The Midlife Woman » computers

Carbonite Eases Midlife Memory Issues

Kathleen — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 01:45:11 +0000

This post brought to you by Carbonite. All opinions are 100% mine.

Surviving a computer crash can be more than stressful, let me tell you. The chances of recovering data in a quantity of situations are impossible. Recalling my early computing days, the lack of computer knowledge, and naive expectations are true hilarity. This is how the conversation went:

Me (Pre-Midlife): “You can’t just copy the data off that overheated and dead hard drive?”

Computer tech: “No that would cost thousands and require computer forensics to accomplish.”

Me: “So, you can’t recover the job files for our entire company.”

Computer tech: “No Ma’am I can’t recover the data from that hard drive. However, what I do can is to reload your software and data onto a new hard drive. Do you have a back up cd?”

Me: “Uuumm, backup, well no, err yes but it’s at least six months old…” (heart attack on the spot) Needless to say, I spent umpteen hours reentering the months of lost data and you can bet I backed up every day!

Fast-forwarding about five or six years, hubby comes into the office and informs me all about Carbonite, which he learned via talk radio. Mind you, hubby was computer illiterate at the time. Of course, I quickly reaffirm the importance of backing up irreplaceable files with a “remember when” story. Hubby was all set to buy the service but a backup system was already in place, sorry dear. Otherwise, Carbonite would have been our computer backup choice back then.

Why would we choose Carbonite?

Longstanding and widely recognized company – Webware. com 100 winner in 2009; Pc World Nov 2010 positive reviews –“I think elements of the Carbonite interface are brilliant”
Automatically backs up all the user-generated files on the internal hard drive
Straightforward information in revealing what files will not be backed up
Simple interface -perfect for the not so savvy hubby
Ability to access your information anywhere, anytime
Provides restore software and assistance
Affordable for small business

Carbonite Overview

Carbonite was founded in 2005, inspired by the laptop crash of David Friend’s college daughter. Since inception, the company has safely recovered over 7 billion files. Carbonite unlimited online backup service continually works in the background automatically while connected to the internet. The service works with Mac and Windows XP, Vista, and 7. Files backed up by Carbonite can be accessed anytime, anywhere, from most any Internet connected device. For handheld users, Carbonite also provides a free app to accommodate iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android, or Blackberry Smartphone users. The app allows customers to enjoy and share backed up files.

The unlimited backup supports PC and Mac with anytime-anywhere-access costs $59 a year. Doubts about online back up services can easily be addressed with Carbonite. A 15-day free trial is available and no credit card is required. What’s more, if you decide to purchase the service, mention BLOGAD and receive two months of computer backup service free.

Final Thoughts

Midlife has brought about a great deal of memory issues for me personally. Automatic backup can relieve the worry of relying on a middle-aged memory. In addition, having access to user files wherever the internet is available saves time and embarrassment. Yep, I left the flash drive and drove half way to the meeting before realizing it. Without doubt, Carbonite will ease several of my midlife memory issues. What’s more, we are due for a backup system upgrade that even hubby can accomplish! I’m headed over there now to set up my free 15-day trial.

Given that I have been there done that with lost and forgotten files, I know first hand how important it is to back up your files. At the rate of $59.00 a year with a longstanding company and free trail offer too, I think Carbonite is worth a test drive.

Do you use an online backup service? Have you tried Carbonite?

Kathleen

Hey, there I'm Kathleen. My friends call me Kathy; to my kids I'm Momia. Life has afforded me many hats: Mom, wife, sister, friend, business owner... and most recently a midlife blogger. From college to marriage and babies, in the midst of business and wealthy boomers, midlife retrospection validates this extraordinary journey called life.

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Shopping Alert | Dell Best Selling Desktop Deals

Kathleen — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 02:51:18 +0000

Do more. Share more. Be more. The Dell Inspiron 620 is currently one of the best deals available, especially for a home based business. Dell boasts, “With the latest 2nd Gen Intel® Core™ processors, you’ll whiz through tasks with time to spare.”

My first Dell purchase was six or seven years ago. My son was ecstatic, Dude you’re getting a Dell! In fact, I customized the very computer in the video.

Dell’s customer service is superior and far exceeded my expectations. This particular computer survived four years of high school, recording heavy metal sound tracks, LAN gaming parties, and three years of college with about five apartment moves.

The computer was still running good until a lightening during a heavy Florida thunderstorm zapped it last summer. Throughout the years, Dell NEVER refused us free service. They always assisted with restoring issues and even provided restore downloads when the discs were too old and scratched to use.

For additional savings on Dell computers check out the dell home coupons at dropdowndeals.com.

Kathleen

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Twitter Tools – Twitter Addictions Cured

Kathleen — Thu, 12 May 2011 04:29:59 +0000

Blogging is especially exciting for the novice. Social media and networking in the course of blog promotion can be even more exciting. Successful, professional bloggers warn that a lack of understanding and discipline in using twitter, facebook, and other social media sites can be a huge waste of your valuable time.

Hi. My name is Kathleen and I am a midlife A.D.D. Twitter addict. The 140 character messages along with the ability to tweet from anywhere, anytime, became an unsuccessful addiction. The infatuation snowballs and before you know it, BAM three hours have passed and the daily to do list went untouched. I have to admit, blogging and social networking has been a great pleasure and truthfully a huge diversion to inexorable midlife complexities. However, this level of wasted time is obsessive, unacceptable and a lot like a drug addiction. I was warned. Shame on me!

Some time ago, I read Patricia’s post Comments Do Not Equal Sales. She is a brilliant writer, a passionate Lavender business owner, and one blogger I absolutely admire. She was a queen tweeter, a tweet heart as she proclaimed! Through blogging and being very social, she formed a superb blogging network. Patricia went on to explain the time consumed creating that social network did not result in improved sales.

How are your sales figures for the month?” Translated: “You still have a blogger mindset Patricia. This needs to change…now!”… Just a quick message that I’m leaving Twitter now and the figures could be better!

To get my twitter infatuation and time management under control, I began to study and follow advice from trusted blogs – SweetsFoods, Basic Blog Tips, Lavendaruses, and BizChickBlogs to name a few. This infatuation took me almost a year to admit and revise can you believe that? These tools helped to cure my useless Twitter infatuation, improving time management and real connections.

Hoot Suite, as suggested on SweetFoods.com was my first Twitter tool. Tweeting had not yet taken total hold of my time however, Gera gave a great overview of the app, and I was convinced it was for me. Hoot Suite makes it quick and easy to view and use multiple twitter accounts and lists. The free version allows for five social profiles from eight different social networks and two rss feeds. The pro version is $5.99 per month and has tons of features with unlimited social profiles. A bit too much for my little blogging venture. Just recently, Hoot suite added an affiliate program. Program details include a 50% commission on first subscription payment with the minimum payout cap being $100.

If you happen to be a #FollowFriday fan, take the time to schedule your favorite #ff tweets in advance. I don’t know about you but Friday always seems to be a hectic day and I very much appreciated the scheduled tweets feature.

Leo Widrich, who I later learned is the cofounder of Buffer, wrote an awesome guest post review of Buffer for Basic Blog Tips. The main purpose of Buffer is consistent tweeting. With a free Buffer account, one can tweet as usual or add up to 10 scheduled tweets at once. Buffer browser extensions are available for Chrome and Safari. No worries for Firefox or IE users, there is a convenient bookmarlet for those. The Chrome extension is my choice. It has two options: tweet now or load for scheduling.

Thanks to Joel and Leo, I now use buffer to tweet featured products from my affiliate sites as well as posts from my favorite blogs! Of course, Buffer has an affiliate program too. This is my Buffer affiliate link. It’s not very shameful to share the Buffer link do you think.

I sound like Dr Seuss, link do you think… I won this Dr. Seuss Cookbook not to long ago and I just love Dr Seuss. Ok Ok I know stay focused. Anyway, affiliates who successfully invite friends to join Buffer are both rewarded with space for an extra tweet.

The third and most amazing of the Twitter Tools was introduced by my all time favorite blogger Ms.Tia Peterson. The editor in chief and mastermind of bizchickblogs.com graciously sent me an invite to her Biz Chicks Food tribe. Oh my gosh I was flattered. Perhaps after reading so many of my crazy A.D.D. induced comments, Tia knew I needed intervention!

Anyhow, Triberr is an invite only website where tribe members automatically share each other’s blog posts. Accepting an invite also entitles you to become a chief and create three tribes of your own. Not only does this expand twitter reach, it allows more time to really connect with others.

Multiple Twitter accounts and rss feeds can be added to your account for specific tribes association. For example, my food blog rss and foodie twitter account are associated with my food tribe memberships. On the other hand, my @WomanMomFriend account and this blog are associated with mom and women tribes. Another option I very much appreciate is the ability to allow or deny retweets.

Triberr.com

“Triberr is the brainchild of Dino Dogan and Dan Cristo”

Triberr Creates a Real Win-Win Situation

You Win – Your blog posts are distributed by your Tribe far and wide.

Tribes Win- People in your Tribe get to feed quality content to their followers and inject variety into their own tweeting efforts.

Followers Win- Followers are exposed to quality content created by your Tribesmen.

With expert folks like these, you know Triberr has to be quite remarkable. New features are added to Triberr quite often, as you might expect from a development crew such as these guys…. Always thinking, always improving.

These Twitter tools eliminated hours of wasted Twitter time for me. Thank You to the fantastic creators!

My next hurdle is to develop a disciplined daily overall blogging regiment. This problem will require a huge amount of work especially for a midlife person who is accustomed to working with priorities that oftentimes change hourly. Remaining optimistic is the key I do believe. Who knows I might even develop the skills necessary to write consistent killer tweets and content. Either way, all of this is blogging, tweeting, and connecting is much more enjoyable than midlife and its calamity any day!

I hope that you found my Twitter journey as helpful and amusing as I did!

**Hugs**

Kathy

Kathleen

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