Girls In Tech

Anyone that is a “gadget-freak” like me knows that the HTC EVO is one of the most talked about smart phones of 2011.

Finally, a touchscreen phone I am proud to call the iPhone killer. That’s right, I said it (and I’ve waited so long for this moment too!).

The EVO comes with 7 home screens, an 8 megapixel camera, HDMI output, live video sharing with a front-facing camera, visual voicemail, a kickstand for hands-free and tabletop viewing, 4.3 inch screen, 4G speeds, and so much more.

But what really makes the user-experience that much better are the apps!

With that said, here are my top 5 favorite apps for the HTC EVO.

1. Tasker

This app automates your entire phone! Here are some things you can do: launch a music application when you plug in your headphones, send an automated text to someone when you’re 15 minutes away from picking them up, or set a schedule to disable certain features on your phone to conserve battery power at night.

For more info:
http://tasker.dinglisch.net

2. CamCard

For those of you who do a lot of IRL networking, this app is for you! Whenever someone gives you a business card, simply take a photograph of it with CamCard. The app scans and detects the information on the card and adds it to your phone’s address book.

For more info:
http://www.androlib.com/android.application.com-intsig-bizcardreader-ptBx.aspx

3. Vlingo

For a safer and less distracting driving experience, use Vlingo. Use voice commands to operate your phone. Compose text messages and emails. Use Vlingo to read incoming messages (email and SMS) while driving or get directions while keeping your hands on the wheel.

For more info:
http://www.vlingo.com

4. Lookout

People often forget that a smart phone’s operating system needs anti-virus and security just like our PCs do. Use this app to stop viruses, malware, and spyware. The Lookout app also provides a backup solution so all of your data can be safe in the cloud. And finally, Lookout will help you find your phone when stolen or misplaced by pinpointing it on a Google Map. You can activate a loud alarm to locate your phone when it’s nearby…even if it is in silent mode.

For more info:
http://www.mylookout.com/m/android

5. Caller ID Faker

For us Girls in Tech that just wanna have fun, Caller ID Faker is a must-have app. Use this app to make crank calls from any phone number, change your voice, and record the call so you can proudly review your work and share it with your friends.

For more info:
http://calleridfaker.com

6. AND A BONUS FOR YOU SUPER GEEKS!!!

This isn’t an app, but I thought I’d mention this item on Amazon.com for serious EVO users that may want TWO extra longer life batteries and a wall travel dock + USB charger on the cheap! Never plug your phone in to charge again.

Link:
http://www.amazon.com/Sprint-Battery-Charger-Verizon-Incredible/dp/B003XOUM12/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=wireless&qid=1288266335&sr=8-2-spell

Have something you’d like to share about the HTC EVO? Please leave a comment below and tell us about it.

Dimple Thakkar
Owner & Impresario of SYNHERGY ENTERTAINMENT
www.synhergyentertainment.com
@dimplethakkar
@synhergyent

Tags: 4g, Android, applications, apps, Droid, evo, gadget, Gadgets, htc, iphone, killer, mobile, phone, screen, smart, smartphone, sprint, touch
Posted in All Chapters, Los Angeles | No Comments »

Are you one of the many out there who has some old electronics lying around? Perhaps an old gaming system you never use, an old flip phone covered in gems, or dare I say it, *gasp* an old beige desktop PC? For many households, these items become “outdated” rather quickly, and often stick around somewhere gathering dust, never to be used again. Today, with the help of many companies, you can recycle and donate your old gadgets. Some of these companies will clean up and resell the items, taking 100% of the profits and putting them into various charities, while others will actually refurbish the devices if possible, putting them in the hands of those in need, such as schools with little-to-no technology programs or budgets, to third world communities who really need the technology but can’t afford it.

So where can you go to donate your used tech toys? There are many resources, such as eBay’s Rethink Initiative / eBay Giving Works, which acts as a directory of resources for you to donate or recycle your gear. Others include Reconnect, a collaboration between Dell and Goodwill, that accepts items in any condition, and is as simple as dropping the items off to a local participating goodwill location. Check out the links at the bottom of this article for even more places to choose from.

Recycling or donating your gadgets is a great way to help others in need, and maybe even help clean up some more space around the house. Of course, for those wondering, there are often tax benefits and write-off’s as well if needed. Don’t forget, if donating pc’s, laptop’s, or cell phones, to be sure to delete and remove all personal or sensitive data from your device’s as well.

The next time you think to toss out that old ipod or personal dvd player, make sure to recycle or donate. You’ll save landfill space, and perhaps help someone less fortunate who could really use it.

Links:
http://www.recyclingforcharities.com/index.php

http://reconnectpartnership.com/whoweare.php

http://www.cristina.org/

http://close-the-gap.org/

http://mashable.com/2010/04/29/donating-electronics/

Tags: charitable, charity, donate, donation, Gadgets, gaming, girls in tech, GIT, iphone, recycle, tech, technology
Posted in All Chapters | 2 Comments »

Rounding up a “Top 5″ list of the top gadgets for women this holiday season was a bit daunting — there are much more than 5 to choose.  So, I decided to list the top 8. Some of these are carryovers from last year, I’m sure. Some of them are expected; and others are unique. So, here is the rundown.

(Not necessarily in order of popularity.)
1.  The Kindle 2: Electronic book-reader extraordinaire

2.   The Canon Powershot Sx

3.  Digital photo frames (to go with the above)

4.  The TomTom GO530

5.  Sea to Summit Pocket Shower or the Green Mobile Phone charger (for the outdoorsy/environmentalists of us)

6.  The Motorola Droid, iPhone 3G, or MP4 player

7.  Fitbit: Calculates the amount of calories you burn while walking around the office + access your Fitbit page to manage you meals and overall health

8.  Bendi: The silicone mat light-up keyboard.

A little bit for everyone — computer, outdoors, or home-related, alike.  Perhaps you’ll see something on the list that you might want to add to yours.

Enjoy your Holidays!

Tags: Christine Oneto, Gadgets, Gadgets for Women, girls in tech, Holiday Gift Guide, women in tech
Posted in All Chapters | 1 Comment »

Pink is bubblegum. Pink is cotton candy. Pink is definitely Barbie. But laptops? iPods? Gadgets? Widgets? Gizmos? Please – stop it already. I may have to reach for my Pepto Bismol if this all this pink doesn’t stop. Yes, I’m a girl, but, no, I don’t need my tech toys to match my gender.

Don’t get me wrong, aesthetics play a huge role in purchasing decisions. This is why Apple’s art-deco avant garde designs go hand in hand with cult like following. This is why the question, “Are you a Mac or a PC?” has everything to do with superior design and superior technology as much as it has to do with a sound and functional OS. But it is the aesthetics of design, not color choice or “gender typing”, which make Mac such an attractive product.

Aesthetics are one thing and “gender typing” a tech device is another. Why do companies insist on splattering shades of pink on their products when selling to a female audience? Since when did women like only pink? Case in point: Blackberry. Last year, RIM released the Blackberry Pearl in a soft baby pink hue. If the words “pearl” and “pink” aren’t girly enough, I don’t know what is. Most women, in an effort to be taken seriously, stay away from pink. Just take “Legally Blonde” for example. Almost everything Elle Woods owned was pink. People found her juvenile and automatically assumed she was “too dumb” for Harvard Law. Her love for the rosy color kept people from taking her seriously–yet it helped her stand out (read: pink and scented resumes). As laughable as it sounds, pink is instantly associated with juvenile tendencies and a “dumb blonde” stereotype—one that has been broken too many times to name.

It’s not pink, but it might as well be. The purple-hued Hannah Montana PSP is another sexist technology device. The fact that I think Hannah Montana isn’t the best role-model for today’s pre-teens is beside the point. But honestly, does the console a girl plays with have to be purple? Lilac to be exact? And the Hannah Montana game is definitely not aimed at boys. Instead, it just reinforces the stereotype that women can’t play more complex and intricate games like Zelda or Final Fantasy and that there is suddenly a need to develop “girly” games that teach cooking, fashion design, singing, and dancing. I understand the lilac PSP is Sony’s attempt to recognize and capitalize on the female market and turn them into gamers as well, but I am very confident they can do it with neutral tones of whites, greens and yellows.

Since the 1920s pink has been a gender-associated color. Initially, pink was for boys and blue was for girls. This was because pink was thought to be more masculine since it was in same spectrum as red. It wasn’t until the 1940s that pink made the switch to a “feminine color” and since then it has been evolving and taking on many meanings.

I have mixed feelings about the color pink in the technology world. On one hand I am happy to see that tech companies are realizing the strong and savvy female audience they now have. On the other, I dislike the color for what it commonly stands for: fragility, daintiness, the absolute girly-girl just to name a few. However, the color is evolving to mean more, and pink can also stand for strength (it is the official color for Breast Cancer Awareness) but these uses are few and far between.

We here at Girls in Tech strive to be a voice in an otherwise male-dominated field and we are making it known and putting it on blast – pink isn’t just pretty, but pretty powerful.

Tags: Gadgets, girls in tech, Natasha, Pink
Posted in Orange County | 5 Comments »