Article • May 11, 2012

Then It's Settled

Arbitrate Arguments Three Different Ways with VoteIt

The four words that will settle every argument: “Let’s vote on it.”

The one service to do just that: VoteIt.

Offering three types of custom polling methods – consensus, multiple choice, and yea or nay – the new site brings democracy to questions as small as where to eat dinner and as large as naming the best movie of all time.

Ballots can be private (accessible via email invite only) or open to the public by sharing the link on Facebook and Twitter. Also available: Head into the proverbial danger zone and let participants add their own options.

When the dust settles, the survey creator can close the vote, which automatically sends a message to the participants with the final tally.

Four more words worth noting: “Let’s agree to disagree.”

Visit VoteIt


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Article • June 21, 2010

Make the Color of Your Computer's Display Adapt to the Time of Day

F.lux is an automated way to keep your monitor settings optimized

Today marks the Summer Solstice, also known as the longest (and possibly sunniest) day of the year.  Are the display settings on your computer monitor ready?

To add certainty to the process, try F.lux, an application that automatically adjusts the color and brightness settings on your monitor, depending on the time of day.

Just install the free utility—it’s available for Windows, Mac, and Linux systems—and let it go to work. F.lux manages your display settings for you, making it easier to read what’s on the screen.

While computer screens are designed to look great during the day, looking at a bright screen at night is not optimal. F.lux adapts the brightness to make sure it’s appropriate for sunlight during the day and remains comfortably warm at night.

So the next time you get the feeling that you’re burning your retinas every time you look at your monitor, remember there’s a way to lighten things up.

Visit F.lux


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Article • June 18, 2010

Get Out of Your Unwanted Car Lease or Cell Phone Plan

Find pain-free way to trade a car lease or cell phone plan with Swapalease and CellSwapper

Lease cars are great, until the “new car smell” wears off and you’re stuck in a long-term agreement.

Thankfully, there’s Swapalease, a service that allows you to sell the remaining time on a lease and avoid costly lease cancelation fees.

Start by creating an account and posting the make, model and year of your vehicle.

Then create an ad with a photo gallery.  The basic version will cost you $49.95 but you can upgrade to a service that allows for more photos, featured placement, and a waiving of the $95 success fee.

When the time comes you can contact serious buyers to negotiate any possible details such as vehicle shipping or required inspections.

The service also makes it easy to pick up a lease whether you’re trading one of your own or not.

Given the nature of these transactions there are certain legal issue to tackle.  But Swapalease puts everything in layman’s terms by emailing you a PDF file that simplifies the transfer process and has a support staff to answer any questions.

While you’re at it, you can also ditch that cell phone plan that has kept you chained to a crappy provider with CellSwapper (you can entice buyers with cash incentives). You can also buy into a short-term plan with no fee.

Finally, services that reward the innate human tendency toward commitment-phobia.

Visit Swapalease


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Article • June 17, 2010

Protect Your Luggage From Loss, Theft, or Damage

Free yourself from the pain of lost luggage and baggage claim with Luggage Free

Air travel these days is bad enough without having to spend three figures for the privilege of taking luggage, only to have the airlines lose it for you.

Enter Luggage Free, a service that ships luggage to anywhere in the world, saving you the, uh, baggage that often accompanies your baggage.

Simply fill out the online form and arrange for a Luggage Free representative to pick up your items from your home, office, hotel or cruise ship. (You don’t even have to be present when they arrive).

When you arrive at your destination, bypass baggage claim (and, for international travel, customs) and go straight to your hotel or home, where your bags will be waiting for you.

The service is priced based on a per-pound rate instead of a weight range, with priority overnight options available for most major cities. (The cost for standard overnight domestic shipping is $5.35 per pound, plus a $50 service fee).

A handy on-site feature estimates the cost of common items like bikes, skis and golf bags based on origin and destination points.

In terms of logistics, an in-house team tracks your bags along their route, alerting you by e-mail when your belongings arrive. When your trip is over, simply schedule a return pick up (if you haven’t done so already) and the entire process is reversed.

All shipments are insured for up to $1000, with additional coverage available up to any amount.

With service like this, the only stress during your travels will be whether or not the sales guy in the seat next to you will turn the pages of his Grisham novel too loudly.

Visit Luggage Free


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