guiding

Believe it: even though the mercury may be inching toward 100 and everyone is still planning beach getaways, school will start in less than six weeks.

For students and their parents, that means now's the time to stock up on school supplies. These days, that means lots of tech: laptops, tablets, phones, and printers, for starters. For college students, the list is even longer: a dorm room needs to be a home away from home, and that includes a TV, sound system, and other amenities.

Don't have kids? Not going to school? I'll let you in on … Read more

Summer is here in the northern hemisphere and many probably already have their vacation plans set for a short getaway to enjoy the weather. But if you haven't made any plans yet, I've gathered up some highly rated apps to help you get out of town.

This week's collection of apps will help you plan the perfect trip. The first is a popular app that checks for the best flights to your chosen destination and looks for the best deals. The second will help you find the best food in your location once you get there. The third is a mapping and guide app that lets you download the information so you'll never get lost -- even when you have no connection on your iPhone.… Read more

Ever wondered what happens when unwanted activity is reported on Facebook, such as explicit photos, hate speech, or hacked accounts?

Facebook is aiming to make it easier for users to understand what it does when user reports are filed by publishing the "Reporting Guide" infographic today (see above).

"With a community of over 901 million people, Facebook maintains a robust reporting infrastructure made up of dedicated teams all over the world and innovative technology systems," the social network writes on the infographic.

Looking for the best camping and hiking spots in your area that are also dog friendly? Subaru has created a guide for travelers just like you.

Subaru's Guide to Everything is like a Yelp for road trips. The new crowdsourced travel guide contains 250 unique reviews written by Lonely Planet, and other destinations supplied by Subaru drivers.

The guide is available online and as a free downloadable iPhone app. Guide users can search for or add locations for camping, hiking, biking, dining, and sightseeing, and write comments, reviews, and provide tips. There's even a travel section specifically for … Read more

Places like McDonald's, Cracker Barrel, IHOP, and Denny's are just a few of the restaurants you normally see when traveling the roads of the USA. While many of these places say they offer healthier choices, you probably know there are better options than chain restaurants. So if you're seeking some local cuisine, or you have special dietary needs, why not reference a guide made for just that?

The Eat Well Guide travel map is a useful Web site for finding more than 25,000 healthier places to eat. This guide doesn't just cover restaurants, it also … Read more

When is "Homeland" on again next? When will your DVR pick up the next episode of "Modern Family"? Is "SNL" a repeat this Saturday? Get these answers and more with My Episode Guide. This Chrome extension keeps you posted on how many days remain until the next episodes of your favorite TV shows air.

My Episode Guide adds a small button to the right of Chrome's URL bar. After you install the extension, the button's icon is a yellow smiley face with sunglasses. After you add your favorite shows, the button shows … Read more

SparkNotes started out as a Web site called The Spark in 1999, and was developed by a group of students trying to make it easier to understand literature. Known today as SparkNotes, the site features hundreds of guides to help aid students, teachers, and those wishing to brush up on a subject.

According to SparkNotes, its intent was not to have students skip out on their reading assignments and just read the SparkNotes instead. Instead, it wanted to create a fun and educational Web site that helps give further explanations on topics.

So far just the literature guides are available … Read more

We all have an expertise or passion we love sharing and teaching others about. The Internet has made it extremely easy to teach people all over the world, be it through YouTube or a personal blog. But, an elaborate video setup can get expensive, and managing a blog can be time-consuming. The next time you want to create a guide, grab your iPhone and give Snapguide a try. You'll be surprised how easy it is to create and publish a guide, using only your iPhone.

Snapguide has an iPhone app, as well as a Web site. The iPhone app … Read more

These are the times that try men's souls.

Never has a tablet purchase so vexed the collective nerd consciousness of this great nation. And Apple doesn't make it easy, does it? Its "new" tablet looks a hell of a lot like the old one, only heavier! It's like Apple is toying with us.

But have no fear. Using a bracing mixture of logic and cheapskate wisdom, I'll walk you though this paralyzing first-world dilemma.

For the first-timers If you've never owned a tablet and you're considering the new iPad for your first … Read more