For all your business needs, from laptops to luggage, here is a list of some of the top rated items in each class.

Let’s start with Laptops under $500. A few that made the top ten were the Dell Chromebook 11 with 16GB storage, which received 3.8 out of 5 stars, and the Asus Transformer Book with 64GB Solid-state, which received 4.0 out of 5 stars.

The Toshiba Chromebook, with 2GB Ram received 4.2 out of 5 stars, and the Acer Chromebook with 4GB got 4.4 stars.

Topping the list was the HP Chromebook 11 with Samsung Exynos 5250, which got 4.6 out of 5 stars.

The best of the Business laptops had 2 Lenovos in the top 5; The Lenovo Thinkpad and the Lenovo Y70 Touch, with 3.0 and 4.2 stars. The MacBook Pro 15 Inch  runs both the Apple and Windows operating systems, and came in with 4.4 stars, and the Macbook Pro 13 Inch was rated the best lightweight laptop on the market with unsurpassed viewing experience and received 4.6 stars.

Let’s move on to luggage. The 5 top rated brands of carry-on luggage for men were as follows. The DTravel Pro Crew 9 came in 5^th with 3.8 stars. It is 22” high and has single directional wheels. Coming in fourth was the Samsonite Dkx, 21: high and four multi directional spinner wheels. It received a 4.7.

Samsonite’s Aspire Sport sits 25” high and received a 4.0, putting it in third. The top two were both Delsey Helium. In second was the Helium Shadow, 25.2” high with a rotational wheel system and 4.2 stars, and coming in first was the Helium Aero, 25” high with four twin spinner, multi directional wheels and 4.6 stars.

Businessmen and women need to have an online presence. This can help your business immensely. Some useful sites to help you out are Facebook, Linkedin, a Twitter account, and even a Pinterest board, mostly for women.

For those who may not be aware of vlogging, it is where you mix together your video recording and your blogged article. With that said, here is a list of the best vlogging cameras to assist you, not surprisingly all made by Canon.

The Canon VIXIA got a 4.2 rating, and has specs of up to 1920 x 1080 Full HD, with an external mic jack and image stabilization. The Canon PowerShot S110 has the same specs, but no external mic jack or image stabilization, but still rated 4.3 stars.

Canon’s EOS Rebel boasts pretty much the same specs but rated 4.6 stars and the best seller label.

These tips should help your business run smoothly and keep you on top of things with the best tools for the job.

Categories: Lifestyle
Tags: lifestyle

For all of you who have spent years envying the co-worker or friend who is constantly on the go, traveling from country to country and seeing amazing sights, this may be your time to gloat. It turns out all that travel, in the long run, may actually be really bad for you.

A 15 year study done by the deputy director of research at the University of Surrey, Scott Cohen, has shown what may be disturbing to those who travel constantly. For starters, he claims that business travelers age faster. The exposure to constant jet lag can cause memory impairment, influence aging, and increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.

The amounts of radiation that you are exposed to are considerably higher than those who do not travel repeatedly. This radiation is hundreds of times higher when you are at high altitudes, than when you are on the ground. He also stated that in just seven flights a year from New York to Tokyo, and back, causes your body to exceed the limit for radiation exposure. Yikes!

Those who fly frequently have weaker immune systems due to the fact that everyone is breathing the same air on each flight. This causes you to be exposed to germs more often, and your immune systems can be confused or shut off due to the jet lag and constant running around.

Frequent travelers are less healthy and more prone to obesity since they don’t eat as many freshly prepared meals as they should. Face it…airline food is not that great to start with. Add the fact that it is drowned with sugar and salt so it will keep its taste at a higher altitude, and you have a poor diet in the making. Alcohol intake is higher for many, and reduced exercise can also take a toll on the body.

Not only will the body suffer, but the mind as well. Jet lag is a powerful thing that can mess with your mood, concentration and even judgment for up to six whole days. People stress when trying to prepare and pack successfully, stress throughout the airport, while traveling, after you land, etc. There is also often a feeling of loneliness among travelers who have to leave loved ones behind many times a week. All these issues can create some mental health problems in the long run.

Don’t give up on travel altogether. Just decide how you can change your ways and become less susceptible to all the problems listed above. Those who travel 14 days or more a month are the ones really at risk for some of these effects. If this is you and you have no way of changing that, try to work on changing what you can. Strive for only healthy meals while traveling, whether you bring your own with you or search out the healthier options along your route. Make it a point to only book hotels with gyms, or at least an exercise room. Be sure to walk around at the airport, don’t just sit still waiting.

Detour around the escalators and moving walkways, and choose stairs or just plain walking instead. Some airports have walking trails outside or even bike rentals so you can get in a workout while you wait.

If at all possible, try to teleconference and avoid making the trip at all. It can save you problems in the long run, and make for a happier, healthier you.

Categories: Lifestyle
Tags: lifestyle

In the past, the east coast of the United States was inhabited by Native Americans. What is now Massachusetts and Rhode Island was the home to the Wampanoag people and their tribes for over 12,000 years. Many European settlers visited this area way before the Mayflower arrived. The natives thrived here, and hunted, fished and harvested many crops for generations.

A group of English Protestants decided to break away from the church of England and moved to Holland, and eventually received funding to sail the Atlantic and settle in this new world they heard about.

101 men, women and children departed on a ship and spend 66 days at sea riding the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. They were headed for the area that is now New York City. The windy weather, however, caused them to stop prematurely in what is now known as Cape Cod.

These new settlers, called the Puritans, prepared for the long winter that lay ahead of them. They gathered what they could use for survival. Samoset and Squanto, from the Abenaki tribe visited with the settlers and spoke their language and helped them prepare for the coming cold weather. They helped them grow corn and fertilize their fields with fish. They became friends and in 1621 joined together to stay safe from other tribes.

Four settlers went hunting in the fall in search of food for the celebration of harvest. The Wampanoag people heard shots fired and thought there was trouble brewing. Their leader, Massasoit was alerted and brought with him 90 men to check on the English settlers and see if war was coming.

Upon their visit they found out the gunshots were only from hunting and gathering for the harvest. Massasoit also sent men to hunt for the feast. They all ate together the meal of corn, deer, shellfish and roasted meat. Today Americans feast on things like turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes and of course cranberry sauce. Most families end it off with pumpkin or apple pie.

Two years later in 1623, the first recorded Thanksgiving feast took place when the natives and settlers praised God for making it rain after having a drought for two months.

We all have pictures in our heads of Pilgrims with tall black hats, silver buckled shoes and black clothing, and of Native Americans with suede Indian clothing and feather headdresses. This is far from the truth of how they dressed. The clothing was colorful and bright, and they danced and sang and played games.

Thanksgiving as we know it today started in 1846 when Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor, wanted an annual national holiday. She realized that the harvest gathering of 1621 was incorrectly known as the first Thanksgiving.

Many years later in 1863 President Abraham Lincoln declared two national Thanksgivings. One was in the month of August, and it was in honor of the Battle of Gettysburg, the other was in November and it was to give thanks for general blessings.

Families today gather for a wonderful day of feasting, together time and games. Many families enjoy the traditional Macy’s Day Parade to start the day, and board games, outside activities or movies after the feast is over.

Categories: Lifestyle
Tags: lifestyle

If you haven’t heard of the Apple Watch, you might want to check it out. Yes, it will run you about $350 or more, depending where you purchase it, but in the long run it can help you out tremendously if you travel frequently.

For starters, it has an auto time zone adjustment. Even the most expensive of watches can’t provide you with this feature. Don’t worry about trying to figure out the time at your destination. The Apple watch will automatically do that for you.

There is a built-in Microsoft translator to help you translate words and phrases from 50 different languages. Select the language you need, speak your phrase and the translation will appear, along with an audio for you to hear.

The American Airlines app will help you get to your flight on time with a handy reminder and also allow you to check in for your flight with just your watch. You will get updates while in-flight, such as time left, where you are and which baggage claim to head to when you land.

The Passbook app is awesome as well, and will store your boarding passes and tickets and let you know when it is time to use them. Starwood Hotels even offers an app that will let you check in as you enter the lobby, get your room number sent directly to you, and allow you to enter your room just by passing the watch in front of your door lock. How cool is that?

The TripAdvisor app is the perfect companion for learning all about your surroundings at your destination. Find out what attractions, hotels and restaurants are close by. Get some helpful recommendations for what’s the best or closest place for dinner or a show. You can also save your favorites to a list for next time.

The Maps app will help you navigate through the streets of your chosen city without looking like a tourist while staring at your watch trying to find out where to go. The watch sends gentle vibrations to let you know which way you need to turn to get where you are going.

If you need help preparing for your trip, Travel List will help you pack. Well, not literally, but they will give you a list that will help you get the job done quickly and efficiently. They will remind you of those last minute things you may forget like chargers or toothbrushes. The app is $1.99, but worth it in the long run if you tend to forget things while packing or hate making lists.

Keep fit while traveling with the Activity App. This app has an accelerometer to track the movements of your body, and a sensor that will measure the intensity by way of your heartbeat. The GPS will help record the distance you travel, and provide you with several charts to check the calories you have burned etc. You will be reminded if you haven’t done enough activity for the day and even get reminders to stand and stretch occasionally.

There are plenty of other apps the watch has available, such as Instagram, Evernote, Expedia, PayByPhone Parking, Open Table and much more available for you to download to make this your best traveling companion.

Categories: Lifestyle
Tags: lifestyle

The DOT has bad news for all you smokers out there. Well at least the smokers who use e-cigarettes and other similar devices. On October 26, 2015 the Department of Transportation announced that airline passenger and members of the crew can no longer bring their battery powered portable electronic cigarettes with them. Items such as e-cigs, e-cigars, e-pipes, personal vaporizers and the like are banned from being in your luggage.

Officials state that there have been recent incidents of e-cigarettes checked in bags can catch fire during flight. Anything that may pose as a possible hazard or threat during flight must be eliminated.

The Department of Transportation states there were more than two dozen e-cigarette related incidents since 2009 which caused explosions or fires, and some of these were in the check baggage which was on the flight.

Bostons’s Logan Airport had a bag catch fire and cause the plane to evacuate in August of 2014, and Los Angeles International Airport had a late arrival of a checked bag that caught on fire when an e-cigarette in the bag overheated.

The DOT has stated in the past that the rule, which bans the smoking of any tobacco products on passenger flights also included electronic cigarettes, they are not proposing to amend the rule to specifically name e-cigarettes in that rule.

Passengers may continue to carry e-cigs in their carry-on bags or even in their pockets, but they are not allowed to actually use the devices during flight or charge them.

This new ruling to ban these items from checked baggage is stated to go into effect within the next two weeks.

Categories: Lifestyle
Tags: lifestyle

Ride-hailing has become the new form of transportation for many individuals. Business travelers have started using this mode of travel more than others. So what is ride-hailing anyway?

Well in the past, you stood at a taxi-stand and hailed a taxi, sometimes having to wait for some time before one was available to you. You then got to your destination, had to dig out the amount due, sometimes not having enough cash on hand, or not the correct amount only to find out that your taxi didn’t take credit, and ended up paying too much with no way of getting change back.

You other option for transport is to rent your own personal car. This can sometimes be more hassle than it is worth.

This is all in the past with ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft. With these services you simply alert your app that you need a ride and a designated driver will come to your location and pick you up. It’s that simple. When it comes time to pay, they will just charge your card on file. No tip needed, no fumbling for exact change.

Studies show that ride-hailing services have taken over taxis by a great margin in being the leading mode of ground transportation for business travelers.

The services are now making their way into rental car territory as well, and have already become more popular in San Francisco and Boston.

However, there are downsides to the whole ride-hailing concept. Taxi drivers have to pass extreme standards to be able to operate their vehicles on a daily basis. Uber drivers, for example, are not always regulated by government taxi licensing authorities. Though some of the drivers work for car service companies, others are driving their personal cars to make some extra money on the side.

The larger airport shuttle companies or limousines carry insurance, however the individuals working on the side don’t always have that insurance.

There is also the point of background checks and safety. It has been stated that the drivers are not properly screened for clean criminal records and such.

Be that as it may, ride-hailing is making a big move on the transportation grid, especially with business travelers. It is pretty handy to exit your business meeting and have a car pick you up no matter where you are. No time wasted looking for a taxi stand or getting your rental car.

The future will tell if ride-hailing is here to stay or if it is just a new and exciting trend.

Categories: Lifestyle
Tags: lifestyle

Halloween is a spooky time of year…either you are into the whole thing or you are not. For those who are, and want to bring the atmosphere into the workplace, go for it! As long as you aren’t breaking any office rules or going against any guidelines, make the most of the holiday.

There are some, however, who get carried away no matter what the time of year. Perhaps you choose a costume that is a bit too risqué for the office. Or maybe your definition of scary is a little bit beyond what others can tolerate.

Here are a few tips on keeping it fun for everyone involved, and for keeping yourself from being “that” person for years to come.

Announce ahead of time that the office will be doing something festive for Halloween. Maybe everyone can do some decorating, or bring in something to make the workplace seem into the “spirit” of things. But try to remember that not everyone enjoys the same level of fright. Keep in mind your normal office rules, and play it by ear. For instance a bloody gory half of a leg sticking out of your desk drawer might offend or scare people a little too much. (Save that for the trick or treaters who will stop by your house.)

There are literally thousands of decorations, homemade or store bought, that will darken your hallways without offending anyone present.

When it comes to costume time, think twice before you become the naughty French maid or throw on your Tarzan loin cloth. Decency rules will still apply in the workplace, as will dress codes.

You want to be sure not to offend anyone personally, perhaps by wearing something that will degrade their ethnicity, or otherwise hurt someone’s feelings.

You also have to think about your daily tasks. Be sure that whatever you choose to wear, it won’t hinder your ability to perform your chores. Think about how others will see you in case you have to meet with a last minute client or something of that matter.

You will also want to make sure that the majority of the workplace wants to celebrate, decorate, or dress up. Or you will definitely stick out like a sore thumb.

Also, if alcohol is involved, be sure to keep it light and don’t get out of hand. You may regret it in the future, especially with today’s social media.

Take charge of the days snacks and make it a fun time. There are so many awesome Halloween treats you can make for the party, some easy and some a little more challenging. But if you are into it, the preparation is just as fun as serving them!

Follow these tips and have a spooky fun work day!

Categories: Lifestyle
Tags: lifestyle

San Diego is the perfect place to live for many reasons. Not only do you have the Pacific coast, but the beautiful climate and awesome temperatures as well. There are plenty of beaches, and the weather is sunny almost every day. Enough, at least, to earn it the title of one of the sunniest cities in the US!

San Diego is located about 120 miles south of Los Angeles and ranks second largest in the state. You can enjoy all the big city perks, but with a more relaxed atmosphere.

San Diego was the first permanent Spanish settlement in California, and home to many missions. Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala was the first church in the state. It is also home to many museums, cultural places and so much more. The San Diego Zoo is one of the most famous zoos in the country, even worldwide. It hosts over 3.2 million visitors every year. Located in Balboa Park, the zoo is one of many attractions Balboa Park has to offer. The year 2015 marks the 100^th anniversary for the park.

San Diego Bay is also a busy area, first and foremost for being the port of the US Navy’s Pacific Fleet. You can find the University of California San Diego here, and also the biotech industry, which is expanding with leaps and bounds.

San Diego is located only 20 miles from the border of Mexico, which makes much of the community of San Diego of Latino descent. Much of the city went through a face-lift of sorts, and has been renovated and restored. Areas like the Gaslamp Quarter and the Central Library located in East Village have taken on a fresh new look.

There are many different areas in which to choose your home in San Diego. Downtown includes the Marina district, the East Village, and Gaslamp Quarter which has fantastic night life. North Park and South Park, Hillcrest and University Heights are close to Balboa Park and downtown, and are great for walking around town, have delicious restaurants and showcase some beautiful older homes, which add style to the city. The public transportation is also a big plus.

La Jolla is north of the city, and is a beachy area with art galleries and plenty of boutiques for shopping. The houses are expensive and spacious. Other areas worth checking out for residence are Del Mar, Poway and Carmel Valley. Chula Vista is located to the south of San Diego and is another great place to reside.

If you plan a day trip or weekend getaway there’s plenty to see. Palm Springs and Palm Desert are located 125 miles away and offer plenty of golf and beautiful architecture.

60 miles to the east you will find Julian. This historic city used to be a gold mining town, but is still a popular stop for many. Enjoy the colors of fall, or take in some skiing in the winter months. Big Bear and Mountain High are great places for skiers, snowboarders or just some winter fun. If you feeling like taking a weekend flight you can get to Hawaii or New York in only six hours, and London is only 11 hours away!

Categories: Blog, Lifestyle
Tags: lifestyle