jkgibbs blog

Automate Holiday and Birthday Card Sending with Tiny Prints

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:30:06 -0500

Originally posted by my good friend @jessleemiller

So I mentioned a few posts back that I love receiving things in the mail, however I love sending them even more! That is why I got SO excited about Tiny Prints’ offer to keep track of all the important dates in my life by sending cards to friends and family.

Seriously y’all, this is amazing! I put in birthdays and anniversaries, picked out cards (they are 99 cents when you use promo bday99 through today only!) and Tiny Prints sends them directly to the intended recipient. You can customize with pictures, messages, etc. LOVE IT!

So go on and get organized! [Wasn’t that one of your new year’s resolutions?]

Tiny Prints [Official Website]

What are some of your awesome ways to automate life?

Put Rain-X on your Shower Doors to Make Water Bounce Right Off [Clever Uses]

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:07:47 -0500

Put Rain-X on your Shower Doors to Make Water Bounce Right Off [Clever Uses]

Automatically Unmount Volumes When Your Mac Sleeps

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:38:24 -0500

Jettison eliminates the hassle of manually ejecting external drives before you put your MacBook to sleep. With Jettison, you just close your MacBook, unplug and go!

Product Review: North Face Storm Peak Triclimate 3-in-1 Insulated Jacket

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:38:45 -0500

Great in Cold Weather

I was able to put this jacket to the test on a hike in the Rockies. It was -10° F, but I was toasty for the entire 2.5 hour hike. Not only did this jacket keep me warm, it didn’t allow in any wind or moisture.

I really like the removable/replaceable liner because it can be used in extreme cold or just slightly cool weather. It may seem a little pricey, but you’re actually getting a cold weather jacket, a light pull-over and a rain jacket — all in one! When comparing that to the price of 3 separate pieces, it is a steal.

The only down-side of this jacket is that the sleeves seem a little long for the size I purchased. However, this may be due to the fact that it is indeed a cold weather jacket and a little extra length is necessary to compensate for layering and to allow you to cover/tuck it into gloves.

Overall, I give it a 5 out of 5 stars.

Fit: Feels true to size

Sleeve Length: Feels true to length

Chest Size: Feels true to size

Pros: Warm, Windproof, Comfortable, Water Resistant, Durable

Cons: Heavy

Best Uses: Cold Weather, Hiking and Camping, Skiing/Snowboarding

Use: Casual/ Recreational

Product Link: The North Face Storm Peak Triclimate 3-in-1 Insulated Jacket

Survive a Mugging by Carrying a Decoy Wallet with a Small Offering [Survivalist]

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 08:01:05 -0500

Survive a Mugging by Carrying a Decoy Wallet with a Small Offering [Survivalist]:

The only thing worse than a mugger is a mugger who is pissed off because he has to leave empty-handed. Carrying cash may save your life. Make it a point to always have $100 on you to satiate a potential attacker, but keep it in a decoy wallet separate from your real wallet with any important documents or identification cards you may need.

Resize Finder and Windows Explorer Columns to Fit File Names

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:53:08 -0500

I have to browse through lots and lots of files in my folder structure on my Mac. I prefer to use the column view (pictured above) because it allows me to quickly navigate through the entire folder path. But since I have a tendency (read compulsive disorder) to name folders and files with intricate, detailed names, it becomes difficult to read the entire name in the default finder column size.

To quickly make the column size snap to the longest file name in OSX Finder, simply double click in the white area at the bottom of the column. That’s it! You should be able to view the complete file names of all the files at the current level. Note: A coworker confirmed that this works in Windows Explorer as well.

There are all kinds of Mac OSX finder shortcuts, including the ability to make upload windows jump to the correct file.

Instantly Turn Any Text into a Sticky Note with This Mac Keyboard Shortcut

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:01:06 -0400

Instantly Turn Any Text into a Sticky Note with This Mac Keyboard Shortcut:

If you’re a fan of the Stickies app on the Mac and want a really quick way to create sticky notes out of existing text, here’s a keyboard shortcut that can save you some time. Just select any text from any source and press Command + Shift + Y.

This will automatically open the Stickies application (if it’s not open already) and create a new note containing that text. What’s really great is that if you copy text from a web site, it’ll retain any links and basic formatting. This makes it incredibly easy to go back to the original source should you have a need.

Switch Phone Batteries with a Coworker to Save Time Charging

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:00:05 -0400

If your place of employment requires you to have a work phone, it can be difficult to keep it charged on the go. More than likely, everyone in your company has the same phone, so if you’re running low on power, ask one of your coworkers to swap batteries with you. This is a quick way to keep your phone in operation without tethering yourself down with hours of charging.

How to Properly Plug In Your USB Cables

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 08:36:06 -0400

From Lifehacker.com:

Look at the top of your next cable. On one side is the manufacturer’s logo, and on the other is the USB symbol (sometimes with another manufacturer logo underneath the symbol). The USB cable always plugs in with the USB symbol facing UP on your laptop. If you have a vertical monitor with USB ports, the USB cable always plugs in with the USB symbol facing you.

How to Remove Ink Stains

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 08:00:00 -0400

How to Remove Ink Stains

How to Understand and Set Up a Home Wireless Network

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 08:00:05 -0400

How to Understand and Set Up a Home Wireless Network:

Here’s the complete guide that will teach you how to pick out the best network hardware, get to know it better, make it perform at its best, and access just about anything on your network from practically anywhere in the world.

Top 10 Products You Don't Need to Buy (Because You Already Have Them In Your Home) [Lifehacker Top 10]

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 16:00:06 -0400

Top 10 Products You Don't Need to Buy (Because You Already Have Them In Your Home) [Lifehacker Top 10]:

I have made a few of the household cleaning agents before, including the homemade LCD/screen cleaner, but the drain de-cloggers are a good addition to my arsenal.

Shortcut Of The Day: Put Your Mac or Your Monitor to Sleep Instantly with a Keyboard Command(via @Lifehacker)

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:55:36 -0400

Shortcut Of The Day: Put Your Mac or Your Monitor to Sleep Instantly with a Keyboard Command(via @Lifehacker):

If you’re finished working with your Mac for the day and want a quick way to turn off the monitors or put your system to sleep, you don’t need to use a hot corner or special app to do it, just a keyboard shortcut.

Learn to Do Everything Faster I like efficiency and so should...

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 11:28:14 -0400

Learn to Do Everything Faster

I like efficiency and so should you. Here is a video that teaches you some really simple tricks to performing some common, and not so common, tasks quickly:

Dry painted fingernails instantly
Tie Shoes with one motion
Fold your tshirts
Peel a boiled potato
Remove a boiled egg’s shell

Do you have any links or instructions for doing things more efficiently?

The DIY Stain Removal Infographic Is a Quick Reference for Cleaning Common Stains

Sun, 17 Jul 2011 13:07:00 -0400

The DIY Stain Removal Infographic Is a Quick Reference for Cleaning Common Stains:

Despite how careful you are, stains happen. This handy infographic notes the most useful household items for removing common clothing stains.

View the Infographic »

HOW TO: Upload iPhone Photos to Google

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 16:02:06 -0400

HOW TO: Upload iPhone Photos to Google:

Who says Android phone users get to have all the fun uploading photos to Google+? You can do that with an iPhone, too, using any app that can send pics to Google‘s image organizer, Picasa.

Read Full How-To Article »

Google Cheat Sheet Offers Helpful Tips and Tricks

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 16:24:13 -0400

Google Cheat Sheet Offers Helpful Tips and Tricks:

Everyone’s talking about Google+. Those who have yet to get an invite want one, and those who are members are still trying to figure out what the heck it’s all about. Google+ user Simon Laustsen, an electronics technician from Denmark, has created a handy cheat sheet for those of us still trying to get the hang of Google+. It’s already been shared more than 1,000 times via Google+, and the Laustsen has translated it into several languages.

View original post or learn to navigate Google+ with keyboard shortcuts.

Navigate Google+ with Keyboard Shortcuts

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:51:00 -0400

Just discovered a new shortcut from a friend on Google+. Press the button ‘J’ to scroll down and ‘K’ to scroll up one post at a time. It is super quick and effective, saves the hassle of scrolling manually with mouse.

View the Google+ Cheat Sheet »

Do you know any secrets that you want to share?

5 DIY Ways To Deodorize Stinky Things

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:00:00 -0400

Something in your life getting a little stinky? No worries — it happens to the best of us. Whether it is your musty bedroom, stuffy car or four-legged friend, unpleasant odors have a way of infiltrating our daily lives. This infographic shows 5 DIY ways to deodorize bad smells no matter where they are coming from.

Quickly Access Firefox 4's Panorama View with Keyboard Shortcuts

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 13:50:39 -0400

The newest 4.0 version of Firefox has a great built in feature for organizing your open browser windows and tabs. Pressing CMD+SHIFT+E allows you to quickly access Panorama View, showing thumbnails of all your open browser windows.

But if you want to take organization one step further, simply drag your open window thumbnails and stack them on top of each other to create tab groups. You can even label your groups, such as Things to Read Later and Social Media Sites.

So instead of viewing all your open tabs in one browser window, you only see the open tabs for the current group in which you are working. This keeps your browser less cluttered and make finding your open sites much easier.