A Toast to German Beer

As the world's most popular sport tournament bids farewell leaving millions of brokenhearted fans worldwide in its wake, perhaps it's but a fitting gesture that we feature something from Germany, the 2014 FIFA World Cup champion. And if there was one drink that has made the Central European nation the center of our known universe, it's none other than beer.

Everyone - or at least most - will agree that no team shone brighter and delivered football finesse more than the glorious 11-man squad led by Philipp Lahm from one and united Deutschland. And as the strength of their collective will catapulted them to the top even with a bloodied and bruised Schweinsteiger, the golden trophy was well-deserved, truly. Of course, the hero in football superstar Messi may disagree. But the scores say it all.

And what better way to celebrate the German squad's tiki-taka global dominance than with a cold German beer, the best the Oktoberfest nation can offer. Here's how to differentiate one bubbly concoction from the other.

1.)    Pilsner

Named after their city of origin, Plzeň in Bohemia, Czech Republic , and this concoction has been brewed since the 13th century.  Don’t be surprised, due to the German Purity Law or Reinheinsgebot, majority of the German beer market is composed mostly of German style pilsners, be it locally or internationally – mostly a German pale lager.

Pilsners German-style exude a light golden color and carry a mild hop aroma. Compared to commercial lagers, these are maltier and more earthly and would boast of being hoppier than the Czech-style pilsners.

Examples: Bitburger Premium Pils, RadebergerPilsner,Jever, RothausTannenzäpfle, Warsteiner, Heineken, Löwenbräu

2.)    Kolsch

This style originated from the city of Köln (Cologne) in Western Germany way back in the 9th century. It’s processed initially via top-fermentation utilizing ale yeasts. Subsequently, these are lagered or cold-conditioned resulting in a sweet malt character with a distinctively-pronounced fruit and yeast flavors.

You’d easily spot Kolsch beers with its golden straw color and it’s slightly less hoppy taste in comparison to German style pale lagers. Word of caution: Kolsch Convention states these beer cannot be brewed anywhere else but in the Cologne region. Many Kolsch-style beer, however, have been produced internationally.

Examples: ReissdorfKölsch, GaffelKölsch, KüppersKölsch, SionKölsch, Captain Lawrence Captain's Kölsch (US), Harpoon Summer Beer (US)

3.)    Helles

From the German word hell meaning ‘pale’, Helles is another popular method of brewing pale lager in the Deutschland. Traditionally  a Bavarian golden lager, pale beers caught on in 19th century    England transforming Munich breweries mainly into Helles-producer instead of using the usual Dunkelbier brewing method.

Also straw-colored, Helles carry a medium-bodied taste and are fermented utilizing bottom-fermenting lager yeasts.

Examples: ReissdorfKölsch, GaffelKölsch, KüppersKölsch, SionKölsch, Captain Lawrence Captain's Kölsch (US), Harpoon Summer Beer (US)

4.)    Bock

Now for a larger grouping of beers: Bock. This includes such famous sub-groups as eibock, doppelbock, maibock and hellerbock. One distinct characteristic of Bock beers are their orange-gold to brown color with typically over 6% ABV. These are a strong breed, lightly hopped amber lagers. To balance the additional malt, enough hops are added resulting in a character of distinctively caramel and malt backbone.

Of the group, Maibocks and heller bocks display a lighter color carrying a more pronounced hop aroma. Doppelbocks are a notch stronger with 7% to 12% ABV. Of this crowd, eisbocks stand the strongest ranging from 8% to 13% with further refinement in the water removal process creating a more potent alcohol content.

Examples: Einbecker Mai-Ur-Bock (maibock), ErdingerPikantus (dunkel bock), AugustinerMaximator (doppelbock), EKU 28 (doppelbock), SmuttynoseMaibock (US)
Einbecker Mai-Ur-Bock, ErdingerPikantus

5.)    Weissbier

Another popular beer concoction also known as hefeweizen, Weissbier is brewed using mainly wheat in addition to barley malt fermented with top-fermenting yeast. Traditionally, this blend is one of the preferred styles of beer brewed in Bavaria during the Reinheitsgebot. Its name meaning “white beer” is derived from its color which usually runs from straw yellow to white due to its unfiltered nature.

Though many international variation exists (e.g., Belgian witbiers brewed with orange zest and coriander) Bavarian weissbier has fruity aromas, characteristically a combination of banana and clove.

Examples: ErdingerWeissbier, Schneider Weisse, WeihenstephanerHefeWeissbier, OettingerHefeweissbierNaturtrüb, AyingerBrau-Weisse

6.)    Dunkelbier

Once the dominant style of lager beer in Bavaria, it has since been eclipsed by helles. Its name originates from the German word meaning “dark” due to its typically dark colors, which could range from reddish hue to brown. One distinction is that Dunkelbiers are usually sweeter than Helles.

Examples: WeihenstephanerHefeweissbierDunkel, ErdingerDunkel, KneitingerDunkel Export, OechsnerSchwarzbier

With all that knowledge, you’re ready than ever to start the celebrations. Just make sure you secure the place, putting all electronic in a safety zone, an iTablet in its iPad mini keyboard case for instance. Before all the alcohol makes the world spin a little bit faster than usual.

5 Better Alternatives to PowerPoint

Ok. If you’re banking on PowerPoint to back you up for your laser-controlled presentation, then you may have to realign your thinking. Drastically. There’s no need to put your audience to more of the same. No kidding.

Yes, no offense to PowerPoint and its makers. It certainly gave us its own version of a nifty and useful audience tool. For some time there. But increasingly, it has leaned towards the boring, almost like eggs for breakfast: predictable and commonplace.

As a presenter, you need not suffer the agony of watching most of your audience give you blank stares and a number of unscheduled yawns. You deserve better. The train of thought should be fluid, encountering less bumps, so to speak. Much like the ease of writing on an i-tablet using an iPad mini keyboard. Below are 5 apps that should fire up your presentation like never before:

1.Emaze

An Emaze presentation is quite simply, amazing. If you’re looking for out-of-this-world templates, this app could be your best bet. You could run something like it’s from a news article or pull out the likes of a brandishing new TV commercial. And more importantly, it’s easy for newbies to learn the ropes via a tutorial as the ins and outs of creating an honest-to-goodness jaw-dropping presentation is revealed. A feature many other programs fail to deliver.

Added to this, you can password protect your presentation so making it safe from unscrupulous hands. Also, you get to have the chance to invite other collaborators via email to sharpen your planned presentation. And when it’s all ready to roll, share it in your fave social media network, FB, Twitter to name a few.
2.Hakiu Deck
For its approach, it’s easy to conclude Hakiu Deck is the Instagram of presentations. This is very much evident in the ease by which any would-be presenter can insert needed text and pictures into the visual ensemble. And the UI for this app is going to blow you away. Truly easy to navigate. And get it on your handheld iPhone or use it over the PC. NP.

Once your presentation is set, you can make your new “deck” public, restricted or downright private. And share it over your fave social media (e.g., Google+, FB) or if you choose to produce an equivalent PDF file or a PowerPoint one for the traditionals. Because of its multi-faceted nature, Haiku is increasingly becoming the go-to app for ravishing presentations.

3. PowToon

If you don’t want to follow a common road and give an “out-of-the-box” presentation, PowToon may serve your purpose best.  In its essence, this app is a video animation software that adeptly enhances your creative juices bringing it to the fore. With PowToon you get to come out with animated videos that are oozing with excitement and interest - to the brim.

There’s no need to be techie about it. PowToon is easy to use it’s free as long as your videos last but 5 minutes. For a more sturdy, longer version you can get the app for a one-time yearly fee.

4. Prezi

Prezi is a prize catch. Especially if you want your presentation to be highly-engaging and most dynamic.Which should ring true for most of us.

What sets Prezi apart is its unique approach to presentation. Instead of the usual “creating slides” thing you get to have one single canvas that holds all your content. Once the browser is set to motion, the first item in your canvas gets zoomed into and displayed. Then on to the next. 

No need to worry about a complex operation though. Though Prezi sounds off-beat its definitely a one-two punch for not-so-tech-savvy users. With this app,  you get attention-grabbing presentation for free with 100MB storage. A few dollars and you get extra storage plus the chance to make your presentation private.
5. Knovio

This one may well be on top of this list. Not only is this program easy-to-use, you get to breathe life into your presentations with the addition of audio and video. In fact, this can be used to elevate your usual PowerPoint slides and turn them into mighty packs of energy that will touch your audience like no other - whether in business or for personal use. And if you want to, get to share the good news via social media or e-mail. Just like that.

Best 5 Apps for Making Movies on a Smart Phone

Every year, without fail, a stunning series of movies continually capture our imagination like no other. Leaving us awestruck and dumbfounded by their sheer drawing prowess. And yet, there is a way that each of us - and even young children - can actually carve a path towards making a movie. Via a smartphone and given the right apps.

Yes, be it an iOS or an Android device, an iPad comfortably sitting on its sleek iPad keyboard case or the latest tablet fresh from the creative minds of Samsung HQ, your path towards spinning a wonderful tale in movie-form could be closer than you think.  Not only is this technology powerful enough in making and editing videos, these apps are easy to use. And for children taking their baby steps towards writing and planning a sequential story, these fits to a T.

Here are 5 of the best.

Andromedia Video Editor (Android: Free)

Enthusiasts can get videos stored in their Android device edited with this amazing app, Andromedia Video Editor. So you get to crop video, put some organization into your clips and even go as far as introduce the “Ken Burns” filming technique. Additionally, you can have your audio edited or record a needed narration via a microphone should you choose to. When everything’s all set, you can then share your finished products on multiple platforms. Cool!

iMovie (iOS: $4.99)

This one’s bound to appeal to the “Steven Spielberg” in you as a student of the craft. Using this power-packed app, you can have your videos edited creating feature films and trailers that’s going to be as Hollywood as you can get with a ready-to-go themes and templates built-in . So you get to factor in those titles, introduce transitions and get the music going. With a variety of camera tricks at your disposal (e.g., slow motion, panning), you’d certainly are a step closer to serious filmmaking and could be making your directorial debut in no time.

Magisto Video Editor & Maker (Android: Free)

Here’s another wonderful option to enhance your movie-making skills. Magisto lets you shoot and edit video utilizing the app so you can create your desired movie right from within the app. Just get down to your still images and videos and subsequently choose your best theme and music. Magisto gets all those choices in the mix in a jiffy. If you want to have your obra maestra saved, then just create an account and voila.
PicPlayPost (iOS: $1.99)

For making everything all seems child’s play, PicPlayPost is at the front seat in honing your directorial skills. What makes this app stand out is it allows you to combine your stills with your videos into one shared frame, a feature not available in most of the apps in this list. Using but a screen tap you can choose to play videos simultaneously or sequentially. A truly unique tool. You can then manipulate the frame to your liking. Add some music and you’re good to go.

iMotion HD (iOS: Free, Upgrade Available)

This app allows you to make stop-motion or time-lapse films. And quite easily, this is a favorite for kids learning the ropes of the trade. Also, you can make a movie by combining still photos one after the other. Imagine the good things that you could generate because of the versatility of this movie app. Think about capturing a sunset frame by frame or making a movie out of photographed puppets. And when you want to get the most out of it, getting music for instance, you can choose to upgrade. Heck, that will allow you to post your work directly to YouTube.

How to Shop Online Without a Credit Card

Yes, we understand, it may surprise you. But as ambitious as it sounds, there are definitely ways for you to make the most of an online purchase without resorting to the services of a credit card. Or is it more aptly called a disservice for some.

For consumers - which means virtually all of us - credit cards are like a two-edged Damocle’s sword. Sure, you may be jumping for joy when you get your plastic as it can be a glorious means to get the goods you need; on the down side, that boon can also turn into a sinkhole, siphoning your hard-earned cash and burying you in debt in the process. Then, you’d come to realize how did you ever got hooked into one.

So if you’re bent into buying some goods online, giving your i-tablet an elegant iPad keyboard case perhaps, without employing your plastic, read on.

Before we move forward, a caveat: Your ATM and your credit card are not that different after all since both carry a 16-digit number. Technically, your ATM is a debit card. So you can use it to purchase if cash is available. That is both an advantage and a disadvantage. If a con man gets your ATM number and pwd details, you’d be out of cash before sun down. Not so with a credit card, since you could still refute suspicious charges in your monthly bill.

Option 1: Secondary Account

Go to your bank and ask them to set up a secondary account for you specifically for online purchases. Make sure to keep only a small account in that particular account for better handling. Also, inform your banker to cut overdraft protection. This ensures money does not flow from your main account to your newly-set up one.

Option 2: Paypal

Though this global service is offered in many establishments, Paypal can give you a debit card that can be used for online purchases. To activate, you need to sign up for a Paypal account which needs but a legit email address. Yeah, it’s that simple. Most financial institutions can transact via Paypal and money can be forwarded to your account.

Option #3: Gift Cards

Yes, no kidding. You can even buy them the old-fashioned way using cash from many brick-and-mortar stores.

For instance, you could drop by at a local Safeway and pick up gift cards for major e-retailers (e.g., Barnes & Nobles, Amazon, Hulu Plus, Ebay). Mostly within the $20 to $500 denomination, you could use them to buy online. With a distinct advantage: you’re free from the dangers of splurging.

TOP WEDDING PLANNER APPS

If you are into the wedding planning business or is planning your sister’s wedding or for that matter your very own, these iPad apps could give you a lift like no other.
It’s easy to go the traditional way and do things without the use of technology. Don’t get me wrong,  the usual planning methods are still going to give you spectacular results. But just like the iPad mini keyboard case to the iPad, these apps could cut your down time in half.

1. Eversnap (Android, iOS, Free)

No need to create too much fuss about your wedding photos and how to let your best buddies enjoy them after the wedding. Eversnap will take care of that for you. Just get that photo album ready and invite your circle of friends via SMS or email and you’re good to go.

2. Wedding Plandroid (Android, Free)
This one’s truly comprehensive, it’s heaven-sent. From managing your budget to getting those needed vendors, this app will help put organization right where you need it.

3. Royal Caribbean International (Android, iOS, Free)

Take the hassle of planning a honeymoon off your shoulder. Make the most of Royal Caribbean and set yourself to the cruise of your life.

4. Bed Bath & Beyond (iOS, Free)

Fear you may not be able to keep up with  your wedding gift and registry. Then, here’s one you should employ - Bed Bath & Beyond. Browse through thousands of options and make your memory count.

5.Pinterest (Android, iOS, Free)

Inspiration may be a hard thing to come by when the pressure seems boiling you down. Well, with Pinterest, ideas could be flying in no time. The best thing is you could as easily share these to your circe by pinning your faves.

6.DavidTutera Live - My Dream Wedding (iOS, Free)

If you haven’t heard of David Tutera, it’s high time you should, now that you’re facing a wedding - be it yours or your friend’s. And get you closer to the wedding of your dreams.

7. Wedding Wire (Android, iOS, Free)

The Wedding Wire is such a comprehensive app, it’s hard to imagine getting married without giving it a peek. With tons of local wedding professionals, reviews and vital input (e.g., galleries for dresses, jewelry, invites), you get to fill those unseen gaps in your wedding planning in no time.

8.David’s Bridal (Android, Free)

Still fidgety over your dress? Stop worrying and get your dream dress David’s Bridal. Complete with stunningly beautiful gowns, dresses and accessories, you’d be surprise at how easily your choice will dawn on you. Plus, you get an expert consultant to put your choice down to your best shot.

9. Wedding Countdown Widget (Android, iOS, Free)

Here’s putting things in perspective. Wedding Countdown gives you the exact number of time to your walk in the aisle, counting down the hours, minutes and seconds to its most precise value. This could be very helpful once shared with your wedding planner team.

10.The Knot Ultimate Wedding Planner (iOS, Free)

For functionality, this app could be in the running for the best app in the list. The big advantage is you get to access your wedding planning details right when you need it - anytime, anywhere. Meaning you get to stay in tip top shape and manage your hard-earned cash with an easy-to-use budget tool.

Top 10 Apps for the Blind

Thanks to the magic of touchscreen and Voice Over, iOS-powerd devices (iPhone & iPad) are fave goto-devices for the blind and the vision-impaired. Perhaps  a little more than most technologies available on the market today - at the given the price. Making another strong case for the visionary in the late Steve Jobs. 

However, if you’re scouring iTunes for the best app for the vision-challenged, you may be walking into a surprise as there are hundreds of them, if not thousands in store. To cut to the chase, here are 10 of the best.

For a better feel, we strongly recommend you have your i-tablet propped on a dependable iPad mini keyboard.

1. Sendero LookAround

This one helps you explore the world outside when you’re out and about. With Sendero, you get to choose from the “Lookaround” button, “Nearest Cross Street” button. Additionally, you can get the nearest 5 points of interest (ATM’s, restaurant or entertainment) and program the app to say the location detailing the street or shake the phone in a figure eight for a compass direction. 

2. Google Translate

Best for conversation to just about any citizen from all over the world. With its capacity to give translations to just about any language and voice over and speech to text program, you can be enjoying the fun part of a conversation without any language barriers. Google Translate have your back and the best part is it’s for free.

3. Papa Sangre

Who says you can’t have fun haven’t met Papa Sangre! Here’s an audio-only horror adventure that’s bound to give you the entertainment you need ushering in a new era of exciting audio games for the blind and the vision-impaired. 

4. Dragon Dictate

With a proprietary speech recognition software, Dragon Dictate is a treasure find helping you put your spoken words into writing. With this app, writing a book may not be that far off.

5. Audible.com

Being blind should not condemn you from a book-less life. Thanks to Audible you can play any Amazon-bought audiobooks or from iTunes Store. With stellar features (e.g.,voiceover, chapter selection, speed controls), you’ll easily fall in love with this app - in no time.

6. Learning Ally

Formerly Recording for the Blind and & Dyslexic is an app that is designed specifically for the sight-impaired with the aim of giving access to thousands of learning books - from kindergarten to post-graduate. And with more than 80,000 titles available, all that one needs is to present a certificate of disability and the treasure’s all yours for personal pleasure and perusal.

7. Digit Eyes Audio Labeler

Digit-eyes is a remarkable AT (assistive technology) app for the blind and the visually-impaired. Via a built-in camera, it identifies UPC and EAN codes found in most every product today. Searching its database, it reads the results to you. Of course, you would need internet to access database which could be expanded to include Google. The best function this app can give you, however, is creating text labels which can then be printed and stuck to your everyday things for easy sorting and ID.

8. BlindSquare

This is like having a walking companion with you though for starters this may cost you a burger or two. Using GPS and Wi-Fi this app locates you and with the help of FourSquare finds people or places of interest nearby. 

9. TapTapSee

Like a virtual third eye, this app allows sight-challenged people to see the world around. With a simple double-tap onscreen, a photo is taken then uploaded to its servers for subsequent processing. After a second or two, a voiceover assistant details things around (e.g., keyboard on white desk and glass mug). Smart!

10. iBlink Radio

This app’s tailored specifically for the needs and wants of the blind community and usher in the world of radio stations complete with reading services and podcasts as wide as any - technology, economics, travel, music and a lot more. 

How to Keep Your iOS and Android Data Synced

With all the bad blood going on between iOS loyalists and Android fanatics, it’s easy to think these two camps are out to start WW III. Practicality dictates otherwise, however. Especially when you’re in the office or out with a friend. The difference in phone/tablet architecture should not be a stumbling block in your office effectivity or to your dwindling social life, for that matter.

Apparently, one of the immediate grounds of concern is data sync ability. For instance, it would be a lot easier for you to finish on a word document coming from your iPad-wielding boss if you just can edit it on your Samsung Galaxy Note.

To note, syncing from one Cupertino-made device to the other, is not an issue with iCloud. Nor is it on the other side of the fence, from one Android gadget to the other. However, full integration between these two giant ecosystems still leaves a lot to be desired and may take years - if at all.

But this is not a hopeless case (though getting irritated may not be a surprise), here are some tricks and treats that should get you started in that direction. 

Basics: Email, Contacts, Calendar

In any business or friendship, contacts is most essential. There are various ways to keep your contacts together even on different devices.

One way is to utilize an account that is powered by Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync. Outlook.com,used to be hotmail.com, is capable of replicating contact data and make them available across multiple devices. Not much of a problem for iOS, importing these data into the right designated area (e.g., calendar, contacts, stock mail).

What may be a little challenging is with Android. Although the Google world is supportive of ActiveSync. You may have to make do. Use the feature slim email app, for instance or maximize a 3rd-party alternative choice found in the Play Store - like Touchdown,     for instance.

When you talk about Android to iOS, the set-up’s slightly different. Android devices gets all integrated via a Google account as many users will know. So setting up your Google credentials in your devices via your Gmail account ensures data connectivity between these electronic gadgets, be it a tablet, a smartphone or something in between (phablet).

However, getting your Google account connected unto that fave iPad on its iPad mini keyboard case gets a little bumpy. CalDAV and cardDAV are your best bet to migrate contacts and calendars. For the more sophisticated Google accounts however, be it Business, Education or Government you will have to utilize Google Sync to facilitate the exchange.

More Productivity

For starters, use Google Drive for data-syncing. Though the iPad version is still not as robust as the original app in terms of sophistication and features, the gap is closing fast. With that said, it would be easy to work on cross-platform devices with this cloud-based app, Google Drive.

Another alternative is to use other popular cloud-based services (e.g. Dropbox, Box). Just save your Office or other word files in these internet-based services. With these, at least getting your documents read is not a problem whether you’re utilizing an iOS or an Android-based device.

And if you want to some editing which is most likely, installing Quickoffice and Documents to Go are great choices. These two apps will work in across both OS platforms, allowing you greater latitude in work.

Increasingly, there are more and more apps that can be utilized in both giant ecosystems, Android and iOS. It seems that this is becoming some sort of a trend. You may have to dig a little deeper to find these cross-platform tools but it’s a small price to pay.