Helpful Translation Tools

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Working in a foreign country is not always easy. Because of the language barrier, one cannot always express his/her thoughts and opinions effectively. Good thing there are online translation tools that help us get the work done faster and easier. 

There are three tools that I always find useful when searching for the right words or when translating sentences from German to English and vice versa. 

1. Linguee - I love this translation dictionary not only because it gives several synonyms but also because it gives various examples of how the words are used in a sentence and its translated version. I have always used this when doing translation work for a food and beverage database and it has definitely made my job easier. 

2. Google Translate - Let us all admit it, google translate is the "go-to" website when it comes to translating from one language to another. Google translate has also improved a lot in the last few years, making better translations. So yes, I also find it very helpful. It is very easy to use, just type in or 'copy + paste' the words or sentences that you want translated and it automatically detects the language you want to translate. All you need to do next is select the language you want it translated to and you are done! 

3. DeepL - this is also another free online translating tool similar to Google Translate. It uses artificial intelligence (AI) to understand and translate texts. But what's great about this tool is that it can also translate an entire document (in Word or Powerpoint format). For now, it supports the following languages: German, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Russian, Japanese and Chinese. I have read many great reviews about this translating tool, surpassing Google Translate so this one is really worth the try!

Do you also know other free online translation tools? What are your experiences about it? Is it any good? Please leave me a comment about it. 

Don't Be A Victim!

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The world is full of hackers, phishers, scammers... so you have to always be careful what sites you enter. If you are fond of watching korean dramas (like me) or movies on streaming sites, you must be familiar with the endless ads and pop-out windows that come flashing each time you click on something. These may seem like just ads but you never know if it is already a virus that creeps into your computer system and eating away your data or a robot that crawls and collects important personal information.

So before you venture into these sites, make sure your computer is safe and protected. Never hesitate to install a good anti-virus software that also has internet protection. There are many good anti-virus softwares out there, including the avira professional anti virus software. With so many smart people these days trying to take advantage of those who are not so internet savvy, it is always better to be on the safe side. So don't be a victim. Give your computer the protection it deserves.

The Poor Vikki

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Perhaps its my fault... but after a little over two years of using my laptop, she suddenly died on me! :( Maybe its because I don't put it on sleep mode whenever I am using it and just let it run 24/7. To think that I have so many files in it, including my thesis data and report, and images from our travels to name a few. 

When I asked my personal hardware technician a.k.a. husband to take a look at it for me, he said that it's most probably because of the fan. It doesn't work anymore so that the system automatically shuts down the computer when the processor gets too hot to prevent it from doing further damage. So all I had to do was look for a replacement fan on the internet. It's also one of the reasons why my husband was skeptic about Sony Vaio laptop computers because it usually is good only a little bit after the two-year warranty period. So I guess the next time I buy a Sony Vaio laptop computer, I should get a three-year warranty so that when it dies on me a few months after the two years general warranty, I can still claim for free repairs and services. 

I hope the fan I ordered online comes soon... So I can make a back-up of my files and work on the article I promised a friend to write for a university publication.

The New Chromebook

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Have you seen the latest from Google? I wonder if you have seen the latest ad for the Chromebook. Here in Germany, it is advertised as the notebook for anybody and for all. Below is a video of the ad from Youtube.


It really looked cool... It is made by Samsung but Google is advertising it as the Chromebook: The Laptop from Google. Sold here in Germany for €299. Not bad... Perhaps when I need a new laptop, I will get one just like it.

Anybody who is using the Chromebook? How is it's performance?

iPhone 5: To Be Launched on August 7?

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©istockphoto.com/gianlucabartoli

According to a website, an Apple source revealed that Apple will launch the new iPhone in exactly three weeks, on the 7th of August to be exact, during a keynote speech. 

Previously, there has been speculations that the release date will be earlier: from October to August. That said, one can say that Apple wants to react to the success of the Samsung Galaxy S3, which I think has received a good response from techies the world over.

What of its new features? Until now, everything remains a speculation. There are still no details about the specs, design or availability. There are rumors though about the new iPhone 5 having a larger 4-inch Retina display, NFC support and possess a Quad-Core processor. It is said that it will be the debut device for the next version of Apple's Operating System, the iOS6. 

I can't wait to learn the official specs but I guess I will have to wait until the 7th of August for it. I also have always wanted to get myself a smartphone. Maybe, if I wait long enough, I will get the one meant for me. As they always say, "good things come to those who wait...."

Tempting Offers from O2

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Hear ye, all gadget fans of Germany. O2 has a very tempting offer for Smartphones. There is an ongoing special promotion for smartphones. You can now own the latest Smartphone of your choice without having to pay the entire smartphone price. O2 I think is the first to offer Ratenzahlung, making smartphones now more affordable to ordinary people like me.

You can own an Apple iPhone 4S 16GB for instance at €27.50 monthly for 24-month installment or €55.00 monthly for 12-month installment. You only need to pay downpayment of €19 to get the unit.

Or the new Samsung Galaxy Note (which I have been eyeing for quite sometime now, thanks to the latest Korean Drama, Rooftop Prince) at €22.50 monthly for 24-month installment or €45.00 for 12-month installment, with a downpayment of only €1.00.

There is also the HTC One S at €25.00 monthly for 24-month installment of €50.00 for 12-month installment, with a downpayment of only €1.00.

You can find other smartphones on offer at the O2 website. These prices are without contracts. You can also choose from a variety of 24-month Postpaid plans. And for a limited time only, O2 is offering a 10% discount on the monthly tarif rates for the first 12 months of a 24-month contract and a free connection fee worth €29.99 for purchases made only until 27 June 2012.  Ain't it just great? I am even tempted to avail of this offer. So, should I still wait for my old cellphone to retire or should I go and get a new phone, a smartphone at that?

How Do You Stay Connected? Wifi or 3G?

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It is very important for me to stay connected on the Internet. I get in touch with my family and friends through the internet. That is why here at home, we have both wireless and LAN connections so that we have various options as far as connectivity is concerned. And it is not just linking to the internet... Connectivity for me also means being able to link my other devices like the TV, the Bluray player and even my external hard drive to each other for easier multimedia access.

So what are you using? 3G or Wifi? If you don't have a wireless router yet and are dying to get one for FREE, answer the survey from Make or Break and have a chance to win a router,. The winning respondent via raffle will be a E4200- SRP PHP 8,995.



image and product feautures from Cisco Store

Linksys E4200 Features:
Simultaneous Dual-Band N (2.4 & 5 GHz)
Gigabit Ethernet 4-port switch
Maximum speed up to 300 + 450 Mbps
USB port for shared storage
Built-In UPnP AV media server

Get your chance on this router by visiting Make or Break and answering the survey! Good luck!

Vikki Needs Protection

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It has been almost two months now since I got Vikki and I have no complaints. She is perfect and I don't have any problems, except maybe for the times when our Internet connection will go bonkers and I cannot use Vikki to surf the net and do my online tasks. That is of course, not Vikki's fault but our ISP's.

Anyway, Vikki needs protection. Since I wasn't able to purchase my Epiphanie bag yet, I just carry her around in my backpack. To protect her from dust and from shock, I just cover her with my wool shawl. But I know that is not enough so I took the liberty of ordering a laptop that has the same color as her. I ordered it via Amazon and it is from Samsonite. I hope that it will arrive soon so that when I carry Vikki around, I won't have to worry about her getting a scratch.

This is how it looks like on Amazon and fits laptops up to 14.1" display. It is available in two colors: silver and black and of course, I chose silver. If you are looking for a laptop sleeve, you may also like this Samsonite Aramon 2 laptop sleeve. I can't wait to use it on Vikki. I hope it comes soon!

Home Clean Home with Siemens Z6.0

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When we found out that my husband's worsening asthma is caused by house dust mites, we knew it was time to purchase a new vacuum cleaner. We didn't have a vacuum cleaner when we moved to our new apartment. Why? Because our previous apartment was fully furnished and when we found out that we would be staying here for good, we decided to move somewhere else and buy our own stuff.

It took some time for husband to learn that he has house dust mites allergy since it took some time also to get an appointment with a lung specialist. But as soon as we found out, we purchased a vacuum cleaner right away.

It's the newest and most energy efficient vacuum cleaner from Siemens Home Germany, the "Z 6.0 Extreme Green Power". It was fresh in the market and was on promo price when we purchased it. It cost more than our alloted budget for a vacuum cleaner but we bought it anyway. The sales representative made a very good job at demonstrating the product to us and showed us how much we can save on electricity. The product claims a 60% savings on energy costs but that we still have to see at the end of the year. So far, I am very happy and satisfied with this product. It has four modes and is not so very noisy compared to the one I was using before. And it has got a HEPA filter inside the unit that is washable so that you don't need to purchase a new one once it is exhausted. The dust bag is large too, at 5L capacity so I only change to a new one after a month or so of vacuum cleaning. Even my daughter loves to operate it and would insist on doing the vacuuming herself although she is a little too small for the device.

I must say husband's condition is getting better now, with his therapy and of course, a dust-free home thanks to "Z". We are even planning on buying two more units to be sent to our parents in the Philippines so that dust won't be a problem when we come home for a vacation. :D

I Want An Epiphanie Clover!

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It was 2009 when we took Nikki home, a Nikon D5000 DSLR. She was relatively expensive when we bought her that time but it was a very good buy since we were to take really great photos at a very high resolution. But since then, Nikki always goes unprotected. For so many unreasonable reasons, I still wasn't able to buy her a camera bag or even just a "protective cover" to protect it from bumps, scratches and dust. I guess I have kept withholding buying one and I keep waiting for the right time to come when I can finally buy a camera bag that will suit both her and me.

You see, I want to be a little different and trendy too when so that what I really want is an Epiphanie bag. I have nothing against the tradition camera bag except that they look so masculine. And I really want a "cute girly camera bag". I have known about Epiphanie bags since 2010 and have vowed ever since to buy myself one. It has been more than a year and until now, I still haven't gotten around to purchasing one. There are five different designs to choose from and one that I fancy right now is the new Clover design that is available in pink, grey and turquoise.

The Clover design costs $184.99 and has the following features (Source: the Epiphanie website):

Dimensions (LxWxH) 18x 6.25 x13 inches. Exterior is water-resistant, high quality synthetic leather. Interior crafted with extra padding for maximum equipment protection. Velcro panels can be adjusted and moved to any position for maximum customization and flexibility. Removable cross-body strap with padding for extra support. Two exterior pockets, one with zipper. Zipper top closure, with one zippered interior pocket. BAG CAN HOLD: 1 15" macbook pro with battery cord,1 camera body with lens attached, 1 long lens, 2 extra lenses, wallet, keys, cell phone, and other miscellaneous personal items.

Wow! At this size, it can already hold this much? Is that amazing or what? I definitely have to get this one. Now I must shop! Lol! :D

Finally, A Notebook!

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After much thinking, comparing and long waiting, I now finally have my very own notebook! Want to know what it is? It's a VAIO from Sony. I am loving my new baby. Why? For a number of very good reasons and I am also sure you all will agree.

Vikki, as I would like to call it has a 14" LED Display and is powered by an Intel Core i5 2410M / 2.3 GHz processor that can run as fast as 2.9 GHz thanks to Intel Turbo Boost Technology. The hard drive has a 320 GB S-ATA, which is not a problem since I can easily add on a bigger external drive should I need more data space. I love the color, which is white and the way that the keyboard will light up in the dark, making it easier to work even when the room is not so well-lit. The screen backlight also dims a little to save on power when it detects inactivitiy after a few minutes. Although it is a bit heavy at 2.5 kg, it is still easy to carry around because of its slim design. I also have no problems with Internet connectivity because it connects so fast. It also has bluetooth connectivity so you can easily synchronize your smartphone and other gadgets. It runs on Windows 7 Home Premium and is bundled with a bunch of other software. One can also easily connect to internet via the "WEB" key. With a battery life of 3.5 hours, this notebook could go a long away.


Now I don't have to worry about missing assignments and tasks especially when we go out of town because I can carry my computer with me. And I won't have any more excuse for not updating my blogs, except maybe during our examination period.


I am happy with my Vikki. And I intend to use it as much as I can. :D Have you got a VAIO too? How was it?

Google TV = Smart TV

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Google has got another product that is going to revolutionize your television experience. Introducing Google TV. It's TV, apps, search and the entire web together at last! Currently, there are limited websites that you can access on your television like YouTube, Picasa Webs album, among others. But with Google TV, just about anything is right at your fingertips.

If you want to know more about the wonderful features of this new product, below is a Quick Tour:

Cool isn't it? So how do you get Google TV? You have two options:

Option 1: Get a standalone TV. The Sony Internet TV valued from USD599.99 to be exact. It boasts as the world's first and only HDTV powered by Google TV that gives you easy access to more entertainment than ever.

If you recently bought an HDTV and find it impractical to purchase another one, there's

Option 2: Get a separate box to use with your existing HDTV. You can get either the Logitech Revue with Google TV valued at USD249.99 or

the Sony Internet TV Blu-Ray Disc Player valued at USD399.99.

Want to learn more about Google TV? Find out more here.

The Sony Cybershot W350

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I have always wanted to give my parents a compact digital camera for their 60th Birthday. My father just turned 60 last 12th August and my mother will turn 60 this coming 4th September. Why do I want to give them a digital camera? Because I wanted to see photos of them enjoying their trips, or just having a simple family gathering in vivid colors. I am the only one separated them and even though I cannot be there to celebrate birthdays and family gatherings with them, I could at least see them in photos. That is enough for me. For now.

And so the search is on for THE digital camera and I ended up choosing the Sony Cybershot W350. It has got the following features:

14.1 Mega Pixel W Series 4x Optical Zoom Cyber-shot (Silver)
Sophisticated 14.1 megapixels camera with metal finish and lustrous spiral hairline design. Bundled with Sweep Panorama functionality and BIONZ Image Processor that captures amazing panoramic pictures effortlessly.

• Carl Zeiss® Vario Tessar lens
• BIONZ Image Processor
• 14.1 Mega Pixels
• 26mm Wide angle lens
• 4x Optical Zoom
• Sweep Panorama

They are planning to go on a trip to Bohol on my mom's birthday. I am excited to see their photos on Facebook. I am conspiring with my sister to purchase this camera and to keep this a secret from my mom. Thanks to my online earnings, I am finally able to buy this one for them. I hope they will receive the camera soon.

Found!

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This was my birthday gift to Hubby last year: an Apple iPod 8GB. He wasn't using it much last year and I have been borrowing it from time to time, being the "music lover" that I am. Then we started going to the gym a few months ago and he realized that he needed to use it. To keep his mind off the time, he wanted to watch a full length movie that runs from an hour or so.

But his plans of watching movies via his iPod while training at the studio were put on hold and the iPod suddenly went missing. Yes, it was suddenly gone with the wind. Hubby suspected that our little girl was the one responsible. We searched every nook and cranny and found no sign of the iPod. What a waste, I thought to myself... to think that it was a gift. I felt bad but never really told hubby about it.

Then a couple weeks ago, before we left for our one-week trip, I found it. It was safely nestled in our little girl's stroller. I removed the winter seat pads because it was already too warm for her, and there it was! We were so happy, or at least I was. It wasn't lost after all. My little girl is just very good at hiding things.