Access Your Computer From...Anywhere!

Have you ever rushed out of your house, late to work or to class, forgetting to save the presentation, document, or paper to your favorite cloud drive? If so, there is a way to connect to your laptop or desktop (PC or Mac) from your mobile device and save your job or college career. Actually, there are lots of ways to do this but most will cost you through the nose!

Teamviewer is a totally free remote desktop application that allows you full control of your PC from any mobile device with an internet connection. I've been using it for over a year and it is amazing! Even if you are not as forgetful as I am, you can use Teamviewer to access all of your PC and Mac software that you wish you had on your tablet or phone. You can download the app to your Android or iOS device and another application to the desktop or laptop you want to control. The guided setup is quick and painless, even for the want-to-be techie. 

FREE Cell Service! No, REALLY!

My last post introduced you to FreedomPop, an up and coming Internet Service Provider (ISP) that borrows (legally of course) Sprint's 3G and 4G WiMAX network to provide FREE and low cost home internet service. As of October 1st, FreedomPop made an announcement that will blow your mind!

FREE talk, text, and web is now a reality and not just a gimmick. It is pretty basic but offers 200 minutes, 500 texts, and 500mb of data per month for absolutely nothing. You do have to buy their HTC handset but its only $99 for a limited time and runs Android 4.0. If you want a little bit more, you can get unlimited talk and text and 500mb of data for $11 a month.

Ok, so its pretty limited but if you are not heavy on your data when you're away from a WIFI connection, this would be a perfect low cost/free solution. If you're ready to take the leap and give your kid(s) a phone so you can reach them at any time (yeah, RIGHT!), this is an incredible alternative to adding a line to a traditional family plan. If you run a small business and want a separate phone just for business use, there is no better deal out there. The possibilities are endless so check it out!

FREE Home Internet???

What do you pay for your home internet service? $40-$50 a month is pretty typical if you don't have a TV/Internet/Phone bundle from one of the big guys. Most of us stream movies and TV shows often on our home service so we need significant bandwidth but if you are more of a casual streamer, there is an incredible option for you!

FreedomPop is an up and coming internet service provider (ISP) that uses Sprint's 3G and 4G WiMAX netowrk to provide

decently fast internet to a home or mobile router. You purchase the router from them for around $100 and anywhere that they have a tower, you can get internet. For very light users who mostly use the internet for email and simple browsing, they have a completely FREE 1GB/month plan. If you want more data for streaming, they have an 8mbps plan that includes 10GB/month for $18.99/mo. Think that's not enough for you? Consider how much time you actually spend on your home internet in a day. A casual user who streaming roughly 10 hours of video a week and spends 3-4 hours a day surfing the web uses around 9 GB of data a month. If you are a heavy user, this may not be the option for you but if you are more casual in your data sucking habits, FreedomPop may be a great option for you!

Tree Hugger Deals

Fall is in the air and many of us are getting the urge to explore the great outdoors. Whether you are a true outdoor geek and your second home is in a tent far away from civilization or you simply enjoy the occasional mountain bike ride or hiking trip, you know how much descent outdoor gear costs. If you love buying camping and outdoor gear but have noticed the hole it burns in your budget, check out Sierra Trading Post. They offer awesome "Barn Burner" deals every day where you can get fantastic deals on high end gear and clothing. You can save 10%-20% off retail prices over most of the site but Barn Burner's typically offer 50%-60% savings.

Streaming On The Cheap

By now, most of us are aware of Roku, Apple TV and other little devices that allow us to watch our favorite Netflix and Hulu movies and shows on our TVs. The sweet spot in price for these set top boxes is right in the $100 range with some options from Roku between $60-$80 but have you heard about Google's recent venture into the set top box market segment?

Google introduced the Chromecast several weeks ago and so far it has had pretty stellar reviews from users, despite the fact that it is still lacking in the subscription services it supports. Currently, Netflix and YouTube are the only services officially supported but you can stream some content from your mobile web browser as well.

The super small device plugs right into any free HDMI port on your TV and draws power from your TVs USB port with the provided cable. If your HDTV does not have a powered USB port, they also include a wall adapter. You then control the device through an app downloaded to your Android or iOS device and it can even be controlled through your Windows or Apple computer. Unlike Apple TV, Chromecast uses your mobile device like a remote and directs content from the web instead of just mirroring whatever you are seeing on your screen. Best of all, this little device is just $35! Keep an eye on this as they will be supporting many more subscription services in the coming months.

UPDATE (10/2/13): HULU just released an update for iPad and Android that includes Chromecast support. It does not yet have iPhone functionality but expect it to come soon. I assume other streaming services like Amazon, VUDU, and Redbox Instant will be close behind in providing support. Time to buy one!

Where did I put my keys???

If you are like me and have to constantly ask your wife if she remembers seeing your wallet, there's a tiny little gadget coming out soon to help. Tile is a brand new product hitting the market later this year that uses GPS to help you locate your lost item. Just attach the little Tile to anything that you can't live without. Let's say you dropped your keys somewhere on your route out of the office and you have no idea where to even begin your search. Use the free Tile app for Android or iOS to find an approximate location and as you get closer to your keys (within 150 ft) your phone will help guide you to its exact location. The Tile also has a tiny speaker built into it to alert you to its location when you are within range.

Tiles cost $18.95 and are good for one year which may seem like a drawback. They'll send you a notification when it gets close to time for a new one and they'll provide an envelope for you to send the existing Tile(s) back to them for recycling. The upside is that it can save you a lot of time and heartache (and potentially money) searching for your precious belongings. Tiles can attach to anything that is valuable and likely to be lost or stolen. You can drop it into a purse, place it inside your wallet, attach it to your keys, laptop, backpack, whatever! I plan on ordering a couple to see how they work and will update this post with a review.

Travel Plans Made Easy

Trying to find the best deal for an upcoming vacation has driven many to the edge of insanity. Fortunately there's really only one site you need to check whether you need a plane ticket, hotel accommodations, rental car, or all three!

Kayak.com pulls the best prices from all the major players in the travel industry and puts them in front of you with the cheapest option first. If you're looking for the best round-trip airfare, they even show what they call "hacker fares" where they pull the best price each way even if it's from different airlines so you get the absolute best price. The only downside with airfare is that they do not include fares from Southwest so you would have to look at their site separately.

They also have a great App for iOS an Android so you can search for and purchase everything you need right from your phone. If you've planned way ahead and don't need to buy tickets right away, you can even set alerts so you know when your fare drops to a cheaper price. Check it out!

Keyless Entry...For Your House!

We've all come home from the grocery store, both hands loaded down with heavy bags, and shattered our freshly purchased 6-pack while fumbling around for the house keys, right? Well maybe just me...

OR, how many of you parents wish they knew when your kids arrived home safe from school without having to text or call each day?

Arriving this Fall is a cool little gadget called Lockitron. It fits over your existing deadbolt and connects to your home's WIFI signal. You can remotely lock or unlock your door with a free app available for both iOS and Android, and if you own an iPhone 4S or later, you can set it up to automatically unlock your door as you come within bluetooth range. It also sends alerts to your phone when the door has been unlocked so you know when your loved ones are home. It comes at a pretty steep price ($179) if you pre-order on the site but I expect to see the price drop to around $150 for the holidays.

Daily Gadget Deals

Here are two sites to find daily deals to satisfy your tech cravings. I know a lot of sites offer "deals" that offer a few bucks off of regular retail prices, but both of these sites offer significant savings on really cool gadgets.

Woot.com has new deals every day in lots of various categories (home goods, wine, tech, t-shirts, sports, kids, and tools to name a few). I've ordered from them before and they offer quick shipping but you will have to pay a few bucks depending on what you order. 

Dealzmodo is another great site that pulls daily deals from a host of various sites. They offer many categories to choose from with great deals on all the gadgets you could ever want. Some recent deals include $200 off a brand new MacBook Pro Retina, $3 iPhone case, and $650 for a fully loaded Onkyo receiver. 

Digitize Your Movies for Cheap

Movies in digital form is certainly nothing new but consolidating them to one place has always been a Disc-To-Digital program. To begin, download the Disc-To-Digital software to your computer. You can then put movies into your optical drive on your computer and VUDU recognizes the title you put in as long as it is in their library. You then have the option to buy a digital copy of the movie right then and there. Standard definition versions are just $2 or for $5 you can get an HD version. If you already own the Blu-Ray version of the disc, you can get an HD digital copy for just $2.

nightmare. Buying digital movies from iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, etc. generally forces you to keep movies in various locations. However, one service has now made it easy to not only buy new digital movies but also to digitize the movies you have collected over the years. VUDU, which is Walmart's streaming service, has an incredible selection of movies for purchase or rent but the real reason I use them almost exclusively now is their

You can also redeem any "Ultraviolet Copy" displayed on the jacket of most new releases. VUDU keeps all of these movies in one easy location and you have the option to stream your movies from the VUDU site or download to your computer or mobile device so you can watch it offline. I have used VUDU's Disc-To-Digital fairly extensively and love it! If you own a Roku, Playstation, or XBox, you can download theVUDU app to access all of your content. One hint for adding to your collection without breaking the bank; buy USED movies from Amazon and use the Disc-To-Digital to add them to your digital collection.

Best Word Processing App for iPad and iPhone

I don't know about you but I love being able to leave my laptop at home. Having a productive day without the use of a laptop is quickly becoming a reality as tablets become progressively more functional. Unfortunately, in my opinion, Apple has fallen behind competitors like Microsoft in giving their customers an excuse to ditch their laptop. Now, let me first say that I am an iPad owner and I absolutely love it, but trying to use it for daily word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation creation is a nightmare! Apple offers Pages, Numbers, and Keynote but you'll pay $30 for all three (unless you buy a new iPhone 5S or 5C) and they offer little beyond basic document creation. So what other options do you have if you're ready to leave home with just your iPad?

As I searched for many months and tried countless paid apps that only offered disappointment, I stumbled

upon CloudOn which is available for both iPad and iPhone. Not only is it free to use, it offers a user interface that mirrors Microsoft Office 2010. It is so easy to use and syncs with your existing Google Drive, Dropbox, Skydrive, or Box cloud services. You can design new documents, spreadsheets, or presentations or edit existing documents. It saves in standard Office formats as well. The only caveat that I have come across is that you do have to be connected to the internet while using Cloudon. I've found that it's much easier to manipulate when I use a Bluetooth keyboard instead of the touch keyboard. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Do You Really Need All Those Channels?

How many channels do you actually watch on a regular basis? You're probably paying upwards of $50-$80 a month for your cable or satellite bill but how many of us actually watch more than 10% of the channels included in our TV package?

Did you know that you can get all the major networks (ABC, NBC, FOX, and CBS) plus a ton of local networks in HD for absolutely FREE? If you live within relative proximity to a TV station, you can get most of the TV you ever wanted to watch without paying a dime. Check out AntennaWeb to see what kind of reception you can get. There are a number of great antennae's you can get on Amazon for under $50. Depending on how far you live from a station, you can get a low profile indoor antennae that can be easily hidden from view without compromising reception so no one would ever know its even there! I recommend the Mohu Leaf. It gets amazing reception, is paper thin, and does not have the long , ugly metal antennae so it can easily be hidden. If you live further from a station (more than 100 miles) you can get an outdoor antenna to get the range you need.

Many of us are too busy to watch TV as it airs so a DVR is a MUST. There are several solutions that I have found to circumvent this problem. The first and easiest is to pay the $7.99 a month for HULUPlus. Most major networks (except CBS) have their shows available on HULU the day after they air so you can watch your shows at your convenience, even on your smartphone or tablet. Another solution is to hook up an old PC you may have around that house to record shows using Windows Media Center. Many desktops come with a TV tuner built in but if not, you can buy one for under $50. I recommend the AverTV tuner. You'll just need a coax splitter to run from the antennae to the TV and the tuner on your computer. With Windows Media Center, you can search for the shows you like and set it up to automatically record that show whenever it airs.

Keep an eye on the news as well because it seems like streaming your favorite channels a-la-carte may be just around the corner. Sony recently stuck a tentative deal with Viacom to stream channels like Nickelodeon and MTV on their Sony TV service supposedly to be available on their upcoming PlayStation 4 console. Check out this New York Times article if you want to know more.

Free, Effective PC and Mac Antivirus Protection

Every computer is susceptible to viruses and there are many options for us protect our personal data data. Programs like McAfee and Norton typically come preloaded on any new PC you purchase and offer 30 day free trials, but is it worth forking over the $20-$50 a year for these mainstream Antivirus services? "Free" options are out there but few offer your computer any significant protection from viruses and spyware.

Avast has been around for years and offers truly free protection for your PC. They have a  paid subscription that adds many cool features like secure remote PC access, firewall protection, and a data "shredder", but the free account is more than enough protection for the average user. I have been a user for over 3 years now and have been quite impressed with its capabilities. It even has a Chrome extension that warns you of potential threats before you access a web page. Check it out!

Save on Apple Products!

If you're cheap like me but are always entranced by shiny new Apple products, there is a solution. If you are willing to forego the latest and greatest version, you can save BIG on Apple products right on their own website. Apple offers factory refurbished iPads, Macs, and iPods for anywhere from 15%-35% off of retail. But don't think that this means that it'll come to you looking worn and have 50% of its original battery capacity. Each refurbished product comes with a 1-year warranty. All iPads and iPods get a brand new outer shell and even a new battery!

If you're really daring, you can save even more by finding a deal on Craigslist. I don't recommend doing this with computers because you never know what software the previous owner loaded on it and many viruses and Trojans can not be detected without proper software. If you're buying an iPad or iPod, its much less risky. BE CAREFUL! Many times deals that seem too good to be true, are in fact. Meet at a local Starbucks and make sure everything works properly; volume rocker, camera(s), wifi, etc. Also look over it very carefully for cracks. You miss out on the warranty that you get with an Apple refurbished product but can usually save more like 40%-50% off retail price.

Unlimit Your Cell Plan

How much are you paying each month for your cell plan? Cell phones have been attached to our hips for more than a decade and many of us are still frustrated with the dent that our cell plan puts on our budget each month. Even if we wanted to try something else, we can't because we're locked into a long-term contact with one of the major carriers.

Non-contract and pay-as-you-go services have been popping up everywhere over the past few years but many offer limited service range or poor handset selection. For those of you ready to ditch the contract, check out Walmart's StraightTalk service. They offer a wide variety of Android and iOS smartphones and their UNLIMITED service is only $45 a month! They contract with all four major carriers (Verizon, Sprint, T-mobile, and AT&T) for use of their cell and data networks and with a little research you can find out which carrier services the handset you want to buy. StraightTalk even offers a "bring your own phone" program where you can get a StraightTalk SIM card for your existing T-mobile phone or get service to your existing compatible Verizon or Sprint (CDMA) phone. If you are ready for a new phone you can buy a brand new smart phone from the StraightTalk website at full retail price and they'll ship it to you all set up and ready to use. Want to save even more money? If you want to live on the wild side, buy a used smartphone of your choice off of Craigslist and use the "bring your own phone program" to get it up and running with StraightTalk service. See the bottom of this post to see how much you can save using StraightTalk.

I have been using an iPhone 4s (Craigslist purchase) with StraightTalk service for over a year and a half and have been extremely happy! I've read user reviews who have stated that they have had their data throttled for overuse but I have yet to have this happen to me. If you use your phone HEAVILY for watching movies or tv shows away from wifi, this may not be the service for you but I watch 5-10 hours of video on my data connection each month, surf the web often, use navigation heavily, and email constantly from my phone and have never seen a decrease in my data speed.


How Much Can YOU Save?

Major Carrier Unlimited Plan Individual

Major Carrier Unlimited With 2 Lines

*Note that the above prices DO NOT include the initial cost of the handset nor monthly taxes and fees







StraightTalk Plan Per Line

Buy iPhone 5 at full price + $45 monthly= $72/month over 2 years
Buy iPhone 5 used + $45 monthly= $62/month over 2 years
Buy iPhone 4s at full price + $45 monthly= $68/month over 2 years
Buy iPhone 4s used + $45 monthly= $55/month over 2 years
Buy Galaxy SIII at full price + $45 monthly= $62/month over 2 years
Buy Galaxy SIII used + $45 monthly= $55/month over 2 years