Tag: How to

Cool Uses for Your Old Smartphone: What to do When You Upgrade

When you upgrade to a new smartphone, it can be hard to decide what to do with your old phone. You don’t want to just toss it in a drawer, as it’s a great piece of technology. You could sell it, though doing so is a huge hassle and you normally don’t even get back half of what you paid for it. So, what are you supposed to do with an old smartphone to keep it useful even though you’ve got a better handset?

Today we’re going over some fun and useful things you can turn your old phone into. Whether you’re looking for a new computer mouse or a game system, you’d be surprised at just how useful your old, worn-out smartphone can still be. Let’s get started!

Wireless Mouse

If you’ve got an old smartphone, why not turn it into a wireless mouse? No, seriously! If you download an app like Remote Mouse, you can use the phone’s gyro sensor to simulate the movement of a mouse. You connect your phone to your computer over the same wi-fi network, and then the phone functions as a mouse. It’s pretty simple!

For instance, if you often use a laptop and want to keep a mouse with it, but don’t feel like buying any new pieces of technology, you can just use your old cell phone! This allows you to keep it in the same bag as your laptop and easily bust it out for when you need it. Not bad for something that was going to sit in a desk drawer!

Universal Remote

There are a lot of devices on your wireless network that can be controlled via a universal remote. For example, if you have a Roku, a Smart TV or a game console like an Xbox One or a PS4, you can control them all from a universal remote. However, proper universal remotes can be relatively expensive, and your old phone can do this just fine!

Download an app like iRule, which offers an interface for proper universal remote control, and sync it with your wireless devices. You can even control your smart home tech, like your smart bulbs or smart locks, from this universal remote. Just dedicate the old phone to sitting on the coffee table to control all of your home’s functions, and you’re good to go!

Game Boy

Our favorite use for an old Android phone is easily to convert it into a Game Boy emulator. The HyperKin Smartboy Mobile Device is $50 from the HyperKin website, and it can convert most older Android devices into a proper, functioning Game Boy. If your phone is compatible with the device, you simply plug your phone into the device via the USB-C connector, and then plug and run your own Game Boy cartridges.

The Hyperkin is fully compatible with both original Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges, allowing you to play hundreds of old games just like you used to on your old handheld! If you’ve got an old Android phone and some Game Boy cartridges lying around but nothing to play them on, the HyperKin Smartboy is the device for you.

Google Home

If you have an older Android device that is up-to-date on firmware, you can get a charging stand for it, connect it to a Bluetooth speaker, and create a Google Home yourself. While Google Home devices are $130, a Bluetooth speaker could cost you half as much or less and sound just as good. Just like that, you’ve built your own Google Home smart speaker to work as your smart home hub! It’s significantly less expensive if you already have the old Android phone lying around, and it works just as well as a proper smart speaker!

August 9, 2019
Do It Yourself: Unclogging Tough Drains

You turn on the faucet, and the sink begins to fill with water. You think, okay, maybe I’ve got the stopper in. To your dismay, the drain is open and unimpeded, but the water is only barely draining. You’ve got a clogged, slow drain and you’re dreading calling a plumber and seeing the huge bill attached to their visit. What can you do?

Today we’re looking at a few ways you can try to unclog a drain yourself, and why you really should do so. Let’s get into some DIY home maintenance, some Feng Shui, and how to avoid paying an arm and a leg to the plumber.

Unclogging Tough Drains

Why You Should

The last thing you need in your home is a slow-draining sink or tub. They’re absolute breeding grounds for bacteria, making your home smelly and unsanitary. One of the best things about living in a home with modern amenities is plumbing: pipes that carry waste and dirt away from your home are critical to sanitary living and a long lifespan.

If the “sanitation” argument isn’t doing it for you, consider the Feng Shui angle. Maybe you’ve heard of this philosophy: it holds that the way you organize your living space directs the flow of Chi, or spirit energy, in your home. In Western terms, a bad living space puts your head in a bad space. Feng Shui practitioners claim that slow drains can be a drain on your energy, ensuring lower finances, draining your good health, dragging down travel plans and even clogging your sinuses.

Calling in the Plumber

Your first instinct may be to call in the plumber. However, as good of advice as this is in an emergency situation, a slow drain is no emergency. You should try every home solution you can, first. Plumbers have to upcharge a ton for a variety of reasons, so you’ll end up spending a lot more on them than you will on any home solutions.

A slow drain is almost always cause by a soft blockage. This can be hair or similar gunk that’s just cluttered up and become a ball of water-stopping grossness. A soft blockage like this can usually be broken down by some abrasive chemicals. Of course, if none of these home remedies work, it’s time to call in a pro, sadly.

Drano (and Other Products)

Store-bought drain cleaners, like name-brand Drano and all of its derivatives, can be helpful for these types of clogs. Typically, these drain products work best on clogs that are either caught in the first vertical trap of the drain, or in the third section. Things caught in the U-trap, the second, horizontal section, usually require a bit more in-depth solution.

Drano should be able to break up any gunk caught in the drain that isn’t, say, a solid blockage. If someone has gotten a marble or some other little foreign object stuck in the drain, it’ll need to be removed manually.

Removing the U-Trap

If the blockage still isn’t gone, it’s time to go hands-on. Make sure that there is no drain product in the U-trap by thoroughly flushing the drain in question. Once that’s done, get some gloves on and put a bucket under the pipes. Remove the nuts from the front and back of the trap and then take it off. Let the water drain from both sides, and then drain the water from the removed trap.

Take a bent pipe cleaner and scrub out whatever gunk or blockage is gumming up the works. Once that’s done, just re-attach the trap and send some warm water through the pipe. The blockage should be cleared. If neither of these approaches did the trick, it’s time to call in a pro.

June 24, 2019
Having Trouble Finding Love? Tips on Being Successful at Online Dating

The wide world of online dating can seem daunting to a newcomer. How do you make yourself stand out? How can you be successful at online dating? Don’t panic just yet, we’re here to help. Here are some quick tips to help you be a bit more successful at online dating. This one’s a freebie: act natural!

How to Be Successful at Online Dating

Be Yourself

Seriously, this one is a big deal-breaker. You need to relax. Just take a deep breath and present yourself as you are. There’s no need to try to act like someone else. If you want to have a successful time meeting dates online you need to present yourself truthfully. That means that you need an up-to-date, accurate profile picture. You shouldn’t lie about what you do or how much money you make. It’s okay to omit these things if you think they’re boring or irrelevant, but don’t lie.

Take it Easy

There are literally countless people in your very city who will want to go on dates with you. Take it easy. Patience and confidence can go a long way in the world of online dating! Just remember that there’s no rush and you can meet people at your own pace. If you have a few bad dates in a row, there’s no reason to freak out. You’ll meet more people, you’ll go on more dates and you’ll meet someone awesome.

A lot of prospective dates are scared off by people acting desperate or without confidence. It’s highly disconcerting if your date is constantly bashing themselves, isn’t it? People who exude confidence, calm and surety are much more magnetic and likeable.

Listen to Your Date

Make a point of paying attention to your date. If you’re constantly on your phone, ignoring them or looking at other people it’s unlikely they’ll want to meet with you again. Enjoy where you are! Enjoy the company of the person you’re with and they’ll notice it.

If you follow these basic tips you’ll likely find your dating situation get a lot better. Just relax, take things easy and remember that it isn’t a race. You’ll meet someone cool! Just be yourself!

November 7, 2018
Is Your Home Ready for Winter? Don’t Miss Our Checklist

Winter is coming, and you don’t want to be caught flat-footed! Take steps now to make sure your home is ready for Winter. The last thing you want is to be stuck with a broken heating unit or frozen water pipes in the middle of the season!

Make Sure Your Home is Ready for Winter

Get Your Heating System Checked

This is an easy step that could save you a ton of trouble down the line. Get an HVAC technician to come out and double-check your system. They will be able to make sure everything is clean and in good condition. These “tune-up” style services generally cost around $90 or so. They could potentially save your hundreds or thousands of dollars if a technician identifies a problem before it gets bad.

The other huge upside to being proactive, instead of reactive, is ensuring your home will be comfortable and safe all winter. If your heating system fails in the middle of the coldest night of the year, you’re not going to be very happy. You’ll also be near the back of the line for repairs, as everyone else in town is having the overworked repairman come to fix their heat. Don’t get stuck shivering in the middle of Winter!

Check Your Roof

Make sure that your roof is ready for winter, too. If you can see to your roof, look for any missing or damaged shingles. If you can’t see it from the ground level, get a professional roofing company to come inspect it for you. We advise you don’t go up there yourself, as it could be dangerous!

A professional roofing company can tell you whether any shingles are damaged or missing. Then, they can offer you a quote for repairs. You’d much rather have them be proactive and replace it before winter storms and snow cause leaks into your attic! That kind of damage can be very hard to reverse.

While You’re Up There…

Make sure your gutters are clean and clear. If you don’t have covered gutters, this is a major concern. A lot of leaves and other detritus blocking your gutters can be a major problem in Winter. These blockages can cause major water backup, which is awful for your house and gutters alike. You can even have ice dams form in your gutters from these types of backup.

If you have covered gutters, however, you should be okay! Just have them check to make sure there’s no blockages in there. Ice dams can still form in covered gutters, even though they’re much less likely. You just want to make sure everything is clean and snow and rain has a place to go!

Another important note about gutters: make sure they divert water at least three feet from the foundation. If they don’t, you could get some serious erosion around the base of your house.

General Winter-Proofing

If your home doesn’t have cold-proof outdoor faucets, make sure you shut them off from the main valve in your home. Then, turn them on from the outside and let the excess water flow out of them. That way the water doesn’t freeze in the pipes and burst them! The same goes for any sprinkles or irrigation systems you might have.

If you plan on using your chimney at all this season, make sure you call in a chimney sweep, too! You don’t want to accidentally cause a house fire by setting some detritus ablaze! If you follow these easy tips, your home should be ready for winter!

High Ceilings? Run Your Fans Backwards

If you have very high, vault-style ceilings, you’ve likely learned the hard way that heat rises. Homes with vaulted ceilings and hardwood floors have notoriously cold floors in the winter. The best way to deal with this issue is to reverse the flow of your ceiling fans. If your fan has a reverse option, turn it on and let it run backwards. This will create an updraft, pulling the cold air off of the floor and displacing the hot air near the ceiling.

This turning of air makes your rooms feel more comfortable and can also help your power bill. By having your ceiling fans keep hot air well-distributed, your home will be more comfortable. This will let you keep your heating system a little lower and stay comfortable in your own home!

November 2, 2018
How to Get the Best Internet Bill for Your Money

Internet bills can be expensive to say the least. When it comes to normal household bills, your internet can outstrip even your utilities in some situations. That said, there are ways you can make sure you’re getting the most for your hard-earned money. Let’s look at some tips for making your internet bill more reasonable.

How to Get the Best Internet Bill

Know What You’re Looking For

The first step in getting a fair internet bill is going to be research. Depending on where you live, your internet service provider options may be limited. Regional providers are in heated competition due to the usually small number of companies to choose from. When you call your ISP looking for a better rate, you should know what you’re getting into.

Make sure, first of all, that you have accurate and up-to-date information on your bill and what kind of speeds you’re getting. You’ll want to make sure you know how much you pay every month, what speed you’re getting, and keep track of any service issues you’ve had. That way, you know what you’re talking about when you’re on the phone with them. Most importantly, you’ll want to know their competitor’s rates, speeds and promotional offers.

When to Negotiate

If you have a contract with your ISP, it’s best to wait until near the end of the contract period to call them. When you do, know the kind of deal you want. If you’ve done your research, you’ll know what kinds of speeds the other ISPs in your area are offering for what prices. You can use that information in your negotiation. Simply tell your ISP you’re switching because of the high prices of their service, and that you’ll be returning their equipment.

When you do this, it’s surprising how fast you may get offers for a better rate! That said, it’s also important to remember that these negotiations won’t always occur at the end of a contract. If you simply don’t have a contract, the best time to try to negotiate is the start of the month. Simply call your ISP and tell them you’re planning to switch and return their equipment at the end of the month. This gives them a full month to offer you a better deal!

If you feel as though you’re really paying too much for internet and you’re in the middle of a contract, check out the competition. Sometimes paying to break contract early can save you money over sticking with your current ISP, and you should use that knowledge to your advantage.

Be Ready to Follow Through

Make sure you stay polite and kind, but don’t waver in your goal. You’re trying to get a better internet bill, so be ready to follow through with this plan. If your ISP won’t budge on the price and you can get a better deal somewhere else, do so! Be polite, and don’t yell at anyone. Simply switch to a company that will give you a better deal!

While it can be a bit of a hassle to switch, companies know that, at the end of the day, you’re going to go with the best deal! As such, typically, the sincere threat of losing a customer can cause them to adjust your bill. That said, it’s not a surefire thing: they want as much of your money as they can get. In these negotiations you need to be prepared to follow through with threats to switch!

Bottom Lines

The bottom line of your bill is the bottom line. Don’t let yourself get talked into silly upgrades like cable channel packages or increased speeds. Remember, you’re just trying to get a lower internet bill! The people you talk to on the phone are well-trained, and they’ve got a stated goal to get you to upgrade whenever they can. That’s the exact opposite of what you want: you’re trying to save money!

Don’t be afraid to simply state what you want. Tell them the price you’re looking to pay. Generally speaking, these companies appreciate your business and still want your money. It’s smart for them to work with you, at least, so speak plainly and kindly. Again, there’s no need to be mean: just make yourself clear. Follow these easy tips and you’ll be sure to get a great internet bill!

September 30, 2018
PC’s…Build or Buy?
Pros to Building a PC
- Full customization of PC’s interior and Exterior looks and funtions
- Advances in PC tech, make building a PC relatively easy for intermediate users
- With proper shopping, building can be a much cheaper option.
Cons to Building a PC
- High chance for PC software bug if not built right
- Can be a laborious and frustrating practice at times
- Ensuring that all parts are compatible and will function together is a task in itself
Conclusion

PC building is a beauty in the eye of the beholder. Completing a fully custom, kick-butt, gaming PC can be a lot of fun with a rewarding product afterwards. But with great PC names such as Alienware, is it better to just spend the money and call it a day? If you have the time, I say build. With all PC parts easily available online at Amazon, and all the fun extras you can attach, making your own PC is almost an art nowadays. But prepare for frustration…

The build

At first it seems like an overwhelming amount of work, but after a while all the parts your ordered and purchased seem to click in place and the PC is starting to come together. Fully customized to your liking with color schemes, attachments, and paint jobs, there is no end to what you can do to your custom PC. But is it cheaper than buying a big name PC? On average with all your high-end graphics cards, processors, memory, and motherboard, you cost can easily creep to $2,000.00. On top of the rising cost, you have to make sure all parts are compatible, get all software up and running together, and get past a sometimes long bug fixing period. I see why folks, to walk down to the outdoor Sunday computer market and grab something they know they can just plug in and go. But those big market gaming computers can cost around $5,000.00 and come equipped with essentially the exact same parts that you can buy and build for $2,000.00.

Final thoughts

Ultimately, building you own PC is fun, cheaper, and the end result is building something you can be proud of. Complete with customized LED lights, personalized motherboards, fans, and graphics cards. But prepare yourself for frustrating moments and know it’ll take some time. But you’ll get through it and at the end of the day, you’ll call that PC your baby.
January 30, 2018