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Lenovo Yoga 910 Review

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Disclaimer: I was given a Yoga 910 by Lenovo as part of my involvement in their Insiders program, which is an unpaid position.

People are always asking me what computers I recommend, and it usually depends on their situation, and what they will use the computer for, BUT almost always it comes back to a Lenovo Yoga. For a family computer I recommend the Yoga Home, for more of an individual computer or laptop the Yoga 910 is an AMAZING device. The Yoga 910 is perfect for students, business professionals, parents, and frequent travelers.

The Screen:

I am definitely in love with the 13.9″ Multi-touch Ultra HD screen on the Yoga 910. It’s crystal clear and has gorgeous dark black colors. The bezel is minimal, except at the bottom where it’s a bit wider. The reason being that the web cam is at the bottom of the screen. I’m not so sure I love the camera being at the bottom though, as I feel like I’m not looking at the person on the other end of the conversation. It’s not shooting up my nose though, so it’s not terrible.

That Hinge Though:

The hinge is what really sets the Yoga apart from all of the other 2 in 1 devices out there. Not to mention the Yoga was the ORIGINAL 2 in 1! The hinge is not only BEAUTIFUL, it’s really functional (which is what I love most about Lenovo products! They take something and put form and function into the design). The hinge is extremely sturdy, but silky smooth when flipping the screen around to use it in tablet mode. The screen never falls down when I want it to stay up, and that’s really all it needs to do.

Hard Drive:

The model I was given has a 1 TB solid state hard drive. I have SO much space compared to my last laptop! It responds extremely quickly. With so much living in the cloud these days, you can get away with having a smaller hard drive, but I do have to say, it’s really nice to be able to keep my entire Dropbox folder in sync!

Memory:

Again, the model I was given has specs to die for, so I have 16 GB of RAM. I constantly run at least 3 different Chrome windows (with 3 different Google accounts), each with their own plethora of tabs. I also run screen capture software, and video editing, and photoshop, and dreamweaver, and etc etc. I haven’t seen the laptop slow down yet. Especially during times when other computers I’ve had have slowed down like when using Google Hangouts.

Battery:

I LOVE the battery life on this! I had to go to a blog conference, during which I ran a help desk for other bloggers. I took a chance and did not bring my charger. I didn’t even need it by the end of the night! Woot! It’s great to not have to worry about it dying in the middle of the day.

Keyboard:

So, I do have one complaint about the keyboard. I don’t know if it’s because my fingers are so used to my last laptop, but the shift key on the right side is further away than I’m used to. I CONSTANTLY push page up when I mean to press shift, messing up whatever I’m typing. Other than that small complaint, I really like the keyboard. The keys press nicely and it’s not overly loud. The keys are also backlit. The way to activate the backlight is to hold the Fn key down and tap the spacebar. There are 3 levels of brightness to the backlight, which is really nice for all kinds of situations.

The keyboard also features a fingerprint reader. It’s really responsive and I have yet to use my finger more than once to unlock the computer. It’s also more like the phone fingerprint readers, in that you don’t have to swipe your finger over it (like you used to do with older fingerprint readers), you simply press your finger on the square and the computer unlocks right away.

Ports:

There is one USB-C port, and another USB-C port for charging. There is also a regular USB 3.0 port on the opposite side of the other ports, and a headphone jack. I really do wish the laptop included an SD card reader, but they have removed that feature in this model.

Speakers:

The speakers on this laptop are fantastic. It has 2 JBL®stereo speakers with Dolby Audio™ Premium. It’s immersive and really clear. I was able to watch some movies from my Vudu account, and it ALMOST sounded as good as my home theater surround sound (not QUITE that good yet though)

OVERALL IMPRESSION:

I’ve really loved using this laptop. It has quickly become my workhorse machine. I had an older laptop, but I found that I used my desktop more for my daily work. That has changed, and now I use the 910 more for my daily work and the desktop has become secondary. I am starting to get used to the right side shift key placement, and it’s not as much of an issue as it was in the beginning, although it still throws me a few times a day. My only other complaint is that it can be a bit loud at times. It doesn’t overheat (as in it’s never been hot to touch), but it sounds like the fan or hard drive is running a bit overtime. It doesn’t sound like that ALL the time, but it’s definitely noticeable when it does. I say it’s not too bad of a trade off for the amazing specs packed inside such a small frame.

And what laptop is complete without a kick butt sticker collage…

I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.

Give Dad a Tech Makeover for Father’s Day!

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My blog post was written as part of my collaboration with eBay.

We all know that Father’s Day is just around the corner, and we all know that what Dad’s REALLY want for Father’s Day is another tie, right?  Well, today we are going beyond the tie, and letting you know what Dad really wants for Father’s Day is an upgrade in technology.  This isn’t going to be your typical Father’s Day gift guide, this gift guide isn’t for the faint of pocketbook.  Most of the Dad’s I know, would love to have the latest and greatest technology has to offer, and this is the guide that will help you get them there.

Even though this stuff won’t come on the cheap, you can actually find super great deals right on eBay!  They have even put together a great gift guide of their own located at http://www.ebay.com/rpp/gifts-for-dads.  Right now you can also enter to win $500 to shop on eBay by creating your very own #eBayDad collection (hurry though sweepstakes ends on June 1st http://www.ebay.com/celebratecollections).  You can easily purchase these items by checking out my own Tech Dad Makeover collection on eBay.   So let’s see what kind of technology needs upgrading in Dad’s life?

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PHONE – One of the pieces of technology that Dad uses constantly.  The latest and, in my opinion, greatest smartphone on the market right now is the Samsung Galaxy S5.  This phone is SPEE-DY!  My Husband was recently playing with mine and kept commenting on just how darn fast the phone is compared to his old phone (and his old phone is only a year old).  The S5 has a great back to it that won’t show every single fingerprint and smudge that comes it’s way, and the screen just can’t be beat.  Plus it’s water resistant, so it’s going to survive if Dad is testing out the sprinklers getting ready for spring.  It can also connect with other super cool tech items like the Galaxy Gear watch and the Gear Fit to round out the whole tech package.

LAPTOP – Aside from the phone, the laptop is probably what gets used more than any other technology item that Dad has among his technology products.  Whether Dad travels often, or just moves around the house a lot, the Lenovo Ideapad 11s is the perfect device.  It’s actually the device I’m using to type up this list right now!  The screen can flip all the way around so that the laptop can become a tablet to use to browse through magazines with Next Issue, or just watch videos through Netflix.  Windows 8 devices work best on a touch screen and the 11s delivers!  Although it is a teeny device, it packs some serious power into it’s tiny body, making it great for productivity AND for playing around on the internet.  Is there a Pinterest for guys?

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TABLET – If Dad needs a tablet that can be a productivity workhorse, and his company uses several Microsoft products (including Outlook for email) a windows based tablet is going to be your best bet.  Some office places need to have a Windows machine to run certain applications as well.  A Dell Venue Pro will definitely fit the bill for this type of Dad.  Others could want the benefit of the Google Play store with it’s plethora of apps to choose from.  A new Samsung Galaxy Pro is going to be what you should go with in that situation.  Either way, a brand new tablet is sure to put a smile on Dad’s face!

TV – 3D is the wave of the future, and more and more TV’s are going to be 3D capable.  Dad wants to see all of the action from the Avengers in glorious 3D!  If you’ve got the wall space I recommend an Epson Powerlite Home Cinema 2000

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Seriously, who needs to go to the movie theater with one of these at the house!  With the ever increasing cost of going to the movies as a family, this is such an awesome solution!  Plus, there is nothing like an outdoor movie night in the summer!

If you want to go with a standard TV though, the rule to follow is “there is no such thing as too big”  A 64″ Samsung Smart 3D TV will guarantee access to Hulu, Netflix, Vudu and all of the other great streaming services without the need to plug it into anything else.

GAMING SYSTEM – Much can be said about PS4 vs. XBOX One, but seriously what can I say that hasn’t already been said better by Sheldon Cooper…

The truth is, if the Dad in your life is a hard core gamer, go with the PS4, if he is a casual gamer and likes several other forms of entertainment, it’s probably best to go with the xbox.  We have a PS4, but my hubby is a total gamer.

PRINTER – While often it can be cheaper to just go out and buy a new printer than it is to purchase ink for your old printer, everyone could use a little upgrade to their printing capabilities.  A nice photo quality printer will help Dad whether he’s printing off March Madness brackets, or his favorite picture of him and his dog.  Also, it’s best to get a printer/scanner/copier all in one unit like the Canon PIXMA MG6320, so there should be no need to stop at the FedEx store to make a few copies.

CAMERA – GoPro is to Dad’s what DSLR’s are to Mom’s.  If you don’t believe me, head to any preschool graduation/elementary school event/dance recital, an count just how many moms are sporting a DSLR camera.  Dad’s on the other hand don’t want to be bogged down with a large camera, they want to capture the action as it happens, and therefore they need a GoPro.  This small, light weight camera can go down the river, on the ski lift, camping, etc and with it’s protective covering there is no worry about the camera getting damaged.  Plus the picture quality is truly no joke.  This thing takes FABULOUS videos!

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We’ve hit just about every area of tech where Dad could use an upgrade, so hopefully you can see where his tech is lacking and get him the latest and the greatest this Father’s day.  If you want to go a little more traditional (and maybe just a bit cheaper) check out my other eBay Collection featuring all the things that the guys in my life would love to get (maybe I’d love to get them too, but SHHHHHHH)

I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.

Best Gadgets for Back To School

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It’s August, and while I’d say a good deal of people actually go back to school in September, our school district only starts a couple weeks from now!  So with all the school supply lists making their way to your shopping list, I’m going to let you know the things that won’t exactly be on the list, but could definitely be beneficial for your back to school needs.

High School and College Age

A Tablet/Laptop Hybrid – Something like the Lenovo ThinkPad 10 (which is very similar to the Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 2 that we are giving away right now!)  is a perfect device for students.  It’s more like a tablet making it super light and portable, but you can purchase an additional keyboard to make it just as functional as a laptop for all those papers you need to write.  The best part for a student about the Lenovo is that it comes with a digital pen, which will make taking notes of diagrams from teachers and professors so much easier!

High Tech Calculator – You know at some point in your children’s educational career a graphing calculator will end up on the list.  The good news it’s a great investment.  Heck…. I STILL have my TI-82 from when I was in high school (almost 20 years ago), and it STILL works!  There is a great little comparison chart on the Texas Instruments webpage to help you decide which calculator is right for your student’s needs.

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A Student Planner App – I’m sure your high school bound or even college bound student already has a phone, which is why it’s not included here as a “new purchase” need.  What they may NOT have though, is a killer student planner app.  The My Homework app is the BEST student planner available.  One of my favorite things about it, is that it’s available cross platform (meaning they have Apple, Android, Windows and even web based ways to access your information)

Portable Power – With all these high tech devices, power is something we are always trying to get more of.  A portable charger is basically an essential now.  You could chose something super functional and powerful like the myCharge, or something stylish and fun like the Halo Pocket Charger.

For All Ages

Storage – As you create papers, and do research projects, you are going to start amassing files.  Lots and lots of files.  I carry a USB drive on my keychain to have my important files available to me at all times.  Even if you use a service like Dropbox or OneDrive, it’s nice to have physical copies, just in case there ever is a reason you can’t access the files from the web.  USB drives are very in-expensive now, and you can get 16 GB for around $20 or less!  Once you get into college though, and you need more storage (maybe your entire ripped DVD collection, or your vast array of music?) something like NetGear’s ReadyNAS might be just the ticket.  NAS stands for Network Attached Storage, meaning exactly what it sounds like.

For the Younger Folks

A Computer – Now you don’t have to go out and get your child their very own computer, BUT I do recommend having a computer that is mainly for the children’s use.  Many schools have homework that is online.  For example my daughter’s math assignments are located on a website and she does all the problems through the web.  When you have several children, and they all need to get online to get their homework done… one family computer just isn’t going to cut it.  I recommend something smaller, so in case they need to spread all their books out on the kitchen table, the computer is able to come with them.  My favorite right now is the Lenovo Yoga 11s.  You can stand it up in “tent mode” while you are looking through books, use it as a tablet, or just use it as a regular laptop go write a paper.  It’s a great little device that will be powerful enough to handle all of your kids’ needs.

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A Form of Communication – Parents these days get really nervous about when their child isn’t in their care.  I guess parents were probably ALWAYS nervous, but now with constant access to technology, we want to know their every move… because we CAN.  If sending your child off to school all day, or to sports practice, or to any other extra curricular activities (even just going to a friends house after school) makes you break out in hives, then maybe it’s time to get them a way to communicate with you.  Sprint offers a great little device called WeGo that will definitely help ease your mind.  Gone are the days of carrying a quarter with you “just in case” (do payphones even still exist??)

I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.

Dorm Room Tech on a Dime

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I don’t know about you, but I paid my own way through college.  As a college student, you learn fast that money certainly doesn’t grow on trees, and hopefully start looking for ways to utilize technology on the cheap.  Well, look no further cause I’ve got the roundup you are looking for to get your frugal tech on!

Cell Phone – So I’m sure you’ve had a cell phone for a while, but you may be branching out and paying for your own service now.  It can get pretty pricey!  Luckily there is a phone service I think is just exactly right for you.  It’s called Scratch Wireless.

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You purchase your phone through them (like you would on any other carrier), but the trick is that the service is absolutely FREE!  How it works is that when you are connected to a wifi network, you may receive phone calls, and do all the wonderful things a data plan can do.  When you are away from a wifi network, the data and the phone stop working, but you are still able to text.  If you really need data for some reason for a day or even for a weekend, you can pay for a “day pass” to get access to the data network.

Entertainment – You don’t have to spend a fortune on a smart TV.  You can give any TV the ability to stream all of your favorite shows and movies… and even more with a Roku streaming stick.

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It will plug into the back of any HDMI capable TV (so you could definitely find a TV in your price range that should work with it).  Since dorm rooms are pretty small, and likely lacking in a ton of outlets, the stick doesn’t need to be plugged into anything else but the TV.  You wouldn’t need a cable subscription or even a DVD player to enjoy a ton of entertainment.  Perfect solution for dorm room movie night!

Power – speaking of lack of power outlets, the Pivot Power Jr. is the perfect surge protector for tight quarters like a dorm room.

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The flexible nature of the power strip lets you put it wherever you need it, instead of just where it will fit best.

Laptop – When I was in college many moons ago, I did have a computer.  It was a beast of a tower that took up my entire desk, but I was definitely one of the few people in the dorms that had one.  Now it seems like a requirement to have some sort of laptop when attending college (side question… do people even still go to the computer labs?  Do they still HAVE computer labs?)  A GREAT laptop, that isn’t going to break the bank too much, and can double as a tablet and much more is the Lenovo Yoga 2.

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The size of this laptop is perfect for toting around in a backpack all day long, awesome for reading books in tablet mode, and of course it’s main purpose, to help you write those papers!

Sound – Last but not least, you’ll definitely want a way to blast that music while you are working on a project.  For this you will need a portable Bluetooth speaker.  You can stream the music right from your phone or your laptop so there is no need for another device to play all your favorite “study songs”.  The Oontz is the absolute perfect device for you!  Not only is it inexpensive (some models are only $30), but they have great reviews on Amazon and elsewhere!

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They come in a variety of styles and colors, so it’s sure to match your dorm room no matter how you’ve chosen to decorate it.

 

I must warn you though.  Nothing you buy will ever top what I had in MY dorm room…

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I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.

Creative Names For Your Wifi Network

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How many times have you attempted to connect to a WiFi network only to be presented with a list of random router makes and numbers? How in the world can you know which router your friends and family members have? And when you ask which one is theirs, they don’t even know.

Well, you can’t name your friends’ networks for them, but you can be courteous and name your own network something distinguishable. Some people have lots of fun with this. At the very least you can change the network name from Netgear51 or CenturyLink22 to your surname—just to mark your territory.

How do you change your network name?

As with all your other router settings, these are accessed through your router admin page. Most routers have a sticker somewhere on its body that will tell you all the pertinent information you need to access the admin page. If you removed that sticker for some reason, try Google. Google knows everything.

  • Type your LAN IP into your browser’s address field like you would any other web address. It starts with http://, and is followed by numbers separated by periods, something like http://192.168.0.1
  • You will be prompted to input the default admin ID and password, which should also be listed on the sticker on your router. If you’ve set up your own password and ID to get into the router admin page…hopefully you remember what it is or have it written down somewhere.
  • Once you type in the correct credentials, you should have complete access to all your router settings.

Changing your WiFi Name 1

Every router make has a different page, but all you need to know is that you need to change the SSID (service set identifier) or Wireless Network ID. The SSID is the name of your network, and what will be broadcast when people are in range to see your wireless network.  You can choose not to broadcast your SSID, and it won’t show up at all, but that definitely makes connecting new gadgets to your network a little bit more of a pain.  I can change this in several places, but if you’re having trouble finding it, look under Advanced Settings> Wireless.

What should you name your network?

Some people like to use their network name as an indicator of their personality, to hint at their sense of humor or make pop culture references. Others use their network ID to discourage interlopers and freeloaders. There is no limit to what you can name your network, although I would definitely refrain from using expletives if your have your network set as visible. Some of my favorite network names I’ve seen out there are:

Wutang Lan

Mordor

This Lan is my Lan

This Lan is your Lan (to distinguish the guest network from your home network)

The Promised LAN

The LAN Before Time

The router Gotham deserves (this MUST belong to Bruce Wayne. Who else could it be?)

Tell my wifi love her

Pretty fly for a wifi

Hide Yo Kids Hide Yo Wifi

It hurts when IP (hee hee, a little geek pun for you)

Drop it like it’s hotspot

Mom use this one (this one was no doubt lovingly named by her helpful offspring)

My son is smarter than me (ditto)

Abraham Linksys

Nacho WiFi

You’re music is annoying (not a recommended way to make friends with the neighbors)

Your grammar is annoying (if you go the insult route, you can expect a rebuttal)

404 Network Failure (not going to deter an actual hacker, who would know this is a ruse, but it just might prevent freeloaders or annoying relatives from trying to connect)

Also, there are a bunch of FBI Surveilance, SWAT type names out there but they are getting way overused. Try to come up with something else.

Anyway, have fun with it because every time anyone within a one block radius connects to a WiFi network they will bear witness to your creativity and awesomeness via your Network name. Just another way to win friends and influence people.

I’m a technological enthusiast with a completely unrelated degree in English Literature. I’ve also been known to dabble in photography and DIY furniture refinishing, with occasional stints of fitness sprinkled among all of the above.

Your Collection Anywhere – Using a Plex Server

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Back in January, during CES, a nice lady from Lenovo and I were chatting over lunch.  She says to me, “we have this huge collection of Baby Einstein DVD’s, but we have no way to play them on the go!”  I thought about it for a second, and instantly knew the answer to her question.  I told her I’d write about it (I gave her the solution right then and there too), and now, ummmm 10 months later, I’m making good on my promise.

The answer is a Plex server.  A Plex server is basically a personal cloud storage for all of the DVD’s and other media that you own.  Back when I was younger, and was trying to imagine the future of media, I thought what we would have is a large jukebox type thing where you just select which movie you want to play.  It would grab the disc and play it in the DVD player without you having to touch it.  Mainly I just didn’t want my kids to touch my DVD discs.  I didn’t imagine how wonderful having ALL of your movies right there and easily selectable with a remote control could be.

So, how do you set up a Plex server?  I’m so glad you asked.

The first thing I did, was I set it up on one of the computers in my house.  I was not happy with the performance of this setup.  The computer was on the wifi, the playback device (typically my Roku) was on the wifi, and playback was spotty at best.  So, I knew I wanted a device that was a computer that we wouldn’t use on a regular basis, that I could plug directly into the wifi router.  It needed to be small, so it would fit on top of the cabinet where my wifi router was, and it needed to have plenty of space.  I researched, and finally settled on a Lenovo Tiny.  It had everything I needed.  I did make sure to get the 2TB model, so I could have enough space for the movies I’d put on it.

Once I got the computer, I went to the Plex website and downloaded the free software.  When you are putting it on a Windows machine, it’s really just as simple as an install to get it running.  If you are going to put it on something like a NAS device though (stands for Network Attached Storage, which just means a whole lot of digital space that is attached to your home network) the setup could get a little tricky.  Luckily they have tutorials for you for each type of device.

They also have this great get started video.

As mentioned in the video, you can choose your media library, but if you are sitting on a mountain of DVD’s, how do you get those into files for importing into Plex?  I’ve used DVDFab, Freemake, and MakeMKV.  I like them all for various reasons, but my favorite one to use is DVDFab.

If you are going to be ripping a Blu-Ray, you will need to have a Blu-Ray drive for your computer, otherwise a regular DVD drive will be just fine.  You simply put the disc in the drive and tell the software what kind of compression you want.  Since I’m a total snob when it comes to video quality, I usually select “Passthrough” which means it’s not going to compress the file at all.  It definitely takes up more space, but the quality is fantastic.

***Please note I DO NOT ADVOCATE STEALING!  I only approve of making digital copies of DVD’s and media that you OWN.***

Plex is absolutely free if you are going to use it just on your home network.  If you want access to your media remotely, you can purchase a monthly Plex Pass, which will also allow you to share your library with other people.  I recently got my entire collection of Boy Meets World episodes up on my Plex server so a friend of mine could check them out!  It’s awesome!

I still love my Vudu account for any movies I buy now, which is where I store all of my Ultraviolet movies.  I love Plex though, especially for those movies that are not yet available digitally through vudu or Netflix, especially my vast collection of exercise DVD’s.

Please feel free to ask me any questions about getting your own Plex server set up!

I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.

Lenovo Rocks #CES2015

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CES is an insane place to be.  There is SO much to see.  So much innovation, so much technology, so much of everything I want and need in my life.  It’s insane, but it’s super fun!  This month I had grand plans to feature a new product every day, and here we are halfway through the month.  Catching up from being away for the week has really taken it’s toll.  BUT I’m now ready to feature all of the fantastic things I saw at CES.  So get ready!

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We are starting out with the awesome things I saw from Lenovo.  First up is probably one of my favorite innovations of the show.  That is the AnyPen technology from Lenovo.  I want NEED this technology in my life.  I’m a stylus girl at heart.  I’ve mentioned it before.  It must be due to the fact that I’ve been using a digital planner since the invention of the Palm V (I actually worked for Palm during the Palm 3 days, but I didn’t actually get one of my own until Palm V).  Those early Palm Pilots came with a stylus, and I was hooked.  Since I was coming from a paper planner obsession, the stylus was essential for me, and I find that I still prefer using a stylus with my tablets (which is why I currently carry the Lenovo ThinkPad 10).  So picture this, a tablet that you can use ANYTHING to write on it.  The pen from the bottom of my purse, the pencil in my daughter’s backpack, the knitting needle I have nearby (totally kidding…. I do NOT knit), anything can be used to write on this tablet!  Although, I probably wouldn’t recommend writing on it with a sharpie, permanent ink is still permanent ink.

Here’s a video of me testing it out…

Then they went and took it a whole step further.  They introduced a program called WRITEit, which will take your handwriting and turn it into text in ANY field you are trying to type in.  So, for example, I’m using my tablet with AnyPen technology, and I open up my web browser, I can tap in the search field and start writing like I normally would write on paper, and it will add the text to the search field.

These two things combined just opened the door for all of those people clinging to their paper notebooks and planners with their ninja like grip.  This can totally bridge that gap for them so they can see how much more useful carrying a tablet is than that pad of paper!  I literally can not wait to get my hands on this device.

Lenovo also announced the Lavie laptop.  It’s hard to tell from the photo, but this laptop is AMAZINGLY light weight.  I’m not even kidding.  When I picked it up it felt like it was a toy, or something like a display model that doesn’t actually turn on… but it DOES!

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The other tablet that blew me away was the Yoga Tablet 2 (10 inch model) that has a projector INSIDE the tablet!

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This is seriously one of the ultimate mom devices.  Throw on a movie for the kids from your tablet ANYWHERE!  Plus with the other modes (stand, hang, tilt, etc) there will not be a shortage of ways to utilize this device.

Of course there were also a great deal of things to see from Motorola (who is now owned by Lenovo), and I’m itching to get my hands on a Moto 360 SmartWatch, and the MotoX with it’s custom designs.  But the last device to blow me away from Lenovo was the ThinkPad Stack.

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It’s hard to tell from this image, but the stack of accessories fits in your hand and pulls apart and connects with magnets to make it super easy to use.  The stack contains an external hard drive, a power bank to charge your devices, a mobile hotspot, and a Bluetooth speaker.  You can mix and match the accessories, and purchase as many or as few of them as you wish.  I love that they all work together and only need one connection to your laptop.

Needless to say I had SO much fun checking out the latest tech from Lenovo!  I am dying to get my hands on all of the above!

Disclaimer:  I am a member of Lenovo Insiders, and am not compensated for my participation in the program.  However, this post is also written as part of a campaign through Techlicious.  All drooling and opinions are my own though.

I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.

My Favorite Things to Do With My Yoga 3

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At the end of November I got a fun package in the mail courtesy of Lenovo….

I was SO excited about this new machine.  I had been using the older version of the Yoga, and was really excited to try out this thinner, sleeker device.

The first thing that will stick out to you when using looking at this computer is the awesome new “watchband hinge” they utilize.  Not only is it pretty cool to look at it feels super solid as it moves through the various modes the YOGA has made famous.  Here are my favorite uses in each mode…

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In laptop mode, I’m a powerhouse of productivity.  I connect it to my external monitor, because once you go dual screens, you can’t go back.  I typically have web on the left screen, because most of the stuff I do is on the internet (my to do list, my blog, calendar, etc etc), on the right I have my email, so I can make sure to grab important messages as they come in.  No matter how great they make tablets, they can’t make them into the productivity powerhouse that a laptop can bring you.

In the kitchen is where I use tent mode almost exclusively.  I open up Pepperplate and find my favorite recipe, and I’m all set to start cooking.

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I’m a total movie and TV junkie.  I LOVE my entertainment.  In stand mode is where I use Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, and Plex.  Each app fills a specific need, and yes, I pay for them all.

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Then comes the times when I’m sitting and waiting for swim practice to finish, or just lounging around the house.  This is when I get to catch up on all my magazines in tablet mode.  Next Issue is my absolute favorite app.  I pay $16/month and have access to ALMOST all of the magazines I could ever want to read (they are still missing Women’s Running, and a couple others that I’d love to read, but all the important ones are already there.  The best part of the app is that I don’t have to get a whole bunch of paper copies in the mail, that I almost never read, that just end up as clutter.

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Of course, last but not least, my favoritest thing to do with my YOGA is … Yoga!

What would be your favorite thing to do with a YOGA?

Disclaimer: I received the YOGA 3 from Lenovo, but was not compensated in any other way for this post.

I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.


Tech Gifts For Kids

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We’re coming down to the wire on Christmas!  If you haven’t found that perfect gift for the people on your list yet, this week, I’ve got you covered.  Every day will be the top 5 tech gifts to give to the different people in your life!  Today we start out with the Babies/Toddlers!

Tiggly – There is a great deal of toys that are coming out that interact with devices.  The Tiggly is by far one of my favorites for Toddlers.  There are currently 3 packs you can purchase.  One for learning Math, one for Shapes, and the other for words.  I have always been such a sucker for educational electronics, and Tiggly does not disappoint.  One of the great things about the Tiggly sets, is that they aren’t limited to a single app.  Each set has several different apps to choose from, and they are continuing to develop more, so there is always something new on the horizon once you have the core set.  Tiggly works with both Android and iOS devices, which makes it awesome in my book.

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Incredbooks – Again we are talking about virtually interacting with real objects.  Incredebooks are really very fun.  You have a real book, that you can read all on it’s own, but if you have your tablet handy, pages of the book can come to life!  My Son, who’s Mickey Mouse obsession truly knows no bounds, is seriously in LOVE with his “Mickey and Donald’s Rhyme Time” book.  They also have a Frozen book, but our house isn’t that into Frozen.

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Tag Jr. – What I love about the entire LeapFrog line, is that it really doesn’t expect your child to just learn everything through the device.  It encourages parents to get involved with the systems.  I fully credit LeapFrog devices as what had my Son reading like a champ at age 3.  I’m not even kidding.

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Nabi Jr. – If you are looking for a starter tablet for your children, the Nabi devices are by far the best suited for the job.  They have a ton of parental controls baked right in, and has an AMAZING educational system called Wings.

Osmo – My ONLY complaint about the Osmo is that it only works with iOS.  If that wasn’t the case I would be have the biggest crush on this product.  I already have such a crush on it, that I’ve lifted my “no talking about your product until it’s available for both Android and iOS” rule for it.  It’s a lot like the Tiggly, but definitely more for the older kids!  The Tangrams are probably my favorite because it teaches problem solving skills, but I really love all of the apps.  My kids use the drawing app the most, as you can take a picture of something in real life and then be able to “trace” the image onto real paper.  My daughter especially likes to use it to make mashups of Pokemon and How to Train Your Dragon characters.  She’s really very talented at it, and this is just helping her increase her skills.

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Kano – I am SO excited about this product.  On my Son’s Christmas wish list he wrote “My Own Computer”.  Now, he’s 6… I’m not going out and buying him a brand new desktop or a laptop.  I DID think this was the perfect opportunity to give him a computer that he can MAKE himself!  Both of my children are very into coding… what can I say… they have me for a mom, it’s in their blood.  So, I’m super excited about teaching my Son all about the inner workings of a computer and how to create things with it!

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I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.

Lenovo’s New Accessories at CES

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This post is sponsored by Lenovo

Lenovo is already well known as a company that makes amazing PC’s, but they also have some great accessories that I was completely blown away by!  What really made me fall in love with Lenovo to begin with was they way they make awesome enhancements to their products.  Such when they made a handle on a tablet, which secretly holds a larger battery to give the tablet amazing battery life!  It’s that little something extra that completely sets Lenovo apart from other companies.  This year at CES they continued to show that they are still thinking of ways to add innovation to every day products.  Check out my video of my favorites

The first product that blew me away was the Lenovo Link.

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I currently use Push Bullet to get text messages and other phone alerts on my computer while I’m working.  I can respond to text messages from my computer, but any other alerts I need to pick up my phone to deal with.  Lenovo link is a device you plug your phone into, and then plug into your computer and it will bring your phone’s screen onto your computer screen.  The most awesome thing about this device is the price!  It’s only going to be about $40 and available in March.  You better believe I will be purchasing one on release day!

Next I was able to play with the Lenovo Yoga Mouse.

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The mouse can flatten out for portability, like some other mouse models out there, BUT the Yoga mouse will display some controls on the flattened mouse so you can use it to control a presentation or your media files!

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Lenovo released the ThinkPad Stack last year, but this year they have added a few more pieces!  In addition to the Bluetooth speaker, the wireless hotspot, the hard drive, and the mobile charger, they have added a projector to the mix, AND a wireless charger!  I love it!

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I have spoken before about how much I love my Lenovo Tiny, which runs my Plex server, and our Minecraft server.  I have now met the upgrade I will be purchasing to replace it.  The ideacentre 610S is the perfect device to run your media components like a Plex server.  First the design is fantastic, and will integrate nicely with your entertainment center.  It doesn’t LOOK like there’s a computer sitting up there, it looks more like a speaker.  The other awesome thing, is you can purchase a projector that fits right on top of it!  If it’s running something like your Plex server, you won’t even need a TV to hook it up to!

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Lenovo is seriously just hitting it out of the park with it’s attention to detail and constant innovation, that really makes me a Lenovo customer for LIFE!

I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.

Lenovo Yoga 910 Review

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Disclaimer: I was given a Yoga 910 by Lenovo as part of my involvement in their Insiders program, which is an unpaid position.

People are always asking me what computers I recommend, and it usually depends on their situation, and what they will use the computer for, BUT almost always it comes back to a Lenovo Yoga. For a family computer I recommend the Yoga Home, for more of an individual computer or laptop the Yoga 910 is an AMAZING device. The Yoga 910 is perfect for students, business professionals, parents, and frequent travelers.

The Screen:

I am definitely in love with the 13.9″ Multi-touch Ultra HD screen on the Yoga 910. It’s crystal clear and has gorgeous dark black colors. The bezel is minimal, except at the bottom where it’s a bit wider. The reason being that the web cam is at the bottom of the screen. I’m not so sure I love the camera being at the bottom though, as I feel like I’m not looking at the person on the other end of the conversation. It’s not shooting up my nose though, so it’s not terrible.

That Hinge Though:

The hinge is what really sets the Yoga apart from all of the other 2 in 1 devices out there. Not to mention the Yoga was the ORIGINAL 2 in 1! The hinge is not only BEAUTIFUL, it’s really functional (which is what I love most about Lenovo products! They take something and put form and function into the design). The hinge is extremely sturdy, but silky smooth when flipping the screen around to use it in tablet mode. The screen never falls down when I want it to stay up, and that’s really all it needs to do.

Hard Drive:

The model I was given has a 1 TB solid state hard drive. I have SO much space compared to my last laptop! It responds extremely quickly. With so much living in the cloud these days, you can get away with having a smaller hard drive, but I do have to say, it’s really nice to be able to keep my entire Dropbox folder in sync!

Memory:

Again, the model I was given has specs to die for, so I have 16 GB of RAM. I constantly run at least 3 different Chrome windows (with 3 different Google accounts), each with their own plethora of tabs. I also run screen capture software, and video editing, and photoshop, and dreamweaver, and etc etc. I haven’t seen the laptop slow down yet. Especially during times when other computers I’ve had have slowed down like when using Google Hangouts.

Battery:

I LOVE the battery life on this! I had to go to a blog conference, during which I ran a help desk for other bloggers. I took a chance and did not bring my charger. I didn’t even need it by the end of the night! Woot! It’s great to not have to worry about it dying in the middle of the day.

Keyboard:

So, I do have one complaint about the keyboard. I don’t know if it’s because my fingers are so used to my last laptop, but the shift key on the right side is further away than I’m used to. I CONSTANTLY push page up when I mean to press shift, messing up whatever I’m typing. Other than that small complaint, I really like the keyboard. The keys press nicely and it’s not overly loud. The keys are also backlit. The way to activate the backlight is to hold the Fn key down and tap the spacebar. There are 3 levels of brightness to the backlight, which is really nice for all kinds of situations.

The keyboard also features a fingerprint reader. It’s really responsive and I have yet to use my finger more than once to unlock the computer. It’s also more like the phone fingerprint readers, in that you don’t have to swipe your finger over it (like you used to do with older fingerprint readers), you simply press your finger on the square and the computer unlocks right away.

Ports:

There is one USB-C port, and another USB-C port for charging. There is also a regular USB 3.0 port on the opposite side of the other ports, and a headphone jack. I really do wish the laptop included an SD card reader, but they have removed that feature in this model.

Speakers:

The speakers on this laptop are fantastic. It has 2 JBL®stereo speakers with Dolby Audio™ Premium. It’s immersive and really clear. I was able to watch some movies from my Vudu account, and it ALMOST sounded as good as my home theater surround sound (not QUITE that good yet though)

OVERALL IMPRESSION:

I’ve really loved using this laptop. It has quickly become my workhorse machine. I had an older laptop, but I found that I used my desktop more for my daily work. That has changed, and now I use the 910 more for my daily work and the desktop has become secondary. I am starting to get used to the right side shift key placement, and it’s not as much of an issue as it was in the beginning, although it still throws me a few times a day. My only other complaint is that it can be a bit loud at times. It doesn’t overheat (as in it’s never been hot to touch), but it sounds like the fan or hard drive is running a bit overtime. It doesn’t sound like that ALL the time, but it’s definitely noticeable when it does. I say it’s not too bad of a trade off for the amazing specs packed inside such a small frame.

And what laptop is complete without a kick butt sticker collage…

I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.

Going Green with the iGo Power Smart Tower (Review)

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I was lucky enough to receive a Power Smart Tower along with my Charge Anywhere from iGo.  Not only does it look FANTASTIC on my new desk, it’s the perfect “house” for my headset.  As most of you know I run an IT helpdesk.  I use my headset all day long, and I HATE things cluttering up my desk.  So right off the bat I was in love with my new toy.  I also like how clean the tower itself looks.  I was able to run all my cables behind the tower, which helped pick the cables up off the floor (which was good because my son liked to pull on all of the cords under the desk when I had everything plugged in underneath the desk).

Not only does it provide a nice looking place to power all of my desktop accessories, but it’s also helping the planet!  iGo Green® Technology automatically reduces wasted standby power. Plug in your computer and other devices to save power without the hassle of unplugging your devices.  As you may know, even when a device is turned off, if it’s still plugged in then it’s still getting power from the outlet.

The only real way to cut out that power usage is to unplug the device from the wall.  With this tower you do not have to do that.  It has 4 plugs that are “always on” for devices that need constant power.  The other 4 plugs are using the iGo Green® Technology which automatically powers down outlets when not in use and powers back up again when devices need power – reducing standby power by up to 85%.

The Tower also has 2 USB outlets in the front, for when you just need to charge a device, like your phone or iPod.  I love that I don’t have to plug the phone into the computer to charge it.  I just plug it into the tower and I’m good to go.

The design also has some cool features too.  It has cable management built in, so you can run all of your cords through the bottom of the Tower.  This cuts down on the “birds nest” that can happen around your surge protector.  There are 4 “fixed” plugs that are just straight like you would plug into a wall, and then there are 4 rotating plugs that can move up and down to accommodate different sizes and shapes of plugs.  This is really great, because I am never able to use all of the plugs available to me on a regular surge protector because one plug is always ginormous, and takes up about 3 plugs.  That doesn’t happen with this tower.  The last thing on the design is the plug that goes into the wall.  it is flat so it will be able to fit behind desks and isn’t sticking out of the wall.  It also can turn 360 degrees to make sure the cord is always flush with the wall no matter which direction the cord is going.

Needless to come right out and say, I am definitely in love with this tower.  Not only does it look great on my desk, and give me a super convienent spot to store my headset, but it’s also helping my bottom line (electricity bill), and helping the environment.  Another WIN for iGo!  Keep the great devices coming!

*Disclosure – iGo provided me the Tower to facilitate the review.  All thoughts and ideas on the device are my own, and I was not compensated in any other way for this review.

I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.

No! This is NOT a Macbook Air (Dell Adamo XPS Review)

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Dell Adamo XPS next to a bag of microwave popcorn and my Palm Pre

When I was selecting a new computer to replace my XPS M1330 (aka Elle) I briefly glanced at the Adamo XPS.  I initially didn’t want it because I wasn’t sure how I’d like the wedge design.  Some of the reviews I read complained about the long end of the laptop digging into your thighs when using it on your lap.  I was also nervous about the hinge when I was typing.  I didn’t want the laptop to move as I typed, so since I wasn’t able to check it out in person I went with my Studio XPS 16.  I brought my laptop to EVO Conference with me, and while I do love my Studio XPS 16 (aka Powder), it is large and a bit heavy to be toting around a conference all day.  For my daily use, it’s perfect, because I love the extra screen real estate and I don’t need it to be extremely portable.  As I was preparing for BlogHer though, I knew that I wouldn’t want to bring Powder.  I’d be walking around at a conference all day, not to mention traveling to New York City.

So I sent a request to Dell to test out the Adamo XPS while I was at BlogHer.  Since I am a Dell Customer Advisory Panel member, they agreed, and sent me the Adamo XPS for a month to use while I was at BlogHer.  The first thing I noticed about the machine is how thin it is!  The Adamo XPS is the thinnest laptop on the market today.  It is AMAZINGLY thin.  I’ve included a picture of it next to a bag of microwave popcorn and my Palm Pre to show how thin it really is.  Yes, I really need a better camera… sorry!  When closed the keyboard nests inside the screen to make it one nice smooth piece.  Next I wanted to check out the two things that made me nervous about the laptop to begin with.  I opened it up and put it on my lap.  It really wasn’t as uncomfortable as I thought it would be.  Since the laptop is so light, I never felt like it was digging into my legs.  The second thing I was nervous about was how sturdy the laptop would be as I typed.  I am most definitely NOT a “hunt and peck” typer, so I typically rest my hands on the laptop and type quite quickly.  I knew this would put pressure on the keyboard and thought it may try to close the laptop.  I was pleasantly surprised that it stayed put and didn’t budge a bit.  Even when teetering on my leg it never felt like it was going to close on me. 

With my two fears out of the way, and my trip quickly approaching, I put some files that I’d need on the laptop and loaded some much needed programs such as Tweetdeck.  I also added a couple movies to the laptop to watch while on the airplane.  When I traveled to Texas to go to the Dell Customer Advisory Panel I brought Powder.  When I brought it out to watch a movie on the plane I felt like the laptop was taking over the entire row.  I ended up watching my iPod instead so as not to disturb my neighbors.  With the Adamo XPS loaded up I was ready for my trip!

Traveling with the Adamo XPS (since the laptop was a loaner, poor thing doesn’t have a name) was a dream!  When I was going through security with Powder, it was kind of a pain to take it in and out of the case.  I also had to travel with the Studio XPS 16 when I went to California with my children recently.  It would have been REALLY nice to go through security with the Adamo XPS.  Since I had a baby in one arm, and had to keep my eye on my 4 year old, taking Powder out of it’s case didn’t work out very well with one hand.  Going through security with the Adamo was a breeze though.  Since it is so thin, none of the parts got caught on anything, and it slipped easily in and out of my laptop case (granted I didn’t have my two children traveling with me this time though).  While on the plane it was also really easy to access the laptop.  I didn’t even have to move my laptop case, I just opened it up and slid the laptop out.

When I arrived at the hotel for BlogHer, every time I pulled it out I was asked “Is that a Macbook Air?”.  To which I always replied, “HECK NO!”  I would then show off the wonderful device that is the Dell Adamo XPS.  They were always completely impressed.  I toted the laptop around IN MY PURSE during the entire conference.  Whenever I wanted to take some notes I was able to quickly pull the laptop out and keep track of the various classes I was attending. 

I attended a class on advanced WordPress, and I was able to work on one of my not in use blogs from the laptop just like I was sitting at my main machine back at home.  I also had an emergency come up with one of my clients while I was at the conference and was able to take care of their issues from the laptop without a problem (well, the internet was a bit slow, but that was because there were about 2400 people on the wifi at the hotel). 

While it is super thin, performance wasn’t really an issue.  It has a Core 2 Duo processor, which is actually the same processor in my main laptop at home.  It also has 4 GB of RAM (my old computer also had 4), and a 128 GB Solid State hard drive.  Since it is so thin they would not have been able to put a larger regular hard drive in the chassis (the casing of the laptop).  It also does NOT have a CD/DVD drive.  I would say that I rarely use a CD/DVD drive except for when installing programs.  Almost everything is downloadable these days, and I actually have an external CD/DVD drive at home, so I can always just plug that in if I needed it.  I never missed this functionality at all.  The one port I WAS sad to lose was an SD card reader.  I don’t even know where the USB cord is for my camera because I always just pull the SD card out and take the pictures right from the card.  While at BlogHer I wanted to upload the video of me speaking at the Voices of the Year Keynote.  I had to put my SD card in my roommate’s camera, and plug her camera into my laptop in order to transfer the video. 

Speaking of the Voices of the Year keynote.  I also found it amusing that 2 of the 3 “Geeky/Nerdy” speakers used a laptop to read their post from instead of a printed out piece of paper, myself and Liz Henry.  It wakes up from standby very quickly, so I was able to keep the laptop closed until right before I went out on stage, and then opened it and walked out and read my post.  I closed the laptop and carried it offstage, as if it was a piece of paper, because it seriously felt almost as thin as one.

All in all, I say bravo to the designers at Dell!  This ultra portable laptop has become my favorite new toy.  I even tweeted that the laptop may happen to get “lost in the mail” on it’s way back to Dell headquarters, because I like it so much!  It feels completely solid, not flimsy like I was nervous it would, and is definitely a head turner.  Especially when people discover that it’s a PC and not a Mac.  Long live the PC!

I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.

Cisco Valet Review / Giveaway

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When I was first discussing a review opportunity with Cisco, I mentioned that I probably wasn’t the best person to try out their new Cisco Valet, which is touting itself as the easiest home wireless setup ever.  Since I would already know exactly what I was doing when setting up the router, I couldn’t be a very good job at figuring out how “easy” it was to set up.  What I approached Cisco with was a “home wireless makeover” for a local friend of mine so I could see if one of my non-techie friends could figure it out all on their own.  They were definitely on board!

I approached my friend Katie, who actually didn’t even have a wireless network in her home at all.  Just the thought of that is shocking to me, since I’ve had Wi-Fi for a VERY long time.  She is a stay at home mom to 2 small boys (toddler and a preschooler!).  She has no idea what she is doing when it comes to technology and computers.  She even told me that her husband asked her if she wanted any pointers before I came over so she could at least have a little bit of tech smarts before we got started.  She kindly refused, as she knew that this was all part of the experiment.

When she opened the box, she asked me if this was all there was.  I told her to tell me if that was all there was.  She knew right then that there would be no help coming from me on this setup.  Right on the box top it says exactly what the first three steps are, which are plug the Easy Setup USB Key into the computer and click “Connect”.  Once she did that the Cisco Connect software told her to plug the router into the wall for power, and then plug the “internet” cord into the “internet” port on the router.  After that step was done it told her to plug the cable in from the router to the computer.  She thought she had already done this and so we continued.

At first the software couldn’t find the router.  So I peeked in the back and noticed that while she had plugged the cord into the router, she forgot to put the other end in the computer.  I had her attach that cord to the computer and the software was able to find the router, and before we knew it the router was securely set up and she was connected to the internet!  As she was looking at the Cisco Connect software she even said “Oh wow, this thing has Parental Controls?… Cool!”

Our next step was to get their laptop connected to the network.  She took the Easy Setup USB Key and plugged it into the laptop.  Again she clicked connect from the USB Key.  The computer found the network and connected itself to it, and was up and running on the internet literally in seconds.

I checked out the network, and it’s secure.  It created a unique SSID (the name you see when you are trying to connect to a nearby network) so that it doesn’t say “Katie’s Network” or something to that effect.  It generated a password for the router, so it’s not the standard username: admin, password: password.  This way anyone trying to get on her network wouldn’t be able to connect to the router’s administration page without knowing it’s unique password.

So, I’m happy to say that the “Easy Wireless Setup” truly lived up to the hype.  This stay at home Mom was able to figure the whole thing out with little to no help from me or her husband!  I will be talking more about what a quality router can do for your home network tomorrow in my review of the Linksys E3000 (also made by Cisco).

Cisco was not only kind enough to provide me with a router to give a friend, but they have given me one to give away right here on my blog as well!  To enter to win a Cisco Valet, simply leave a comment on this post.  As always only one entry is allowed per person.  Giveaway will close at 8 PM MST on October 24th.  Good LUCK!

*Thank you to my friend Katie who put her technical skills (or lack thereof) on the line to help me with this review.

I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.

Linksys E3000 by Cisco, Review

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Since I wasn’t the right candidate to review the Cisco Valet, Cisco also decided to send me a router that was more up my alley.  Enter the Linksys E3000 (also made by Cisco).  I was so excited when this came in the mail.  Our previous router was also a Linksys, and it was still working perfectly, despite being a few years old.

I plugged in the router, and was really amazed at how easy the initial setup was.  I put the CD in my computer and it connected to the router and configured a secure network with a unique SSID (again the word you see when searching for networks to connect to on your wireless laptop).  Since I’m a more advanced user though, I immediately went to the web interface of the router to configure the network to MY specifications.

I logged on to the web interface, and was very familiar with it already as it was quite similar to our old router’s web interface.  The first thing I do when configuring a new network is change the Subnet.  This is the IP address range of the network.  So typically it will default to 192.168.0.1.  The network will then follow suit and assign IP addresses (the unique identifier to each device on your network) according to that range, so the first device on the network would be 192.168.0.100, then 192.168.0.101.  I like to change the range to make the network more secure, and to make sure it won’t conflict with other networks when I try to connect to a VPN (Virtual Private Network, which means I’m adding my computer to a network at my place of business even though the computer is still at my house).

After I change the subnet, I change the administrator password, and then I changed the SSID because while I love that they gave me a network name of SillyMonkey, I would rather have something different.  I set up everything exactly the way I wanted to, and then is when I ran into trouble.

The router defaults to having a guest network enabled.  Not that I don’t love my neighbors, but I wasn’t interested in handing out internet to my street.  So I went to turn off the guest network.  You can not do this from the web interface.  I remembered seeing it in the Cisco Connect software, so I went to that.  Except now I was no longer able to get into the Cisco Connect software because I had changed too many things in the advanced configuration.  This is a major flaw in the setup.  If the setting is not available in the Advanced Web interface, and I can ONLY set it in the software, I should be able to access the software to set it.  OR I should be able to change the setting in the advanced area.  I informed my contact at Cisco that this was a major flaw, and they informed me that they were aware of the issue, and were working on a fix for it.  I did, however, find a workaround on the internet (that is probably not the most recommended way to go, but it totally got me in).

Linksys E3000 Turn Off Guest Access after Advanced Setup…

  • (this is for advanced users only who will no doubt find this post when searching Google for a solution)
  • Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Cisco Systems\Cisco Connect\Settings (on a Windows 7 machine) right click on “settings.xml” and edit it in a notepad.  Change the SSID, WirelessPassword & Admin Password to whatever you set yours to in your advanced setup.
  • Save the file and you should be able to get back into the Cisco Connect software to turn off the Guest Network.

Now onto what the router does well!  First, before I plugged the router in, I downloaded the latest Pink album from my Zune Software.  It took 4 minutes for the entire album.  THEN I plugged the router in, and got it all set up.  I deleted the album from my computer and then downloaded the Clean Version of the album (that way it wasn’t the exact same download, but it would have the exact same file sizes.  I downloaded again… this time it took 2 1/2 minutes!  A FULL minute and a half quicker!

The E3000 has SIX internal antennas.  My previous router looked like an alien head with 2 antennas sticking out of the top.  The device itself looks GORGEOUS, and easily blends into the furniture so it’s not completely obvious that there is a router there.  We have several devices connected to this router including… Wii, PS3, Xbox, DirecTV, 4 (yes, even the 1 year old has his own computer, none of which are wired with a cord to the internet), and my daughter’s Blu-Ray player in her room, on the complete other side of the house and upstairs from the router.  All of the devices connected easily to the new router, and all have seen an internet performance increase.

I have been very happy with the E3000, and it works perfectly for the amount of traffic we send it’s way.  Don’t forget to enter the Cisco Valet giveaway!

I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.


How To Backup Your Computer {WD Passport Review/Giveaway}

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I know you’ve heard me say it over and over again.  You KNOW you have to backup your computer.  Hardware fails every single day, and if you don’t have a plan in place to backup your computer you are just asking to lose all of your pictures/videos/documents etc!  I prefer backing up to an external hard drive.  I currently use a Western Digital Passport.  Online backups (to me) take too long, and I don’t like the idea that I have to be online to restore.  What if my internet is down when I need to restore my files?  What if something gets corrupted in the transfer?  I just prefer to have my backups with me at all times.  Here are some of my “best practices” for having a good backup at all times.

Do NOT leave your external hard drive plugged into your computer at all times, or plugged into power at all times.  Typically an external hard drive has the same kinds of parts as your internal hard drive.  It’s just in a nice plastic casing to protect it.  Would you leave your PC turned on ALL the time, even when you are sleeping?  There is a reason that PC’s have a sleep or hibernate setting.  You want to rest your hard drive, and the rest of the pieces of your computer from time to time.  You wouldn’t leave your car running at all times either, right?  So it is with an external hard drive.  If it is constantly plugged in, it is constantly spinning the disk inside.  that takes power and causes wear and tear on the internal parts.  An external hard drive running in this manner will fail sooner than later.  Best practice is to plug in the hard drive during the backup.  When the backup is complete then unplug and store it in a safe place.

Offsite backups.  Companies do this, and you may not have to be super crazy about it, since it’s just your personal data, but a good idea is to have your backup stored in a place that can’t be damaged when your home gets damaged.  Two good places for this is to either store your backup at a friends house, or in your car.  If you are getting out of the house during a fire, you may not remember to grab your hard drive.  So to save you the hassle, backup to two different hard drives.  Store one near your computer for easy file retrievals (say you accidentally deleted that file you’ve been working on for months, luckily your backup is there to save you), and store the other one in the car or at your friend’s house.

Come back tomorrow for the rest of the best practices for backing up your computer!

Western Digital was kind enough to give me an external hard driveto use with my review.  It’s ultra portable, and can hold up to a TB of data (that’s 1,000 GB).  My backup transferred to the hard drive lickity split and it’s a sleek black and blends in nicely with my desktop.  I hardly know it’s there!  They also offered to give two of my readers a 500 GB PassportTo enter to win the external hard drive simply leave a comment on this post.  As always, only one entry per person.  Giveaway will end on Sunday November 21st.  Again there will be 2 winners!

I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.

Logitech Performance Mouse MX Review / Giveaway

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I absolutely hate being limited to the area of a mouse pad.  I have a glass desk though, so I had to use a mouse pad.  That is until I received the Logitech Performance Mouse MX.  This mouse has Darkfield Laser Tracking, which enables the mouse to track, even on glass surfaces.  Microsoft’s mouses can’t even do that yet!  Not only does it track on my glass desk surface it has tons of other great features!

First the ergonomic design of it makes it very comfortable to use.  There was a time a few years ago that a few of my fingers were twitching.  I found that after I switched to a Logitech mouse, they stopped.  This was because the design of the mouse allowed my hand to be positioned naturally instead of twisting to conform to the mouse.

At first my husband did not like the mouse.  The center scroll wheel in particular.  I on the other hand LOVED this feature, but what we found was that it was easily turned on and off.  They way I like the center scroll wheel is the free flowing scroll.  This means with one little flick of my finger it will scroll itself automatically to the bottom of the page, unless I stop the wheel with my finger.  This feature is incredible for forums, amazon.com pages, wikipedia, and other long web pages.  The button directly underneath the scroll wheel is what will toggle the feature off, and the scroll wheel will track down the page one “click” at a time.

The mouse has a removable, rechargeable battery.  This is great, because a while back my old Logitech mouse stopped holding a charge.  Next time I can just replace the battery instead of the entire mouse.  Recharging is also a piece of cake.  When I first got the mouse I was a bit disappointed, since my old mouse had a docking station that would charge it.  I was disappointed until the first time I had to charge this mouse.  It’s a simple cord that plugs in, which just makes it more like a wired mouse.  You can still use the mouse when it’s charging, and when it’s finished, you just unplug the cord and your back in wireless action!  With my old mouse in it’s little convenient dock, I was unable to use the mouse while it charged.  For the record, I consistently get about a week of extremely heavy use before I have to recharge.

My last favorite button/feature on this mouse is the Windows Selector.  It’s right by the thumb and when I press it, all of my Windows appear on the screen so I can easily select the screen I need to get to.  I remote control computers for work, and there are times when I want to see all the windows on my screen, but don’t want to move my mouse because it will move something on the other person’s screen.  When I use this button it helps me get to exactly where I want to be without disturbing the other computer.  I also like it a bit better then Window’s Alt-Tab when it’s not the last screen I was viewing that I want to return to.

The little USB key that connects the mouse to the computer is called the Logitech Unifying receiver.  This is great especially for laptops and netbooks.  It’s very small and can connect several Logitech devices, such as a keyboard, number pad, or even another mouse, without the use of an additional USB key.

Definitely the best mouse I’ve used, and Logitech was kind enough to give me one, and one to give away to one lucky reader!  Simply leave a comment on this post to be entered.  One entry allowed per person.  All the giveaways in my month of giveaways are ending on December 24th.  Good luck!

I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.

Dell Inspiron Duo Giveaway

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Unfortunately there is not a review portion of this post, since I don’t actually have the product… but ooo baby will I be jealous of my winner!  Friday I’m posting my review of the Dell Inspiron One, so make sure to check back in for that and the link to enter the giveaway for one of those, which will let you know all the fun features of the Dell Stage.  The Dell Stage is loaded on all Dell Touchscreen computers, and has a fantastic paint program, drum kit, and many more things!  You’ll find out all about it on Friday.  Today though it’s ALL about the Inspiron duo.

The Inspiron duo is a 10″ tablet/netbook.  So the device is about the size of the iPad.  The device is touchscreen, but flip the screen around and there is a keyboard.  I may have mentioned this before, but a friend of mine, who is a huge Apple fanboy and who also has an iPad one day was caught using a Netbook.  I asked this friend where his iPad was, and he replied, “sometimes you gotta get some work done”.  HA!  One of the reasons I believe it’s harder to work on an iPad is that there is no physical keyboard, and you have to rely on “apps” to get the job done.  With the Dell duo you have the full power of Windows 7 at your finger tips.  It also has the Intel® Atom Processor N550 which gives it great performance.

So the question is… do you prefer a touchscreen or a physical keyboard?  Now, with Dell’s new Inspiron duo convertible tablet you don’t have to choose between a touch screen or keyboard, you can have both!

Answer the question of what you prefer (touchscreen or keyboard) in the form of a comment to enter for the chance to win a brand new Dell Inspiron duo with Intel Atom Processor N550.  Visit Dell’s Inspiron duo page here, http://dell.to/91zPAJ, and come back and leave a second comment telling us your favorite thing about the product.  (each comment will gain you an entry).

I usually don’t do this, but for a THIRD entry into the giveaway you can send the following tweet…

Have you seen the new #Dellduo, the tablet/netbook hybrid! Check it out and enter to win one from @Tech4Moms! http://bit.ly/eUpvgY

Don’t forget to come back and leave a comment about your tweet, or you won’t get credit!

Good luck to all!!

Don’t forget to check out the rest of the giveaways for this month.  All giveaways will end on December 24th!  So get those entries in! (there are 15 total)

I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.

Swiss Army Goes Hi-Tech!

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While at CES my husband and I were walking around the different booths when I saw out of the corner of my eye a gorgeous booth with the Swiss Army Knife logos everywhere…. I thought to myself… “What the heck is Swiss Army doing at CES?”  I had to go check it out!  Little did I know how much I would like their booth and their products.

So to answer my initial question, apparently Victorinox (the company that makes Swiss Army Knives) has ventured into some awesome technology.

First up is their USB drives!  They have these super slim USB drives that come in an assortment of colors.  The size on these drives is amazing too!  They have 32 GB and 64 GB drives.  Plus they have a Duo which has 2 drives (either 2 32’s or 2 64’s).  That’s a ton of space to carry around on your keychain!

The security on their drives is incredibly advanced as well.  Located on the drive when you plug it in is a secure.exe file.  When you run this file you can set up the USB drive for security.  When someone else goes to plug the drive into their computer they will not be able to access the files until they enter the correct password.  They believe in the security of this device so much that they offered a 250,000 cash prize to anyone able to crack the device in 2 hours, using any method.  You can check out the details http://www.victorinox.com/content/news_page/nc_NEW_secure_contest_20101112.  The prize money has gone unclaimed 3 times now!

The security software allows you to store various passwords so you always have them with you, and backup your outlook and other data automatically.  You know what a fan of backups I am!  This way your backup is always close AND secure!

For an added level of security some of their USB drives even have a fingerprint scanner so you can only access your data with your fingerprint!

Then we get to the grand daddy of USB drives… the Presentation Master.  When this device becomes available I’ll be doing a full review of it, but here’s the nutshell…

It’s got bluetooth so you can track forward a Powerpoint presentation.  It’s got a laser pointer.  It’s got the fingerprint scanner to secure your USB drive.  It’s got a knife.  It’s got scissors.  It’s got a nail file!  THIS is a Swiss Army USB drive!  Beat THAT Leatherman!

*Disclosure – Victorinox was kind enough to put their press kit on one of their Slim USB 32 GB Drives, and so I am now the proud owner of that device, but they did not pay me or compensate me in any way for this post.  I just thought it was super cool, and wanted to talk about it.

I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.

My Router was Broken! (Cisco Linksys E4200 Review)

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For a few days I had been trying to figure out an issue in my home.  It was really bugging me, and I just couldn’t pinpoint the source of the problem!  I was trying to get my downstairs computer to communicate with my upstairs computer, and namely the printer upstairs.  The printer itself is wireless, so there should be no reason the computers couldn’t talk to it.  All computers involved had Windows 7, and all computers were on the internet just fine.  Each computer could see the wireless router, each computer could see the Xbox and the DirecTV (both of which are plugged directly into the router).  Yet, none of them could see each other!

I tried changing which computer was the host for the Homegroup, nada.  I tried to find each computer based on their IP address, nada.  No matter what I did, all computers could see the router and the internet, but none could see the other computers on the network.  If the computer can see the router, and access the internet, the router couldn’t be the problem… could it?  The answer was YES!  I started researching a new router and came across the Linksys E4200 by Cisco.  Admittedly, I drooled a little when I came across it.  It looks really gorgeous, it’s thin and black and sleek looking, and would look perfect with all of my other entertainment related hardware.

The router arrived, and I was excited to see if it really was going to fix my network issue in my home.  I plugged it in and started to configure it.  I had a complaint about an earlier version of the Linksys router, that I was unable to turn off the guest access after I had configured the router using the web interface of it.  I’m happy to report that this has been resolved, and the guest access has been added to the web interface.  Whenever I get a new router, I change the default IP address of the router.  Typically they ship with an IP address of 192.168.1.1.  I like to change it so that it doesn’t conflict with other networks, and so it is harder to discover from the outside.  I do a different one each time, like 192.168.30.1 or 192.168.35.1.  Just whatever I’m feeling.  I was able to set everything up exactly the way I wanted to.  If you don’t have the extensive networking knowledge that I do, there is a simple CD that you put in your computer and it will set up your network, securely, for you!

So the question on everyone’s mind…. did it fix my networking problem?  YES it did!  As soon as I got the network all set up, I went back to my computer to see if it was finally able to see the other computers on the network, and especially the printer, which was the whole point to begin with.  I was able to see the router, the Xbox, and all those computers that were missing from my network before.  I was able to set up my Homegroup in Windows 7, and they are all communicating perfectly!

I had a good router before, so the difference in the internet connection is hard to say.  It’s a bit faster, but I’m not blown away by the speed.  I’m still able to watch Netflix in HD just fine, and YouTube videos playback quickly without a need for the download to “catch up” with the video.

Another fun thing about the router is that you can plug in an external hard drive.  Here is what’s great about that.  You can put all of your videos, music, pictures, etc on the external hard drive and plug it into the router.  Every computer and device on your network will be able to access your music no matter which computers are turned on.  In a normal network, in order to access the music on one computer, it has to be turned on.  This way you can save power by not having to keep your desktop computer with all the music files turned on, and just access them all from the router!

As opposed to last time, I really don’t have any complaints about this router.  It’s been quietly working for me, AND resolved my issue!

Disclosure: I contacted Cisco to see if they would send me the router to help resolve my issue, and they (thankfully) obliged.  So, I was given the router for free, but no other compensation for this post was given, and all opinions and networking issues were my own.  

I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.

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