GeekSugar

Ask a Geek Girl: Dealing With Annoying FB Status Updates

GeekSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:30:31 -0700

We probably all have one or two in our update feed: a friend whose Facebook status updates - for any reason - drive you nuts. Maybe they update too frequently, are serious oversharers, or post updates about things you just don't find interesting. Reader DefyAllLogic posted this etiquette question in our Ask a Geek Girl group:

"I've already created lists of 'friends' and 'not really friends' and have my homepage set to only show the 'friends' updates. But I'm starting to think I need to only be Facebook friends with people I'm friends with in real life. Is it wrong to defriend people because their status updates are annoying?"

For my advice, read more.

Now that the friending frenzy seems to have ended, a lot of people are looking to streamline their Facebook friends list. When I asked, 82 percent of you said you've had to unfriend someone, whether it was the result of a failed relationship, a falling-out, or just because you didn't feel close enough with the person to consider them a Facebook friend. I'm a big fan of Facebook's "hide" features that allow you to block out status updates, photos, and other unwanted content from friends. This begs the question: if you don't want to receive someone's Facebook updates, what's the point of being their Facebook friend?

If you're ready to pare down your friends list, create a list of friend standards. Try, "I'm only Facebook friends with people I'd feel comfortable calling on the phone." Having a set of rules in place gives you a defense if your former Facebook friend confronts you after figuring out you've defriended them Besides, if Miss Manners says ignoring friend requests is OK, then gracefully defriending is acceptable, too!

Do you have more Facebook friend advice for DefyAllLogic? Share your thoughts with the group in the comments.

Do you have a tech question you'd like to ask us? Join the Ask a Geek Girl group where you can ask everything and anything related to technology. And you never know, it could be featured on GeekSugar! Here's a detailed guide to posting questions or posts to groups if you are new to the PopSugar Community.

Ask a Geek Girl: What Does In-and-Out Holster Mean on My BB?

GeekSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:28:01 -0700

Dear GeekSugar,
I just got a new BlackBerry and was very excited to select my new ringtone and SMS notification sounds. When I am in my profiles, there's an option for setting for In Holster and Out of Holster, but I don't know what that means. Please help!
- New BlackBerry Owner

Dear New BlackBerry Owner,
You'd never guess it, but there are still people who choose to keep their BlackBerry in a holster (otherwise known as a cell-phone clip or case). All BlackBerry's feature a magnetic sensor right under the keyboard, and most BlackBerry holsters feature a magnet as well, so when your BlackBerry is in one of these cases, you can utilize the "in-holster" settings. So say you want your phone to vibrate for both emails and phone calls when it is in its holster, you can set your phone to do so.

Ask a Geek Girl: What's With Carbonite and Should I Sign Up?

GeekSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:05:32 -0700

Dear GeekSugar,
My mom called me the other day freaking out about a Carbonite commercial, saying I should back up my photos before disaster strikes. I've actually seen the commercials late at night (I have to admit, I find them pretty funny), but can't really wrap my mind around why the service is. I have thousands of photos stored on my laptop and do worry it will quit on me one day and I will be left without copies. Should I use this service? Thanks for your help.
- A Fellow Geeky Gal

Dear Fellow Geeky Gal,
I pleased to hear I'm not the only person who is endlessly entertained by late-night cable commercials! You ask a great question because I've been seeing the company name everywhere. Carbonite is a web service that claims to "automatically and securely back up the irreplaceable contents of your computer" for the yearly cost of about $55. It works for PC and Mac users, but has slightly different set up depending on your system. To find out if I think you - and other readers like you - need it, read more.

Before you sign up, I'd suggest perusing the Carbonite website and looking at the demos to see if it fits your lifestyle. Everyone's backup needs are unique. I like to be selective about which files I backup (I only save the most important stuff like pictures, a small number of documents, and music I can't live without), so I don't need the "automatic" program to do it for me. Given you seem most concerned with backing up your photos, I think you should investigate a photo-hosting service before you back up your entire computer and then come up with a plan for backing up your important files. I adore Flickr ($25 a year) for its networking, geotagging, and general photo fun, but also use Picasa for its free simplicity. If you want to back up more documents, check out my guide to backing up data for a peek at a few devices that may be more cost effective for you. You might also check out MobileMe, a service that allows you to sync all your photos, email, calendar, contacts from your Mac (iCal, iDisk, Address Book, and Mail) or PC (Microsoft Outlook) to your iPhone over the air (it costs about $100 a year).

Cheers to planning to back up your data, not matter which route you pick! Anyone who has ever lost their hard drive or even a few files can tell you it's a devastating experience.

Even the geekiest of us have technical breakdowns. There's no question too easy or too techie, so join our Ask a Geek Girl Group and share your concerns and quandaries. Here's a detailed guide to posting questions or posts to groups if you are new to the PopSugar Community.

Ask a Geek Girl: Which Is the Best Free Online Photo Editor?

GeekSugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 09:05:25 -0700

We all want to have perfectly cropped and edited photos to post to our Flickr accounts, but how can you do that if you are working without some reliable software? Take it online that's how. We received this question from TeamSugar member bluespirit who wanted to know more about free photo editing software:

"I've wanted a free photo editing program for awhile now but can't afford something like Photoshop. A simple Google search turned up quite a few results, but which is the best free photo editing program out there?"

Good news for you, my photo-loving friend, because I have posted a ton of suggestions for amazing (and free!) online photo-editing sites here already. But to see my suggestion for you, and to find out which site is my current obsession, just read more.

Since you mentioned you'd love to get your hands on Photoshop, but can't afford the price tag, you should check out Photoshop Express. It contains most of the tools you'll find in the full-scale version, but it's online and free! That's right, free.

The photo-editing site that's rocking my boat right now is Flauntr. Flauntr lets you edit like you're in Photoshop or iPhoto, plus it helps get your photos out of your computer and into the hands of friends and family all in one stop.

What is your favorite free online photo-editing site? Share with the group in the comments!

Ask a Geek Girl: I Need a Cat-Proof Earbud Case

GeekSugar — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:02:23 -0700

I don't have a kitty, but I can imagine that they can get their little paws into anything. Such is the case for Teamsugar member morenasobuena, as she enlists our help to find her an attractive and cat-proof earbud case to store her new headphones:

I love my iPod headphones and unfortunately so does my cat. She chews them as soon as I leave them unattended to, and last night even stuck her paw into the back of my laptop bag and pulled it out, leaving me a nice surprise in the morning. I bought two more sets today along with a tin of Altoids and I plan on temporarily leaving my headphones in this as a protective measure. Are there any better/geekier/cuter headphone cases?

To see my picks, and learn a quick tip from PetSugar on how to keep your cats away from objects you don't want messed with, just read more.

According to PetSugar, cats don't like certain materials (like tinfoil for example), so if you want your feline to stay far away from something, place it in a bed of tinfoil, and you should be good to go! Of course, you could still use a cute case to store those buds (with or without a cat), so check out a few of my picks below.

Earphone Case & Cord Winder ($6)	iBeatle Headset Organizer ($7)
JLab Earbuds Travel Case ($10)	EarBuddy Earpod Case ($15)	Samba Travel Case for iPod and Earbuds ($15)

Ask a Geek Girl: How Do I Sync My iPod to Three Computers?

GeekSugar — Tue, 19 May 2009 08:45:01 -0700

Dear geeksugar,
I use three computers. I have a desktop with all my old data, a laptop for home use and a work computer. Over the last couple of years my music library has spread across all three machines. How do I sync my iPod up with them all without losing my playlists and having to start all over?
Thanks,
Overwhelmed by All This Machinery

To see my guide to syncing your iPod to multiple computers, read more.

Dear Overwhelmed by All This Machinery,
Fear not! This is a very common situation, but the answer is straightforward. I suggest you start by reading Apple's guide to using your iPod with multiple computers.

By default iPods are automatically set to sync with one iTunes library, or one computer. Luckily, you can manually manage files on your iPod across multiple devices by displaying iPod preferences in iTunes and opting to manually manage music. Then you can move files from your iTunes account to the iPod. Remember you can only authorize five computers at once to play songs purchased from the iTunes Music Store.

Un-Networked Computers:
Syncing two computers that are not connected via network (say your home and office computers) is relatively simple because iTunes is set by default to autosync with iPods. You must, however, be sure to switch to manual mode to avoid losing files.

Senuti allows you to unlock your iPod or iTunes and copy single songs, songs grouped by artist or album, or entire playlists from an iPod into iTunes. You can purchase the application for $18 or try a free 30-day trial. You might also check out MP3tunes, which provides syncing tools and unlimited online storage space for all your music files for $40 a year.

Networked Computers:
Synchronizing iTunes manually between computers can be a laborious task. SyncOtunes can ease the chore. It's designed to sync libraries and settings, provided that the computers involved can communicate directly over a network.

Ask a Geek Girl: Wanting a Basic, Dependable Phone For Dad

GeekSugar — Wed, 13 May 2009 06:00:48 -0700

Need help making a major gadget purchase or got a burning techie question? Join our Ask a Geek Girl Group and spill it! hyzenthlay20 recently asked the crew:

I'm trying to help my dad choose a new cell phone. He's a total gadget-head, but admits that he doesn't need/wouldn't use a smartphone. He'd love a reason to have an iPhone, but all he really does is talk on the phone. He needs a phone with a speakerphone, bluetooth, voice dialing, and great call quality. He doesn't need internet, or data, or email . . . And he's loved his RAZR for the past two years. We're looking at the Motorola MOTO, but it gets mixed reviews, although people on their reviews seem to agree that it is similar to the RAZR. He was saddened when we realized that there are no RAZRs available anymore (except for the pay-as-you-go option). He'd like to go with either AT&T or Verizon. Does anyone have any ideas?

To see my suggestions, read more.

Dear hyzenthlay20, first off, it sounds like your dad is lucky to have a savvy consumer (and geek) for a daughter! I recently told another reader with similar needs to check out Verizon's LG VX8360. It offers the bells and whistles of text, picture, video and voice messaging, but also offers exceptional battery life and has a good reputation. Usage time is up to 316 minutes and standby time is up to 641 hours (I am sure that will impress dad!). You might also check out Verizon's Motorola Adventure V750, a basic push-to-talk phone with Bluetooth, camera and some fancy music options. It's the same shape as your dad's beloved RAZR, and has pretty good reviews. I encourage you to take dad to your local AT&T or Verizon store, scope out the most knowledgeable salesperson and express he wants a replacement for his RAZR. It's an incredibly common quest and they will likely have two or three different models that may suit dad's needs. Of course, if he really wants an iPhone, he should treat himself!
Happy shopping,
geeksugar

Do you have a basic cell suggestion for hyzenthlay20? Share it here!

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Ask a Geek Girl: I Need a Basic Cell Phone With Long Battery Life

GeekSugar — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 09:00:24 -0800

Dear geeksugar,

I'm looking for a functional cell phone without the major bells and whistles. I don't need to be able to check my Facebook status or figure out my coordinates (I have a laptop and GPS for all that!).

All I require is that it have an incredibly long battery life and the ability to text message. I use Verizon and have been following your great Gossip Girl phone trends, but it's hard to tell which phone is right for me. Any suggestions? Thanks for your guidance! - A long time reader

To see what cell phone I recommend, just read more.

As you already know, Gossip Girl regularly features stylish LG phones from Verizon. The good news is that LG makes amazing cell phones, the bad news is that they are usually phones that are not only chic but packed with many features - features you don't necessarily need or want.

What I do recommend is checking out Verizon's LG VX8360. What I like about it is the fact that it offers text, picture, video and voice messaging, has a 1.3-megapixel camera and camcorder and both external and internal LCD color screens. And best of all, it's a handset that offers exceptional battery life. Usage time is up to 316 minutes and standby time is up to 641 hours. Compared to the LG Dare smartphone, which only gets up to 280 minutes talk time and up to 360 hours on standby, the LG VX8360 is significantly better.

This phone will only cost $50 if you purchase it online through Verizon and sign up for a 2-year contract.

Ask a Geek Girl: I Need a Laptop!

GeekSugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:05:45 -0800

I know a lot of you may be in the same boat as HipMom, who recently enlisted my help in her search for a laptop that not only satisfies her work needs, but that is comfortable to carry, and that falls within a strict budget. She writes:

I need help finding a laptop. This wouldn't be my main computer, (I have a desktop PC I use all the time), but I have started writing and I'd like to be able to just jot stuff down whenever I feel like it, so it seems like a laptop would be a good idea. I might also decide to keep my web design stuff on it, but I'm not sure yet. I need something basic, but I'd like it to be fast, have a comfortable keyboard, and I want to be able to put some graphics work on it, too. Oh, and it needs to be under 500 dollars, and I don't like the new tiny ones.

What a mission! Check out my recommendations when you read more.

I have some good news, and some bad news HipMom! Good news first: It's possible to find a great and portable laptop that gets you plenty of space for work and play, is easy to tote around (for those quickfire writing sessions), and that will allow you to work easily with a full-sized keyboard. The bad news is, you might have to throw down slightly more money than you want to, to get exactly what you want. But really, purchasing a laptop is an investment that shouldn't be taken lightly (unless you're Daddy Warbucks, of course). For these kinds of situations, I'd have to go with Dell - they provide reliable machines at low prices.

To get you started, I'll recommend the Dell Inspiron 1420. At $599, you won't be going over your budget by too much, but you'll still get all the specs you need. For example, the 5.5-pound PC holds a 120GB hard drive and comes with 2GB of RAM (which you can upgrade to 4GB for better performance), and a nice 14-inch widescreen display with 1280-x-800 resolution, so you can work on your graphics comfortably. The 6-cell battery will give you about five hours (give or take) of life before you need to juice up.

But if you seriously want to stick to your budget, you may want to check out the Dell Inspiron 1525 - a less powerful machine, but it would be perfect for your writing sessions, and you'll still be able to store your design work. The downers about this model are the watered-down processor, graphics card, and less on-board RAM (although you can still upgrade to more). The 1525 is still portable at six pounds, but more affordable at $479.

Anyone else have any recommendations for HipMom? Tell us what's up in the comments below!

Ask a Geek Girl: What Does the Digital TV Deadline Mean?

GeekSugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 09:00:46 -0700

I received an email recently asking what all the ads about TVs switching to the digital format mean and how to tell if you need to take action. It's a really good question. For years lawmakers have been throwing around due dates, but full-power television stations in the US are required to stop using the old method of transmitting TV signals (known as analog) and start broadcasting exclusively in a digital format on February 17, 2009.

Ultimately, it's a win win situation for all us viewers. Digital television offers awesomely sharp pictures and sound and allows TV stations to improve their services with enhanced closed captioning and offer several channels of programming at the same time, known as "multicasting." (That just means there will be more great stuff for us to DVR or TiVo!).

Most major stations in the country are currently broadcasting in digital and it's very likely that your set is already converted, but millions of households risk losing television reception unless they take the simple steps to receive a digital signal. If you are wondering what you might need to do, read more.

According to DTV Answers, if you use an antenna to watch free, over-the-air television on an analog TV set (and don't subscribe to a pay TV service) then you will be affected by the transition. If you pay for TV services, such as cable or satellite, then you will not need to upgrade.

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