Digitwirl — Page 2

Tech the Halls! Great Gadget Gifts for Every Budget #digitwirl

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” – Arthur C. Clarke

I’m surprisingly tech-challenged for a blogger – You’d think that since I spend my whole days on this darn computer – I create posts filled with links and graphics and codes. I’m a master of social media with accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn and more. I run campaigns for great companies, build brand awareness with product ambassadorships, run successful giveaways, and promote great businesswomen in my Directory. Yet still – technology can be a challenge for me. That’s why I love Digitwirl!!

Digitwirl Rocks My Socks!

The amazing ladies at Digitwirl search out the VERY best techy gadgets, services, and websites with one goal in mind – to make YOUR life easier! Their weekly Twirls explain things in a way that even I can “get” it – which makes me feel just that little bit smarter and more tech-savvy. This year they’ve put together the coolest collection of totally fun items for everyone on your list – from foodie to photographer, you’ll find the perfect gifts at every price point. What are you waiting for? Check it out…

“The technologies which have had the most profound effects on human life are usually simple.” – Freeman Dyson

Digitwirl says: ” Ready, set, shop! The holidays are upon us and it’s time to get in gear and start finding the perfect gift for everyone on your list. No pressure, right? Well, don’t stress, Twirlers— if there’s one thing we know for sure here at Digitwirl, it’s that tech can help make anyone’s spirit a little brighter!” – They’ve scoured scoured the tech universe to find you the best gift options for everyone you have to shop for. I love that all of the items they include are so innovative – and they’re all perfect “Busy Mom Solutions!!” Love it. If you saw some great gifts for the amazing people on your list – you can learn more about each product and how to buy them on the Digitwirl site. Here are a few of my very favorite picks –

My Favorite Digitwirl Picks:

_________________________

The Nintendo DSi – I looove this! I would never have even guessed that this kids gadget had great games for grown-up girls! And here’s the fun cooking game they showed you: America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking.
Belkin Kitchen Stand and Wand for Tablets– I don’t have a tablet yet, but myohmy, this is SUCH a great idea! You know I’m all about finding great products that are “Busy Mom Solutions” – things that make you think, “Why didn’t I know about this??!! What a simple solution!” And that’s exactly what this is.
Samsung Laptop – Boyohboy – you guys KNOW I am in need of a laptop!! I work so much, and it would be amazing to be able to bring my work with me, instead of being stuck here at my desktop. I’ve been trying to decide on a good one, so that when my budget has some room I can finally get one – And if the Digitwirl gals give this their seal of approval, then I’m sure I’ll love it!
Nikon Digital Camera System – This is uh-MAY-zing! I love it in white – super chic and modern. I got a new camera last year, and while it’s doing a great job, it’s just a basic, solid, camera. I miss when I used to take photography classes in school – I’d love to have a really great camera like this again for my photography. Totally cool.

_________________________

“Technology has a great advantage in that we are capable of creating dinosaurs and showing them on the screen even though they are extinct 65 million years. All of a sudden, we have a fantastic tool that is as good as dreams are.” – Werner Herzog

Digitwirl is the weekly web show that offers simple solutions to modern day problems. In 3 minutes, Digitwirl brings busy women the very best time, money, and sanity-saving technology, and then teaches them how to use it, step-by-step. Digitwirl was created by technology lifestyle expert Carley Knobloch, who uses lots of technology to manage her busy life as mom of two and entrepreneur. Become a subscriber to get weekly show alerts and exclusive deals at Digitwirl.com, or follow Digitwirl on Twitter at @digitwirl.

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 9, 2011 Filed Under: Shopping | No Comments

{Digitwirl} How To: Get the Best Deals Online – Watch and Learn!

How do you know when your getting the best deals when you buy online?

Easy, put Zingsale.com on the case. It’s your personal shopper, price predictor, and bargain-hunter all wrapped into one super-simple site. Zingsale constantly searches tons of online merchants to monitor products for when you’ll get the best deals online and then lets you know of price drops so you know the perfect time to press the “buy” button.

So click play and find out how you can get a price alert and turn every online shopping excursion into a bargain bonanza!

My Top 5 Favorite Features:

LOVE that it tracks the price on that little chart! It’s hard to know sometimes if you’ve found a good price. How cool to be able to see if it’s actually higher than usual, or if it’s about as low as it usually goes. Totally gives you peace of mind that you’re getting the best deal.
It is so fast and simple to sign up! Seriously – all I had to do was add my name and email – done! Then you can start searching, setting alerts, and using all of the tools. Easy peasy!
The alerts will be super helpful this time of year! I entered all of the holiday toys that are on the kids “Must Have” lists, and now I can stop searching – this site will let me know when the price drops! What a time saver.
The “Today’s Biggest Sales” tab – they share some of the biggest and best deals that they’ve found each day. So, maybe you’re not really sure what you want – you can browse here for some great steals. They have tons of cool tech gadgets today too!
It’s easy to buy! You can also search by category, like I just searched the baby and kids category this morning. I found a few items that I liked, I can see that they’re at some of the lowest prices they’ve been over the past year – and it gives me the link directly to Amazon to buy them!

What do you think?

Will you be using ZingSale.com to help you with your holiday shopping this year too? Check it out and give it a try, and let me know what you think of it! And if you need help getting your holiday gift lists organized, be sure to check out Santa’s Hideout – another super cool new online site that can help make this years holiday shopping easier. And make sure to share this post with your friends by giving it a “Like” or a Tweet – Because remember….

Friends Don’t Let Friends Pay Full Price!!

Stacks and Papers and Piles, Oh My! Get Your Paper Clutter Under Control.

Simple steps to go paperless!

Stacks and papers and piles, oh my! What starts off as a couple bills, some magazines or school notices can very quickly turn into messy mountains of papers all over your house. Well, this week we’re going to show you how easy it is to rid yourself of all that paper and organize your home. First think of junk mail as unwelcome guests and don’t let it in your house, only touch something once (you’ll see what we mean by that), scan important stuff (we love the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300) – so you can save it digitally and shred what’s left.

Check out this week’s twirl and see how getting rid of all that paper feels all kind of good.

What do you think?

I think that this is a tech tip directed right towards me! I am super organized – but paper pile-up is my biggest challenge. I’m already using a few of the amazing organizational sites that she mentions – Like Manilla and Evernote – but I definitely need to get better at scanning in more stuff that I file away. I started using the super awesome site I told you about a couple months ago – AboutOne – and I am lovin’ that. I can snap pic’s of receipts and send them directly to a “Shopping” folder there, and scan the kids artwork and add it to their “School” files. My favorite is that I scanned all of our insurance policies and added to an AboutOne folder – and I can access these from my phone too! BUT – While I’m getting much better about scanning and saving digitally, I do need to start shredding what I toss! Love her product recommendations, as always.

Do you have multiple paper messes in your home? What other great tips can you share for tackling this challenge? Share ’em in the comments!

Digitwirl is the weekly web show that offers simple solutions to modern day problems. In 3 minutes, Digitwirl brings busy women the very best time, money, and sanity-saving technology, and then teaches them how to use it, step-by-step. Digitwirl was created by technology lifestyle expert Carley Knobloch, who uses lots of technology to manage her busy life as mom of two and entrepreneur. Become a subscriber to get weekly show alerts and exclusive deals at Digitwirl.com, or follow Digitwirl on Twitter at @digitwirl.

{Disclaimer: This post is shared with you guys because I’m a Syndicate Partner for Digitwirl.com – but I receive NO compensation, I just partnered with them to share their weekly twirls because they’re awesome! But, this post does contain an affiliate link which requires me to add this note – This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Manilla. But, I only share stuff I think will rock your socks!}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on October 23, 2011 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

Busy Mom Solution: Skype is the easiest way to video chat

Do some of your closest friends live far, far away?

Do some of your closest friends live far, far away? You probably connect through email or status updates, but wouldn’t it be better to connect face-to-face? For that video chatting is the way to go, but if you’re not on the same email provider it’s not going to work. A simple solution? Skype.

What’s the best thing about Skype? It’s FREE!

Skype has a free basic service that allows you and any other “Skyper” to chat and instant message no matter where in the world you both live. For a small charge you can even group chat, call mobile and land lines, and if you download the free cell phone app, you can call anywhere in the world for a fraction of traditional costs.

Check out this week’s Twirl and get a behind-the-scenes look at what goes in to shooting an episode when we’re missing a key ingredient…or are we?

What do you think?

I think I’m ready to sign up for Skype – finally! I’ve had quite a few people ask me if I’m on Skype lately – from my web designer, to affiliate managers; from my cousin in Seattle to blogging partners across the country – Now I can finally say YES, and chat with them easily using Skype.

So much easier than I expected!

Setting up Skype sounded like it was the kind of thing that would be a big confusing headache, so I’ve just been putting it off. But after watching this twirl, I realized I’m craaaaazy for not having done this sooner. It’s easy peasy as can be!

Do you use Skype?

What’s your favorite thing about Skype? Or, if you’re NOT using it already, does this video give YOU the confidence to get started too?

Posted by Meagan Paullin on October 16, 2011 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

Frugal Tips: Slay the energy vampires in your home!

This is the problem-

Oh sure, your electric toothbrush, toaster and TV look innocent enough, but do you realize they’re robbing you blind? It’s true! In fact all your electronics are pulling power even when they’re not on. Which means you’re paying for a lot of electricity unnecessarily.

Don’t worry! I’ve Got Your Solution-

We found the perfect solutions. First the Belkin Conserve Socket which shuts off the electricity when you’re done toasting your toast, brewing your coffee or charging your phone. Second, the Belkin Conserve Smart AV, a power strip so smart it stops your TV, stereo and gaming system from drawing energy when you’re not using them, but keeps your DVR and cable box on so you won’t miss any of your favorite shows. Whatwill those Kardashians do this week?

Watch this week’s Twirl and watch Carley destroy all the energy sucking vampires around her house, no wooden stake required….

Good For Your Wallet, Good for The Earth!

What great ideas, right? I have been on a mission to cut back all of our expenses this past year – since, as a blogger, I’m not exactly rich yet. I annoy the family on a daily basis, reminding them to turn off the lights when they leave a room, turn off the TV, etc, close the windows when I have the heat running – what’s wrong with you guys!! Whoops, slipped into mommy-mode there for a minute… :)

I am totally in love with these new little gadgets, and am excited to see what kind of difference they’ll start making in my monthly energy bill. And – if you’re using SwagBucks, and earning free Amazon Gift Certificates like I am, you can get these FREE! Check ’em out on Amazon:

Belkin Conserve Smart AV Energy-Saving Power Strip is only $23.97, and gets FREE Shipping with Amazon Prime or Amazon Mom membership.
Belkin Conserve Socket Energy-Saving Outlet is only $9.99, and also qualifies for FREE shipping. I bought 3 of these sweet gadgets!

And if you’re still unsure, read the reviews on Amazon — one happy customer called the controls on the outlet “idiot-proof”, which is pretty important for me when buying tech stuff, lol.

What do you think? Are you lovin’ this idea too?

Posted by Meagan Paullin on October 6, 2011 Filed Under: Shopping, Reviews, Busy Mom Solution | 2 Comments

Survey Junkies, Online Shoppers, Bloggers, and Busy Moms- Let OIB Organize Your Inbox Automatically!

Tame your out-of-control inbox!

Inbox overload. No one should have to suffer from this awful affliction. And yet tens of thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands of email users are plagued by overstuffed inboxes every single day. But there is a cure. It’s a free service called OtherInbox, or “OIB” as the cool kids say.

OIB basically weeds through all your emails and pulls out the automated ones from the ones from real people and then files them in different folders. So, that sale site coupon will come into the OIB Shopping folder, but the credit card statement will go into the OIB Financial folder. Then you can look at what you want, when you want without having to sift through dozens of other emails clogging up your inbox. And best of all, that email list you ended up on, but never signed up for, well that can be moved into the OIB Unsubscribe folder where they’ll do the breaking up for you.

OIB works with Gmail, Yahoo and AOL and has a bunch of other nifty features we can’t wait to share with you. So watch how quickly and easily it tames Carley’s out-of-control inbox. Plus you can check out her adorable PJ’s.

See OIB in action in this weeks Twirl…

So, what do you think?

I’ll tell you what I think– I think I’m in love! As a busy blogger, social media junkie, online super-shopper, busy survey-taker and more- my email is out. of. control. Seriously.

I love this idea to automatically sort my emails, so I can check important updates first- then skim through other categories as I have time. In the mood for some online shopping? I can check my shopping folder to see what new deals and coupon code updates I have waiting for me. Or, if I have a minute to earn some free cash with my favorite survey sites, I can pop into my survey folder to find all of the invites together in one place. Easy peasy!

{Also, did you notice that Carley gets emails from a bunch of the same great places I’ve told you guys about? She has the Chili’s Free Chips and Queso coupon in her Inbox, the amazing LearnVest Frugal Tips Newsletter, and a couple more- I’ll see if anyone else can find them. Leave me a comment!}

A couple of things to keep in mind…

When watching the video on the Digitwirl site, I noticed that in the comments there are a couple of issues that might come up when getting started with OIB. Nothing major, and all have solutions- but you might want to take a second to read the OtherInbox Post to check it out. You’ll see that they have an AMAZING customer support rep on the page, responding to everyone’s questions. Gotta love that, right?

I’m signing up for OIB today- and I’ll let you know how it works for me! I’d love to hear from you if you’re already using it, or plan to start. What’s YOUR biggest frustration with keeping your email organized? Leave some comments and let’s chat!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on September 23, 2011 Filed Under: Freebies, Shopping, Reviews, Blogging Resources | No Comments

Your Recipes, Grocery List, and Coupons- Simplified!

Recipe storage and grocery shopping made easy-

Keeping track of recipes can be kind of a pain— they’re all over the place, yet never in the right place when it’s time to make dinner. And then, there’s the grocery list… which doesn’t do you much good when you head to the grocery store without it. Sure you could sift through all your cookbooks, or write “milk, eggs, bread” on your hand, but why, when there’s Ziplist?

Ziplist Rocks.

Ziplist is a website and free app that is going to change the way you store recipes and shop for groceries. A total game-changer when it comes to simplifying mealtime. In a chicken rut? Well just pop onto Ziplist and peruse the hundreds of chicken recipes from some of the biggest names in food (Martha Stewart anyone?).

With the click of one button the recipe is stored in a virtual recipe box, and with another click a grocery list of ingredients is instantly created for you. Ziplist is even kind enough to help you save money with coupons you can print before you go to the store. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg lettuce when it comes to Ziplist’s features— watch how Carley uses it to enhance her breasts. (That’s chicken, of course!)

What do you think?

So, as most of you know, I’m still old, lame, and totally outdated, and do NOT yet have a Smartphone. {What does that make my phone? Stupid? Hmmm…. There are plenty of times that I’ve yelled at it and said, “You stupid phone!!” so I suppose that’s about right…} I keep piles of info in my phone, but can’t get these super awesome app’s. If I COULD- I’d definitely use this one.

But… I WILL be using the website!

Here is what I’m particularly in love with:

The recipe clipping tool- so I can put the cool recipes I find randomly around the web in one place! So cool.
I like that I can go in and pick my meals for the next week, and it’ll automatically make me a shopping list- what a time saver!
I loooove that it has a coupon feature too! You know I love me some coupons, right?

Share your thoughts!

Are you going to check out Ziplist too? How do you keep your recipes, meal planning, and grocery shopping organized now? Share your thoughts- and your tips! – in the comments.

Digitwirl was created by technology lifestyle expert Carley Knobloch, who uses lots of technology to manage her busy life as mom of two and entrepreneur. Become a subscriber to get weekly show alerts and exclusive deals at Digitwirl.com, or follow Digitwirl on Twitter at @digitwirl.