GeekSugar

The On-Off Mug: Love It or Leave It?

GeekSugar — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 13:00:46 -0800

Cause everyone needs to know when their coffee mug is on or off, there is now a visual indicating On-Off Mug that reads "off" without liquid and "on" when filled with a warm bevy. A special heat-sensitive pigment will turn the mug from black to white as the temperature increases, so you not only get your morning cuppa joe, but you get a magic show as well. Each mug is dishwasher safe and costs $25. What do you think? Love or leave?

Twitter Logo Appropriated by Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

GeekSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 08:45:29 -0700

When Twitter chose its logo, a sweet bird design, it was at the height of popularity for sweet bird designs - just check out my slideshow of Twitter bird treats for proof.

And now? It seems the coffee chain Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf also really likes the image - they used it on a mug! I spotted the Twitter bird on a travel mug this weekend while waiting for my beverage.

Called the "Tahoe Bird Tumbler," there is no mention of the microblogging phenomena (though, ironically, they are very active on Twitter), but anyone can see that it's the exact same design.

How to Re-Use Your Old CD Shelving: Kitchen Storage!

GeekSugar — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:07:28 -0700

Hasn't everyone had those ubiquitous black CD shelves at some point to house their music collection? Now that people are digitizing whole music collections, there's no need for the discs themselves, let alone the shelving to store them.

Rather than put the units out on the street, give them a second life! Apartment Therapy spotted this solution from Living Etc., which utilizes the old black CD shelving with cubby holes as storage/display for mugs. Though the pictured shelf has the frame already attached, you could finish off any old CD shelf with an inexpensive frame from a flea market or thrift store, which makes you forget all about the shelf's origins.

You could build on this idea and use the cubbies to hold glasses or other small items, like jewelry and sunglasses. Have you ever been able to re-use superfluous tech storage?

Teens Blame Grand Theft Auto For Their All-Night Crime Spree

GeekSugar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:00:39 -0700

It seems that this little video game out in the world known as Grand Theft Auto tends to get people riled up - just check the comments on this post and that post, and it turns out that the game also riles people up in the real world, and has turned into an inspiration of sorts.

Just ask the group of teen boys who went on an all-night crime spree of mugging and bashing cars with baseball bats and crowbars. After they were apprehended, a police spokesman for Nassau County, New York, said that the boys admitted they were "emulating the character in that Grand Theft Auto game" (oh, that naughty Nico!).

I've got my bucket of popcorn ready to see how this case and its defense plays out. What do you guys make of all this?

Source

Geek Tip: Shop the Google Store For Google-Branded Swag

GeekSugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:30:39 -0700

Who knew? Google has been hiding an online store full of Google-stamped accessories and I, the online shopping maven, didn't even realize.

Some stuff makes perfect sense - mugs, cell phone holders, mouse pads, but other stuff is more curious (lava lamps? Huh?). It's more novelty store full of the Google label than anything, but I appreciate it just the same.

I'll probably pick out a few things for myself, so I'll think of them every time I stock up.

How to Take a Good Profile Picture

GeekSugar — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 06:02:27 -0700

Say cheese! I remember lining up for school photos and thinking, "I have to look good this year! I just have to!" Digital photography has freed us from those stomach cringing moments (and the desire to burn photos!) because we can always pose again, try better light and edit without wasting film.

Of course, getting that perfect photo is critical in an age of social networking and dating sites. I was cruising the Canon website (cause you know, that's what I do) and I came across the company's suggestions for taking better online dating portraits. It says:

Keep it Simple: Posing, Cropping, Framing, and Backgrounds -Your online dating portrait should be about you. That means no one else should be in the shot, and you should avoid distracting elements that will take attention away from the most important thing in the frame – YOU! Try turning the camera 90 degrees, and shoot a vertical picture. The longer vertical frame is better suited to capture a single person, without too much 'empty space' in the background.

Photo Techniques: Lighting, Lenses, and Camera Settings - One of the biggest mistakes in online dating portraits is poor lighting. Again, the photo is all about letting others see what you look like. The goal is to make sure the image is well (brightly) lit, but with no harsh shadows.

To see my tips for looking good in your pretty profile pic, read more.

Say No to Mug and Lingerie Shots - Profile pics that look like mug shots are the worst! Don't take a picture specifically for the purpose of being your profile image (you know, like the ones where you can tell the subject held out her arm to take the shot?!). Pictures taken in the mirror (unless they are incredibly artistic), or pictures taken on a camera phone are also discouraged. Also, think twice before you use that sexy one of yourself on the beach in Hawaii with a barely-there bikini (especially for a dating profile!).
Act Natural! - Whether you are looking for a dating profile picture, or a pic to use for your Facebook or Sugar account select a fun, natural picture. It doesn't have to be a glamor shot, just an image that shows your personality. Sure it's an ego boost to show off how cute you looked in that bridesmaid dress, but you don't look like that everyday. Try a pic in your natural element. Or a casual photo from your last vacation. I love nancita's carefree and happy look in her TeamSugar profile image.

Source

Gossip Girl Tech Quiz: Episode 23, "The Wrath of Con"

GeekSugar — Tue, 05 May 2009 04:00:46 -0700

Mug shots, confessions of love, and Chanel-wearing villains? It was just another night of Gossip Girl! In addition to rocking some amazing outfits, the gadgets ruled this episode. Were you paying attention?

Photos courtesy of The CW

Take the quiz

Gadget Accessories Based on TV Shows: Love It or Leave It?

GeekSugar — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:45:42 -0700

Color me happy! Not only have I spied a Beverly Hills, 90210-engraved iPod, I also found this Sex and the City iPod speaker lurking about.

I saw the Sex and the City movie twice and own the first couple seasons of 90210, but I don't know if I have the die-hard commitment to go this far. On the other hand, I don't really shy away from more accessories, so maybe I would etch Brandon Walsh's mug on my iPod. Would you?

Source

Vintage Camera Phone Puts FOTC Phone Into Perspective

GeekSugar — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 10:05:57 -0700

I have been semi-obsessed with oversized, clunky and illogical camera phones ever since I saw the "Mugged" episode of Flight of the Conchords where Jemaine's handmade camera phone (it's literally a camera and phone taped together) gets taken by a street thug. This Canon camera phone is even more fantastic because it combines a spectacular camera with a rotary phone base. Cause everyone needs a rotary phone that can capture images within cord distance, right?
Photo courtesy of HBO and Source

How To Get Rid of Zits With Photoshop

GeekSugar — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 09:05:16 -0700

Remember when you were going through puberty and your mom tried to make you feel better by saying that zits aren't permanent? Did you remind her about pictures? Because photographs are forever, and zits shouldn't be. I don't have any great tips for prevention (go to Bella for that), but I do have some good post-production advice: Photoshop!

Since so many of you copped to using Photoshop to improve pics of yourself in some way, I though I'd share my favorite tool for getting rid of zits. You just need basic familiarity with Photoshop to do this, so step into my lab of narcissism!

To see the tips and how-to video, just read more

My favorite Photoshop tool is the Clone tool - it's key for erasing zits and blemishes by simply taking a small patch of another part of the picture, and using that to "erase" other patches. Here are the super easy instructions, and I've even included a video of me getting rid of a cursed zit to guide you.

After you've dragged your photo into Photoshop, select it and make sure you're working on that layer. If the layer is locked, double-click on it to unlock it.
At the bottom of the canvas, increase the percentage so that the area you want to work in is much larger, (and therefore easier to work with).
Select the Clone tool.
At the top toolbar, adjust the size of the clone tool so it's a workable size, and make sure it's a feathered brush.
Find a patch of your beautiful, unblemished skin and option+click it. Choose a patch that's adjacent to the zit you're going to cover up so that the lighting and skin tone are the same. This will be the "paintbrush" you'll use to cover the zit.
Then, simply click over the zit and the nice, unblemished patch should cover the blemished patch. Depending on the size, you may need to click more than once, and with this tool, I find it's easier to click once and let go, rather than clicking and dragging. (If you start to see parts of the picture come into your "paintbrush," then just re-option-click a new patch.
Save your work, and admire your gorgeous mug the way nature intended it!