GeekSugar

Website of the Day: Multicolr Search Lab

GeekSugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:03:34 PDT

I've been getting an urge to repaint my kitchen a bright color since Summer hit, but I'm having a hard time deciding on what colors to use. Casa suggested that I start browsing through photos to help me decide on a color palette, but I quickly found out how time consuming that can be. Thankfully, I found the Multicolr Search Lab by Indee, Inc., and in one search, I had decided on my colors, and got to see some really interesting photographs that I may not have seen otherwise.

Similar to ColourLovers but with photos, Multicolr Search sifts through over three million "interesting" Flickr photos, and zeroes in on up to 10 colors of your choice. You want to see photos with purple and brown? Then select those colors from the Multicolr palette, and the Search Lab will bring you 30 photos at a time to drool over. Now all I have to do is carve out some time to actually paint my kitchen!

How To: Get Your iPad Ready For Resale

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:48:28 PST

If the rumors are true, the iPad 3 should be announced in March. If you're ready to upgrade from your first-gen iPad or iPad 2, now's the time to start thinking about selling. But before you post a listing on Craigslist or eBay, get all your ducks in a row first. Here's a few tips on how to prep your gadget for resale, and get top dollar for your efforts.

Back up your data and do a clean sweep - First thing's first - make sure you connect your iPad to iTunes and back up all of your data. You'll be able to sync it with your new iPad after you bring it home. And just like a computer, before you sell your old tablet, you'll want to wipe it clean of any sensitive information, apps, and contact lists. Erasing all of your content and settings (go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings) is great, but go ahead and perform a full restore in iTunes as well.
Polish the exterior - Cleaning your old iPad is kind of like cleaning your LCD monitor - you don't want to use any harsh chemicals or, even more damaging, water. Using a tried-and-tested cleaner like iKlear ($30) will ensure you won't damage your iPad's sensitive bits. Use the included microfiber cloth (or one of your own) and shine that baby up.

To see the rest of my list, including tips on how to get your gadget sold quickly online, just keep reading.

A Look Back at the Highs and Lows of The Bachelor's Final 9

Tara Sharp — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:05:41 PST

Ben Flajnik continues his search for love on The Bachelor tonight, and season 16's 25 contestants have been whittled down to a mixed bag of nine lovesick, crazy, and emotional Southern belles and exhibitionists. Let's look back at the highs and lows of these last women standing, then tell us who you think Ben will be handing his final rose to.

7 Ways to Decorate With Ikea's Ung Drill Frame

Angela Swinderman Elias — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:50:46 PST

I first became a fan of Ikea's Ung Drill Frame when I was searching for a photo prop for my wedding last August. Ornate, affordable, and very lightweight, I decided to paint the frame a pale peach and convert it into a chalkboard sign for guests to write messages on and hold in the photo booth. Since then, I swapped the peach for a charcoal gray and hung it in my kitchen. I noticed that other DIYers are coming up with a variety of ways to get the most out of this multipurpose frame. Keep reading to check out my favorite examples of how to incorporate this popular Ikea accessory into your home!

Exclusive - See William and Kate on Vacation in Mustique With the Middletons

Allie Merriam — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:59:23 PST

Prince William and his wife Kate spent the last week together on vacation with her family in Mustique. The couple spent a few days on the West Indies island with her sister Pippa, brother James, and parents Michael and Carole. William apparently met up with the group after the Middletons started their fun. He arrived, however, ahead of the celebrations for Carole Middleton's 57th birthday. The Middletons' getaway included plenty of beach time and group lunches by the water. The girls were able to wear bikinis and sit in the sun, while James snapped photos from his deck chair. William and Kate stayed at Aurora House, a retreat owned by their friend Mark Cecil, according to reports.

William, Kate, and Pippa wrapped things up and left Mustique for the Hewanorra airport in nearby St. Lucia, where they caught a British Airways flight. They headed back to London so William could prepare for his deployment to the Falkland Islands. He was scheduled to begin a six-week tour of duty Wednesday. Along with other pilots, William will be tasked with manning search-and-rescue helicopters.

Security Tips For Data Privacy Day!

Anna Monette Roberts — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:30:34 PST

It's Data Privacy Day, so we're here to give you 10 tips to keeping your computer safe, secure, and totally private. Nothing is worse than having your computer hacked into, your personal information stolen, or becoming a victim of fraud. We've rounded up all of our best tech advice to help keep your computer protected and free from hacker malice. If you haven't implemented these 10 tidbits yet, today is the perfect day to begin to take charge of your computer's safety.

Avoid fraud: Be wary of emails, calls, and log-in screens that ask you to verify all of your information. Always air on the side of precaution when sharing more sensitive information like banking passwords. If a company reaches out to you (rather than you personally reaching out to them), don't give your personal information out. Redial the number or email the company using the information posted on their website.
Set up a hack-proof password: When logging in to websites, come up with difficult and different passwords for each site, using a variety of letters, numbers, and symbols. Change it every couple of months for additional safety.
Double-check your firewall: Most computers have a built-in firewall that protects your computer by stopping hackers and malicious software from accessing your computer via the Internet. Make sure to keep your firewall setting on, and you could even customize what websites, domains, and IP addresses you want to access from your computer.
Forget about free public WiFi: Hackers often create fake networks, titling them "Free Public WiFi" in hopes of stealing your personal data. Even if the WiFi is legit, it's still dangerous to access private information in an unsecured network. Always opt to pay the small fee for a service that requires you to log-in to an official network.
Safely search for celebrities: Googling your favorite celebrities can be a dangerous business if you don't recognize the sites you are clicking on. Many Google results of famous celebrity names lead to infecting your PC with malware and viruses.

See more tips to better privacy.

Darling Companion Trailer: Diane Keaton Gets Cozy With a Cute Pup

Lizzie Fuhr — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:30:28 PST

In Darling Companion, Diane Keaton and Kevin Kline play husband and wife Beth and Joseph Winter, who go looking for their dog - and the strength in their relationship - in this heartfelt flick. Beth is far more concerned with her pooch Freeway than her workaholic husband, who is fully aware of where he stands in the pecking order and chooses to simply overlook it. That is, until he does the unthinkable and loses the dog. The film delves into the issues of their relationship as the entire community gets involved in the search for Beth's - you guessed it - darling companion.

The story certainly has a bit of a Marley & Me vibe, but it also has an awesome cast chock-full of talent, like Mad Men star Elisabeth Moss, along with one of our favorite guys these days, Mark Duplass. But supporting cast aside, can you ever really go wrong with some solid Diane Keaton? We think not. To check out this cute trailer, just keep reading.

The Hottest Celebrities You Should Be Following on Instagram

Katie Henry — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:43:15 PST

Instagram is our latest obsession, and celebrities have likewise taken note and flocked to the popular iPhone app! If you're not familiar with using it, check out GeekSugar's helpful instructions to get started on Instagram. Don't worry Android users - it's headed your way soon.

We're cruising into the 2012 award season with our iPhones in hand, ready to share photos live from the red carpet. Click through to see who we're following and once you're signed up, be sure to find our account and stay connected with us by searching for PopSugarEditors. Happy sharing!

4 Free Alternatives to Siri

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:13:34 PST

Didn't get an iPhone 4S this holiday? Don't worry - there are other voice-recognition apps on the market that can stand up to Siri's voice-controlled awesomeness on your devices. In fact, a few of these apps are available for Android and BlackBerry users as well. Check out some download-worthy and free Siri alternatives below.

Vlingo - Vlingo doesn't just take voice commands to make calls, SMS, emails, search the web, or get directions, it does something Siri can't - interfaces with your Twitter and Facebook accounts to let you update with your voice . . . and it really works, even without workarounds.
Dragon Go - Available for iPhone and iPod Touch owners running iOS 4.0 or later, this app works similarly to Siri in that it will interpret and take commands from your voice. You can ask for directions, to draft an email or SMS, and get show times to upcoming movies in your area by directing you to external websites.
Google - Google Mobile's voice abilities let you find information available on Search. For example, you can search with your voice for movie times, photos, websites, nearby restaurants, and more.
Voice Control - Your iPhone's included voice search isn't as powerful as Siri (or any of these other apps), but it does the trick when making calls, searching music on your phone, and getting the time. It's a good start, anyway.

Daily Tech: Vroom! This Racecar Has a Surprise

GeekSugar — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:24:30 PST

The ultimate toy car, a race track hidden within a lifesize replica racecar - SlashGear
Six random things that are ruining your memory - Cracked
Google Flight Search has competing travel websites scared - Newser
Start a 365 photo project in 2012 - Tecca
We'd like to put in an order for this self-balancing unicycle - Dvice
Vending machines in Japan to provide free WiFi, no snack purchase necessary - Geekosystem