Want to grill up some yummy food but don’t have an actual grill? The George Foreman Grill is a great substitute! Grill up burgers, chicken, bacon and more! They come in many different prices and sizes with one of the smallest ones being only $20 on Amazon (you can even use your Amazon Prime free two-day shipping!). Definitely is a staple for all college students!
Easy Grilling
Another Free Computer Program
This is a great computer program that has many benefits. F.lux is software that makes the color of your computer’s display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day. At night it tints your computer’s screen to a shade of orange to be easier on your eyes, preventing you from being blinded when you open your laptop at night and helping you get to sleep easier. This is another FREE product that you can use and I would definitely recommend it to all night owls!
Keep Your Electronics Safe
One of the best things you can do when you first get new technology is download Prey. Prey lets you keep track of your laptop, phone, and tablet whenever they get lost or stolen. All you have to do is download the program onto your device and the best part is that it’s free! It allows you to remotely gather information regarding the device’s location, hardware and network status, and optionally trigger specific actions (such as taking pictures) on it. Luckily I’ve never had to use it but I have heard great reviews about it and there are countless great recovery stories.
Avoid Anymore Trips to the Packed TECH Center
Having your own laptop is just about the most convenient product you can have. The only problem is that they can be pretty expensive… Luckily there are still some options! The recently released Google Chromebook retails for just $249 and it gives you all the basic features you need in a computer. The only difference between a regular laptop and the Chromebook is that the Chromebook stores anything saved on it to the cloud, meaning you will need internet to access it. Overall though, it’s a great basic laptop and would be useful for any college student who wants their own computer.
Stream TV Shows and Movies on the Cheap!
I’ve briefly mentioned this service before, but I’ve realized that it’s definitely worthy of its own post. Netflix is absolutely a necessity for college students! With Netflix you can stream TV shows and movies to a variety of platforms, such as your computer, smartphone, tablet, Wii, PS3, and more! This service is only $7.99/month (much cheaper than cable!) and you can get a one month free trial. Good luck tearing yourself away from your computer now!
Making Dinner the Easy Way
Too lazy to spend a long time cooking? A slow cooker is the simplest way to make big, delicious meals! Just throw in some ingredients in at the beginning of the day and about 8 hours later you have some delicious food. It’s also great because there are tons of great websites to find recipes for slow cookers:
Some slow cookers can run on the more expensive side but some can be as cheap as $30 on Amazon. If you get a chance, be sure to invest in a slow cooker!
Living Off-Campus?
If you live within a reasonable distance to campus, a good bicycle is the best investment you can make. Not only can you save a lot of money on public transit and gas, it’s great exercise if you can’t make it to the gym. If you really want a good new bike, they’re going to run you at least $300 or so. However, you can find decent cheap ones on Craigslist for a variety of low prices. Be sure to do your research though because you don’t want to end up with a mediocre bike that you’ll have to spend hundreds on for maintenance. Burn off your freshman 15 the fun way by biking to school!
Apple iPad and Microsoft Surface on Social Media
The Apple iPad and Microsoft Surface are two of the top advertised tablets on the market right now. How is their social media presence though?
Apple iPad
- No official social media accounts
- 9,167,552 likes on unoffficial Facebook page
Microsoft Surface
- 389,685 likes on Facebook
- 182,780 followers on Twitter
- Engaging content, consistently asking opinions from fans
- Failed endorsement from Oprah
These two strategies are on completely opposite ends of the spectrum. The Apple and the iPad have no official social media presence at all while the Microsoft Surface is really pushing the product on Facebook and Twitter. The Surface had a failed endorsement from Oprah Winfrey when she claimed it was one of her “favorite things” on Twitter despite sending the tweet out via her iPad. The Surface does make a point to engage it’s users on Facebook though. Most status updates end in a question aimed at the fans such as “What’s the funniest thing you’ve done with your Surface?” or “What are your favorite Surface tips and tricks?” Despite this major investment into social media, the Apple iPad has over 23 times more fans on Facebook than the Surface and yet it doesn’t even have an official page. This just goes to show how a prominent Apple has become in the technology industry as they can rely solely on paid advertising rather than social media to maintain their popularity.
IFTTT Assignment
I never even heard of IFTTT until today. After playing around with it for a bit, I realized it’s actually a really incredible tool! I added my Twitter, GMail, and YouTube accounts to the available channels and created two recipes: one that sends one of my friends an e-mail when I post a YouTube video and one that automatically posts my new YouTube videos to Twitter. I made these recipes because it allows my close friends to see exactly when I post a new video. It’s essentially an automated form of advertising my new videos, which is extremely convenient because it cuts down on the time it takes to distribute them.
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