lifestyle tech

Adventures in Customer Service: X-Doria

When the iPad mini launched, there were a number of different companies that immediately announced cases for the new device. The major players like Kensington and Belkin had iPad mini cases available from day one, but I wasn’t exactly impressed with the options available. I knew I didn’t want to order an expensive DODOcase or buy a smaller replica of an iPad case I had already owned. So, I figured I would search around the internet and find a nice case that would fit my needs and in the meantime, ordered a very inexpensive but cute case off Amazon.

It wasn’t long until I found my dream case, the X-Doria Smart Jacket. It’s slim folio silhouette with a hard back and smart cover like front was very appealing, and the teal and grey color combo added with the pillowed grip texture were like nothing I had seen before. So, I scoped out the site to order the case which was currently out of stock. So I waited and waited and waited a few weeks until it came back in stock and I ordered it for about $35. It wasn’t a bad price for such a cute case and to me it was worth every penny.

Once the case arrived, I was so eager to get my iPad mini into it, I forgot to take unboxing pictures and video! The fit was a little odd though. The case snapped in, but it was very hard for me to get the edges to snap into place. With a little force and some time, I finally worked the iPad into the case and was pleased at how wonderful it looked.

Then, a few weeks went by and I began noticing little hair line cracks at the corners. In the beginning I ignored them until one of the cracks broke open and created a gap in the case. Worried, I began wondering if I should call customer service and find out if this was a production issue. Of course, being me, I didn’t want to part with the case so I held off for a few more weeks until the cracks were at every corner and starting to look dangerous to the safety of my iPad. I was even fearful of removing the case, worried it may crack open and injure the device.

With the fear of real danger to my new mini, I decided to take a chance and email customer service to see if they had any other reports of such an issue, assuming that it may have been a production problem. I also asked if there was a way for me to get a replacement since it had been less than 2 months since I purchased the case. Initially, I was worried my email would be ignored but after a day or so I got an email back asking for some pictures of the issue. So, I snapped a few and sent them back for evaluation. Almost immediately I received an email that said they would send me another case and only a few days later my new case arrived.

When I slipped on the new case after carefully extracting my iPad mini out of the defective one, I noticed an immediate difference. This case snapped right on perfectly, no use of force required to get it in place. Overjoyed, I immediately sent a thank you email to the customer service team who helped me with my issue. They made everything incredibly simple for me and replaced my case immediately. I am so glad I ended up choosing to purchase from X-Doria because they really showed that they were willing to earn my trust and my business and I am going to make it a point to buy from them again in the future.

If your looking for a case for one of your apple devices, iPad or iPhone alike, make sure to check out X-Doria because they have some great looking cases and their customer service is outstanding!

lifestyle

5 Cheap but Romantic Date Ideas

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day which is right around the corner, here are five inexpensive but romantic date ideas that prove money can’t buy you love!

  1. Go to Starbucks for a drink and play an iPad or iPhone game together. Multiplayer gaming is pretty fun and super easy on a portable device. Using a play and pass style game gives you an excuse to get close and cuddle while sharing the screen. Easy listening jazz at no additional cost is always a plus and you may even be able to pick up a Starbuck’s Pick of the Week showcasing a cool new game or app the two of you can enjoy together!
  2. Pick up a movie or two from Redbox and a box of popcorn for a romantic movie night. Okay, so the movie doesn’t have to be romantic, but just the act of watching movies together and snacking on popcorn is romantic in and of itself. Whether your watching at your place or his, make sure to pile up the pillows and blankets and arrange yourselves a little love nest to cuddle in.
  3. Bundle up for a moonlit walk in the snow. Now this one requires a little planning ahead of time, but perhaps not if your from a warmer location where it just never snows (in that case, the snow is optional). If you are going to opt for the evening stroll in the snow, make sure to bundle up tight, wear some good snow boots and have some hot cocoa waiting for you back at home. It is infinitely romantic but incredibly inexpensive.
  4. Plan a picnic at home. Depending on how much you want to spend you can get as simple or creative as you would like. Arrange a picnic style meal, find a blanket and eat on the floor inside. The key to this one is ambiance, so you may want to play some old french music or a track of birds singing.
  5. Go stargazing. Grab some blankets, pillows and a few snacks and head outside to a clear area to watch the stars. Bonus points if you bring a telescope or some binoculars to give you a better view. And extra bonus points if you have or can borrow someones pick up truck to make a cozy bed in the back to gaze from.

tech The Pink Mac

Disinfect Your Tech

I read somewhere recently that your cell phone carries more germs than your toilet- yuk! As it is flu season and we all seem to be carrying around an infestation of germs and bacteria in our pockets, one which we use over and over, coughing and sharing with others, I thought I would take this opportunity to go over some basic tips for disinfecting your commonly used gadgets.
The thing about gadgets is that they end up going in the oddest places and pick up nasty germies along the way. Your earbuds actually stick in your ear and even if you use over the ear or on the ear headphones your still forcing the material of your gear against your dirty hair and skin. Your phone gets a mix of saliva and dirty breath forced upon it and then gets removed from pockets, picked up off tables, falls on dirty floors and back into your unsanitized hands. Your keyboard and mouse as well get touched constantly with an array of germs that you transport around from your face to your hand to your mouse, back to your mouth to block a cough and unless your disinfecting your hand again before you touch your mouse, the bacteria is just sitting there- multiplying!
On top of being incredibly dirty after a long day of use, your gadgets are also very delicate and not exactly water resistant, which makes thorough cleaning a bit difficult. If you want to kill germs, your going to have to use a source of moisture to break the bacterias hold from the surface of your gadget, but you have to make sure not to drown your item in wetness or else it could short circuit!
I find that cotton balls and q-tips dipped in a bit of rubbing alcohol and then compressed to release excess liquid seems to be a good way to clean small items like earbuds and around the keys of your keyboard. For larger items or areas, however, I think the best method of cleaning is through wet wipes as they are pre-moistened with no excess moisture and able to clean a good amount before needing to be tossed. There are multiple types of tech wipes on the market which are safe to use on your gadgets. One very cute brand that I have been noticing lately is Well-Kept which package their tech wipes in stylish colorful and patterned baggies made to be thrown into your purse or briefcase. Of course, style comes at a bit of a price and these wipes retail for about $5 per pack of 15. Another great brand, Wireless Wipes are not nearly as stylish, but they do retail for about $3 per pack and come in a variety of scents.
Although both of these brands are very nice for cleaning your gadgets, they don’t seem to have any anti-bacterial qualities, which is half the problem with our dirty devices. So, I found a solution to this! For about $1-2 per pack, I have been using anti-bacterial Wet Ones! You may already be familiar with Wet Ones, as they are a very popular brand that aren’t geared towards tech and gadgets, however, I have been cleaning my phone, keyboard, mouse and headphones with them and they are excellent. Not only am I confident that I am removing dirt as well as bacteria from my gadgets, but I am spending only a dollar or two on the pack and they have been drying perfectly without any smudges or wipe marks on my iPhone’s screen. They also haven’t caused any harm to any of my gadgets so far, although I am careful of my use around openings on my gadgets. Overall, I am extremely impressed with these inexpensive wipes and I would highly suggest that you pick up a pack of the Citrus Scent immediately. They actually smell like pineapple and have a great fresh scent, unlike some wipes that have a chemical scent!
DIY lifestyle

DIY: Wire Word Necklaces

I came across this article about DIY Wire Necklaces and Accessories from Brit+Co. a while back and marked it as something I wanted to try. I really want a twitter handle necklace, but whenever I find them online they cost upwards of $60 and I am not sure if I want to pay that much for one. This may be a great alternative, so I may give this a shot. Also included in the article is how to make wire word rings. I know those “love” rings have been really popular and they don’t seem that hard to make.
I’m going to have to give this a try! Have you ever made one of these rings or necklaces? If so, let me know in the comments and tell me how it went or any tips to making this easier!
lifestyle

Foodie: Stuffed Acorn Squash

Squash is the perfect winter meal or side-dish. Problem is, it takes a while to cook so I usually don’t want the rest of my ingredients or recipe to be too complicated. I found a great stuffed acorn squash recipe online, but it had too many ingredients for me to want to bother with sticking to it, so I cut some items out and used a microwavable couscous and spinach mix to save time and energy. For this recipe, I used a whole acorn squash and stuffed it with a mix of couscous, spinach, pine nuts and crasins for an awesome soul-warming dish that looks like it took all day to make. Recipe adapted from Mountain Mama Cooks.

Ingredients

2 Whole Acorn Squash

1 package Birds Eye Steamfresh Couscous with Spinach, lightly sauced
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon garam masala
Salt & Pepper to taste
Cooking Spray

Butter Spray

Directions

1. Cut the acorn squash in half and scoop out the insides (discard innards). Place on a foil lined baking sheet, cut side down, and cook in a 375 degree oven for 40 minutes.

2. Toast the pine nuts in a saucepan that has been coated lightly with cooking spray. To do this, keep the pan at a medium-low temperature and shake the pan around so that the pine nuts do not burn. They will become lightly browned but should not be burnt.

3. Prepare the couscous as the package directs in a microwave. Once it is done, put it in the sauce pan with the pine nuts, cranberries, garam masala and s&p to taste. Heat the items together for a few minutes so that the flavors meld.

4. Once the squash is done cooking, flip them over so that the cut side is now up. Spray them with spray butter, season with cinnamon and s&p. Then stuff them with the couscous mixture.

lifestyle

5 Ways to Wake Up Looking Beautiful

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to look like a mess when you wake up in the morning. In fact, a great nights sleep can be a powerful beauty tool and if you take the right steps at bedtime, you are sure to wake up looking great.

  1. Take a warm bath before bed and use a salt scrub to get your body squeaky clean. A warm bath before bedtime can help you fall asleep easier and its a great time to use an exfoliating scrub. Make sure to scrub your feet and shave as well to get an added bonus. Apply a light moisturizing lotion as needed once you are dry.
  2. Put your hair up in a top knot style bun. If you have longer hair, its always best to pull your hair up at night so it doesn’t look a wreck in the morning. Try securing it with a top knot or a sock bun to give you a cute bedtime look. This will also create some nice bouncy curls for you in the morning.
  3. Establish a night time beauty regime. You should always brush your teeth and wash your face before going to bed. One of the worst parts of waking up in the morning is having ‘morning breath’ and this can be combated at night if you brush well, making sure to brush your tongue and finishing it off with a strong mouthwash to stop bacteria from multiplying while you sleep. You can also use your sleep time to combat breakouts and uneven skin by exfoliating and using night cremes under your eyes. Blemish cremes are okay, but be sure not to load your face up with too many ointments and cremes or else you could wake up with a break out!
  4. Sleep on a satin or silk pillowcase. Satin pillowcases can be purchased a many beauty supply stores relatively cheaply. You may find it odd to find a pillow case at the beauty supply, but they are actually a great way to keep your head cool at night and your hair from frizzing up while you sleep.
  5. Take a full nights rest. Although it can vary from person to person, its important to get about 7-9 hours of sleep a night depending on your age and other factors. You don’t have to time it to the minute, but the point is to make sure you are going to bed early enough to give you a full nights rest before you wake up in the morning. A good nights rest can keep your face fresh, prevent bags from forming under your eyes, and it gives your skin a chance to rejuvenate itself after a long day.
lifestyle

Quirky Style: Scarves with Brooches

Since its currently winter on the east coast, I have been wearing scarves out of the house nearly every day. While searching Pinterest for some fun new ways to style my scarves, I found a great new combo that I am now obsessed with. Try wearing a brooch or two on your scarf for an added pop of style and bling! This look works with both infinity and normal scarves.
lifestyle organization

How to Stay Organized in 2013

How to stay completely organized in 2013 or What I’ve learned about the nature of organization

When I was 13, my mother and step father bought me a Handspring Visor PDA for graduating the 8th grade. I don’t think any gift before or after that had ever kept me as continually gratified. You see, I have been a tech geek for a long time, and I was obsessed with my step-fathers more expensive Palm PDA that I would steal away at every available moment to take notes, create useless calendar appointments and play games. I begged them for weeks for my own, I searched the web and Best Buy for the latest models available and when I found the Handspring Visor, which was more of a value PDA at the time, they agreed to buy it for me as my belated graduation gift. I didn’t get it until later in the summer, right before my freshman year in high school began, but I immediately began searching the internet for free applications I could download to my new device. Books, dictionary’s, note-taking and task management apps were my particular favorite. Go figure!

Once I got to high school, I ended up using my PDA to track everything from my homework assignments to my class schedule, extra-curricular events and social gatherings. I was particularly fond of tracking the money in my bank account, making sure to immediately input any purchases I made into a banking specific app that I used. The school newspaper even featured me in an article during my junior year that was all about students who use new technologies to keep themselves organized. I was certainly one of the few who relied so heavily on a PDA, in fact I only ever met a handful of other students during high school that even owned one. Eventually, I upgraded to a Palm Vx and then a Palm m505 (the later featured a color screen which I considered put me in the big time of PDA users!) during the course of high school. I loved my PDA so much and kept it with at all times. It stayed on my person or in my bag during the day, and after using it to read at bedtime (like the precursor to a kindle), it stayed on my dresser beside me as I slept.

I would say that this was definitely the most organized I had ever been and that was because for the only time thus far in my life, I used one dedicated device and method to organize my life. Once I got into college, something slowly pulled me away from my PDA. I think it was the lack of a rigid daily schedule. In college I had anywhere from one to three classes in a day. My wake up and bed time varied, and I was provided with a student calendar that was infinitely useful to me as a freshmen. So, instead of using my PDA, I switched to the pen and paper of the student calendar. Eventually, I wasn’t even using my PDA anymore and my entire system had been broken. Gradually, I was turning more and more away from the PC world I had grown up in and instead turning towards Apple products. One day, it eventually clicked in my mind that my PDA was the technology of a bygone era and it was time to search for the next big thing in personal organization.

However, after college ended, things pretty much stayed the same. I tried to get myself back into the PDA mentality when the iPod Touch first released. It seemed to me like the iPod Touch was the rebirth and natural progression of the PDA I had once known and loved. Almost like it was a PDA 2.0. But, alas, some mixture of lack of early functionality in the device and the touch based input never felt right to me. The Handspring and Palm devices used a stylus input method in which I could type on a virtual keyboard or, more frequently, write with the “graffiti” single stroke handwriting system that felt more natural to me.

After that, it was all downhill and uphill battles for me in the search for complete organization. I’ve learned a lot along the way about my own personal needs and about the nature of keeping organized so lets run through those ideas now.

  • Its more natural (for me) to ‘write’ than ‘text’. Even though I am a 20-something with an iPhone, two iPad’s and a decent run with gadgets of all kinds, I am not a serial texter. This is probably the main reason I haven’t been able to use my iPhone or previous iPod Touch as a primary means for organization. I like to write. Its more fluid for me, and second only to typing on a full sized keyboard, its my quickest means for data entry.
  • To stay as completely organized as possible, you must use only one dedicated means to capture your data. Whether it be an electronic device like a smartphone or tablet; a software program that syncs through multiple devices or to the cloud; or an analog system like a filofax or moleskine, you can only have ONE. One is the magic number… and the loneliest.
  • You must keep said dedicated means of data capture with you at all times. It must be like an extension of yourself, a third arm in a way. It needs to be with you all the time and you need to always use it to capture information of all sorts. Learn to feel incomplete without it and get into the habit of using it to capture more information than needed until its your knee jerk reaction to reach for it.

I hope in the future I find a means of organization that feels as natural and exciting to me as my Handspring and Palm PDAs did at one time. Maybe its my fault for not trying hard enough to form a habit with one particular piece of technology, but it seems like everyday there is a more exciting and more promising option for organization that its often hard to focus on one means for too long. Perhaps thats the real problem though, a short attention span. These conundrums aside, I do know one thing for certain when it comes to personal organization. The best method for complete personal organization is the one you stick to completely. So, pick a method, stick it out and see what 2013 brings you!

lifestyle

5 Things to Do Inside this Winter