[Like a magpie, you gravitate towards things that are shiny: cell phones, TVs, anything that allows you to play Rock Band. But just because you love ‘em doesn’t mean you know much about ‘em. That’s where we come in. Every week we will be highlighting the best, coolest and shiniest in technology. Consider us your personal Geek Squad.

And let us tell ya; with CC on your side, geek has never looked so chic.]

It’s holiday season. A time of chaos and disorder. Many of us are about to go through finals on top of the mad dash to the holidays. Packing up dorm rooms for break, making holiday travel plans, trying to get those last few extra assignments in so you can pass with a C - all very trying things. Things that can be conquered with organization! So use these easy tools to help you get a jump on your New Years resolution. They won’t help you lose ten pounds, but they will help you stop forgetting birthdays.

Deadlines and Scheduling
If you’re anything like me (and you know you are), you wait until the last minute to get things done. From making travel arrangements to finishing papers, I’m a procrastinator. But nine times out of ten it’s not because I mean to - it’s because I honestly forget!

I found the best way to stay organized was actually right at my fingertips. Gmail (which we all have) has an awesome Google Calendar feature. It’ll keep track of your deadlines and notify you when they’re coming up via your life-line (AKA cell phone).

Another must-have? A flash drive. During the holiday season (with all the visiting and running around) chances are you’ll be on the go. Load up the flash drive with everything you may need and you can bring your work with you wherever you go. Just pop it into whatever computer is available and you are good to go. Read More »

[Like a magpie, you gravitate towards things that are shiny: cell phones, TVs, anything that allows you to play Rock Band. But just because you love ‘em doesn’t mean you know much about ‘em. That’s where we come in. Every week we will be highlighting the best, coolest and shiniest in technology. Consider us your personal Geek Squad. And let us tell ya; with CC on your side, geek has never looked so chic.]

So you waited until the last minute to do that super important term paper again. There you are, middle of the night, all by yourself cranking away at this monster of an assignment with only your trusty laptop for company. And then it happens. Out of nowhere: the Blue Screen of Death!!

Who you gonna call?
Ummm, nobody, because it’s two in the morning. You’re on your own with this one, cupcake.

Actually, if this happens, just restart your computer and only open what you need to get the work done (read: no AIM or Facebook), remembering to save often. You should be able to at least make it through the paper. In the morning you can diagnose the issue. And by morning, I really mean later in the afternoon when classes are over and you’ve had a much needed nap.

In any case this is exactly why you need to be able to do more on a computer than hit the power button. If your computer starts smoking, then, yeah, it’s pretty much dead, but when software issues arise you should be able to identify and at least partially work around ‘em. Computers are very rarely “broken,” they’re just momentarily troubled. Read More »