – and for reasons that to this day escape me – I decided to move out of product and out of marketing, into a corporate function. I pretty much stunk at it, and quickly admitted that to myself and to Dell. Dell was kind enough to let me to go back into product marketing. That’s the best part about getting through a challenge – you become more self-aware. I know what I am and what I’m not. And I’m okay with both.

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

Nope. I’m a girl, and everyone can just get over it. When I was little, my favorite board game was Candy Land. And when my family would play other games – Monopoly, Life, etc. – I always wanted to use the gingerbread man piece from the Candy Land game. I didn’t want to be a peg in a car, or a cannon. And my Dad always let me use that gingerbread piece in any game we played. I’ve thought about that often during my career. We as women have enormous freedom to bring our own individual style without compromise. And we need to do this more. Not just for ourselves, but for each other. We ultimately win when we use the rules our way. While you can’t win the game of Monopoly playing by the rules of Life, you can certainly win either game being the gingerbread piece from Candy Land.

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

Do it right NOW! You will never regret it. It’s easy to believe that technology is dry, boring, esoteric. It’s not. It’s fast paced, fun, challenging and enormously rewarding. And we have far too few young women entering the field. Diversity advances every company – every industry – and we need more women engineers, more high tech saleswomen and marketers.

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

My Creative Zen. I travel so much, my music and videos keep me sane. I’m fortunate that in my role I have a new PC every few months, so I can try out the new technology. And I keep upgrading my BlackBerry in hopes of a keyboard I can work. Yet, my Creative Zen Vision M is almost 5 years old. That’s ancient in high-tech years! But I love it. Is there a Creative Zen fan club? Because I should join.

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

Leadership Courage. I try every day to have it. Some days I’m better at it than others. As leaders – of teams, companies, projects – we have to have the courage to take risks, to manage with meritocracy, to address the politicizing directly. But it’s tough. It’s hard to tell management their wrong. It’s hard to admit you screwed up. It’s really hard to fire people. But it’s the only way to build effective environments and drive success.

-And lastly, what drives you?

The opportunity to make a difference. I’m truly passionate about the work we do at AMD. I’m proud when we can break the rules of the PC industry with ingredient brands like VISION Technology from AMD. And while we are an ingredient brand in an indirect channel, we make some of the coolest technology that has direct impact on people’s lives. Engaging with consumers, and building relationships with female consumers in particular, is an incredible luxury I have in my job. Around the world, the female consumer is a purchasing juggernaut – making the majority of household buying decisions. My blog allows me to engage with these women about the technology in their everyday lives, and what AMD can do to continue improving it for them.

Google Chrome Snuck Into My Life!

Sylwia — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:35:48 +0000

Earlier today I accidentally opened my Mozilla Firefox browser. I say accidentally because ever since I downloaded Google Chrome, I have primarily used that and ONLY that. The only exception would be when a website looks all funky in Chrome I will open Explorer (because it’s the default and I’ve learned from experience that it will look best in those situations).

Chrome is soooooooo fast, and if you need a reminder of how fast it really is, click on your Mozilla or IE shortcut. Test it out!

I use the Proxy Switchy plug-in to manage and switch from personal, work and client proxies, and…SURPRISE it works! I also have the Foxy Proxy plug-in on Mozilla which is designed to automatically detect which connection you are using and then it changes the proxy accordingly…or at least that is the theory. It works, but not all the time and I have gotten so frustrated with fixing the settings that I have moved away from using Firefox.

I like the “New Tab” page and how it displays the website you frequent most, and the most recent closed tabs (this way if you restart you don’t have to worry about where you found those amazing shoes after web browsing 2 hours, I kid I kid).

Google Chrome has changed my web influenced life.

Since the browser has been out for quite some time, do you use it? What’s your favorite feature?

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Toshiba Satellite M645

Sylwia — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 00:13:19 +0000

It have spent approximately two months with this beauty and I love love love it. I wanted to review the things that make this laptop special and different from all the rest out on the market.

The notebook itself is small but it has one powerful set of speakers! Thank you Harman/kardon and dobly advanced audio. I like to stay entertained and when you live by yourself it’s nice to have some background noise. With this laptop it’s less noise and more sound (yes corny but true). I like to listen to music while I am cooking but lack the counter space to have it in the kitchen. With this laptop it doesn’t matter because I can hear it from the other room and the sound is not distorted!

Next, let’s talk about the HDMI port. I had a small problem playing my yoga DVD at first, but after a little fidgeting I had no problems at all! The laptop is very user friendly and by pressing the function button down along with F5 you get numerous options for displaying your screen on your TV. Let me tell you, it is MUCH easier to follow a yoga DVD when you can actually see what the person is doing. I was slacking on my yoga until I plugged the HDMI into this laptop. (You’d think I had a working DVD player like a normal person but alas, I do not) Also, this is great for playing shows off of websites or displaying pictures for the family to see. Did I mention this comes with a built in Blu-ray player?

I also used skype for a few work meetings, the sound, again, was perfect. I even managed to use the built in camera to catch a scrub-muffin picture of myself hard at work!

The sleep and charge function on the laptop is yet another great feature. I can charge my phone without having to hunt down the wall plug for my phone!

The SD port in the front is very fast and convenient considering it is a standard used by most cameras and we live in the age where we all tend to be obsessed with photos and capturing those memorable moments.

Overall, the notebook is fast, portable and the brightness of the screen is nowhere short of amazing. The only thing I missed about my personal laptop where my saved bookmarks.

I call the Toshiba Satellite M645 Cutegeek approved.

The M645 starts at $729.99, check out the available models here.

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Galet Luxury USB Key

Shoshana Diggs — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 22:36:57 +0000

Novero may have $100,000 Bluetooth headsets, but LACIE has a Luxury Galet USB Key designed by the French luxury brand Christofle and unlike the Novero Bluetooth headsets I can afford the Galet.

The Galet is available with 4GB of Storage and will cost you $130. It’s currently available at Christofle boutiques around the world and online at LaCie.com.

It’s a really beautiful piece, check the video below.

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Starbucks’ New Beverage Size: Trenta

Sylwia — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:32:59 +0000

WHAT THE HECK STARBUCKS?!

Starbucks is introducing the Trenta which is a whopping 31oz and will only be available for their iced beverages.

According to the National Post, Starbucks claims that the “unsweetened drinks in the new size will have fewer than 90 calories and that sweetened versions will have less than 230 calories.” I am having some trouble believing the above statement considering that their Venti Double Chocolaty Chip Frappuccino with whipped cream comes in at about 520 Calories.

I’m not your mother, so I won’t tell you to not drink something that takes up more space than the physical size of your stomach (not to mention it would probably help you attain a wicked caffeine addiction). I just want you to be informed.

Think before you drink! — A message from your friendly neighborhood fitgeek.

(yea, yea, yeah I’m corny)

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2011 Lincoln MKX

Zenia Duran — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:22:55 +0000

Ford Motor Company loaned Michael Reyes of HardwareGeeks.com the 2011 Lincoln MKX for a week, fully loaded I might add. While he wouldn’t remove himself from the drivers seat so I could drive, he did show me all the features the car had to offer.

Check out the video we made below.

I really enjoyed the car even though I wasn’t allowed to drive it. Michael did tell me it handled well. I may just head to the Ford dealership and get a test drive of my own.

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CES 2011: Angry Birds!

Radiris Diaz — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 08:17:12 +0000

Walking through all of the ‘mommy tech’ and ‘fitness gadgets’ – the team came into the land of play…here is what we found! In May – we’ll all be able to play Angry Birds – without a phone, and without a gaming console. How cool is that???

Is anyone else excited???

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CES 2011

Radiris Diaz — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 08:12:13 +0000

Boy oh boy! CES is far from being the coolest, largest, consumer electronics show…what they failed to tell everyone is that it’s the most tiring! We have walked more than any person should – best part is that I’ve been tracking my steps and one day I had over 23,000 – oh man, even as a New Yorker that’s a lot!

Each night I literally crawled back into my bed (tonight I’ll do the same, although Sylwia & I gave up partying in Vegas to recoup), moaning and groaning, limping, thinking about all the cool stuff we should write about…but then I fall asleep…We’ll be updating CuteGeek.com with some of our favorite things from CES. Until then, be patient, get your rest on, and be thankful your feet do not need surgery. (Oh & I didn’t even dare wear cute shoes – only comfy ones.)

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Girls Out Loud Episode 23: Where we Deeply Explore Facebook Ads

Cristina Cordova — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 19:33:30 +0000

This week on the Girls Out Loud show, Maya and Cristina discuss that whopping $50B Facebook valuation due to the new Goldman Sachs investment. Somehow it evolves into a discussion about Facebook ads, something Maya works with every day. Needless to say, there could be some improvements made. We then discuss the Consumer Electronics Show taking place in Vegas to see if it’s really as great as it once was. Brand new Apple iPad 2 casing was shown off at the event which seems to be the only highlight we could spot. The Mac App Store was released this week to many awaiting fans, some of whom were disappointed in the new model for desktop software. Take a listen and enjoy the show!

Goldman customers get Facebook financials

If Facebook is Worth $50B, Apple is Worth $1.4T

The Most Worthless Week in Tech

iPad 2 case shows up at CES, packing a mockup iPad 2

Apple’s Mac App Store Opens for Business

Why the Mac App Store Sucks

*image via Facebook’s Brand Permissions Center

Download Here: Girls Out Loud Episode 23

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Brilliant Women in Technology: Meet Hailey Bright

Radiris Diaz — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 05:01:39 +0000

Happy New Year Cute Geeks! Meet our first brilliant woman of 2011 – Hailey Bright!!

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

I grew up in Tennessee and I’m a total Southern girl. I love fried food, boating on the lake, and playing cards on a Sunday afternoon. I love dance, art, and running. I grew up playing old school video games like Mario and Duck Hunt. My brother and I spent hours playing Mario when it first came out. We were totally obsessed!

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

Growing up I was always interested in tech and computer stuff. I’m like the go-to girl that all of my friends call when they have tech questions or their computer breaks down. Then, 3 years ago I started hosting Coin-Op TV Live (www.coin-op.tv), an internet tv show about video games and tech. Since then I have been hosting a lot of different shows on video games and tech. Currently I am hosting a monthly tech series for Toshiba on their latest tech gadgets hitting the market. It’s a ton of fun getting paid to geek out all day!!

-Describe a “normal” day in your life.

A normal day in my life usually starts with a diet coke for breakfast and on a fun day I might add in a candy bar. I love snickers! Then, I usually head to filming or auditions. Except right now, I am producing and starring in a new web series called “Supremium” (@SupremiumShow on Twitter), so I have been working with my producing partner Robert Welkner on that. In the evening, I typically meet up with friends for dinner, dancing, or video gaming! My latest obsession lately has been walking to Redbox and grabbing a flick to watch!

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

I love cutting edge stuff, and working in tech. I always like to get a first-hand look at new gadgets before they hit the market.

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

The biggest challenge I faced when moving to LA was staying true to myself, because there are a lot of people telling you to do a lot of things in this city. I told myself that I would not “sell out” or be someone I wasn’t just to get a role or a part. Knowing myself and sticking to my gut instinct has helped me to become the woman I am today.

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

No, being a strong woman can get you very far in the world.

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

Just do it! You will never be more young, single, and beautiful than you are today! Always pursue your dreams, so you don’t have to look back later on in life and say “What if…?”

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

I definitely can’t live without my iPhone!! I’m always updating twitter, texting, or downloading new apps! I love iPhone apps! Especially, my Flixster, Urban Daddy, and Redbox apps! And, the Sonic the Hedgehog game on the iPhone is sick!

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

“Live, Laugh, Love”…Sums up my life in just a few words.

-And lastly, what drives you?

My drive is made up of 3 things: God, Family, and Friends. These things keep me going every single day!

Links:
www.twitter.com/haileybright
www.haileybright.com
www.coin-op.tv

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CES – One Week Away!!!

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 05:01:34 +0000

We haven’t written much about CES because we wanted to sort of keep it a secret – but it’s one week away so here is our announcement!

Radiris & Sylwia (& Mike from HardwareGeeks.com) will be attending to bring you the latest news on the hottest products to hit ‘the streets’.

We’re very excited and have some cool companies lined up waiting to showcase their awesomeness.

Stay tuned – more to come!! If you’re keeping tabs on the companies and there is one you want us to meet – email me at RadirisD@cutegeek.com. We’ll definitely try our hardest to make it happen.

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Free Android App to Help Track & Reach New Year’s Resolutions – “New Year’s Buzzer™”

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 18:19:14 +0000

A lot will be happening when January 1st finally arrives-the first two that come to mind are partying and writing down New Year’s resolutions. New Year’s resolutions are the mother of all To-Do-Lists. They are the most important, yet tend to be overlooked after a couple of weeks. Losing weight, saving money, doing-this, doing-that – the list goes on and on.

Iconosys, Inc. – a company committed to developing and bringing us first of kind technologies, created this app “New Year’s Buzzer™” to encourage good health via daily affirmations, a tool to help you see your progress to ensure you reach your resolutions and also the opportunity to connect to a positive social network.

Similar to New Year’s resolutions, “New Year’s Buzzer™” is commited to helping you become a better you. If you have an Android phone, download it, give it a try and let me know what you think (RadirisD@cutegeek.com) – With all of these apps in the market and me without an Android, I think I’ll finally commit to get one.

The App

As we all embark on this New Year, I hope it is better than your last, and better than you could’ve ever hoped and imagined, ultimately because you have become a better person, in whichever way you define that.

I also wish you health & love, because with those two things so many great things can happen.

Happy Holidays everyone.

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Favorite Website of the Week: Amazon.com (Mom Club & Subscribe & Save)

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 05:01:05 +0000

You don’t have to be a mom – read it before scrolling down…

I do a lot of shopping on Amazon.com – simply because the shipping is usually free on so many of the items that I buy (books, kid stuff, etc). Well, this week, as I did some last minute shopping I came across Amazon.com/mom. Despite not being a mom, I have many children in my life and having ‘someone’ offer gift ideas, or give me special ‘sales’ tailored for children or parents seemed really cool.

You can sign up to join this ‘club‘ for free and the best part is…YOU GET ONE FREE YEAR OF AMAZON PRIME…You don’t have to be a mom or dad – you just need to have some children in your life.

It means you no longer have to buy $25 bucks worth of stuff to get (slow) free shipping, you’ll get free 2 day shipping all the time…for free.

Even if you don’t shop on Amazon.com a lot – it’s a great deal. You have nothing to lose, and a whole lot of nothing to spend.

One last thing – if you buy certain items on a frequent basis, you can ‘subscribe & save‘. This special (beta) service gives you an extra 15% off your items when you sign up…if you’re a parent you know diapers will be on your list, for all others – toilet paper is something you shouldn’t live with…what are you waiting for!? Set up the frequency & enjoy the savings/free shipping

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Favorite Website of the Week: AFrugalChick.com

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 03:34:25 +0000

I don’t typical post these on a Sunday but I absolutely had to because the best sales of the year (besides Black Friday) come right after Christmas and today & tomorrow are the last days to take advantage of most of them.

AFrugalChick.com is a good site to bookmark, and check on a frequent basis because of the plethora of deals that they post.

I don’t know anyone who loves to throw away money, but I do love to get a bang for my buck so I had to share this e-wealth.

Enjoy

Favorite Website of the Week: SeatQuest.com

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 05:00:54 +0000

There’s this new site called SeatQuest.com (think Kayak.com + TicketMaster.com). Think of it as the batman of websites, coming to you strong, as it tries to fight off the overpriced ticketing industry. Cute right? If you want tickets to your favorite basketball team, or to the ballet, or to a concert – here is your site! SeatQuest.com

Well, if you’ve ever bought tickets on StubHub.com, or TicketMaster.com – you know about those annoying service fees that pretty much increase according to how expensive the tickets are…well, if you’ve shopped on Kayak.com – you’ve seen the different airline prices, and the different sites they’re available on – well, if you merged the two, you would have SeatQuest.com.

Similar to Kayak.com, SeatQuest.com provides a real-time search component, giving you the opportunity to compare prices, while also showing you how much you could potentially SAVE. SeatQuest.com does not have inflated service fees or hidden charges at check-out. They have a standard 10% service fee – when compared to other sites, it’s not that bad. Actually, they are sooooo great that in an effort to get you to check them out they are WAIVING ALL SERVICE FEES FOR A YEAR (if and only if you sign up through your Facebook account – while it sounds tricky, I promise they won’t spam you’re wall. They will post one, showing you signed up, but that’s it. It’s just an easy way of getting the ‘word’ out)…Free…No Service Fees…

I’m not sure if it can get better than that.

Darnit! I lied… It can!

Don’t you hate when you’re on the ‘hunt’ for some great seats – but you have no idea what ‘great’ seats are, so you try to imagine this arena…but then you realize that you really can’t…seatquest.com improves this by giving you a 3-D estimated view of the seat location via custom-built venue maps for each event.

Check it out!

GIFT IDEAS: Fitness Gadgets for the FitGeek in Your Life

Sylwia — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 19:00:01 +0000

Technology not only changes how we work but how we live, how we shop, and don’t forget…how we exercise! Ever evolving technology has provided us with many tools to help us get in to shape. There is a plethora of gizmos with variating methods to help reach personal fitness goals.

Here is a list of 10 gadgets for the fitness addict on your Holiday shopping list:

1. Apple Nike + iPod nano ($99): I know I know, many of you have heard of this or perhaps even own it. When Nike first put this on the market, I actually bought a iPod Nano so that I could use this. Back then I had just started running, I traveled a lot to various work locations and Nike+ was really useful. You can calibrate it to your running style (go to a local high school track to set it up!). It allows you to set power songs for the extra motivational push you might need and after your run you can upload your stats to the Nike website so try and beat your time or distance. I’ll let you in on a little secret…you really don’t require the specific Nike shoes. SHHhh!! I won’t tell if you don’t! What I did was put the sensor as horizontally as possible under the tongue of my sneaker, you can hardly feel it and still works great! The iPhone 4 has apps that track your exercise as well, but if you already have a nano and an extra 30$ you’ll save some cash instead of getting a new phone for much much more.

Fun Exercise Tip: If you want to challenge your friends and their gadgets you can set it up on Nike.com. Check this one out: “Nike+iPod vs Nike GPS”

2. Garmin Forerunner® 410 ($324.99): If someone on your list is an avid marathon runner or is currently training, I guarantee that this is the gift they are secretly swooning after! The Garmin Forerunner watch is GPS-enabled and accurately records your time, pace, distance, heart rate (if you purchase the optional heart rate band), elevation and more! My best friend is buying this and after reading the description I started drooling over it myself. The watch has a touch bezel that works in all types of weather, of course you can download the data and view it 30 different ways of your choosing. But HOW do you download it? Wirelessly of course! It uses Garmin Connect to download data, it works via the ANT+™ wireless technology and the USB stick that comes with your watch. Pretty impressive! For many more details on this beauty go to the Garmin website.

3. FitBit ($99): I keep seeing these all over the intrawebs! The gist: you wear it all day like a pedometer. It tracks your calories burned, steps taken, distance traveled and sleep quality. It records motion using motion technology similar to the Nintendo Wii. According to the website, you can wear it pretty much anyway you want, on your wrist (with the wrist band), in your pocket, or on your waist. It comes with a docking station that downloads your information to a website whenever you walk by the sensor. This little machine has sparked my interest greatly!! I would love to get my hands on one of these to review!

4. Nike+ Sportband ($59): This is a play on the Nike+ iPod, but sans iPod. The sportsband is water resistant for running in the rain, it links to Nike+ to save runs (plug-in the USB), features one touch start/stop, and gives feedback on easy to read screen. You can also set up training programs online at Nike+ to track and set up progress plans.

5. Phillips DirectLife ($106 for 4 mths/ $12 monthly thereafter): This is similar to the fitbit, except it is a 12 week program. Your information is downloaded to a personalized website where it is reviewed by a professional (ie. coach). The coach communicates with you through email to help you with your plan, answer questions and helps set goals.

Sidenote: Wouldn’t it be cool to set up a challenge against the FitBit and DirectLife? See how they defer? Compare websites? OOoo What a marvelous IDEA!

6. Phillips Activa ($130): A music player with a brain! Activa helps you stay motivated with ‘boost’ songs, but it also analyzes your intensity with each song. It allows you to creat playlists and TempoMusic to help maintain pace or increase pace/intensity of your workouts. Displays distance, calories burned on the go and allows you to track progress in their simple to use application.

7. Incase Sports band ($25-40): I have one of these for an older generation nano. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!! It fits, it’s washable, it’s reflective and keeps my nano from getting too beat up. See Variations here.

8. Sennheiser MX85 Sport Series Headphones ($25-45): These twist in earbuds stay in place during your entire workout, plus they are water-proof and sweat-proof (and provide great sound…they are headphones after all). A good set of headphones for working out is very important! You would be surprised as to how many people complain about ill fitting styles (me included).

9. Tweet What You Eat! ($0): If you’re into social networks, facebook, twitter and the like, then you may find success with this program. This website connects with social networks (twitter and facebook) to broadcast what you’re eating to all your friends and family. Which, if you follow correctly may guilt you into eating better.

Have you tweeted what you ate? I want to hear if it has worked for you!

10. This last one may not count…mostly because it’s the coolest! (and also because I cannot seem to find out if it is available for purchase..yet)
Dancepants Kinetic Music Player ($ ?): This is INGENIOUS! When you move it plays, if you stop so does dancepants. Talk about motivation! I’m a person that needs tunes to exercise to, if I don’t have my mp3 player I quit (seriously…game over). A music player that is powered by kinetic energy? It’s a geek girl’s DREAM. hehe After searching the interwebs from end-to-end, I still could not seem to find dancepants for sale anywhere. I’m going to make the assumption that it is still in a preliminary development stage. Once it is released we will all be thin and eco friendly! You truly can’t beat that!

If there are any fitness gadgets I have missed or ones that you simply can’t live without, email me!

Who wants some Buckyballs!

Shoshana Diggs — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:10:47 +0000

CuteGeek is giving away some BUCKYBALLS! These are those cool magnetic balls that you have probably seen on TV. You can create all sorts of things with Buckyballs. We are giving away 3 sets and each set has 216 balls. Watch the video to see what you can do with BuckyBalls.

To win one of the three sets we are giving away just comment below telling us why you want them. We will then put all of your names into a BOX shake it up a few times and have some cute little kid pull your name out (actually we will use some computer software that selects names at random). To enter you can live anywhere you want as long as its in the US of A. Sorry our international friends

HardwareGeeks.com is also giving away 3 sets enter there too. But don’t be greedy if you win here and win there let us know so someone else can win.

If you don’t win use coupon code “cutegeek” at www.getbuckyballs.com for 15% off your purchase. Entries must be in by 3am EST 12/4/2010.

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Favorite Website of the Week: CyberMonday.com

Radiris Diaz — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 05:01:36 +0000

The Monday after Thanksgiving is always a huge day to shop online because most of us go back to work and (yup, you guessed it) get online. After retailers started catching on to this trend, they started calling it Cyber Monday and having ‘Black Friday’ deals on this day – this site brings you the best of the best. My apologies for not posting this prior to Black Friday – I just found out about it.

Happy Shopping!

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Black Friday: Are you ready?

Sylwia — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 03:12:50 +0000

Ladies! Black Friday is only hours away. Some stores are opening at 3 am, can you believe it? I woke up one year to go to Kohl’s at 5am, I’m not even sure why. I didn’t have a list of things to get, I didn’t research what was on sale, I just flew by the seat of my pants and went. I thought it would be fun? You are an amateur if you go shopping on BlackFriday without a list, at least that is what I’ve been told.

Don’t be like me…here are some resources to get you prepared for all the hoopla:

If you haven’t gone to blackfridayonline.com yet, go there now. You will find the sale fliers for almost any store your little heart can dream off. Check out the stores with the best deals before you go, that way you don’t have to run around on black Friday. If you are not one for long lines and crowds, the website also has a section listing online deals!

Best Shopping Applications for Android and iPhone (c/o Lifehacker):

For Android:
Shop Savvy: Scan a bar-code, see which local stores carry the product and allows you to create wish lists! Best part is, when you choose the store you wish to purchase the item from the app gives you the store’s information and directions on how to get there.

Dealmap: Shows you the best deals (daily deals, top deals) for eating and shopping in your area.

Check out more top shopping apps for the Android here.

For iPhone:
Coupon Sherpa: Search for coupons! It’s as easy as that. You can make a list of favorite’s for later use. The app displays the coupon bar-code right on your phone to use at the check-out, GENIUS I tell you! (If you like this app as much as I do, go to one of my favorite websites retailmenot.com for online shopping coupons and codes.)

Shopper: This app offers a multitude of features, not only does it let you scan bar-codes, it forms comprehensive shopping lists and even tracks your budget (say it with me *ouch*). It is useful for grocery shopping , warns consumers of recalls (awesome!) and tracks coupons. An all-inclusive app and it will set you back $1 (wonder if it will track that in your budget just kidding)

Check out more shopping apps for the iPhone here.

What are your black Friday shopping secrets? Please share them with us, every girl loves a sale…but I think we love shopping secrets more!

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Airline Seat – Cheat Sheet

Sylwia — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 02:28:32 +0000

Since it is the Holiday season and many of you are traveling about to visit family, friends and loved ones. If you are flying, take a minute to check out this website: seatguru.com

Seat Guru offers general airline information, but that’s not all folks… you can also check out details about the aircraft that will be carrying you through the sky like the marvelous engineering miracle that it is. Why would you want to do that? Well, seat guru shows you the optimal seats on each type of aircraft for a specific airline. This includes the locations of non-reclining seats, emergency exit rows, where power ports are located and of course which seats are the least favorable.

Tip: Need more room? Try to sit behind a non-reclining row. :-)

Happy Traveling!

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I need a new phone! ASAP – need recommendations…

Radiris Diaz — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 20:46:03 +0000

Last night I played Angry Birds for the first time – on my friend’s amazing Samsung Galaxy (thx Jamel) and since then my life hasn’t been the same. I now see what my app-less life is and it sucks.

Angry Birds was so cool – and also addicting, that today Mashable posted that its coming out on other platforms – aka real gaming platforms – who would’ve imagined that.

Should I wait for a Windows Phone 7 on Sprint – or should I just jump on an Android…

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Unboxed! Toshiba Satellite M645

Sylwia — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 04:46:11 +0000

I just received the Toshiba Satellite M645 and I’m very excited to see what it has to offer. This baby has a Blue-ray Disc Player, the premium sound package and something called Toshiba sleep and music.

Toshiba sleep function allows you to charge your USB devices while it is in sleep mode. Even when it’s not plugged in!

The laptop is geared for music geeks and features harman/kardon® stereo speakers! Which I must say are quite impressive for a little bitty laptop. It also has a built in web cam, microphone, wi-fi, ethernet port, HDMI out port, 2 USB ports, memory card reader and RGB Monitor port.

General Product Specs:

Intel® Core™ i3-370M Processor
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
14.0″ widescreen
4GB DDR3 memory
500GB HDD (5400rpm)

The laptop comes with a 30 day trial of Norton Anti-virus, preloaded Microsoft Office 2010 (consumer needs to purchase product key in order to use it), and a 30 day trail of any Toshiba app. I will definitely be checking out the app store to see what they have!

One thing I noticed is that this laptop does not have a bluetooth antenna. I’ve never used the bluetooth antenna on my personal laptop, so to me it’s not a deal breaker. Do you use the bluetooth with your laptop computer?

Stay tuned for a full product review! I’m going to plug this puppy into my tv and I can’t be more excited!!

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A Solution for Loud Typers

Sylwia — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 04:07:48 +0000

I may have chuckled a little when I saw this. Primarily because loud typing used to be a very big complaint of mine. I tend to work in close proximity to my co-workers, usually sans cubicle walls. I mean, 15 people in a conference room that should fit 10-12. It’s funny how the sound tends to amplify if you are having a slightly bad day. Now a days, I embrace it. I type soooooo loud! Take that suckers!

For those of you who have not yet embraced the musical clicking of those around you don’t fret, there is a solution.

THANKO Keyboard Cover

This can be yours for approximately $35 USD.

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The CuteGeek 2010 Holiday Gift Guide-Top 3 Stocking Stuffers

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 05:36:44 +0000

Sometimes you don’t need to go all out with a gift that costs $$$$ to show someone they’re on your mind. I like gifts that are useful – that I will actually use and here are our thoughts on them.

Our Top 3 Stocking Stuffers

1. Open it
This is the ultimate gift for anyone. This is a multi-purpose tool that allows you to cut, screw, open a bottle or use a box cutter. The reason I fell so in love with it is because it is only $12.59 and within minutes of receiving it I used it for a bunch of things. It’s great for opening packages, cutting open mail, screwing your computer, etc. It is the perfect tool to have in a kitchen or an office and it comes in green or orange.

2. Speck Products
I’m into accessories – cases, bags, etc. I want to be different but I also want to be cute. Speck makes spectacular accessories for everything. Last week they strutted their stuff at Pepcom’s Holiday event and I fell in love with the patterns, designs, bright colors, etc. They make the most durable, yet extremely attractive, accessories all to help you protect your most loved devices – iPad, MacBooks, iPhones, Smartphones, iPods, GPS devices, Hard Drives, Kindles, Laptops, etc.

Here is my favorite iPhone 4 case – do you like the cutegeek colors??

3. Colorful Wii Wands by Nyko
In college people told me it was a NYC thing to match – because my sneakers, belts, etc. would all match my shirt – well I haven’t grown out of that. I bought the Black Wii because it matched everything else but what I do love is the fact that there are colored controllers out there. This is the ultimate gift for a gamer that you have – that loves pink…or purple…or blue…Nyko makes Wii remotes in all the right colors to liven up your living or bedroom with some excitement. I personally have pink, purple, and black…the one that gets used the most are the colored ones, they always match my funky sheets.

Nyko controllers can be found on their website or on Amazon – for as low as $15.99.

Thanks for checking this out –stay tuned to some giveaways on our site…

The CuteGeek 2010 Holiday Gift Guide-Top 10 Gifts

Radiris Diaz — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 05:17:42 +0000

The end of the year is around the corner and before we get there we have to give a little thanks, and also a bunch of gifts. Don’t worry – if there’s no cash there is always advice, hugs and smiles to give. Everyone can use a little bit of those sprinkled in their lives. The CuteGeeks have worked together to bring you some gift ideas for your loved ones. We have our top ten gifts, along with our top 3 stocking stuffers.

Our ‘brother’ site also worked on a gift guide so if you’re interested in reading what HardwareGeek recommends-definitely take a peek. We have marked gifts with (Double Geek) if they appear in both guides – just an fyi.

Happy Holidays – we hope you enjoy

10. Blinged out HP USB – HP c335w
This may sound like a cruel joke – but I’ll try to get you to see why this would be a beautiful gift. Let’s say you’ve been dating someone for a while – a cute geek…and they’re always on the go, and need some external storage – either to store stuff or to easily transfer files between two computers – instead of buying her those pair of diamond earrings, buy her HP’s latest gold metal body, blinged out (it’s really just a crystal-but looks just as nice) USB. It comes in a nice box and while I would be pretty pissed if I received one (a blank one that is) I would totally melt if it contained pictures, songs, or anything that the gift-giver and I shared. It’s all about being creative and making your loved ones feel special – here’s your chance. Go for it!
It was actually kind of hard to find online, or on the HP website, but I found it on this site - the 16 GB USB is about $41.

9. Logitech’s Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 & Microsoft’s Arc Touch Mouse
Logitech created a beautiful wireless keyboard to complement anyone’s home office
or work office. The best part about it is its energy saving bonus – it’s solar powered! No wires, no charging, no drama! It can last up to 3 months without any light.

Microsoft’s sexy mouse, as I like to call it, is the latest in comfortable and portable mousing. I’m not even sure if that makes sense but the point is this mouse can lie completely flat, or bend in a shape to fit your hand. I loved the way it felt and could really see how it would complement anyone’s office, whether at home or on the road. Due to its portability, Microsoft has equipped this sexy lil’ thang with the best technology so you can use it on any surface – no ands, ifs or buts. You can even scroll faster thanks to its touch scroll strip (the first of its kind).

These two items would be a good gift to give someone that is into saving space, or optimizing their work area. The keyboard is priced at $79.99 and the mouse is priced at $69.95 – but don’t forget to take advantage of holiday savings.

8. Digital Picture Frame
The worst part about gifts is that sometimes people take them back, or you just want to give it back for whatever reason – the best part about memories is that they’re in your head, and no one can take those away. Your experiences are yours and yours only – that is why I love when someone gives me an experience as a gift, or maybe even capture a picture from that experience. A digital frame is an ideal gift to give someone that is into pictures, or someone you want to constantly remind about ______ – you fill in the blank. You can do so much with a frame, but again, here is an opportunity to personalize it and add pictures that you know will melt your cutegeek’s heart. There are a lot of frames out there, and we only reviewed one – but this is Zenia’s favorite pick – Insignia’s 8” LCD Digital Frame.
7. A Smart Phone
If you’re loved one is still using a vintage phone (anything other than a smart phone) it’s time to update her. Smart phones provide a lot of value to your life – from optimized texting, to email accessibility, to pictures on the go – it adds value, it all depends on how you use them though. This year we saw a plethora of smart phones hit the market and here are some of my top pics:

HTC EVO – large touch screen (no stylus). This was supposed to be the iPhone killer and has proven its success with the months and months of it being sold out. I haven’t heard one bad thing about this phone yet, and if you want to read what another guest CuteGeek-er had to say, click here.

Windows Phone 7 (Double Geek)– this social networking genius of a phone is just a beauty. It changes the way we do things, and makes taking pictures more than just a breeze – you can take them in a flash. Microsoft’s latest platform is.

Palm Pre 2 – HP’s newest baby is a bit sleeker than its older brother – the Palm Pre. It has a stackable feature which shows you a stack of the items you’re using. You can begin typing to start anything, instead of going through the menu to update your FB status. There’s a lot more to it that I can’t even put into words because I haven’t gotten my hands on one, but from our first encounter, and its updated screen – I can tell it’ll be another hit.
(Prices weren’t given because they tend to vary between phone companies and their current promotions)

6. Fitbit
The Although it’s tiny size – the Fitbit is the perfect gift for anyone who is active or who wants to become more active in their lives. It looks like a Bluetooth device, if you look at it very quickly, but it’s more of a massive, cool looking paper clip. The best way to describe the Fitbit is to say it is a very advanced pedometer. You wear it by clipping it anywhere on your body, preferably around your torso, because it captures the data better. It senses your movement, similar to the way a Wii remote does. It measures the amounts of steps you take, transforms it into distance, gets your sleep quality and lets you know how you’ve been performing. It also has a ‘Tamagachi’-like flower, that grows the more active you are, so if there is a day that you just don’t get out and walk, your flower will show its discontent as it withers before your eyes.

$99 gets you the device and online access to a bunch of graphs and charts. An additional $49 gets you more features, some of them being the ability to create 12 week workout plans and it allows you to compare yourself to people in your demographic.
The Fitbit is available here .

5. External Hard Drives
If you’re cutegeek is into media – music, pictures, videos, etc – there’s a good chance they’re either using up too much of their computers memory, or that their computer is running really slow from all of the files. Why not purchase them an external hard drive – to ensure they don’t lose their important data, all the while keeping their computer up to date with only the necessary items they need. One of my favorite hard drives is HP’s Simple Save. These hard drives are for the non-techie (although anyone can use them). They either back up all of your files, or allow you to designate which folders it should search in. it also automatically backs up and looks for new changes, or changed files, if attached to the device. It is very simple to use and affordable.

Another favorite is Seagate’s FreeAgent Go.

HardwareGeeks provides a good opinion in their gift guide HardwareGeek’s Holiday Gift Guide – they recommend a media hub.

4. iPad (Double Geek)
While the hype around Apple’s iPad caused some of us to cringe – I mean, it got A LOT of attention, it’s worth it. The iPad came at a perfect time where we have so many awesome gadget options to choose from that it said – don’t worry, we’ll make it easier for you. The iPad can be your computer on the go – comparable to a netbook because of its size. It can be your eBook Reader – with color pages. It’s like your iPhone, iTouch, i-Anything w/ Apps – you have the huge selection of applications available to pretty much do anything and everything in your life (remember = ‘there’s an app for that’…well there is, and an iPad brings them to your fingertips.) My favorite aspect about the iPad is its look. The iPad is one sexy beast of a toy. It’s sleek, chic, sexy – everything and the accessories make it even nicer. I envision myself wearing all black, shadow eye makeup, red heels, or maybe fishnet stockings and knee-high boots and then BAM – iPad in hand. Ugh – I’ve been yearning for one after having been surrounded by them in the airports, in Starbucks, everywhere.

3. Canon PowerShot Elph (varying models are out there – I can guarantee they are all wonderful, buy what your budget permits – you will not be disappointed)
The Canon PowerShot Elph (SD780-is the one I own) is my favorite gadget. While I have their 12 megapixel camera, their latest camera is 14. The camera takes pristine images, captures HD video, allows you to forget about its settings if you put it on auto-mode (it has built in ‘smart’ technology so it figures out the ideal setting). It is a compact camera so it’ll fit in a purse (even if it’s a small clutch) or in your pocket. I’ve taken my camera ziplining with me, over Costa Rica’s wilderness (I have the video to prove – email me if you want the link). I’ve taken pictures on top of mountains, on the beach, in the sunset, etc. Most of the pictures on my posts have also been taken with them. It definitely makes life look a little better.
Available at most major retailers (Best Buy, Amazon, etc.) with pricing starting above $150 – the latest model is available at Walmart for only $179.

2. We-Vibe
The We-Vibe is an adult toy that can be used by all parties in the relationship. It is a small device that can fit anywhere, and be seen without causing any awkward moments because most people won’t know what it is. It is very comfortable to wear, use, clean and store. It is made from the best stuff on Earth (no, not like Snapple) but the materials are green, so if you’re into buying things like that – woohoo! To read more about it – click here.
Available at multiple retailers – but the best deal on the web (with free shipping) is here – via Amazon.com.

*drumroll please*

1. Microsoft’s Kinect (Double Geek)

Microsoft has succeeded at developing a product that can benefit the whole family and maybe even bring them together. The Kinect is a device that you use in conjunction with an Xbox ready device, which eliminates the need for a remote control (woohoo to remote-less gaming!).

Some of the games we suggest are Dance Central (think karaoke for your body-they say “shake everything…except a controller. Because now…You are the controller”-awesome), Fitness Evolved (great way to learn how to workout – I say learn because it will tell you how well you are doing and will show you how to improve). I’ve used the Kinect a couple of times and can ensure a great gaming experience – you will definitely burn a couple of calories while playing any games.

Thanks for checking this out –stay tuned to some giveaways on our site…

The AOC e2237Fwh: A Monitor with Style

Cristina Cordova — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 00:11:38 +0000

While the AOC e2237Fwh doesn’t have the best name, it’s certainly a pretty alternative to most of the monitors on the market today. The front of the monitor has a clear plastic border and on the whole, the monitor is remarkably thin. It’s held up by a circular foot stand that had me worried about stability at first. It’s a pretty small stand for a 22” monitor, but it held up and never toppled over.

As for the picture, the monitor did have the slight blue-green tint common with many monitors these days, but it wasn’t too noticeable. I used the eco settings so that the brightness of the screen adjusted to my office and home settings in the morning at night. I used the monitor with both DVI and VGA cables and they worked equally well. The monitor has a great resolution at 1920×1080 Full HD, which was the same resolution I had on my current 24” monitor.

The super slim profile with the design twists of the clear plastic border and circular foot stand got a lot of compliments and the price is not too shabby either at $199.99 on Amazon.

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CuteGeek’s Cyber Monday Giveaway – Open It!!

Radiris Diaz — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 05:49:05 +0000

Black Friday or Cyber Monday?

Hoards of people+heavy bags+traffic or simple clicks+package?

How do you prefer to shop?

Decisions, decisions – here at CuteGeek – we want to reassure you that we also have to make these decisions. The bad thing with packages is that they are sometimes TOO hard to open. Hard enough to cause cuts, make people upset, or even cause you to accidentally break the item!

No fear! Open It! is here and we want to give one away to a lucky winner who will tell us (via the comment box below) about a hard-to-open package that gave them hell…you have until Midnight on Cyber Monday (12:00 AM Nov 29th) – winner will be announced at noon on Cyber Monday.

GOOD LUCK & HAPPY SHOPPING

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