Month: September 2018

Best 5 Laptops Under $500 in 2018
Laptops are very essential these days- for school, work, or just personal use. The price of a premium new laptop can cost up to $1,000, which is pricey for anyone. Numerous companies have made laptops more affordable while keeping the quality and capabilities of more expensive laptops.

You don’t have to feel like you’re settling when shopping for a laptop under $500. There are value-priced notebooks that include full-HD displays, solid performance and long battery life, plus all the ports you need. We picked all the best all-purpose laptops in $500 price range which we think are best laptops to suit the wide range of requirements of people. Here is a list of the best five laptops under $500!

1. Dell Inspiron i3567 Laptop

The latest version of this Dell laptop has a powerful system in place with 8GB of memory and a 128GB hard drive and a Intel Core i3-7100U 2.4GHz processor. It has a professional feel in it’s all black look with a 15.6-inch laptop with a screen resolution of 1366 x 768. The operating system runs smoothly with Windows 10 and is backed with a 12 month warranty, with 12 months of tech support.
- A new, powerful hardware system
- Has many ports and slots to use your external devices
- 8 GB Ram
- 7th Gen Intel Core i5 processor
- It is not backlit enabled
- Battery life up to 5 hours
2. Acer Aspire A515-51-50RR Laptop

The Acer Aspire 5 is one of the best budget full-size laptops you can find in stores today. It checks most of the right boxes: well built, slim and fairly light, gets a decent keyboard, an IPS screen and modern hardware, performs well, runs cool and quiet and lasts for a long while on a charge. This slim and sleek laptop is a great all round performing laptop, especially for the price. The visuals are spot on with vivid, bright colors.
- LCD display and is backlit
- 2.50 GHz Intel Core i5-7200U processor
- Storage: 1TB hard disk
- Intel HD 620 graphics
- Battery life up to 7 hours
- All-plastic chassis
3. HP 15-ay191ms Laptop

The HP 15-ay191ms, a signature edition laptops that comes with a seventh-generation Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB DDR4 system memory, 1TB of storage and a touchscreen, but still remains insanely affordable. It’s one of those laptops you’d buy without a second thought if you find inexpensive chromebook attractive, but really, really need Windows. If you love touchscreen, this one’s for you! This laptop contains the Kaby Lake processor which makes this laptop consume little power. Apps are not an issue here, they all run very smoothly.
- Touchscreen
- Intel Core i3-7100U processor
- 8GB RAM
- 1TB hard drive
- Lag-free performance
- Battery life up to 6 hours
4. Dell Inspiron i3567-5185BLK Laptop

Yet another Inspiron made this list! This version comes in different color options and a textured finish. Packed with a large 15.6 Inches display and a decent 7th Gen Intel Core i5-7200U up to 3.1GHz CPU processor. This Dell laptop model would work well for portability with its 4.85 Pounds lightweight design and sleek black look. Great for school work or the family computer. A huge bonus with this laptop is it doesn’t heat up much!
- 2.4 GHz Intel Core i3-7100U processor
- 8GB RAM
- TB hard drive
- LED display with a built-in webcam and mic
- Battery life is up to 6 hours
5. ASUS Chromebook Flip

This is one of the best convertible laptops on the current market. The Asus Chromebook Flip C302 is worthy of its premium stature with a gorgeous screen, tactile keyboard and a classy design that’s equally as comfortable to use in tablet mode or as a traditional laptop. The screen is a full HD touchscreen and can be converted from a laptop to a tablet by turning the screen. A top pick for a college student!
- Intel Core m3 processor
- 4GB RAM
- 64GB of SSD storage
- Battery life of up to 10 hours
September 5, 2018
5 “Smart Home” gadgets every house should have…

It’s 2018 folks, and the future is here. Astronauts are driving Tesla’s through space and the Reese’s company is doing some really innovative stuff with popcorn. With all this technology around us, it’s easy to take it all for granted and we sometimes don’t get all the use we can out of it and take advantage of smart home gadgets.

And the most important place you can use all this cool tech to your advantage is right in your very own home. Here are some amazing new smart home gadgets to make your life easier…

1. The iRobot Roomba

Ever since it’s inception in 2002, the Roomba vacuum has been an integral piece of smart home tech. With the ability to program this round robot to vacuum your home 7 days a week it can be a real time saver. With the latest 980 Model, the Roomba is more advanced that ever. With cutting edge mapping technology and dirt detection programs, this “set it and forget it” vacuum is a must have! For dog or pet owners life myself, I can stress it’s value enough. I have a lot on my plate and one thing I don’t to concern myself with is the daily sweeping thank to “Roger the Roomba”. Yes I named my Roomba, he’s family, folks. Word of advice…there are several competitors is the robot vacuum department, do yourself a favor and stick with the iRobot Roomba. You may a little more, but in this case “you get what you pay for”. This was been probably the best $900.00 I’ve ever spent.

2. The Nest Thermostat

Coming in at a price tag of $279.00, the Nest Thermostat is well worth the extra cost. Thanks to it’s smart and adaptive AI, the Nest knows when your home and learns your work schedule to monitor the A/C usage. You can also control the thermostat right form your Nest App on your mobile device to fine tune your A/C needs. For a native Floridan like myself, A/C usage and consumption is a real beast you have to tame. In the summer months, electric bills can soar thanks to primitive thermostats. There is nothing like a thermostat shutting down for the day knowing your at work, and then turn on a half hour before you get home so you don’t walk into a hot and muggy house. It’s just bliss. Once I had installed the Nest, I noticed an immediate 50% drop in my A/C consumption and a large drop in my electric bill respectively. This is a must have in your home.

3. Brilliant Light Switch

With the ability to control your homes, light, music, ambiance, and even take pictures with voice commands, the Brilliant light switch is a 2018 must have gadget for your home. Brilliant light switch also connects to several of your home’s smart gadgets such as Nest, Alexa, Sonos Speaker, Ring doorbell system, and more. Starting at $200.00 per panel, Brilliant Switch is a costly addition but this innovative new gadget gives your home a brain.

4. Amazon Echo and Echo Dot

This smart home “must” is quickly finding it’s way into every home, world wide. Alexa and Echo Dot, is a voice-controlled system that used to play music, make calls, send and receive messages, read the news, set alarms, and even order and Uber or takeout! With the capability of syncing up to Amazon-Fire, Apple Music, Audible, Pandora, and more, you easily find usage and justification for this piece of smart tech in your home. At a price tag of $150.00, the Amazon Echo has many uses to help in your home and is a fantastic smart home gadget. Word to the wise, Alexa has a built in microphone for consumer purposes that is ALWAYS LISTENING…Use responsibly.

5. The Ring II doorbell system

The Ring Video Doorbell, provides you with the capability to see who is at your door from the safety and comfort of your bed or couch. It lets you accept or deny visitor calls if you’re not home, and uses motion detection to alert you of activity on your doorstep even when the bell hasn’t been rung. By working off your home’s Wifi and mobile data, the 1080HD camera will alert your smart phone of any activity at your door step day or night. For an extra $3.00 a month, you can pay for cloud storage and have all moments video recorded for later purposes if desired. The newest model also has a 2 way intercom system, and infrared night vision. For that extra bit of security at a relatively inexpensive cost of $199.00, this doorbell is the must have for any smart home.

The Conclusion

With so many smart gadgets available, some better than others, these products can make our homes better, safer, and more convenient. 2018 is going to be a big tech year and the “smart home” business is growing evermore advanced daily. If you can pick-up just one of these items this year, you’ll be headed in the right direction. I’m still anxiously awaiting the release for Rosie the robot maid, but I may have to hold my breath for awhile.

September 5, 2018
Top Ten Greatest Spider-Man Villains

Spider-Man, who is starring in his own video game on PS4 now, has a massive rogues gallery. As one of Marvel’s most popular characters, it’s only natural that he would have so many villains oppose him. In fact, there are so many that we wonder how the wall-crawler manages to keep track of them all! Today, we’re looking at the ten greatest Spider-Man Villains! We’re considering both their popularity and “coolness,” but if your favorite didn’t make the list, that’s only because there are so many great choices!

Ten Greatest Spider-Man Villains

Featured Image Credit: Villains Wiki

10. Carnage

Photo Credit: Marvel Database

First Appearance: 1992, Amazing Spider Man 361. Real Name: Cletus Cassidy

This edgy and unhinged villain is an offshoot of the symbiote that resulted in another Spidey villain, Venom. Carnage, for his part, is a symbiote bonded to the criminally deranged Cletus Cassidy. With none of Eddie Brock’s underlying morality, Carnage earns his name whenever he strikes, making him one of Spidey’s most unsettling foes.

9. The Lizard

Photo Credit: ThoughtCo

First Appearance: 1963, Amazing Spider Man 6. Real Name: Kurt Connors

First appearing way back in 1963, Dr. Connors has gone through several redesigns over the years. He is a dark reflection of Peter, a man twisted into an animal-like form due to science gone wrong. The Lizard is fast, super-strong and possesses enhanced healing capabilities, making him as much a physical match for Peter as a mental one.

8. Sandman

Photo Credit: Marvel Database

First Appearance: 1963, Amazing Spider Man 4. Realm Name: William Baker

The shape-shifting criminal known as Sandman is often characterized as a petty thief who happens upon his shape-shifting powers. In some stories, he even fights alongside Peter. What makes him so memorable, though, is the genuine pathos that goes into his often-tragic backstory. It’s hard to hate a guy who just wants to make a mark on the world!

7. The Rhino

Photo Credit: Reddit

First Appearance: 1966, Amazing Spider Man 41. Real Name: ‎Aleksei Sytsevich

The big, bumbling oaf Aleksei Sytsevich is much more terrifying when he’s in his trademark Rhino armor. The lumbering behemoth is a match for even superheroes like the Hulk and the Thing, making him downright terrifying for Spidey to match up against. However, Peter often triumphs over the Rhino thanks to his quick wits and fast fighting style.

6. Electro

Photo Credit: Spider-Man Wiki

First Appearance: 1964, Amazing Spider Man 9. Real Name: Maxwell Dillon

Maxwell Dillon was once a powerline repair man, but a freak accident resulted in him becoming a human electrical capacitor. His electric powers make him lethal to any normal human, and he uses them to steal and terrorize the people of New York. Thankfully for them, Spider-Man handles villains like Electro whenever they rear their heads! Whenever Peter and Electro cross paths, sparks fly and the fight is awesome!

5. The Vulture

Photo Credit: Marvel Movies Wikia

First Appearance: 1963, Amazing Spider Man 2. Real Name: Adrian Toomes.

Popularized by the excellent Spider-Man: Homecoming, Adrian Toomes is a tragic figure. Toomes uses his wingsuit to pursue personal wealth, but only because of his mistreatment by massive corporations. In the comics he is much less sympathetic than his film counterpart, but his motivations are similar. It certainly helps that the version seen in Homecoming has a significantly cooler suit and design.

4. Kingpin

Photo Credit: Marvel

First Appearance: 1967, Amazing Spider Man 50. Real Name: Wilson Fisk.

While you might be more familiar with him as an enemy of Daredevil, Fisk first made his mark as an enemy of the Web-Slinger! Kingpin is a nigh-unstoppable force, both in the world of business and in a fight. His dual nature makes him a tough customer for any superhero, so it’s no surprise he’s harried Spidey for years!

3. Dr. Octopus

Photo Credit: Marvel Database

First Appearance: 1963, Amazing Spider Man 3. Real Name: Otto Octavius.

Dr. Otto Octavius is on a mission to prove that he’s better than anyone else. After all, he’s a genius and a supervillain! Shouldn’t everyone love him? Otto’s deranged attempts to take down Spider-Man and make a name for himself as one of the greatest minds in the world have come to a head occasionally. Recently, he even spent some time in the body of Peter Parker! He made a mess of things for Spidey, proclaiming himself the “Superior Spider-Man” and ruining Peter’s reputation.

2. Venom

Photo Credit: Alternative Press

First Appearance: 1988, Amazing Spider Man 299. Real Name: Eddie Brock

One of the most iconic Marvel characters, Venom is another direct foil to the Wall-Crawler. Venom started life as a symbiote attached to Peter, but eventually found a more permanent home bonded to Pete’s nemesis Eddie Brock. As Venom, the two entities have forged a path as a villain and occasional anti-hero. They occasionally team up with Peter to fight bigger threats (usually Carnage) but that doesn’t make Venom less of an essential Spidey antagonist.

The Greatest Spider-Man Villain: The Green Goblin

Photo Credit: Villains Wiki

First Appearance: 1964, Amazing Spider Man 14. Real Name: Norman Osborn.

Who else could have possibly snagged the number one spot? Norman Osborn, father of one of Pete’s closest friends and CEO of Oscorp is Pete’s most enduring nemesis. As the man who killed Gwen Stacey and the center of the Clone Conspiracy saga, Norman has had a huge impact on Spidey. The ongoing battle between the two has been the center of Spider-Man comics for half a century, and it’s likely to continue for 50 years more.

September 5, 2018
Spider-Man PS4: An Excellent Return to Form for Superhero Video Games

Since it was announced that legendary developer Insomniac Studios was working on a Spider-Man game for PS4, expectations have been high. Will it live up to the lofty heights of games like Spider-Man 2? Can they capture what makes Spider-Man the world’s greatest superhero? And, most of all, will Insomniac live up to their own stellar pedigree? Well, Spider-Man PS4 is here and we have good news for you: it rocks. Let’s sling some webs!

Featured Image Credit: Variety

What Wicked(ly Awesome) Webs we Weave

Swinging from a building, seeing the skyline bob in the distance and then plummeting to the street below is a blast. Pummeling muggers and supervillains alike is smooth and natural. Insomniac has put in some serious work making everything in this game feel as easy and fun as a superhero game should. There is a fast-travel system in this game, but will you really want to use it? Slinging from buildings and flipping in mid-air is so fun and engrossing that it’s just a blast. You’ll find yourself just relaxing and taking in the game’s world as you fly around Manhattan.

The combat will look familiar to anyone who has played Rocksteady’s Batman games. In places, it’s comfortingly familiar. In others, it’s painfully obvious that this is a take-off on that game. At least, in this game, the dodge-and-counter mechanic is explained by Spider-Sense. And the protagonist’s capacity to take down twenty guys is explained by his super-powers. Batman really has no business winning in a fight that lop-sided…

Familiar Faces, and Some Uncanny Ones

Insomniac’s generally done a pretty good job with the facial animation in this one. In some scenarios it dips briefly into uncanny valley, but it rarely stays there too long. The somewhat-cartoony features help this, as the game looks ever-so-slightly like a comic book. It has largely the same stylized, sleek feeling of the big-budget MCU films it borrows its atmosphere from.

The story is, sadly, less than inspired. In trying to make a more generalized Spidey tale, Insomniac has leaned on some tried-and-true Web-Slinger tales. This can be less than exciting for longtime fans, even if it leans heavily into safe, foolproof storytelling.

Bottom Line

This game is excellent, if familiar in many places. The story doesn’t break any new ground for a character who’s been around for over 50 years. But then again, did it need to? The bones of Peter’s tale of responsibility and great power are rock-solid, and the voice actors all put in great work. The gameplay is fun and flowing, even if it feels like a few other games welded together. Spider-Man 2’s web-slinging mechanics are married beautifully to Rocksteady’s combat. If you’re a Spider-Fan, you’re going to love this game. If you don’t like superheroes, Insomniac’s latest outing isn’t changing your mind.

September 5, 2018
The New iPhone and What to Expect

As Apple’s September 12th event draws near, more supposed leaks and rumors about the 2018 iPhone lineup make headlines. I’ve been sifting through all the data and I have a good summery of what to expect while we are expecting a new iPhone.

iPhone Xs , iPhone Xs Plus and iPhone 9

I’m fairly confident in this, we have seen sufficient enough data to know there will be 3 new versions. A next gen x, and x plus and a cheaper iPhone model that will be a hybrid of the 8 and the x. S is always the naming indicator of the iPhone half step models and I don’t think that will be any different here. Why 9, why not 10? I have found a quick excerpt to explain this..

In a one on one chat with himself one of my favorite tech gurus’ breaks down the naming convention of the new iPhone.

Why would you release a 9 after a 10 — or, rather, an X?

Ah, but you’ll tell me there’ll be three phones. Ergo, one of the smaller, cheaper phones might be iPhone 9.

Oh, I suppose. But this still sounds like less.

Let’s assume — oh, come on, it’s all assumption — that Apple will release smaller and bigger versions of the iPhone X, as well as a completely new(ish) phone.

So, one could be iPhone XS, the other iPhone XL. And the big one could be iPhone XI. Or, of course, iPhone 11.
Now doesn’t that all have a lovely ring to it?

Extra small, extra large — but definitely extra — and a, um, revolutionary new one.

See? Positive thinking.

Detractors will scold me for my apparent lack of Latin. iPhone XL, they’ll sniff, would be iPhone 40.

They’ll insist it has to be iPhone X Plus, because that would follow the convention of previous pluses like the iPhone 8 Plus.

But it’s cumbersome. And why would you want a cumbersome name for your potentially most cumbersome phone?

It’s so sad and refreshing that this actually makes a lot of sense. I would position that it is more likely that Apple will go with 8C rather than 9. It’s an alliteration on the iPhone not a new model. Just a low end version on an 8 and a X. Then again that does average out to 9. I guess it will have to remain and iPhone day surprise.

New Colors for a New iPhone

The biggest confirmed change is that the new iPhone XS models will come in a new Gold color option, complete with a gold stainless steel band, as shown below. The upcoming Series 4 Apple Watch was leaked as well, showing a matching gold stainless steel frame. Now you can call me crazy but I think the iPhone 8c, I mean 9 will come in an assortment of colors. Red, Blue, ect all in a metallic finish.

The Other Stuff

From what I have gathered it would be safe to say we will see a new composite glass introduced from corning. Last year a $200 million investment from the Advanced Manufacturing Fund investment pool, to support a new revolutionary glass production methods. Well that should be maturing and coming to fruition. There should be a new type of glass produced for the new phones. It will still be glass so do get crazy, it will shatter.

USB- C chargers and a new Qi coil for faster Wireless charging. These are out there and there is no reason for apple to avoid these implementations.

The Final Thought

Leaks and well informed rumors are pretty common during this part of apples annual iPhone dance. However much we think we know Apple still finds a way to catch us by surprise and drop something fantastic we didn’t even know about. Guess I’ll see you all next Tuesday..

September 4, 2018
A New Step Forward in Bionics

The fine folks on Johns Hopkins Robotics Department are making unprecedented progress in “Mind Controlled Bionics” for persons with amputations and missing limbs. Using a breakthrough technology called Sensory Reinnervation, the human brain can easily and seamless interact and control the attached robotic limb. With this great technology though raises evolutionary and ethical questions on what the future holds. What can we expect as we close the gap between man and machine?

A New Step Forward

With Sensory Reinnervation, the brain can now be linked to a robotic prosthetic not just through control, but the person can actually have feeling in the robotic limb. In the case of Melissa Loomis, she lost her arm to a racoon bite. After loosing her limb, Melissa was the perfect candidate for the Sensory Reinnervation program. By way or surgery, Melissa’s nerves in her arm were re-routed to inside layers of the skin and the robotic prosthetic is attached accordingly. This gives Melissa feeling all the way down to the fingertips of the robotic limb and ultimately better control and a better quality of life. After the procedure, Melissa is now the only person in the United States that has feeling and almost full control in a robotic limb. This makes her truly the nation’s first Bionic Woman…

Summary

As we get more advanced in neurorobotics, questions will be raised. Can a bionic arm, out class a real one? Will we be able to simply “swap out” an old limb for a shiny metal one? As robotics evolve, we surely will evolve with it. As of now, these robotics are limited to medical use only. But as they progress and become smarter, stronger, and more advanced will other people want them? Lawmakers have already begun to bring up the issue that as humans become more mechanical, laws will have to change and reflect how we look at privacy and domain over these augmented bodies. Another issue is hacking. Can these limbs be hacked and ultimately controlled by someone else. Perhaps controlled to do things against the wearer’s will? These questions will surely arise as we step into uncharted territory in human evolution. It’s important to have the foresight now and look at safeguards for the future and posterity.

September 4, 2018
3D Printed Houses. The Affordable Home of Tomorrow.

3D Printed Homes?

On March 16, 2018 the Austin, TX Construction company ICON completed the first 3D printed home in the United States. The home has been deemed livable and passed all Austin city code compliances. ICON has unveiled the equipment and technology to build a 3D printed house in less than 24 hours for the average price of $4,000.00. The companies plan is to take the equipment to El Salvador to build a massive village full of affordable homes to help improve the countries living conditions. Icon has stated that in later development stages, the equipment will be able to complete a home in just under 12 hours. Based on everything we are seeing, this appears to be a game changer in affordable housing.

How it Works

Along with ICON, there are several other companies on the verge of mass printing homes. A large company in The Netherlands based in Eindhoven, is set to have the world’s first habitable community made from 3D printed Homes. The process is rather simple. A 3D printer is set up in the center of what will be the home and is filled concrete and other certified building materials. The foundation and walls of the home can then be made to fit any type of structure that is designed by the architect and programmed into the printers. Along with providing affordable homes, this process will also offset the Dutch cities extreme shortage of brick masons. The printed homes have apparently been exposed to rigorous testings for quite some time before getting the government approval to move forward for mass production.

Summary

It appears that these companies are making great headway with getting these homes ready for mass production. If so, in twenty or so years, homeless epidemics abroad and at home could be a thing of the past. It’ll be interesting to see how these homes hold up over time and see just how cheap we can build them. These things right here are why we must always push the technological envelope and ask “Why” instead of “Why Not”. At one time, being able to build cheap 3D printed homes was the fevered dream of a mad man. Now here we are standing on its doorstep, no pun intended.

September 3, 2018
7 Ways to Fly for Cheap

Cheap airfare, it’s something we’re all looking for. Finding decent prices on flights can be difficult though. It is human nature to want to travel, to explore your horizons and see new places, or perhaps, to return to the places you once knew.

Whether you want to visit home or see an exotic location, airline travel is fast, but costs a lot of money. What is the best way for finding cheap airline tickets? How do you even start? Whether you are traveling for work, for vacation, or to visit family or friends, finding cheap airfare can help you save on what’s often the largest expense of your trip.

If you’re trying to take a trip and keep finding it difficult to get a decent price, you’re probably looking for some new travel hacks to help you save some money. Well, the good news is that we’re here to help. Let’s talk about the best ways to fly for cheap! Read more below to learn about who is offering the best rates at an amazing price $73 and $39 for one-way flights!

Best Ways to Fly for Cheap

Compare Airfares

Airfares vary widely, and discount airfare is out there for those who know where to look. The most important thing is that you make sure to compare airfares. The rates offered by one airline may be much higher or lower than the rates of another. If you use one of the popular travel sites, you can easily compare airfares from different airlines.

Also, if you have any flexibility in your schedule, try putting different dates into the sites’ ticket finders to see if that makes a difference. For example, currently, Southwest Airlines is offering flights as low as $73, and Delta is offering flights as low as $39 during the holiday season.

Use Reputable Flight Search Engines

Some flight search engines actually get a cut from airlines when they help generate sales. That means that you could search for “budget flights” and have normal or even premium flights show up. In order to counter this, use reputable search engines that don’t mislead you. Great options are Skyscanner, Momondo, AirWander and JetRadar. Like we said previously don’t be afraid to shop around to find the best price.

Get Tickets Early

Get your tickets early — but not too early. You may think it would be smart to buy tickets six months in advance, but in fact, getting tickets more than five months before you need them may keep you from getting the best fares. Aim for two to four months in advance, if possible. If you can’t plan that far in advance, at least try to avoid the two-week period right before a flight, when ticket prices tend to go up.

Specialty sites like “air fare watch dog” provide a medium for you to search for deals between two specific locations, and also can send you alerts when prices drop to a much more affordable rate. This is perfect for those who know where they want to travel, just are not too concerned about when. They can snag a great deal and plan their trip once they get that informative e-mail from the website.

Airport Selection

Fly in or out of airports that are not in your destination city. If you are flying into New York City, you may be able to get cheaper fares at the Newark airport than you would in New York City’s JFK Airport. If you are going to or from San Francisco, try the Oakland or San Jose airports. Many other cities also have airports that are nearby but outside of the city limits. Flying out of an alternate airport isn’t even necessarily a hardship. For example, If you are going to some parts of Manhattan, ground transportation may get you there faster from Newark than from JFK.

You will benefit on price, though, because not as many people will think of using the other airports, so the seats won’t sell out as quickly. Always think in terms of supply and demand when trying to find cheap airfare.

Non-Direct Flights

Accept a little inconvenience in exchange for a cheaper price. You may be able to save money on long trips by taking routes where you change planes rather than taking a non-stop flight. If you’re not in a hurry, you don’t need to pay a premium for the faster route. Try traveling lighter to avoid the luggage fees that so many airlines are charging now. Be creative in figuring out how to get by with fewer things on your trip.

Incognito Mode

Lock up your search history tight and don’t look back. When you start looking at flights and trips, make sure you’re in incognito mode. When you search for flight prices, sites use cookies to track how many times you’ve looked at the flight. Each new time you look, the price goes up. Why? Well, to get you to buy as soon as possible so you “lock in the lowest price.” Yeah, it’s dirty, but you can fight back!

By browsing incognito, you won’t have any cookies tracking you. This allows you to bypass this dirty trick and get a better price for your flight!

Find the Cheapest Days to Book

Try to fly on a Tuesday or a Wednesday, if possible. Those are often the cheapest days of the week. If possible, avoid Fridays and Sundays, when rates tend to go up. Flying right before a major holiday, like Thanksgiving or Christmas, is going to be very expensive. But if you are able to fly on the day of the holiday itself, you can usually pick up some very cheap fares because not many people want to fly then.

September 2, 2018
Which Cordless Vacuum is the Best?

Everyone hates vacuuming! Although a necessity for keeping carpets clean, vacuums can be difficult chore and a even more difficult purchases due to the wide variety of brands and features to choose from.

One thing that does makes the chore of vacuuming more bearable is a cordless vacuum. Not having to pick around chairs and tables to get to those out-of-the–way spots is a great feature, to be sure! The question is, which cordless vacuum is the best bang for your buck?

You don’t want to buy a lemon and have to return it, so we’ve got a list of our favorites. If you’re looking to clean up with no cord, check out our roundup: it doesn’t suck, I promise!

Shark Navigator Freestyle SV1106

For an impressively low $130, you can pick up this excellent stick vacuum from Shark. It’s quite light and very easy to use and store! It’s also very powerful, great for big messes, and possesses two distinct brush speeds. This lets is work optimally on both carpet and hard floor! While it’s not quite as powerful as most upright vacuums, the low price and great versatility easily make up for it. If you have pets that shed a lot, this is a great choice, is it’s powerful enough to suck up pet hair. That all said, you can’t beat that price!

Hoover Linx BH50010

Hoover’s a respected name, and for good reason. This entry to our list retails for $200, which is a fine price, all said. While this vacuum has a shorter handle and no bag, it’s a very modern and useful appliance. It’s got edge-to-edge brush bristles and works great on carpet and floor. This one’s powerful and sports great performance even on rough messes. Not to mention, that shorter handle can recline all the way back to help you get those very out of the way spots. A great buy for the money, and well worth your consideration!

Electrolux Ergorapido EL2055B 2 in 1

For $279, this upright vacuum is a great deal. It’s super lightweight and very easy to maneuver around corners. It’s got great detachable tools for getting under sofas and close to walls, too! THat said, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. For one thing, it only takes name-brand Electrolux filters. That’s an odd feature for a household appliance in 2018, to be sure. What’s weirder, it only works with name-brand accessories. What gives, Electrolux? More importantly, though, the vacuum isn’t as good on carpeted surfaces as we’d hoped. That said, this is still a fine pick if you’re looking for a great, light vacuum.

Our Favorite Cordless Vacuum: Shark IONFlex 2x DuoClean IF251

Easily the most expensive on the list, this entry from Shark retails for $450. However, it’s worth every penny of that steep price: it’s a supremely high-end piece of household technology. It sports two battery packs that last a very long time, and while you’re using one you can charge the other. The vacuum has a handheld mode that helps you hunt down those out of the way messes. And, of course, it’s just a great vacuum and picks up dirt like no one’s business. In a crowded field, this high-end cordless vacuum is the best of them.

September 2, 2018
7 Signs of Depression you Shouldn’t Ignore

If you or someone you love is feeling unusually down, achy or lethargic, it could be depression. Depression is serious, but treatable. If you are experiencing any of these 7 signs of depression, you should talk to your doctor.

Keep your eyes peeled for the 7 signs of depression you shouldn’t ignore.

7 Signs of Depression you Shouldn’t Ignore

Irritability

If you’re having a hard time dealing with even minor inconveniences, you could be experiencing depression. Those who are depressed aren’t always just hopeless, it often rears its head as anger and hostility. Don’t ignore these signs, as they could indicate a deeper problem.

Trouble Sleeping

Insomnia is a very common side effect of depression. If you’re having unusual amounts of trouble getting to sleep or staying to sleep, it could be more than just stress. If you find normal sleep treatments ineffective, consider talking to your doctor about depression being the cause.

Low Energy

One thing, of course, leads to the other. If you’re having trouble sleeping, low energy is a natural side effect. Many who suffer from depression and don’t have trouble sleeping suffer from low energy and lethargy, as well, though. If you feel like you can’t muster the strength to even make a meal or get out of bed, you could be depressed.

Mystery Aches and Pains

If you’re a younger person experiencing odd aches and pains, it might not be your muscles or bones aching. It could be depression sending false signals to your pain centers! These aches could be a sign that you need to seek help with depression, especially if you have no other notable physical ailments. Listen to what your body is telling you!

Grief

Unexplained or overwhelming feelings of guilt, remorse or self-loathing are a very common sympton of depression. If you find you’re overly hard on yourself and critical of everything you do, you could be depressed. There’s no reason to feel like everything that goes wrong in your life is your fault!

Recklessness

Taking unnecessary risks, like speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, drinking heavily and taking hard drugs could all be symptoms of extreme depression. These types of risky behavior are very bad for you, long-term, and will often serve to only exacerbate the underlying depression that caused them.

Trouble Concentrating

If you find you’re often zoning out, reading words without understanding them and generally ghosting through life, you could be depressed. Trouble concentrating is a common symptom of depression and shouldn’t be written off as a scattered mind. This is especially true if you normally have no issues concentrating at work or on things you enjoy.

September 2, 2018