Never Wait On Hold AGAIN! The Handy App for Reaching Customer Service
Calling customer service usually involves a kink in my shoulder, bad jazz flute music, and lots of waiting. There MUST be a better way to get in touch with customer service because let’s face it – we’ve all got better things to do. Thanks to Fast Customer, you can do the things you need to do instead of endlessly waiting on hold.
This brilliant app (available for iOS and Android), lets you choose from a list of over 3,000 customer service numbers. Find the company you want to speak to, and request a callback with one button— then put your phone down and get on with your day. Fast Customer calls you back when there’s a real live human on the line. Genius!
If you like being reminded that “Your call is important to us,” and being asked to “Press 1 for english,” then you won’t like this app. For the rest of you… it’s the ultimate time-saver.
Give Old Photos a New Digital Life – How Digitize Old Photos
One of the most common questions we get is “What do I do with all my old photos?” We’ve all got shoeboxes full of them too so we went off in search of a solution because frankly, these days digging out that old photo album seems a little pointless.
First, if you’re only looking to digitize a small batch, maybe around 100 precious portraits, then there are lots of inexpensive flatbed scanners out there that will do the trick. Some even scan film negatives, which is a real plus. But before you press “scan” for the first time, let’s talk dpi.
Now, if you have hundreds, yes, that’s hundreds with an “s,” then you may be better off having Scanmyphotos.com take care of them for you. They have high speed scanners that turn your lifetime of photo memories into 300 dpi files burned conveniently onto a DVD. Their prices are reasonable ($79.50 for 1000 photos), but there are some details you’re going to want to let Carley tell you about.
So check out this week’s Twirl for everything you need to know about digitizing your favorite photo memories. Then, just think of what you can do with all that space you freed up in that bottom drawer.
Digital Life: Find What’s Around You With AroundMe – A Handy App for Mobile Search
Hankering for a cup of coffee? Need to fill your tank? Trying to find the closest bank machine?
It’s easy if you always stick to your own neighborhood, but what if you are in unfamiliar territory? How are you going find the closest pharmacy? A local supermarket? A hotel? A gas station?
The best way to know what’s immediately around you is to use Around Me. It’s a free app for IOS and Android devices that tells you…well…what’s around you. It’s the must-have app for people on the go.
Around Me is a hyper-localized search that uses geotracking to help find things from the closest pizza place to nearby parking lots and then map them for you. And you can easily share that information through email, Facebook, Twitter and texting.
Check out this week’s Twirl and see how easy it is to be in-the-know when you’re on the go.
Digital Life: Tablets Give You Tech-To-Go – Tips on Choosing the Right Tablet
Tablets are the hottest tech trend around. And why not? Tablets are affordable, portable, and do all the stuff most of us use computers for. Part web browser, part book, part TV and all around convenience, but which one is right for you?
We’ll give you a basic rundown of what features to look for when you’re ready to buy one. Does size matter? (Heh.) Do you feel the need for speed? How much storage is right for you?
From the new Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet, to other Android-based favorites like the Samsung Galaxy 7” and the Motorola Xoom and of course the Apple iPad 2, we’ll show you want to keep in mind before shelling out your cash.
Oh, and beware, the topic of tablets may trigger a twisted tongue. Or, maybe that’s just Carley.
Digital Life: Organizing Your Family – How to Make Organizing Hectic Schedules Simple
Ever try juggling chainsaws while blind folded standing on one foot? Sometimes it seems like that would be easier than juggling you and your family’s busy schedules. Sure you’ve tried date books, wall calendars, online options and post-it notes, but we haven’t found anything that works as well as Cozi to help manage hectic lives.
Cozi is a website/app that will organize everything from every family member’s individual schedules to your shopping list. Best of all, whatever gets entered on the site can be viewed on your iPhone, iPad, Android, Android tablets and through the browser on other mobile devices (and vice versa). Functionality that significantly cuts down on those “What! I didn’t know we had to be there, then!” moments.
A super simple to-do list function will keep you on track, and you’re even able to email tasks to other family members. Pssst, here’s a great tip from Carley, email or text yourself reminders too—it’s a life saver.
So check out this week’s Twirl and find out about one of our long-time favorite organizational tools that will simplify your life, and make juggling your schedule a lot easier… and safer.
Digital Life: Wishing CAN Make It So – How to Always Get the Gift You Want
You’ve heard the saying “It’s the thought that counts,” but have you ever gotten one that leaves you wondering “What were they thinking?” Everyone has gift horror stories to share because let’s face it – the perfect gift is definitely subjective.
When it comes to gift ideas for your Baby Shower, Wedding Registry, or most importantly, Valentine’s Day, forget subtle hints.
Wishpot is a simple way to create an online wish list that, with the push of a button, automatically adds anything and everything you desperately want right to your personal wish list.
Then, you can easily share the items you’ve been lusting after, with your husband, friends, co-workers, and especially your mother-in-law who inexplicably believes you collect frog figurines.
So now, in spite of what Mr. Jagger might profess, “You CAN always get what you want.”
Digital Life: Cyber Security – How to Avoid Online Criminals and Surf Safely
Guess what! You won $7 million dollars! To claim your prize, just give me your social security number, credit card information, bank details and a scan of your driver’s license. Oh, and while you’re at it, where do you stash your jewelry and when are you going out next?
You would never give out this kind of information (we hope), but you’d be surprised how much information you do give out all the time when you’re cruising around on the internet.
That’s why we’re going to share with you the simple, but important ways you can protect your personal information. We’ll even show you how to avoid being tagged in pictures on your worst hair day ever.
Check out this week’s Twirl to learn all about cyber-safety. Now, what did you say your password to your bank account is? Just kidding. Surf safe!
Digital Life: Online Audio – Cloud-Based Music Storage that Really Rocks
You know we’re all about the cloud, but with so many options out there (iCloud for Mac users, Google Music, Amazon Cloud, not to mention all the paid streaming services) we wanted find a simple option to store and have access to your music anytime from anywhere.
We did… and it’s called mSpot.
mSpot is an uncomplicated service that allows you to wirelessly sync all the music you have in your iTunes or Windows Media Player accounts to a lot of other devices and will automatically add any new songs you buy. And, because it’s stored in the cloud it won’t take up space on your smartphone, tablet or other computers. (More room for games—yay!)
It holds around 4,000 for free, or for those of you who have an infinite playlist 40GB comes cheap at around $4 a month. mSpot will even show you lyrics to many songs which means you, like Carley, get to see what the words you’ve been singing wrong all this time really are.
Check out this Twirl to meet Carley’s alter-ego, and trust us, she’s da bomb, yo.
Digital Life: Many Bills, One Spot – Help Managing Your Bills, Accounts and Statements
Remember a few years ago when you signed up for a frequent flyer account? You remember that number, right? Yeah, us too. Who can even remember where that card went much less the number?
Oh, and raise your hand if you’ve ever got charged a late fee for forgetting a credit card payment. What was the payment date again? How about having an online deal expire before you had the chance to take your belly dancing lessons? Who can keep track of all that stuff? Manilla, that’s who.
Manilla is the awesome site and mobile app will keep track of all your utilities, credit card balances, frequent flyer numbers and even what’s next in your Netflix queue. Not only will it store all that information, and guard it with its life, it will even send you reminders so that you’ll never miss another bill payment again. And, it’s so clever it can even allow you to make those payments right then and there.
So now all you have to do is sit back and feel like the Goddess of Organization. Check out this week’s Twirl and see what left Carley in the dark about managing her busy life.
Digital Life: Upgrading Your Technology? The Best Place to Sell Your Cell
What’s the deal? Doesn’t it seem like cell phone manufacturers time the release date of the next generation iPhone or Droid with the exact moment you plunk down money on the “current version”? Gee thanks.
So, what do you do with the gadgets you’ve outgrown when you’re ready for the latest and greatest? Stash them in a drawer? Nah, too messy. Toss them? We hope not – the landfills are full enough already!
We have a better idea! Sell your cell, or computer, or e-reader (or any of your electronic relics) on Gazelle.com.
This site will help you appraise your old electronics, tells you how much they’ll pay you for it and you sit back and collect the cash.
Find out how to recycle and sell your electronics so you can get more green while being green (pun intended).
