Diva Deals: Five Mother’s Day Gift Ideas Under $50 (+GIVEAWAY)
May 8th, 2012 by ChristenIt’s that time again. The time to recognize the beautiful being known as your mother. She raised you up to be the outstanding person that you are today and now you can show her how much she means to you by getting her a that special gift (without breaking your wallet). Check out a few unique gifts for under $50 and find out how you can win a bonus gift for you or for mom this Mother’s Day below.
Coach Sutton scarf-print small wristlet, $44
The Coach Sutton scarf-print wristlet is a real work horse for the size. Used for anything from a phone case to a camera bag these handy zip cases are one of the most popular Coach accessories. And they come in so many different colors and materials you will want more than one. Leather wrist strap and trim. Zips open at the top, satin lined.
Tech Candy “Venice” iPhone case, $32
Tech Candy The Hipster Collection iPhone three piece case set. Fits Verizon and AT&T. You want a soft case? You want a hard case? Welcome to the best of both worlds. Dual protection. Mix and match. Inspired by architectural details. Together, the inner wrap and outer shell swaddle your gadget in love.
Kenneth Cole New York "Modern Crush" Gold and Hematite-Color Trio Bangle Bracelet Set, $29
Kenneth Cole New York “Modern Crush” Gold and Hematite-Color Trio Bangle Bracelet Set, $29. Set of 3 bangle bracelets 2 gold and 1 hematite plated bangle bracelet that’s perfect for mom!
The Sak iPad folio, $34
The Sak iPad folio. With a gorgeous variety of prints and colors to choose from, your iPad will remain oh-so stylish while staying protected. This easy side-snap case by The Sak is compatible with the iPad and iPad 2, featuring a cut-out for the camera and pinholes to accomodate the speaker. Charge and sync without having to remove it from the folio!
Michael Kors photo key fob, $34
Michael Kors photo key fob comes vanilla leather with golden hardware. The snap-flap front with Michael Kors engraved logo and logo engraved key ring exudes the class that only Michael Kors can provide. The inside, fits two of mom’s favorite photos inside.
Want to really tell your mom “iLuv you”?
Enter below to win an “iLuv Prize Pack” for Kindle or iPad (valued at over $110)
Has Technology Ruined The Evolution of College Life?
May 7th, 2012 by Tech StaffCollege students today are more tech savvy than ever before. Has technology enhanced or ruined the evolution their academic lives?
Tech has caused something of a dependency — 38% of students can’t go more than 10 minutes without checking their smartphone or other device. All told, students spent $13 billion on electronics in 2009.
More than 90% use email to communicate with professors and 73% say they cannot study without technology. Seven in 10 take notes on keyboards instead of paper, virtually all students who own an ereader and most use digital tools when preparing a presentation.
Community college students are less digitally connected than students at four-year schools, but more and more people are making the Internet their education gateway. Twelve million students take at least one class online today — in five years, that number is projected to exceed 22 million. By 2014, analysts say, more than 3.5 million students will take all of their classes online.
This is all according to research compiled by Presta Electronics. Presta used material from the Pew Research Center, Chronicle of Higher Education, Mashable and other sources to put together the infographic below. Check it out for the full picture of how technology is changing college students’ lives.
Do you think technology is changing college for the better — or for worse? Could tech dependancy be ruining the natural ability of learning?
It’s Smart, Sleek And Coming To Human Hands Near You…The Samsung Galaxy S III
May 5th, 2012 by Tech Staff“Samsung GALAXY S III just gets us. Little things, like staying awake when you look at it and keeping track of loved ones. Designed for humans, it goes beyond smart and fulfills your needs by thinking as you think, acting as you act.” – That’s a bold statement, but the new Samsung GALAXY S III dubs itself as just that. (Intelligent, Share-worthy, greatness.)
The same kind of focus that Samsung put into interaction for their Smart TVs is found in different forms on the Galaxy S III. Why not get a response from your phone? Tell it to wake up! Even better, you can tell GALAXY S III to turn off the alarm for a few minutes and let yourself sleep a bit more. Answer your phone (or reject a call), turn your music up (or down), and even tell the camera when to shoot all with the power of your voice.
The (live tiles) Windows inspired “Social Tag” that the new GALAXY S III has is very reminiscent of Facebook tagging & live tiles – all within the convenience of your in-device photo album. According to Samsung, Now it’s even easier to keep track of friends and loved ones. Social tag lets you link the faces in your photo album with their social media streams. Once it’s set, all you have to do is look at their pictures and you’ll see their current status appear. Tagging is also an important feature of the S III. Facial recognition can scan your photos for faces, then connect the faces it finds to corresponding friends in your social networking profiles. Smart stay is a facial recognition feature that prevents the screen from dimming or turning off if the S III’s camera detects your face – ideal if you’re reading or watching a movie and don’t want to touch your screen every few seconds. Direct call will automatically call a number that you are texting, should you change your mind mid-text. While texting a message to another person, raising the phone up to your ear will automatically call that person’s number, instead.
It’s Picture-in-Picture for your smartphone! PopUp Play = Any videos played on the S III can be popped out and viewed in thumbnail mode while you engage with other apps on the phone. Talk about multitasking on a smartphone device!
AllShare Cast is a pretty solid feature, allowing you to connect the S III to any device in the home using Wi-Fi. The second device’s screen will display whatever is on the S III’s screen, in real-time. Group Cast works in a similar way, and allows you to share your screen with multiple friends’ devices nearby. The S III can also be used as a video game controller, though that’s something that certainly calls for more explanation down the road, as to how that will work and for what devices or consoles.
The Samsung GALAXY S III stats:
The Galaxy S III has a 4.8” HD Super AMOLED display in 1280 x 720 resolution, and is powered by Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and Samsung’s own quad-core 1.4 GHz Exynos 4 Cortex A9 processor. It has 1080p recording and playback capabilities. Recording is handled by the 8 MP camera on the back, which is complemented by a 1.9 MP front-facing camera. There will be 4G compatibility – whether or not you’ll get an LTE-ready phone (as opposed to HSPA+) will depend on where you live. The S III weighs in at 133 grams, and is housed in a 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm frame. It also packs an impressively powerful 2100 mAh battery.
When will it be available? Well our European friends can get their hands on it by the end of this month, there has been no official date announced for a US release or price, but it will be here sooner than you think…
Are you a Samsung fan? Would you buy the new Samsung GALAXY S III?
Be&D’s Fashionable Summer Accessories For Your Techcessories!
May 3rd, 2012 by ChristenFresh off our stiletto sneaker obsession – Be&D brings stylish accessories from the feet to the geek. Girls with a lot of tech toys deserve a stylish bag to stow them in. With its “tech toy” clutches and cases, Be&D comes to the rescue of your iPad, iPhone, and other gadgets. The cases are made from mixed materials like embossed leather, lambskin, canvas, and cotton, and the statement pieces come in punchy colors like lime green and tangerine and flashy gold-stud details. Click through to take a look at the Spring and Summer collection.
What Has Oprah, Jay-Z and 50 Cent Running To Facebook?
May 3rd, 2012 by Tech StaffAs once rivals, Jay-Z and 50 Cent have battled it out on the charts but now the two Hip Hop moguls turned businessmen have found a new way to define “What’s Beef?” online found with the help of Facebook’s gaming platform.
50 Cent’s Blackjack with Game Show Network (GSN) is a virtual casino, where Facebook users can challenge their friends or play the games dealer. ”I am excited to partner with GSN Digital on this venture to create an unparalleled social gaming experience for my fans,” 50 Cent explained to Hip-Hop Wired. “50 Cent’s Blackjack is filled with fun twists and innovative features that is sure to provide hours of entertainment.”
On the other hand, Jay-Z’s Empire will take more of a Sims-like approach where Facebook users can quite literally create their own empires as they work their way from “hustler, to entrepreneur, to business mogul.”
It’s a long way from the famous Jay-Z / Oprah interview in the heart of Brooklyn’s Marcy Projects – but even Oprah has gotten her hand into Facebook gaming creating a lane all her own. Oprah Winfrey Network and Oprah.com announced this week the launch of “Oprah’s Thank You Game” on Facebook facebook.com/owntv to spread gratitude around the world in an effort to thank half a billion people worldwide. The game launched in conjunction with the season finale of “Oprah’s Lifeclass: the Tour” (Monday, April 30 at 8 p.m. ET/PT) where Oprah discussed mastering the art of gratitude.
Would you play any of these games on Facebook being brought to you by these heavy hitters in entertainment?
Four Text Messaging Mistakes You’re Making Right Now!
May 2nd, 2012 by ChristenHave you ever wondered why your text messages, (and even phone calls)always seem to get no response? You could be making some of the most common mistakes that men and women make in modern day communication. Find out if you’re making these common mistakes and how to avoid them in the future below…
4. Asking Questions That Require Detailed Answers…
Asking YES or NO questions and for quick updates is what texting is intended for. Texting should not be used for asking things like, detailed opinions on the global warming crisis and how it could potentially affect urban development. Text messages requiring explainations, or multiple paragraphs? KISS that response goodbye (Keep It Simple Stupid) People! Keep it short and simple and you’re sure to get a considerate response. If an elaborate response is necessary, call or meet in person for those important conversations & discussions..
3. Rapid Fire Text Messages
There’s texting too often and then there’s outright texting Turrets. Stop that! There’s a 10-text maximum per 10-minute window (and that’s being generous). If you break that rule, practice this one tip—text it and forget it. (Get lost in the world wide web if you’re keystroke happy, or just shut down your phone completely for the next 10 minutes until you cool off.)
2. Too Many LOL – Smiley Face…
A little sarcasm via texting is healthy when flirting, but not every sarcastic (or non-sarcastic message) needs to be accompanied with an LOL or an emoticon. If you’ve developed a nice rapport with your text recipient, they should have a good sense of your personality—if all else fails, try texting your sarcasm in italics to avoid the abbreviation and 
overdose. Or, add a “haha.” For some reason, it seems so much better than an LOL.
1. Sexting
Yeah, we know. There’s nothing wrong with harmless flirting, but when messages get a little too hot and heavy and/or when naughty photos are involved that’s when your text-messaging privileges have gone too far and you’ve committed one of the original texting sins.
Have you been guilty of any of these texting faux pas? Have you gotten any of the text mistakes mentioned? How would you let the guilty texter know that they’re breaking one of the four texting rules?
Show Mom A Little Tech Luv This Mother’s Day!
May 2nd, 2012 by Christen
It’s crunch time! The time you begin to stress about what to get the moms in your life for Mother’s Day (which is Sunday, May 13th by the way…) Why not show mom a little tech luv this year by getting her products that’ll enhance her love for technology! iLuv has the solution, the iLuv Epicarp Slim Folio Cover, Calvados & Pure Cleaner for managing squeaky clean gadgets.
The iLuv Epicarp Slim Folio Cover is one of the slimmest & lightest folio covers I’ve seen in a while. Made for the iPad 2 and now the New iPad the Epicarp cover is reminiscent of the iPad smart cover but with a few upgrades. Instead of the four column like the Apple smart cover, the Epicarp comes with three columns on it’s cover. This makes use for the cover to fold into a triangular typing stand, along with a raised of plastic flap on the back which transforms the case into a viewing stand. (Which is great for reviewing reciepes while in the kitchen).
The iLuv Calvados High Fidelity headphones are a great alternative to the Apple brand headphones (which tangle obnoxiously.) Compatable with iPhone, iPad, iPod and more, the Calvados provide full range sound to your favorite music while the noise canceling feature ensures that you only enjoy the sounds that you want to hear. All of this, plus the tangle-resistant flat cable makes these headphones a must have for any tech lover. The Calvados aren’t just headphones either, they also offer in-line speakez remote & microphone for easy hands-free calling, online chatting & digital music playback.
If mom’s electronics get a little dusty, the iLuv Pure Cleaner is the optimum alternative to dust pads or feather duster cleaning. The Pure Cleaner completely removes dirt, fingerprints, greasy stains & kills germs on contact – all without damaging the electronic device. Good for iPads, iPhones, iPods, Computers and LCD TVs. The Pure Cleaner kits comes with the bottled spray, swab for keyboard cleaning, disposable wet wipes & a microfiber cleaning cloth.
Even if your favorite mom isn’t an Apple fan, iLuv offers alternative products for eReaders like the Kindle too…
Looking for another reason to splurge on Mom for Mother’s Day? From now until Sunday, May 13th – iLuv is offering 25% off everything online at i-luv.com for Divas And Dorks’ readers.
What are you looking forward to buying mom for Mother’s Day? How would you like to WIN an ‘iLuv Mom’ Mother’s day bundle of products featured in this article? Visit DivasandDorks.com this week to find out how you can win!
Disclosure: iLuv has provided DivasandDorks.com these products for review. Reviews & opinions are solely the views of DivasandDorks.com
Black Enterprise Votes DivasandDorks.com Best Of The Blogosphere!
May 1st, 2012 by Christen
Talk about kicking the summer off on a high note! You can’t imagine how happy I am to be selected & actually kicking off Black Enterprise Magazine’s Black Blogger Month Celebration!
Dress by: Calvin Klein (Marshall’s $49.99)
It has been a hard road & it couldn’t have been done without loyal & faithful readers like you! Make sure you check out the full Black Enterprise Black Blogger Month Interview HERE and if you’re in NYC – join me and the rest of this month’s inductees as we celebrate Black Blogger Month in style at the 40/40 club at 7pm.
iPhoneographers Rejoice! This Stylish Case IS For You!
May 1st, 2012 by Tech StaffThere are a lot of skins, cases and accessories for the iPhone. It doesn’t matter if you want it for your first generation iPhone or if it is to geekify your iPhone 4s. There are cases for pretty much any model you can think of, even for the iPod. But for photographers, the number of accessories has been sparse. Designer UN Design put together a fund raising project on the popular Kickstarter site hoping to fund the awesome looking iPhone case meant solely for dedicated and professional iPhone photographers. The case comes in several different materials and colors, and there is even an aluminum one in the works.
Although the designs aren’t available yet, if you contribute to the UN Design Kickstarter campaign, you can probably score one before anyone else!
Facebook Now Helps Users Save Lives…
May 1st, 2012 by ChristenWith users over 901 million-strong social network has adopted more socially conscious policies of late, including an anti-bullying initiative and a referral system for friends expressing suicidal thoughts. You can now add life saving organ donor registry to the list.
Facebook on Tuesday unveiled an organ donor status option for Timeline, a move designed to help more than 114,000 people in the U.S. and millions more around the world who are waiting for a live-saving heart, kidney or liver transplant.
Mark Zuckerberg told ABC News’ Robin Roberts that the initiative aims to bring the power of social media to a problem that continues to plague organ transplantation — too many people who need organs and not enough who donate.
“What we hope will happen is that by just having this simple tool, we think that people can really help spread awareness of organ donation and that they want to participate in this to their friends,” Zuckerberg said. “That can be a big part of helping solve the crisis that’s out there.”
“Many of those people — an average of 18 people per day –- will die waiting, because there simply aren’t enough organ donors to meet the need,” Facebook notes in a blog entry explaining the move. “Medical experts believe that broader awareness about organ donation could go a long way toward solving this crisis.”
As the video above explains, designating yourself as an organ donor is easy. All you need to do is go to your Timeline, click on “Life Event” and then “Health & Wellness.” Then, you’ll see the option for “Organ Donor.” At that point, you can add when and where you registered and your personal story.
via ABC News / Mashable.com
Are you an organ donor? Would you consider becoming an organ donor now that Facebook makes it easy to register & share you personal story?
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