fashioncontrast

A very interesting article cropped up on ReadWriteWeb on the new product from Apple the fairly (in my opinion pointless) IPad. It is below.

When consumers rush out to purchase Apple’s new handheld device, the slate-like computer called the iPad, they’ll have several options to choose from. In addition to multiple storage capacities, iPad buyers will have to make an even more critical decision: Wi-Fi or 3G? Although Wi-Fi hotspots are in many places these days, from airports to coffee shops and sometimes even blanketing a city’s downtown, anyone with an iPod Touch will tell you that they’re far from being everywhere. That problem certainly limits some of the functionality of the iPad apps, especially those relying on real-time updates for breaking news, data downloads or other Internet-only content.

Considering that the contract-free iPad 3G plan starts at $15 per month, one would think that, given these potential issues, the 3G version would be the top choice among consumers. However, AT&T’s CEO thinks otherwise. He predicts the iPad will primarily be a Wi-Fi only device. Is he right?

Too Many Subscriptions

According to a Reuters report, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson says he doesn’t expect the iPad’s launch to lead to very many new AT&T service subscriptions. “My expectation is that there’s not going to be a lot of people out there looking for another subscription,” he was quoted as saying.

He may be right. As consumers, we’re starting to hit a saturation point with how many times we have to pay – again and again – for access to the same Internet. We have our broadband bill for at home, a mobile broadband bill for our laptop’s “air card” and a third bill for our phone’s data plan. Layer on top of that the numerous subscription services for Internet-accessible content, like Xbox LIVE, Netflix (via their “Watch Instantly” service) and premium music streaming sites like Pandora, Spotify or Last.fm, and it’s clear that we’ve become overloaded. Will anyone out there be able to afford yet another wireless data plan? Apparently, AT&T isn’t counting on it.

Will You be Missing Out?

If you plan to use the iPad mainly as an eBook reader and portable media device for streaming iTunes-purchased content, then you won’t miss out too much when you go offline, which – let’s face it – when you leave the house, that will be most of the time. The majority of iPhone games, all of which will work on the iPad out-of-the-box, won’t be affected either. But what about when you want to read the newspaper or a magazine via the iPad? Without an Internet connection to download the latest, you’ll be stuck with yesterday’s news or last month’s edition of Wired. And if you wanted to quickly share something you read on Facebook or Twitter, you would be out of luck, here, too.

However, many people may be willing to live with these limitations. Just as we’ve learned to sync our iPods and iPhones before we leave the house, we may soon need to remember to update our online newspaper and magazine apps, too. For this minor inconvenience, there’s a major payoff: the monthly savings, of course, but also hundreds of dollars off the retail price of the iPad.

When the IPad hits the stores in the UK it will be interesting to see whether there is essentially a pay as you go option. Personally I cant really see the point of the device

Frugal living is the absolute key to financial happiness. This is probably something which the majority of people know, and what the minority who perhaps tend to the target audience of this post “need to know”.

Credit is perhaps one of the hardest forms of financial lending to actually hold onto. I remember when I was younger in a sense dreaming of the day I earned ‘mega bucks’ and paid for everything on my platinum credit card, saved huge amounts of money into my high interest paying savings account and generally lived the high life. Oh, and I could afford the biggest first time buyer mortgage going.

Life is just not like that.

When you actually have credit its amazing how quickly you either pick up the latest cards or loans, or even in my case are ’sold’ them. Its horrible to think that people simple do make money out of your financial misery. Sad, but coincidentally true.

Some Great advice came up on a frugal living site that I frequent on how to repair bad credit ratings etc. Its fairly useful.

Maybe you missed a few payments at a stressful time in your life, or ran up high credit card balances during your freshman year of college without realizing you had no way to pay. Or, bills for emergency medical treatment weren’t covered by insurance and went to collections. We all make mistakes, and I’m sure you are already paying the price for being less than careful with your credit. Take heart, friends. The problem is more common than you may realize, and you can get back on track. Here’s how:

1. Stop using credit cards! This is an important first step. If you’re still using credit cards for purchases that are not emergencies without paying your bill in full each month, you need to suck it up and put away the plastic. Now.
2. Make sure your accounts are up-to-date. All of them. Even if you can just pay the minimum. If you can’t even make the minimum payment, try step three.
3. Get on a payment plan. Contact your creditors to arrange for payment. Most will work with you to help you bring your account current by either accepting reduced minimum payments for a while, reducing interest and fees, or a combination of both.
4. Review your credit report for errors. It happens surprisingly often. Keep an eye out for accounts that aren’t yours, especially if you have a common name. Sometimes information gets inadvertently attached to the wrong person. Alert the credit agency immediately, especially if you suspect fraud. You have enough to worry about!
5. Start establishing an on-time payment history. If you still have a credit card, make sure you pay on time every month. If you don’t have one, get one if you can. Set up one recurring charge like your cell phone bill, and pay it in full every single month. This advice may seem to contradict step one, but in order to repair your credit, you need to establish a history of paying on time and in full. So, stop using your credit cards recreationally, and start using them responsibly.
6. Give it time. Repairing your credit isn’t going to happen overnight. Even once you bring your accounts up-to-date and start making a trail of on-time payments, it can still take several years for your previous delinquencies, collections or defaults to clear off your credit report.

Buyer beware! There are organizations of questionable repute claiming the ability to wipe clean your past credit mistakes. No one can instantly fix your credit. With these organizations you’ll probably encounter big fees and little results. Instead, if you need help, contact a reputable, nonprofit credit counseling agency. Fees are low or nonexistent, and the services they offer, like helping you negotiate payments, can make a world of difference.

Hard times call for desperate measures? Ever heard that phrase before? Probably.

As a young person, who lives in a fairly nice apartment (at a cost!) I always think to myself how I can effectively save money on cleaning essentials. As generally it seems these bottles which are omnipresent in supermarket aisle are 1 very expensive and 2 do not seem to last very long. Baking Soda is a product which apart from being baking related allows for use as essentially a cleaning agent. Here are a few useful “uses” for Baking Soda.

• Clear a clogged drain: Mix ½ cup of baking soda with ½ cup of white vinegar (careful as when you add the vinegar, it may bubble over). Pour down drain followed by 2 cups of boiling water.
• Deodorize your dishwasher: Simply sprinkle ½ cup of baking soda on the bottom of your dishwasher before running a cycle.
• Freshen up your sponge: If your kitchen sponge or towel starts to get a bit stinky, soak it overnight in 2 cups of warm water, 2 tbsp of baking soda and 5 drops of tea tree oil
• Deodorize your carpet or rug: Lightly sprinkle baking soda over your carpet. Let it settle for ½ an hour and then vacuum.
• Dandruff remedy: Wet your hair and then rub a handful of baking soda vigorously into your scalp. Shampoo and condition with sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)-free products and repeat for the next 5 or 6 times that you wash your hair.
• Mouthwash: If you have bad breath or it’s the night after a heavy dose of garlicky pasta, dissolve 1 tsp of baking soda in an 8-ounce glass of water and use as a mouthwash or gargle.
• Clean combs, brushes: freshen up your bristles by whirling them around in a bowl of 3 cups of warm water and 2tsp of baking soda.
• Moldy shower curtains: Throw a mildew/mold stained shower curtain into the washing machine with a couple of bath towels. Add 1 cup of baking soda to the detergent and add 1 cup of vinegar to rinse cycle.
• Paving stones: Keep the weeds from growing in between paving stones by sprinkling baking soda onto the paving stones and sweep it into the cracks.
• Clean your grill: scour yucky grill racks with a paste made from 2tbsp baking soda and 2tbsp of water. Apply paste with a brush, leave for 15 minutes and then rinse.