GeekSugar

Geek Tip: Give the Gift of Virtual Flowers on Valentine's Day

GeekSugar — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:05:05 PST

If you've already become obsessed with sending virtual gifts on TeamSugar, why not step it up a notch this Valentine's Day by sending your pals an eco geek-chic Virtual Flower Pot?!

When I first saw this on Popgadget, I had no idea how interactive this bouquet is. Not only do the tulips beautify your desktop, but they actually grow when you "virtually" water them!

Just make sure the recipient has Google Desktop 4 or above, and yes, remind him or her to water the new flowers!

Geek Tip: Add Desktop Gadgets To Your iGoogle Page

GeekSugar — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 13:00:43 PDT

The Google blogspot has just announced an upgrade to Google Desktops-which basically helps you pimp out your personalized Google page even more. If you have Google Desktop 5.5 Beta, you can now add desktop gadgets on your iGoogle homepage from the iGoogle Content Directory. All you have to do is click "add it now", drag them where you want them and press shift to show or hide each gadget. I don't know about you, but I can never have too many weather, horoscope and to-do list gadgets on my iGoogle page! via MashableDo you know a great shortcut or tip you think geeksugar readers should know? Share it in our 'How To' Help - Guide To All Things Geeky group,

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I know that this long list looks scary, but trust me, once you get the hang of it, it'll be a snap the second time around.

First of all, join the 'How To' Help - Guide To All Things Geeky
Click "Create and Share!" on the left hand side
Choose "Blog"
Give your photo a Title
Leave the category as "general"
Change the channel to "technology and gadgets"
Add keyword(s) (for example mine for this photo was "Geek tip")
Click on the "Add Image" link below the "body" box
A popup window will happen - click on "Browse" to find your image on your computer
Once you have the image chosen, click "Submit"
The popup will show you your image, choose size: "normal" - if you want, you can give it a title (which will show up as a caption)
Click "Insert" and the popup will go away
Your "body" box will now have some text in it. Leave it as is. If you want to add some text before the picture telling me why you think this person is geeky, do it before the code that has appeared.
Click Submit

So join the 'How To' Help - Guide To All Things Geeky and start sharing your favorite tips! Your tricks just might end up on the geeksugar homepage!

Geeks We Love: Susan Orlean Shares Her Tech Secrets

Kelly Schwarze — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:34:14 PST

As a New Yorker staff writer, author of nonfiction books on subjects ranging from Rin Tin Tin to orchids, and woman with an all-around awesome job, Susan Orlean spends a lot of time alone writing from home on her latest reporting venture. So when she wanted to find all the camaraderie of an office no matter where her travels took her, guess where she turned for comfort . . . Twitter.

In an event at this year's Macworld in San Francisco, Susan explained that Twitter changed the way she worked, thanks to conversations with strangers, and helped to solidify her place with the geeks. Here's more of what we learned from our favorite tech-obsessed writer, including how to work efficiently with technology and deal when a loved one won't convert to your favorite gadget brand.

Keep the analog - Though Susan was speaking from her perspective as a writer, her tip to always keep a little part of your work in the offline, analog world can apply to so many other fields. It's a reminder to rely on our wits in the face of fast information. Don't Google every question that pops up, go out into the real world and discover the answer for yourself.
Don't skip the human part - Twitter serves as a natural extension of friendships, but it certainly doesn't replace the subtle nuances that occur in face-to-face interaction. Keep your curiosity (and relationships!) intact by picking up the phone or meeting for a coffee chat.
Download Evernote! - When asked about her favorite app, Susan emphatically responded, "Evernote." Its functionality across desktop, browser, phone, and tablet platforms lets you stay productive from anywhere and never forget the digital content that matters.
A united tech household is key - As someone that's "hopelessly obsessed with new gadgets," Susan understandably is an Apple evangelist, a brand known for its enthusiastic early adopters. The new products and industrial design beauty only goes so far, though, when half of the house is living in a different world - a PC world. After coping with a home office filled with piles of cords and multiple printers for the different operating systems, Susan half-jokingly finally convinced her husband to switch to Apple products when she simply stopped packing the bulky cords for his PC. Now they live in OS harmony.

Are you someone like Susan who has found a way to make social networks help you develop relationships and achieve work goals, rather than let them distract?

CNET's Women in Technology Panel: Where My Ladies At?

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:06:03 PST

We just arrived back in San Francisco after a whirlwind four days at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and while we're still processing the stats, data, information, and products we've seen, there is one thing we noticed: there's an obvious disconnect in the ratio of men to women at the show.

CNET brought together some of the most influential and powerful women in the tech field - including Padmasree Warrior of Cisco, Marissa Mayer of Google, Caterina Fake of Hunch, and Lindsey Turrentine of CNET - at this year's CES to talk about the state of the tech industry, pink gadgets, and how to strike a balance between work and home. You can see the entire panel (it's about an hour long) in the embedded video after the break, but first, a few highlights:

The general consensus is that women have come a long way in terms of the technology field, but there's a lot more work to be done.
Marissa Mayer says that more students (men and women) should be exposed to computer science at the high school level, so that they have more of a chance to get into the technology industry after college. When speaking about women in technology, it becomes a numbers game, but it's not about the size of the slice of pie, it's the size of the pie as a whole; we need to make the pie bigger, and expose women to computer science earlier.
Caterina Fake lets her daughter in on her work life in order to make her feel included. She conducts family meetings every morning around the breakfast table to talk about what worked yesterday, what they could do better today, and the goals they have for the week ahead.
Lindsey Turrentine says that one of the most important things you can do for your children is to show a strong partnership at home. When raising kids - girls and boys alike - it's important to show that you can do both: have a strong family and lean on each other to pick up the slack when work needs to be done. No one's career is more important than the other.

See what all of the amazing women had to say about the state of the tech industry for women in the full video after the jump.

Tech Trends to Watch Out For at CES 2012

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 07:13:07 PST

Our CES coverage kicks off this weekend (follow our coverage here, and on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, too!), and while there are over 20,000 products launching during the show, there is a common theme running through their veins. Take a look at four trends we'll be watching this year below.

Ultrabooks - Netbooks are so 2010. CES 2012 might just be the year of the ultrabook. Light, thin, and travel-friendly, look to companies like HP, Toshiba, and Lenovo to battle it out with Apple's MacBook Air for beauty and portability.
More tablets - There were hundreds of tablets announced at last year's show, but that doesn't mean there won't be more in 2012. Acer, Viewsonic, and others are expected to debut their offerings in Las Vegas.
Large, thin, and connected TVs - Your TV set learns to multitask with the addition of WiFi and specs like Google TV which are becoming more common in the list of specs. And while TVs are getting bigger (we're talking 84-inches and up), they're also getting thinner. LG will be demoing an OLED screen that comes in at just 0.16-inches thick. That's impressive.
Fitness gadgets - Staying healthy is a way of life, and tech companies will be showing off ways to keep track of your fitness, food intake, steps, workouts, and more with the help of gadgets. Many, many gadgets.

What trends are you most excited to hear about?

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.

Marissa Mayer Shares Her Holiday Gadget Picks!

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 03:12:50 PST

As VP at Google, Marissa Mayer knows her tech, which also makes her the perfect person to fill us in on the items we should grab for our geeky loved ones this holiday. We asked Marissa to shed some light on the tech and gadget items she can't live without at work and at home. Get out your pens and paper - you might want to take notes for your own wish list - and check out Marissa Mayer's picks for the holiday shopping season in the gallery!

Daily Tech: Typing in Color

GeekSugar — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:45:43 PST

Painter replaces typewriter keys for a functional chromatic, manual painting machine - Geekosystem
Do these pop culture visionaries get too much credit? - Cracked
Forget voice control - on to sight-controlled gadgets - Tecca
Performance theaters add "tweet seats" so guests can live tweet a show - Newser
Take a look at Samsung's vision for a transparent, flexible tablet - SlashGear
Google opens the first Android store in Melbourne, Australia - Dvice

Daily Tech: Muppets in Space Meets Star Wars

GeekSugar — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:47:45 PST

The long-lost Luke Skywalker cameo on The Muppet Show - GeekTyrant
Wise words from William Shatner on dealing with a Facebook unfriending - Tecca
Eight gadgets that lie to you every day - Cracked
Britney Spears is queen of Google+ - Newser
Tips for gifting a comic book fan - CNN GeekOut!
Rusty DSLR recovered from bottom of the ocean with pictures intact - Dvice

Black Friday Shopping Tips

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 07:21:47 PST

Thanksgiving is next week, but is quickly followed by the biggest shopping day of the year: Black Friday. Whether you've got your eye on a big screen TV, a laptop, or a new smartphone, follow these tips that will help make your early morning shopping rush a breeze rather than a hailstorm of stress.

Make a list - Just because there's a sale doesn't mean you should buy. Make a list of the items you need and steer clear of those you don't. Black Friday may be great for a discount, but buying gadgets you don't need (or won't use) won't help your credit in the long run.
Plan it out - Before you set your alarm clock, scour all the ads to get an idea of what's on sale and compare prices. Once you've decided where to go for the best deals, map out all your stops for an efficient shopping route based on store hours. You can DIY, or use a site like FindTheBestRoute to cut down on planning time.
Check return policies - Many stores implement special holiday return policies on tech items and usually have year-round restocking fees for big-ticket items like TVs, DSLRs. Know and understand what you're getting into before you buy, so that if by chance you have to return it, you know what to expect.
Use one credit card - Designate one credit card for all of your Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping. Alert your credit provider ahead of time to let them know you'll be shopping up a storm next week, so you don't end up denied at the register. Not only will this help you from overspending (especially if you have a low limit), but it will help keep your risk of fraudulent charges at a minimum since you'll know exactly which credit bill to pull up if there's any questionable activity. Leave your debit cards in your wallet, too; they aren't as safe to use online since they feed directly from your checking account. If there are any disputes (depending on the bank), you might not get your money back right away.
Utilize apps while shopping - If you happen to find an item you weren't planning on buying, use the Amazon Price Checker app or ShopSavvy to compare prices and confirm you're getting the best deal possible.
Keep in contact - If you're shopping in teams (this is a competitive sport, isn't it?), use free apps like iMessage, Facebook Messenger, Google Voice, or Twitter (why not make your own family shopping hashtag to follow?) to keep tabs on each other's whereabouts without racking up the SMS fees.