Although I was really impress with the pricing and features as it was being announce it left much to be desired when you go to Amazon.com. First thing I noticed is that all the Fires have the special offers and sponsored screensavers. If I am able paying that much for a tablet I shouldn’t have ads on it, which Amazon is sending based on my activity. Second, all the traditional Kindles include the new Paperwhite which has two separate price points, one with ads and one without. One of the features on the Fires has Free Skype video calls. Hello Amazon! This has always been free on Wi-Fi! I also found that Amazon has not listed the battery life on the Fire HD 4G version. On the positive side, I found the new FreeTime for the Fire to be interesting and a great way to monitor your child’s tablet activity. I would be interested in how the tablet feels and if the software reduces any of the choppiness of the last Kindle operating system. You can view a comparison chart of all the Kindles on the bottom of each Kindle product page. My interest is in the Paperwhite 3G right now. What about you? Will you be purchasing or upgrading to a new Kindle? Let me know on the Gadget Girl Tips Facebook Page.
Kindle Singles (Book Subscriptions)
Time to Read
Kindle FreeTime (Kindle Fire HD only)
New Whispersync
New Kindle Software
When was the last time you forgot a friend’s birthday or were running late for appointment? Check out Sunrise, an email digest that connects your LinkedIn account, Facebook birthday and events, and your Google Calendar into a single morning email. It takes less than five minutes to connect all three accounts and then you are ready to roll! Your first Sunrise digest will appear first thing the next morning.
I could see this very helpful for a certain someone who doesn’t log into Facebook every day and then is frustrated that they missed someone’s Birthday.
Last weekend started with a bang! I joined a group of friends and drove into downtown Kansas City to catch a free All American Rejects concert. As my friend Echo was pulling into the parking garage and starting winding up the ramps to a floor with free spots, she commented that she will have to remember we are on the 5th floor. I suggested she pull out her phone and take a picture of the garage floor number. It was an added bonus that the garage floor sign had the garage name on it too! Here's Echo in action!
Check out this picture with all the cell phones. From the balcony it looked like a see of little lights floating among all the people.
Let's start Friday off right with 19 Famous Free Fonts! Need help on how to install your new fonts? Scoll to the bottom of the page for directions on how to install a font on PC and Mac.
__________________________________________________________________________
How do I install a font for Windows?
Before you install any fonts, make sure that all your applications are closed.
Windows 7:
All other versions of Windows:
How do I install a font for Mac?
Before you install any fonts, make sure that all your applications are closed.
Yesterday, I decided to hit the gym for a quick workout on the elipticial after work. As I entered the gym there was a new crop of college students crowding the machines like it was the first week of the New Year. As I surveryed the equipment for a free machine, I kept noticing how young the students looked as they sweated it out. Is it me or do college students look younger and younger each year? To make things worse the annual Mindset List for the Class of 2016 was released on Tuesday to remind us how old we really are and that the incoming Freshmen were born in 1994. Now I really feel old....Check out the list and let me know what you think about on the Gadget Girl Tips Facebook page.
For kicks and giggles, check out gadgetgirltips.com to see a picture of me during my first semester at Pittsburg State University. Go Gorillas!
This might be a little off topic, but my favorite kitchen gadget is my yogurt maker. I’ve been making homemade yogurt for two years and can’t seem to force myself to eat store bought yogurt. So you might be wondering why I make my own yogurt? First, my yogurt has three ingredients and that’s it! No fillers, dye colors, sweetners, or other random scary words I can’t pronounce.
I’ve been approached by several people on how I make yogurt with my random schedule, so here’s my cheat sheet on making your own homemade yogurt.
Ingredients
Gadgets
Instructions
Pour 4 cups of milk into a microwave bowl, I use an 8 cup glass liquid measuring cup. Place the milk in the microwave on high for 8 minutes, remove and check the temperature. You want the milk to reach 180 degrees before you move onto the next step. If necessary, heat for another 2 minutes. Once the milk reaches 180 degrees, stir in ½ cup powdered milk. Next, let the milk cool down to 100 degrees. If you are in a hurry, put the milk mixture in the frig or the freezer to get the milk to cool faster. Once the milk reaches 100 degrees, stir in two tablespoons of store bought yogurt. Make sure the yogurt/milk mixture is thoroughly stirred to avoid getting all the yogurt at the bottom of the bowl. The yogurt won’t set up right if you don’t have a little bit of yogurt in each container. Pour the yogurt/milk mixture into the individual cups and place uncovered in the yogurt maker, place the yogurt maker dome over the yogurt maker. I set the time for 9 hours to get a nice thick yogurt, similar to Yoplait. In yogurt making, there’s no peeking so make sure to leave the dome in place for the entire 9 hours. Once the yogurt has set for 9 hours, place the covers on the individual cups and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before eating. You can use two tablespoon of yogurt from this batch for your next batch of yogurt. The active culture will be good for 5 rounds before you need to start again with a store bought yogurt. This yogurt will taste differently from your store bought yogurt since it has no sweetner. If you are converting your family from store bought to homemade, doctor the homemade yogurt with a touch of sweetner, fruit, or granola to ease the transition. There might be some separation in the yogurt when you go to eat it since there are no binding agents, just stir and you will be good to go!
Have questions, want to share your experience making homemade yogurt, or want to share your favorite kitchen gadget? Connect with me on the Gadget Girl Facebook Fanpage.
Dear Movie Texter,
Going to the movies is suppose to be an escape into a fantasy land of superheros, aliens, and perfect relationships, then bang I see your annoying little light pop up next to me. Seriously! Can you not go three hours without texting, checking Facebook, or 
tweeting?
Don’t get me wrong as a tech person, I’m always on my phone but there’s a time and place and that is not at the movies. If you have something that important to say, leave the theater or don’t go to the movies at all. Don’t know how annoying it is when you check your phone? Step into a dark room, unlock the screen and watch the phone light up the room like a Christmas tree in a dark forest. Those little warning before the movies about turning off your phone and not texting means everyone including you. And don't think that trying to cover your cell phone with your coat is helping you hide the fact that you are on your phone, it doesn't. I didn’t pay $13.00 to be annoyed by your little screen light ruining my escape at the movies.
So if you go to the movies, please turn off your cell phone as a show of respect for others in the theater.
Sincerely,
An annoyed movie watcher.
Every wonder what happens when cats take over a website? Mobify does and lets you in on the fun! Mobify has developed "Meowify" technology to replace existing images on webpages with adorable pictures of cats. It's easy to use: Simply type in the name of the site you want to transform and click Enter. Give it a try here.
Bookmark this page for a fun April's Fool Joke.
Let me know what websites you Meowify on the Gadget Girl Tips Facebook Page.
As a new school year is quickly approaching a time to gather the school supplies and for some it includes arming your smartphone with apps! I've gathered a list of the top five iDevice (iPhone, iPad, etc) and Android devices to give your student a hand up with their studies!
iHomework is a student's best friend during the busy times of the school year. Keep up-to-date with your school work, grades, to-do's, teacher's information, and almost everything else you need during the school year. iHomework is the only school organizer that can be with you anywhere you go, whether that be on your iPhone/iPod touch, iPad, or Mac! ($0.99)
Read books on your iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad! Lexcycle Stanza brings the digital book revolution to your pocket with a reading interface that is unrivaled in its clarity and ease of use. (Free) iPhone and iPad.
Powerful, and yet beautifully designed, Mental Case can help get things into your head, whether you want to learn Spanish, study for exams like GRE, SAT and GMAT, or are undertaking a legal or medical degree at college or university. Whether it's Anatomy or Arabic, Mental Case is the tool for you. ($4.99) iPhone and iPad
Have you forgotten most of your algebra? Algebra Touch will refresh your skills using touch-based techniques built from the ground up for your iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch. ($1.99) iPhone and iPad
Do you like stars? Star Walk is a stellar augmented reality app that labels all the stars, constellations, and satellites you point your iPad at. You can track the ISS, find out what constellation you’ve been looking at from your bedroom window and get a lot of exciting and educative information. ($4.99)
Give your student a hand up with a schedule management helper for busy school life. ($1.99)
Miss Spell’s Class is an original word game that lets players test their spelling skills against the most commonly misspelled words on Dictionary.com. Players must quickly decide whether each of 20 words is spelled correctly or incorrectly, as speed and accuracy count to get to the top of the class!
A fully featured scientific calculator which looks and operates like the real thing.
Calm the chaos of family life! Cozi makes your phone the ultimate family organizer with a shared calendar, grocery shopping lists, to do lists and a journal the whole family can access on the go.
Studydroid lets you take flashcards everywhere. Type on the phone or online.
Smileys are often seen in forums, chat rooms, emails, and text meessages to express feelings of approval or humor.
A smiley is a sequence of characters on your computer keyboard that communicates feelings such as approval or humor in forums, chat rooms, emails, and text messages. Smileys are usually found at the end of the sentence after the punctuations or even in place of punctuation. A smiley tells someone what you really mean when you make an offhand remark.
Here's a few smiley's to get your started!
Download a full list of Smileys from Gadget Girl Tips!
TGIF Everyone!
Holan, aka Gadget Girl, has worn out many kindles, phones, and anything with an off/on switch while
trying to find tips and tricks of technology. She’s the go to person for family and friends on how to
get the thingy-a-bob to work or an opinion of the next great thing. Holan’s formal training includes
a Bachelor’s in Technology with an emphasis in Graphic Design and a Masters in Technology. With
an energetic spirit Holan knows how to turn techie speak into plain English, she’s hoping you’ll enjoy
reading her experiences with technology.
