I have been a fan since the start and I have posted about Treat.com before. I even hosted a blogger dinner here in Chicago to celebrate the site when it launched. The site is still going strong.

And now if you join Treat.com today and act fast you can receive a FREE card! Be the first million to grab your FREE Treat greeting card!

Treat cards are great for birthdays, anniversaries, get well cards, or any holiday. You can even schedule cards to be sent on a certain day so that you do not forget.

Sign up today and grab your card!

Fine print: Offer expires 6/17/2013 (11:59 P.M. PT).  Offer is good for one (1) free greeting card using the codeTRTZBE7272  at checkout.  Postage may apply.  Customer must be a first-time Treat customer.   Offer is valid for one-time redemption per billing address.  Cannot be redeemed for cash or combined with other offers, discounts, promotions or credits.  Offer is not applicable to previously placed orders.  Offer is only valid on www.treat.com and does not apply to purchases made from the Treat Cards for iPhone app.  Offer is not applicable to Treat Card Club, gifts, or third party or partner websites.

Disclosure: I received product in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.

What are #hashtags?

Hashtags are certainly nothing new. Although, now that they have hit Facebook they can be considered mainstream. One of the most popular posts that I wrote on this site was Twitter Parties & #hashtags written back in 2009. Looks super simple. Nothing special about that post, but at the time people wanted to know what hashtags were all about. How exactly do you use hashtags? The whole purpose of a hashtag is to allow others to track a conversation or easily find information. On Twitter you see this for popular TV shows, popular smartphones, events, campaigns, or popular subjects, etc. For example, you can check out the follow hashtags:

#GalaxyS4

#Blogging

#Photography

#Giveaway

… and more.

People interested in those subjects, or looking for info can search Twitter.com (and now Facebook) for that hashtag, or save the search in their Twitter client to keep up with the subject for a long period of time.

3D technology has made a comeback in a big way. But, believe it or not, the first ever 3D movie was created in 1915!! It came back a few times over the years as technology improved. The full length sound feature 3D movie that most consider the “first” was released in 1952. In most of our time, we remember a brief boom in the 80s as people flocked to theaters to wear the awesome red and blue glasses and watch movies. Now, we can easily have 3D technology in our homes. Imagine a lovely 55″ TV that gives you a 3D movie experience in your family room. Most of these TVs use special glasses. You might have one or two pair come with your TV, and you can order more if you have a large family.

Of course if you have a 3D TV at home, you can head to one of many movie theater that offer the experience. I recently saw Iron Man 3 in 3D and I must say that it was pretty awesome. The 3D effects definitely add something to the experience.

Do you wonder exactly what your eyes experience when looking through those glasses at a 3D movie? VSP Vision Care optometrist, Dr. Stephen Glasser gave me some very useful information. Dr. Glasser is a VSP Vision Care optometrist based in Washington, D.C. He specializes in specialty contact lenses and treatment of Computer Vision Syndrome. Dr. Glasser received his degree from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry.

What does the ability to perceive depth in 3D mean about our eyes?

3D viewing requires that both eyes function in a coordinated manner. They focus and track the 3D object. In other words, if the eyes don’t work well together, for any reason, 3D vision is not perceived by the person. The most common causes are eye muscle problems, prescription imbalance between the eyes and improper focusing by the individual. These issues can usually be corrected with proper eye care. Also, age and other health conditions can impede the ability to see 3D properly. Even such things as dirty contact lenses or improperly fitting glasses can have dramatic effects on the individual.

How exactly does this perception work in our eyes?

Unlike your hands, which can do different and separate tasks at the same time (such as playing a musical instrument), the eyes have to work with each other and mirror each other’s actions. This includes focusing and aiming of the eyes. The brain controls the movement of the eyes to ensure that each eye is doing, or trying to do, exactly what the other is doing. So individuals who do not have eyes that work with each other, due to the fact that they don’t aim in the same direction or due to one eye being capable of seeing much clearer than the other, cannot perceive 3D movies or pictures. In many cases, training or surgical intervention can relieve these imbalances.

Do some people perceive 3D better than or different from others? If so, why is this the case?

Some people do, in fact, perceive 3D better than others, mainly because their eyes are capable of working with each other with greater precision and accuracy. While some training can be done to help an individual see 3D better, some people just have the ability to use their eyes to greater degrees than others. The best example would be pilots and professional athletes. In some cases, it is because of the higher precision of the eyes that control eye movement and focusing; in others, it is due to the retina, in the back of the eye, being able to see very slight differences in an object’s distance or speed better that most people.

What factors affect this kind of perception?

Some of the factors include having the right prescription for the eyes and not having overly tired eyes. This will allow the muscles that control the eyes to fix consistently at a particular distance to allow for 3D vision. There are certain factors that can’t be controlled, as already mentioned, but many factors can not only be tested for but also corrected if there are any shortcomings. In addition, there are steps that can be taken to increase an individual’s perception of the space around him or her to make the focusing and aiming of the eyes both quicker and more accurate.

How can we best take care of our eyes to ensure that we can continue to watch all of these 3D movies that are coming out in theaters these days?

The best advice, by far, is to have your eyes examined. In this way, both the ability of the eyes to see clearly, as well as their ability to work efficiently with each other, can be tested and, if needed, any shortcomings can be corrected. In addition, it is not only important to determine how people see but also how healthy their visual system is. With the greater sophistication of 3D movies, it becomes even more important that the eyes are working well. Otherwise, the person will not get the full effect that the makers of the film had intended. In many cases, an individual who is having problems feeling comfortable watching a 3D movie will experience worsening symptoms, such as headaches and dizziness, the more that they try to compensate for the shortcomings of their eyes or the visual correction.

Want to know even more? VSP has published a very informative document, A Parent’s FAQ on 3D Eye Health Concerns for Children with the help of Dr. Nathan Bonilla-Warford, that you should definitely check out for more information.

Disclosure: This post is part of my involvement in the compensated VSP Ambassador program. All opinions are my own.

My current favorite commercial is the Nokia Lumia 920 wedding commercial. “Excuse me. would you mind moving your enormous phone?” “You mean the enormously awesome Galaxy?” “Boop boop.” LOL! That cracks me up every time! I know you’ve seen it, but if not, here you go…

The commercial reminds me of a recent heated discussion that I had with someone about the iPhone versus the Galaxy series. The person had an Android phone like 4-5 years ago. He didn’t like it. He said that Android is buggy and unreliable. I tried to explain that he last tried it when it was brand new. Yes, it was buggy then. But now? I consider it perfect! Well at least a couple of the builds. I do not experience any strange crashes or anything like when Android was brand-spanking new.

I mentioned before that I had every iPhone from the original iPhone to the iPhone 4. I actually had it before it was released to the public via the beta program. I have tried them all, Palm series, Windows 5, Windows 6, iOS, Blackberry (old and new) and several flavors of Android. On the personal front, I have been Team Android since Dec 2011. However, I am an equal opportunity phone user. LOL! Yes, right now my heart is still in the Android (specifically Samsung) court, but technology changes from day to day. But honestly… when is the last time that Apple did something really great to the iPhone that made us go “Ooooh… yeah! That is worth the upgrade. Gotta have it!”? Yeah… that is what I thought. Meanwhile Samsung, and Microsoft (via Windows Phone) continue to improve not only their hardware by offering it on several different flavors of devices, but they also continue to improve their OS. I personally appreciate the fact that I can browse, research, and shop through several different types of either Android or Windows Phones before deciding what I want to purchase. This is great for some that might want to try out a more entry level (or cheaper) phone, or those of us that want to go for gold.  But, if you want an iPhone… you just get an iPhone. The only options you will get is color (black vs. white) and built-in memory size. That is all.

It will be interesting to see if Apple continues to stick with their old formula. I mean… it *is* working for them. Apple fanboys and fangirls everywhere will continue to buy the new Apple iPhones whether they change the formula or not… mostly! I actually know several converts. And it was announced late last year that the Samsung Galaxy S3 actually outsold the iPhone. If things keep changing in that direction, Apple may have to do something to make us ooh and ahh again.

Meanwhile, I am keeping my eye on them all. The Samsung Galaxy S4 was just released to huge praise (review coming just as soon as I get my hands on one). And the Nokia Lumia 920 series and other Windows Phones are popping up more and more in smartphone user’s hands. The much anticipated HTC One is rolling out, and geeks cannot wait to get their hands on that one.

What phone do you currently carry? Are you looking to upgrade any time in 2013? If so, what phone are you waiting on? Have you converted in either direction?

But texting is a major player in many of these accidents.  The fact remains that way too many people still do it. The numbers are insane. It is reported that more than 100,00o road accidents are due to texting and driving. Texting takes being distracted to another level. Your eyes leave the road. Your brain is focusing on getting the message right rather than driving. And all it takes is a split second of not looking for the car in front of you to slam on the brakes, or for someone to cut you off, or a kid to run into the street. Your eyes belong on the road when driving.

The Impact

The video below can show you just what impact sending or reading a text can have on a driver and bystanders.

The Campaign

For the first time ever AT&T has joined forces with other major carriers including Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile to spread the word about the importance of ending texting while driving. In addition to the wireless providers joining in, there are over 200 other companies that are now working together. This summer long program kicked off on May 26. The days between Memorial Day and Labor Day are sadly known as the “100 Deadliest Days” for teen drivers.

Some of the companies taking part include Clear Channel Media & Entertainment, Goodyear, Pantech, HTC, Samsung, SADD, and many more. Companies are doing several things to bring attention to the campaign ranging from sharing the It Can Wait message on their radio stations, billboards, offices, and even blimps!

What can you do to help?

• Take the Pledge: For starters, you can take the pledge at ItCanWait.com.

• Drive safely: Drive carefully. Pay attention to your surroundings. And since it is summer, watch out for motorcycles. Remember, you may trust your own driving, but you cannot always trust those around you to do the right thing.
• Educate your children: Tell your children about the importance of not texting while driving. They may be young now, but they will be drivers one day too.
• Utilize Your Technology: If you must read or respond to a text while driving, use your tech! Do NOT type it out. Many smartphones can read texts, and allow you to dictate to respond. Even better, newer cars have this technology over the past couple of years. You connect your phone via Bluetooth, or sync cable and use buttons on your steering wheel to control your phone without ever taking your eyes off the road.
• Utilize Carrier Apps: All carriers have apps created just for keeping us safe while driving. If you are on AT&T, download AT&T DriveMode. If you are with another company check your carrier website for apps that you can keep your teens, and you from texting while driving. These apps can automatically disable your phone while the car is in motion so that you are not tempted. You can also check out the Safely website. Safely is the creator of many of these apps for the various carriers.

Will you take the pledge? Do you have teen drivers in your household? What steps do you take to keep them safe?

Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaign with AT&T. All opinions are my own.

We know that our kids know how to use technology. But how about helping them get some skills that they can use in their future careers? YouthSpark Summer Camps at Microsoft Retail stores are offering five different camps to introduce kids ages 8-13 to the latest in technology, and give them some new and fun skills! Kids who love gaming, storytelling, or even photography can take one of the classes below:

• Digital Movie Madness: Go from script to screen – and all the movie-making steps in between.
• Storyteller Studio: Write short stories, create games, and design slideshows and custom creations.
• Digital Art Smarts: Inspire artistic vision and creation through graphic design and photography.
• Game Masters: Mastermind a gaming world as the programmer, designer and producer.
• Game App: Plan, Create, design and publish game apps like a pro.

When I heard about this I was VERY excited! My kids would love these types of classes and do very well. Unfortunately our nearest Microsoft store is almost an hour away, but I think it might be worth the drive for one week to get them in on this action.

You can register you kids on the YouthSpark website.  Act fast! I took a look a few minutes ago and classes are filling up fast. There are several dates available running now through August.

Motherboard

The motherboard is the large circuit board connecting all other components in your PC, and should really be considered first, as it’s this that will determine what you can plug into it. Make sure it has all of the ports you need for your requirements – look out for USB 3.0 ports if you’re likely to be transferring a lot of data, and a HDMI input if you want to plug your PC into a larger TV for gaming or video editing.

Processor

This should be the first thing on your list after the motherboard, as you need to ensure these are both compatible. This will again depend on what you use your PC for – high-power machines for gaming will require a dual core or quad core, which allows the processor to manage more calculations at once. Clock speed is another consideration, as this will determine how each core performs. There are a few big brands in the processor market, but we reckon you can’t go wrong with an Intel processor in terms of quality.

RAM

Your RAM determines how fast your PC can access information – the more RAM you have, the faster your PC will run. Your motherboard will come with either dual or triple “channels” – these are the ports that the RAM sticks slot into, and will determine how many sticks you can have in total. You’ll also need to check for the type and speed your motherboard supports – this should be stated in the user manual when you buy it, although Googling your model number should also get you some answers.

Hard drive

There are two types of hard drive you can pick up: the optical drive, which writes your information to a spinning disk; or a solid state drive, which writes information to microchips. Solid state drives are by far the more reliable, and definitely worth the extra cost – you can always expand or upgrade later, too, so don’t worry if you can’t spring for a terabyte drive just yet!

Graphics card

If you’re just using your PC for browsing and listening to music, you’re probably fine just picking up a motherboard with on-board graphics. For anything more heavy-duty though, like gaming, you’ll need to pick up a dedicated graphics card to really get the full experience. Choosing the right card is complicated, as brands fluctuate so much in terms of quality – check out resources like AnandTech’s benchmarking tool to find the latest top options.

Jordan Peck is a freelance writer who writes on various technology related topics, including mobile phones, laptops, tablets and the internet.

I think I use Google Talk more when I am away from home sometimes than when I’m at my desk. But now, I am not so sure if I will There are a few things that I just do not like about it.

1. Not everyone uses Hangouts much. Some of us just like to IM… with our friends. We don’t like to video chat or IM with acquaintances or strangers on Google Plus. So…
2. Seeing all of my circles and other people that I barely know listed on my phone is counterproductive for me. An option to hide that, or at least sort the list by those online would be GREAT. I have 6 people listed at the top which it has decided are the people that I want to talk to (not so much) when I click to start a new Hangout. Then it goes into a list of frequently contacted people. These appear to be people that I email a lot, not IM with. Listed under that is All Contacts. It is too much really. I want my old, simple, clean list back!
3. It is almost impossible to tell if your friend is online and available. Avatars are dimmed meaning idle… I think. However, again… it is not clear. And once you are in a chat… excuse me… Hangout… with someone there is no indication whether or not the person is online or not. I want my available, idle, and away icons back please.

Google, I get what you are going for… I think… but for those of us that stay on the go a lot and use “Google Talk” instead of texting because we know the person that we are looking for is also on Google Talk, this is not cool.

Can you please adjust and fix it? Or perhaps make the two separate again? Or at least give us some options!

Thanks so much!

I arrived on Sunday, April 21st which was my birthday.  I didn’t expect so much to go on on the first day, but boy was I wrong! Day 1 was filled with fun. It was a fabulous birthday! When I arrived I was greeted by the PR team who immediately handed me some awesome birthday presents! You may have noticed the Instagram photo of my shiny new Sony Vaio T series Touch laptop on Instagram. We also received a new Windows Phone, the Samsung ATIV Odyssey on Verizon. Reviews on both of those items coming soon.

Some guests were still arriving, but those us that arrived early were lucky enough to do some sightseeing. We visited the Big Wheel. I was a bit weary. I have this height thing sometimes. I am not afraid of heights exactly, but if I don’t feel confined or protected then I don’t want to be there long. LOL! However, this ferris wheel has lovely enclosed compartments that are heated! The ride was very smooth and gave us a front row seat to an absolutely gorgeous view of downtown Seattle and beyond.

We also passed through Pike Place, road the Monorail, and made our way to the top of the Seattle Space Needle. Again… I was conquering my height thing. YAYY Me. It was so beautiful up there. I absolutely loved the view. Although it was chilly, so we did not stay out there long.

At dinner that evening the team surprised me with a birthday cake. That was a nice touch! I am a softie and I almost broke down! But I held it together. And it was a red velvet cake at that. Yummm!!!

Also on the agenda was a visit to the Allrecipes.com office. They have an app that run on Windows Phone. We used it to whip up some yummy fresh Mojitos.Vietnamese Spring Rolls, and Apple Fold It Up desert. Everything was yummy!  And those spring rolls awakened a new obsession with me. I went through all kinds of stuff to find some in the Chicago area. They are awesome with fresh veggies stuffed in!

And we were still not done! We also headed off to the PopCap games office. Yes, really! You just heard me talk about PopCap in my review of Solitaire Blitz (and yes… I am still addicted to it). We learned some startling stats about just how much some of us play Bejeweled Blitz. We got a tour of the office. We learned that they have a play room. It is filled with video games, toys, and Nerf stuff. So awesome! And then we had our own giant Bejeweled Blitz tournament. The team that I was a part of took the prize. Woo hoo! We each got an awesome PopCap hoodie for our hard work. Hey… somebody had to do it.

AND (nope, still not done with the fun and food), we got treated to a private dinner with celebrity chef  Tom Douglas. You may know Tom from appearances on shows like Iron Chef America, Martha Stewart, or Good Morning America. He owns many restaurants and was won the 1994 James Beard Award for Best Northwest Chef.

I ate SO much on that trip! And I had so much fun. There was so much to see and do. I took over 500 photos on the trip. YIKES! And yes, we did talk shop between all of the fun! I’ll cover all the techy stuff and my visit to the Microsoft campus in the next post!

We all live by our smartphones to keep us in touch with the world. And… as soon as we get a shiny new one, fall in love with it, and get used to using it… it new one hits the horizon! This has become life. We are used to the ever evolving world of technology. Smartphone manufacturers keep improving their operating systems, features, cameras, and more. Phones seem to hit the UK before we get them in the US. Here are a few that we are hearing about right now.

Smartphones keep evolving, and anybody who wants to have the latest tech in their pocket needs to stay up to date with the new releases. Below we’ve laid out the details of some of the most exciting upcoming launches, with UK release dates if they’ve been made available, so you can start looking at contracts from providers like E2Save straight away.

Samsung Galaxy S4 (Released April 26th)

The Galaxy S3 is one of the best-selling smartphones of all time, so the S4 has a lot to live up to – but going on the New York unveiling last month, that shouldn’t be a problem. The new Galaxy phone features a five-inch, full HD screen, a 13-megapixel rear camera and new features such as Group Play, eye-controlled video pausing and dual camera modes. Sadly, customers in the UK won’t get the benefit of the blistering Exynos 5 Octa processor, and will have to content themselves with Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 instead.

HTC First (Summer)

Also known as the “Facebook phone” thanks to its deep integration with the popular social networking site, the HTC First will be made available this summer as an EE exclusive, using the carrier’s superfast 4G service. It comes with a 4.3-inch screen, a five-megapixel camera and Android’s Jelly Bean 4.1 OS, as well as a Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core processor. It’ll also be the first Android device to come pre-loaded with Facebook Home, a user interface layer that replaces the home screen with a constant stream of updates.

LG Optimus G Pro (rumoured Summer)

The LG Optimus G Pro looks set to be the main rival to the Galaxy S4, with a full HD, high-resolution 5.5-inch screen, a 13-megapixel rear camera and a Qualcomm quad-core processor. LG’s QSlide feature, which allows multiple apps to run together, will certainly make the best use of the phone’s comparatively large screen, and early indications suggest that it could outperform the S4 on battery life. The screen size tips it further into “phablet” territory, and this could be the one to watch for anybody in the market for something a bit bigger than a phone but smaller than a tablet.

Jordan Peck is a freelance writer who writes on various technology related topics, including mobile phones, laptops, tablets and the internet.