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  • How to Get Out of a Timeshare

    How to Get Out of a Timeshare

    Ah, timeshares. Certainly, your timeshare sounded like a good idea when you first bought into it. After all, it’s in a beautiful location and you love the idea of visiting there! Now, however, you find that it’s not worth it and you’re stuck with it. Today we’re looking at how to get out of a timeshare!

    How to Get Out of a Timeshare

    Sell It

    The first, and most obvious, way to ditch a time share is to just sell it. It can be difficult, however, since they’re inherently a bad investment. Many people find that it’s nearly impossible to even give a timeshare away, as, after all, it has associated, life-long maintenance fees. Those fees will continue whether or not you use the allotted time of the time share. In order to even get rid of the thing, you often have to pay companies a fee to absorb the property for you.

    Similarly, real estate agents will sometimes take on the task of selling a time share. However, due to the nature of the transaction, the seller often ends up paying a lot more in commission fees and such to even get rid of the place.

    Donate It

    Some charities will allow you to donate a time share as a charitable gift. However, those charities then take on the associated maintenance costs, so this is uncommon. However, in the event that you do find a charity willing to take the place off of your hands, it won’t cost you anything. This can be a great boon to the seller, as it’s one of the few ways to get rid of it without spending any money.

    Rent It

    This is unlikely to get you to break even, but it might recoup some of the costs. The problem you run into is that resorts will charge less for rentals than your timeshare’s monthly costs. In order to entice people to take up your rental with the time share, you have to rent it for pretty cheap. This distances you further from breaking even, sadly. However, you will at least make a bit of money back to cover the costs while you look for a more long-term solution to your problem.

  • Coolest Indoor Lighting

    Coolest Indoor Lighting

    Indoor lighting is a great way to make a space pop. If you’ve ever entered a nice restaurant or home with great looking lighting, you’re probably interested in figuring out a way to make your home look the same. Here’s some tips on cool indoor lighting!

    Cool Indoor Lighting

    Lamps Plus

    Lamps Plus has a fantastic in-store experience for those looking for great indoor lighting. The in-store experience is heightened by the excellent professional help in the store. Their lighting professionals can help you decide on an interior style to make your space your own! If you’ve been looking for a place to come see what your choices would look like in real life.

    The best part about Lamps Plus is seeing lighting solutions in person. That’s something you can’t get with online shopping!

    Wayfair

    That said, there are some distinct upsides to online shopping. Wayfair is a great site to go to should you be looking for good deals on lighting via online shopping. Everything from standing lamps to desk lamps and ceiling and wall fixtures are available from Wayfair. You can also shop for bulbs, from halogen to LED and more, so you’re always able to restock your existing fixtures.

    Wayfair is also great because you can often find amazing deals on lights through their site. Keep your eyes peeled for big discounts during events and sales. You can often find discount codes on the internet to help keep costs down, too!

    Distinctive Lighting

    If you’re working on new installations for a house, or building a new house, consider Distinctive Lighting. They offer a wide variety of great-looking, modern lighting fixtures that can be build right into your home. They have experts who can help you get the desired look and brightness in any room you’re looking to illuminate.

    The best part is, they offer 15 percent off orders over $1000. If you’re about to undergo a large remodeling process and need someone to help with indoor lighting, consider Distinctive Lighting first! They’ve got you covered for all your large-scale lighting needs!

  • SmartPhone Spotlight: The Palm

    SmartPhone Spotlight: The Palm

    Palm Pilot is back. No this is not a tech throwback, this is legit. Palm is back in action after being shut down in 2011 by HP. A startup out of California now uses the Palm name, and it’s serious about breathing new life into the brand. They are releasing a new android based smartphone sidekick. It’s a back up phone of sorts? The Robin to your smartphone Batman? The new phone known as just the Palm. The Palm is a small device you carry around when you don’t want to bring your main iPhone or Galaxy along. Like to the beach or warped tour. Let take a look in to this, “The Palm”

    The Great

    • Small
    • Tiny
    • Miniscule
    • Cheap

    The Not

    • Lacks everything you need on a daily bases
    • No NFC

    The Conclusion

    It’s a backup phone that fits is the palm of your hand. It is a thin version of the iPhone 3g with slightly more power and running android. My first impression, it’s a giant smartwatch. I think I want one

     

    The Palm In Your Palm

    So lets address the elephant in the room, new Palm has nothing to do with the old palm or Palm pilot. They just got the name. That said, The Palm is a 3.3 inch LCD display with Android 8.1 OS. Palm has redesigned the interface to give it a more friendly Palm feel. The Palm is a beautiful little thing, crafted from aluminum and Gorilla Glass 3. Its has a amazingly sharp screen, with pixel density of 445 PPI. For those keeping score at home that is top of the charts iPhone XS level. The Palm is crystal clear.

    The guts are comprised of a octa-core Snapdragon 435 chipset with 3GB of RAM. Pretty unimpressive and available in any free android MetroPCS is giving away this month. This is a Verizon exclusive, but for any of you that pay attention we know all Verizon phones are factory unlocked so The Palm will be able to be used with any carrier.

    An 800mAh battery tucked away inside. Palm claims will last about 8 hours on a single charge. You can extend that battery life a bit with a feature Palm calls Life Mode, which is meant to help you disconnect when needed and focus on what’s happening in front of you. Its like enabling airplane mode.

    The Look

    With rounded edges, no fingerprint reader and only one power button on the entire thing, the Palm’s resemblance to the iPhone is unavoidable. Extremely easy to hold and use, it almost slipped out of my hands a few times. Palm wants you to buy accessories for this phone accessory like a workout sleeve or lariat. Palm will also sell you a bi-fold wallet case and a Kate Spade clutch which you wear around your wrist.

    “Creating a smaller smartphone would have been easy, but Palm is unique in that it augments the smartphone in a special new way,” said Brian Higgins, vice president of device and consumer product marketing at Verizon. “Palm and Verizon set out to reinvent something in a smaller form factor that allows you to connect with only what matters.”

    The Palm Quick Speck Look

    • 3.3-inch, 445ppi. 720p resolution
    • 12-megapixel rear camera and flash
    • 8-megapixel front-facing camera
    • 32GB local storage/3GB RAM
    • No expandable storage
    • Battery capacity: 800mAh
    • Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor
    • Proprietary optical sensor to unlock the phone, but not 3D, not secure enough for mobile payments
    • One speaker on front
    • USB-C port
    • One button power/lock
    • Gesture controls
    • Android 8.1
    • No NFC
    • Water-resistance: IP68

    The Final Thought

    It’s a backup phone that does all of the things your current phone does, just not as well. It to be used in a pinch. I really don’t know what to make of this. I have carried a backup phone for the last 10 years, and I’m enjoying not having 100% communication reliability. There has to be some fail safe to just go off grid for a moment. I will get its own number or a simple sim switch and you are good to go with your regular number. For $299 it is a pretty inexpensive phone, my just be the phone I slip in to my baggies on those long boat days.

  • Smartphone Spotlight: Xiaomi Mi Mix 3

    Smartphone Spotlight: Xiaomi Mi Mix 3

    We have the First 5g Smartphone, I said It would happen. I said it would happen before the end of the year. Here we are. WE know Chinese phone maker Xiaomi is working on one of the first 5G-enabled phones you can buy. However you’ll have to wait until next year for it. I know I know, next year. We have hard details though. Lets take our first look in to the first 5G- enabled smartphone. The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3.

    The Great

    • 5G
    • Good Power Spec
    • Snapdragon 845

    The Bad

    • Unknown yet

    The Conclusion

    Xiaomi’s Mi Mix phones are traditionally its most expensive and configurations with more storage typically cost more. It is priced great and will be our Guinea pig in to 5G. This will not be a commercial success but is much needed. Bugs, glitches and kinks galore are to be expected.

    Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 and What We Know

    Thursday at the Forbidden City we got our first 5G enabled smartphone annonced, the Mi Mix 3 is the latest addition to Xiaomi’s line of all-screen flagship phones. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, it has a 6.39-inch display like the Mi Mix with a 2,340×1,080-pixel resolution, meaning 93.4 percent of its body is screen. All the standar features are here. It has four cameras — two each on the front and back — as well as an astonishing 10GB RAM variant. That is impressive now, this time next year it will be the norm.

    Battery capacity is a less impressive 3,200 mAh, although I don’t expect great battery life. I have a feeling the 5G power will be more draining then the engineers are accounting for. While this isn’t the biggest battery we have seen, the phone does supports wireless charging. Also check out the fingerprint senso, it is right there on the back of the phone, no surprise there.

    For starters The Mi Mix 3 will come in three versions. You can get 6GB or 8GB RAM and 128GB onboard storage, or the top-end model with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. It will be available in three colors: onyx black, jade green and sapphire blue. It will have a starting price point of $475 and be available early next year.

    Quick Spec Look

    • Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor
    • 6.39-inch AMOLED screen, full-HD+ display (2,340×1,080 pixels)
    • 6GB RAM with 128GB onboard storage; 8GB RAM with 128GB storage; 8GB RAM with 256GB storage; 10GB with 256GB onboard storage
    • 12-megapixel dual rear cameras
    • 24- and 2-megapixel dual front cameras
    • Rear fingerprint sensor
    • 218 grams (7.69 ounces), 158 by 75 by 8.5 mm

     

    The Final Thought

    It is sleek, simple and elegant. Make no mistakes though The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 will be clunky, it will over heat and underperform, but we are here. The future isn’t ahead its now. Remember what I told you a few months back, the 5 g network will power the wifi at the resorts on the moon. Today is the start.

  • 7 Home Remedies for the Flu

    7 Home Remedies for the Flu

    Winter is coming! With the change in seasons comes a different group of viruses that flourish, and these viruses make people sick.  Being sick, even when you’re home in bed, isn’t fun. Flu symptoms can cause a world of misery, from fever and cough to sore throat, nasal congestion, aches, and chills.  But there are ways to feel better and flu remedies are ample and effective.

    Prescription antiviral drugs may ease symptoms of the flu when taken shortly after you get sick. In many cases, however, simple home remedies may be all you need for relief of mild to moderate flu symptoms. Here are 10 natural remedies for the flu!

    Drink Up

    The flu can leave you dehydrated, especially if have vomiting or diarrhea. So be sure to get enough fluids. Water is fine. So are fruit juices and electrolyte beverages. You may want to stay away from caffeinated drinks, because caffeine is a diuretic. Herbal tea with honey can soothe a sore throat. If you feel nauseated, try taking small sips of liquids — gulps might cause you to throw up.

    Sip Some Soup

    For generations, caring parents have been serving chicken soup to kids with colds and flu. But was mom right? Possibly. A study published in the journal Chest showed that chicken soup may help with symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections like the flu.

    Be a Couch Potato

    Listen to your body. If it’s telling you not to exercise, don’t. If it’s urging you to spend all day in bed, do. Don’t press on with daily chores even in the face of severe cold or flu symptoms. Rest is another way of supporting the body’s ability to fight infection. And don’t skimp on nighttime sleep. Good sleep cycles help the immune system work well, so it’s important to get your full eight hours of sleep each night.

    Humidify

    Breathing moist air helps ease nasal congestion and sore throat pain. One good strategy is to indulge in a steamy shower several times a day — or just turn on the shower and sit in the bathroom for a few minutes, inhaling the steam. Another is to use a steam vaporizer or a humidifier. Clean it often to make sure it’s free of mold and mildew.

    Be a Sucker

    Cough drops, throat lozenges, and hard candy can be surprisingly effective at easing a cough or sore throat. Some doctors swear by lozenges containing slippery elm. Others recommend zinc lozenges to help shorten cold symptoms.

    Swish and Spit

    Gargling with salt water helps get rid of the thick mucus that can collect at the back of the throat, especially after you’ve been lying down. It can also help ease stuffy ears.

    Try Nasal Irrigation

    To ease stuffiness and post-nasal drip — and perhaps cut the risk of getting a sinus infection — some doctors recommend nasal irrigation. You can buy a neti pot in health food stores and drugstores, or opt for a saline squeeze bottle. You pour salt water into one nostril and let it run out the other, clearing out your nasal passages. You can buy pre-made saline solution or make it by mixing salt and lukewarm sterile or distilled water.


  • Five Things to Consider When Buying a New Cell Plan

    Five Things to Consider When Buying a New Cell Plan

    Your cell phone and cell plan is a huge purchase and the center of all of your communication, and primary social tool. No longer are they for making calls in an emergency, they are now our most used possession. When we become so dependent on these devices, the cost tend to creep up and rise out of control.

    To help you save on this important cost, we are going to break down the cost and some tips when looking for new cell service. Whether you want to upgrade to a new phone or lower your monthly cost, we will take a look at all the dos and don’ts. Here are the five things to consider when looking for a new cell plan and the no contract cell phone plans as well.

    First Things First

    First off you need to decide on the phone you want to use. There are a lot of options and they update constantly. There are 3 options to consider here, iPhone, Android, non-smartphone or feature phone as they are called today. I don’t recommend buying a feature phone to anyone. You may think it is easier, it is not. A feature phone will lacking functionality also has a more cumbersome operation process. The smartphone is easier to operate and easier to customize to only use the features and functions you want.

    Do You Need a Flagship Device?

    As far a smartphones go you have the iPhone or an Android. The iPhone’s are more powerful, easier to use, more reliable and last longer. The Androids have more advanced feature sets and more customizable. Apple and Samsung make the 2 main device but there are a slew of other brands when looking in to Android. LG, HTC, OnePlus, Motorola all make new top of the line phones every year. You can get a great android device for half the cost of the premium Samsung Flagships.

    iPhone?

    This is always my recommendation. Due to their reliability, durability and ease of use and cost of ownership being much lower. The average iPhone will last 3.5 years, stay current and cutting edge. Isn’t the cost very high? Not really, The highest end new iPhone is the most expensive device on the market, but last year’s models or cheaper models like the XR are available. There is always an iPhone for any budget and they are always the best option in their class. Even today you can purchase an iPhone 7 for less than $450.

    No Contract No Cry

    Wait! $450? Aren’t phones supposed to be free! I never paid for a phone before… No they have never been free, and yes you paid a lot more for your free phone then you think. This brings me to my next point. Contracts. Don’t do them. Years ago the iPhone 7 that is selling for $450 with no contract would have been free with a 2 year contract. The cost of the subsidy was built in to your cellular plan at an average of $40 per month. Did you do that math? Your free phone cost you $960. Your best option is to find the phone you want and purchases at full price.

    The New Cell Plan

    This lead me to my last tip, by bringing your own phone you can get the best price on your plan. No longer do you have to worried about prepaid or postpaid. You can pick the plan you want and the carrier you want. Verizon and AT&T are the premium providers, with better, faster and more extensive coverage. They mock each other plans so cost are just about the same. Sprint and T-Mobile are your bargain carriers, cheaper and service will have holes and speed issues. You may not notice but odds are you will. Their new cell plan will run you a few dollars less.

    The Next option is to go with non-carrier 3rd parties. MetroPCS, StraighTalk, Cricket, Boost. These are providers that don’t have a network of their own and instead piggy back on the Carriers network. While these can be the cheapest option, they do not receive the same level of coverage. Even though they are using the same network, they are at a much lower priority and do not share in with the roaming agreements the major carriers have in play. So while you may get to use T-Mobile’s network, you will be out of service when it is not available. With a direct T-Mobile service you would jump on to one of the other networks. This is something you want to evaluate when buying a new cell plan.


  • Best Deals on Cat Litter

    Best Deals on Cat Litter

    If you’ve got a furry feline friend, you’re well aware of how expensive they can be. Between their food, toys and litter they can make a serious dent in your wallet! Thankfully, you can find some great deals on cat litter! We’ll show you how.

    Best Deals on Cat Litter

    Arm & Hammer

    If you’re a fan of the Arm & Hammer brand of cat litter, their site is a great place to save some money. If you go there now you can get $2 off of Clump and Seal litter. Their website is a great source of savings that change out rather frequently. If you’re the type of person who is constantly having to buy more litter, this is a good way to keep your costs down!

    Coupons.com

    Coupons.com is a rather straightforward concept. It’s a website full of coupons! They have a number of great deals and offers on a wide variety of brands. Unlike some deal sites, their deals change over time with regularity. If you’re looking to shop around for the best deals and don’t care what brands you get, Coupons is the best way to go.

    Lozo

    Lozo is a website like Coupons.com that allows you to find great deals on a variety of products. In the case of cat litter in particular they have some pretty great deals. The best part is, they offer a number of coupons on other cat products, too! You can find discounts on treats, toys and food as well. That’s a great way to keep your costs down while taking care of your furry friends!

    Petsmart

    Petsmart has both online and physical stores, and both offer great deals on cat litter. You can select from a really wide variety of options, so you’re able to find one that works best for your kitties. While your there, you can also check out great deals on food, toys and treats! You’ll need a place to stock up, and Petsmart isn’t a bad choice!

  • Best Deals on Christmas Cards

    Best Deals on Christmas Cards

    The holiday season can sneak up on you before you know it. Christmas will be here in a blink of an eye and you need cards for your friends, family, and even your boss. The last thing you want to do is scramble to find Christmas cards at the last minute.

    You have too much to do during the holiday season and finding the right cards for the people in your life should not be a frustrating task. Going to your local shopping center, you may find that their selections of Christmas cards are sparse. You might also find yourself paying a lot more than you wanted to! Finding deals online is a great idea and many sites offer stylish and affordable cards. If you work a little ahead of time, you can find some great deals on Christmas cards!

    Creating holiday memories should be treasured with a special card that expresses the season. Knowing where to look for discounted holiday cards as well as quality business and photo cards gets you one-step closer to making the Christmas season a special one.

    Best Deals on Christmas Cards

    Zazzle

    If you’re looking to create a more traditional Christmas card for your extended family, you can do so online. Zazzle is a site that allows you to build your own custom Christmas card! You upload your own photo, and then add banners and messages to your liking. Snow, Christmas ornaments and the like are a few favorites. You can even include personalized Season’s Greetings! This is a great alternative to a professional photographer that lets you keep up with your family around the holidays.

    Cards Direct

    Cards Direct is a website that allows you search for Christmas cards based on profession. If you’re a professional in a highly networking-based business, like sales or direct marketing, this is a great option. If you’re able to connect with clients and coworkers over a themed Christmas card, you’ll make even better impressions on them! People are generally friendlier and kinder around the holidays, so making a good impression with a Christmas card is really important. Consider Cards direct for Christmas-themed business cards this year!

    Current Catalog

    Current Catalog is a website worth checking out if you’re looking for discount Christmas cards. They have great deals on bulk cards that you can send to friends and family. While these cards aren’t quite as personalized as the other options in this article, they’re much more budget-friendly. If you have a large family or long client list, consider buying in bulk. That way you’re able to mail or deliver Christmas cards to everyone on your list! It’s a great feeling to know that everyone has gotten your best Season’s Greetings!


  • Tech Throwback: The Apple Lisa

    Tech Throwback: The Apple Lisa

    I like to take a look at where I’ve been to evaluate where Im going. Technology is cyclical after all… wait no its not. That said I still like all the feels that come rushing back like a flood of nostalgia every time I get my hand on the tech I grew up with. I’m going to go back periodically and take a looking at the stuff that used to blow our hair back and get our minds rolling. Some of these device blew up and changed the world, some where ahead of their time and some just fell flat and became colossal failures. Today’s throwback is the legendary, Apple Lisa.

     

    The Apple Lisa

    The machine named after Steve Jobs out-of-wedlock daughter was the first commercial computer to offer a graphics user interface. Breaking free from the text-command paradigm and initiating a more user-friendly, point-and-click experience.

    Apple Lisa’s $1,000 price tag and slow OS killed its vibe on the consumer market, even though it still commanded a number of advanced features that became conducive to the future of computing. On that checklist: co-op multitasking, protected memory, data corruption protection, built-in screen saver, and much more.

    Released in January 1983, the Lisa featured a rather advanced hardware at the time, it was equipped with a 16/32-bit Motorola 68000 CPU, 1MB of RAM (expandable to 2MB), two 871K floppy drives, and an integrated 12” monochrome monitor with a resolution of 720 X 364 pixels, an optional external 5MB hard disk, and an input device almost never seen before: a box-shaped single button mouse.

    Lisa’s Software The real story with the Lisa was the software it ran. The Lisa operating system included features like protected memory. This was absent from the Macintosh operating system until the launch of Mac OS X eighteen years later. Under the hood, it ran on a file system that supported hierarchal directories, making it ideal for organizing files on the Lisa’s internal hard drive.

    Lisa had two main modes. The first, named The Apple Lisa Office System, included seven GUI applications for users.  LisaWrite, LisaCalc, LisaDraw, LisaGraph, LisaProject, LisaList, and LisaTerminal.

    The FInal Thought

    I wish I could get my hands on an original Lisa, but I have not been able to locate one. There are only 20 to 100 Lisa 1s left in the world. A rare, seldomly turned on original lisa is being auctioned off starting at $55,000. The Apple Lisa was a passion tech project from a man who’s passion projects yielded a monumental advancement of mankind. Unfortunately it was not a massive success, but  it did  spawn many that followed. There is a little bit of Lisa in all the Apple products we have loved since.

  • Todays Quick Apple News Look

    Todays Quick Apple News Look

    Apple is always up to some fantastic things, Making headlines and straight surprising us with out of the box ideas. Apple News is plentiful and fascinating so here is a quick look at a few things Apple is up to today. Also it help as you are reading these to do so in Walter Cronkite’s voice.

    In Italy

    Italy’s anti-trust watchdog said on Wednesday it was fining Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd  5 million euros each following complaints they used software updates to slow down their mobile phones. WE know that that is not the case, once they update software it increases the power usage for the new features and functionality. It is not the software that is slowing down the phone, it is the lack of power needed to run the software, make sense? Apple was also smacked with an additional 5 million euro fine for failing to give clients clear information about how to maintain or eventually replace handset batteries.

    Mac Updates

    WE found 3 new device registrations in Europe this past week. Apple has registered the devices with the EU ahead of the Oct. 30 Event. The three new Mac models likely relate to new versions of the Mac Mini and iMac. We are expecting a significant spec update to the Mac Mini, which has not seen any attention in 1469 days, and at least processor bumps to the rest of the Mac line.

    The new cheap laptop is still a complete head scratcher. The rumor mill is divided on what to expect. No one knows exactly what the product looks like, and how much it will cost. Personally I think it is safe to assume a 13-inch Retina display in a design similar to the current 12-inch MacBook, although probably not as razor-thin or small for cost reasons.

    Apple TV Service

    We are hearing some chatter that Apple is planning to launch a subscription TV service. We don’t have a lot of details just yet but it appears  the service will roll out to over 100 countries. It would, presumably, compete with the likes of Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Sling TV and YouTube TV.  We can expect the service in the first half of 2019 in the US. It will, however, be available only to owners of Apple devices. Apple will be airing original programing with this service as well. This could get interesting.

     

    The Final Apple News Thought

    Everyday these guys are innovating, mesmerizing or out right improving the world for all of human kind. For a quick Apple news update come back to goodfind.guru. Check out what they will be doing next.