Dec 13

B-Sides: I’m Kind of a Mac

by Bethaney Wallace

About two months ago, I went from slowly tipping my toes into the edges of a pool to jumping in – a full on giant-splashing cannon ball. I got an iPhone. A few B-sides posts ago I shared how I finally purchased a Mac, that after years of being cheap and angry, I wrote the big check and started closing Word tabs from the left. Now, just a few months later, I bought my second Apple product and became a card-carrying member.

3096661724 bf62eafd11 300x225 B Sides: Im Kind of a MacIt wasn’t some revelation that made me betray my former PC ways. I was never for either side – Macs and PCs just floated through my life idly and unaware. I was just too cheap to justify buying Apple products. But, once electronics became my livelihood (I spend roughly 7 hours a day on the computer), I gave Macs a second look.

Then, once it was time to give up my two-year stint with a phone that had clicking buttons and no internet access, buying a phone of the same brand just made sense. Rather than having to mix and match PC brands or products, I ordered my iPhone knowing it was not only compatible with my constant sidekick (my MacBook Pro), but that they were made for each other. They automatically sync. My iTunes (both music and work-related apps) takes care of itself. The chargers don’t have to be checked for compatibility. And in an extremely petty comparison, their cords are color-coded for easy locating.

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Dec 08

How to Protect Yourself on Mobile Check-In Applications

By Kelsey Jones

foursquare thumb How to Protect Yourself on Mobile Check In ApplicationsMobile check-in and geo-location applications like Gowalla, Foursquare, Yelp, and Facebook Places can be great for finding out where friends are, gathering badges, and even earning specials. However, for people who aren’t careful, mobile check-in applications can pose a risk, especially if the person in danger of being followed (e.g. via an ex-boyfriend).

However, there are several things a user can do to still take advantage of mobile check-in application perks while being safe and aware of what they are posting online.

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Dec 06

Social Media Brings Sports Fans Together

33330283 3b0fac2bb7 m Social Media Brings Sports Fans Togetherby Bethaney Wallace

For today’s blog, like usual, I had a specific topic planned out – to share information on a new piece of technology or website. But after logging into my Facebook and Twitter profiles, looking at the timeline, and seeing that they’d been blowing up with sports news for the past 32 hours, I went for a change of pace.

For those who aren’t familiar with my TV watching practices, I know minimal information about sports. I understand the theory of football – that placement of the ball makes all the difference in number of points scored – but it’s the stipulations that make it difficult. Collars aren’t to be grabbed, the clock only sometimes gets stopped, and the term “quarterback” has nothing to do with receiving change. I’ve angered my share of sports writers asking for the definition of “three and out”or a list of synonyms for “Heisman-worthy.” And I find the best part about College Game Day to be the clever signs in the background.

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Dec 02

Holiday Gift Ideas for That Loveable Geek in Your Life

By Kelsey Jones

We all know one—for some of us, it is ourselves (me included) – a geek who laughs at binary jokes and complains when someone doesn’t set up their FTP host correctly for uploading. OK, so maybe these are my #geekproblems, but that hasn’t stopped me from coming up with some super awesome geeky toys that I know your inner geek will appreciate.

icade thumb Holiday Gift Ideas for That Loveable Geek in Your Life

The iCade: iPad Arcade Cabinet: $79.99 currently on ThinkGeek.com

This makes me want to get an iPad, and I’m a total android user. Hook your iPad into the cradle, and it connects to the iCade via Bluetooth to allow users to play classic Atari games, such as Asteroid. If the words “bluetooth” and “Atari” are foreign to you, just know that this is super awesome if your Geek has an iPad.

 

 

 

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Nov 30

Social Media Without Borders: UN Promotes Human Rights Day Online

5138832677 9e1cdec20b 300x199 Social Media Without Borders: UN Promotes Human Rights Day Onlineby Bethaney Wallace

Last week we discussed (yet again) the ever-growing popularity of all that is social media. First it was the presidential candidates wanting to get in on the action – they’ve seen what a frenzy teenagers with access to internet phones can cause. (Examples Rebecca Black, Angry Birds, and #BreakingDawn.) Why not politics as well, they thought. But, it seems as though it wasn’t just the Oval Office hopefuls that have seen the potential that social media can bring. In just a few weeks, the United Nations will join the list of government entities to join the social media trend.

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