Waking up early and feeling energized has always felt like polar opposites for me.  This is the situation for many people around the world.  Studies have shown that people feel more energetic and refreshed during those sunny, bright summer mornings when the sun is shining through.  Waking up early and feeling energized has always felt like polar opposites for me.  This is the situation for many people around the world.  Studies have shown that people feel more energetic and refreshed during those sunny, bright summer mornings when the sun is shining through.

Nothing is worse than waking up in a dark bedroom, turning on your bedside lamp, and having your eyes feel disrupted from shock of the bright light.  I discovered thePhilips Wake-up Light Plus – got hold of it – and tested it first-hand for The Digital Life on CityLine.ca.  I will admit I was really skeptical initially; doubting the product’s success and whether it would work at all.  I am one who wakes up in the dark, and the Wake-up Light allowed me to have that simulated sunlight, waking up more naturally and well-rested.

So, how does it work?  FromPhilips’ website, “Starting half an hour before your set wake up time, the Wake-up Light gradually fills your room with bright light like a rising sun emitting natural light.  The light gently prepares your body for waking up while you are still asleep.”

To put it into context, if your alarm clock wake-up is set to 7AM, the light will gradually get stronger starting at 6:30AM.  At the set wake up time, your body is ready to wake up and natural sounds will gradually accompany the light.

As I previously mentioned, I have been using the unit for approximately one month now.  Within the first week, I noticed an immediate difference.  My eyes didn’t feel as disrupted; the alarm wasn’t as piercing; and get this – I often woke up before the alarm went off.

The fact that I was able to adjust the brightness myself was great; essentially giving me the power to choose how bright the “sun” was in my room, accordingly.  Working with scientists and experts in the field, Philips developed a range of energy light products to help you restore and retain energy, in addition to fighting the winter blues.

The unit is easy to maintain, with a user-replaceable halogen lamp, smart snooze, and option to add your own sounds and music via its USB port.

The National Sleep Foundation has chosen to make Philips Wake-up Light Plus its Official Light Therapy Product, in recognition of the benefits they provide in helping you wake-up better, brighter, and more energetic throughout your day.

If you are struggling to wake up in the morning, definitely give it a shot!  It retails for $179.99 at most electronics stores. Test it out, and let us know what you think in the comments below or via my Twitter,@WinstonSih.

To learn more about the device, how it works, and to find out where to buy it – be sure to visit their website here.

Repost from CityLine.ca

Statistics are alarming, reports indicate that the majority of bullied victims have experienced a form of cyber bullying through hate comments on social networks.  There have been services in the past like Kids Help Phone where victims can reach out for help, but now social media and apps have flipped the way victims can seek help.  Rather than victims going to the Kids Help Phone for example, the groups are going to the victims through apps and mobile sites.  Essentially, it makes it easier for the victims to seek the help they need.

BULLY SHIELD, $0.99, iTunes App Store, iPhone and iPad

This app is created by a bullying prevention doctor to provide students positive strategies to reduce the effects of bullying.  It discusses how to handle situations when you are being bullied.  It comes with very helpful tips, and is perfect for parents, students, and educators alike!  For bully victims, it gives tips on how to handle bullies, and for parents, it gives tips on how to handle situations when your child is being bullied.

BULLY BLOCK, $0.99, Android Marketplace, Android

The Bully Block app allows users to “covertly record verbal threats and harassment, block inappropriate texts and pictures (e.g. sexting), and utilize auto respond features.”

Features:

• Bully Block utilizes a stealth recorder to captures bullies within the act. The user pushes a button on the app and the cell phone will go into stealth mode and secretly record the bully.
• A unique blacklist feature allows users to block all SMS or MMS messages from bullies. He or she will either hear a busy signal or pre-recorded message. All phone calls and text message from blocked list are automatically routed to the “bully file.”

SAFETYWEB, $10/MONTH or $100/YEAR, All Platforms

Better understand what your child is doing online with up-to-date activity reports on your child’s photos, videos, friends, comments, and profile information.  They claim that if your child has a mobile phone, you need SafetyWeb. “Know who is calling and texting your child, and whether your child is calling and texting within safe limits.”  You can see their “friends,” social networks, usage, and alerts are automatically sent when a red flag goes up.

Repost from AppCentral.ca

Introducing Rogers One Number. This new service exclusively from Rogers lets you talk, text and send picture messages, and video chat with other Rogers One Number users, all from your computer using your existing phone number. By using Rogers One Number, all calls to Canadian numbers, video chats with other Rogers One Number users and outgoing wireless text messages are free.

How might you use it, you ask? Well, if you’re like me and you’re always on the go, family and friends can now call your number – the same one they’ve always used – and rather than leave a voicemail (again!) you can have it ring on your computer or up to five phones of your choice so you’re always reachable when you want to be. Or, if you spend a lot of time calling that special someone, you can switch the talking onto a computer with Rogers One Number and you’ll no longer use up your daytime mobile minutes. And, if you want to take it a step further and stare into each other’s eyes, you can seamlessly turn the call into a video chat with the click of a button.

Rogers One Number is available for free to eligible Rogers wireless customers, so there’s really no reason why you shouldn’t head over to www.rogersonenumber.ca and sign up right now. Once you’ve given it a try, let us know what you think by leaving us a comment.

How will you be using Rogers One Number?

Repost from Miranda MacDonald, Redboard.Rogers.com – Miranda is a regular contributor to RedBoard

As seen on CityLine – January 30, 2012.

As always, you can re-watch previous episodes of CityLine on Citytv.com, or via the Citytv Video iPad/iPhone app!  CityLine airs 9am/4pm EST on Citytv in Toronto.  Check Citytv.com for air times in your city.

Show Notes:

Winston’s Dude Den:

Future Shop and ConnectPro
www.futureshop.ca andwww.connectpro.ca
Samsung 55″ LED Smart TV
Boxee Box by D-Link HD Media Player
Logitech Harmony Link Remote
ION Audio Arcade Cabinet for iPad
West Bend Popcorn Maker

hmv Canada
www.hmv.ca
Modern Family – The Complete Second Season
Fringe – The Complete Third Season
How I Met your Mother – The Complete Sixth Season
The Black Keys – El Camino
Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto
Foster the People – Torches
Drake – Take Care
Hedley – Storms
Urban Ears – Plattan Black

Pier 1
www.pier1.ca
Braden Coasters
Bronze and Gold Dripping Paint Coasters
Braden Tray
Metal Embossed Tray
Faux Crocodile Tray
Green Pillows
Nespresso Lattissima+

IKEA Canada
www.ikea.ca
BLANDA Blank popcorn bowl
KASSETT DVD box
2 x Koldby Cowhide rugs
2 x Swivel Armchair – Kavat Black
1 x Tofteryd TV Bench – High Gloss Black
1 x Tofteryd Coffee Table – High Gloss Black
1 x Ikea Stockholm Floor Lamp

Super Bowl XLVI is just around the corner, and if you’re a sports lover, you’re probably looking to get your living room “Super Bowl ready”!

I joined Breakfast Television Toronto and Canada’s Got Talent Host-extraordinaire Dina Pugliese on Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 to talk a little bit about the ultimate Super Bowl Man Cave, courtesy of our friends over at Future Shop.

Future Shop – ConnectPro:

First off, technology can be very intimidating, and if you’re in that boat, Future Shop has a service designed just for you!  ConnectPro realizes that wiring and assembling electronics can be frustrating.

Calling ConnectPro Product Experts can ease all connectivity hassles and ensure everyone is enjoying their new tech. Experts can service and install your new technology products and make it all work together perfectly to ensure you get the best experience from your new high-performance systems.

All experts are industry-certified and fully trained to install, setup, and repair electronics.  ConnectPro offers online support at www.connectpro.ca where consumers can view which experts are online and select the ConnectPro agent that suits their needs.  Experts can provide personalized and customized services to find the best solution for every lifestyle and technology problem.

Here is a list of products featured on the segment:

LG 55″ 1080p 120Hz 3D LED Smart TV (55LW5600) – $1699.99

PlayStation 3 160GB Entertainment System – $249.99

Madden NFL 12 (PlayStation 3) – $59.99

Motion Sports Adrenaline (PlayStation 3) – $49.99

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 12: The Masters (PlayStation 3) – $39.95

Logitech Harmony Link Remote – $99.99

Rogers Samsung Galaxy 10.1″ 16GB Tablet With Wifi & 4G – Black – $649.99

ION Audio Arcade Cabinet for iPad (ICADE) – $99.99

Numark MIXDECK Universal DJ System (MIXDECK) – $649.99

iRobot Roomba Robotic Vacuum (57102)- $499.99

Dyson Hot Air Multiplier Heater (AM04) – Blue – $449.99

Nintendo 3DS – Flame Red – $169.99

Cobra GMRS 2-Way Radios (COB-CXT225C) – $59.99

Margaritaville Frozen Drink Maker (DM0500-33) – $219.99

Sunbeam 3.3 Cu. Ft. Bar Fridge (SBCR91BSL) – Stainless – $179.99

Samsung 1000-Watt 5.1 Channel Blu-ray Home Theatre System (HT-D5100) – $179.99

Cuisinart Theatre Style Popcorn Maker (CPM-25C) – $119.99

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and if you’re shopping for a new smartphone, be sure to take a look at this interesting survey from the dating website, Match.com.

Thanks to social networking and online dating, our love lives and our digital lives have never been more intertwined. So much so that it is said that 75 per cent of Canadian singles believe e-mail and texting have significantly improved their dating life.

What’s interesting about this report is that when it comes to love, Match.com found a significant difference between the dating behaviours of iPhone, Blackberry and Android users.

“The type of phone a person uses can be a window into their personality,” says Kimberly Moffit, Relationship Insider for Match.com. “More so than zodiac signs or astrology, smartphones are the new way Canadian singles can decode their dating style and determine if they’ve met their match.”

Here is a breakdown of the dating styles, sorted by smartphone:

iPhone Users: The Office Romantic

• Dating Style Decoded: iPhone addicts are the most likely to date someone in their workplace. Nearly a quarter of iPhone singles have had an office romance in the last five years.
• Available Evenings and Weekends. After a first date, iPhone users are most likely to wait one day to reach out, while Android or BlackBerry users will wait until after 2-3 dates.

BlackBerry Users: The Drunk Dialer

• Dating Style Decoded: If you’re dating a BlackBerry fan, prepare to imbibe. BlackBerry users are most likely to drink alcohol on a first date – 72 per cent will have a boozy beverage on a first night out.
• Love at First Byte. A whopping 67 per cent of BlackBerry users say they have experienced love at first sight.

Android Users: The Seducer

• Dating Style Decoded: Android users are most likely to be seduced on a first date. 62 per cent of Android singles say they’ve done the deed after date number one, compared to 57 per cent of iPhone users and 48 per cent of BlackBerry users.
• Sexual Battery Life. Out of all smart phone users, Android fans are most likely to have a one-night stand (55 per cent).
• Clicking for Love. 72 per cent of Android fans have visited an online dating site, compared to 58 per cent of iPhone users and 50 per cent of Blackberry users.

• DON’T use your phone on a date. According to Match.com, the number one first date deal breaker for Canadian singles is having your match be distracted by his/her mobile. Show your date you’re invested in getting to know them by granting themyour full attention
• DO wait before ‘friending’ your date on Facebook. Most Canadians think you should take it slow when it comes to adding a new romance to your social networking sites. You wouldn’t rush into introducing a date to your friends – don’t do it online either. Sometimes being a little mysterious is a good thing.
• DON’T be scared to dial. Email and text messaging may be modern love letters, but it’s still nice to hear a voice once in awhile. Phone conversations are a great indicator of chemistry, and there’s less likelihood of tone being misinterpreted.  
• DO try online dating. Over half of Canadian singles have visited an online dating site in the past year. Broaden your horizons and your social network by checking it out.

Repost from CityLine.ca

Cloud computing has become a huge trend in what online users rely on when it comes to storing their material online.  This solution is something I use personally, and I fully recommend it to people who want to get started “in the cloud.”

Adults and students are starting to realize that a lot of this material being uploaded online is often confidential, and it is information that needs to be guarded safely and securely online.  It’s really important to find a service that is trust worthy and secure.  As a student, I find it’s quite annoying carrying around USB flash drives.  They can often be easy to lose, and I’ve even broken a few in the past.

TIP: A great way to make sure you’re transmitting information securely is seeing that there’s an http[S] next to your URL, or a secure lock in your URL bar.  What that means is that your data is encrypted and secure when it is being sent to the other party, so that it ensures that they’re the only ones seeing your information.

My solution is the Pogoplug.  This is a unit that you setup in your house.  Essentially anywhere you have a power plug you can connect your files to the Internet.  It connects through Ethernet or Wi-Fi, and there are three USB ports.  What you do is plug any type of drive, be it a USB thumb drive or external drive.  Pogoplug will mount it onto this mini computer, which is connected to the Internet, and you instantly have your own DIY home/office file server.  You can even connect a supported printer, and you can print everything through the cloud!  You get the piece of mind that your files are physically on a drive that is your own, Pogoplug is simply the secure bridge between you, your information, and your own hard drive.

In terms of how it can help students, they can find it really helpful when it comes to storing all of their work on one drive, in one device, and all of it can be accessed in the cloud through a PC or Mac program, or through applications for the iPhone, iPad, Android, orBlackBerry.  You can login at anytime, anywhere be it in the next room, next country, or next continent, at http://my.pogoplug.com, and you can view, download, share, and even print files through the web browser.

You can easily access files as well through iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, or Android app.  Same thing, from anywhere in the world, you can view, edit, share to social networks, or email!

This solution is easy to use with minimal hassle, and best part, you control your environment on your own hard drive, and that’s the unique part of this solution.  No need to worry about losing the cloud data, which is what many people are scared of – perfect for students!  For $99, you can’t go wrong!

Check it out, and let us know what you think!  Leave a comment below, or send me a Tweet, @WinstonSih.

Repost from AppCentral.ca

Several clips of me briefly talking about RIM’s CEO shake-up on CityNews Channel on January 23, 2012.  Rogers Digital Channel 15 in Toronto.

Read more from CityNews.ca: Balsillie and Lazaridis step down as RIM’s co-CEOs - Andrew Flynn, The Canadian Press

Finally bowing to pressure from disgruntled shareholders, the co-chief executives of BlackBerry maker Research in Motion will step down from their positions at the troubled Canadian high-tech company.

Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis, whose names have become synonymous with RIM over their two decades leading the company, will turn over operational control of RIM to new CEO Thorsten Heins, the company’s former chief operating officer, RIM announced Sunday.

German-born Heins, 54, who was chosen by Balsillie and Lazaridis as the most appropriate successor, will be tasked with navigating RIM back to its former competitive form and will have to assuage a host of less-than optimistic shareholders disgruntled by RIM’s slipping performance and a year filled with glitches and setbacks.

“If we continue doing well what we’re doing, I see no problems of us being in the top three players worldwide in the next years in wireless,” he said in a video BlackBerry had posted to introduce the new chief to the public.

“What we need to get a bit better at is to have a little bit more of an ear towards the consumer. So I want to strengthen this by bringing some really good marketing expertise in. We need to be outright, we need to be constantly communicating with our customers, with the audience, with the public, telling them about BlackBerry.”

While Balsillie and Lazaridis have left day-to-day operations altogether, they both still remain on RIM’s board and will be able to exert significant influence through their large ownership stakes.

A number of RIM’s shareholders have demanded changes at the top for months, blaming Balsillie and Lazaridis for several years of poor performance that have resulted in a precipitous drop in the company’s stock market value — shares in RIM were once so highly priced it was briefly Canada’s most valuable company, worth more than $70 billion. It’s market capitalization is now around $9 billion.

Balsillie, 50, and Lazaridis, 50, have headed Waterloo, Ont.-based RIM together for the past two decades but investors lost patience with the pair in 2011 as the company dropped behind its peers in the lightning-paced smartphone market, suffering through the worst service outage in its history and losing tens of billions of dollars in market value.

Prominent among RIM’s disgruntled shareholders has been Vic Alboini, president and chief executive of merchant bank Jaguar Financial Corp. in Toronto. Alboini launched a campaign last year to have Balsillie and Lazaridis replaced or the company sold as is or in parts.

While Alboini had praised the two for their past work in putting RIM on the map, he pushed for a new leader and a strong independent chairman. Alboini and his supporters make up almost 10 per cent of RIM’s shareholders and he’s said that stake is expected to grow to about 20 per cent as they continue to push for major change.

“I agree this is the right time to pass the baton to new leadership, and I have complete confidence in Thorsten, the management team and the company,” Balsillie said in a statement.

“I remain a significant shareholder and a director and, of course, they will have my full support.”

RIM founder Lazaridis, who will shift from co-chair to vice-chair of RIM’s board, said the move is intended to “return the public’s focus to what is most important: the great company we have built, its iconic products, global brand and its talented employees.”

“Thorsten has demonstrated throughout his tenure at RIM that he has the right mix of leadership, relevant industry experience and skills to take the company forward. We have been impressed with his operational skills at both RIM and Siemens. I am so confident in RIM’s future that I intend to purchase an additional $50 million of the company’s shares, as permitted, in the open market.”

Heins joined RIM in 2007 and has worked as senior vice-president for hardware engineering and chief operating officer for product and sales.

Heins added that he was someone who would drive the company not only to reach new technical heights, but also to deliver new quality products on time.

“We have to get better at execution, but we’ve learned a lot going from when I joined RIM in 2007,”he said. “Never loose this innovation spirit but also make sure that once we say a product is defined that we move decisively into execution mode and get the product done in good quality, on time and also at good cost.”

Among other changes at the top of RIM, current director and former Toronto Stock Exchange CEO Barbara Stymiest will become independent board chairwoman and Fairfax Financial Holdings CEO Prem Watsa will join the board.

Though RIM is by no means at death’s door, it has fallen far behind its peers in the smartphone market.

Although RIM emerged in 1984, the modern-day BlackBerry was introduced to the world in 1998. Both the tech-savvy Lazaridis and the business-focused Balsillie were given credit for the company’s meteoric rise to the upper echelons of the smartphone market. The BlackBerry’s powerful Enterprise Server system — which quickly and efficiently routed messages, email and mobile calls — helped make it the No. 1 smartphone for businesses and governments around the world.

The addictive handheld device known to many as the “crackberry” has gained plaudits from around the world, and even U.S. president Barack Obama acknowledged he was glued to his BlackBerry during his election campaign.

At the beginning of 2011, RIM was in fine shape and gearing up to launch the PlayBook, its answer to Apple’s hugely successful iPad. But its spring rollout left critics largely unimpressed. From then on, the news for RIM was mostly bad.

The company announced that it will take a US$485-million charge before tax on the cost of discounting the price of its PlayBook tablet and $50 million in lost revenues from an October service outage that affected millions of BlackBerry email and text users. It was forced to cut 2,000 jobs to keep costs in line.

In December, RIM reported third-quarter net profits of US$265 million, well below the $911 million for the same period a year before. That came despite the sale of millions more BlackBerrys than in 2010 and a 35 per cent rise in global subscribers to 75 million.

RIM was further shackled by the delayed launch of a new generation of BlackBerrys — which some have seen as a potential ray of light for the company — from early to mid-2012 due to availability of the chipset that will power the new BlackBerry 10.

The Waterloo, Ont., company saw its stock market value fall from about $50 billion at the beginning of 2011 to about $7.6 billion by year’s end. Shares hit a low of $12.80 in 2011. They had hit a high of almost $140 in 2008.

The winter has arrived, and whether we live in a cold apartment, or work in an office where heating is no such thing, our friends at Future Shop and Canadian Tire have helped us bring some of the latest and greatest in heating technology.

As seen on CityLine on January 9th, 2012, here’s my segment on high-tech space heaters, car defrosters, and vacuums!

As always, you can re-watch previous episodes of CityLine on Citytv.com, or via the Citytv Video iPad/iPhone app!  CityLine airs 9am/4pm EST on Citytv in Toronto.  Check Citytv.com for air times in your city.

Show Notes:

HEATING SOLUTIONS AT HOME

Dyson Hot Air Multiplier Heater, $449.99, Future Shop

• Air Multiplier technology amplifies heat output to warm larger spaces, quickly, and at a further range
• The intelligent thermostat lets you select your ideal temperature to the exact degree
• Touch-tilt allows for pivoting on its own centre of gravity while tilting to direct heat exactly where you want
• Tip-over automatic cut out
• No visible heating elements -SAFE for KIDS
• Includes remote control

Noma Parabolic Heater, $59.99, Canadian Tire

• 2-heat setting: 400/800 W
• 2-hrs. timer, safety tipover switch
• These really work, and the parabolic aspect aims it out.

TECHNOLOGY IN THE CAR

Car Warmer with DeFogger, $29.99, Canadian Tire

• Peak car warmer with defogger is a 13A, 12V unit
• 6′ power cord with 12V adapter to power car
• Pop-out handle with ratcheted positions allows for easy directional defrosting

Programmable Car Warmer – $99.99, Canadian Tire

• Peak programmable car warmer
• Programmable feature allows user to set timer so that the car is warmed before the driver gets in
• 24-hour programmable on/off

Dyson Handheld Vacuum – $169.99, Future Shop

• As the winter progresses, the car gets dirty, kids spill food on the floors, and we can’t be bothered with lugging out the big vacuum.
• This Dyson allows you to get power, easily clean your car, even in the winter. It’s CORDLESS!
• Great for keeping in your garage, you can use it for a quick cleanup, and it’s great for in the house too!
• Captures debris using Root Cyclone technology, not a bag or filter that needs replacing
• Hygienic bin emptying; Just press the button to empty the dirt
• Recharges up to three times faster than others
• Dyson digital motor; More powerful and uses much less energy than conventional motors
• Includes crevice tool, and wide debris nozzle that converts to a brush tool for dusting

The truth is, I’ve always had a secret passion for food.  I’m often cruising through cook books, trying new restaurants, and discovering new cooking shows!  This CityLine blog has often been very technology-oriented, but living “The Digital Life” doesn’t always have to be “geeky.”

We live in a world of blogs, apps, smartphones, and there’s literally something for everyone!  In my online travels, I stumbled upon Andrew Dobson, a self-proclaimed “Professional Foodie,” based out of Toronto.  In the last installment of the five-part series I call “The Digital (Foodie) Life,”  I got the opportunity to chat with the founder of the dobbernationLOVESblog, and speak about the trend of video blogging, and how you can find the unknown gems of your own city.

Dobson says he’s constantly amazed and inspired by the work put out by some of the world’s top Food Stylists.  People eat with their eyes first, so having stellar food presentation is key when it comes to pleasing your dinner guests.

“I often find myself up late at night whisking myself through the eye popping images featured on Katie Quinn Davies food blog, “What Katie Ate.”  Following a Food Stylist’s blog rather than just a simple recipe encyclopedia website gets your creative juices flowing.”

On the blog, expert food stylists decompose a meal by showcasing how we are to serve it; what instruments we use to prepare each dish; and incorporate a suggested décor into the mix.

Dobson tells me that as a food and travel blogger who regularly finds himself developing his own recipes, he looks to Katie for inspiration in how to capture the essence of a dish in a way that tells a compelling and engaging story.

Next time you are looking for inspiration at the table, check out Katie Quinn Davies, and what she’s up to in her Sydney kitchen.  In the next – and last – installment of “The Digital (Foodie) Life,” we’ll take a look at “TasteSpotting.”

Have a question for the blog?  Send me an email, me@winstonsih.com, or send me a Tweet,@WinstonSih is the place to go!

Repost from CityLine.ca