TresSugar

6 Tech Tools to Spring Clean Your Life and Save Money

Emily Co — Wed, 02 May 2012 03:05:07 PDT

I can't tell you how indispensable my smartphone and laptop is to me. I no longer organize my life on little bits of paper (that have a high risk of accidentally being thrown away), but instead rely on the best organizing tech tools on the web. Find out what apps to download or sites to visit that will keep your life and wallet organized to a tee!

Real or Not Real: Technology From The Hunger Games

GeekSugar — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:06:34 PDT

Set in a dystopian future, The Hunger Games contrasts the lives of poor District residents with those of the cutting-edge Capitol citizens. Despite cataclysmic natural disasters and human-made war, the astounding technological innovations of Panem appear throughout the series in the form of hovercrafts and miracle medicine. 2012 does not have invisible Earth-based spaceships and sci-fi force fields, but the future may not be as far off as we'd think. Check out how the "not real" technology of The Hunger Games stacks up to the real world of today.

Photos courtesy of Lionsgate

Which Free Tax Preparation Software Is Right For You?

Leta Shy — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:03:42 PST

Tax season is never a fun time, but there is no end of online programs that want to make it as easy as possible for you to file. There are many e-filing options to choose from that offer free federal filing (with state filing costing an additional fee), guarantees on their calculations, and fast refund checks, but with all the similar names and features it can be hard to pick the right one for you.

Of course, if you are a homeowner, are self-employed, or invest, simple free filings may not be for you. But curious to know the basics of popular free tax software compared? Find out the major similarities and differences between five such programs after the break.

The Top 5 Fashion Apps You Should Download Now

Chi Diem Chau — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:53:11 PST

ShopStyle Mobile: We like to think of ShopStyle as our Google search engine for all things related to shopping, and it's not just because ShopStyle is a sister site in the Sugar Network! If you've ever wondered where we find all of those amazing shopping products for you, here it is. Not only does ShopStyle mobile cull clothing, shoes, and accessories from over 500 ecommerce sites - ranging from big retailers like Barneys to smaller boutiques - but this handy app also lets you put "sale alerts" on your favorite items and will let you know once the piece goes on sale. Pretty genius if you ask us.
Vera Wang on Weddings: Planning a wedding? Let Vera Wang provide inspiration for your big day via photo galleries of cakes, flowers, and real weddings along with style boards where you can see Vera's take on different bridal styles. Additionally, you can load images in the app from your own photo library and insert them in your own interactive inspiration board and share them with friends and family.

Click here to see three more amazing fashion apps.

12 Free Apps That Will Cut Your Monthly Bills

Emily Co — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:33:17 PST

Apps, apps, and more apps - everyone loves apps, especially if they're free. Check out these apps that will save you money and won't cost you a cent. Now that's what I call a real deal.

Has Social Media Made It Too Easy to Keep in Touch?

TresSugar — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 02:00:00 PST

Social media gives us the opportunity to keep in touch with thousands of people - but is it also sort of a burden? Before the creation of Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking platforms, it wasn't quite so easy to keep track of old friends. Now you can communicate with that girl from your second grade class instantly across several separate mediums. It's convenient, yes, but it can also be a bit overwhelming.

Rather than shifting in and out of different relationships as time goes on, it's become easy to keep adding more friendships to the mix and expanding our social circles. Getting truly "out of touch" has become nearly impossible - unless, of course, you officially defriend people. How do you feel about it?

10 Gorgeous Gifts For the Technology-Obsessed Mom

Natasha Dantzig — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 06:25:49 PST

Go, gadget, go! For technology-lovin' mamas, nothing says "I love you" like a modern new gadget designed to make life easier, better, or simply cooler. Whether she's a digital music buff, is never without her iPhone, or simply must have the latest kitchen gadget, keep reading for a selection of gifts sure to delight the techie mama on your list.

5 Ways Tech Can Help You Save Money While Traveling

Kristy Korcz — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 09:05:52 PST

Summer may seem like the biggest travel season of the year, if you're headed abroad, cross country, or to far-off locales, travel time is ripe 365 days a year. Unfortunately, traveling can also have you racking up the charges on your credit card, but with these handy tech tips, you can save money while on the road now, or any time!

Track down free WiFi - There's a number of US airports that offer free WiFi in the terminals (and more being added all the time), which can save you big money if you need to stay connected. Also, there's plenty of WiFi options getting to and from the terminal. Just don't use that mysterious "Free Public WiFi" signal - it could spell trouble.
Get a Google Voice number - Getting a Google Voice number can help you save big bucks on international and domestic calls wherever you are - rates start at just two cents a minute, and calls to US and Canadian landlines are free! Plus, you can use your laptop to make calls, no cell phone required.

Check out the rest of the tips when you read more.

6 October Managing Must Haves

SavvySugar — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 05:00:00 PDT

People have problems transitioning from paper to pixels, but tech tools are a handy way to keep you organized. Not only is it great for the environment, but it's also a lot more convenient to do all your organizing from one platform. Readers have said they wanted to become more online savvy, so I'm sharing some of my favorite websites that help me stay organized. Take the plunge this October and start organizing with just a few clicks of your mouse!

An App That'll Take the Frustration Out of Customer Rep Calls

Emily Co — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 13:30:21 PDT

Rude customer service flustering you? Don't fret, you're not the only one. According to the Journal of Service Research, one-third of consumers complained about receiving horrible customer service at least once a month. That's enough to get anybody down.

The study also found that those offended by the service provided are less likely to continue giving the retailer their business. Having just had an unpleasant encounter with a company's reps myself, I can totally sympathize with the upset customers.

Although we can't control the customer rep's behavior, we can now control another annoying factor of customer service - being put on hold for the longest time, stuck listening to the cheesy "hold" music. Introducing FastCustomer, an app currently available for the iPhone and Android that will help you skip the waiting time and get you to the rep whenever he's ready. Here's how the app works: you basically scroll through a menu of over 2,500 companies and call one via the app. The app will do the calling and waiting for you, and after it reaches an actual person on the line, your phone will start ringing.

What the rep hears on the other line is an instruction advising her to "Please press one for your next customer." This is one of the drawbacks of the system because the reps may hang up if they don't want to briefly wait to get to you or they are unfamiliar with this service. There are still a few kinks needed to be worked out, but this app definitely looks promising!