GeekSugar

Long And Lean Haier P7 Pen Phone

GeekSugar — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 11:00:53 PDT

This phone reminds me of one of those cell phones that are so hot we can't get one or how about the ever-so-teeny Nokia Icon Wrist Band Phone.

The Haier P7 Pen Phone may look like a concept phone, but in actual fact it's a fully-functioning cell jam packed with tons of great features. Shaped like a pen, the Haier P7 includes a digital camera, a 90-minute voice recorder and a LCD display that supports Multimedia Messaging Service (which basically means you can share pics quickly and easily). Standby time is about 150 hours and talk time is up to 4 hours. Unless I can justify the fact that having a $250 Zoolander phone is practical, you won't see me using one of these anytime soon.

31 Days of Spring Cleaning: Clean Your Camera Lenses

Kristy Korcz — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 11:58:07 PST

You take your camera anywhere - the park, the beach, the office - and it's probably shoved in your bag most of the time, attracting dust, dirt, and whatever else is lurking in the depths of your tote. How often do you clean your camera lenses? The window to your world, your lens is one of the most important pieces of your DSLR. Ensure it's tidy and shiny with these five cleaning and care tips.

Store your gear properly - One of the best ways to keep your lenses in tip-top shape is to store them properly when not in use. Keep your lenses in a cool, dry place, and if you store them in a photography bag, toss in a few silica packets to keep the moisture away. Always keep your lens caps on when stored, and consider keeping them in lens bags to keep them scratch-free.
Use a filter - Keeping a UV filter on your lens is the first step against damage, as it prevents scratches but also protects your lens from harmful UV rays.
Keep a stock of microfiber cloths - Just like your phone, your lens sometimes needs a good wiping down. Make sure your cloth is clean before wiping down the lens. The last thing you want to do is scratch your lens surface with a dirty, grimy cloth!
Consider lens-cleaning fluid - You can find lens-cleaning fluid and lens tissues in your local photography shop, and while some may seem pricey, the good news is you don't need a ton for it to be effective. Just a few sprays of fluid on your lens tissues should do the trick to lift dirt and smudges.
The LensPen - I keep a LensPen in my camera bag for on-the-go cleanings. With a brush on one end and a soft curved sponge on the other, you can keep your lens clean and dust-free from anywhere.

Multitasking in Style With the Happy Owl Studio iPad 2 Clutch

Kelly Schwarze — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 11:04:29 PST

A vintage-inspired purse and a plush iPad case in one? My stars! The leather iPad 2 clutch ($80) from Happy Owl Studio may just be the perfect blend of hi-tech chic and everyday practicality.

With a detachable strap, the clutch can be worn on the shoulder or slipped into a bigger bag. The iPad sits securely in one half of the clutch, which acts as a typical tablet case with full access to the camera and port. Hidden within a zipper pocket lies the clutch's organized wallet side with pockets for cell phone, pens, business and credit cards, and all the miscellaneous items like keys, notebooks, money, and whatever gets you through a tech-forward day.

8 Ways to Prevent Getting Sick at Work

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:47:24 PST

If you work in an office full of people, your chances of coming in contact with germs are that much higher. Arm yourself against colds, the flu, and stomach bugs with these essential tips.

Wash hands often and keep hand sanitizer on your desk.
Once a week disinfect the things you touch regularly including your keyboard, mouse, phone, pens, stapler, scissors, and even the outside of your reusable water bottle.
Avoid touching doorknobs, handles on bathroom stalls and faucets, the water cooler, coffee maker, and other commonly used work items. If you can't help it, be sure to wash your hands afterward.

Keep reading for five more ways to prevent getting sick at your job.

The 5 Worst Habits That Damage Your Immune System

Prevention — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 04:19:31 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Kick these surprising habits to keep colds, flu and other bugs at bay.
By The Editors of Prevention.com

Staying healthy isn't just about using hand sanitizer and avoiding coughing co-workers. It turns out some pretty surprising daily habits - like how you fight with your husband or whether you stay up late for Letterman - can impact how well your body fends off colds, flu and other pesky bugs. Here's a list of science-backed tips to add to your stay-healthy arsenal today.

1. You Avoid the Water Cooler
Friendship may be Miracle-Gro for your immune system. Research shows that the fewer human connections we have at home, at work, and in the community, the likelier we are to get sick, flood our brains with anxiety-causing chemicals, and live shorter lives than our more sociable peers. In one study, researchers who monitored 276 people between the ages of 18 and 55 found that those who had six or more connections were four times better at fighting off the viruses that cause colds than those with fewer friends.

What to do: Don't let a jam-packed workday or hectic schedule get in the way of your friendships. Stop by a co-worker's office for a quick Monday morning catch-up, or e-mail/text your friends at night to stay in touch when you're too busy for phone calls.

7 Ways to Work Out at The Office

2. You Often Feel Tired
Scrimping on sleep has a powerfully detrimental effect on immunity. The perfect example: college students who get sick after pulling all-nighters cramming for exams. Poor sleep is associated with lower immune system function and reduced numbers of killer cells that fight germs. In fact, University of Chicago researchers found that men who had slept only four hours a night for one week produced half the amount of flu-fighting antibodies in their blood (jump-started by a flu shot) compared with those who slept 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 hours.

Keep reading to learn how to keep your immune system strong after the break.

6 Tips to Ace Your Next Job Interview

Kiplinger — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 12:30:03 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

Given the late-winter thaw showing up in what has been an ice-cold job market, many workers are pondering a topic they haven't worried much about lately - job interviews. Here are my favorite interview tips for job candidates, from new grads to ultra-experienced hires:

Collect personal contact information. As you meet each new person in your interview lineup, ask him or her for a business card. Do it the minute you're introduced, before you sit down, or you're likely to forget. Since lots of people don't carry business cards in their pockets while they're at work, be ready with pen and paper to take down each person's name and contact information if no business card is handy. You'll need to know the names, titles and e-mail addresses for each person you meet, so you can compose and send a customized thank-you note to each of them.
Tell personal stories. When you're asked the standard interview questions, use stories to make your accomplishments come to life. You don't have to wait for the interviewer to ask you a “story question,” such as "Tell me about a time when you worked with a difficult customer." You can give a story-type answer to any interview question. If the question is "Have you been using FrameMaker very long?" your answer can begin, "You know, once we were under the gun to get some documentation done for a version of the product that was custom-built for one client. I hadn't used FrameMaker for that sort of thing before, so I pulled out the manual and began reading . . . " It's a great goal to tell two or three pithy, human stories in each job interview, to bring your talent to life and to get out of the zero-impact "yes, no, somewhat" rut.
Zoom in on the employer’s pain. In 2011, it's not enough to let an employer know that you've got skills X, Y and Z. You have to make it clear that you've faced down the same dragon the employer is facing now, and that means you've got to know which sort of dragon is circling the castle. Float a pain hypothesis early on in the interview - something like, "My take is that you're looking to get sales leads assigned and acted on more quickly after trade shows. Is that the biggest area you're looking for this new hire to handle, or am I missing something major?" Once you and the hiring manager are talking about the business issues and not the often-irrelevant list of job requirements, your conversation will become much more substantive and fun.

For more great interviewing tips, read on.

Walk While You Work: DIY Treadmill Work Station

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 15:47:09 PDT

Is working at a desk all day long leading you to pack on the pounds? Burn some calories while you type by turning your treadmill into a walking work station. If you have the money to spend, you can buy a desk that's specifically designed to work with a treadmill, but they can be pretty pricey. If you want to save some dough, all it takes is a little creativity to transform your treadmill into a desk. Here are some things to keep in mind.

Create a desktop by attaching a flat, nonslip surface like an ironing board (as illustrated above) to the the top of the treadmill. Use twine or rope to safely and securely attach the desktop to the top of the treadmill armrests so there's no risk of it falling off while you walk or type. Make sure this desktop is wide enough to hold your laptop or keyboard and your mouse.
Be sure no cords are dangling down creating potential tripping hazards or that could be caught on your swinging arms.
Keep objects off the desktop that could potentially fall from the vibrations the treadmill creates such as your phone, the remote control, your iPod, or pens.
Try out the treadmill at 0 mph first. Yep. Test out the desk standing before you start typing on a moving belt.
Start off slow and for short amounts of time. As you get used to walking while working, you can increase the speed and distance.

Would you use a treadmill walk station?

Source: Flickr User eliazar and Source: Flickr User cmcbrown

Samsung Galaxy Note: Huge Smartphone or Tiny Tablet?

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 10:40:37 PDT

Samsung is on a roll at the IFA conference this week, not only announcing a pair of tablets but also a huge new smartphone called the Samsung Galaxy Note. The massive 5.3-inch screen is the biggest we've seen on a mobile phone, but the Note could also double as a tiny tablet to run alongside Samsung's seven-inch and 10-inch Galaxy Tabs.

As mentioned above, the Galaxy Note comes with a 5.3-inch, HD Super AMOLED screen. Since the size will allow users to do more, the Note has an included stylus - called the S Pen - to make writing notes, sending emails, and drawing digital art easier. The Note will be backed with a 1.4GHz dual-core processor and HSPA＋ and LTE connectivity for fast upload and download speeds. Though the Note may look like a small tablet, it's not running Android's tablet-optimized Honeycomb OS. Instead, it's packed with Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

Additional features include dual cameras (an 8MP rear facing and 2MP forward facing) and can capture and play back 1080p HD-quality video images. It also comes with optional NFC technology, so you'll be ready for mobile payments once they're more widely accepted.

Get a look at the Note in action in the demo video below, and then tell me - would you carry a 5.3-inch smartphone?

Group Therapy: How to Get Out of Dipping Your Pen in Company Ink

Tres Community — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 03:05:28 PDT

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

So, I know you're not supposed to "dip your pen in company ink" . . . however, I have been going out on various dates with a co-worker who works in a different department. But I do see him several times a day.

He's a little younger than me, I'm 26 and he is 23. He's very negative . . . if the conversation gets awkward he tells me that I'm a bad date and that he hates me. On one of our dates, we went to the mall and I missed a step on the stairs and so he tried to catch me, but tried to get a cheap feel on my breast while doing so. He compares me to other women he has been with, tells me I'm so "good for him" and keeps asking me if I'm a stalker . . . about five times a day, which includes texts and phone calls. We have only kissed, no make-out sessions and no sex, but he keeps suggesting dates and for us to pull over the car. He says that he has been with so many whores, so it's refreshing to hold out, but then again he is very touchy when we do kiss, and I'm beginning to feel super awkward about his physical advances.

What was the icing on the cake was last night, towards dinner when we were making fun of the terrible things we used to do when we were younger. So I told him that I went through a piercing phase and pierced my lip, eyebrow, and nose when I was 19 and that I used to go to all these clubs and dance in cages. I'm obviously older now, work in a professional place, and yes I go out with the girls, but I don't carry the same appearance (I'm a bit conservative now). He goes on to tell me that he wished we met back then because I was his type . . . and now I'm not.

There's been too many turn offs, and he was serious when he said and did all of the above. How do I end things without making it awkward at the office?

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

Crave-Worthy Clutch, Skinny Sleeve From Acme Made

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:05:28 PST

The latest iteration of the MacBook Pro lineup was announced yesterday, and already there's a new case that's making me drool. From Acme Made, the Clutch bag and Skinny sleeve can be found exclusively at the Apple Store and fit your 13-inch MacBook Pros and 11- and 13-inch MacBook Airs like a glove. Costing a cool $40, the sleeve is waterproof and shows off your laptop's super slim profile. Setting you back $100 for the Clutch, this bag is made of coated canvas and leather and has room for your laptop, as well as some pens, your phone, and maybe some files (if you've got 'em).
Truth be told, I'm kind of in love with that luscious brown leather. Take a closer look at both items yourself in the gallery!