Apps/Tools
Free Alternative to Microsoft Office
If you need the capabilities of Microsoft Office but don’t want to spend the money, check out LibreOffice. LibreOffice is a fork off of Open Office (which has become a bit stagnant) that is compatible with all your favorite Office apps, and it works on Windows, Mac and even Linux. With LibreOffice you can read AND write files in Microsoft Office format (including .docx, .xlsx and pptx.)
LibreOffice is totally free and can be a great product for that 2nd computer or just for those on a budget. Check it out at http://www.libreoffice.org/
If You Can’t Afford Photoshop – Try Pixelmator
Digital photography has made it possible to take lots and lots of photos without the expense of film or processing. If you have a Mac you have iPhoto for tweaking photos, but if you need more and Adobe’s Photoshop is out of reach, you should check out Pixelmator 2.0. It’s only $30 in the Mac apps store and has all the tools you need to clean up those not-so-perfect photos. Their web site has lots of tutorials on adding effects, removing things you don’t want and more. Here’s the link to their site: http://goo.gl/FS1MN
Intuit Rolling Out Mobile Apps for Your Phone
Intuit, the company that brought you Quicken and QuickBooks is now expanding its offerings to your mobile phone. Taking a “mobile first” approach, the apps (available for iPhone and Android phones) also allow you to sync with QuickBooks on your PC or QuickBooks online.
QuickBooks Mobile is designed specifically for QuickBooks, but Intuit is also introducing Online Payroll, GoPayment (a credit-card reader for your smartphone) and Mobile Banking for Intuit Financial Services customers.
PC World Business has a full rundown here: http://bit.ly/TekChic0407
Posted in Apps/Tools, News, Smartphones/Tablets | Tags: Intuit, Quickbooks, smartphone apps | 
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Get PrinterShare for Android Free Today
If you have an Android phone and would like to be able to print to your printer at home, then today is the day to get PrinterShare. With PrinterShare you can print to many wi-fi or Bluetooth printers directly when you’re nearby by (as in at home and connected to your home network) but you can also download their software onto your PC or Mac and then you can print from anywhere over the Internet through your computer at home onto your printer (of course your computer will need to be turned on.) This is normally a $13 app, but today you can get it FREE at the Amazon App Store. If you have the Amazon app on your phone already, just open it up and download PrinterShare. If you don’t have the Amazon App Store app yet (and why don’t you?) then go to Amazon.com and get it.
Posted in Apps/Tools, Smartphones/Tablets | Tags: Amazon Free Android App, android, PrinterShare | No Comments »
Photo Apps for Your Phone
Taking pictures with your phone on the 4th of July can be a challenge, especially if you want to try to capture the fireworks displays, but there are apps for your Android phone or iPhone. Apps like Camera+ and ProCamera can make your iPhone both easier to use as a camera and the capabilities of a high-end digital SLR. For your Android phone
If you have an iPhone, check out ThePhotoArgus’ article on the 10 best iPhone camera apps here: http://bit.ly/TekChic0372. Android phone users can check out apps like Camera 360, Adobe Photoshop Express and AndroPan to add features and effects not possible with the software that came with your camera. Lifehacker has a review of their favorite Android camera apps at http://lifehac.kr/TekChic0373.
Most of the apps have a free version, and if you like it enough and want additional features you can upgrade to the “pro” version for a couple of dollars, so give them a try and start having more fun with the camera you have with you all the time.
Posted in Apps/Tools, Smartphones/Tablets | Tags: Android camera apps, iPhone camera apps | No Comments »
Free Facebook Apps Warns You of Malware & Spam
MyPageKeeper is a free app you can add to Facebook to warn you if spam or a malicious post has been added to your page. Often a friend’s account may be compromised and a post may show up on your page that links to a malicious page. MyPageKeeper will let you know about it and allow you to remove it.
If you use Facebook, this would be one of the apps to use. Here’s the link to their web where you can add it to your Facebook account: http://bit.ly/TekChic0369
Students – Get Windows 7 Professional for $29
If you’re a student with a .edu email address, you can get Windows 7 Professional for only $29. Probably the single biggest difference between the Home Premium version that comes on most computers and the Professional version is that you also get what is called “XP-Mode”. XP-Mode lets you run an actual Windows XP machine in a window within your Windows 7 installation, allowing you to run any older programs that don’t run well or at all in Windows 7. It’s like having a computer within a computer. The professional version also does a better job knowing when you’re at home vs. school and which printer you should be using (automatically), and it also has “Remote Desktop” which lets you connect remotely to your computer as if you’re sitting in front of it.
You can use XP-Mode to protect you from viruses, how? Do all of your email and web-surfing with the XP-Mode window. If you do get a virus, it will be contained within the virtual machine window and won’t infect your Windows 7 installation. Then you can just delete the XP-Mode machine (it’s just a big file), and create a new one.
Upgrading from Vista is rather simple, upgrading from Windows XP is a little trickier, be sure your XP machine can run Windows 7 before upgrading.
So if you have a .edu address, go here to get it from Microsoft: http://bit.ly/TekChic0321
5GB of Free File Storage with Amazon
Updated 3/30: In addition to the 5GB of storage, any songs you purchase through Amazon can be stored in your Cloud Drive for FREE. Meaning none of your Amazon purchased music will count against your 5GB. Go ahead, buy all the music you want. You’ll have it backed up for free in your Cloud Drive and you can download it as often as you like and use it wherever you wish.
3/29: 
Amazon is offering 5 Gigabytes of free storage with no strings attached. Most of you probably already have an Amazon account, if you don’t go set one up. It’s real simple to use, no download necessary, just sign up and using their web interface you choose the files you want to upload and what folder to upload to (documents, photos, music, etc.) and bam, you’re done.
Now, you need to know that this is NOT secure storage, so don’t upload the file that contains all your passwords, or those photos of your naked girlfriend while your wife was out of town (ok – to be fair, or your naked boyfriend while your husband was out of town.) But maybe those FAMILY photos you treasure so much, or certainly those important term papers you’re working on at the end of each semester.
5GB is quite a bit of space, so especially if you have NO backup system (and shame on you if you don’t) at least put some of your data here for the eventual rainy day. Of course, if you NEED more space Amazon will be more than happy to sell it to you, but if that’s the case then just contact me and get Carbonite with UNLIMITED storage for $55 a year AND it will be completely secure.
New Android App Store at Amazon, Get a Free App Every Day
Now in addition to the Android Marketplace (and other various 3rd party locations) Android phone users now can go to Amazon for apps. In addition, Amazon is giving away a paid app for free each and every day. Right now it appears most of the apps are the same ones you’ll find in the Marketplace, but of course the free apps are what will keep you coming back.
To get the Amazon Appstore on your Android phone, go to this link on your computer http://amzn.to/TekChic0319 or just point your phone’s barcode scanner at the QR code below. Enter your phone’s number and a text message with a link will be sent to your phone. Click on it and the Appstore will download onto your phone. In addition to the free daily app, Amazon is also giving Angry Birds Rio for free (for a limited time I imagine.) So get out your Droid, Evo, Incredible or other Android phone and add the Amazon Appstore to your phone.
Posted in Apps/Tools, News, Smartphones/Tablets | Tags: Amazon Appstore, android, free app | No Comments »
Dropbox is Free – So Go Get It!
If for no other reason, Dropbox gives you 2 Gigabytes of free storage on the web. But the GREAT thing about Dropbox is that you can easily share the files in your Dropbox with any other computer that also uses your Dropbox login – like between your main computer at home and your laptop. Dropbox installs as a folder into your documents folder. Any file you place into the Dropbox will automatically copy the file to the web and to the other computer(s) in the same Dropbox account. This is especially great if you need to get a big file from one computer to another – it could be an associate in another part of town or a family member across the country. Email tends not to like files larger that 10 Megabytes, with Dropbox you get 2 Gigabytes for free. The really great thing is that you can create folders within your Dropbox and just share that with a single person (or multiple persons) and yet keep the rest of your Dropbox private.
Do you have an important project you’re working on? Keep it in your Dropbox (that way you’re sure you have a backup.) Working on that school paper? Keep it in your Dropbox. You can also access the files in your Dropbox from any computer by logging in via the web, so you’ve always got your most important files close at any time. Click on this link to get your free account – I love Dropbox! Oh and there also is a version for your Android phone and the iPhone. http://bit.ly/TekChicDropBox
Find Out When Paid iPhone and iPad Apps Are FREE
Monster Free Apps is an app (and yes, it’s free) that watches for apps that you normally would have to pay for are being offered for free in the iTunes store. So if you have an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch you can get a notification of apps that for a limited time (sometime just for the day) are free. It will even tell you at the end of the month how much money you’ve save with the free apps.
Tek-Chic Systems really likes free, so head out to the iTunes store and add this app to your device.
Posted in Apps/Tools, Smartphones/Tablets | Tags: Free apps, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Monster Free Apps | No Comments »
Call ANYONE in the US and Canada for FREE
If you have a Gmail account, did you know you can make free phone calls? As long as you don’t mind using your computer as a telephone, Google lets you call any number in the United States and Canada for free. If you have a laptop you can use the built-in mic and speakers, if you have a desktop computer you will of course need a mic and speakers. Whether you have a laptop or desktop, I recommend you purchase a USB headset like the Logitech Clearchat (around $32) that will also let you listen to music with decent quality. There is also a wireless USB version available for about $70 that allows you to walk around while still talking. There are lots of USB headsets on the market, check Amazon or Newegg for the best prices.
If you don’t have a Google account, this is a good reason to get one. Go to Gmail.com to create an account (of log in if you already have one.) Once your account is set up, go to Gmail and on the lower part of the left column you’ll see “Call Phone”, just click on it and enter the number you want to call and presto, free phone call. No tricks, gimmicks or limits. Talk all day if you want to.
If you’re thinking “well what about Skype?”, to be completely free on Skype you can only call to another user also on Skype. For about $30 a year you can get unlimited calling to the U.S. and Canada. Both Skype and Google have very low rate to other countries. I call friends in the Netherlands for 2 cents a minute (try that with AT&T!)
The quality with Skype is excellent, with Google it is ok but not as good – buy hey, the price is right. So save those outbound cell phone minutes for the nights and weekends when you’ve got lots of them.
Posted in Apps/Tools, Tips | Tags: free phone calls, gmail, google, Skype, USB headset | No Comments »
Use Google to Plan Your Wedding
First there was Google, then came Gmail, then Google Docs, then Google Voice, Google Apps, and now…. Google Weddings.
That’s right, now Google is putting all the tools together to let you easily plan your wedding, and get tips from expert wedding planner Michelle Rago. You can create a website for the event, modify and personalize photos to use as cards, document all the details and even have your own online photo album. Google is also having a contest to win $25,000 toward your dream wedding – it’s worth taking a look at: http://www.google.com/weddings
Find Your Lost Android, Blackberry or Windows Phone for Free with LOOKOUT
If you’ve ever misplaced your cell phone at home or worse, think you might have left it somewhere else, you’ll really like this. If you never have lost your phone, you’ll be glad you have this if (or when) you do. With Lookout you download the app onto your phone, then register your phone online. If you think your phone is at a different location, you can click a button on their web site and locate your phone on a map using its GPS. If your phone is “somewhere” at home but you can’t find it, click a button on the web site and it will make the phone sound an alarm. Lookout will also backup your phone’s contact information automatically.
They also have a paid subscription service that will allow you to also backup your phone calls and pictures, remotely lock your phone or even erase all your data for you. Here’s the link to Lookout: http://bit.ly/TekChic0272
Posted in Apps/Tools, Smartphones/Tablets | Tags: android, blackberry, find phone, Lookout, Windows phone, wipe phone | No Comments »
Free Anti-Virus Software for Your Mac
Security company Sophos has released a free home version of its’ Mac anti-virus product. There have been a few instances of malware reported for the Mac, and as the popularity of Mac computers grows, they will undoubtedly become a more attractive target for the bad guys. If you have a Mac, give this a try: http://bit.ly/TekChic0209