Tag Archives: Tech

Featured, Life, Technology

Making Sense of Endless Photos

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As technology enables us to do more we begin to feel overwhelmed with options and have the potential to end up with less. This concept is extremely relevant in the digital world of photos. Digital cameras and computers with next to infinite memory have allowed us to take photos of every moment of our lives. What can be done to enjoy and benefit from these opportunities?

Software to Stay Organized

First off, you need a way to keep all your photos organized. The top two pieces of software are from Google and Apple. Google provides slightly better photo editing and online syncing while Apple’s software will be preferred by those who want a simpler interface. With either one, you will be one step closer to better photo management.

Picasa from Google (PC and Mac)

  • Works on any computer
  • Great editing tools and face recognition
  • Organize photos Folders and Albums
  • Easy upload to numerous websites including Google’s own PicasaWeb

iPhoto from Apple (Mac)

  • Only works on Macs
  • Sleekest interface
  • Organize photos by Events and Albums
  • Decent editing tools and face recognition
  • Upload photos to sites like Facebook, Shutterfly, Flickr, and PicasaWeb (may need Mac plug-in)

Sharing Photos

Once you begin to get a grip on all your photos, begin to get real value from your photos by sharing them online and ordering books, cards, and more. For online sharing, consider the following options.

Facebook – Since everyone you know is already on the site, use the uploading tools from Picasa or iPhoto to quickly share with friends and family what is going on.

PicasaWeb – Google’s online photo sharing is an easy way to share all your albums with friends and allow them to download your photos too! You get 1 GB for free and then another 5GB for an unbelievably cheap $5 annually (most sites charge $25+ for this).

Shutterfly – The well known photo site allows you now to set up a personal webpage with access to your newest albums and pictures just like a photo blog. You get unlimited space and others can buy your photos from Shutterfly but cannot download them.

Photo Books – After uploading your photos to a site to share, be sure to order a photo book. This the easiest way to show friends and family when they stop by your home and it will make you look like a professional.

More Fun with iPhone Apps

Path – a photo sharing app that only allows you to have 50 friends and family so that you stay focused on sharing with those closest to you

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Instagram – a enjoyable photo app that lets you take photos and then apply retro filters before sharing with friends and followers

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How do you keep all your photos organized? Critique me or share your own tips in the comments below.
(photo credit: Shutterstock)

Money, Technology

How to Sell and Recycle Used Electronics

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Most of us have a bunch of old electronics lying around. If they still work you may be able to recoup some value from them by selling them online, and if they don’t work you can recycle them for free. There are a score of websites out there that you can use to sell or recycle your old electronics which is great both for you and the environment.

When I bought an iPhone, one of the selling points was that it replaced my regular cell phone and iPod. These still worked well and I didn’t want them to just go to waste. I knew they had some value but wasn’t sure how to get it from them. Here are some tips I found when researching ways to extract value from old electronics.

What You Can Sell or Recycle Online

Almost any electronic you have can be sold online. The better the condition the more money, but even if it is broken you will probably enjoy clearing out space in your office or closets by getting rid of old electronics. Here are some of the most common items you can sell online.

  • Cell phones
  • iPods
  • Digital cameras
  • PDAs
  • Gaming devices
  • DVDs
  • Computers

Where to Sell Them

Online recycling sites ask questions regarding the condition of your device to determine value and will pay for your shipping costs. They do almost all the work for you making the process of cleaning out your old electronics extremely easy. I tested the interfaces and value calculators with an old iPod mini that I am planning to sell or recycle.

  • BuyMyTronics.com – offers great value, erases all data, and is environmentally friendly
  • NextWorth.com – offers the simplest interface and good value
  • Gazelle.com – offers good value and tries to predict value trends of your product
  • YouRenew.com – offers low value but will always recycle

For a little more work and potentially more value, check out the online auction site eBay. On eBay you will have to go through the process of setting up an auction, receiving money, and shipping the item, but it may be worth it. Research recent auctions to determine the going price and decide if it’s worth your time.

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Related Articles

Where Old Gadgets Go to Breathe New Life
Top 5 Ways to Trade in Your iPod

Money, Technology

No Cash! How to Pay Via Text with Venmo

Cash is a great system that helps many people control their spending, but for those who have taken hold of their budget there is a great benefit of cashless systems like online banking. The newest method of exchanging money that may lead the way in the next decade is paying over your mobile phone via text message. One of the best young companies to offer the service is Venmo.

Try out Venmo now by using invite code “obsessed-25“.

How Do I Pay With Text

Paying via text is very similar to paying via email and online with PayPal. You essentially tell Venmo who you want to pay and how much and Venmo will arrange the transaction. This requires an account to be set up with Venmo prior to or following the transaction so that you can move the money into your normal checking account.

The format for sending money with texts is fairly intuitive.

Pay <number or username> <amount> for <memo line>

For example, if you need to send me $10 for dinner you would text the following to Venmo (646-863-9557)

Pay ryank 10 for dinner last night

Benefits and Concerns of Paying With Text

Paying with a text message offers a number of great benefits.

  • Quick – Payback friends or businesses instantly without carrying cash.
  • Free – Unlike PayPal, transactions are free when using the Venmo network.
  • Easy – Request money from people who owe you (Venmo has a “Trust” feature to instantly charge friends in your network for money)

There are also some concerns with paying via text, but hopefully these will get cleared up as the concept becomes more mainstream.

  • Security – Is it safe? Venmo helps by letting users cancel transactions within 24 hours online and recommends that users use a PIN to lock their phone. Other competitors require a PIN for each transaction to help add a level of security.
  • Simplicity – Not everyone wants to set up another account online to manage money, but Venmo helps make this easy by allowing users to sync bank accounts straight from the phone
  • Ubiquity – Until the service gets popular it may be hard to explain to your friends why they should pay with text. The concept has gained more familiarity, though, with the “Text to Haiti” campaign which helped raise over $50M.

Try It Out

Venmo is available via private invitations only right now, but has provided me with 25 invitations for my readers. Use the invite code “obsessed-25” to try it out. After signing up, let me know what you think or send the following text message to Venmo (646-863-9557) to donate $1 to the blog.

Pay ryank 1 for cool blog

Other Reviews Online

Venmo review on AllThingsD
Venmo review at Thrillist
Venmo – The Future of Payments
Venmo’s Simple Loaded Premise – Pay Your Friends from Your Phone
Venmo Possibly Abolishing Friendly IOU
Venmo – SMS Based Payments

Life, Technology

iPhone 3GS Screen Protector Review – ZAGG InvisibleSHIELD

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I love the utility of the iPhone 3GS, but am often scared the shiny screen won’t last. I decided to try out a state of the art screen protector to protect my state of the art device. The ZAGG invisibleSHIELD is a highly marketed screen protector for the iPhone and other similar gadgets. In the over-supplied world of iPhone accessories – and particularly screen protectors – the ZAGG invisibleSHIELD tries to distinguish itself by claiming to be the “gold standard” of screen protectors. The dilemma I decided to tackle was to find out if the high price ($24.95 retail) was worth it.

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