GeekSugar

Hotmail Makes It Easy to Interact With Your Favorite Websites

Kristen Hawley — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 13:41:10 PDT

Microsoft's Hotmail has just announced a new Active Views platform for messages, allowing users to receive interactive email. Starting this week with partners Orbitz and Monster.com will deliver the first interactive messages to users, allowing recipients to take action with these sites (say, booking a vacation) directly within their inboxes. More partners (like Netflix and LinkedIn) are coming soon.

Find out more after the break.

Which Red Carpet Shoe Style Would You Wear? Vote and Be Entered to Win a Pair of Louboutins!

Sponsor — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 03:45:00 PST

Answer our simple poll question and be automatically entered for a chance to win a fabulous (and very expensive) pair of shoes designed by the man who made red bottoms lust-worthy, Christian Louboutin. Yes, Loubies!

When it comes to staying in style, let MSN be your homepage; it's hip, clean, smart, and where you can get your daily dose of the latest fashions, entertainment, sports, news, and so much more! MSN, know now.

Click here for official rules - good luck!

Stiletto pump

35%(1,835)

Strappy sandal

20%(1,047)

Platform

14%(732)

Peep-toe

30%(1,565)

Total votes: 5,179

Website of the Day: MSN Twilight

GeekSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:50:12 PST

Only one more day until the highly anticipated New Moon premiere and I know you were just hoping I'd squeeze in one more Twilight tech treat before the big day. And here it is! MSN has launched its very own Twilight website that takes you right to Forks, Washington where all the Twilight excitement takes place.

You'll be able to take virtual tours of the Cullen house, the Forks Police Station, the Forks Hospital, Bella Italia, the dress shop, the bookstore, and the high school. Just don't try opening this site using Firefox on Mac or else you'll get this message (which I thought was pretty cheeky):

"Let's say Firefox on Mac is like a vampire and our video player is like a wolf pack. . . They just don't get along. We don't want you to miss out on the Twilight action though, so try opening our site in Safari for Mac."

Do you have an interesting website you want to share? Create a PopSugar Account or login to your account. Then join the Website of the Day group where you can post your favorite website! 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.

What Video-Sharing Website Do You Use Most Often?

GeekSugar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:45:55 PDT

Yesterday, MSN announced that it was shutting down its video-sharing property, Soapbox.

Though I didn't use Soapbox myself, I'm sure its users are both bummed and hunting for a different video-uploading and sharing website.

Which brings me to my question - of all the sharing sites out there, what do you use? I use TeamSugar, YouTube, and Vimeo for uploading, but I watch video on whatever site the latest viral is on (usually YouTube). There's also Flickr, Metacafe, Google Video, and MySpace Video, just to name a few.

Which do you prefer? And do you prefer to upload different videos to different sites?

What Search Page Appeals To You the Most?

GeekSugar — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 03:33:44 PST

With a handful of decent search sites out there, I often wonder what criteria people follow when selecting their search engine of choice. GiggleSugar and I were both in agreeance that we like the simplicity of Google's page and prefer it over ad and link-filled sites like Yahoo!, AOL, and MSN. However, I did happen to show her my pimped out iGoogle page, which is jam packed with gadgets and applications - and bright colors, naturally. But for some reason, since they are all features approved and selected by me (minus any ads), I like it just as much as the basic Google search page. What do you think? Is simpler always better or do you like checking out what the main site has to offer?

Tending to Baby: Cost of Childcare

LilSugar — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 06:00:53 PST

The cost of childcare can be astounding for new parents especially if they live in a metropolitan area. While hanging out at a San Francisco park with my kids, a nanny said she gets paid $24 an hour for her single charge. And, this is in a working class neighborhood.

Then, a friend employed by a corporation known for having progressive family policies told me it would cost her $1700 (the reduced rate) to place her infant in the office's on-site daycare.

While these numbers may seem shocking, it's not likely that they will take a plunge anytime soon based on a working mothers need to find quality child care.

A recent MSN article about the expense said:

"Forget about the angst and expense of finding shelter that is safe and warm for your new arrival. I'm talking about the sticker shock of handing over a significant chunk of your paycheck every month just so you are free to work."

To finish the post,

read more. Many families are having to delay purchasing homes in order to make ends meet during their childcare crunch - the years prior to a child enrolling in kindergarten. And, this is in the middle class where even dual income families struggle. It said:

"Warren believes the two-income family is stretched, too, however. Child-care costs are rising at twice the rate of inflation, she says. After paying the mortgage, health insurance premiums, transportation costs and child-care fees, today's two-income families have less money left over than the one-income family did a generation ago."

Has your family been affected by the cost of childcare? Source

UK Residents Can Win a Role in the Next Harry Potter Film

BuzzSugar — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 11:29:44 PST

Attention all Harry Potter fans who live in the UK: MSN is hosting a contest in which the winner will get a walk-on role in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. All you need to do is answer a very easy HP trivia question and then type in your contact info and voila! You are officially entered to win a set visit and a part in a crowd scene. I know many a die-hard HP fan who would love to win this, and if you're one as well, go on and check out the contest!

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

"Arrested Development": Free Episodes Online!

BuzzSugar — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 05:00:10 PST

Awesome TV news flash: MSN is offering episodes of "Arrested Development" online - for free! Every few weeks, the site will feature episodes from the series, until all three seasons have been shown over the year. The one downfall: There are only three episodes or so at a time, and once the next episodes are posted. the previous ones come down. The upside: You could basically watch a different "Arrested Development" episode per week for an entire year, free of charge.

The site also has other offerings, including downloadable wallpaper calendars like this one, which show the dates when each of the episodes will be released on the site. And, of course, the shows themselves. I just watched the episode in which we're introduced to Tobias' "nevernude" condition, and it thoroughly brightened my Monday.

7 Ways You Can Avoid Internet Fraud and Phishing Scams

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:53:32 PST

The holiday season is here and millions of Americans are heading out to tackle their last-minute shopping lists. Though doing the lions share of your shopping online can save you time, there are many dangers lurking out there on the Internet, especially where there are credit cards involved.

One recent Internet phishing scam involves Apple fans, and a so-called "Christmas Awards" program. This email-based scam sends you a message from a non-Apple email address (like rediffmail.com) asking you to download an attachment to learn more about the awards program. The attachment is a Word document, which is a red flag for downloading viruses and malware. While the download doesn't appear to host any viruses, it does say that you've won $250 million dollars and a commemorative iPhone 4S. All you need to do to claim the "prize" is hand over all of your personal and sensitive information. Don't! If you get this email, don't open it and be sure to report it to the FTC.

Stay safe while shopping this holiday - and beyond - by following these tips that will keep your personal info out of the hands of hackers.

Don't be fooled by fake log-in screens: If you're already signed into Twitter, Facebook, or your email, you won't be asked to sign in again unless you've logged out. Even if the screen looks like the normal log-in, it probably isn't.
Don't be fooled by emails: I've been asked to reply to my "banking institution" with my account log-in information before. The email is formatted to look legit, but if you check the sender's address, most likely it's from a third-party account like Gmail, Yahoo, or MSN. Be diligent and never reply to emails with your bank log-ins or passwords and always check where they are coming from first! When in doubt, call instead.
Reset your passwords often: Too often, people have some pretty lame passwords, which allow their accounts to get hacked even without a phishing scam. Make sure your passwords are tough to guess, and try to change them every few months.

See the rest of the tips after the break.

Savvy Links: 10 Products You Shouldn't Buy Generic

SavvySugar — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:12:33 PDT

10 products you shouldn't buy generic - Bundle
Slightly geeky things to keep at the office - Corporette
Most extreme celebrity baby nurseries - Yahoo Shine
How to barter anything - Real Simple
25 ways to entertain your child for free or cheap - Wise Bread
Top one percent: how much do they earn? - Bankrate
Is there too much sex at Occupy Wall Street? - Wall Street Journal
Six secrets of early retirees - MSN Money

Source: Flickr User Reinis Traidas