Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Weekly Deals 10/28/2009

Check here every Wednesday for weekly deals and discounts!

1) By now everybody has to know that Windows 7 was released last Thursday. If you have any questions or concerns about switching, ask MyEconoBlog a question. We tested the RC and have been using Windows 7 Ultimate for nearly three weeks and it rocks! Today's first deal is a student discount on Windows 7. If you have a valid student email address, go to the site below to get Windows 7 for $29.99!
http://www.microsoft.com/student/en/us/software/windows-7.aspx

2) Mac users. You only have until this Saturday to take advantage of some great security software deals. Twelve security applications from Intego, Macware, and others for only $50 ($62 after you pay for the back up discs and shipping). Tech Tool Pro 5 is also in this list. If you are among the first 10,000 purchasers, you also get Radio Gaga free.
http://www.macpromo.com

3) Need new PC components or a new PC in general? Many PC makers and retailers are offering great deals right now in celebration of the release of Windows 7. Here are a few places to get a great Windows 7 PC at a great price:
http://www.dell.com
http://www.hp.com
http://www.newegg.com
http://www.bestbuy.com

This week we kept the list small and limited it to computer related deals. Check us out next week for a larger variety of deals!

Going Green While Saving Green

Taking reducing, reusing, and recycling to new levels can greatly reduce your impact
on the environment and increase the money in your wallet.
Electronic devices are a common part of everyday
life. We watch the morning news on TV, check our
email on the computer, and text our friends about
everything just as automatically as we breathe.
Technology is so integrated into our lives that we
often forget about the impact they have on our
environment. Here are some ways to enjoy your
beloved tech gear while loving our planet;
1)Use mobile devices for checking email or instant
messaging, rather than turning on the PC. Cell
phones and other devices are just as capable as
your computer when performing these simple
tasks. Some devices do almost as much as
computers do. Using a device like a PDA, cell
phone, Apple’s Ipod Touch, or Sony’s Mylo will
keep you connected while saving on electricity.
The use of these devices will also reduce the wear
and tear on your computer, increasing its overall
life span. Save computer usage for heavier tasks
and large work loads.
2)Keep your unwanted electronics out of the
landfill. Electronic devices contain materials that
should be recycled or disposed of safely. Working
electronics that you have no use for should be
resold or donated to people that do have a use for
them. Most manufacturers offer disposal
programs for their products and have details on
their websites. For non-working devices that still
have usable parts, there are companies that will
actually buy your junk and reuse what is
salvageable or help you fix them. Ebay is also a
great tool for selling broken electronics and
finding replacement parts.
3)Separate your need from your wants. Do you
really need that new gadget or do you just want it?
Buying the latest cell phone when yours works
just fine creates more waste. If you really have to
have something that bad, buy it used. That way
you save money, give purpose to someone’s
unwanted stuff, and help keep harmful materials
out of a landfill.
Here are some resources to help you dispose of
your electronics, get cash for them or give them
new life.
www.epa.gov/cellphone
www.recyclewirelesphones.com
www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com
www.charitablerecycling.com
www.eco-cell.org
www.pcsforschools.org
www.justgive.org
www.cellforcash.com
www.phoneiscash.com
www.ifixit.com

Look to the Clouds

It seems that the future of computing is going minimalist. Microsoft and PC makers made a strong effort to drop the crapware that normally comes with new PCs during the development of Windows 7. Netbooks come with slimmed down operating systems. Google has an online suite of services, their Google Chrome browser is slimmed down and very speed, while the Chrome operating system is promised to also be quick and slim. The center of this minimalist future depends heavily on the use of the internet.
Google's online services will most likely be at the center of their Chrome OS. Next year Microsoft will roll out Office 2010 for the both the Mac and PC but users can already access the Office Live Workspace where users can create and share projects online as well as store them there. Google has a similar service called Google Docs while users of Apple's iWork can post iWork projects to be shared on iWork.com. Office suites aren't the only web services designed to increase productivity and aid in sharing. The newest cloud computing services are receiving a lot of early adopters and look to provide a great future for sharing and online computer back up services.
This new frontier in the world of computing will help computer users retain important files as well as share them. Some of the big names in cloud computing so far are Apple with their Mobileme service, Mozy, DropBox, as well as Google and Microsoft. The only drawback to these services is their reliance on the internet. So, if you are constantly connected, don't want to spend money on software and services, are looking for an efficient way to back up your computer, or hate messing with external hard drives and flash drives, pay attention to the next few posts as I review these online services. As always, your comments are welcome and if there are any other products or services you would like to have featured here, let us know.

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