Curious about how much your gadgets cost you not only while using them but while they are idle? Check out mygreenelectronics.org and plug in your usage to their energy calculator. Leaving my computer on 24 hours a day costs me over $20 per year; keeping my DVD player on but idle costs me almost $10 per year. May not seem like much, but certainly adds up over time.

Mygreenelectronics.org also provides great resources to find local gadget recycling in your area by entering your zip code into their “Find Recycling” Section. They also offer some helpful tips to help you weigh the pros and cons of going green:

1. What does it mean to buy "green"?

Consumer electronics, as a whole, are more eco-friendly than ever. Today, virtually every product on the shelf contains fewer chemicals, is more energy efficient, and is easier to recycle, repair and upgrade. Many manufacturers have developed green electronics lines. These products go the extra mile to contain fewer chemicals and are more energy efficient. In order to be labeled green, a product must meet a stringent checklist of criteria. There are hundreds of green electronics from plasma TVs and computers to MP3 players and cameras.

2. Do I have to sacrifice sleek design to buy green?

Are eco-friendly designs boring? No way! Green product lines are just as sleek and high-performing as other products, but they come with the added benefit of being environmentally-friendly.

3. Do green electronics cost more?

No, green products are priced no differently than regular lines, though they are a bit more expensive to produce.

Thanks to the Consumer Electronics Association's mygreenelectronics.org.

Only a few hours are left until Black Friday and at this point nearly all the adscans have been posted. It’s time to strategize to make sure you get the best deals. Some tips to make sure you make the most of the sales:

2-Divide and conquer. Once you know the deals you want and where you want them, no need to do each one individually and miss out. Assign stores to different people and you each walk away with the best deals.

3-Use your SmartPhone. If you have a phone that can surf the web, make sure you have sites such as Amazon.com, Buy.com and Pricegrabber.com bookmarked. When you see a deal you like in a store, do a quick search to make sure it is the best deal available. If not, you have an instant comparison tool to show the retailer to argue for price matching so you don’t have to waste time going someplace else.

3-Shop Online. If the thought of waiting in line before your turkey sandwich from the night before has fully digested, stay in the comfort of your home and find the deals online. Many retailers like Costco will offer special online deals not offered in stores. These deals are often included on the adscans already released.

4-Preplan your online strategy. Make getting the deals easy on you by doing a little advance work. One of my favorite tricks is to put the product in my online shopping cart and log out before purchasing. This way my credit card information is already in place, the product is already selected so no need to waste time finding it and all I have to do is hit “submit” when the deal starts.

5-Know When to Fold ‘Em. Understand that Black Friday is not your only option for holiday shopping and while there are great deals to be had there are several restrictions. Quantity is very limited, there are typically no rainchecks and sometimes no refunds. It is somewhat of a risk, but no one knows how this holiday season will go with the economic environment. If sales are not where retailers forecast for Black Friday, anticipate further price drops.

Whether you like the craze of fighting with other shoppers in the early morning hours, or prefer to shop from home in your bed, the best advice is to be organized. A little advanced planning will make the process easier on you and your pocketbook.

This time last year we celebrated a very special birthday. The day after Thanksgiving we headed west to celebrate my niece’s second birthday.  Although it wasn’t something that was talked about, we knew there was a chance this would be Hailey’s last birthday. Sadly, on February 20, 2009 beautiful Hailey Lynn Serfoss lost her battle with Mitochondrial Disease.

Every thirty minutes a child is born who will develop a mitochondrial disease by the age of 10. This Thanksgiving, as you celebrate all you have to be thankful for, I encourage you to take a moment to find out more about this disease and how we can help other children continue to celebrate happy, healthy birthdays for years to come.

Find out more about Mitochondrial Disease from UMDF.org:

• What Is Mitochondrial Disease?
• Mito FAQ’s
• Helpful Resources

Find out more about how you can help:

• Donate (be sure to ask your HR department about matching gifts)
• Encourage the support of legislation to promote research
• Shop with iGive.com

I am thankful every single day to have known Hailey and the memory of her always brings a smile to my face.  Please join me in celebrating her memory by making a difference in the lives of othes.

You can read more about her story at helphailey.org.

The holidays can be stressful to many of us, especially if we are traveling. On your way out of town, here are some must have essentials to keep everyone happy.

1-Cafe Chic Espresso Maker-$139.99
If you cannot live without your morning Starbucks and your family appreciates you more after you have some caffeine in your system, this is a great hostess gift you can benefit from as it makes Gourmet Espresso, Cappuccino, Mocha and Latte.

2. Coby Portably DVD Player-$89.99
If you will be the road with children (or anyone who acts like a child) a portable DVD player is essential. With a 7” inch screen and easy to use functionality, it is a perfect size for a little one in the back seat. It comes with an AC adapter, car adapter and rechargeable battery.

3-Cobra Radar/Laser Detector-$79.99
There is nothing worse than getting pulled over during the holidays. Not that you will be speeding, but this Radar Detector gives you a great value for the money... just in case.

4-Wireless Meat Thermometer-$36.99
The holidays are not the time to be experimenting with the turkey. Everyone’s oven may be different, so take the guesswork out of making sure it is ready. This wireless thermometer allows you to read the temperature outside of your oven. No more guessing.

5-Vicks Forehead Thermometer-$44.99
Thanksgiving is a time of togetherness, but no fun when someone gets sick. Make sure you have packed a digital thermometer to isolate anyone contagious. I know that may seem a little "bah-humbug", but for anyone who has come back the week after Thanksgiving with great memories but a terrible cold, you understand my reasoning.

Wishing you a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

If you are trying to take advantage of rebates this Holiday Season, remember this: according to the FTC only 50% of rebates are actually collected. Retailers and manufacturers are making a gamble that you will buy on rebate and be one of the many who never collects putting extra money in their pocket. Hoping the money ends back in your pocket, Consumer Reports makes the following suggestions:

• Read and understand rebate requirements, including deadlines, before making a purchase.
• Make copies of all rebate materials and put everything in a file folder, in case the company rejects your rebate claim or loses your submission.  Note the date when the rebate is due.  (this includes copy of the qualifying documents such as the UPC code that must be submitted)
• Get the paperwork in right away.  If the rebate form is available online, print it out immediately after you buy the product. While you may have a few weeks to submit the claim, the official form may be removed from the Web site after the promotional period ends.
• Submit rebate requests promptly. Don't wait until the filing deadline. If the company informs you that something's missing, the extra time will be necessary to gather the requested documentation before the clock runs out. It may sound silly, but also remember to put enough stamps on the envelope, in case the enveloped is oversized.
• Keep a careful eye out for your rebate check, as it sometimes resembles junk mail.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the joys of the holiday season, but sadly spammers and scammers bank on the holiday spirit to take advantage of increased email and Internet use during the holidays. Email security vendor Proofpoint offers a few simple rules to make sure your online holiday experience is safe.

1. Be aware: View with suspicion any email with requests for personal IDs, financial information, user names or passwords. Your bank, online services, government agencies or legitimate online stores are unlikely to ask you for this type of information via email. Consumers should also be suspicious of similar emails that appear to come from an employer or friend. Never send personal financial information such as credit card numbers and Social Security numbers via email.

Today’s malicious emails and phishing attacks are disguised as communications from all sorts of organizations, including government agencies, software vendors and money transfer services, as these examples from the Proofpoint Email Security Blog show.

2. Don’t click: If you receive a suspicious email, don’t click the links in the email or open file attachments from anything but 100 percent trusted sources. Links embedded in emails may take you to fraudulent sites that look similar or identical to the legitimate “spoofed” site. Instead of clicking, open a browser and type the actual Web address for the site into the address bar. Alternatively, call the company using a phone number you already know.

3. Be secure: When you are shopping online, entering important information such as credit card numbers, or updating personal information, make sure you’re using a secure Web site. If you are on a secure Web server, the Web address will begin with “https://” instead of the usual “http://”. Most Web browsers also show an icon (such as Internet Explorer’s “padlock” icon) to indicate that the page you are viewing is secure.

4. Don’t fill out email forms: Never fill out forms within an email, especially those asking for personal information. Instead, visit the company’s actual Web site and ensure that the page you are using is secure before entering sensitive information.

5. Keep an eye on your accounts: Check the accuracy of your credit card and bank statements on a regular basis, especially during this time of continued economic unease and during the holiday shopping season. If you see anything suspicious, contact the financial institution immediately.

6. Get social media savvy: Email isn’t the only attack vector used by spammers and scammers. Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are increasingly used to deliver the same kinds of scams and malicious links to unsuspecting users. Spammers and malware writers are riding the social media wave, commonly using malicious, but convincing, emails that masquerade as notifications such as friend requests or message notifications. Keep all of the preceding tips in mind when using the latest communication tools.

7. Make security your first stop: If your holiday includes giving or receiving a new computer, netbook or upgraded operating system, install a good desktop anti-virus or Internet security solution before doing anything else online. Reputable vendors include F-Secure, McAfee and Symantec. Be extremely wary of Web pop-ups that offer “free security scans” or that inform you that your machine is infected with a virus. Such offers commonly lead to fraudulent anti-virus solutions that are actually malicious software.

Following these simple rules will go a long way to make your holidays safe!

As the holiday season rapidly approaches, I’d like to take a moment to educate any would-be fraudsters that their time is wasted at ShopGadgetGirl.com.

ShopGadgetGirl.com not only maintains the highest security standards, but we live and breathe by our commitment to our customers. In other words, if you are thinking for a second that you can take advantage of them, you are mistaken. You see, here’s how the process works:

Every single order…yes, every single order, passes over my desk. Every single order is reviewed manually before it is shipped. If there is the slightest of red flags, we notify our customers.

If you try to provide an incorrect email or phone number, we invest the time to track the real customer down. This can be as benign as a customer who orders multiple pieces of the same item that we feel should be verified, or as blatant as trying to order something from Texas to be shipped to Canada. Are we clear?

We have multiple touch points with our customers. Our commitment to service means we connect with them immediately after an order is placed, as it is shipped, and as a follow up. This includes both by phone and by email. Anyone we cannot connect with is immediately flagged.

The one thing we take more seriously than our service to our customers is protecting them. So, if you are looking for someplace to purchase I suggest you take your fraudulent business elsewhere.

Sincerely,

Heather V. Lytle, Owner

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jaroo.com launches today with one of the largest selections of full-length episodes of popular kids television programming and movies, both current and classic. The new free premium video destination for kids of all ages will initially offer over 50 popular TV series with more than 500 episodes available on-demand, any time, making entertaining your child or inner-child just a simple click away. Full episodes of such longtime favorites as “Inspector Gadget,” “The Adventures of Paddington Bear,” “Johnny Test,” “Super Mario Bros.,” “Zelda” and “Madeline” as well as the exclusive U.S. premiere of “Mona the Vampire” are available on Jaroo.com. Additional shows include “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!,” “Horseland,” “Liberty’s Kids” and live-action favorite, “Cake,” plus many more. New episodes and shows will be added daily, with over 2,000 episodes offered over the next three months to ensure Jaroo.com will always remain fresh.

“What makes Jaroo.com truly special is the breadth of popular kids shows available in a single one-stop location,” said Kenneth Locker, Senior Vice President Digital Media, Cookie Jar Entertainment. “Jaroo.com not only offers the largest variety of kids programming, but the site was specially designed to be easily navigated and hosted in a kid-safe, kid-friendly environment. It’s for kids and fans alike.”

For the kid and kid-at-heart, from animation to live action, Jaroo.com brings together the very best in children’s TV entertainment online for easy viewing and effortless show discovery. Jaroo.com shows will initially come from Cookie Jar Entertainment’s vast 6,000-episode library with future plans to add programming from other television distributors and original made-for-the-web content.

“With kids ages 2 to 11 spending 63% more time online than they did just four years ago (from 7 to 11 hours per month) according to Nielsen NetView, Jaroo.com was created to be a fun online destination committed to providing kids, parents and fans with safe quality programming without the worry of unwholesome content or unsightly ads,” Locker added.

All Jaroo.com programming is available on-demand for free 24/7. Programming schedules are updated weekly. For a complete listing of shows available and to tune-in please visit www.Jaroo.com.

ENERGY STAR® is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. Energy efficient choices save families about one third on their energy bill with similar savings in greenhouse gas emissions.

The 80 PLUS® performance specification requires power supplies in computers and servers to be 80% or greater in energy efficiency at 20%, 50% and 100% of the rated load, with a true power factor of 0.9 or greater. This makes an 80 PLUS® certified power supply substantially more efficient than current power supplies and creates a unique market differentiation opportunity for power supply and computer manufacturers.

EPEAT™ (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) is an EPA sponsored not-for profit organization that has united industry, government and environmental organizations to participate in and promote the adoption of EPEAT registered computer products. Manufacturers submit and register their computer products with EPEAT declaring compliance with the IEEE 1680-2006 environmental standard for electronics. This standard is based on a product meeting or exceeding extensive criteria of the following environmental attributes: Reduction/elimination of environmentally sensitive materials, Materials selection, Design for end of life, Product longevity/life cycle extension, Energy conservation, End of life management, Corporate performance, and Packaging.

Now you know.