Maximum Exposures

Finding Your WIFI Password

2011-09-05T17:34:00.000-07:00

If you are a WIFI user chances are you have a secured network setup. Sometimes what happens is we lose our password, and when it comes to accessing the Internet that can be an issue.

So I have created this quick and easy guide to finding your wireless password. What you will need to complete this is a computer that is connected to the network via a wire or wireless, as long as there is Internet access. You want to open up the command prompt and type:

ipconfig

into the prompt window and hit enter. Then you will need to find your Ethernet/wireless adapter in the list and look at the Default Gateway listed under that.

This shows that my default gateway address is: 192.168.21

Now, simply go to that computer’s internet browser and navigate to that IP address. Just type the default gateway into your browser, so mine would look like this http://192.168.2.1 . Doing that would take me to my router’s configuration page.

Here you will be presented with a login page to access your router’s configuration. While every router is different there are some default user names and passwords, try these and see if you can get in:

Administrator/Password

Admin/Admin

Admin/”blank”

If none of these work, you may want to consult your router’s manual to find the default username and password.

Once logged in you can navigate to the wireless security options to either set or check your WIFI password. Once you have your WIFI password you can set up other devices using that password to allow them access to your network and the Internet.

Lock Your Android Phone with Android Parental Control

2011-08-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

Have ever let your son or daughter use your Android phone to play Angry Birds, or some other crazy addicting game, and when you get it back you find you are missing files, emails, photos or contacts? Enter Android Parental Control. This helps Android users lock out their phones so that their kids can only use "approved" apps. This is accomplished through an Admin password that is required to access any of the "restricted" apps. You can set the app to launch as soon as your phone is turned on, so kids that can be sneaky can't get around the restrictions by restarting your phone.

There is also a "Safe Sandbox" feature that allows you so see a screen that displays apps that you have granted access to. This is really helpful for the kids that get a little aggravated when they are looking for an app that they can't find or open. This only shows them the apps they are allowed to use or have access to.

This app works great for parents and anyone wanting to limit access to their phones, and the big plus for this app is that it is free. So if you want to allow your kids to watch videos or play games on your phone without granting them access to your contacts, or any other important information on your phone you should definitely check it out. Even though this app hasn't had an update since December of 2010, the creators are quite active on their Facebook page.

Android Parental Control

Sharing Videos and Photos in Google+

2011-08-27T17:41:00.000-07:00

Something I think a lot of people do with social networks is share pictures and videos with their friends and family. With Google + that is no different. Today I want to discuss with you how posting videos and photos on Google+ works.

To start off with, you click the photos button near the top of the Google+ screen, it's second from the left, and looks like a stack of photos with a landscape design on it. Once there you will see a list of 4 links on the left hand side of the screen below your profile picture. These links are: Photos from your circle, Photos from your phone, Photos of you, and Your albums.

Photos From Your Circles:
This link takes you to a page that displays pictures that are shared from people within your circles. These pictures display in a college type of format, and does not necessarily show you ever picture shared by people in your circles.

Photos from Your Phone:
This is where you will find pictures that were uploaded from your phone, unfortunately this only works for Andriod users, so if you are an iOS or Windows Phone 7 user your phone will not automatically upload from your phone.

If you are using an Andriod phone, there is a setting in the Google+ app that allows for auto uploading of pictures from your phone to your Google+ web album automatically.

Photos of You:
This section is where Google+ displays pictures of you and photos that you were tagged in. These are not just any pictures that you have uploaded to your profile only ones that have been tagged with you in them. So if you want to display photos that you have uploaded to your profile here of yourself, you will have to tag yourself in the photos.

Your Albums:
This is where photos that you upload to your profile are displayed. These are broken up into different albums. These can be profile pics, shared pictures, scrapbook photos, and pictures that only you are able to see because you have not "shared" them with your circles yet.

Google has integrated their web-based photo sharing service Picasa with Google+ photos. This means that any album you have on Google+ is now accessible from your Picasa account.

If you happen to be using an iPhone, as I do, you still have the ability to use Google's Google+ app, just without the automatic uploading of pictures from your phone to your Google+ account. So to get your iPhone pictures to your Google+ profile you will have to upload them manually, or you can take photos from within the Google+ app that are then posted to your profile.

You can also choose which circles or people are allowed to view individual pictures. This allows you to keep certain pictures private from people. If you have any questions or additional information regarding the sharing of videos or photos using Google+ please share them in the comments section below.

Prominence of a Facebook Page

2011-04-30T08:28:00.000-07:00

Facebook is all the rage right now, and seeing current trends it isn't going anywhere anytime in the near future. So if you are a business owner, Internet marketer or niche marketer you have to be on Facebook, something I’m sure you have been told before.

One good reason you need a Facebook page is to establish your visibility on Facebook. It seems this is a somewhat effortless principle, but a lot of companies have trouble with what their presence on Facebook should be. Are you a brand, person, product or information? What do your customers want? They want what you have to deliver, or at least that is what we are going for right? Facebook has become such an vital aspect in companies online profiles, not to mention that of an Internet marketer. You can sell anything with a Fanpage. That is the beauty of Facebook.

You need to begin by understanding who your customers are. What are your target “Fans” seeking to gain from your page? You also need to look at what they don’t want from you. Your fans are looking for certain advice, opinions or information from your page. With a Facebook page you can target a broad group of people or take it to the sub-niche level. This means going from targeting car enthusiasts down to targeting fans of just the 69’ Camaro. The smaller the target the better possibility you can make money from it and the more unique you will be in it.

Clearly put you can create a Facebook page tactic in four steps:
1. Define Your target audience
2. Determine Your Goals and Objectives
3. Setting Your Configuration Options
4. Developing a Compelling Page

After you have your product idea and a decent page set up there are a few things you need to do before you start sending would be fans to your page. You need to make it seem as though you are there and active, and the page has been there for a little while. You do this by posting on it every few hours for a couple of days. Don’t just post links to the product you are promoting, post videos, pictures, quotes, advice and jokes. This makes you appear human, which is kind of what you are going for right. I mean Facebook is all about being social. The more social you seem to be the more likely people are prepared to trust you and purchase your products.

Once your page is active and has at least 10 posts of a variety of content, it’s time to start getting fans. You can do this by sending a link to your Facebook friends, asking them to like your page, and also asking them to share the link with their friends. With the average Facebook user having 130 fans you can establish quite a snowball effect and have several hundred fans in just a few hours.

Proceed to post on your page, but drop it down to one or two posts a day. Making only one of every few an actual promotion link. Do this and you will find yourself receiving attention, gaining fans and you will start making money from your Facebook page. If you want more information on generating a Facebook page that will get the attention you are looking for, check out Fast Fan Pages. It makes creating a Facebook page quick and super easy. Check it out at http://fastfanpagesreview2.blogspot.com/

How to prevent your computer from overheating

2011-01-22T18:26:00.001-08:00

via comptalks.com

Keeping your computer cool is essential when it comes to keeping your computer running at it's optimal performance. Here is a quick article that will help you keep your computer cool. If you need help with your computer's heat, check out Hughes PC

Posted via email from Scott Hughes on Posterous

How to change password in windows7 without knowing the existing password

2011-01-20T12:41:00.001-08:00

via comptalks.com

Have you ever forgotten your Windows 7 password? It happens to the best of us, well if it happens to you, use this article to change your existing password without knowing it. For more help with your computer trouble contact Hughes PC.

Posted via email from Scott Hughes on Posterous

Can’t Connect To Internet After Virus

2011-01-20T09:14:00.001-08:00

You’ve done everything you’re supposed to do. You have an up to date antivirus, you update Windows automatically, you do not participate in Peer to Peer network file sharing, and you never open email attachments. Yet you were still infected by a virus and it was hell to remove. Now that it’s gone, you suddenly realize you can’t connect to Internet after virus removal.

The following will help you regain your Internet after a virus removal has broken it.

Check Your Web Browser Settings

One of the ways a virus is able to re-direct your browser is to set up a Proxy Server connection. You need to make sure your web browser is configured properly. Otherwise, you’ll receive the familiar “Internet Explorer Cannot Display The Webpage” error. Do the following to look for a proxy server connection:

Open IE

Click Tools, Internet Options and then the Connections Tab

LAN Settings

Uncheck Proxy Server box if checked

If a proxy server was setup, you should be able to connect to the Internet after you apply the change.

Repair Corrupt WinSock

Unfortunately, a corrupt Winsock usually follows the removal of some insidious viruses. You will need to take steps to repair it. In WIndows 7, you can click the “diagnose connection” option.

In Control Panel>Network and Sharing>Change Adapter Settings. Right-click your connections and select “Diagnose.” It might state there is a damaged Winsock and attempt repair it.

If it cannot repair it, you will need to manually edit the registry to fix the problem. The concept is to remove the Winsock entries and then re-install the TCP/IP protocol.

Fix Winsock By Editing The Registry

You will want to first backup the registry by creating a System Restore point. Go to Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools>System Restore and create a restore point.

Next, open the registry by going to Start and typing regedit in the run dialog box. Hit OK. If a box pops up asking for permission, say YES. You should now be in the registry.

Note: doing something wrong in the registry can break your computer. Proceed with caution.

In Registry Editor, navigate to locate the following keys, right-click each key, and then click Delete:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2

When prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.

Note Restart the computer after you delete the Winsock keys. Doing so causes the Windows Operating System to create new entries for those two keys. If you do not restart the computer after you delete the Winsock keys, the next step does not work properly.

Step 2: Install TCP/IP

Right-click the network connection, and then click Properties.

Click Install.

Click Protocol, and then click Add.

Click Have Disk.

Type C:\Windows\inf, and then click OK.

On the list of available protocols, click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and then click OK.

Restart the computer.

The above steps should help you repair your browser and / or your corrupt winsock if you can’t connect to Internet after virus removal. If you need further assistance, please join our free computer repair forums for detailed help if you still can’t connect to the Internet.

Related Articles:
Can’t Remove Virus

Free Online Virus Scanner

How Can I Tell If I Have A Virus

Virus Removal Instructions and Flowchart

Don’t Push The Big Red Button

Tagged as: Internet, online, Security, virus

via pctechbytes.com

Even though you have done everything you were told to do to protect your computer from viruses, it is still possible to contract a virus on your computer. Use this article to check your setting to further enhance you internet security settings. If you are having virus or other computer related issues, call Hughes PC and let us know how we can help you.

Posted via email from Scott Hughes on Posterous

How to Upgrade Windows 7 Easily (And Understand Whether You Should)

2011-01-19T18:32:00.001-08:00

via howtogeek.com

Here is a quick and easy tutorial about how to upgrade to Windows 7. It is a fairly simple process, however if you need assistance with it send us a message or give us a call and we will gladly do it for you. I personally think Windows 7 is the best operating system Microsoft has released to date. They are currently talking about Windows 8 but it's release is most likely still a year away. That will give them time to work out the kinks and bugs before it is released to the public. Any questions about your upgrade to Windows 7 feel free to ask.

Posted via email from Scott Hughes on Posterous

As PC Virus Turns 25, New Worry Emerges: Attack Toolkits

2011-01-19T16:25:00.001-08:00

Happy anniversary Basit and Amjad! Twenty-five years ago this month, the Alvi brothers of Lahore, Pakistan, gave the world the Brain Virus, the first bit of malware capable of infecting a DOS-based PC. Back in those relatively innocent times, the brothers actually embedded their real names and business address in the code and later told Time magazine they had written the virus to protect their medical software from piracy.

Who knows what they were really thinking, but by all accounts the Brain Virus was relatively harmless. Twenty-five years later, most malware is anything but benign and cyber criminals pull off exploits the Alvi brothers never envisioned.

Slideshow: Quiz: Separate Cyber Security Fact From Fiction 7 Cybercrime Facts Executives Need to Know

No longer just a way to make a political point or demonstrate one's technical prowess, malware has become a useful tool in the bag of tricks bad guys use to steal from consumers and institutions alike. And just as big-time drug dealers and many criminal gangs now mimic the ways of legitimate business, hackers have begun to do the same.

Related Content

One particularly disturbing trend coming to light in this anniversary month is the production and online sale of "kits" that allow relatively unskilled hackers to create and launch malware attacks. And by "kit" I really do mean a kit. "Attack toolkits are bundles of malicious code tools used to facilitate the launch of concerted and widespread attacks on networked computers. Also known as crimeware, these kits are usually composed of prewritten malicious code for exploiting vulnerabilities along with various tools to customize, deploy, and automate widespread attacks," according to a recent report by Symantec.

Marc Fossi, a development manager for the giant security company, says attack kits are selling on the Web from $40 or $50 to about $4000. Some hackers peddling the higher-end kits even offer online support and subscription services, so customers can get updated versions of the malware. Symantec has also observed advertisements offering to help install and set up purchased attack kits for a fee. "It's like a mirror of the legitimate software business," he says.

Here are six reasons to be concerned:

1. Attack kits make it easier for relatively unsophisticated hackers to launch an attack. That's not to say that any computer-illiterate bozo could successfully use one of these kits, but it's much easier than building a virus or other malware from the ground up, says Fossi.

2. The prevalence, simplicity and effectiveness of the attack kits are contributing to an upward spike in cybercrime. For example, one major kit called ZeuS accounted for more than 90,000 unique malicious code variants as of August 2009. That's 90,000 different malware applications; the number of computers attacked by ZeuS is in the millions. Not coincidentally, ZeuS is designed primarily to steal financial details, such as the online banking credentials of a victim. Its ease of use and ability to generate income makes it an appealing purchase for even novice cybercriminals.

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via networkworld.com

You can never be too careful when it comes to security and your computer. It sucks to think that there are ready made kits for hackers to buy, that are ready for launch and infect your computer with a virus or a Trojan.

Posted via email from Scott Hughes on Posterous

Should You Buy a Netbook or a Full-Sized Laptop?

2011-01-19T15:43:00.001-08:00

via tips4pc.com

I personally have to pick my iPad. It is just as useful as a netbook or laptop, but more compact and user friendly. But I think if I had to choose a laptop or netbook, I would choose the netbook. I say this because I like portability, and the netbook is smaller and easy to carry around, the down side is that you still have to carry it in a bag to keep it from getting damaged. Respond and let me know what you think.

Posted via email from Scott Hughes on Posterous

Battle of the Budgeting Tools: Manage Money Online and on the Go

2011-01-09T18:43:00.001-08:00

Making a budget and sticking to it is a popular new year's resolution--and like so many others, the task is easier said than done. But if you're serious about managing your money, the Web continues to offer new sites and services that can help put your finances in order.

All are built around downloading and categorizing transaction data from banks and other financial institutions where you have online access to your accounts. Since all budgets involve setting spending limits for various types of expenses, categorizing transactions is key to helping you see where your money is going.

The sites differ, however, in the manner in which they present the data and in what tools they provide to help you set up and live by a budget. The latest features include spending recommendations based on your location, income, and other personal information, as well as mobile apps that keep you posted when you're not at a computer.

Here's a look at how five popular Web-based budgeting services perform.

Mint

Mint makes it easy to see if you're busting your budget.
Probably the best known Web-based personal finance manager is Mint.com, which in the wake of its acquisition by Intuit has become that company's online alternative to Quicken desktop software. Mint prides itself on its huge roster of supported financial institutions--some 15,000, according to founder Aaron Patzer--and its automatic sorting of transactions into more than 100 different categories. You can also create custom categories.
Mint analyzes transaction data to tell you where your money has gone in the past six months, and it uses handsome, slick graphics to illustrate how your spending stacks up against that of other people in your geographic region. It also has calculators to help you save toward specific goals; for example, it can figure out how much you'd need to sock away each month to have enough for a down payment on a house in three years.

As for budget creation, Mint, like other services, will suggest spending limits in categories you specify based on historical data. You're on your own for adjusting those limits, but Mint will work with you to hold to them.

"Most people have a few problem categories that they want to watch," Patzer says. To assist you, Mint can send alerts via e-mail, text message, or its iPhone or Android apps if you're approaching or hitting a spending target for, say, restaurant or entertainment expenses, or any other category you specify.

Pros: Has great graphics; automatically categorizes expenses; integrates with a huge number of financial institutions; mobile and e-mail alerts

Cons: Not great for identifying itemized deductions; the best you can do is create tags that identify the line-item transactions

Bundle

Bundle analyzes your expenses and includes an iPhone app to track vices.
One of the newer services, Bundle, focuses squarely on budgeting through a combination of features, including analyzing your recent expenditures and looking at demographic data to show how other people in your situation are spending their money.
You can specify the categories for which you wish to create budgets; Bundle will then show you the benchmarks it comes up with, which you can adjust as you see fit. I liked Bundle's categorization system, which by default shows only top-level categories but displays subcategories if you want to see them.

On the mobile side, Bundle's cutely named ViceTracker iPhone app can help you monitor splurges in real time, but it seems designed more for sharing your activity with friends via Facebook than for serving as a full-blown cash manager. Nevertheless, Bundle's graphics--both on the site and in the app--one-up Mint's by displaying your expenditures by category as appropriately sized, bouncing colored bubbles that you can click to view transactions.

Pros: Great graphics and categorization system; includes demographic data; iPhone app tracks vices

Cons: iPhone app more friendly for Facebook fun than for money management

Buxfer

Geekier users seeking robust mobile support might like Buxfer, another relatively young service. One of its more unusual features is that it can update your accounts through SMS text messages sent via Twitter. You must register your mobile device with Twitter to do this; you also have to learn a set of message formats that might stymie nontechies.

For example, you might send coffee 5.45 tags:drinks,coffee acct:amex in a message. Buxfer's translation: You spent $5.45 on coffee from your 'AmEx' account and want to attach the tags 'drinks' and 'coffee' to it. Other message formats let you check account balances, see how you're doing on budget targets, or report transfers or income.

Buxfer offers a lot for mobile budgeting.
If you prefer not to rack up text-message charges, you can send these formatted messages to your personal e-mail address at buxfer.com. Buxfer also provides mobile sites for the iPhone (i.buxfer.com) and for BlackBerry handsets and other smartphones (m.buxfer.com).
Buxfer calls its categories "tags" because you can assign multiple categories to a transaction. This feature can be useful, but it might also lead to confusion at tax time. For instance, I'd be worried about duplicating deductions.

You can edit the tags that Buxfer creates automatically (I had to change a good number of them), and then create rules for tags to save time with recurring transactions. In my tests, however, tag editing sometimes seemed to go slowly.

Buxfer also offers some unusual social networking features, intended to facilitate money transfers between friends or groups of people, such as roommates who share expenses. For those features to work, though, your friends or colleagues must also sign up with Buxfer.

The basic, free account is somewhat more limited than most: It won't track brokerage accounts or let you set spending limits for multiple tags without upgrading to a paid version. Fortunately the charges aren't too high, ranging from $2.79 to $3.79 a month.

I had some problems setting up my Charles Schwab checking account on Buxfer, probably because it's linked to a brokerage account (Buxfer kept sending messages saying that I needed to upgrade my account to one that supported investments). However, installing the free Buxfer Firefox add-on, Firebux, solved the problem.

Pros: Unique mobile features work with SMS and Twitter; social networking integration

Cons: Basic account somewhat limited; categories and tags might be confusing

Next page: Two more tools to keep your budget on track

via feeds.pcworld.com

I personally prefer mint.com to the others. I have used it on my PC, phone and the iPad. It is great in linking all your financial accounts together.

Posted via email from Scott Hughes on Posterous

tag: computer repair

2011-01-09T18:28:00.001-08:00

Clean a Dusty PC and a Clogged Port

http://www.pcworld.com/article/214275/clean_a_dusty_pc_and_a_clogged_port.html

Here is a great tutorial in keeping your dusty PC clean from dust and your ports clear as well. Check out more great computer repair and technology related news at http://www.hughespcrepair.com

Posted via email from Scott Hughes on Posterous

3 Reasons to Use a Wireless VGA Transmitter

2010-12-31T17:14:00.000-08:00

When you are scouring the web for a remedy to use your LED as your computer screen it may be some what discerning when you think about either transferring your desktop computer to your television or running a very large VGA cord across the floor or through the wall to your HDTV. The up side is now there are pieces of equipment referred to as wireless VGA transmitters. These items make it easy for you to hook up your computer or laptop to your LCD without wires. Here are three good reasons why you should have a look at a wireless VGA transmitter.

   1. They are wireless. This indicates you do not have to drill any extra openings in your wall or try to fish a cord through your wall or around your baseboard. A VGA cable is heavy and bulky and can be hard to hide.

   2. Use your better High definition screen instead of a smaller pc monitor. Using your High Def TV screen can be easier on your eyes than attempting to sit in front of a scaled-down PC screen.

   3. Use your laptop or desktop from the ease and comfort of your coach or bed. Since you are going wireless you can have a seat on your coach with a wireless keyboard and mouse and surf the web, update your Facebook status, send a Tweet or view your favorite TV show or movie from Netflix.

A wireless VGA transmitter can be very vital when you have friends over as well. Instead of having the whole family collect around your Pc screen to see home movies or look at your new snap shots, you can push them to your LCD TV screen. This enables each and every one to find a cozy seat and appreciate your videos and photos with no crowding each other.

Very Early Signs of Pregnancy - Most Common Signs of Early Pregnancy

2010-09-16T16:14:00.000-07:00

Whether you are wanting a baby or aren't quite prepared for the responsibility it is always good to know as early as possible when it comes to knowing if you are pregnant or not. In this video you will discover several signs of early pregnancy.

If you are pregnant, don't worry about the hassle of gaining weight. Click the link below and check out "Pregnancy without Pounds"

Zynga’s FarmVille Now Rolling Out To The App Store

2010-06-23T21:10:00.001-07:00

Earlier this month at Apple’s WWDC keynote, Steve Jobs invited Zynga CEO Mark Pincus to show off a new iPhone application: FarmVille. The smash hit, which until now has been available exclusively on the web (mostly Facebook) is finally coming to the iPhone, and it’s going to make a killing. As MacStories first noticed, the game is now available in the New Zealand App Store, and appears to be propagating to other countries worldwide — expect it to go live in the US later this evening.

Upon launching the game, users are asked to enter their email address to join FarmVille Mobile. You’re then asked to log in via Facebook Connect (so you can access your existing farm and friends), and whether or not you want to enable push notifications so you can get immediate alerts whenever you have crops ready to harvest (addicts will love this). The game seems to have made the transition to the iPhone pretty seamlessly — navigating your farm using the iPhone app is easy, and you can use pinch-to-zoom to hone in on a particular area. Executing an action usually just involves tapping on a patch of land.

The game is free, and will probably make a killing on in-app purchases. I give it 24, tops, until it’s the number one app on the App Store.

CrunchBase Information
Zynga
Information provided by CrunchBase

via feedproxy.google.com

Finally we can start virtual farming on our iPhone's lol. Actually I am really surprised it took this long to get Farmville on an iphone

Posted via email from Scott Hughes on Posterous

2010-06-22T12:19:00.001-07:00

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2010-06-19T12:28:00.001-07:00

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2010-06-06T13:21:00.001-07:00

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2010-06-05T18:03:00.001-07:00

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2010-06-05T12:30:00.001-07:00

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2010-05-30T09:53:00.001-07:00

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Picking Kids Birthday Cakes - Tips to Make it Easier

2010-05-06T13:54:00.000-07:00

I'm sure quite a few of you have been to a kid's birthday party. But I bet there are a few of you that have no concept what is involved in choosing kids birthday cakes. A lot of you may already know the options involved, but are wanting a way to make it less complicated. The following paragraphs are some suggestions to help make this process less stressful for people who have done it. Not to mention, it will show others how much work it takes to choose kids birthday cakes.

When wondering about kids birthday cakes, the majority of us basically think of going to the nearby bakery, finding a design, and paying for it. But there's absolutely more to it. The first thing to do is determine what theme the child would like for their party. This will be the most relevant asset in figuring out the cake pattern. Regardless of whether it be a Elmo party or a pop star party, there are a multitude of concepts out there. The internet is a great tool. Use it. You will come across many websites out there that give quite a few tips on planning a variety of themed parties, including a variety of types of kids birthday cakes.

Once you have selected the theme and started your research, you have to decide how extravagant you want to be. A few of you may very well want small and relatively easy for kids birthday cakes. While others are after something detailed and complex. Either way, make sure the design you select is something reasonable. If you are making the cake, make positive it isn't beyond your skill level. If the cake is being made at a bakery, check with them to be positive it's something they can do. Keep in mind all the costs included, as well, when selecting designs for kids birthday cakes. No person likes to get very excited about something, only to figure out it's above their price range. Do all of your research before hand so you have plenty time to look over your many options. For example, if you're having a princess party, numerous people instantly think of disney princess cakes. But there are also castles, tiaras, wands, carriages, etc. Look over your many selections, narrow them down, and choose the cake that best suits all around. Clearly, kids birthday cakes will need to be something the child will like. But it should also fit all of your other conditions, such as budget, size, and detail.

You now have the cake you need. If you are going to a bakery, you're just about done. All that's left is ordering it and picking it up, and, of course, the cost of it. But if you've made up your mind that you'd like to have a go with making kids birthday party cakes, there's still a good deal to do. You need precise instructions if this is your first time making the design chosen. You will also need a detailed list of what items are needed. Obviously, you will need the cake ingredients, either the boxed mixes or the ingredients to make it from scratch. You also need to determine if you want to make the icing yourself or purchase it already made. If making it yourself, you need to decide what variety of icing to use. Generally butter cream icing is used, but there are a multitude of other alternatives out there. Then you will ought to list any decorative supplies you will need, whether it be decorator bags and tips or ready made sugar decor. Be sure go over your instructions and items countless times before making your trip to the store. Kids birthday cakes are one of the main details of the party so you need to make certain you have what you need.

I know preparing a kids party might be very time consuming and kids birthday cakes are a notably important part of it. Just recall these tips and keep in mind all the sites available to you for free on the internet. And you also get the reward of seeing children psyched and delighted over their super cool birthday cakes.

Google Goggles Can Now Translate Foreign Text From a Picture [Android]

2010-05-06T12:45:00.001-07:00

Google Goggles Can Now Translate Foreign Text From a Picture

Android: Google's Goggles app for Android can now translate foreign text that you capture (and crop) with your phone's camera, potentially helping with signage, papers, and other text found while traveling. In a quick test, the results were, well, interesting.

In the update for Android's Google's app, already in the Market, Googles gets both new language translation skills and a crop function that makes Goggles a lot easier to use when pinning down something in particular. I like for foreign-language documents around the house, so I loaded up the web site of Der Spiegel, the one German newspaper I know from memory, and started snapping and cropping.

The lead article in the Der Spiegel news magazine was, of course, about the Greek debt crisis. Using the screenshot I uploaded with Goggles, Google knew the text was in German, and offered a "translate" bar on the results page. It came back with some still-German text, then "A main road in the Plette." By actually typing the line I'd captured into Google, though, I found the actual translation of the cover line, done by humans: "A continent on the way into bankruptcy."

A picture of a laptop screen isn't, in fact, quite the best test case, and slightly metaphorical news cover lines aren't necessarily the best use of a literal translation tool like Google's. So assume that your mileage will vary, but that if you need to know whether a sign says a restaurant is open or closed, you're probably good to go.

Google says at this point that a few languages are covered both ways, and more can be translated to then from:

The first Goggles translation prototype was unveiled earlier this year at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and could only recognize German text. Today Goggles can read English, French, Italian, German and Spanish and can translate to many more languages. We are hard at work extending our recognition capabilities to other Latin-based languages. Our goal is to eventually read non-Latin languages (such as Chinese, Hindi and Arabic) as well.

The Googles update is available for Android phones running at least Android 1.6. Tell us what you think of Goggle's new image-based translation tool in the comments.

: Translate the real world with Google Goggles [Official Google Mobile Blog]

Send an email to Kevin Purdy, the author of this post, at kevin@lifehacker.com.

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How cool is this app? You can take pictures of a foreign language and have Google translate it for you.

Posted via web from Scott Hughes on Posterous

Google's New Search Look Officially Rolled Out [Google]

2010-05-05T13:32:00.001-07:00

Google's New Search Look Officially Rolled Out

It's been showing up for some users since November, but Google has now officially taken the wraps off its new search look. The major new thing is a left-hand sidebar that filters and categorizes results, but they're also pitching the use of Google Squared for comparing different things you're searching for. Today's roll-out should also mean Google users outside the U.S. get consistent access to the new navigation. [Official Google Blog]

Send an email to Kevin Purdy, the author of this post, at kevin@lifehacker.com.

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Google does it again, they have streamlined internet search results. Now it is so much easier to find exactly what you're looking for.

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Airline Approved Dog Carriers - What to Look for Before You Purchase

2010-05-04T15:09:00.000-07:00

So it's time for you to take get a trip, whether it be for business or pleasure sometimes our pet has to come along. Possibly you have very few people to watch out for him while you're away or quite possibly you actually don't want to be away from him for any length of time. Which means if you are planning on taking a trip with your dog, and you are going to be moving around by air then that means you will need to check out airline approved dog carriers before you choose your flight.

Before you start your research on what airline approved dog carriers you should be checking out, you first will have to find out what regulations your particular airline wants you to adhere to. Numerous airlines have fairly straight forward flying boundaries in regards to your dog carriers that you will be using on board with you. However it is still a good idea to call or check their website ahead of buying your traveling dog carrier.

You will want to ask multiple questions when it comes to the airline approved dog carriers for your accepted airline. Questions that you really need to ask are:

What size boundaries do you hold for carry on carriers?
What weight parameters do you maintain for traveling pets?
Do you use stable stow areas for big dogs?
Does my dog have to remain in the airline approved dog carrier for the whole flight?
Can I feed and water my dog at some stage in the flight?

Those are only a handful of questions to get you started, you can surely ask as many as you prefer, and I highly advise it. You don't want to arrive at the gate with what you are considering is one of the airline approved dog carriers and it isn't. Doing this would probably make you miss your flight and be late for either a business meeting, hotel check or what ever reason you are actually traveling for.

Furthermore when considering these airline approved dog carriers you want to ensure they will be relaxing for your dog. If you dog isn't at ease during the flight then she or he can end up being stressed, thus making you stressed. When you are stressed it could begin affecting other people, making for a very uncomfortable flight for most anyone as well as your dog. In conclusion get something that accommodates your dog's size, with room for a blanket and his most precious toy to keep him serene and engaged in the course of the flight.

17 Easy Steps to Brilliant Blog Posts

2010-05-03T07:55:00.001-07:00

You know what I’ve discovered? Most of the people writing about blogging are experts. Funny thing, that.

These expert bloggers have been doing it for a while and they have thousands (if not tens or hundreds of thousands) of subscribers. The best give lots of free stuff away that’s actually worth reading, and we know we’re standing on the shoulders of giants when we follow their advice.

And all that’s good. Don’t get me wrong.

But when I first started blogging about six months ago, I struggled to find a succinct summary all in one place. I spent a full day online giving myself an MBA -– Masters in Blogging (Advanced). I subscribed to this, downloaded that, printed out something else, read everything I could without my eyes becoming permanently crossed.

Because I couldn’t find what I needed — a straightforward checklist-style guideline to getting started as a newbie — I put my own together.

Does a newbie have anything to teach you?

I know what you’re thinking:

What does this Jill person know about brilliant blog posts? She’s just getting started herself.

I’ll readily confess my own lack of experience. My knowledge is growing (subscribing to copyblogger is helping), but my confidence still lags behind what I’m learning.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? I reckon there might be a few others who are in this same boat. And it’s to these newbies (and maybe some more experienced bloggers who are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of info about How To Blog So your Bank Balance Explodes) that I write today.

I broke it down into 17 (relatively) easy steps, so you can find everything in one place. Use this post checklist-style, to start writing the kind of content that attracts links and readers:

Four factors to remember before you start to write

Write a draft headline. You’ll come back to it at the end, and it may very well change and evolve. But a basic proposition and a compelling hook will help guide your content.

Make sure you have one idea per post. My first draft post had about 47 ideas in it. This turned out to be a good thing. Once I got it through my camera battery-sized brain that my post was too complex, I then had 47 possible posts, which should keep me going for about six months. But I did have to trim that first post (and every subsequent one) down to One Idea. When in doubt, leave it out.

Make sure you know your purpose. What are you trying to accomplish with this post? Are you hoping to sell a product? Get referrals? Attract links? Be bookmarked on Delicious? Get lots of attention on Twitter and Facebook? Disclose some irrelevant personal information to a bevy of strangers? (The first five are recommended, the last one should be undertaken with extreme caution.)

Who are you writing to? Come up with an ideal reader, with a full set of personality characteristics. This is a person who loves what you do, buys everything you sell, and tells everyone they ever meet about you and your site. Write to that person, whether fictional or real. My ideal reader is Carolyn, who happens to be a real person who lives in Boston. When I write, I imagine it’s a (semi) personal note from me to Carolyn.

I’ll give you an example for that last point. After the enormous success of her memoir eat pray love, Elizabeth Gilbert was harassed and harangued to write another best seller that millions of readers around the world would want to read. (And as a platform for a movie that Julia Roberts would want to star in.)

No pressure there.

Gilbert says that she tried for months to write that book, and failed. She threw her first attempt at Committed away because she was trying to write to the millions and it just wasn’t working.

She ended up writing the book for a small circle of women who know, love, and support her. The millions who ended up buying and reading the published book came later.

So, to sum it up: come up with a solid headline, for a post based on one idea, with a clear purpose, and for a single ideal reader. Now you’re ready to start writing this sucker!

Eight idea sparks for more compelling content

Here are some tried-and-true techniques that can help you write stronger posts. Try igniting one or more of these idea sparks when your fingers are on the keyboard but your brain is drawing a blank.

Make it eye-friendly. If you use them wisely, a nice bunch of fascinating bullets is a great way to break up your copy and make it easy to read.

Embrace the list post. Building a post around a numbered list is still one of the strongest ways you can organize content. If you’re skeptical, take a look at those “popular posts” to the right. See a few numbers in those headlines?

Examples and stories. What has your own journey been? What light bulb moments have you had? Where do the themes you write about show up in the everyday? (Seth Godin is the master of this; study how he does it.) And how does this relate to what you do and to the products/services you are selling?

What are you reading and watching? Articles, news stories, research papers –- all good stuff to refer to and comment on, drawing a connection back to what you do.

NEWS FLASH! Is something in your world new? Have a project launch in the works? What about a speaking gig or workshop you are running? Perhaps someone well-known in your field is coming to town? You can use your own news flashes or “borrow” other people’s, they both work.

Interviews. Who’s fascinating to your readers and willing to give you some time? Ask them some good questions, write their responses down, then wrap it all up with a jazzy conclusion.

Challenges and bugbears. What’s bothering you or your (potential) customers? Offer input to help them with their real or imagined problems, or talk about how you overcame something on the dark side.

Who do you admire? Pick a famous person and write about the link between something about them (their work, their interests, their charity appearances, their drug rehab story of pain) and how it relates to your own work.

Five last things to check before you post

You’re nearly done! You’ve created some killer content (well, it just about killed you, anyway), so now it’s time to wrap up.

Let’s finish off with some style! Five quick things to remember here:

Hyperlinks. Linking out is an important part of developing relationships with other bloggers, and it’s also helpful for SEO. Try to include a hyperlink about every 120 – 200 words.

Make your last paragraph sing. Give us a call to action (tell us what to do), make us an offer we can’t refuse (and put a ticking clock on it), or reach a surprising conclusion.

Come full circle back to your title. Does it need any tweaking to reflect your content (your one idea, your clear purpose, and to speak to your ideal reader)? Is it compelling? Is it something your readers will want to bookmark, link to, and share?

Do a final check for structure. How does the post look on the page? Have you broken all that text up so it’s easy for us to read?

Say something about yourself. You know, it could start with “About the Author:”

How about you — what’s on your own personal “checklist” for creating brilliant posts? Let us know in the comments.

Want more easy steps to online marketing success? You’re in luck — Copyblogger has a free online newsletter to help you with that. Click here to find out more about it.

About the Author: Jill Chivers is a quick study. Since starting her blogging career six months ago, she has made many fine mistakes. She intends to use this terrific checklist to improve her own blog posts. From her home base of the Sunshine Coast, Australia, Jill presides over her new online business, which helps her customers resolve tricky problems of all kinds.
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If you are a blogger then you should check out the latest post from CopyBlogger. I read copyblogger almost religiously. They offer great content even if you aren't a blogger there are great posts about content creation and promotion.

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Internet Marketing Benefits – Inspiration to Keep Going!

2010-05-03T07:44:00.001-07:00

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Very inspiring post from Josh. Just goes to show us that with a little determination consistent effort we can succeed at anything.

Posted via web from Scott Hughes on Posterous

How Can Social Media Save the Starving Children?

2010-05-03T06:21:00.001-07:00

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More and more startups are coming out of social media, a lot of them have shown a positive move to helping people. I think that is so great, there are so many people out there that can use the help. Do you have any ideas how we could use social media to help people?

Posted via web from Scott Hughes on Posterous

Conan O’Brien on “60 Minutes”: The Full Interview [VIDEO]

2010-05-03T06:13:00.001-07:00

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I am a big fan of Conan, very funny man, probably one of the funniest. He definitely got the raw end of the deal on the late night talk show wagon. What are your thoughts on Conan and what happened to him?

Posted via web from Scott Hughes on Posterous

WordPress Founder Talks About the Platform’s Future [VIDEO]

2010-05-02T15:57:00.001-07:00

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I know I personally love Wordpress, I have several sites running it, and have had no problems at all with it. Wordpress has been around a long time and I am sure it is only going to get better over time. What are your thoughts on the future of Wordpress?

Posted via web from Scott Hughes on Posterous

Prototype 3D Sony EX3 Camcorder Could Be In Wealthy Filmmakers Hands Soon [Camcorders]

2010-05-02T08:32:00.001-07:00

Prototype 3D Sony EX3 Camcorder Could Be In Wealthy Filmmakers' Hands Soon

Engadget has the goods on what appears to be a 3D Sony prototype camcorder called the EX3. Unlike many prototypes, they believe this one could be in consumers' arsenals fairly soon. Start saving. You'll see.

Features are pretty much unknown at this point. Beyond the obvious ability to shoot video in 3D, the EX3 has interchangeable lenses and...well, that's all for now.

As far as the price goes, we don't know just yet, but here's a guess: The E3X is being compared to Panasonic's AG-3DA1, which checks in at about $21,000. [Engadget]

Send an email to Jack Loftus, the author of this post, at jloftus@gizmodo.com.

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I personally think 3D movies are over hyped. But it seems that more and more movies are going to it, not to mention now we can buy 3D cameras and TVs, so I might as well get used to it. What are your thoughts on the whole 3D movement taking place?

Posted via web from Scott Hughes on Posterous

Jailbroken iPad 3G Sends Text Messages [Hacks]

2010-05-02T07:45:00.001-07:00

Jailbroken iPad 3G Sends Text Messages

The crafty cats at iPhone Dev Team have cracked the iPad 3G so that the device can send SMS messages. It's a no-nonsense hack, working at the command line only, but as you'll see in the video it's entirely legit:

As Redmond Pie opines, jailbroken phone calls next? Perhaps. [YouTube via Redmond Pie]

Send an email to Jack Loftus, the author of this post, at jloftus@gizmodo.com.

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I have yet to purchase the iPad, I am waiting to compare it to the Google tablet later this year. However it seems that more and more cool stuff is being released and introduced to the iPad market place.

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26 Essential Social Media Resources You May Have Missed

2010-05-01T10:44:00.001-07:00

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I am a huge fan of Social media and use it any chance I get. Read through these resources and see if you can use any of them in your social media efforts. I have used them to market my keyword research, article marketing and article spinning services. Great results...

Posted via web from Scott Hughes on Posterous

Top 10 Things You Didn't Know Google Maps Could Do [Lifehacker Top 10]

2010-05-01T10:31:00.001-07:00

Top 10 Things You Didn't Know Google Maps Could Do

There's more to Google Maps than a place you double-check your directions. Google's data-stuffed site offers a lot of helpful tools for vacationers, spreadsheet nerds, bikers, and others. Today we're digging into Google's data-rich geo-tool and pulling out some helpful lesser-known features.

Photo by heiwa4126.

10. Use Starred Addresses Instead of Your Memory

It's a subtle little thing, but clicking the star icon next to a location listing in Google Maps is a real time saver. On Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Symbian phones—and, presumably, iPhones in some future update—you can pulled up "Starred Items" when you're plugging in the address you're getting directions to. It's a lot faster than thumb typing, and if you're assembling a temporary list of places to go, starred items can be a disposable checklist.

9. Show a "You Are Here" Marker

It's easy to miss, between the four-point navigation tool and the zoom slider. But click that little button while using Firefox or Google Chrome and, through the magic of the geolocation standard, Maps will use nearby Wi-Fi and IP data to pin down a (rough) approximation of where you're at. It's convenient when you're in a foreign place with only a loose sense of direction—or if, like some Lifehacker editors, you seem to have inherited no sense of direction in general. (Original post)

8. Create Multi-Day Walking Itineraries

Want to get around a new city without having to pull out a smartphone or big folding map at every other intersection? Google City Tours pieces together a multi-stop itinerary for you with easy walking directions, formatted for easy printing. The tool has that Google-y quality of knowing what you're looking for after typing the vaguest search, but you can also move your destination pins to any specific address. If nothing else, it's a paper-saver: one map and set of directions, as opposed to 10 print-outs. (Original post)

7. Fine-Tune or Report A Bad Location

Maps doesn't get everything right every time. If Maps has a marker that's off, a wrong number, or a dead web site listed, you can sometimes fix it yourself. Click the pin for an address, hit the link for "More," and select "Edit Details." It won't work on businesses that have "claimed" their listing through the Local Business Center, and there are limits on what you can move, but if you know a pointer is just fundamentally wrong, there's a fix for that. You can also simply report a problem if you're unable to actually edit the wrong information.

6. Map Out a Great Bike Route

Google Maps' biking directions do more than just estimate how long it would take a very slow car to get from one point to another. Google takes traffic into account, sure, but also hills, routes that an area or cycling group has deemed as bike-friendly, designated bike lanes, and other cycle-specific data into account. Bicycle routes that normally wouldn't be shown in seeking car directions also appear on the map, in a green color that stands out, and the tool as a whole is a cyclist's best friend in visiting a new area, or looking to vary up their excursions. (Original post)

5. Provide Instant Lat/Long (GPS) Coordinates

If you're into the geocachingphenomenon, or need GPS coordinates for a webapp or another use, Google Maps can provide them, but not by default. Click the green beaker-style Labs icon in the upper-right corner of Google Maps, then enable the LatLng Tooltip to see coordinates wherever your cursor is, or the Latlng Marker to be able to drop a "pin" wherever you need coordinates. Don't like to keep experimental stuff running? Try this previously posted bookmarklet, which pops up with the positioning coordinates of whatever's centered on your Google Map.

4. Show Photos Taken Nearby

Wherever you go, someone has been there before, and probably snagged a picture, too. So if you want to make sure you recognize a particular destination from the road, or want to see what the fuss is about any old place, find it in Maps, click on its pin and access Street View, then look for the Photos button to appear in the upper-right corner when you're virtually facing the place in Street View. As you "walk" around, you'll find different perspectives taken from various spots, and possibly some historical photos that have been properly geo-tagged, too, from Flickr, Picasa Web Albums, and Panoramio. (Original post)

3. Find Places Near Any Point on a Map

If you're searching for a particular place—a street name, a business, or other landmark—you can click on a marker and hit the "Search nearby" link to find coffee, gas, banks, or whatever else you need. What if you don't have a place to pin down, but want to generally browse an area? Right click anywhere on a Google map, click "What's Nearby?" in the box that pops up, and Google will create a pin based on a rough street address estimate, or with precise GPS coordinates. From there, you can click on "Search Nearby" in the box that appears in the left-hand pane, and search around without worrying about specifics.

2. Provide Directions via SMS

When you're lost and out of mobile internet territory, that's when directions are probably a really helpful thing. If you can still eke out an SMS message, you can text GOOGLE with a message formatted as "Directions A to B," substituting a town, ZIP code, or street address for A and B. Google will hit you back with the same directions it would provide via Maps, and your friends will say that you've saved this road trip.

1. Map Spreadsheet Addresses Onto a Map

Spreadsheets are the best way to gather and organize information in standard form. If you've got a whole host of options to keep track of in different locations, the clever Maps/spreadsheet mashup BatchGeo will take your spreadsheet and plot it out across a Google Map. Simply paste your spreadsheet data, and BatchGeo standardizes the addresses and creates a custom My Map, filled with your locations and each one retaining the other data you plugged in about it. It's a fast way to make it look like you did a whole bunch of work, and that's never a bad thing. And while it's not technically a Google Maps feature, we think it should be. (Original post)
What cool little thing in Google Maps doesn't get enough love? What hidden-in-plain-sight offerings would you have included in this list? We want to hear about your favorite geo-tools in the comments.

Send an email to Kevin Purdy, the author of this post, at kevin@lifehacker.com.
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I am huge Google fan, and absolutely love Google maps, here are some cool features that I didn't know it did, and maybe you didn't either. Check them out and leave me a comment below telling me what your favorite Google map feature is.

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From the Tips Box: Wiper Blades, Xbox Live, and iPhone Fonts [From The Tips Box]

2010-04-30T18:12:00.001-07:00

From the Tips Box: Wiper Blades, Xbox Live, and iPhone Fonts

Readers offer their best tips for getting the most out of your windshield wipers, getting Xbox downloadable content onto multiple Xboxes, and changing the comic sans font in the iPhone's Notes app.

Don't like the gallery layout? Click here to view everything on one page.

About the Tips Box: Every day we receive boatloads of great reader tips in our inbox, but for various reasons—maybe they're a bit too niche, maybe we couldn't find a good way to present it, or maybe we just couldn't fit it in—the tip didn't make the front page. From the Tips Box is where we round up some of our favorites for your buffet-style consumption. Got a tip of your own to share? Add it in the comments, share it here, or email it to tips at lifehacker.com.

1

2

3

4

Send an email to Whitson Gordon, the author of this post, at whitson@lifehacker.com.

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Some quick tips to make life a little easier.

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Starbucks Cards Can Now be Managed via Facebook

2010-04-30T18:03:00.001-07:00

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You gotta love Starbucks, well I do anyway, lol...now I can check my card balance from Facebook, can life get any simpler? lol

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Tech Companies Are Getting Merger Crazy [Humor]

2010-04-30T17:44:00.001-07:00

Tech Companies Are Getting Merger Crazy

HP buying Palm made some waves, but it's got nothing on the other big tech deals we've spotted on the horizon:

Nintendo Buys Fender: Nintendo removes five of the six guitar strings to make instruments easier to "just pick up and play."

Google Buys National Security Agency: Google Wire Tap leads to an increase in subpoenas of Yahoo Mail users and uncomfortably specific targeted advertising.

Wikipedia Buys Snapple: "Snapple Cap Facts" become much less factually accurate.

Sony Buys MLB's American League: Sony cancels interleague play and the World Series, citing its proprietary "Designated Hitter" format's incompatibility with the National League.

Facebook Buys Twitter: Nothing changes at the companies, but the internet temporarily crashes two weeks later when a Justin Bieber/Oprah Winfrey sex tape rumor gets shared over 400 million times in ninety seconds.

Amazon Buys Metropolitan Museum of Art: All exhibits are eventually replaced with black and white photography to "reduce eye strain."

AOL Buys ABC: Programming schedule immediately reverts back to 1992 TGIF reruns.

Microsoft Buys Anheuser Busch: Bud Light is reformulated every three years to taste a little more like Miller Lite. Meanwhile, rumors swirl about a revolutionary pilsner, but the project is shut down at the height of anticipation.

Apple Buys Adobe: Apple immediately fires everyone and burns down Adobe headquarters. Steve Jobs is found days later, pissing on the ashes.

The author of this post can be contacted at tips@gizmodo.com

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The iPad 3G Has Arrived

2010-04-30T12:17:00.000-07:00

The iPad 3G Has Arrived: "My friendly neighborhood iPad 3G man just dropped off my 32GB model fresh from the factory. It still has that new Apple smell. Initial assessments finds that the iPad 3G is just like the iPad with a plastic top for improved wireless connectivity.

I'll fire the old girl up and put her through her paces. Expect a full report shortly but until then click through for the growing gallery.

How Data Can Improve Your Life [Data]

2010-04-30T12:05:00.000-07:00

How Data Can Improve Your Life [Data]: "

This week's NYT Magazine cover story, penned by Wired's Gary Wolf, is about people who obsessively collect data on themselves—how much they eat or sleep, how happy they feel, etc.—and use those numbers to methodically improve their lives. More »

Kid Racks Up $1,400 Debt in FarmVille

2010-04-30T11:50:00.000-07:00

Kid Racks Up $1,400 Debt in FarmVille: "

Oh dear — looks like it’s time to add FarmVille to the list of internet addiction scares after a 12-year-old UK boy amassed £905 in FarmVille debt. About £288 of that came from the boy’s own savings, while £625 was billed to his horrified mother’s credit card.

The debt — equivalent to about $1,400 USD — was racked up in all of about two weeks’ worth of gameplay. In the popular casual Facebook game, players can spend real money to accrue virtual currency and items. It’s a business that’s booming enough to garner the game’s developer, Zynga, an estimated valuation as high as $5 billion.

Neither Zynga nor the mother’s credit card company HSBC responded positively to requests for refunds; the latter indicated only a criminal proceeding could trigger eligibility for getting the funds reinstated. A spokeswoman for HSBC indicated that had the expenditures been on a gambling site the escalating transactions would have raised warning flags, but since the purchases were technically Facebook Credits, they didn’t warrant suspicion.

What do you think: Is FarmVille destined to replace World of Warcraft as the favorite scapegoat for cable news gaming addiction scare segments?

[via Games.com]

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Tags: casual games, debt, facebook, facebook credits, farmville, games, gaming, microtransactions, trending, virtual goods, Zynga

Potty Training Toddlers - 3 Tools to Help with Potty Training Toddlers

2010-04-26T15:26:00.000-07:00

Today I wanted to offer some tools to help everyone with potty training toddlers. This doesn't have to be a daunting task. It can actually be quite pleasant along with being a bonding experience for you and your little one. Every learning experience we have together with our children is a bonding experience, and it brings us closer to each other. Having said that lets get into the potty training tips.

Fill Your Tool Belt with the Right Tools: Of course I don't mean a real tool belt, lol. But there are certain things that we can have in our arsenal that will help us in the aid of potty training toddlers.

The first is a proper potty chair, you will need one that is low enough to the floor and that has a back for support, other than that get what your little one likes.
You will also need a potty training chart, the chart will allow you to chart their progress, showing you where to give praise when your child takes a step in the right direction.
You will need to prepare your mind for this task. I know I said it can be an enjoyable experience, but you will have to prepare yourself mentally so that you don't lose your patience when something doesn't go as planned, like an accident.

There you are, get those tools on your belt and start potty training your toddler. I have listed a few resources below where you can find additional information on potty training toddlers.

Potty Training Toddlers

Potty Training in 3 Days

Potty Training Girls

Potty Training Tips for Boys

Potty Training Tips for Girls

Matt Wolfe's Autopilot Cash Formula Video Review

2010-03-29T08:55:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note, I have posted a video review of the Autopilot Cash Formula on my blog at:
http://autopilotcashformula.blogspot.com/

Check it out and let me know what you think.

What's Included in the Autopilot Cash Formula?

2010-03-28T10:53:00.000-07:00

So Matt Wolfe is releasing Autopilot Cash Formula on April 15th, and you may have heard of it. But have you heard what you get with it? or what you can do once you have it? Check this out...

Matt states that this isn't just a formula but a full blown internet business plan. He is including a detailed eBook along with 25 great video tutorials, so exactly what can we do with the Autopilot Cash Formula?...

The fastest and most productive product creation methods
The easiest way to build a massive and responsive list
How to blast a ton of traffic to any offer
How to generate loads of easy sales
How to earn a recurring income for life
Learn to generate loads of affiliate sales
Examples with links to actual affiliate offers
Squeeze page templates that convert
Secret techniques that even the gurus aren't using yet

There you have, that is everything that's included with the Autopilot Cash Formula and everything you can do with it. Read my full product review by going to:

http://autopilotcashformula.blogspot.com/2010/03/matt-wolfes-autopilot-cash-formula.html

Matt Wolfe's Autopilot Cash Formula

2010-03-27T08:19:00.000-07:00

Once every few weeks a system comes along that promises to transform internet marketing for good. Most of these programs say that it's just plug and play and make money forever. Well after several tries at using these systems I have come to realize that no such program exists.

Having said that, Matt Wolfe has developed another new product, and this time it's known as the Autopilot Cash Formula. Matt has provided me a sneak peak inside his most advanced system, and I can tell you that with everything that is provided, it is going to help the newbie internet marketers make a really nice income rather easily.

I have been studying, researching and testing different systems of online marketing for more than 10 years, and one thing I have noticed is that when Matt Wolfe releases a product it makes some massive waves in the online marketing arena. Matt has time and time again demonstrated to the internet world how simple it really is to earn an income online. With Matt's Autopilot Cash Formula you get a step by step ebook and 25 exhaustive video tutorials that walk you hand in hand demonstrating you how to establish your internet business.

For more information on Matt Wolfe's Autopilot Cash Formula, check out my in depth review at http://autopilotcashformula.blogspot.com/