There are certain tech-type things that every girl knows how to do. We know how to upload Facebook photos, and how to listen to music online. We know how to tweet and send e-mails, and how to Skype and iChat. But there are other tech things that often escape us. Things that are less for entertainments and more for academic or professional purposes. Less exciting but infinitely more useful.

None of these tricks I’m listing below are rocket science and some of you probably know how to do all of them, some of you none of them, and some of you have probably heard vague mention of them but have shown no interest in actually determining what they are. Which is totally fine. But have a look anyway because these tips and tricks may come in handy some day.

1. Create a compressed a zip folder. Zip folders reduce the size of your files and the space they take up on your computer. And they make it much easier to send files over e-mail because they upload in half the time. It’s especially useful for pictures. All you have to do is right click on the folder, select send to, and then select compressed zip folder. It’s the same for a Mac, you’re just selecting “compress” instead of send to after you’ve selected the folders. Easy and efficient.

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Our generation has been called a lot of things over the years, and not all of them have been particularly flattering. But I think we can all agree that we are the generation that thrives on technology. They call us the “thumb generation” because we’re always texting or typing, and that’s not really something we can argue with. We are the age of the internet, the cell phone, and the iPad. We are the age of all things digital.

Just think of all the technological developments that there have been since our parents were college seniors. For one thing, if you were a college girl when you mom was a college girl you wouldn’t be reading a blog. You wouldn’t even know what a blog is. You wouldn’t even have cordless phones, never mind a cell phone, AND you’d be using a typewriter to write your final papers. And none of it would have seemed the least bit weird to you. But it seems weird to us. But you know what, all the stuff that we do now may eventually seem outdated to our children some day.

Like what, you say? Why I’m so glad you asked…

Post-grad life is a lot about taking two steps forward only to take a step back. Some days, you feel like you’re ahead of whatever curve you’ve set for yourself and then other days, you feel like you’re falling behind. Although you have a lot more freedom and responsibility than life as a college student, the constant evolution of figuring out what to do next and what’s right is never ending.

Example: Two months ago, I scored what I considered to be my dream internship. I was meeting and interviewing celebrities, hanging out at some of the fanciest Hollywood locations, rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous at LA parties, frequenting red carpet events, and finding out celebrity gossip before the masses. And now, well … I decided this isn’t for me. There I go again. Two steps forward, and now that I quit, I feel like I’m one step back again. When can a girl get ahead?

In college, I feel like everything was a constant one-up. You know, where you out-do yourself and then you’re like “Damn! Look at what I accomplished.” Post-grad is more of a sporadic line graph that goes all over the place, where you have highs and lows and they fluctuate more than Lady Gaga’s outfits. While I like to think that all of this yo-yoing will get me to where I want to be, it can feel a little frustrating. Read More »

The following is a guest post by Shep McAllister, one of our (nerdy) friends at Hack College, the #1 tech site for college students

If you haven’t dated a nerd yet in college, you should really give it a spin. We’re generally intelligent, motivated to treat you like a princess, and can fix your computer to boot. That said, we do have our fair share of surprising quirks that you should be prepared for. As a happy boyfriend of one year and editor of a blog that supports digitizing textbooks and carrying around portable computer monitors, I feel uniquely qualified to offer up a few tips to break in your new favorite nerd.

1. Try to understand when he whips it out in public.

His laptop, I mean. Or smartphone, if you’re lucky. Either way, most nerds I’ve come across share the common physiological need to access the answer to any lingering question, at all times. Deciding what to get for dinner, and don’t know what bulgogi is? Before you even lift your eyes from the menu your boyfriend will probably have his internet-connected device of choice out on the table to look it up for you. While I’m inclined to say that this behavior enhances conversation by providing valuable information, I realize that many would disagree. If the gadgets coming out a little too often, don’t be afraid to lay down the law and declare an internet-free zone.

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Beware, your mother is on now Facebook. You don’t believe me? Well, CNN has the proof. They are reporting that women over 55 are the fastest growing group on Facebook. That’s right, your mother is sending you a friend request at this very moment.

Maybe you’re part of that lucky minority who hasn’t received that email yet, the email that will crush your boundaries and make you curse the social network’s very existence. That may be true, but your mom may still be just a click away from invading your personal Facebook space.  Studies show that “there are now about 1.5 million female users older than 55 on the site — roughly a 550 percent increase over six months ago.”

Unfortunately, my mother is among this statistic. Read More »

Like a magpie, you gravitate towards things that are shiny: cell phones, TVs, anything that allows you to play Rock Band. But just because you love ‘em doesn’t mean you know much about ‘em. That’s where we come in. Every week we will be highlighting the best, coolest and shiniest in technology. Consider us your personal Geek Squad.

And let us tell ya; with CC on your side, geek has never looked so chic.]

So you’re running around trying to find the best deals on EVERYTHING while getting everyone (and yourself!) exactly what they want. But are you really getting the best deal possible? Or are you just getting the best deal right now? Before you drop a pretty penny on that new flat screen maybe you should look into the future some.

TV

The best time to get a new one of these bad boys isn’t actually the holiday season. Although they are big sellers around Christmas, that’s not when the best price drops happen. A better time to buy one of these bad boys is before the Super Bowl. So wait a month or so and you might be able to snag a better deal. Read More »

As classes get into full swing, your time is suddenly filled up with reading, late nights spent writing papers, and of course, eating. If you’ve been wondering why you’re always hungry when studying for History 210, researchers have an answer.

In a recent study done by Angelo Tremblay at his lab at the Universite Laval in Quebec, it was found that those performing mental tasks like trying to solve problems (e.g. Calculus 111), while working at a computer stimulated their appetite so much that they tended to eat more calories than their bodies actually burned while performing the task.

The psychological logic for the rise in appetite?  According to the study, mental work “destabilizes” our levels of insulin and glucose, which in turn stimulates the appetite.

Is this why after a weekend of total dedication to homework, I suddenly find I’ve depleted me and my roommate’s entire snack supply?

According to Tremblay’s study, participants consumed far more calories after performing a mental task like reading for a class than relaxing for the same amount of time. In addition, they concluded that time spent surfing the Internet, as well as instant messaging, may very well be a significant factor in the obesity epidemic amongst college students.

So studying is really to blame for the freshman 15? Read More »

Dear Steve Jobs,

I have had my iPhone for almost a year now. I love it. I love how bright the screen is, I love how much it can do and I love having everything I need in the palm of my hand. In fact, I also love my MacBook. I am an Apple girl to the core (no pun intended…I am NOT in the mood for jokes right now).

At least, I was until this morning. All week everyone has been talking about 2 things: the new (faster, cheaper, better) iPhone and all the new applications that would be available for both iPhones. Being a current user, I didn’t care much about the new phone (except for the fact that it is FASTER, CHEAPER and BETTER…thankyouverymuch), but I couldn’t wait to get my hands on some of the fun new things I’d be able to download.

So, I woke up this morning, plugged in my phone and installed the new updates. As it was all loading up and getting ready I shopped the new App Store and planned what I was going to buy. Crosswords! Blackjack! So many fun games!

But wait. That wasn’t going to happen for me. No, because my phone got JACKED UP. Completely wiped. Unable to be recognized by my computer. Totally. un-useable.

I had a brief meltdown that included tears, a donut (you owe me a dollar) and a lot of profanity before I composed myself enough to get to the nearest Apple store for some Genius help. And, of course, that was a bust too. Because there were 4,000 people in line trying to buy the new iPhone and, OF COURSE, no one was able to do tech support today. Read More »

We all know that David Beckham is too. hot. for. words. And we wouldn’t turn down a romp in the sack with Brad Pitt, Will Smith or Jason Bateman. But, there is something to be said for the nerdy boys. They are sweet, smart and totally under-rated.

I have always held a soft-spot in my heart for the underdogs, and techy, nerdy boys are no exception. So, I am bringing to you the hottest nerds out there.

These boys give nerdery a verrry good name.

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So you’re ready to meet the man of your dreams…all you need to do is find him. But you’ve been hanging out at the bars every Friday and Saturday night, been attending all of your business classes, and you’ve even been hanging out at your school’s football, baseball, and track practices daily. This whole trying to find a boy thing is getting tiring, isn’t it?

Well ladies, don’t fear; because as usual, Cosmo is here to tell you how to find the man of your dreams. And they’re telling us that we need to stop going to the bars and frat houses and we need to start hanging out at our local Apple store. Read More »