Remember when you started college and you got a bunch of cool new stuff? Everything was shiny and new and you were off on a great adventure. A lot has changed since then. Now you’re all disillusioned by jerky professors and “real world” problems. Oh, and your laptop is an antique.

Many of you are thisclose to the end of your college days [weep], which means it’s time to upgrade your shiz for the next phase of your life. But what do you need? And which products are the best?

Look no further; I’m here for your graduating shopping needs. I can’t teach you how to survive out there – because I’m a few credits away from that awful place – but I can help you with that graduation wish list to hand off to the parentals.

Please hold your applause until the end.

1) New computer

You seriously probably still need one of these if you kept the same one for all four (+) years of college. No matter how much you loved that thing, the fact that it weighs 11 pounds and burns your legs when you’re using it means it’s time to let it go. Most real worlders will be spending most of their time at work, so your laptop doesn’t need to have as many bells and whistles as it used to. The mini book is slightly limited in its uses, but it’s small and cute and totally portable. And it can get you onto Facebook, iTunes and AIM, so what more do you need?

If you want something fancier, go with the MacBook. It has a built in camera that will let you chat face to face with your friends, which will be perfect for re-creating the weekend Morning After Recap from afar.

2) Smart Phone

You’ve wanted a Blackberry/iPhone/G1 forever, and now is the time to go for it. You are going to be hella busy out there in real life, so having your calendar, email, phone, music and Facebook updates all coming with you wherever you go is imperative. Especially when you want to sneak out of the office for some happy hour drinks without missing any messages from the boss man.

3) A year subscription to Xbox Live

Ok, this seems random and it will only work if you actually play 360, but the real world is stressful and you’re going to need something to de-stress. Since your friends will mostly be spread all over the country, this is the best way to keep in touch… while owning them in the game.

4) A GPS system.

If you’re moving to a new place for that sick new job (which, by the way, is a major accomplishment in this economy), you are going to need to know where to go. You could stop at the gas station every day to get directions (and a Diet Coke), or you could put this puppy on your dashboard and get everywhere you need to go on time. This will also come in handy when you want to road trip back to school for homecoming, or take a weekend drive to reunite with the roomies.

5) A Flip Cam

Personally, I think everyone should have one of these to document the most memorable (or drunkest) moments in undergrad, but if you haven’t forked over the cash for one just yet, get granny and gramps to do it. This camera is smaller than your regular digi, but holds up to 60 minutes of footage and just fits right into the USB port of your computer for easy uploading. Pair that with iMovie on a MacBook and you could be a YouTube sensation (or superstar among your friends) in no time.

The real world is scary, but fun new toys make it so much more fun.
Good luck out there! (Now you can clap.)

The constant alerts are pretty annoying, but they are a great reminder of why it’s important to have virus protection on your machine. You wouldn’t do the horizontal mambo without protecting yourself, so why leave your computer vulnerable to attack?

Now, before a bunch of people hop on and start lecturing us all to buy a Mac, let me say this: Yes, we get it, they have no issues with viruses. However we’ve already invested in our PC’s and I for one am sticking by it.

Moving on!

There are a variety of free and pay for use products out there to protect your computer. They run the gamut from just basic virus protection to spyware protection to super duper top secret protection. Chances are you aren’t hiding military secrets on your laptop but you still need something to protect your credit card info or SS#. Also, you don’t want a bunch of annoying viruses slowing your little buddy down. So you have to make sure you have something.

As you’re probably not doing much that would leave you very open to attacks on your computer (unless you’re looking at mountains of porn) you’ll probably do well with just a basic level of protection. Much like Safe Auto, it is possible to get a low level of computer protection. Try a free site like AVG and Spybot.

If you want, you can stick with the Norton or McAfee protection provided when you got your computer, but I don’t recommend it. I found both of these programs to be horrible when it came to protecting Lucy from those pesky spy programs on their own. When combined with a separate spyware program like Spysweeper, however, Norton did work fairly well.

Just be aware that installing multiple virus protection programs (the kind that are all encompassing) on your computer will not provide more protection. The programs will cancel each other out and leave you completely unprotected. So if you’re thinking of changing up your software, keep in mind to disable or uninstall your old stuff.

Good luck and stay safe out there!

[Photo courtesy of straderade.com]

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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 thanks to some clever advertising by Apple, Mac vs. PC has become a sort of pop culture reference point now. Right up there with “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”

Anyway, the real question is: what’s all the fuss?

Some people are partial to Macs. Others, like myself, (and any other sane person) enjoy their PC’s.

During the early days of the war there was a huge difference in the two products, but now they’re pretty comparable as far as features and software goes. At this point it’s pretty much a matter of personal preference.

The real difference in them isn’t what they do or what they have; anything that a Mac has a PC has, and vice versa. The difference is who makes it. Everything in the Mac is made by Apple. Everything in a PC is not made by one company. On one hand, having many companies contribute to the computer is beneficial as it allows you to replace parts as they break down or need to be upgraded easily and cheaply. On the other hand, your parts are made easily and cheaply, and therefore need to be replaced more often.

It is true that Macs last a tiny bit longer than PC’s on the average. Well, laptops, anyway. Macs don’t have a large variety of desktops (there is basically only one), unlike the wide range of PC desktops.

As always, it’s about what you’re planning to do with your machine. If you plan on editing a lot of video footage then you might want to go with a Mac. If you plan on playing a lot of WoW then you might want to think about that PC. If you want to spend more to buy into a brand, go with a Mac. If you are looking to save a little money, a PC is the way to go.

PC’s are entirely customizable and basically disposable. Macs are, well, easy. And that is pretty much the bottom line.

Unfortunately, she is not–as evidenced by many of my college classmates.

We’ve all seen those people in class: the ones who act like they’re too important to be there, don’t care what the professor has to say, rudely answer their phones and are generally a disturbance to those of us trying to learn. If you are an incoming freshman you probably haven’t witnessed such obvious rudeness, and you most certainly do not want to become one of said rude people. So, read on, my pretties, and enter the world of higher education with grace, manners and –ahem–class (haha…)

Don’t Be Cell-fish.

Gone are the days when your cell phone was contraband (absurd, I know). Instead of focusing on your under-desk texting (ala your dinosaur of an AP Chem teacher), your professor will most likely be concentrating on imparting you with knowledge during your class sessions. So this means you can feel free to text, Blackberry message, IM away with your cell held at –gasp–eye level, right?! Wrong! Your professor has assumed (rightfully, I hope) that you are a respectful and mature person who is attending (and paying for) their class to learn something useful from him or her. Do not prove them wrong by blatantly expressing that you have better things to do.

In a two hour lecture, it may be acceptable to send a brief or occasional text, but limit yourself. And never, EVER answer your phone in class, no matter how big the lecture hall is. Oh, that guy behind you makes personal calls to his bros all class and gets away with it? Yeah, he’s a douchebag. Don’t be a douchebag; excuse yourself if you must answer.

Electronic Etiquette

In addition to the awesome-ness that is your cell phone, you will have readily available another potentially dangerous device: your laptop! Your PC or Mac is of utmost importance in your college career and will most likely be tolerated in pretty much any class besides those math and science courses. However, do not be lulled into a false sense of slacker security by your comp! It’s very, very, tempting to prop your screen up and disappear for a the better portion of your class, but don’t succumb.

When you need your computer to take notes, try to focus on what your prof. is saying and add your own thoughts/ questions to his or her explanations–not only will it help you focus, but it will jog your memory while you’re studying them later!

Of course, there are those days when you’re too hungover/tired/lazy/stressed to do anything but zone out…and your class has mandatory attendance. So, if your prof is lecturing and everyone around you is click-clacking away on their keys, I give you exclusive permission to IM (no sound!), catch up on other homework, and visit CollegeCandy (hell, you never know when we might bring something interesting to your class discussion…)

Attendance and Participation

Occasionally, you will see these two words paired on your syllabus with an adorable little 10% next to them. As in, 10% of your final grade. Now this can work two ways: a) easiest grade booster like, ever or b) bane of your existence (depending on how early your class is). Attendance is pretty self-explanatory– show up, get credit, enjoy–and the best way for you to do well in your class and get your money’s worth.

Participation is slightly trickier though, but have no fear! Whether you’re outspoken or shy, there are ways for you to interact with your class. In a large lecture (many time with over 150 other people in it), participation may be limited to taking in-class surveys, making eye contact with your professor, and making an effort to look interested.

In a small class, especially liberal studies courses, be prepared to debate, discuss, make presentations and contribute to what your prof and classmates have to say.

Bathroom Pass? Bish Please.

Requesting permission to perform a bodily function is, in a word, ridiculous. So with good reason, you are now responsible for excusing yourself from class when you need to. Wait until there is a lull in discussion, a break in lecture, or your professor is otherwise occupied, then quietly and courteously leave the room, quickly do your thang, and return.

There will be times when, for personal reasons, you may want or need to leave class early. Try and give your professor a heads up before class starts, sit as close to the exit as you can, and wait for an appropriate time to slip out.

Survival of the Fittest

This is less about manners and more about your GPA. While college may seem like a dream with an average 5 class course-load compared to your 7 class or more senior schedule, just remember that these are college level courses (obv)!

If you took any Advance Placement or IB classes in high school, you can expect the same amount of reading material and study time for your college classes. If this is your first experience with college level learning, be prepared to dedicate about 2 hours for every hour you’re in class per week to study for that class. Of course this varies, but it’s a good rule of thumb to keep up with your assigned reading material and whatever is being covered in your textbook.

Leave enough time for yourself to study for quizzes, tests and exams so that you’re not panicked, stressed and cramming. Personally, I like to cross off at least one assignment before I get ready on nights when I go out. By assigning (and beating!) a deadline for myself, I feel like I have good reason to party hard.

Finally, make good use of your school’s library! Here at FSU, we affectionately refer to our library as “Club Strozier”. If you can round up a group of friends to have study dates with, it makes going to the library that much easier and wayyy more fun (like a gym buddy!) Bonus: you’ll have someone to go on Starbucks runs with, and you can pass notes about the hot guys you scope out on study breaks. Mmm, library…

I’m not trying to be a creepy stalker. But, I mean, really; I don’t know a single student – or person, really – on my campus or even enrolled in my school who doesn’t have their own computer. Whether it’s a chunky tank of a desktop or a sleek and sexy notebook, everyone at school has their own computer. It’s not even a luxury anymore; yes, libraries all have computers for your use, but who really solely depends on the library for computer use? No one I know.

Trouble is – and this is the trouble now-a-days with everything – computers are EXPENSIVE. Even the proverbial cost of an arm and a leg will probably only get you a second-hand Dell off of craigslist. Mind you, I’m not knocking the second-hand craigslist computer; I’m typing this up on one of them right now. But if you’re looking for a new compy that can keep up with you, you can expect to be in the hole about $700. Right?

Ladies (and that one gent), let me introduce you to a new friend of mine: computer shows.

My mom and I decided to head down to a computer show last weekend for the heck of it. She needed more RAM and I wanted to see if there was anyone who could fix my poor, mostly dead laptop. So we wandered in and found a guy in the back who was fixing laptops right there. After waiting in line for a few moments, he looked at my mom’s laptop really quick, then gave her a quick estimate on how much updating it would be (a nice $120). He also told me that it would be about $300 to replace my laptop’s broken screen, whereas HP told me that it would cost me around $900 and I might as well just get a new notebook.

I handed that man my laptop and $300 before he could say, “It’ll take me about a week.”

My cousin, who had met us there with my aunt, was all squeals when she found a $50 copy of software that sells for about $400. I bought a nifty wireless mouse for $17.

But the bargains had only just begun.

My mom was looking around for a new laptop for my aunt. We found a couple of really nice guys for a reasonable price of $435, tax included. After a bit of searching, we found the deal of a lifetime; a tablet PC for a measly $425. It was the floor model, so it had a few scratches here and a little dent there.

“I’ll give it to you for $400,” the man behind the table loaded with laptops told us when he saw our faces. He must’ve confused our amazement for skepticism. My mother and I immediately ran down to the ATM, scrounged together the necessary cash, and bought it there and then. We would later find out that the model – a small, adorable little Toshiba Portege M200 – retailed at about $1000.

Convinced yet? You ought to be. I’m not trying to plug anything here; rest assured of that. But with computer hardware and software prices the way they are, I’d feel all but guilty not sharing this diamond in the rough. So if you’re looking for a new laptop, a pair of speakers, or just some cheap software, find out when and where the nearest show is and go.

Oh, and my mom? She kept the tablet laptop for herself and gave my aunt her recently updated laptop. I can’t really blame her.

[Picture credit goes to: gettyimages.com (again)]

Officially started by two women, “30 Reasons” is all about showcasing (mostly) girls in all shades of wasted-ness. Half-naked, droopy-eyed, and generally looking ridiculous, most of the pictures of these crunked-out chicks are posted by the girls themselves.

Everyone from CNN to The Today Show has weighed in on this stupid group, and while I could care less about drunk people showing the world (and possible employers) how wasted they can get, I’ve always wondered where all the drunk guys are at.

When guys get blasted, they act just as stupid, get just as naked, and most certainly document their exploits just as well as the ladies.

Jezebel must have had the same thoughts, because they’re recently posted Drunkdudes07; a pictorial dedicated solely to drunk guys and the wacky shenanigans they get into.

Do I agree with posting someone’s picture online—especially if they’re in a compromising position—without their knowledge? Absolutely not. But as a woman who’s had enough of her female counterparts exposing themselves to the world, do I feel a little jab of joy clicking through pictures of drunk dudes?

Yup.

Sorry, PC defenders, but I think it’s about time for a little equal opportunity ogling!

[album=49]

Have you ever wished there was a “Massively Multi-Player Online Erotic Game” where you could pretend to be smoking hot and have lots of cyber sex?

Then let me introduce you to Erotasy Island.

Much more than just your average cleverly named role playing game, Erotasy Island dubs itself a “romantic virtual vacation spot” where players can amuse themselves with activities such as strolling though “a lush jungle garden” or dining “in an amazing volcano view restaurant” all without having to step foot outside their house.

For a monthly fee, users (sadly for all those love-deprived Mac users out there, it seems only PC computers are compatable) can “interact” with people all over the world, most likely creating and maintaining a scantily clad Greek-ish avatar and doing all the things online they only dream of doing in the real world (that is, if you dream of “dancing in a disco”…which most of us haven’t done since 1975).

Not being up on the latest role-playing information, I have no real idea how all of this virtual fantasy stuff works—but I can imagine, and my imaginings are very, very boring.

But maybe that’s just because cyber-sex has never struck me as interesting in the least. I prefer my men real and in front of me, or safety in my dreams.

However, for all those who’d like to pay for the honor of jumping into a virtual bed, Erotasy Island is waiting.

Just steer clear of those fantasy STD’s.

Hey, remember those days when you took a computer class to help you learn how to navigate the Internet and use that thing called Microsoft Word? And then there were those advanced classes (my middle school class called it Careers…ahah) that taught you how to use Excel. The best part of it all was that our woodshop class was called Technology.

I mean, did anyone else learn to use a computer on one of those really old Macs? You know the kind with the ACTUALLY FLOPPY disks that supported the original version of Oregon Trail? And they were that cream color with the black screen and blinking green cursor and the multi colored apple?

Can a sister get an Amen or am I just getting really old??

Sadly, the nostalgia days are over. I’m pretty sure that in today’s age, babies pop out of the womb typing on a keyboard and surfing the World Wide Web (Remember when you learned that that was what the www stood for?? Sigh.)

And since we’re all totally fucked up these days and kids no longer push each other on the playground but instead use their tiny little fingers to do the dirty work, schools now feel the need to implement cyber safety and ethics lessons into the US Curriculum. And this shit is funny!

Below, the guidelines that the National Cyber Security Alliance outlined in this article, called the ‘C3 Principles’ of Cyber ethics, safety and security:

-Cyber Ethics Lessons which teach that hacking into someone’s computer and taking information is just as wrong as breaking into someone else’s home.

-Cyber Bullying which is just as wrong as bullying someone on the playground

-Cyber Safety Lessons which incorporate social behaviour tips to protect children from online dangers, such as cyber-predators, harassment, unwanted communications and cyber-bullies

-Cyber Security Lessons which provide information on how to secure computers, identities and financial information

Wouldn’t it just be easier to tell the kids that giving out your information is bad, there are people on the internet that will steal your money and try to have sex with you and that being a bitch is wrong! Just scare the beejezus out of ‘em! That should work. And it should save the teachers a whole lot of bullshit time when they should be teaching their kids… I don’t know STUFF.

“Rather than take bids from the usual PC suspects – Dell and HP – as well as Apple, Wilkes decided to go all-Apple because the new Intel-based models and the Boot Camp dual-boot software – would let the school reduce the number of machines campus-wide. “This is an aggressive technology refresh,” Byers said.”

I commend ye’ Wilkes for making the move- A small, but crucial step in MAC’s quest for total world dominance. Go get em’.

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