Shopping can be a daunting task. Going from one shop to another, comparing prices, looking for discounts in the newspaper or collecting fliers from shops are very inefficient ways to make this experience a pleasure. And it is very difficult to get what you had in mind in your budget.

In these times where one has a million choices for everything, from your mobile-phone to your dog’s food, online shopping seems to be the best bet for not only a stress-free shopping experience, but also saving money.

There are a lot of online stores such as Amazon/eBay etc. which pretty much stock all the products/brands that you could ever need. Not only that, you can compare the prices of different brands, look for used products for cheaper price, read up reviews by other customers to make an educated decision and get the products delivered at your door for free.

These online stores generally save you a little bit of money too, because unlike the retail stores, they don’t have to bear warehousing costs and store space and shop assistants. But that isn’t a lot of saving is it?

Many of these stores give discounts and coupons for saving money. The only problem is that one doesn’t get to know this. If you wanted to buy a camera, it is not practically possible for you to visit all the online stores and see if they have a discount. Here is where some websites like CouponCodes.Ca come handy.

These websites not only list all the coupons and discounts at one place, but also sort them based on categories, location etc. Making it very usable and saving you a lot of time, stress and of course money. For instance, CouponCodes.ca lists all the coupons and discounts for Canadian shoppers to save money.

You would be surprised at the amount of money you could be saving by looking for coupons online. It is true that it is not necessary that you always find a discount for everything you want to buy. But there is no denying that such coupon websites stock up coupons for various products and categories and that the likelihood of finding a coupon to double/triple save on what you were looking for is very high.

Also, these websites are well updated and users can submit coupon codes that they know of.  This ensures that the coupons are latest and that most coupons are listed, so you don’t have to go hunting specific brand websites looking for coupons.

Many coupon websites also list deals and the times for clearance sales and season sales where consumers can save a lot of money by planning their purchase.

These coupons are not only for online-shopping, but there are printable coupons too which can be used at retail stores to avail some discounts.

So next time your kid is heading to college or you are going on a trip or you just want to refurnish your house, just spend some time online and check out a coupon website and do most of your shopping online to save big and make the experience shopping a pleasure.

Google’s announcement has got everyone’s head spinning. According to them, they will be releasing the Chrome Operating System (heavily based on the Chrome browser) on the second quarter of next year. This is a big step for Google as the OS market is pretty competitive. The question though is will it fulfill the expectations of skeptics and enthusiasts alike? This writer attempts to critique and guess what the OS has to offer.

Chrome OS: Bare-naked

The great thing about open sources (Apache and Eclipse) is that anyone can extend the application, customizing it to the users’ preference. Kudos to Google for making the Chrome OS’ codes an open source. With a collective collaboration, the OS can be improved tremendously by anyone and everyone. It may even be better than the original release.

Microsoft is one of the leading OS creators. As far as the market goes, comparing the Chrome OS and Microsoft Windows is pretty pointless. Both OS are two different things. The Google Chrome OS is an alternative browser-based lightweight version, which heavily relies on cloud services, and continues to expand (or explore) the web platform. Windows, meanwhile, is a heavy duty OS, that tries to enhance PCs (software based) and continues to bring about innovations (hardware wise). Attempting to rival Google’s Chrome OS to Microsoft’s Windows doesn’t make sense.

As it is being made into an open source, one can’t help but wonder if it’ll then be Linux. The Linux OS is a coder’s haven. Though, it gave freedom for extension, it did not come with easy installation. Non-technologists would have a hard time figuring how to install Linux as well as its configuration (hardware/driver incompatibilities). Hopefully, Google will learn from Linux.

Internet space is one of the most talked about things when it comes to the Chrome OS. Since Google plans to make use of the web as the platform, it is not strange that the OS will be incorporated with cloud services. Google will need to provide bigger storage spaces on every cloud service they plan to use in the OS. Compared to hard disk nowadays (120GB – 250GB), the net only gives a few GB of memory.

As most of the Chrome OS is online, this writer hopes that Google has figured out a way to protect people’s privacy and security. Perhaps later this year, Google will address this issue.

In conclusion, it is too early to dismiss and judge the Chrome OS. Only time will tell whether it will be an asset to technological innovations or another stepping stone for something far better.

I love the month of December every year. It means that the year is about to end, and a new beginning of another year. You can see everyone busy decorating their space. Everyone is busy discussing and thinking of different ways to celebrate Christmas and the New Year. The entire family is happy and in a festival mood. At this occation Christmas Wallpapers can serve as an excellent source of inspiration.

Couple of weeks back Facebook announced couple of features which would let you message multiple people at the same time in one window, updated chat interface which would take into account your browser size and the most awaited feature the Video Chat. I was speaking to my friend the other day when I pinged him to come over the Facebook video chat and he seemed to be unaware of te feature. Though these features have been around for couple of weeks, many of the users have overlooked it.

Facebook’s video calling is powered by Skype, which is a simple plugin that you need to install and use — exactly what Mark Zuckerberg said was the goal in designing and integrating the new feature.

According to Facebook, Video Calling feature work with pretty much all the major browsers. Mobile integration and Linux support is currently unavailable.

After the integration, you would be able to use the video chat from 2 places. One, scroll to the bottom of your Facebook page where you’ll find the Chat bar. Much like you would to start a chat session with a friend, you click on a name to open a new chat window. To initiate the video call, click the video icon next to your friend’s name. A box will pop up on your friend’s screen and they’ll hear a ringing tone, alerting them of an incoming video chat request. The video chat will start once they accept the invitation.

If your friend is unavailable, you can leave a video message in which the time and date of your missed call will be listed in your ongoing message history with your friend. To end a video call, just ex out of the video window.

Note: If you don’t want to make yourself available to video calls, you need to change your chat settings. Do this by clicking the settings icon in the right corner of the chat list, then click “Available to Chat” to remove the check mark. Note that while this will make you unavailable to video chat it will also disable your regular chat feature.

Samsung Galaxy Tab an Android based tablet is currently the closest competitor to Apple iPad 2. The good news is that we have successfully rooted the Galaxy Tab. If you are wondering what is the advantage of rooting Samsung Galaxy Tab, well, there are quite a few advantages starting with the ability to install root only Apps, uninstall system apps that generally cant be uninstalled, ability to completely backup, apply themes, change boot animations, flash custom ROMs, etc.

z4root (1-click root) – Rooting Galaxy Tab

z4root is a one-click root app from RyanZA, the XDA Developer, which makes rooting Android devices really easy.

1. At Android Market search for z4root and download it.

2. Press the following Menu buttons to Enable USB debugging: Settings -> Applications -> Development -> USB debugging.

3. Launch z4root and press the “Root” button.

4. The device will restart. Run z4root again to check if the rooting process was successful. If rooting was a success, then you’ll see a new Superuser app in your app tray.

Note: Z4root works for all Android devices ranging from: Droid X, Droid 2, HTC EVO, HTC Hero, Galaxy S devices. Oh yeah, rooting your device voids the manufacturer warranty. Do it at your own risk.

Virtual Private Networks (VPN) is generally used by corporates for securing their private information from the public network. These days with lot of hacking around, its become a general practice for even individuals to access the internet through the VPN. Yesterday, I went a little further and tried to setup my VPN on my iPhone and iPod touch. The steps are not as difficult as I initially thought. Its very much similar to that of an iPad.

By configuring the VPN on your iPhone you would be able to secure and encrypt your data, it helps in keeping your privacy. After all, Privacy is what every iPhone user would want, especially when you are trying connecting on a Wi-Fi Hotspot. These Public Wifi connections can be extremely dangerous since these connections almost provide zero security for the user, plus a person using a simple hacking software (something like Firesheep) can easily intercept your connection and steal your passwords, email address or whatever you are transferring through your phone on Public Wifi.

Lets get back to How To Setup VPN in iPhone 4. Following are the simple steps to establish a PPTP VPN connection on your iPhone.

1. Tap on your iPhone Settings Icon -> General -> Network -> VPN.
2. Now you will find an option to configure a VPN connection named “Add VPN Configuration”.
3. Select PPTP, i’ll let you know about the L2TP setup, later in this post.
4. Simply, add your VPN configuration being provided by your VPN Service Provider.
5. Description is simply the Name that you want to give to your VPN  Connection. Name it whatever you want to name it. e.g. iBVPN.com.
6. Now Server name is only provided by the VPN service provider. It will be like “connect.levoltz.com”. Do not try and put this as your server name, it won’t work. It will only be provided by your service provider.
7. Similar to your Server Name, Your Account Name and Password will also be provided by your VPN Service provider.
8. After adding the information in these three fields. Set your RSA Secure ID to Off.
9. Set your encryption level to Auto.
10. Set, “Send All Traffic” to “ON”
11. Save the Configurations and return back to the Home Screen of your iPhone.
12. Tap your Settings once again and now Magic! you will see VPN Slider Tab added to your settings, just below your WiFi Tab.
13. Set it to ON. You will have your VPN up and running.

L2TP VPN Connection on iPhone

To Add L2TP connection on iPhone, follow the same steps as that of setting up PPTP Connection for iPhone. You need to select L2TP, while configuring a VPN Connection. The other steps remain the same as that of PPTP setup. You will just see one added feature i.e. you will have to enter a Secret code. The secret code will also be provided to you by your VPN Service Provider. that will be unique to a VPN Service Provider for providing L2TP Connection.

Which VPN Service to use for iPhone 4

It’s not an easy decision decision to make, especially when there are so many VPN Services available. Therefore, as a VPN review website, levoltz.com has a list of Top 5 VPN Providers, which can help you with your choice of VPN Service for your iPhone. I would personally perfer iBVPN.

The popularity of iPads has been riding the upward curve on the graph since their launch. Their availability among those who value creativity is the reason behind their growing popularity. The creative bunch is able to make the best of the apps available on iPads. The iPads support the current generation with their hobbies that include photography, graphic designing, writing etc. They are also known to help people stay organized.

The iPad apps available in the market are generally too costly for most of the users. This article focuses on providing the ten most affordable apps for people who are on a tight budget. The cost of the ten apps discussed here doesn’t exceed 99 dollars. Going through this article will help people realize their dreams of having some great apps for use on their iPads. Without further ado, let us start knowing more about these highly affordable apps and how they can help us change our lives forever.

Photo Effects HD

Editing and manipulating photos becomes quite easier with this application. If you are running out of time and want to make some important changes in your pictures, the Photo Effects app can be of great help to you. All you need is an iPad and the application will be ready to do the job for you straightaway.

Adobe Ideas

This is an app that comes for free. People who are into stuff like graphic designing make a greater use of this application. It is similar to a sketchbook that allows you to give your ideas a visual form, its digital form being the only difference. Most of us are aware of Adobe and the quality that this brand carries with it can be found in this specific app of theirs.

Sorted

It is natural to lose track of the small things in life. Sometimes, losing track of them can cost you a lot. Therefore, it is important that you keep track of all the small and important things without fail. This seems to be quite an impossible task and that is what the app Sorted is here for. Managing your to-do lists will get easier with Sorted. A clean user-friendly interface and easy navigation processes make Sorted nothing more than a simple application.

Dropbox

Storing and syncing them can get tougher if you’re dealing with a lot of them. Dropbox is one such free app that allows you to store your files online or on multiple devices. All you require is an account in Dropbox to be able to use the free storage space of 2 GB that comes with it. This free 2GB storage space should be enough for you to get started. You can always buy more space if you need to and believe me, you will never regret your buy.

LiveSketch HD

You must have done some pencil sketches when you were a kid. Well, bring your childhood art back then using this unique app that allows you to use your fingers as a pencil for sketching on your iPad that you will certainly be using as the paper.

Evernote

If you are looking for an app to make some quick notes for use in the future, get Evernote on your iPad. You have to create an account online and you will be ready to use the free service. You could also go for the premium one, but that will require you to make a monthly payment of $ 5. This application is available free of cost.

Calc + Draw

This app will help you do the quick calculations and save you the trouble of looking around for paper. You can also make small and important notes on them. The calculator can be moved out of the iPad screen when not in use at will. This app comes in very handy at times when you think you need a paper the most.

The Camera

There is absolutely no reason to worry if your iPad doesn’t have a camera. All you need is this Camera for iPad app and an iPhone, and you could make a wireless connection between your iPad and iPhone. This way you would be able to use the camera of your iPhone. The latest camera model on the iPhone 4 will help you get high quality pictures.

PhotoPad

If you want a cool photo editing tool, try using PhotoPad. This app is available free of cost. You have to keep tabs on the latest updates on their functionality. Ordering skins for mobiles is also possible using this application.

Night Stand HD

You can use this app to get a clock for your iPad if it doesn’t have one. Apart from the normal clock, you would also get an alarm clock and a world clock that shows time of six different locations from around the world. It will help you keep good track of time and make sure that you are never late for appointments.

These are the ten apps that you can easily afford. These will let you enjoy the expanded version of iPads without burning a hole in your pocket. Some of these might not look that appealing to the creative lot, but then they are always worth a try.

The sweetest Honeycomb tablet we’ve seen so far packs modern Android goodness into a pocket-sized package, with a new OS version going far to solve Android tablets’ biggest problem to date: the lack of decent tablet-specific apps. But the 7-inch Acer Iconia Tab A100’s petite form means a battery that’s too small.

The Iconia Tab A100 is the first tablet shipping with Android 3.2. This is a big deal and a very good thing. The Android Market, home to more than 200,000 phone apps, is hideously broken for tablets, but Android 3.2’s new Zoom Mode convinces phone apps that they’re running on a smaller phone screen and magnifies text and images rather than filling in chunks of the screen with blank space.

$329.99 for 8GB; $349.99 for 16GB

This won’t be great for 10-inch tablets, but is kind of wonderful on a 7-inch device. I tried the Conan O’Brien Team Coco app, which looks awful on most tablets. In Zoomed mode, it’s tight and good-looking.

This isn’t a panacea, not by a long shot. Google still needs to fix the Android market for tablet owners. But it’s better than the experience on any other Android tablet so far.

The Acer Iconia A100 is one of our favorite tablets so far. It’s great for watching movies, video chatting, surfing the Web and playing with apps, until its teeny-tiny battery runs out. That battery gave us a mere 3 hours, 53 minutes of video playback on a charge, not enough for a cross-country flight. If not for the battery issue, it would’ve earned an Editors’ Choice nod.

Acer Iconia Tab A100 Verdict:

PROs:

Works well with many Android apps.

Great multimedia features.

CONs:

Short battery life.

Bloatware.

Looks a bit cheaply made.

Can you think of anyone who says so little with so many words? You would probably find them both annoying and uninteresting. The same is true with ad campaigns. Some write-ups look forward at luring subscribers with long paragraphs. Little do these ad campaign writers know that they are actually increasing the likelihood that their newsletters will be junked in an instant.

The point really is, why waste the space for filling them up with a whole paragraph when you can keep it clearer by stating your idea in a sentence or two? This idea is related to the fact that email readers would merely scan through a message, and if it’s too long, then don’t expect them to remain interested to it. This can be confirmed from studies that reducing your words in your emails actually invite more recipients to respond.

However, writing is not an easy task for most people but a few tips outlined below can sure get you started.

To begin, have some written down answers to the following simple questions.

• What audience do you intend to reach?
• What do you want to achieve with your email?
• What information do you want to communicate?
• What response do you want to invoke from your readers?

Let’s continue when you are through.

Personalize your message

Make sure that your choice of words conforms to those that your audience is most familiar with and can easily relate to. Carry out some research if not so familiar with your audience’s ‘Local Talk’. Your choice of words should be common and uncomplicated. polite and interesting to keep your audience engaged and participatory. Structuring a conversational email makes it enjoyable and relational.

Keep it Short and Sweet

Avoid using unnecessary words. Surveys from the Marketing Experiments Blog show that using halving your number of words grows your Click Rate for up to 16%, which is a worthwhile significant increase!

Consolidate your Information

Organize your information into headings and sub-headings, short concise and precise paragraphs and list your main points. The human attention span shortens with every subsequent line of text.

Lead your readers to your Goal

Clearly identify what you want to achieve with your email and structure your message such that it walks your readers to where you want them for instance if your goal is to increase sales point to links that land them to products page or sign up page.

It cannot be overemphasized that your choice of words can strengthen or paralyze your campaign, surge up results or vaporize them. Words are powerful enough to influence your reader’s decision.

While going through an article by Mashable last week, I found that there are big changes coming in Facebook. Sure there is a change in the format of the News Feed which in itself is quite big, but the article hinted that this change is just the beginning. There was a much bigger change unveiled on Thursday last week: the Timeline.

The Timeline is a complete revamp of your profile. Timeline has made attempts to put your entire life on Facebook in a chronicle order. Though, you might not need a detailed description of the change; but, if you were in the dark, then grab a drink and get the details straight from the house’s mouth.

So, here’s the thing about Timeline: it won’t be available to the public until Thursday, September 29.

But that shouldn’t stop you from using it now, right? No way! As you can see from the featured image above, I’m already using it, and I’ll say that it’s quite awesome. If you want to get in on the action early as well, just follow these instructions.

Time To Get Facebook Timeline

Ok, so basically the only people who have access to Timeline right now are influential media personalities (which I just can’t believe didn’t include me) and Facebook developers. Odds are, you’re not an influential media personality. You’re probably also not a Facebook developer – yet. In fact, it’s really, really easy to become a Facebook developer and thus get access to try out Timeline. Here’s how.

To be a developer, all you need is an app. If you don’t already have one, create one here. When you’re asked to provide a Site Name and URL, just use your name and a random, non-existent domain. Don’t be a dick and take a URL that belongs to someone else.

Now it’s time to fill out all the necessary information about your app. Fill in the Display Name, Namespace, Email, Domain, and the Website URL below. When you’re filling out the namespace, don’t worry too much about what it is – just make sure it isn’t taken and it’s not something that someone will legitimately need in the future. In other words, use something related to you or a site that you own.

After you fill in all the relevant information, click Save Changes. Then click Open Graph on the left side of the page. You would now be at the Getting Started sub-tab, where you’ll see a screen that would ask you to define an action for your app. Make it whatever you want; it doesn’t matter. Once you’re done, click Get Started.

Once this is done, go back to your profile; you would be able to see  a box at the top asking you to try Facebook Timeline Beta for Developers. Answer in the affirmative, and you’re in! Hope you enjoy it.