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Geeky Essentials For Your Disaster Survival Kit

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 10:53:10 PDT

If this week's out-of-place Eastern earthquake is any indication, it's that disaster can strike at any time so you should be prepared. A recent study shows that Californians worry more about earthquakes than any other natural disaster (including wildfires, floods, and tsunamis), but I wonder how many of them actually keep a disaster kit handy in case one strikes? An emergency kit is especially relevant this weekend - hurricane Irene is bearing down on the Eastern seaboard. Stay on top of your family's safety by keeping a backpack-sized emergency disaster kit stuffed with the essentials like a first aid kit, a flashlight, water, and other geeky items like these.

The Name Says It All: Bluelounge's Refresh Charging Station

GeekSugar — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:41:00 PDT

In case you haven't noticed, I have a thing for charging stations. I just can't get enough of 'em. Call it my OCD for cable management, or the fact that between my boyfriend and I combined, we have more gadgets than a small country, but I love a nice and neat desk where my gadgets can refresh and recharge. This is why I love Bluelounge's Refresh charging station. Coming in three colors (black, white and pink), the Refresh boasts mini and micro USB cables, and has room for five of your most coveted gadgets: iPod, BlackBerry, iPhone, camera, or whatever you need juiced up.

Although I have much love for this simple and stylish charging station, I do have a gripe: the $90 price tag. Whoa? Whoa is right. Sure, this baby keeps all your cords out of sight and managed, but how much are you willing to pay for a sleek pink plastic box? Ponder that, my friends.

Bird Bath Charger: Love It or Leave It?

GeekSugar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 10:00:25 PST

It's great to see a wireless charging pad with a bit of style and flair. Basic black is fine by me, but why settle when you can have one that looks like a bird bath? Designed by Sun Kyung Kim and featured on Yanko Design, this circular white cell phone charger radiates blue rings of light for a ripple effect to indicate the charging status of your phone. I wonder how many other gadgets you could charge in this bath? What are your thoughts on it? Love or leave? Scroll down to let us know!

Wind-Up Cell Phone Charger

GeekSugar — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 15:30:51 PST

Whether or not this Wind-Up Charger actually works is beyond me. I don't doubt that it does, I just can't help but wonder if it's anything like the wind-up radios of yesteryear. With the wind-up, cell-phone charger, you can charge up your phone when there isn't an electrical outlet in sight. Just turn the handle vigorously for a few minutes and your phone will get enough power for approximately 25–30 minutes. Featured on Zedomax, it also comes with a built-in flashlight so you have some back-up in power outages. Priced at $12 each.

6-Way Charging With The Chargepod

GeekSugar — Fri, 18 May 2007 13:07:38 PDT

This useful gadget should be labeled the charger of all chargers, or at least celebrated for its shape. With the callpod charger by Chargepod you can charge not one, not two, but six devices at once with a little extra arty flare. I probably would have laughed at this invention five years ago, but now that almost every device needs to be charged via USB it seems more than practical. You can use it for your PDA, iPod, cell phone, headsets, MP3 players and other devices (regardless of the manufacturer or model-just don't try to charge your laptop) with only one single power cord. Featured on Gizmodo, this fantastic charger will eliminate the multiple chargers lingering in your purse or drawer...not to mention the time you will save trying to decipher which charger goes with each gadget! When I first saw a price of $50, I thought score - That's less than $10 per individual gadget charger. But then I realized the exact opposite was true, each adapter on top of the base charger is $10 extra, which means the callpod will cost you $110 for all six adapters. To see a gallery, just

View 4 Photos ›

Winter-Proof Your Gadgets: 6 Tips You Need to Know

Kristy Korcz — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 06:21:48 PST

Winter is in full effect, and I don't know about you, but it's getting pretty cold in my neck of the woods. While I do travel with my gadgets quite a bit, I've learned that cold weather is not always tech-friendly. You may not realize it, but freezing temps can be just as dangerous - if not more so - to gadgets than the Summer heat since there are hidden dangers you can't see. Check out these six Winter weather tips that will help ensure your gadgets see the light of Spring this year.

Keep them out of the trunk - Keep your laptops, cell phones, and tablets out of the trunk for extended periods during cold days to prevent damage to screens and to keep your hard drive from freezing.
If you must trunk it, keep it bundled up - If you absolutely must leave your gear in your car in freezing temps, wrap it up in layers - like a jacket or sweater - to keep it warm. You can also find laptop warmers (which are specifically made for laptops) to keep them from getting icy if you live in cold conditions.
Turn them off - Letting your laptop or tablet remain in sleep mode may keep it warmer (since it is still working), but it also increases your chances of damage if you're on the move. Be sure to power down all the way to keep your data safe.
Warm up before booting up - If your machine is on the cold side, let it warm up to room temps slowly before turning it on. This will keep condensation and dew at bay, which can ruin your computer's sensitive guts.
Carry a charger - Cold weather sucks the life out of your batteries, so be sure to carry extra chargers in your car for emergencies.
Watch out for sensitive screens - Cold weather makes a smartphone screen extra sensitive, so be sure to keep it close to your bod if you're out in the snow, or consider a warm accessory - like a smartphone wallet, sock, or sleeve - to keep it cozy.

Travel Tips For the Upcoming Holiday Weekend

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:45:22 PST

Traveling this holiday? Christmas Eve falls on a Saturday this year, which makes one big mess at the airport. If you can't take a car or a train, be sure to check out these packing and travel tips to make your life easier while booking flights, getting through security checkpoints, and beyond.

Booking Flights

TripIt - Once signed up for the free service, forward travel confirmation emails to TripIt, which will automatically create a master itinerary of an upcoming trip accessible through the web or a mobile device. The itineraries even include the tidbits we seem to forget like weather updates, local maps, and directions.
Google Flight Search - Book that plane ticket before prices rise any further! Google's flight search engine incorporates travel basics like price point, maximum number of connections, and preferred airline with an easy-to-use interface.
Hotel Tonight - If there are too many relatives in one house, scan the last-minute hotel deals at Hotel Tonight for a chic getaway at a discounted price. Every day three hotels in a city reveal their discounted rates starting at noon, and you then have until 2 a.m. to book the deal and take advantage of a peaceful room.
My TSA - Can homemade fruit cakes go through security? How early should you show up to the airport for a flight on the eve of Thanksgiving? Answer the pressing travel questions that could otherwise cause delays or stress by adding the TSA's free iOS app to your device. The app's airport security line estimator may become the most crucial feature on your phone when planning your airport arrival.
HearPlanet ($3) - Take the time to discover the cultural side of your holiday destination. This interactive app highlights attractions in over 300,000 locations and uses geolocation features so that you don't miss any of the nearby fun, plus it's a great excuse to get out of the house and move around in fresh air.
GasBuddy - Hitting the open road instead of the air? Use the free GasBuddy app to locate the cheapest fuel on the interstate. Show your fellow travelers some love and share the low-price gas station you discover within the app.

Gadget Essentials

iPad or Tablet - If you have the luxury of spending upwards of $500 on a tablet, it's probably the only gadget you'll need to tote during travel season since it can hold your ebooks, surf the Internet, and keep you connected.
eReader - If you're sans tablet, pack up your favorite ereader. Whether it's the latest Kindle or the new Nook Simple Touch, you can read the entire Game of Thrones series without all the paper weight.
Compact laptop - Though the MacBook Air is arguably the most popular lightweight laptop out there, there's plenty of compact PCs and ultrabooks to choose from as well.
Chargers - If you're toting all these gadgets, you're going to (obviously) need some chargers to keep things juiced. Thankfully, many airlines are offering charging stations in the terminal and even seat-side outlets on board, so you can stay 100 percent charged throughout your trip.
Headphones - Keep the roar of 35,000 feet at bay with some nice sound-isolating headphones. If you're going over-the-ear, consider Skullcandy Aviators ($149), which offer great sound and deep bass and are even comfy for those geeks who wear glasses.

Get more tips on how to pack your bag and save some dough after the break.

Cell Phone Rant: Unplugging Etiquette

Geek Community — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 12:35:25 PDT

This post comes to us from Elfyn, who let it all hang out in our Cell Phone Rant group:

I own a mail and parcel shipping store in Southern California. A customer comes in wanting to make a copy, but the copier doesn't seem to be working. I go to help him and find my copier unplugged and a mysterious charger plugged in in its place. Note, the person who plugged in their charger had to physically move the copier to get to the electrical outlet. I follow the cord to a customer standing near the front of my store yakking away on his cell phone. When I try to ask him about it he holds up his finger to have me wait while he finishes his conversation. After he finishes his phone call, I ask him why he unplugged my copier to plug in his charger. He said, "Oh I didn't know that was your copier." Really? You just walk into a business and unplug their equipment to plug in your charger without even asking?

Need to vent your cell phone frustrations? You've found the right place! Join the Cell Phone Rant group and give me your best, most annoying tales of the rude cell phone users in your world - your story 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.

9 Items a Forgetful Person Must Keep in the Office

Emily Co — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 03:05:00 PDT

I used to constantly forget to charge my phone overnight and would spend my day furiously switching my cell on and off just to conserve battery. That's until I bought another charger to leave in the office. I know that some of you with superhuman memories don't have this problem, but for my forgetful peers, here is a nice list of things you should keep in the office . . . just in case!

All Types of Chargers: Keep an extra set of chargers, be it phone or computer or some gadget you can't do without, at your office. This is so you won't beat yourself up over forgetting to charge your electronic devices the night before. You can alternatively choose to leave another fully charged battery at the office, but it seems like the chargers are generally way cheaper!
Feminine Products: It's the time of the month, but you keep forgetting to bring some feminine products to work. If the office bathroom doesn't have a dispenser, remember to keep a full pack of it at work so you don't ever have to run out to the nearest pharmacy when you're on the job.
Mini Whiteboard: If you're really forgetful, you might not remember completing things on your electronic to-do list. I know it's really easy to dismiss and click away the alerts when you're on your computer. Increase chances of remembering by placing a small whiteboard on your desk to scribble down urgent items.

For more items a forgetful person must keep in the office, read on!

10 Productivity Tips and Guides That'll Help Alleviate Stress

GeekSugar — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 08:10:59 PDT

Mondays are almost always manic and seem especially rough when they mark the start of a month. Manage your stress this month- and better enjoy the last magical moments of Summer - by taking some time early in the month of August to organize your technology so it can help you stay on track. Here are some helpful techie guides to help you get through the month.

Email Yourself Important Numbers - Send yourself an email with that locker combo, to-do list, holiday gift guides, and your brother-in-law's shoe size so you always have the deets in your email archives.
Use Your Cell Phone's Camera to Make Your Life Easier - Having a cell phone with a camera isn't just a fun feature - it can make your life easier and help you remember little things you'd otherwise forget.
Download Productivity Apps - Stay on track with the help of automatic reminders and to-do lists.
Guide to Getting Organized Online - With the plethora of websites and programs designed to keep you organized and on track, there's really no excuse for being disastrously unorganized online.
Followupthen Email Reminders Keep You on Task - Stay on top of personal to-dos or work assignments by sending yourself an easy, automatic reminder with a deadline to get it done.

Get the rest of my tips after the jump.