r3fresh

5 Tips for One-Man Bloggers

I have no time anymore! School takes up my days, homework takes up my evenings, and sleep takes the rest, but when do I get to write? I’ve tried setting aside time to write, which often is lost in the hurricane known as college. I know I’m not the only one though, so many blogs out there have great potential, but end up faltering due to lack of time they have. Here are some tips that will help those one-man bloggers out there, I definitely need to follow these too:

1. Write in advance: There always seems to be a boring Sunday morning every so often where there is absolutely nothing to do…so why not write? Not just for that day, but for the whole week or even month. WordPress has a very simple publish feature that allows for a change in publishing time. Spread out the posts throughout the week and even pick the time they are published. It may be considered a really simple feature, but don’t overlook it. My “Wallpaper of the Week” section is often written two weeks in advance.

2. Offer guest posts: I just recently posted that I’m looking for some guest writers to bring r3fresh some much needed content. I’ve yet to receive any serious emails (no, I don’t want to write about your product) and I’m still looking. When looking for a guest writer, try to offer them something in exchange. It could be money, a gift certificate, or even a post on their blog. Guest writers are often the easiest way to get more content on a blog, without having to hire a staff.

3. Shorter Posts: Instead of writing lengthy posts that many will just skip through, try writing shorter (few paragraph) posts. Shorter posts mean less work and more current content. Instead of writing a huge post (like this one) try posting a video or a short opinion on something. On the other hand, quality content is better than quantity content.

4. Pictures: Everyone at some point will be lazy, it’s a fact. The big review on the surround sound you just bought is taking longer than expected and you haven’t posted anything in a while, what do you do? To give yourself some more time, take pictures of the speakers and post them. The pictures don’t even need an explanation, readers are smart and will know what they are looking at. Engadget does this quite a lot, especially on just released products (cough…Apple…cough). The pictures also prepare the readers for a review and will bring them back when the review is finished.

5. Long lasting content: A blog doesn’t have a concrete definition and can be about anything. What a blog isn’t is a place to blog other blogs information, it’s just garbage. Write long lasting content that will still keep readers interested sixth months after it was published. Use comedy and stay away from current news, which only stays current for about a week.

Picture by: John Scone

Tags: blogging, ideas, list, tips

Cut Your College Book Bill in Half

College is expensive, everyone knows that. Even with loans and scholarships, students and parents are looking at finding the cheapest way to get through school. Having $3000 less in loans at the end of your college stay may seem dismal, but to some it’s worth it.

Buying books for the upcoming year at school, I had the option of going through the school’s book store, which is what most of the students do at the beginning of each semester. The other option was something that hit me a couple months ago. Amazon.com. I’ve only bought a few books from Amazon, but I always saved a reasonable amount of money from them, even on new books.

Looking at the total cost for the college books store, the bill totaled about $400. I thought this was extremely expensive for eight books that I wouldn’t touch a year from now. What was even more annoying was the fact that it was $400 for used books.

Next, I went to Amazon.com, entered the ISBN numbers into the search, compared prices from different merchants, and had generated a bill of $175. $175 for eight books that would have cost me $400 at the book store? Yes! Also, four of the eight books I purchased were brand new. One used book was new, but the shipment had gotten “sun damage” and the publisher was selling them at used prices. Even my math book, which I bought for $0.83, was in great condition, only some minor highlighting.

I don’t think college books stores are trying to screw you, but like any business they need to make their money. With Amazon, I found cheaper prices on every book I purchased and next semester when I’m looking at buying books again, I will definitely use Amazon.

Tips for buying books from Amazon:

• Make sure to buy from an established Amazon merchant. “Just Launched” sellers have no reputation, no ratings from buyers.
• When buying used, only buy “Like New” condition books. Anything lower and you may need to purchase the book again.
• Many new books come with an “Interactive CD.” Buying used it is much harder to find a seller that has the CD, but don’t worry, 99% of the time you’ll never use it in your classes.
• If it’s cheap, it doesn’t mean it it’s in bad condition.
• Order the books at least 3 weeks before the date you will need them. Many sellers will send books media mail, which may take up two weeks for delivery depending on your location.

Tags: amazon, books, college, finance, internet, money, new, research, school, tips, tricks, used

Tips for Reducing LCD Heat

I recently purchased a Dell 24” LCD to replace my budget 22” Acer monitor. I’m very much enjoying my new Dell monitor, which handles colors way better than my Acer ever could, but I have noticed my Dell emits a ton of heat.

Sitting at my desk, I can actually feel the heat that the monitor puts off. I never had this problem with the Acer, but Acer was also smaller and not nearly as bright as the Dell. Luckily, I’ve found some ways to reduce the LCD heat.

Distance: Having this massive monitor means you can have a little space between your face and the screen. The old 17” CRT monitor is way gone and now you can give your face (and eyes) a rest. I’ve moved my monitor about 2-2 ½ feet away from where I’m sitting. So far this has helped reduce the heat, although after using the LCD for a couple hours straight I still notice the warmth.

Height: My desk has a heightened platform that I used to put my external hard drive on, but for the sake of room (and heat), I’ve put my monitor on top of it. Having the monitor higher has put most of the emitted heat over my head. I couldn’t have done this with my last monitor because of the poor viewing angle.

Brightness: Like a said before, the Dell is leaps and bounds brighter than the Acer. Having a brighter monitor makes pictures pop and makes text legible. The downside of having a brighter monitor is the heat. The brighter the monitor, the more heat it will give off. Looking at my monitor settings, my brightness is at 50/100, which seems low. I couldn’t imagine having the LCD at maximum brightness; I’d have a tan in a couple hours.

The easiest way to reduce LCD heat is to have constant air circulation by your workstation. If you’re not near an air vent, open a window. If you don’t have air conditioning or aren’t near a window, buy a cheap desk fan. Local office supply stores, like Staples, sell them for under $20.

One more thing, don’t put any misting devices near your monitor or computer. It may seem like a good idea, but it’s stupid. Now I’m not saying this to say it. I have actually seen (“cough” a family member “cough”) using a misting device at their computer. Enough water can ruin your monitor and short out your computer. Follow the tips above and you’ll be much cooler than you’re past monitor setup. I know I am.

Tags: acer, brightness, dell, distance, heat, LCD, monitor, new, reduce, tips