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Categories » ‘how do I…’
April 15th, 2012 by Kolobags Stylist
 If you are like many people today you purchase new electronics multiple times a year. In the last 5 years, more consumers and manufacturers are aware of the thousands of pounds of recyclable materials and toxins that are dumped. So, in honor Earth Day and our heritage with cool electronics, we thought it would make sense to serve up some ways that you can recycle an old laptop or tablet, instead of throwing it away.
- Trade in your old cell phones: If you don’t want to hand it to your kid (or your vice versa), most of the major brands will take ANY brand of cell phone and charge. Check out their web sites for a location near you. One in particular that we like is AT&T’s participation in , which donates the proceeds from refurbishment to fund phone cards for U.S. soldiers.
- Take in your old electronics: Major office supply retailers, like Office Depot or Staples, both offer recycling programs through which you can recycle laptops, monitors, and printers. Printer cartridges will even get you a credit for future purchases.
- Give your laptop or tablet to a kid: It might be your child, the neighbor’s or someone in one of your community’s schools. Even though the perception is kids are smarter than adults with electronics, not everyone can afford the newest models. While you are at it, buy them an eco-friendly laptop case or a tablet case to give a new feel while you are helping to keep the environment safe. Some of the creative materials include PVC reduced neoprene, recycled rice sacks, recycled plastic bottles and cotton.
December 29th, 2011 by Kolobags Stylist
 It seems rather common sense that staying organized will allow for more productivity. However, not all of us make that happen on a daily basis. For the new year, in case you are searching for something other than losing weight, staying organized may be a compelling New Year’s resolution.
1) Organize your bag – Aside from cleaning out the contents of your bag, one of the easiest ways to stay organized is to choose a bag that has organizer pockets, like many of the Lodis leather business bags. A large part of the Lodis collection is designed with organizer pockets that hold business cards, pens, mobile devices, and more. When traveling through airports, it’s so handy to be able to find all of these items at a quick glance from one location.
2) Consolidate bags – Especially with one bag/one personal item check in policies with all airlines, it makes a lot of sense to consolidate bags. Move your wallet and necessary items to your tote or laptop bag, and put your purse in your wheeled luggage. You can pull it back out when you get to your destination. Instead of carrying both a briefcase and a laptop bag, use one bag for everything (just make sure your laptop or tablet fits into a padded sleeve or padded pocket). If you are struggling with space, a tote typically has more room than other profiles.
3) Clean out your wallet - It’s great that you are taking advantage of all of the loyalty programs, but do you really need to carry every club card with you? Now, many can use your phone number to give you privileges. A driver’s license, your ATM card, your credit cards, and insuarnce should be enough to get you where you need to go.
November 28th, 2011 by Kolobags Stylist
 It’s that gift giving time of the year. Whether it’s for your family, friends, or you, electronics are always the “IT” item. This year tablets, ereaders and iPads will continue to be hot. And that means you will need to get a case to keep it safe.
There are many different case choices, like iPad cases that open like a book or tablet cases that are more like an envelope. The cases can be made of leather, neoprene (“wet suit material”) or fabrics lined with foam padding. Some go beyond being a case, and are trendy bags that also have a padded pocket specifically for a tablet, and maybe also a laptop.
The real trick is finding a stylish e-reader case that fits. So, in the event that you are giving or getting an iPad or ereader this holiday, here is the list of measurements of the popular models so you can quickly compare:
iPad 2 – 9.5″x 7.31″ x 0.34″
iPad – 9.56″ × 7.47″ × 0.528″
Barnes & Noble Nook – 7.7″ x 4.9″ x 0.5″
Amazon Kindle 2 – 8″ x 5.3″ x 0.36″
Kindle Fire – 7.5″ x 4.7″ x 0.45″
Motorola Xoom – 9.8″ x 6.6″ x 0.5″
HP TouchPad – 9.45″ x 7.48″ x 0.54″
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 – 10.1″ x 6.9″ x 0.34″
Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 – 9.1″ x 6.2″ x 0.34″
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 – 7.48″ x 4.74″ x 0.47″
Just in case you are wondering what you are looking for with those dimensions, think of how you measure a box. The dimensions to compare to be sure that your case fits are the length, width, and depth, not necessarily the screen size.
November 21st, 2011 by Kolobags Stylist
 Holiday travel has enough stress without worrying about how to fit it all in. Whether you are flying or driving, you’ll be limited as to space and what you can bring. One way to alleviate this space issue is to mail your presents beforehand. That way, all you’ll be bringing are your clothes, shoes, and that pie for the holiday feast.
You also should think hard about what clothes and shoes you have to pack. If you’re heading somewhere cold, wear your boots and pack your inside shoes. As well, wear your winter coat and pack layers for wearing inside. And, for your kids, be sure to pack snowpants and two pair of gloves and hats. Those snow fort building times leave them sopping wet!
If you’re heading somewhere warm, then obviously your suitcase will be much lighter. The trend toward packing lighter – sometimes even only in a carryon – is catching on. People won’t care if you continually wear the 2 or 3 outfits you brought – no one notices. When we were in Ireland and Scotland for a month, we only brought 4 outfits each. In hindsight, we could have done with 2.
And what will you pack all your stuff in? If you’re flying, be sure to invest in high quality luggage. It’s worth every penny for the durability. Be sure to take your medicines and a change of clothes in your carryon, in case your luggage gets lost (yet another reason to mail those packages!).
If you’re driving, you might have a bit more leeway as to luggage size and construction. Kids love backpacks, so pack all their stuff in one that they can carry themselves. Allocate one suitcase for you and your partner’s clothes, and another suitcase for shoes and the miscellaneous stuff that always seems to accumulate around packing time. Again, if you’re headed to colder climes, be sure to pack enough warm clothes. Don’t forget the chargers and cords for your electronics.
The most important things you need to bring are your joy, your happiness at being together with friends and family, and a sense of relaxation, to enjoy the holidays together.
Another post brought to you by our guest blogger, Dr. Jessie Voigts, who publishes WanderingEducators.com, a travel resource for global educators.
June 6th, 2011 by Kolobags Stylist
 You’ve gotten new clothes and a new digital camera, an iTouch and iPods for your kids, and two new laptops, for your extended vacation overseas. You are all set to go – papers in order, tickets printed out, keys to the neighbor to water the plants, mail held, dog at the in-laws. Have you forgotten anything?
One of the most important things you can do to protect your gadgets – and your investment in them – is to keep them safe from theft while traveling. There are a variety of things you can do to achieve this. You can keep an eagle eye on your belongings (and your kids’ belongings). You can back up your photos and computer data online. You can set up security codes, password protection, and other computer safety measures. You can watch where you stay, eat, work online, and travel. But there are also several bags that you can use on your travels, to protect your gadgets and paperwork. Here are my favorites:
The heys USA expandable travel mate includes a separate passport bag with neck strap so it can be worn under your clothes. The bag can be worn across your chest, and under or over your clothes. The entrance flap to the bag is pick-pocket proof and is a perfect camera or gadget bag for theft protection.
Looking for a theft-resistant laptop case? Again, go for a cross-body laptop bag, to keep your computer as close as possible. The brenthaven sling laptop bag is lightweight, durable, has a mp3 player pocket, and comes in two sizes, for 14 inch screens, and 15.4 inch screens. The ful brickhouse sling laptop backpack is also a cross-body bag for theft resistance – it features a side-entry, padded pocket for your laptop, and several extra pockets for your gadgets. Fits a 14 inch screen.
If you’d like a solid, waterproof bag for your laptop and gadgets, I suggest the nanuk hardsided cases. They are virtually indestructible, impact resistant, lightweight, and has a PowerClaw Latching System to keep the case closed in the toughest conditions, and can be padlocked. The nanuk comes in a variety of sizes for different laptops.
Lastly, I also suggest the rimowa salsa deluxe business trolley. It’s virtually indestructible, made of polycarbonate. It’s one of the most lightweight hard cases on the market, and has a TSA compliant combination lock. Perfect to protect your gadgets in style!
Our guest blogger, Dr. Jessie Voigts, is the Publisher of WanderingEducators.com, a travel resource for global educators.
April 21st, 2011 by Kolobags Stylist
 We have a problem. We’ve usually got so many gadgets that when it comes time to pack for travel, we’re nonplussed. What to take? Cords? Batteries? It can all seem so overwhelming. Add to it multiple family members, and it can be a morass of electronics. But there are ways to solve this problem, never fear.
Here are my top 5 tips for traveling with your gadgets:
1) Narrow it down. You don’t need an iPad, iPhone, and iTouch. Take the iPad and the iPhone, and leave the iTouch at home. Load your songs up onto your phone – or cloud them online. Bring folding travel headphones or earbuds so that you don’t share your music all the time.
2) Decide WHAT you will need to use, while you’re traveling. If you are heading out for a short weekend away, maybe having internet on your phone is enough. If you’re heading on a 2 year RTW trip, then a sturdy laptop will be necessary. Do your research for phone systems overseas, and get a phone that can be used with SIM cards worldwide. That travel connect 4 game? Probably not a good idea for extended trips, but for a long road trip with 2 kids, well, that’s another story…
3) Never underestimate the importance of familiarity for your kids. Our daughter has games, books, and music on her iTouch. Traveling isn’t the time to wean her off it (well, who would want to?). She’s got her favorites, which can help while away long hours in the car, on the plane, or when we’re waiting at a restaurant.
4) Take several digital cameras. Give your kids one – an inexpensive point & shoot – and you’ll be surprised by the photos they come up with, as they explore new worlds. You should have at least one camera yourself – another point & shoot – for casual photos. These have great focus and features, and are well worth the money. If you’re into photography more, then you are familiar with your DSLR and its capabilities – and when it should not be brought out (crowds, areas of high theft). A picture is worth a thousand words, moreso when you’ve got multiple family members taking photos of the same event. You’ll treasure each viewpoint!
5) Find the best travel bag possible for your gadgets. You’ll want a padded bag, or a bag with pockets inside to store your travel gadgets. Ease of accessibility should also be key – for security lines at the airport, or for grabbing your camera quickly when you have a great shot! If the bag has a lockable entry, even better – so you can travel feeling safe.
Our guest blogger, Dr. Jessie Voigts, is the Publisher of WanderingEducators.com, a travel resource for global educators.
October 29th, 2010 by Kolobags Stylist
 Shop within Facebook with DoTogether Mall Wouldn’t it be cool if you could shop with friend online, just like you would at the mall? Need help picking that piece that will be perfect for your outfit? Within the DoTogether Mall, you can do a lot of the same things that you would do in the real mall, but just virtually.
DoTogether Mall is a new Facebook app, out just in time for the holiday season. Once you enter the “mall,” you can choose the stores, categories, or specific items that you want to browse during your shopping trip. Just like the real mall, don’t go it alone. Invite friends and people in your network to join by posting an invitation on your wall or inviting them directly. Your friends can add items for you to look at and share their opinions.
Once you are ready to buy, you go directly to each online store to make your purchase. With the holiday shopping season around the corner, we love the idea of inviting your brothers and sisters together to shop for family in one easy place. Not sure what designer handbag goes best with your outfit? Ask for your friends’ opinions (or even the opinions of those experts who just happen to be online). Of course, if you would rather shop for yourself and build your a wish list of items, DoTogether Mall allows you to send an email or make a post of all of the items that you want.
Check out great stores like Forever21, Macys, and Kolobags.com within the DoTogether Mall Facebook application. There are a ton of cool features, so be sure to post a comment in kolotalk to let us know about some of the things you were able to do.
August 27th, 2008 by Kolobags Stylist
It seems simple enough: how do you measure a laptop computer to see if it fits in a specific laptop bag? It doesn’t make sense when you see that 14″ or 17″ size and then neither the length nor the width is equal to that number. Still scratching your head? Here’s how it works.
The measurement that all laptop manufacturers use is the diagonal of the screen. Check out the above image. The diagonal is the measurement that goes from the upper corner to the opposite lower corner. Now that you’ve revisited high school geometry, how does that relate to knowing if your laptop fits in a specific laptop bag?
Here’s the big news: it is a guide, but every laptop in a specific size has different dimensions because of the design of the plastic and screen dimensions. So, if you want to know if your laptop will really fit in that laptop sleeve, you need to measure the length, the width and the depth, just like a box, and then compare those measurements to the size of the bag. Maybe now it makes sense why a 15.4″ Mac fits different bags than a 15.4″ Dell or a 15.4″ Toshiba.
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