GeekSugar

Eco-fy Your Wedding!

GeekSugar — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 03:17:14 PDT

In honor of Earth Day (and wedding season here on PopSugar Network) we're serving up some easy and simple ways to make your wedding just a bit more earth friendly from a geek's perspective. These days, getting down with protecting Mother Earth can be simple.

From your wedding shower, to the big event and to all the details in between, little changes can certainly help our planet and our pocketbooks! Making your wedding eco friendly has never been more simple (and surprisingly) cost effective. Besides, wouldn't you rather spend all that extra cash on the honeymoon, or better yet? That flat screen HDTV you've been eyeing? Go, Earth!

Invites - We've already talked about how a wedding website can save you time, money, and the planet, and since all of your ceremony and reception information is in one place, no one will be losing the details on your big day. Allowing your guests to RSVP directly on the site at any time can reduce or negate the need for paper invites. However, if you are a traditionalist and want to send out your dream monogrammed paper invitations, make sure your paper is 100 percent recycled.

For a few more tips, just keep reading.

5 Ways to Check the Weather Before You Peek Outside

GeekSugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 04:21:13 PDT

Nothing ruins a good day like getting caught in the rain - or snow, or cold, or sweltering heat - when you least expect it, or when it conflicts with your morning run. Here, a few ways to have the forecast delivered right to your phone or inbox, so you won't get caught unprepared again. Don't fret if the forecast calls for rain or snow! You can use one of these geeky umbrellas to stay dry.

11 Fun and Useful Photoshop Tips and Effects to Try

GeekSugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 01:31:34 PDT

Now that you've polished up your photography skills, it's time to take your photos to the next level by having some fun with Photoshop. Editing and tweaking your pics isn't considered cheating - it helps bring out the beauty in your images, and keeps things interesting. Here, I'll cover ten fun and useful Photoshop tips and effects that you can use every day, or when you want to add some pizzaz to your pics.

Get Photoshop for free - Don't have Photoshop? No prob! Get Photoshop Express for free!
Take in some free tutorials - Get the low down on Photoshop basics free of charge.
Get rid of blemishes - Who doesn't want clear skin? Make it a reality with this tip that ditches the zits.

See the rest of the tips, and learn about some sweet and simple effects you can add to your images after the break.

The 1 Step You Need to Take to Prevent Getting the Mac Flashback Trojan

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 10:42:16 PDT

Come to find out, Macs aren't virus-proof. There's a new trojan virus spreading through Mac computers at an alarming rate - over 600,000 could be infected now, 57 percent of those being in the US. The virus disguises itself as an Adobe Flash Player installer, and after you've installed what you think is an update to Flash, the malware then seeks out passwords and log-in information stored on your computer.

There are a few ways to find out if your computer is infected, but there is also one simple way to prevent the effects of the virus - download the latest security update from Apple! This will close any loopholes and vulnerabilities in order to keep your computer (and your information) secure.

Source: Flickr user neenio

Tips For Recycling Your Electronics

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 08:21:41 PDT

We talk all year about properly recycling your gadgets, but since we officially kick off Earth month today, it's the perfect time to remind you about the different ways to recycle, donate, and get some cash back from your old gadgets. It only takes a few minutes to help others and Mother Earth, so read on!

Find a location near you - To ensure electronics don't end up in landfills or otherwise improperly disposed, find a certified e-waste recycler near you, who can properly strip devices of their recyclable parts. 1800Recycling.com provides nationwide resources. It can also be as easy as searching Google or Yelp for organizations that will recycle and delete sensitive information from your goods.
Get some cash back with Ebay's Instant Sale - Just answer a few questions about the gadget you want to pawn and Ebay will give you an instant offer, even paying your shipping costs, so you can just click "accept" and go. Once you send in your tired gadget, Ebay will properly recycle it and deposit cash into your PayPal account. Easy, fast, and truly eases the stress on Mother Earth. How can you go wrong?
Trade it in through Verizon - This four-step trade-in process first appraises your device, makes an offer, arranges shipping options, and then pays you for your trade-in. Start the process online by choosing your device (either by list or by photo) and answer questions like, "Can the device make outbound calls?" and, "Does the display work?" Verizon then gives you a trade-in value, with the option to either accept it or decline it. Older models may be appraised at no value but give you the option to donate the phone to a charity in need through Verizon's HopeLine program.
Drop it off at Best Buy - Picking up your new phone from Best Buy? On your way out you can toss your old phone in one of its electronic recycling bins, along with any other computer or component items that are just lying around your house. A clean house is a happy house.
Sell it - My Boneyard makes recycling your phone a no-brainer: just register your phone online, then pop your phone in the prepaid envelope you'll receive in the mail, and send it back. You may even get a cash reward (that you can keep, or donate to charity).
Give it back to the manufacturer - Many technology manufacturers offer recycling of their own goods. Dell, Samsung, and Apple are among those that offer recycling solutions, and sometimes a discount on future goods, to customers.
Donate - Donate old computers to schools in need and charity organizations like Goodwill, which uses an online donation calculator to immediately show how the product will benefit the community.

All of Our 31 Days of Spring Cleaning Posts in One Place!

Kristy Korcz — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 08:21:37 PDT

Spring has officially sprung, and if you haven't noticed, we've been refreshig our digital lives one day at a time this month. If you're in the Spring cleaning mode too, we've got you covered - from tech tips to back up your data, to ideas on how to keep your social media life neat and tidy, check out all of our 31 Days of Spring Cleaning posts here or on our Spring cleaning Pinterest board!

31 Days of Spring Cleaning: Sync Your Smartphone

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:36:15 PDT

When was the last time you synced your smartphone in order to backup your data, photos, music, and videos? Whether you have an iPhone, Android, or Windows phone, syncing and backing up your information and files will save you grief if by chance you lose your device, douse it in water, or drop it face down on the pavement, sending shards flying. Back up your phone's contents weekly, or more often if you take a lot of photos and video.

Keep up with all of our Spring cleaning tech tips here or at our 31 Days of Spring Cleaning Pinterest board!

31 Days of Spring Cleaning: Organize Spare Cables in Style

GeekSugar — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 06:24:47 PDT

Cables, cables everywhere. With every new gadget we purchase comes a bag of cables we already have but toss onto the growing tangle of cords anyways. Master the labyrinth with one of the most basic of household objects, the toilet paper roll.

We got our crafting on with empty toilet paper and paper towel rolls. Cover the basic cardboard rolls with art-store kraft paper and Japanese washi tape for a nearly effortless Spring cleaning session with adorable results.

All you need is 25 minutes to organize pesky cords; see our photo tutorial after the break.

The New iPad Goes on Sale Tomorrow at 8 a.m.: Camping Tips to Keep You In Line

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:29:29 PDT

The new iPad with the fancy high definition Retina display goes on sale tomorrow, and if you didn't get your preorder in, you'll have to battle the crowds if you want a new tablet on day one. But standing outside for hours (or overnight, if you must) isn't an easy task. Should you go for it? Prepare and keep yourself entertained, hydrated, and safe with these iPad line camping tips.

Do some recon - Scope out your local Apple store, AT&T retailer, or other launch-day location and use Google Maps to pick out a prime spot, preferably with shade and/or overhead coverage.
Know when to arrive - Apple stores will open at 8 a.m. on Friday, March 16, while AT&T and Verizon stores have also been known to open doors early to greet tired Apple fanatics.
Bring some reading material - Load up your ereader with some books you've been meaning to tackle - you'll be in line for a while!
Keep your gadgets charged - With all these gadgets you're toting along, you're going to need some juice. Obviously, you'll be far from an outlet, unless you post it up in Starbucks while someone saves your spot. Keep your gadgets charged with a solar charger by day, so you can power them through the night.

Get the rest of our tips after the break.

31 Days of Spring Cleaning: Clean Your Cell Phone

Kristy Korcz — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 11:32:47 PST

Neglecting to clean your cell phone is a nasty tech habit to break this year. Cell phones have been proven to carry bacteria, germs, even feces. Yes, feces. If there's one new routine to create for yourself this Spring, it's keeping that smartphone shiny and clean. Your health will thank you. Check out a few of our tech-friendly tips to clean that gadget, below.

Cleaning your touch screen smartphone is kind of like cleaning your LCD monitor - you don't want to use any harsh chemicals or, even more damaging, water. Using a tried-and-tested cleaner like iKlear ($21) will ensure you won't damage your phone's sensitive bits. Use the included microfiber cloth (or one of your own) and shine that baby up.
If you don't want to spring for a special formula, a 40/60 alcohol-to-water mixture on solid phone parts and keyboards should be OK for your devices (use a damp cloth and/or cotton swab for small and hard-to-reach places). However you do not want to use any sort of alcohol, ammonia, or harsh cleaning agent on touch screens.
If you're in a pinch and want to quickly rid your phone of dirty crevices and fingerprints, use a piece of Scotch Tape to peel away dirt and dust in between keys, and rid your phone of fingerprints. Perfect for when you're at the office (without a microfiber cloth), but unfortunately it won't help the germ situation.
Serious germaphobes can ensure a clean device with the UV Cell Phone Sanitizer ($50), which wipes your device clean of 99.9 percent of strep, E. coli, salmonella, listeria, and H1N1 viruses in three minutes flat. Just drop it in once a day for germ-free surfing and calling.

In the mood to refresh your tech life? Here's nine more bad tech habits to break this Spring!