The electronics industry, especially smartphone manufacturers, has witnessed a promising growth this decade. With the ever-advancing technology as its backbone, every smartphone company have managed to make consumers zealous over their products. However, we all know that the items that they innovate come with a price. In fact, not everybody can afford one; some are still hooked up with their mobile devices that aren’t “smart.”

Going to the meat of this article, Apple is and has been the main innovator of the smartphone. By almost perfecting the touchscreen technology, they have come up with iDevices that have taken the whole world by storm. One great example would be the iPhone. Since its release, upgrades have come up here and there just to ensure that their patrons won’t get tired of the device itself. Hence, there came the iPhone with all sorts of suffixes to differentiate each from the other.

And as I have mentioned earlier, iPhones come with a price; they are actually pretty expensive. If you are one of the tech-savvy people wanting to take hold of the newest gadgets on the market, or you are just a layman wanting to be in with the trend, then you certainly are in for a splurge. As a general knowledge, consumer electronics are not a good investment, for they eventually depreciate in value.

With Apple’s iPhone, obsolete models dramatically lose their value because of the company consistently releasing new models of the iPhone in a short span of time. A consumer electronics trading platform, NextWorth, has come up with interesting statistics showing how much the value of used iPhones fluctuates in relation to the launch of a new model. According to Jeff Trachsel, CMO of NextWorth, “There is a predictable 15 to 21 percent value decline seen across all older iPhone models in the six-week period surrounding the new iPhone launch.” Until now, nobody’s certain on when will the newest iPhone be on the shelves of physical stores or in listings of online mobile stores such as E_cell.

In regard to this event, we can rely on history to see what’s possibly coming next. NextWorth saw a price decline on the iPhone 4S even before the iPhone 5 is announced. It was bar none, a sharp drop; however, it was stabilized after the latter became available on the market. If you’ll try to take a closer look at the situation, this seems counterintuitive. Anyhow, they concluded that consumers rush to sell their old models 2 to 4 weeks before the new model debuts, perhaps aiming to beat the crowd.

Now that Apple is bound to announce its budget iPhone sometime in the near future, we can expect an even steeper decline of the resale value of the older iPhone models. Still, nobody knows how much this will impact iPhone users. But, it sure will cause them tremendous losses if they failed to employ some wise strategy in disposing their older devices. Take heed of the essence of retrospection; as they say, “History repeats itself.” Take note of the pattern, and watch out of the value of your old iPhone to minimize your losses and enjoy your techie life a lot less costly.

As we all know, everything has an end, and relationships are no exemption. The most difficult chapter to go through in a relationship is when the inevitable end nears. During those times, you have an option whether to stay or to leave. More often than not, the decision you have considered is still half-baked. You have to weigh on which of your choices will do the least amount of damage. Nonetheless, you’ll surely be experiencing the horrible emotional aftermath of a breakup. What do you do after, then? Instead of going on a rampage, throwing your cheap mobile phone towards the wall to break into smithereens, why don’t you just heed the apps that will help you get through a breakup? Don’t you believe me? Then, take a look at these:

                           

1.       BreakupText. If you don’t know how to put in words the final message for the breakup to ensue, have an app that will auto-regenerate a text message that accurately describes what you’re feeling. Just enter the name of your significant other you’re about to leave, and you’re free with just a few taps. Never will you have to experience the awkward conversations of running away from a relationship ever again with this app.

2.       Should I Break Up With My Boyfriend? There are times when our judgment gets us into trouble. When we’re on the verge of deciding something for a life-changing event, any happenings, big or small, can influence how we think that can generally cloud our judgment. If you want to be as objective as possible, then you have to download this app to your phone. It records your feelings within a span of two weeks and provides you with a recommendation according to your daily logs. At least at the end of the day, before making that big decision either to stay or leave, you get to reflect on how you felt and be sure of what you decide upon without regret.

3.       Ex-Lover Blocker. If you want to move on but still are having a difficult time, then get rid of all that reminds you of your ex. But oftentimes, it isn’t just  that effective. There are times when we violate our own moving-on guidelines just to reconnect. If keeping your sanity isn’t so much of a motivation to finish the race, then public shame is perhaps the way for you. This app keeps you from reaching out to your former lover by alerting your friends of your misbehavior, even if it’s just a simple “Hi!” And if you continue to make contact, the app will post a Facebook status update to let the entire social media world know what you did. With peer pressure compelling you to move on...you most probably will. There are just things stronger than love, you know.

4.       FutureMe. The one thing that we should never leave behind an unsuccessful relationship is the lessons we learned that push us to never ever commit the same mistakes ever again. Ideally, we turn wiser and wiser with every relationship we encounter. Actually, it’s not that we don’t learn from our past relationships; we just forget what those lessons are. If you’re one of the many people having a memory gap on love lessons, then you should invest for this app that will randomly email you of the wise words you have composed yourself during the times you are in an epiphany. Truly, memories are less accurate than emails that can remind us of what we should be doing instead.

Experiencing a breakup is bar none a very painful experience. Good thing you have a smartphone. With the breakup apps above, you’ll get over your ex and move forward in no time. Spare yourself from the devastating emotional turmoil of a breakup by not just distracting yourself with purchasing all the smartphone accessories out there and binging till you become obese. Face the problem head-on  and move on with the help of these apps.

Scribble… Scribble… Scribble… and hit the backspace way hard. You can’t think of a topic that may ignite your motivation. You opened up your browser with much anticipation and lo and behold, nothing on the internet catches your interest. Nothing seems amusing. But then again, the clock never stops ticking and deadline is fast approaching. So you just resort to writing something even if the topic is not your strong point neither your soft spot so you end up taking much more time writing—a lot longer. And then it hits you, where did your passion go? Is your passion not appealing to you any longer? Should you stop doing this and explore another? Countless questions rose like sky is the limit. But loosen up; soothe that savage beast inside you. It’s normal. It happens with every writer or even every person with different passions. You just need a recharge just like your smartphone. So what are the steps to reignite your passion? Here are some easy peasy, lemon squeezy ways to help you get the nudge for your passion:

1.       Retreat and recharge. Not exactly like go somewhere remote. Getting some water to drink from your kitchen can work. As simple as that. Nothing will come out of your brain if you keep on pushing it. Give it a rest and clear your mind. For a while, let go of the thought of deadlines. Worrying will just keep your mind agitated and busy. How can you fill something if it’s already full? So you have to clear your brain. When you’re all drained up, recharge. That’s what portable chargers are good for—recharging your battery drained mobile phone.

2.       State your objective. No matter what you do, always—I repeat, always state your objective. People have a tendency to be lost. And what joy it brings once we have found ourselves again. We tend to forget our objectives and give up simply because we tend to look at how far we must go instead of how far we have gotten. What is your objective?

3.       Do something you love. What do you love doing aside from writing? Of course there are countless things you can have soft spots for. It can never be only just one. If you don’t love what you’re doing, bring what you love in what you do. Seems blunt? Just do what you love! Take for example; you have an outright craze for gadgets. You can stream over your favorite online mobile store and feed the cravings of your techie-ness!

4.       Try. After all the worthwhile fun, try again. If you fail a hundred times then try hundred and one. No one is defeated until he stops trying. Now see if you can tap that fingers against your keyboard and start scribbling.

5.       Give yourself a reward. Before you know it, after trying and trying and not giving up, you are down to your final words in writing. If there’s anything that a person really longs, that is appreciation. Appreciate yourself for what you’ve done. On your way home, treat yourself with your favorite ice cream! It doesn’t have to be pricey, just enjoy. Eventually, you’ll forget about the madness you’ve been through.

So ask yourself. What is your passion? Writing! I holler.

There will surely come a time when your children will ask you of things that you may feel reluctant to answer. Mind you, those questions might be too sensitive that you need to handle them with utmost care. Never ever think of ditching those questions just to be relieved from that awkward situation. And most especially, never ever give them the impression that those sensitive questions they have in mind are the words of the devil. The best thing to do is to answer their questions appropriately. Be as transparent as an LCD screen protector in dealing with them and their curiosities. Read the rest of this article for guidelines on how to approach your kids with their questions about the birds and the bees.

1.       Start the talk ASAP. Starting the conversation about sensitive topics at an early age will ease your child’s curiosity of things that are sensitive. Make your conversation as natural as possible, so that your child won’t feel embarrassed or aloof in opening topics of the like to you. Remember, it’s better that you be the one to educate your child regarding those sensitive matters than other people.

2.       Choose what to say according to their age. When answering the sensitive questions of your children, make sure to give only enough details. Never overload them with information that they aren’t even soliciting yet. Allow them to be curious about things, and then satisfy those curiosities by enlightening them with the right answers.

3.       Avoid using puns. When talking about the anatomy and physiology of the reproductive system and all that relates to it, use the terms as they are. Avoid using cutesy nicknames because your children might get the impression that there is something not right about the real names of body parts and processes. Make them feel that there is nothing to be embarrassed in saying the real names of the organs of the body.

4.       Never make yourself as an example. Avoid dead air and awkward moments with your conversations. What’s more awkward than making an example out of yourself? Just the thought of your children imagining you with the context makes it very awkward enough. Rather, use the indefinite pronoun “everyone” or the equivalent when giving out details.

5.       Make it an ongoing conversation. Surely, if you garnered the trust and confidence of your children in discussing with each other those matters, that only means you did a great job. Never get tired in enlightening them with their curiosities to keep an ongoing conversation.

6.       Be open to answer queries. Don’t think about telling them that their questions are silly, and don’t go ignoring their questions as well. It’s better if you’re the one who will be giving an answer to their curiosities rather than other people who might pollute their minds at their young age.

7.       Don’t show embarrassment. If you show a hint of embarrassment to your children about that sensitive matter, the more they are to feel the same. Be casual in answering their questions. Gone are the days when sex is a taboo subject to be embarrassed of.

Keep in mind that it’s only natural that you’re children will one day ask the how’s and why’s of human development and reproduction. When that time comes, be ready to have an arsenal of answers to straighten their curious minds. It’s best to always be available for them whenever they have those kinds of questions, especially nowadays when they can easily access the internet through their latest gadgets for stuff of all sorts. I bet you wouldn’t want them to get the wrong information for such sensitive matters, would you? I know you’re thinking, “If there’s only a way to make them understand grown-up stuff without going through the awkward conversations.” Sad to say it’s you as their parent who has the responsibility to answer the most difficult questions of all.

Giving appreciation seems overlooked nowadays. A friend asks you to hand her smartphone and as you give it over with much anticipation on hearing a response, she just grabs her phone and go. What could frustrate you more? Not even a glimpse was given. You shook your head in disbelief then what? Get over it. Same thing happens every now and then ‘til such time you will feel unappreciated. On her part, it’s just nothing but a small favor that is needless to be recognized but you have taken it seriously which leaves you no choice but to confront her. The scenario may sound silly but it happens. It will come to a point where your patience will wear thin, and I believe no one has been safe with this situation. It is something that will make one tick.

Would a simple thank you hurt? Anyone would not think so. Yet gratitude is something that can only be easily uttered to people who you are not really close with or you owe big time to. As they say, do not despise the small things for they are the ones that really matter.

On a lighter note, always see the good in everything instead of complaining about anything that seem unpleasing. Surely it will upset you if your iPhone case snaps out and breaks but on a brighter side, you’ll have a chance to replace it with a better one. Not everything is intended to last. Gratify and be satisfied for it promises you a two-way ride in which a quote from Melodie Beattie exemplifies, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.” 

This is undeniably true. If one instills gratitude as their attitude, you will see amazing things that you missed every single day when complaining gets the best of you. It sends positive vibes within you like you just had a replacement battery. All at once, everything seems great, even if the situation is not that smooth. You can never choose your situation but you can choose on how to react. Not to mention, gratitude is also contagious in a way that it infects people you show gratitude with. It is an inward feeling of kindness received and letting someone know that he or she is appreciated by expressing your thankfulness is something that nothing can be compared to. For if there is something that an individual years, that is to be appreciated even with the smallest things he or she can offer.

Not all of us are given the rare opportunity to see and experience to walk in a foreign land just to witness their rich culture. I have to say, that there is no such thing more satisfying than personally allowing your senses to encounter the different things that you can ever ask for. When travelling, I was always confronted by this problem, whether to take an adventure by backpacking, or get a tour package and let other people do the work for me. I personally don’t have anything against the two; I will just be laying your options on the table and let you decide for yourself at the end of the day. Now, shall we?

Backpacking

                It was called such because the challenge is to make a single backpack carry all the possible things that you need for your travel. A backpack per se because it’s the baggage that is the most convenient to carry since you just have to securely sling it to your back, and you’re good to go without the hassle of occupying your hands. Therefore, you have to exhaust all your things and belongings from your clothes, toiletries, gadgets, and mobile accessories inside. This was intended because in backpacking, you’ll be on your own; you are the one to navigate your way, your itineraries, and devise ways of transportation. Backpacking can really be fun and exciting especially when you feel like you are about to get lost in oblivion in a place you have no clue about, plus the language barrier that you also have to get over. But then again, it will be very gratifying at the end of the day when you are able to successfully be to places you have to go without getting lost or worse, injured in the process.

                The downside to this kind of travelling though is sometimes, you put your money to waste especially when you get lost; thus, your expenses get bigger and bigger.

Package tours

                Once you get a package tour, you don’t have anything to do but to sit back, relax and let other people do the navigating for you. Your only responsibility is to enjoy your vacation the way it should be. The great thing about a package tour is, you don’t have to suffer the headache of worrying for your transportation, getting over language barriers, or getting lost. A bus and a tour guide will pick you up from the airport, scout a hotel for you, pick you up from there, tell you all the things that you should know, and drop you off in your hotel again after the tour. You will be comfortably seated in your chair for the whole time; probably you could bring your tablet and tablet folio while on the ride. Now that is the true definition of a vacation.

               

Now, the only thing that is a disadvantage in this kind of travel is the time. You don’t hold your time, so in case you still want to stay in a tourist attraction when your time is up, you can’t because there are still other places that you should go.

Probably, all of us aim to someday become a millionaire. However, the only way to be that is by saving...or by winning in sweepstakes. Let’s face it, the latter is too farfetched, so let’s just resort to the former. More often than not, our dream of becoming rich is being unconsciously compromised by the things that we do. If only we are well aware what those things are... Worry not for here they are.

1.       Using your cards for purchases. Experts say that there is pain in paying. Whenever we pick out cash from our wallets for a purchase, take a tablet accessory for example, we feel an unpleasant sensation that is hardly recognized. That is why the use of credit or debit cards is so inviting because the pain of buying is taken away. Without the virtual association of money in the form of cash, consumers perceive this mode of payment as easy spending that in turn, causes them to be prone to debts.

2.       Emotional shopping. The therapy of shopping can be so effective for some to get rid of bad feelings. However, it obviously makes you poorer. If only you get to invest into things that appreciate value over time, but often, emotional shopping makes you buy things that you craze for that exact moment, which are unnecessary.

3.       Succumbing to peer pressure. Peer pressure is one of the greatest influences that drive our decisions. Though we are guided by the infinite wisdom that we have to be ourselves and not to be influenced by others, still, our peers can cause us to do things that we are not a hundred percent committed to. May it be in the form of habits, vices, preference in brands, or famed celebrity, they absolutely have the power to persuade us.

4.       Being a show-off. Humans have a tendency to brag and rub whatever they’re proud of in other people’s faces. Furthermore, some have the perception that purchasing branded items make them better people. So, they go for expensive luxury leather flip cases just to have something to show-off to others.

5.       Satisfying your addictions. There’s a price on everything in this world, and that does not exclude your addictions. Whether it be shopping, cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, fine dining, travelling abroad, etc., anything that becomes an obsession will suck money out of your accounts.

6.       Signing up for too many loans. More often than not, we underestimate debts and overestimate our earning capabilities. That is why adding debt after another—no matter how big or small—makes us end up in bankruptcy notwithstanding the fact that we already have so many liabilities. Rather, think of every debt as your gateway 6 feet under the ground; the more debts you incur, the deeper you are to your demise.

7.       Having no future plans. Plans and goals are great motivators that influence our every action. Whenever we have something we aim of achieving, we do everything in our power to make those things materialize. If you aim of someday being a millionaire, then you’re most likely to be that way.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no single way to become rich. There are many guidelines to keep a healthy financial status out there, but they aren’t just applicable to everybody. When you are already experiencing life as it is in your prime, you will be compelled to exert effort for financial stability and a well-off living. Take advantage of that drive to enrich your life including your finances.




Related Articles

Tech-free Spree

Fight the Boredom without Losing a Dime

People are unique from each other in so many ways. We come with different features like with our eyes and fingerprints. We have different viewpoints about matters in love, family, and life in general. However, it is not our physical features or our thoughts about certain things that make up the differences we have from other people. It’s all a matter of confidence.

Not everyone possesses the perfect beauty, then how come a simple country girl can level with infamous models and actors? It’s because she has confidence in what she does best. It’s not so hard to conjure the confidence you need to get what you wished for.

LOVE

When it comes to love, everything gets complicated. You want to look best for him, so you change the clothes you wear. It even got to the point when you bought the same cell phone case thinking you’ll feel connected to him. Don’t do this to yourself. You don’t have to buy the same stuff he has so you’ll have something to talk about. Be yourself, your confident self, and you’ll be alright. Whether it’s men or women, confidence is a definite turn-on. It shows how a person handles herself around people. It takes a lot of practice to get it right and proper, but once you’ve achieved it, I can assure you it’s worth the sweat.

FRIENDS

There’s always that one group of people you want to be a part of which is most of the time; it is the coolest girls and boys in school. Here’s the thing, you can’t be with them because you can be better than them. You don’t have to be the same person as they are especially when you feel uncomfortable with the things they do. You don’t have to buy the same leather case so you could belong. You don’t have to do anything but be yourself. Be confident of who you are, and you will attract good things to you. Like I said, you don’t have to be a part of a group when you can become the group.

CAREER

In matters involving career, confidence is a must. You can’t get where you want in the business world if you don’t have the guts to prove yourself right for the field you’ve taken on. Managers aren’t out for the brains though it is an asset. They grab those with sheer confidence to do the job they are tasked to accomplish in a given amount of time. Buckle up and gas up that confidence!

You don’t need the beauty, the body, the money, or the brains. All you need is a little bit of confidence.

Have you ever thought about random stuff, some completely sensible while others are mere nonsense? Well, I have, and because of too much curiosity, I began asking around what others might think of this random question:

Who would you rather be with, a superhero or an ordinary human being?

I’ve asked about ten people and majority of them choose to be with an ordinary human being. Now why would they anyway? I mean, being with a superhero has its perks. If it was someone like Superman, the hero famous for his ability to go around the Earth and back, he could offer you the world and be there when you call at an instant. Superheroes are capable of making the impossible, possible.  They can drive you nuts with too much excitement of trying to know what’s going to happen next rendering them utterly unpredictable. However, there’s a downside to their story. They can give you almost everything except their complete attention. Just like the motto for all superheroes dictates, “With great power come greater responsibilities,” there are things he or she cannot easily give up for you. What he or she has is a gift meant to be shared and not kept hidden from the rest of the world that needs it.

On the other hand, an ordinary human person is incapable of a lot of things. However, he or she can give you what you needed most: complete attention. When you have something you want heard, he’ll listen. You want him to get you a tablet folio, then he’ll drive across town to deliver you with the color and design you desire. If you ever need a hug, he’ll embrace you with arms that wouldn’t come close to letting you go. He, too, can give you the whole world in his own little ways. He can be a superhero to you and you alone, and that’s far better than graphic novels. It’s not selfishness. It is simply needing someone who made you hold him as if he was your own.

Superheroes are not part of reality. Let them stay on books and iPad accessories and whatnot. They are meant to spark our imagination and that’s it. Being with someone you could actually touch is a lot better than flying above clouds. After all, reality is always better than dreams.

If you were to ask me who I want to be with, I’ll choose an ordinary human being. Superheroes are superior beings and yes, they are but figments of imagination. I want to be with someone I can save from all things that may cause him pain or sadness and not just the other way around.



Related Articles

Habits that Make or Break
Everybody Lies
His Fear Has Been Realized

Most of the time, people make the mistake of spending too much time worrying about the past, sacrificing the present. I don’t understand why they compromise the one thing that matters most, the present, just so they could make time crying over spilled milk. Indeed, I recognize the importance of the past in order to understand the present, or it may also be the key to somehow have an idea about the future, but that doesn’t mean that we can go along paying too much attention to it.

What’s done is done, and no matter how hard you try, you can never change what happened there. Unless of course a latest gadget called the time machine is invented, but anyway we are still talking about eons before the invention of an actual time machine surfaces in the world.

1.       Acceptance

The first step in forgetting about the past is to accept that what happened already happened and that you are completely powerless towards it. Of course this can be easier said than done; it always is, and I’m not expecting anyone to get this done overnight. It would take time before you completely let yourself flush out your system to begin again in a clean slate.

2.       Vent out

I’m not saying that you should let go of all your past memories in general. Of course there will always be those that are worth keeping; those happy and memorable memories are supposed to be kept and treasured. What we are trying to remove and forget are those that have the potential to ruin you or your outlook in life. Having said that, make an album or have a journal where you can write the memories that you don’t want to escape you. As much as possible take pictures of the happy moments and always bring your camera with you or even just your smartphone.

3.       Don’t create biases

Alright, so you had your heart broken by a stupid jerk whom you poured your heart out, thus making you a man hater, which shouldn’t be the case. You should never base your present or your future because of some awful past experience. For all you know, not all men are players; most of them still have the goodness in their hearts. You must trust in the goodness of people. If you cloud your judgement because of one bad experience, you will end up sad and lonely at the end of the day.

4.       Take life the way it should be

The truth is, life is not and never will be fair. You’ll never know what it will just shove in your face, and you have no choice but to face its hurdles. What you can do is to let go of the past, live in the present, and believe in the future.

               
If your yesterday is taking too much time of your today, you must harness all your power to liberate yourself from its shackles. Keep in mind that today will one day be your past; if you screw it up, then there will be more reasons for you to feel sad about.