How to find the right Tech gift your significant other (Christmas Tips)

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We have all been there!

I know this type of year is always the hardest with some people and I am no exception to the rule!   Christmas is around the corner and your probably still trying to find that perfect gift.   I’ve been there and so has many others out there.   Unlike most others you don’t quite know what He or she will want but do know they like Technology.    If I am betting man I’d have to bet that your sweating in your seat because your are so stressed over finding the perfect gift.

Before I start suggestions, I must tell you some things NOT to do.  Here are some very important points to this:

  • Don’t GO overboard with the gift.   (Not to expensive)

  • Don’t buy an item because you think it is cute.  (Guys don’t want cute)

  • Avoid buying accessories. (You might buy an accessory that doesn’t go with the tech gift!)

  • Don’t buy things from sites that are NEW.  (Your just asking for problems)

These are just a few things that you shouldn’t do.   Nothing is set in stone but you are going to have to figure out what you are going to and stick to it.

Get inside your Tech sweet heart!

Now this isn’t trying to be literal but figuratively speaking.   It is however important to know what he or she likes and buy accordingly.   Some technology gurus like big things and others just like the useful things.   It really doesn’t mean the size of the gift is the most important or the price of the gift.   It however is just that, the thought that really counts.  If you know your other half is complaining about their Cell phone, maybe it is time to think about buying a new plan or even buying an unlocked cell phone.   Have they commented about liking the Kindle Fire?  Or Maybe they like the Ipad, they may even have said they like to have an android device?  Nothing is really set in stone per say but it can be helpful if you think about what your are buying and ask your self this question “Is this something that he will truly love?”

Perfect gifts are all their cracked up to be!

Just because you know that might be the perfect gift for your doesn’t always translate well to the other.   If your like me sometimes the  best approach is to let them decide what they want to buy.   So here are some great ideas:

  • Give Giftcards — They let him buy what he wants when he wants and where ever he wants.   This is something like a good way to give him permission to buy that tech toy that he always wanted but felt you would not allow because of money or some other reason.

  • Prepaid Credit Cards — This is something that is even more simpler than buying a gift card from one site or store.   This allows him to go to any store he choices and buy there.   Again this means you must accept the consequences if he buys something you don’t like or want.   Sometimes men just have to be boys.

I’ve not forgotten about you females!

Although I am a male, I haven’t forgotten about what you might like and though this is mainly a mans perspective and what men would really want that doesn’t mean that you should be left hanging.   So I thought I would try to give some good technology suggest to the men to buy for women.

  • Tablets are great gifts for women — I really hate to say this but I have found my family who are all females simply want to be able to surf the web and do other stuff without the need for a laptop or desktop.  They also like it to be able to read their books while traveling or go to basketball practices.

  • A GPS is good for women —  I for sure know this to be true.   My sister sometimes can’t go anyplace with her GPS to tell you how to get there and for that matter my mother who isn’t good with directions will use a GPS to get to where she needs to go.

If any doubts about it it then you can always refer back to prepaid credit cards for women also and let them choice the perfect gift.   This isn’t going to be rocket science but it is something that everyone has to decide on when it comes to buying that perfect gift.

I hope this helps but I know it is an ever changing world and something new will pop up next year or even before Christmas that they may want.

Merry Christmas

Paul Sylvester

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Three ways on how to NOT waste your Money!

Paul2 Replies

Another Job email!

I know it can be hard to find a job but this email from crmglobalresources.com was one of those that I thought I would talk about even more.

Here is what she said in the email:

Are you still available and looking for a new position? We were forwarded your resume and based upon your background and geographic location it may be a good match. Our Human Resources Department is currently scheduling company overviews this week for several of positions that we have open. I would like you to consider what we have to offer as a company.

We’ve recently launched a new Consulting Division and need individuals for Human Resources, Marketing, Recruitment, and Business Development. Experience is not required, although having a background in any of the above mentioned is helpful.

they also tried to have me join this web conference of there’s.   I didn’t want to  say this is a scam but every time I get these types of emails something just sounds the sirens.   I thought it would be nice for a change to tell you how to find out if a website is trust worthy or not.

Checking out the Business!

Having done this several times, I have come to use Whois.net to check out the background of the domain in question.   The site in question has only been made in the last few months.   No mater where your from you will always want to check out if a site is brand new or has been in business for quite some time.

While looking at Whois, I also see something quite interesting about domain.   Having been around the block and knowing about proxy security.   You get to wonder why this business would be proxying their address and number.

Let Google be your friend!

Never have a once not used a KEYWORD to find out more about company then when I am looking to find out more information about a company.   Never be afraid to ask words such as scam, pay, and whois.  Although these are just a few good keywords there are a ton of ways to find out information that you otherwise would never of found had you only searched for a certain term.

Nothing you put in search is ever going to be 100% right but it will give your more of an idea of what people and news are saying about this.   You can find out everything you might want to know about a business or website just by adding those to your search terms.

Check the website out!

Having been making my websites in the past, I know all to well that there are going to be people who may want a site template and just use that as their website and not change anything else.   You’ll have to check out the site and make your own determination about if it looks like a template website with stock photos and words or if they actually put a lot of effort and time into the website.   The more questions you ask about the website and find out the more you can avoid being scammed.

After doing my research for the site in questions I must say that according to others, you will have to pay them money 199$.   That really isn’t a deal in my mind and I suggest people go someplace else so as to not get ripped off by this so called company.

Paul Sylvester

 

Are you on Fire for Kindle?

Paul

Amazon Introduces the Kindle Fire!

I must say that seeing this is definately something that I would like to get myself. After reading what it will do I am thinking this will make Ipad drop their price. I did predict this a few months back, and I knew it would have to be an Android tablet. This would greatly increase their market share and also get more and more people to buy their Premium Service and that will make it that much easier for people to watch their streaming media also.

Will it Succeed??

I don’t know if it will but I am certain it will make a big impact on what happens in the future. I do hope that the $199 version will allow me to stream on the road without a wifi signal but I can only wait to see. I would guess that if not Amazon would start to offer services for this also probably through Sprint or Verizon since they already have deals with them on their Wireless Amazon Website but then again I could be wrong. Even though I have played around with the Ipad 2, I am still trying to figure out if it is really worth the money to buy it.

This is Eye candy!

I must say just looking at this tablet makes me want to pre-order it now but I will wait a little while before I start buying it because of the price. Maybe in the next few weeks they will drop the price because of the high demand of this tablet. They will make a killing on people buying it just to watch their favorite movies where ever they are without having to boot up their laptops or computers. I can am curious if they will let you download your amazon movies or shows to the tablet so you can view them while on the road or other places. I will definitely have to see in the next few months what Amazon has planned but that would be a nice feature to be able to take my shows and movies with me either on a SD cardor on the internal memory. Although I suspect that is in the design somewhere, I am hoping they do have a card reader on this device if not they should add that for people like to make even more space available for it. I can’t wait to see all the reviews of this and how people like it. I wouldn’t mind getting one of these myself to test and explore even more.

Have a Good day!

Paul Sylvester

Playing with the Apple iPad 2, My Experiences!

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The Apple Tax is something that isn’t desired!

Although playing with this tablet has been something of a dream for me. I thought it would be good to talk about how they charge higher than normal prices for their products. My sister let me play around with her Apple iPad 2 Tablet(64GB, Wifi, Black). After playing around with the tablet, I must say I like this little portable Netflix player. I got to watch movies and play games like Angry Birds Freeand it seems to hold it’s own. I even am tempted to buy Amazon Prime because I could now watch all the Star Trek Episodes ever made.

I’m not saying that it isn’t nice but it is something to consider when you do decide if you want to buy this tablet. So I have been playing around with it from time to time and I thought this would be a great time to talk about the advantages and disadvantages.

It’s sleek design is nice!

Even though I commented about the price, I really do like the way it feels and handle and how intuitive it is. I like the fact that it has 64 Gigabytes of storage for like movies and tv shows that you can take with you on long rides and watch or listen to. It even has a well placed speaker that does really well for the size of the tablet. It seems to be just heavy enough and fast enough to be a very useful portable computer. I even had no major problem with the way the keyboard when chatting with people on Facebook and other social media sites. I could possibly even blog with this tablet if I really wanted to but that would not be very effective in my line of blogging.

It is easily smudged!

This is a down side of using the tablet. You will see smudges from fingers and everything imaginable and there is no way around it. There are several types of screen protectors that would probably do the job but have yet to invest in one to see if there is going to be a noticeable difference. I will investigate this even more and probably do another report on those who might want to buy one. If you have and want to tell me about your experiences then feel free to leave a comment. I welcome in input anyone has on this, since I am really new at this.

Very touchy screen!

I’m really not saying it is a big problem because it isn’t. You however have a choice to be gentle to this and not have to worry about how hard you press. The slightest touch can do what you want. I have however know how hard it is to keep kids from touch the screen so that can be an issue. This however is something that can be good and bad in the same process.

Keep the Kids happy!

Hey I don’t mean to say this is going to be the best possible way to keep the kids from screaming in the car but this is however a great option as to watching videos and other such things in the car while traveling. They can even play Angry birds, If your worried about them destroying the Ipad and you want something that does do videos and other games, you could invest in an Ipod and let them play games or watch videos with it.

All in All, I like it!

It isn’t like I am biased against Apple but I do think they have their issues. For one thing the idea that their systems will never get a Virus is something that I have preached in the past and will always preach. Their Operating Systems will never be secure and that is something they have yet to learn.

I talk about it more later!

Paul Sylvester

Amazon really is Confusing some times!

Paul

Your Amazon.com password has been changed!

Dear [First] [Last],

This is an important message from Amazon.com

As a precaution, we’ve reset your Amazon.com password because you may have been subject to a "phishing" scam.

Here’s how phishing works:

A scam artist sends an e-mail, which is designed to look like it came from a reputable company such as a bank, financial institution, or retailer like Amazon.com, but is in fact a forgery. These e-mails direct you to a website that looks remarkably similar to the reputable company’s website, where you are asked to provide account information such as your e-mail address and password. Since that web site is actually controlled by the phisher, they get the information you entered.

Go to amazon.com/phish to read more about ways to protect yourself from phishing.

To regain access to your Amazon customer account:

1. Go to Amazon.com and click the "Your Account" link at the top of our website.

2. Click the link that says "Forgot your password?"

3. Follow the instructions to set a new password for your account.

Please choose a new password and do not use the same password you used with us previously.

Thank you for your interest in Amazon.com

Sincerely,

Amazon.com

Please note: this e-mail was sent from an address that cannot accept incoming e-mail. To contact us about an unrelated issue, please visit the Help section of our website.

This Happened a Few Days ago, and I thought I would talk about the security implications of this email. Some users and people are thinking this is fake. Obviously, I was concerned like everyone else so I contacted Amazon to find out about this. I talked on the Phone, and talked to a Representative that didn’t really know why my password was changed. So they told me the she’d give my email address to a specialist and that was it.

Account Alert: Please Read

Greetings from Amazon.com.

Please take the time to read this message – it contains important information about your Amazon.com account.

After careful review of your account, we believe it may have been accessed and used by a third-party to attempt to make purchases without your permission. It seems that someone obtained your personal account and/or financial information elsewhere, and used it on Amazon.com to access your account. Please note that no unauthorized charges were completed as we were able to cancel the order(s).

We have taken immediate steps to secure your account. We’ve assigned a new, temporary password to prevent further access by the unauthorized third-party, and removed any credit cards or other payment methods from your account. Additionally, if any information was added to your account by someone other than you, it has been removed. Your account access has been restored and is available to use at your convenience.

You’ll need to reset your password when you return to our site. Just click “Your Account” at the top of our Home page and select “Forgot your Password?” in the Settings section.” Enter your email address as prompted, and once completed, we’ll send you an e-mail containing a personalized link. Click the link from the e-mail and follow the directions provided. Your new password will be effective immediately. Please note that you will need to re-enter your complete credit or debit card number during the checkout process.

It is important to know that Amazon.com accounts can only be accessed by those who know personal, specific information about you and your account, including your email address and Amazon.com password. As mentioned above, it appears someone obtained this personal account information elsewhere and used it on Amazon.com to access your account.

While it is not clear how this happened in your case, we do know that personal account information is often obtained by scam artists who send unsolicited email to unsuspecting users asking them to "update" their account information. The email usually contains a link to a website that is controlled by the thief asking the user to submit personal information including email address, password, credit card number, and other relevant information. Once the information is obtained, the scam artist can then gain access to numerous online accounts since many internet users frequently use the same user name, email address, password, and financial information at multiple web sites.

Please know that Amazon.com employees will *never* ask for your password, nor will we ever send an email asking you to verify personal information.

Although it appears someone did access your Amazon.com account, they would not have been able to view your full credit card numbers as they are never displayed on our site. However, it is possible your credit card numbers may have been compromised at the time your other personal information was obtained. Therefore, we suggest you carefully review recent credit card statements to check for any unusual activity or unauthorized charges.

In the future, you can protect your Amazon.com password and account by following some of these safety tips:

———————————————————————–

1. Choose a good password: Use at least 8 characters and a combination of letters and numbers. Do not use single dictionary words, your name or other personal info that can be easily obtained, or a password that contains part of your email address.

2. Password protection: Avoid using the same password at multiple sites or for your email account. Do not share your password with others.

3. Account protection: Be cautious of unsolicited emails that appear to come from reputable online shops or services that ask you to submit personal information such as your credit card number, email address, and password. Often these emails will look as though they come from the company you’re familiar with, and the email will ask you to click on a link and "sign in". You should never provide this kind of personal information in an unsolicited email.

I don’t know if this isn’t just an automated message because anyone who know me, knows I do listen to Security Now and other such security podcasts. So I know about phishing attacks and other such ways of how someone can get your password. I’ve recommended Lastpass in the past and still recommend it. I don’t get what happened but it looks like they were concerned with my account and decided it need to be restricted until I changed my password. I even like the fact that Lastpass now uses Yubikey as a second factor of authen
tication, which I am quite glad they have implemented this. Great Going Laspass guys.

Don’t Click Links in Emails!

I’ve talked about in the past but I thought it was something that we should at least remind people. If you get an email with a link to your account and you’re not expecting it then don’t click it. You can click links if your resetting your password but those are expected. I always tell people if your not expecting it, talk to the person who sent it to you because they might have a virus or some link that will compromise your account or get your passwords. Remember, surf safe and think about your security.

Security is #1

Paul Sylvester