You no longer read newspapers for the daily headlines, but you are subscribed to about 100 different newsfeeds in Google Reader. Sound familiar? If you like the idea of reading your RSS news in magazine/newspaper format, there's a new site called Tabbloid that will whip up your feed in a PDF doc that you can easily print up and take with you on the go.
I tested it out with the geeksugar feed and in a few simple steps (you can decide when you want PDF sent to you), it will automatically be delivered to you in this format. Oh, and did I forget to mention it's totally free?
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Although Polaroid's beloved instant camera film will soon be a goner, Fuji has made sure that the holes in our hearts are not left empty for long. The Fuji Instax Camera produces Polaroid-ish, credit card-sized photos in minutes, allowing you to get your instant photo fix, even if it's not via your usual method.
Forget just dealing with your mom becoming a Facebook junkie; more and more, older people are joining the social network, and of course, they're our grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, great aunts, etc. I don't do too much these days that I'm embarrassed about, but it still gives me pause, posting things I'd want my friends to see and then remembering that I've friended my octogenarian aunt. I'm even a little weirded out being friends with my younger sister — but that's mostly because I don't want to know everything she does!
Still I'll add family members if they send me a request, but I don't know that I would have five years ago. What about you, are you friends with your family on Facebook?
You're already familiar with Skype —the service that lets you make calls over the Internet for free — so this little gadget is a total no-brainer.
The ooma Core VoIP Phone System ($249) is a hub that allows you to use voice-over-Internet calling like a home phone — without all the monthly charges (except what you would pay for your Internet access, of course). Just hook up your ooma phone to your modem and you'll be up and running in minutes. Plus, ooma tosses in some pretty cool perks for using their phone system: Free call waiting, caller ID, voicemail, call forwarding, and the option to port your current number to your ooma hub. And you can make international calls on the cheap. Cheap, like starting at a penny a minute.
Seriously, in these troubled economic times, cutting out your phone bill could save you some serious dough, and that is never a bad thing.
It's not everyday you see prices like this — especially for a BlackBerry — so I had to share the news in case you've been holding out for one for awhile. Verizon is now offering the pink and silver BlackBerry Pearl 8130 for $19.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate. Yes, you'll still need to be locked into a two-year contract, but for this fantastic price, I doubt you'll have many regrets. I don't think I've ever spotted a BlackBerry this cheap — actually, not true — I came across a $0 Pearl deal in Ontario, Canada, over the holidays. Not too shabby of a way to start 2009 if you ask me!
Well we survived the holidays and are now embarking upon a new year. I've already made my predictions for what I think will be hot this year in terms of new gadgetry, but if you're looking for some fresh new items to add to your tech collection, here are five of my favorites which are sure to start your year off in the right direction!
Martha Stewart may be one of my idols, but a health tip she included in the January issue of her namesake magazine, Martha Stewart Living, has me disagreeing with her pretty profusely.
Here's what she says:
"Alongside every one of my computers, I have a pitcher of mineral water infused with lemon, lime, orange, or cucumber and mint. I find that I drink more if the pitcher is there as a reminder and I can freely pour a glass, rather than opening bottle after bottle of water during the day."
Martha, really, open pitchers of water right alongside your computers? Sure, you should drink plenty of water, but putting a large, open vessel of liquid right next to your computer is just inviting damage (don't those pitchers look foreboding rather than refreshing?). Careful as you may be, it only takes a little nudge to fry a keyboard or worse, a motherboard.
Unless you can afford to replace expensive tech easily, do as I do, and drink lots of water — just put a lid on it.