Every year it’s the same, millions of people wake up early in the wee hours of the morning – before the sun even wakes up – with a belly full of turkey to venture into the malls of America for…a deal. A really, really, good deal. The day is affectionately called Black Friday. Not because it’s dark outside the morning after Thanksgiving Thursday but because it’s the first day merchants historically begin making a profit for the calendar year.

Stories of amazing finds are often reported but rarely had by most. Those too-hard-to-believe opportunities are the hype that draws the pack to the stores of crazed buyers such as last years TJ Maxx’s sale of $399 iPads which the store never carried before nor did after it sold out in seconds of opening its doors that cold Friday morning.

You can find true deals, however, without the need to wake up first thing in the morning and you don’t even have to leave your home. Most Black Friday sale items run the course of the weekend and are available online as well, according to the examiner.com. I know five years ago I purchased a full-sized side-by-side fridge and freezer from Sears for nearly half off on a relatively quiet Saturday afternoon the weekend of Turkey Day.

So, what will be the deals this year, you ask? Mark LoCastro at dealnews.com sent us a nice little chart (below) of some of its predictions for 2011.

Topping the list are HDTVs. Expect something to really happen here since Best Buys recent earnings showed these electronic toys to fall harder than a 60″ LCD off the wall onto your living room floor. The economy isn’t enticing anyone to spend money on TVs and with most homes filled with thin screens at this point, there is little reason to replace existing models. Well, if you do need to replace that 60″ that did fall onto your living room floor, dealnews thinks you’ll see them as low as $699.

Next on the list are laptops. The basic no thrill models will hover around $200 with nicer desktop replacement models around the $700 mark. Apple? dealnews thinks free shipping (you can get that most of the time anyway) and maybe a 5 to 10% discount on the iPods and MacBooks is what you’ll see. I accept that as well since that’s about what Apple has done in years past. In other words, don’t waste your time looking at Apple too long.

Amazon, Samsung, and Motorola, however, will want to save you some money and dealnews says watch out for some sweet tablet and eReader reductions.

The one I’m most excited about is $50 network enabled Blu-ray players. Sony has a nice unit that you can control with your iPhone. I hope to get that one…if priced right.

Noise cancelling headphones are probably the best sort of headphones on the market today to help get rid of unwanted sounds. When choosing noise cancelling headphones there are actually two different types; you can choose from active noise cancelling headphones or passive noise cancelling headphones. Each pair works a little bit differently, however each pair has the same end result in mind, and that is successfully reducing unwanted noises.

Passive noise cancelling headphones work to muffle offending sounds. They have a special design known as circum-aural sound dampening. Basically this means the headphones are built into the shape of cups. These cups are then made to fit the entire perimeter of the ear. These cups are constructed of high density foam. This foam is specially made to muffle or reduce the decibels of certain sound waves. As a result, passive noise cancelling headphones can keep out noises as high as 20 decibels.

The second class of noise cancelling headphones is active ones. Active noise cancelling headphones are made of a design similar to that of the passive models. Again the circum-aural dampening design is used but another feature is added on to the active noise cancelling headphones. Technology has been created to be part of these headphones and they are designed to eliminate unwanted sounds.

A microphone is included in the active noise cancelling headphones to pick up sounds from the surrounding environment. These would be any sound that cannot be muffled out by the foam in the headphones. The sound is analyzed so the active noise cancelling headphones can then create the exact opposite sound. This sound is then made by the headphones and neither this sound, or the annoying sound, are ever heard by the ear.

There are significant implications when choosing active noise cancelling headphones. For instance, there is no longer a need to hike up the volume of a device in order to try to block out the background sounds. The active noise cancelling headphones do this job for you. This helps save your eardrums from music that is way too loud.

Between the two methods, active noise cancelling headphones are the better option to preserve your hearing. If you want anymore information visit lindy.co.uk.

I often marvel at people today. What happened to my generation? I won’t even ask about the younger ones from Gen X and down. Where did manners go to? I can’t believe how many people yawn without covering their mouth. Dude, major rude! Forget elbows on the table, we have people talking with food in their mouth! How about opening a door for a lady? I know I live in California where the liberals live heavy and some women can be confused for men by their look, but still, manners people.

Well, if you’re curious or just needing help yourself, then I would suggest you head over to the App Store now for your free download. Yes, there’s an app for that. Thankfully Lisa Gaché, CEO of Beverly Hills Manners (BHM), has released a free application that will help you with social graces, dining (forks AND knives please!), business, and even childrens etiquette. There’s even a spot for first impressions. Etiquette Tips fills brings news bits to the app keeping it fresh and fun to use.

Take a read of the Press Release for more deets.

Press Release
Leading etiquette expert Lisa Gaché, CEO of Beverly Hills Manners (BHM), announces the launch of the first “BH Manners” application for the iPhone and Android phones, currently available as a free download.

Gaché says, “Good manners are on the rise. People seem to be realizing that good manners and behavior are becoming a lost art, as ill-mannered celebrities are so frequently glamorized in the media. Releasing this manners app is our contribution to the many people seeking guidance for healthy personal interactions in the world.”

Having quickly established herself as the go-to-gal for all things manners—especially for parenting—Gaché’s straightforward and insightful commentary offers not only enjoyable entertainment, but also helpful tips and suggestions to improve one’s own presence and behavior.

The Beverly Hills Manners app is the ultimate etiquette coach for people who demand on-the-go expert advice. Chock-full of information for both personal and professional use, app topics include: first impressions, social graces, dining, party, business and children’s etiquette.

Gaché adds, “This app provides users with timeless education on a modern device. It’s perfect for someone in a pinch that needs that last minute coaching before a job interview or a hot date!”

Gaché’s guidance covers everything from dating do’s and don’ts, to email etiquette, interviewing skills, the art of apologizing and the rules of re-gifting. She also frequently offers new advice on her popular blog, Protocallout (http://protocallout.blogspot.com/) and on her Twitter (@Protocallout) and Facebook(http://tinyurl.com/bhmanners) pages.

For more information, please visit www.beverlyhillsmanners.com.

Gune now searches the additional 14 options: Google News, Bing news, Picasa, Friendfeed, Wikipedia, Delicious, YouTube, Flickr, IMDB, Bing images, Scribd, Metajam, Amazon and eBay.

Gune already offered, simultaneous web search on Google and Bing, with page of results generated by its own algorithm. Now added news search, with the same principle. Moreover, Gune do searches in Picasa and Friendfeed, using their algorithm and present the results in a unique page.

Gune is available for all mobile platforms, through the app can be downloaded for free at the address below. http://www.handycase.com/gune/pc/

“Instead of mobile sites that offer searches with tools offered by the Google and Yahoo, where you go, copy the code and paste it into your site. We chose to develop and offer our own system and of course search on Google and Bing, is meta-search the best and most traditional model, but 100% mobile.” Explains Ricardo Garay, CEO Handcase.

While the iPad is simple as slicing butter with a hot knife for some, others wouldn’t even know how to wake it from sleep. That’s who Wallace Wang wrote “>My New iPad for. Helping with the basics such as syncing and sharing photos, calendars, and contact information, readers will be effective with their new tablet within a few minutes of opening the cover this No Starch Press book. Wang shows in easy to follow screen captures and well written instructions how to set up email, shop for music or video in iTunes, books in iBooks, how to rearrange icons and change wallpaper, as well as setting parental controls and privacy settings. My New iPad even shows one how to edit Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents using Apple’s iWorks suite of tools for the iPad.

Apple has done extremely well in putting the power of a smartphone into millions of peoples hands, most of whom have never had anything more than a standard cellular phone, bringing powerful tools with ease to the masses. The Cupertino-based company that invented the personal computer now hopes to bring that type of revolution to millions with its innovative tablet. Much like the iPhone but oddly different, the iPad may be a jewel buried deep in the hills to many. A large collection of iPhone users only use the basics of the wunder-phone never really knowing the potential of what they have in their hand. The iPad suffers from the same “blessing”. Wang has written a book that completely removes the mystery of the iPad and holds the hand of the timid first-time iPad user revealing features that one may have never discovered on their own.

I was impressed with My New iPad not from the view of being educated, as I already knew of every subject touched, but from a newbie stance. This book would be perfect for my mother who is a technical person but not a technology one. She’s not dumb, far from it, but she didn’t grow up in the Digital Age as I have. This book would walk her through everything she would need to get the most out of an iPad, even web browsing which she does in a limited way on her iPhone. The way the book is written and aided by the screen captures is excellent. She couldn’t go wrong. I easily could see the flow of Wang’s writing and never once did I ever think I was reading a dry and clinical user manual. Even as a user that knows this stuff inside and out, I was interested in what Wang had to write.

If you have a friend or family member considering an iPad but just doesn’t “know” if they are ready to make the leap from computer to tablet or they are just intimated by the whole idea, get this book and put it front of them. It will be well worth the $25 investment. It’ll serve them far better than any cheap plastic case at the same price.

Weather Central’s MyWeather.com division launched an iOS4 version of 2010 PinPoint Lightning™, the only iPhone application with live lightning strike data and alert notifications. Available via the iTunes store, 2010 PinPoint Lightning is currently ranked 3rd on the iTunes “Top Paid Weather Apps” list. 2010 PinPoint Lightning is the first app to register cloud-to-ground lightning strikes within 30 miles of a user’s geo-located position. The app delivers rapid alerts enabling individuals to take immediate action to ensure their safety.

Using patent-pending technology, PinPoint Lightning identifies a lightning strike’s location by latitude and longitude, and then determines the nearest street intersection. The app sends alerts and displays the time of lightning strikes and their distance from the user’s current location. Immediately following these alerts the user sees a street level view of the location of the most recent strike and a display with specific information; for example, “Lightning Strike, 1200 Main Street, 2 miles NW from Your Location at 2:06 PM.”

In addition to geo-located notifications, the app is equipped with animated local and national radar displays as well as a variety of terrain options. With the ability to save up to 10 locations, 2010 PinPoint Lightning helps individuals make informed decisions about lightning dangers not only for themselves, but for loved ones, business concerns, public facilities and other interests whose safety and behavior may be impacted by severe weather. (Note: The App is operational in the Continental U.S. and Canada only and where a data connection is available.)

During the app’s development process MyWeather consulted with lightning strike survivors and community members to ensure the app’s effectiveness and ease of use as a safety tool. PinPoint Lightning™ not only alerts individuals of lightning’s presence but also empowers them to make more informed decisions in dangerous weather situations. Bill F., a Tampa, FL resident, relates, “My wife and I were in Las Vegas visiting family while my young grandchildren were in the pool. If you’re not familiar with Vegas, it’s quite rare that they experience “rain”, much less hear thunder or see lightning. Therefore, when my PinPoint strike alert sounded I was truly shocked! The skies were clear and the storm cell was truly out of sight (13-14 miles away by the mountains). In fact, I thought I was receiving a strike alert from my previous location, Tampa, FL. I actually came close to ignoring the sound, but out of habit checked my iPhone. I was surprised to see the strike alert was for Vegas and close to our location. Getting the kids out of the pool was paramount. I know it sounds overdramatic, but it’s one of those situations where you had to be-there to really appreciate the true value of PinPoint Lightning’s capabilities.”

Lightning is the most deadly weather event on the planet, surpassing both tornadoes and hurricanes in yearly death toll averages for the past 30 years*. With summer’s severe weather season underway, it’s more important than ever that people protect themselves from the dangers of lightning.

To learn more about 2010 PinPoint Lightning and sign-up for a chance to win an iTunes gift card visit www.PinPointLightning.com. ]]> http://svenontech.com/2010/08/10/pinpoint-lightning-app-gives-you-striking-real-time-storm-information/feed/ 1 http://svenontech.com/2010/01/12/veggie-lovers-can-now-get-delicious-tvs-chef-toni-fiore-meals-on-the-iphone/ http://svenontech.com/2010/01/12/veggie-lovers-can-now-get-delicious-tvs-chef-toni-fiore-meals-on-the-iphone/#comments Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:52:26 +0000 Sven Rafferty http://svenontech.com/?p=7841

All Art Media, Inc. today announced the launch of VegEZ for iPhone and iPod Touch. Created by Delicious TV, VegEZ features 50 of Delicious TVʼs newest and most popular recipes along with 32 companion videos that offer step-by-step instruction, meal variations, and practical tips along with ingredient lists for shopping, bookmarked favorites, and email links to share recipes with friends.
Regular viewers say one of the best things about the show/podcast is that the visuals give them a feel for Toniʼs easy, flexible style of cooking and makes it easy to enjoy the benefits of vegan food without the trouble of completely changing the foods they already eat. One viewer wrote, “Iʼm not a vegetarian, but if I keep making your delicious recipes, I might end up one – at least a few nights a week.” Easy to make, delicious to eat – what could be better?
For todayʼs home cook with a full time schedule, VegEZ provides easy, fun, family- friendly meals that are healthier, greener, and always delicious. Watch quick prep meals and have the recipes at your fingertips.

Delicious TV is currently developing an additional two new vegan web series for 2010. Stay tuned!

Other World Computing (OWC(r)) http://www.macsales.com, a leading Mac and PC technology company, today announced that it has completed its series of free, step-by-step online installation videos for all available upgrades for MacBook and MacBook Pro machines. Now owners of the earliest 2006 models to the latest 2009 “Unibody” machines can upgrade memory, hard drive and/or optical drive components in as little as 10 minutes for greater performance over factory configurations.

A Faster Mac In 10 Minutes

The OWC series of free online upgrade installation videos for MacBook and MacBook Pro models are rated from an “Easy” to “Straightforward” level and can be performed at home as quickly as an estimated 10-minute installation time. The complete series of installation videos for MacBook and MacBook Pros, as well as videos for Mac tower, desktop, and iPod battery installs is available at: http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/

“One of OWC’s founding principles is to maximize the usefulness of existing resources. Whether a customer has a legacy Mac or the latest machine, these videos are an invaluable resource for getting greater performance from their Mac and/or extending its useful life,” said Larry O’Connor, CEO, OWC. “With the typical service center charging upwards of $80 for an easy memory install, MacBook and MacBook Pro owners can save both time and money by utilizing this free resource.”

Memory Upgrades From $29.79, 7200RPM Hard Drives From $64.99

OWC Memory Upgrade Kits priced starting at $29.79 are available up to 8GB for MacBook and MacBook Pro models and are backed with a Money Back Guarantee and OWC’s Lifetime Advance Replacement Warranty. Additional money savings are also available through OWC’s Rebate program, which provides $5.00 Cash Back per 1GB Apple Factory Standard memory module.

Upgrading the internal hard drive can also make MacBook and MacBook Pro machines faster. Prices start at $64.99 for a 250GB 7200RPM drive, with the most popular upgrades including a 320GB 7200RPM drive priced at $84.99 and a 500GB 7200RPM drive priced at $149.99. In addition, MacBook and MacBook Pro owners that purchase a new hard drive from OWC also enjoy the benefit of keeping their existing drive, which can be used as a temporary backup drive, converted into an external storage solution, or sent to OWC for a cash back trade-in.

For a complete list of upgrades for MacBook and MacBook Pro models, visit:

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Apple_MacBook_MacBook_Pro/Upgrade

OWC – The Trusted Name in Mac Memory

OWC memory upgrades are available from 16MB up to 32GB for nearly every current and past Apple notebook and desktop computer manufactured during the past twenty years, including Mac Pro Xeon, iMac, PowerMac, Xserve, iBook, and PowerBook computers. By maintaining an active state-of-the-art test lab, OWC can ensure its memory upgrades offer the highest product quality and reliability and backs them with a Lifetime Advance Replacement Warranty and Money Back Guarantee.

OWC’s independent memory benchmarks testing on a wide variety of Mac computers consistently demonstrates having more memory provides higher real-world performance. OWC memory performance gains are even more apparent when using memory intensive applications, such as audio/video, photo, 3D modeling, gaming and other applications, where OWC memory upgrades offer the best performance for the investment.

The full OWC Memory line, as well as a compatibility guide which directs customers to the correct upgrades for each specific Apple model, can be found online at: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/apple/memory/

Proporta is made up of a friendly bunch who enjoy making new friends. As well as having their very own lovely website, Proporta also host a page with the popular networking site Facebook.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past few years you’ll know that Facebook is a great way of interacting with people. It’s also a fantastic tool for Proporta to inform their ‘fans’ of promotions, latest products and industry news, and for their customers to write on the Proporta wall with any comments they fancy sharing with Proporta and their fellow Facebookers.

Because Proporta value a good friendship, they’re offering a 12% discount on all of their very new (very nice) cases for the latest members of the iPod family (2G iPod touch, 2G iPod classic and 4G iPod nano). However, this offer is exclusive to friends of the Proporta Facebook page and only available until the 31st October 2008. To find out how to receive your discount, become a friend and all will be revealed.

I abandoned Microsoft Entourage nearly a year ago after becoming frustrated with the crashes, long open times, high memory use, cluttered look, and non-integration to OS X. That left me with iCal for my calendaring needs and since it had already all my events playing middle-man for synchronizing my iPhone, it seemed natural to stick with it. In the course of the year, I have come to love iCal…and dislike it in other ways. One of my dislikes is the requirement for me to leave my current application and go to it to add an event or a to do item. After using QuickSilver and LaunchBar before it for so many years, I’ve become quite use to not leaving my current session. And while you can add events and to do items using QS, it’s too difficult and clumsy. I want easy. I use a Mac for a reason.

Enter FlexCal. FlexGames has created a powerful and easy to use tool that works with iCal for all of us productivity conscious Mac users. I immediately downloaded this and when I found some lacking features, the author was quick to implement my suggestions. Now at 1.06, I couldn’t be any happier with it! With the ability to add an event or a to do item with a simple key combination, you’ll never be forced to leave what you were doing again. Supporting nearly every attribute for the event and to do, you just don’t have to open iCal anymore, folks! Key combo, type, select, return. That’s it, you’re done!

If you’re looking to drive iCal to heights you once thought you never could, then you need to download FlexCal. It’s well worth any donation you can give FlexGames!