The following post is from Amanda of Everyday Elements:

source: Everyday Elements

If you are a new owner of a DSLR, knowing everything you should have with you or what you may need come be overwhelming. Here are some things that always stay in my camera bag.

Extra Battery

It will happen eventually, a time when you have forgotten to charge your battery and then you get to an important event and you look down to see you have one bar left on the battery. Buy, charge and keep an extra battery in your bag and you will save yourself these “I should have known better” moments.

A little trick I do is label my batteries on the ends, so that I know one from the other. And, if battery starts to not hold a charge, it is easier for me to identify and replace.

Extra Memory Card

An extra memory card is a vital thing to keep in your bag because you may forget to upload your pictures from a previous event and when you get to your location, be it a birthday party or the Biltmore Estate, you will cry when you can only take 10 pictures because the space on your card is full. Having an extra memory card will keep that potential disaster from happening.

Lens End Cap and Body Cap

(I am grouping these two together because they are so similar)

This is one I’m sure you weren’t expecting. But, if you are at all like me, situations will arise when you end up needing an end cap to a lens or a body cap for your camera. I’m not saying they are often, but they do happen. And, those are items that when you need them, you really need them.

I ordered extras from B&H Photo so I can keep spares on my camera gear shelf and put the others in my camera bag.

Lens Cleaning Cloth or Lens Pen

You have this high dollar camera, you have worked hard to learn how to use it and then you forget to clean the lens and end up with dirt or smudges on it, which show through on your pictures. That can be such a hard pill to swallow!

Get a good lens cleaning cloth, or like me use a Lens Pen, and get in the habit of looking at your lens each time you take the cap off. This little 2 second step will save  you so much time later in post processing.

Gray Card or Other White Balance Tool

Yes, I know you may be new to photography, but after you learn how to shoot in manual, I suggest trying to learn how to custom white balance. It may take you a minute or two to stop and do it, but will save you so much time and stress later.

I previously used a gray card, but just recently purchased an Expo Disc and I am quite pleased with it. I bought the 72mm so that I can use it for all my lenses. Gray cards come in all shapes and sizes. Do some research, ask your friends, ask on favorite photography Facebook pages, ask for recommendations. Just buy one and learn how to use it.

Are these items you already have in your bag? What else do you keep in your camera bag at all times?

	Amanda is a quirky, introverted mom of four who is passionate about helping others learn their cameras and editing software. She homeschools her four kids, ages 13 to 6, all of whom run away when they see her carrying her camera.

5 Must Have Items for Your Camera Bag is a post from Life Your Way

© 2010-2012 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Tech Your Way subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please send an email to contact@yourway.net to let us know. Thanks.

The following post is from Michelle of Mommy Misadventures:

source: Marcus Kwan

Kids these days are learning their colors, numbers and letters with the iPad as learning devices. But as much as I love the idea of technology being such an integral part of childhood and the learning process, the idea of my preschooler running around with an iPad makes me cringe.

If you plan on allowing your kids to use your iPad on a regular basis, consider investing on a kid-friendly case. A good case will make your iPad easier for your kids to hold and protect the device from less-than-careful handling. There are a bunch of different iPad cases available on the market that are geared towards a younger use, with bright colors and extra safety features.

Here are three of my favorites, picked for their awesome designs and age-appropriate safety features.

source: GripCase

Grip Case (GripCase)
Price starts at $29.99

Designed by a father with a two year old in mind, the GripCase is a case with a minimalist style built with child-friendly materials and is super protective. The case features handles that make it easy to hold while offering crumple zones in key areas that can protect the iPad from drops. (I highly recommend checking out this third-party demonstration of the case’s drop features. Very impressive!) Definitely a great case to check out that’s appropriate for kids of all ages (including butterfingered adults!).

source: Fisher Price

Laugh & Learn Apptivity Case (Fisher Price)
Price: $35.00

It seems like it’s never too early to let your child play on your iPad! This ultra-cute case is made specifically for babies (6 months and older) offering unique protective features such as drool and teething protection. It also comes with a selection of free learning apps. One of its most impressive features is that it offers three different ways to play, allowing your child to play with the iPad flat, set up as an easel or on a rocker base.

source: Speck

iGuy (Speck)

Price: $39.95

How cute is this iGuy stand? This top-rated EVA foam case comes in three colors, is drop-tested and be used as a freestanding unit that makes watching videos a breeze. Its easy to grip, soft arms are perfect for little hands.

When Accidents Happen

No matter what case you get for your iPad, kids will be kids and accidents can still happen. Consider either an extended warranty or insurance to help protect your investment.  Apple offers AppleCare+ for $99 which covers your iPad for two years after the original purchase date. AppleCare+ is an extended warranty and covers hardware failures (including battery) and accidental damage. If you have a mobile (3G or 4G) enabled iPad, you may want to check with your mobile provider to see if they offer any insurance which typically covers hardware failure as well as lost or stolen devices.

AppleCare+and most mobile provider coverage must be purchased within 30 days of buying your new iPad. If you bought your iPad over a month ago,  try a third-party insurance carriers that can insure your iPad like GoCare  and Ensquared. Premiums typically run $100 for two years of coverage, with a $50 to $150 deductible, depending on the type of claim. Ask your prospective insurance carrier directly for more details.

Do you let your kids use your iPad? What type of case do you use?

	Michelle Mista is an IT professional, freelance writer and blogger. She blogs about technology and work at home at her portfolio blog and muses about motherhood at Mommy Misadventures. She is on the constant quest to balance life, work and geekery.

Kid-Friendly iPad Cases is a post from Life Your Way

© 2010-2012 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Tech Your Way subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please send an email to contact@yourway.net to let us know. Thanks.

The following is a guest post from Lauren Rothlisberger of GetMeGeeky.com:

source: GetGeeky

Evernote is a fantastic tech tool that can help you get a grip on all the loose ends in your life. You simply install it on your computer and smartphone, and it will quickly develop into your digital file cabinet. Below, I have listed 7 examples of ways I use Evernote in my everyday life.

Shot Records

It is always at the most random and inconvenient times I get caught needing one of my kids shot records. With my records saved electronically their shot records are with me wherever I go.

Babysitting File

It seems that every time we have a babysitter planned that it is total chaos beforehand. Keeping a babysitting file on hand with the bedtime routine and emergency information makes it simple to get out the door. I just email over the info to the babysitter. This is especially handy in the event of an emergency.

Vacation Planning

Planning a vacation for a family is no simple task. Finding a place to stay, making travel plans and keeping track of the paperwork. Not to mention the work to get everyone out the door. I keep all my lists with everything we need to get packed in Evernote. It is so easy to share notes. I can send them over to my husband too.

Honey Do List

Family life is pretty busy, but it doesn’t stop those nagging tasks from needing to get done. Weekends in our house get pretty crammed. So, when there is time to get things accomplished, it is easiest to pull out my on-going “honey do” list. Always having this information it makes our trips to Lowes, Target and grocery store much more efficient.

Home/Property Management

Managing your home or multiple homes is a lot of work. However, there is massive amounts of time to be saved by tracking all your home information through a paperless system. You can put warranty info, appliance info, leases, paperwork, pictures, and repair contacts all in Evernote. This allows you to easily and promptly deal with any home situation that occurs.

Kids’ Artwork

I love all the awesome artwork and projects that my kids bring home from school, however, I can’t stand all the clutter of the paper. I save the absolute best of the best. The rest I snap a photo of, save in Evernote and throw it away guilt free.

Kids’ Activities Schedules

Keeping up with the back and forth of all the kids is exhausting. School schedules, sports information are all saved in Evernote. That way no matter where I am I can reference these events that we need to work around.

If you would like to learn more information on getting up and running with Evernote and organizing everything within, check out my ebook, Evernote for Moms. It is a quick and easy read designed to get you started in one afternoon.

So, what other lists and notes do you store on Evernote?   I’d love to hear how you use this tool to make your life easier.

Lauren Rothlisberger is a mom to three girls and an Army wife who bounces around the country. In 2007 she went paperless and has never looked back. She blogs at GetMeGeeky.com on all things geeky, and she recently wrote an ebook called Evernote for Moms to help other moms achieve a paperless life!

7 Ways to Use Evernote to Manage Your Chaos is a post from Life Your Way

© 2010-2012 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Tech Your Way subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please send an email to contact@yourway.net to let us know. Thanks.

The following post is from Michelle of Mommy Misadventures:

source: Don Nunn

As a busy writer and blogger, I’m always working on something, whether it’s a draft of a new blog post, a hastily scribbled scene for short story or research that I’m doing for a client. The problem is that most of the time, my work and personal files are often scattered between my laptop, my desktop, a tablet and my smart phone. File sharing between my devices is crucial to my daily digital life. (Not to mention my sanity!) And the easiest way for me to gather all of these little files and sync them in one place is to use cloud storage.

What is the cloud?

Cloud computing refers to a variety of computer services that are hosted at a remote company and accessible to a variety of different computing devices using an Internet connection. In the case of cloud storage, you can store your data on remote server and then access it using an application called a client on your computing device. This client automatically syncs your data so that both the server and your devices, so that all of your devices share the

Disadvantages

If there’s one thing I am ultra paranoid about, it’s file security. Strictly speaking, the most secure spot for any digital file is to have a single copy on a non-networked computer with limited physical access. That’s great in theory, but if you live in the real world, completely impractical. Before signing up with any cloud storage service, read the service’s fine print. Since you’re giving a third party access to your files, you need to know that you can trust them to store your files correctly but also to protect your data and not to use it for their own purposes.

Popular Services

Dropbox

• Free — 2GB; can earn up to 18 GB with referrals
• Premium plans start at $9.99/month for 20 GB
• Available for PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android

Dropbox has been around since 2008 and is one of the most popular cloud file sharing services out there. I’ve used Dropbox for several years, and I cannot imagine life without it. Being able to share my files between various operating systems has always been its greatest advantage for me since, until recently, I often split my work between my Linux and Windows machines. If you’ve got a lot of friends and/or are very active in social media, you’ll be interested to know about Dropbox’s referral program. While Dropbox only offers 2 GB of space for its free users, you can earn 500 MB space per referral and gain up to 18 GB worth of free space.

Google Drive

• Free storage — 5 GB
• Premium plans start at $2.49/month for 25 GB
• Available for PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android

Google may be the newcomer to the cloud storage heavyweights, but they’re not to be ignored. One of the differences with Google Drive is that it shares premium storage space with other Google products. For instance, if you buy the premium upgrade of 25 GB for $2.49/month, that extra 25 GBs can be used with either your Google Drive account or your Picasa account. Since the service is so new, it is not yet available for all Google accounts.

I signed up for Google Drive and received access within 48 hours, but your times may vary. I’m a pretty heavy Google user, and I am pretty happy with the service so far. It is very easy to use with the advantage of being very Dropbox-like.

Microsoft SkyDrive

• Free storage — 7GB (some eligible for 25 GB upgrade)
• Premium — Additional 20 GB available starting at $10/year
• Available for PC, Mac, iOS, Windows

Skydrive is Microsoft’s cloud storage service, available to Windows Live users. Users that signed up before April 22, 2012 can currently opt in for 25 GB worth of free storage. Skydrive integrates heavily with Office’s online functions as well as with the Bing search engine and also has social network integration.

To be honest, I haven’t used SkyDrive much. If you are a heavy Windows 7 or Windows Live user, you’ll probably get a lot of use from this particular cloud service.

Apple iCloud

• Free storage — 5 GB
• Additional storage available starting at $10/month for 10 GB
• Available for iOS 5, Mac OS X (Lion), PC

Apple’s iCloud service is Apple’s centralized data service that synchronizes data including photos, calendar and documents between various iOS devices and Mac and PC-based computers. It requires either an iOS 5 device (iPad, iPhone, etc.) or a Mac running OS X Lion to sign up. While Apple gives every iCloud user 5 GB worth of storage, it is worth noting that not all data counts towards this storage amount. (For example, iTunes files that are downloaded from the iTunes store are not counted against this amount.)

While I don’t have a Mac or iOS device myself, after speaking with a few of my Mac-loving friends, I’ve found that most people do appreciate iCloud and its data syncing capabilities though for various reasons, did not use the document sharing functions.

Do you use a cloud storage service? Which is your favorite service?

	Michelle Mista is an IT professional, writer and blogger with a love for all kinds of technology. She writes about tech tips and trends for work at home professionals on her portfolio blog and muses about motherhood at Mommy Misadventures. She is on the constant quest to balance life, work and geekery.

Cloud Computing: What’s the Best Service for You? is a post from Life Your Way

© 2010-2012 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Tech Your Way subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please send an email to contact@yourway.net to let us know. Thanks.