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Learning Online and Finding a Real-Life Teacher

1 Comment / Gizmo of the Day, Software / By /

We thought we’d follow up our last post about online language learning site, Livemocha, with some more educationally-themed sites. As geeks, we’re always trying to learn something new, so it seems pretty appropriate.

Another more general online learning site is eduFire, which does include language education, but a host of other subjects particularly in business & technology. Their primary form of teaching is by video. Some of their classes are free, while others are premium starting at only $5 per video.

If online learning isn’t quite your thing, or perhaps you need more tactile and in-person education, find a class in your area. TeachStreet helps learners find and get matched up with teachers. Membership is free.

Livemocha – learn a new language online

Gizmo of the Day, Software / By /

livemocha online languageLooking to make that backpacking trip to Europe you’ve been talking about for years, but would like to learn some of the languages first? Take a look at online language education site, Livemocha, which has a number of free online courses in 36 different languages as well as more advanced, premium courses.

Livemocha takes your native language into account when determining how to ‘teach’ you.

PS> You may learn the language well enough not to need these translation glasses!

How To Be Safe When Shopping Online

Holidays, Networking & Internet, News / By /

If you’re a reader of this gadget blog, then there’s a greater than 99% chance that you shop online. A lot! While for the most part, it’s a positive experience for most people – the convenience of home, the speed of checkout and of course, the great prices, there is a darkside – the risk of being scammed or cheated by an online vendor.

You can be safe shopping online. Follow the tips in this article to quickly become an expert on the subject. Then make sure to pass it onto your friends and family. If these ethically-challenged vendors don’t get any bites or sales, then they won’t be around for very long.

via Safe Online Shopping

BillShrink helps you save money on credit cards, gas, cell phones and savings accounts

Miscellaneous, Networking & Internet / By /

A new online service that aims to help you save money has popped up on the ol’ Interwebs – BillShrink. BillShrink tries to help you save money in a few key areas: credit cards, gas, wireless (a.k.a. cell phone) and savings/CDs.

It asks you a few questions about your current usage, including your current plans, sometimes your address and then give you alternative options for other services that you could be using to save money.

BillShrink has a pretty clean, Web 2.0 site and is easy to use. We’re not sure how they plan to make money in the future, as this service is currently free, but they do request an e-mail address to get your results. I guess e-mail addresses are the new ‘gold’ for many online companies today.

Quirky turns ideas into products

Miscellaneous, Networking & Internet / By /

Do you have an idea for what you think will be the next ‘big thing’? But you don’t have any idea how you would go about turning it into a reality? Or even if it really is a good idea.

Well then take a look at Quirky, an online community and company that will take your idea and possibly turn it into a product. Possibly? Why? Well your idea may not get the votes to be the one chosen that week.

It does cost $99 to submit your idea, but should it be chosen, then you stand to gain up to 30% of every dollar that invested at Quirky. Also, even if you’re not the idea person, but were an ‘influencer’ or heavy contributor to the overall idea, then you also stand to earn something as well.

PopSci Genius Guide – a brand new online-only interactive magazine

Books, Music and Movies, Home Automation, Portable / By /

The PopSci Genius Guide - Subscription
Popular Science has launched a brand new online-only magazine called PopSci Genius Guide. Meant to be interactive, with embedded video and more, it simply can’t come to your doorstep in print form.

Almost every page has interactive spots that you can click on for more information, and those clicks typically result in the page re-orienting itself to display that info. There are videos of the authors /creators/interviewees of the featured tech inside the articles.

Even the ads are dynamic and have audio attached to them that are only activated when you turn to the page they’re on. Pretty much, this is the future of magazines. It may be harder to produce, but it’ll become easier and more magazines will need this to differentiate them from the pack, until it becomes a de facto standard. It’s easy to be blase about this, but only say 10 years ago, this would have been a prop in a sci fi movie; now it’s reality. It’s definitely worth taking a look at this even if you’re not necessarily a hardcore techie.

No subscription pricing model has been announced yet, but you can snag the very 1st issue from Zinio for $3. This issue focuses on home entertainment, and includes a guide to building the best movie room and a guide to home automation.

Legacy Locker ensures your digital assets are passed onto your beneficiaries when you die

Gizmo of the Day, Miscellaneous, Networking & Internet / By /

One of GfG’s friends, Jeremy Toeman (of LIVEdigitally fame) has co-founded what we feel is an indispensable service for anyone that ‘lives’ online in any sense of the word. It’s called Legacy Locker (LL) and is essentially a secure store for your online assets, things such as passwords, account info, & documents. More importantly, it provides a mechanism for securely and safely conveying this information to your beneficiary if you pass away.

It works relatively simply: you sign up for an account, and start adding what are known as assets (an example would be the username and password to your e-mail account). You assign a beneficiary to each asset you have, and you can change those whenever you’d like. If you pass away, one of 2 persons that you assigned must contact LL to inform them. LL performs verification using humans, so you need not worry about ‘computer error’ or inadequate checks. LL then securely passes on your digital assets to your name beneficiaries.
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