Portable Applications

When I went to the library this semester to do research, I would use my thumb drive to save anything important. It was great having versions of my own programs on hand as I didn't really trust the school's computers. I used a great application suite called 'portable apps,' which is a miniature version of many of the programs I use on my home computer. There are different types to be found all over the internet, but my favorite is at portableapps.com. This is a surefire way of keeping your data safe and allowing you to use a public computer in much the same way you would your own, by using the same programs when they normally may not be available. Here's another website, called pendriveapps.com where you can find more portable apps.

Social Bookmarking

I love my bookmarks. I have spent many hours researching and organizing them. Whenever someone asks me a question that I have the resources to find the answer to, I consult one of the many websites where I can find the information. I've recently been exploring the options for sharing these websites I've accumulated with others and also of discovering what others have found. I can do this through social bookmarking, which is a way to share bookmarks with others. I discovered a concise explanation of what social bookmarking is and what it can do for you at Educause. If you would like to know more about the benefits, head on over.

Bed Bugs

You may not know about bed bugs, but you need to. According to some recent articles, they're on the rise. They live in mattresses and in the bedding of affected beds, usually motels and hotels where they have been breeding. If you travel at all, it's important to know about this pest so that you can recognize the signs. NPR did a story about their comeback in August of 2007. Also, the San Fransisco Chronicle put out an article in April that indicates there have been recent reported cases all across the country. Scary stuff, but if you know what to look for, you can search your bed before you go to sleep if you're staying somewhere unfamiliar.

Inventory Your Stuff

Here's a program for documenting your belongings. You can download the software at KnowYourStuff.org. It's free, and there is even a list of items to get you started. The software is comprehensive and easy to use.

Green Print

There is an excellent program for helping to save the planet called Green Print. It sets up your printer to only print what you need. You know how there's always those extra pages and images that are unnecessary? Well, this program eliminates all that. It sets up your print job to only print what you need, thereby eliminating the extra waste. Check it out!

There is also a website where a former employee of Hewlett Packard reveals how the printing companies are only out to make more money. No big suprise there, but some of the underhanded things they do makes for an interesting read. Here is 14 Hewlett-Packard Secrets From a Former Employee, and it's follow-up, 9 More.

Unlose.it

I am constantly finding myself slapping my hands over my pockets to check if my phone, wallet, or some other item is still there. When I find that I've misplaced them, the first thing I do is panic. I have lost my wallet a couple of times over the years, and it's such a stressor to have to replace what I lost. Now there's this service where you can register items for 4 bucks. They send you a sticker with the website's info and an announcement written on it saying if you find this item there will be a reward. The sticker directs the finder to the website, where they type in a number that matches up with the product that you registered. It's really quite ingenious. Of course, some people might just pull the sticker off, but I still this could be viewed as a some insurance against losing your stuff.

There's another website that appears has a different approach to tracking your stolen object called 'Gadget Track.' This seems to be a good alternative. One service this website offers is to find stolen phones by sending you silent messages in the event the SIM card has been changed. Their gadget track program works by sending silent messages to you whenever the stolen gadget is accessed on a PC. Whether or not someone could prevent this remote notification with the use of a firewall, I don't know. However, it's worth checking out.

Exploding Phones

Okay, do you have a Nokia phone or a Nokia battery in your phone? If so, you need to cruise on over to this website: BL-5C Battery. Although it has been rare, there is evidently a danger of these phones catching fire while they're charging. At this site, you can find out if your phone is one of the affected, and you can get it replaced by the company.