I know I’m not alone in my love of Pandora Radio. Whether I’m studying, walking to class, having a dance party with my friends or working out, I have a station that suits my every situation and mood.

As much as I love Pandora, though, I’ve recently discovered a new site that’s giving Pandora a run for it’s money.

Raditaz is an internet radio service, much like Pandora, except it has over 14 million songs in their library — that’s about 13 million more than Pandora has. That means you might have better luck of finding songs from an obscure artist you liked back in your high school punk days, and also that there’s less chance of hearing the same songs over and over.

Like Pandora, you can create a station based on an artist you like and refine it based on liking or disliking the songs that come up. If a song comes on that you don’t like, you can skip it (up to six an hour per station). But unlike Pandora, Raditaz has no audio ads (just ads on the site itself).

Browsing stations is also a bit different from Pandora — they’re organized by genre, but you can also browse popular stations (called “trending” stations, like on Twitter), or by location (laid out on a Google map).

Raditaz also has mobile apps for Android and iPhone, so you can listen on the go. The apps also give you the option to name your stations (“work out,” “study,” or “pre-game,” for example).

Try ditching your old online music streamer and rock on with Raditaz! I guarantee you’ll like it!

Whether its posting a funny video or interesting article on Facebook, emailing a new recipe to a friend, sharing files for a group project, or sending photos to your family, we’re always sharing information with one another over the internet. But what if there was a way to share and host all your files in one place?

PutLocker makes file sharing as easy as can be! Simply upload the file you want to share — then email a link to the people you want to share it with. You can also choose to password-protect your files for added security.

But PutLocker isn’t just for sharing files — you can also use it to store your files and access them anywhere. By signing up for an account, your files are saved on PutLocker, so instead of having to lug around your laptop or find a flash drive big enough to hold the files you need, just upload the files you want to be able to access onto your account, and they’ll be there the next time you log in. PutLocker doesn’t have any limits on the number of files you can upload, and there’s unlimited storage space!

Oh, and did I mention that this is all free? There is a paid “Pro” account option that offers faster access to your files, an ad-free experience, ability to share larger files and more, but the free account is great for the basics!

You’ll find a million reasons to use PutLocker!

Just like everyone else, this year I pledged to finally start working out and eating better. Part of it is vanity — who doesn’t want to look good in a bikini at the beach this summer? — but the other part is knowing that, as I get older, I have to start taking care of myself if I want to live a long, healthy life.

The problem is, I’ve always had a hard time getting (and staying) motivated — but not anymore! I recently signed up for an online fitness tool, MyFitnessPal, which helps me eat better and lose weight by keeping me accountable for what I’m eating.

When you’re creating your free account, MyFitnessPal will have you input your current weight and then enter your weight loss and fitness goals to come up with your calorie goal for the day. Note that this is only a suggestion and you should find what works best for you based on your lifestyle — I actually raised my calorie goal a little bit because I felt mine was too low and I was starving, and now I’m having no trouble staying within my allotted calories (and I’m still losing weight).

Then, just log all the foods you eat into your food diary (there are thousands of foods in their database, and you can even add your own if it’s not listed). My favorite thing is logging the calories I burn after doing cardio exercise — I love that it gives me a little extra wiggle room if I feel like having dessert (or an extra glass of wine)!

MyFitnessPal is more than just an online food journal. Additionally, it’s also a great web community where you can connect with other like-minded individuals that are trying to get healthy. Read blogs and tips from other MyFitnessPal users and connect with friends to motivate one another. A few of my work friends are on MyFitnessPal, and we’re always talking about our own progress and goals, and it’s nice to see each other’s progress. Plus, losing weight and/or trying to get in shape is so much easier with friends, because you have a support system that keeps you motivated!

This is the longest I’ve ever stuck with any weight-loss regimen — I’ve been sticking with MyFitnessPal fairly religiously for almost a month now, and I’m loving my results!

Laura is a St. John’s University grad who spends way too much time watching TV and imagining the characters are her best friends. She’s addicted to online shopping, dessert, and Pinterest. Follow her life at @lkdondero.

A few weeks ago, Microsoft sent over their new Touch Mouse and lucky for me, I got to test drive, err, use it. Designed explicitly for Windows 7, the sleek design spent two years in its creation, which is way longer that I’ve bothered to devote to any other relationship.

I should say that when it comes to mice, I’m not much of a stickler for capabilities aside from asking myself the most important questions: “Does it work?” and “How much?” So I spent a little QT with my mouse in order to give it the review it deserves. Let me tell you, I was impressed.

1. It fits in my hand perfectly. And I mean perfectly. Not many people can say that about a mouse, huh? All college long I relied on my track-pad to click me from here to there. My fingers got tired and annoyed. The wonderful thing about this mouse is that it cushions my palm and is comfortable for my fingers. Another bonus: the design of the mouse is longer than most so that the entire length on my fingers (down to the tips!) is accounted for.

2. There’re really no strings attached. Which, if you’re still into N*Sync, is a huge deal. I know tons of mice have come out that are cordless but the Touch Mouse goes above and beyond the regular. Often, the cordless mice that we buy are cheap and need to be pointed at the screen in order to work… or you have to continuously navigate the mouse until it’s ready to work. Not with the Touch mouse. I held it at every angle on my desk and surprise; it still works as perfectly as if it was connected.

3. New and improved technology allows the mouse to be [successfully] used on any surface. So if I’m vegging out on the couch and I’m too lazy to reach forward for a sturdy surface, it’s fine. The advanced design that took two years to create allows you to use the mouse on basically any surface imaginable. Take that, rug… and futon and comforter!

If you’re like me, then all the little nuances that accompany your electronic gadgets don’t really matter all that much. But then you get a really well-made, well-loved gadget and it’s clear what sets it apart from the others.

Because we liked them so much, Microsoft outfitted our Windows-supported computers with the Microsoft Touch mouse, which was created exclusively for Windows 7. So if you’re a 7-user like some of us at CC HQ are, we definitely suggest that you tap into your Happy Hour fund for one of these babies!

This is a sponsored post and part of Microsoft’s Windows Champions Program. I received incentives from Microsoft to blog about its products.

You could argue that Black Friday is a suicide mission. Lining up with thousands of your closest friends, risking being trampled on at 4am, all for the possibility of buying a TV for a 99% off. With all this stress there is also the fact that there’s no guarantee you’ll ever get to enjoy those low prices!

So, if you’re crazy enough to leave your house on Black Friday and enter into a mall, or any form of store you need to game plan your assault on the box stores. Gear up with these five apps and make the most of your Black Friday suicide mission.

initiating the gallery...

We here at CC are loving the Windows Phone. Recently brought to our office by the kind folks at Microsoft, we’ve been playing with its amazing features non stop!  Because of this, we were inspired to share some snazzy apps available for this stylish cell phone.

This is a sponsored post and part of Microsoft’s Windows Champions Program. I received incentives from Microsoft to blog about its products.

initiating the gallery...

We all remember seeing pictures of Paris Hilton at a club texting on her pink, bedazzled T-Mobile Sidekick phone. Well just as Paris Hilton has changed (her hair is longer), so has the T-Mobile Sidekick.

I got my hands on a T-Mobile Sidekick 4G, and I must say, it’s a pretty cool phone. It’s a texter’s dream. The sliding screen slides up to reveal a full keyboard, which is so much easier than texting on a touch screen (although you have that option as well). It also has Google Speak, so if you hate texting, you can just say what you want to text, and the phone will do the rest for you. It probably won’t pick up on your group of friends’ slang (“omg he’s sooooo adorbs”), but it will pick up on normal words (“I’m so drunk”).

The phone is an Android phone, so you have access to all Android apps. I’ve been playing Fruit Ninja Free in all of my classes to pass time. There’s basically an app for anything you want. You can get radio, Google Maps, Skype and a lot more.

I’ve owned a Blackberry before, and I loved that it had a notification light when I got a text, missed call, Facebook update or email (I know, I’m simple). So I was overjoyed when I learned that this phone has a notification light too. You can set your notifications to have different color lights (my texts are purple, and emails are blue).

My favorite thing about this phone is that it syncs all of your Facebook friends, G-mail contacts, and people you follow on Twitter to your contacts list. I’m a social media junkie, so this feature is AMAZING.

But the phone isn’t all sunshine and amazingness…

One thing I didn’t like was the screen. The screen is great indoors or when it’s dark out, but when I’m outside I can barely see the screen. If I want to see what someone texted me, I have to walk indoors or into a shaded area to see the screen.Also, in the area of themes, this phone disappointed me. I’m the kind of person who likes to use the backgrounds/themes my phone gives me, I just don’t see the point in having a background that is a picture of me at my drunkest. There are only a few themes on this phone, and none of them appealed to me.

Complaints aside, this is a great phone if you are looking for a phone that does it all. You’ll be able to get tons of apps, keep up with your Twitter followers, and text more than talk (which most of us do anyway).

Check out the camera’s mad skills. I took all these awesome UF photos on my Sidekick.

initiating the gallery...

Editor note: Samsung was kind enough to provide Jessica with a Sidekick to review. Thanks Samsung. And thanks Jessica for keeping the review honest and real.

Ever look at your phone and wonder, “How are they gonna make it any better than this?”

I know I do. Just about every day I’m cradling my iPhone in amazement. How did technology get so good and how…how…are the geniuses-that-be going to outdo themselves next time?

I’m constantly amazed that there are people in this world that create stuff. Okay, it sounds naive and uninformed, but hear me out. Right now, in some dark and cramped office space, there are men and women laying out the blueprints for electronic toys set to hit stores three or four years from now.

I can’t even pick out my clothes for work the night before, yet people are already planning for the technology of the future. How the hell do they do it?

On the verge of the iPhone 5 release, the Droid Bionic launch and the creation of 55, 65 and 72-inch flat screen Blue-Ray HD television sets, it’s time to travel back in time to a world that believed desk-tops, Palm pilots and disc-men were the cream of the crop.

initiating the gallery...

Last night after work, I signed onto my Macbook and saw the news. The innovator who created the computer I was typing on…had died. Steve Jobs changed the world, and we can all learn a few things from him. Whether you’re a freshman just starting college, or a senior on the verge of graduation, you could probably learn a little from Steve Jobs.

1. Trust your instinct

Jobs once said, “And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” If your instinct is telling you to be an art history major even though you don’t think you’ll make tons of money, go for it.

2. Take Risks

If Jobs and the rest of Apple never took risks, you probably wouldn’t be playing Angry Birds on your iPhone right now…or be able to FaceTime chat with your parents to tell them you need more money.

3. Be a Genius

Obviously Jobs was a genius. If he weren’t, we wouldn’t have all of these cool Apple products making our lives easier. So hit the books, and start learning. You may do something awesome.

4. Don’t take no for an answer

Another gem from Jobs was, “I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.” So when someone tells you no, beat them up. Just kidding. You should just ignore them.

5. Change the World

Don’t settle. Jobs kept creating products that changed everyone’s lives. Keep trying and you could do something really cool.

Americans spend a ridiculous amount of minutes on Facebook every month

How digitally connected are the top colleges in the U.S.?

The negative short term effects of watching SpongeBob

Why you should ditch CampusFood for GrubHub

Did you know the Android is the most popular smartphone (for U.S. and Europe)?

Everyone loves a blogger!

I-Tomb and I-Memorial are like the Facebook for dead people

Best ways to eliminate your texting fees

Microsoft launches Windows 8