TechTarts Tartorial on the Highly Addictive App Foursquare

The tarts are hooked on our new favorite app called Foursquare, a location-based social network that lets you connect with friends using GPS via your mobile device at your favorite places.

This app is so addictive because you can check in at your hot spots and leave tips about what you love, see where your friends are checking in and receive deals from the businesses you check in at or specials nearby. But the best part is the game element that allows you to earn points, badges and become the mayor of your favorite place.

Here’s how it works: The tarts have our usual TechTart Tuesday meeting but this time we get together at the new San Francisco restaurant Tacolicious and I check in with my iPhone on the Foursquare app.   I also add a tip to my friends when I check in that you can get a shot of tequila, a Tecate beer, and a taco for $10 which I have the option of sharing with just my friends on Foursquare or also through Twitter and Facebook.

I now receive points for checking in at Tacolicious and am alerted that there is a special nearby.  It appears that if I become the mayor of another restaurant Pacific Catch, which would be easy since I live for the Ahi Poke Wasabi Bowls and sweet potato fries, I can receive a free starter per day for the week that I am the mayor!  And, since this is the 50th place I’ve checked into (told ya it’s addictive) I have now received the Superstar Badge.

Just like the original game you played as a kid, you win by making it to the fourth square and staying there longer than anyone else, which in this case then makes you the mayor.  Mayorship of your favorite place clearly has its rewards and each week on Sunday night the slate is wiped clean for anyone, even new players, to then frequent a spot and become the mayor of that place.  I have been the mayor of my favorite fro-yo shop and received free fro-yo that week only to be bumped the next!   Boy did my competitive nature kick in and I was back as the mayor of MY fro-yo shop the next week (note I’m not mentioning the place so you won’t be my competition!).

The badges are also a lot of fun and sometimes totally random.  I found it utterly amusing when I checked into the W Hotel’s XYZ bar and immediately received the Douchbag Badge, take note, apparently this is a place Douchbags frequent ;)   I also received the Crunked Badge after a girls night out left me checking into more than three locations in one night, hilarious!

Apparently it’s not just the tarts who heart Foursquare, the Bravo channel just aired their commercial sharing that you can get tips on places from your favorite bravolebrity including The Millionaire Matchmaker, Rachel Zoe and The Real Housewives and earn exclusivity badges.

You have to be at a location or at least in its vicinity to be able to check in so people can’t cheat and it is interesting to see the locations people are adding to the mix.  I was on the bus heading to Union Square for a day of shopping when I was explaining Foursquare to my friend and a guy next to us informed us he was the mayor of the 45 bus!

I do wish Foursquare would add a Shopaholic Badge or something like it because after hitting Barneys, Metier, H&M and a few more of my favorite stores I received a notice from Foursquare telling me to take it easy on the check ins.  I’m sure they are trying to keep things from getting nutty but boys DO realize girls DO shop till we drop when we are on a mission for the new Spring pieces we must have and deserve a badge for our hard work!

Overall, this is the best app I have used since Shazam and it seems to only be getting better.  I love that it is a real game with real people playing and the more of my friends and even the more strangers that I play with the more fun it is.  Foursquare is available for the iPhone, Blackberry, Android, Palm and more so be sure to add the TechTarts on Foursquare and let the games begin!  Just watch out, because you don’t want to knock me from my mayorship, I will take you out ;)

xoxo

tt.c

twitter- @CristinaSF

PS If you have a Foursquare story share the fun in the comment box below!  This game is just getting crazier every day and we’d love to hear about your mayorships, badges and more!

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A Diner’s Delight: Make Reservations with OpenTable

Although fervent users of this service would never dream of showing up at a restaurant without first checking OpenTable, many people aren’t even aware it exists. OpenTable is an online reservation system that links restaurants to its website where diners can log on to find and request a table at a specific time, as well as make special requests of the host(ess).  It also allows you to notify the other guests in your party by automatically delivering an email message to them with the restaurant name, the time of your reservation and links to directions and maps.

Here is how to use it:

1. Go to www.opentable.com and choose your city.  Then follow the steps from left to right to narrow your search by location, cuisine and other criteria, enter the date, time and number of people in your party. Then click the “Find a Table” button.

2. The first time you use the service you’ll need to enter all your information (name, tel, email) to make the reservation. Follow the steps to create an account so next time you go to OpenTable it will remember you. After entering your deets, click “Complete Reservation.”

3. A search results page will bring up all restaurants with seating available in alphabetical order, but you can sort these columns by price range, or use the check boxes on the left side of the page to narrow and sort by location, cuisine, time, etc.

4. A great feature is that you can drill deeper into each restaurant and view useful information such as menus, reviews, website, pricing, photos, dress code, payment options, parking and tons of helpful details.

5. Once you find a restaurant that suits you, click “make reservation” and it will walk you through the process of sending it to your pals. You’ll also get an email confirmation in your inbox lickety-split.

5. When you show up to the restaurant, make sure you give the host(ess) the name of the person who made the reservation so they are credited “Dining Points” for it. Earning Dining Points translates into real cash. 2,000 points=$20, 5,000 points=$50 and so on…they’ll actually send you a check to use at any OpenTable restaurant.  Who doesn’t love free money?

Other great features of OpenTable:

– If you have no idea where or what you want to eat, do a broad search and a larger list will show up that might spark an idea or hit a craving.

– You can cancel or modify your existing reservation anytime, but it won’t let you make more than one resi at a time, so no double-booking yourself all over town. Note, if you do need to cancel, you need to do so at least 15 minutes prior to your reservation or you won’t be able to log on to cancel and will have to (gasp) pick up the phone to call the restaurant.

– There’s an OpenTable app for iPod/iPhones so you can make your resi on the go.

OpenTable can be found in most major and even smaller metropolitan areas….so next time you are heading out the door for brunch, lunch or dinner, log on first to www.opentable.com to make a reservation.

Bon apetite! tt.t

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Google Maps for Blackberry: Superior Guidance on the Go

There are very few gadgety things I rely upon more in my daily life than Google Maps which I’ve downloaded and installed on my Blackberry (I use the Curve 8900). This application IMHO (for non-texters, IMHO means “in my humble opinion”) is the ultimate lifesaver and has been an invaluable tool for me and my pals across the globe.  Here are a couple scenarios so you get the hang of it.

Google Maps icon - top left corner of image

After you’ve downloaded the Google for Mobile applications to your device (see previous entry “Google Mobile Applications for Blackberry” AKA “Blackberries and Water Don’t Mix”), click the scrolly wheel to launch it. It should automatically begin loading your current location, but to be sure, click on the Options key (the one to the left of the scrolly ball with a Blackberry logo on it) and choose “My Location”.  Once it starts to update you will begin to see a map of your current location. If the view is too broad, click the number 3 to zoom in, or press 1 to zoom out for a broader view of the map.

Now here is where the magic comes in… You can do a perfectly localized search from the map of your location. It is so robust you can search for a specific item (name of a restaurant for example) or generic (type of food/restaurant).

The other day I was north of San Francisco just across the Golden Gate Bridge looking for a sushi restaurant. I knew there were some nearby but couldn’t recall any names or specific restaurants relative to my location, so I put Google Maps to the sushi-craving test. Here is how:

  • Click on Google Maps to bring up My Location. At this point you see where you are on the map as a pulsing blue dot. It even has a blue arrow indicating the direction you are facing – I seriously have no idea how they do this but it is very accurate! Must be voodoo.
  • When the map loads, click the Options key (that’s the one to the left of the scroll wheel) and choose Search Map. It brings up a search box and type in “sushi.”
  • Like magic a list of nearby sushi restaurants appear on the screen. You can scroll through the listings, click on one to bring up directions, phone number, even reviews and photos and you click to dial the restaurant from this screen.
  • You can also view the other listings on the map by clicking the # key. This is great because then you a sense of how far it is – remember you’re the pulsing blue dot on the map.
  • For driving or walking directions, click into the restaurant you want, then “get directions”. It’s best to keep the chosen restaurant as the “end point” and add “your location” as the start point.

Lickity-split this hungry Tart was on her way to fulfilling her hamachi sashimi and spicy scallop handroll craving. Google Maps is also good at finding known locations. So, for example, I knew I was near Sushi Ran in Sausalito but needed their hours and directions from my location. 

Google Map view and Satellite view

I just repeat the same steps above, but put the restaurant name for specific results.  Google Maps for Blackberry is better than most GPS devices in my opinion because it uses the power of Google’s massive search content database and very accurate maps, and you can view in Satellite or Map view as well, just like you can online.

Tarts, be lost and hungry no more.

mmm dinner

xoxo tt.t

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Have a Chic-Geek Career like Computer Engineer Barbie

It appears that Barbie has discovered what to be as she unveils her 126th career after calling upon her Facebook fans and Twitter tweeps, as, drum roll please…. Computer Engineer Barbie.

Her mission is to inspire a new generation of girls to explore this important high-tech industry, which continues to grow and need future female leaders.  And no girl can save the world with out her chic-geek accessories which includes pink glasses, binary code patterned tee, a smart phone, Bluetooth headset, a laptop travel bag and yep, you guessed it a PINK laptop.

We know that tech has hit a pop culture tipping point when credible news broadcasters use Twitter tweets to deliver current information and we will see the impact Foursquare has on the masses with the whole Bravo Channel checking in at their favorite spots but when Barbie is carting around town in her Corvette wheeling deals wireless, tech has officially arrived.

Computer Engineer Barbie was created not only by popular demand but also to encourage tiny tarts to pursue a career in engineering and technology.  “All the girls who imagine their futures through Barbie will learn that engineers — like girls — are free to explore infinite possibilities, limited only by their imagination,” says Nora Lin, President, Society of Women Engineers. “As a computer engineer, Barbie will show girls that women can turn their ideas into realities that have a direct and positive impact on people’s everyday lives in this exciting and rewarding career.”

And I thought only my mum shared that message!  Glad to see Barbie encourages girls with the help of the Society of Women Engineers to know that being geek really is chic.  Be sure to pre-order your Computer Engineer Barbie from MattelShop and share your pink geek pride!

xoxo

tt.c

twitter-@CristinaSF

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What is a Thumb Drive and Do I Need One?

A thumb drive – no, it is not a device you hook on your steering wheel or a game for X-Box. A thumb drive, often called a USB stick, Flash drive, or removable drive, is that tiny (1 to 2 inch) stick about the size of a thumb that is actually a mini-hard drive (a hard drive is the thing on your computer, device or a separate box that stores your actual files and applications) and can hold anywhere from 4 Gigabytes to 256 Gigabytes of digital information (photos, documents, music, etc). (Gigabytes, GB or Gigs, equal 1 million bytes of digital information storage. You can easily get away with 8 or 12 and be just fine).

The term USB means Universal Serial Bus which is a standards-based technology for the metal part of a hard drive that sticks out of the end of a device and slips into the socket on your pc. You connect keyboards and mice, iPod and Blackberry, and yes, your thumb drive, to your PC using a USB connector.

The thumb drive has many uses and benefits:

  • Easily move a file from one computer to another without having to email it, ftp it, or park it on a shared drive on a network. Simply put the file you want to share onto the thumb drive, then plug the drive into the receiving computer, et viola. File shared.
  • Carry data with you. It is so small and light you can drop in your pocket or purse and bring it anywhere.  
  • Because it is “Universal” it will work with ANY device: PC, Mac, TV’s, etc. anything with a USB port can accept a thumb drive.

How do I use it? Most modern computers have several USB slots and the ability to read any type of USB drive you insert into it. Some PCs may ask you install something to access the drive, but this is usually a quick “ok” and it does it all for you. To insert the thumb drive into your PC, slip the metal end into the slot. There is a right side up, so if it doesn’t slide in easily, flip it over and try again. 

Usually, if you see this symbol on one side of your USB stick, it is the side that faces up.

Once it is inserted your computer will take a second recognize it as a new drive on the system. In some cases, your PC may automatically launch a window to see the contents. If yours doesn’t, click on Start, Computer, to open the list of drives on your PC. It may have different names based on the manufacturer or the port you slid it into (for example: “Removable Drive (E:)”). Once you’re in the window to see content, you can open up any file or directory you want to copy onto the thumb drive and simply drag them over.

click to enlarge

When you’ve transferred all your files to the thumb drive, go up to the menu bar   and choose Safely Remove or Eject. Once done, pull it out. Now you and your files are mobile!

I use thumb drives at work all the time, and almost always have one in my purse…you can’t believe how often this tart gets asked for a thumb drive!

Where do I get one? Everywhere! Manufacturers include Kingston, SanDisk, among others. But they can be obtained at any Best Buy, Target or Amazon… Easy to find, easy to use.

Happy sharing. tt.t

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Scrabblicious! The original Scrabble game for iPod/iPhone

The other day I was randomly flipping through the Apps Store on my iPod Touch to see if there were any new games available (I’m addicted to strategy games) and Voila! There before my Tartalicious eyes appeared the original Hasbro Scrabble game for iPod. You’ve never seen anyone download an app so fast. If you’re like me, you grew up playing Hasbro games like Monopoly, Yahtzee, and Scrabble and this was a real score, no pun intended ;)

[If you don’t yet know how to find and load applications to your iPod, click here to read our step-by-step instructions.]

Electronic Arts (EA) produces the downloadable game and they’ve done a great job of laying out the board and allowing a pass-and-play option as well as an option to play against the computer. The app cost me $4.99 and was worth every penny.

TO GET STARTED:

1. Once the game loads, tap “Options,” then at the bottom of the next screen, tap “Quick Play Setup”.

2. In Game Mode, choose the option you want (play against the computer, pass and play or solo).

3. Hit the Back button twice at the top left of the screen when you’ve chosen all your options.

4. Tap the “Quick Play” button to begin your game.

In my best game I scored 342 points and I have about a 50-50 ratio of beating the computer. Not bad… you can also load your results to your Facebook account to compare with friends (the game walks you through how to do this), and you even play against other users over a wireless connection using the “WiFi” option. Both players need to have the game loaded to use this feature.

S-C-R-A-B-B-L-E = H-A-P-P-I-N-E-S-S in this TechTart’s world.

tt.t

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