Best Wishes And Greetings For A New Day And A Brand New Year 2014

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Howdy guys! I hope your holiday is filled with amazing fun, fellowship, and celebration! 

Sometimes it’s good to stop for a second and take a moment for reflection, and anticipation. It’s the time when we’re preparing to turn the page and refresh just about everything we can. It's also the time when i have the utmost pleasure, shared by the entire THE OFFICIAL ANDREASCY team, to wish you all, and your beloved ones, a very Happy and Prosperous 2014! 

2013 has been a very good year and I simply can’t turn the page and close the 2013 book without thanking all of you - our readers, followers, fans, friends, subscribers, collaborators, and everyone dear to us - for making our 2013 a fruitful, and pleasant one! Thank you to all those who have supported us, advised us, done business with us, we are so thankful! Could not have done it without you!

Lets hope this year will be better than the last, but then we always say that of every passing year and this New Year should be no different in our hopes and ambitions for our ourselves and our families. So whether you joined us this year, or have been with us from the beginning, THANK YOU for giving us your time and attention! It’s going to be a magical year bringing with it opportunities to shine. As for 2014, let’s all be determined to make it our best year ever.

Faster chips, bigger, beefier networks, whole new kind of servers, new programming languages and new tools to transform companies and societies themselves are coming. We will work hard to cover all these things that we believe merit your attention.

God bless you all with health and happiness! Keep going strong and think positive! ;)

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What was your greatest accomplishment or success in 2013? Tell us below and let's celebrate together! Spread this love. 

*by andreascy*

The Best Graphics Cards of 2013

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

What's the golden rule of building a gaming rig? You don't skimp on the GPU. Processors, RAM, hard drives and accessories can all be sacrificed without sabotaging the experience, but the graphics card is the heart of any gaming PC. 

It doesn't matter if it's a $500 budget machine or a $3,000 powerhouse.

Finding a balance between quality and price is tough. AMD and Nvidia are the two big manufacturers regarding chipsets (Radeon and GeForce), but several third-party companies assemble the actual video cards and add the memory.

Gigabyte GV-N670OC-2GD

Chipset: GeForce GTX 670

Memory: 2GB

Price: $285 on Newegg

This is the perfect card for the budget builder. The 670 is a middle-road chip from Nvidia capable of handling high settings from fan favorites like Skyrim and some GTA IV resolution mods. It's new anti-aliasing mode helps eliminate most of the jagged edges during gameplay without sacrificing frame rate, and you can game on three monitors from a single card (4-way SLI is optional if you want to go crazy).

On top of that, Gigabyte houses 2GB of video RAM on the card, which is standard, and keeps it all cool with three massive fans — all for less than $300.

EVGA 03G-P4-2784-KR

Chipset: GeForce GTX 780

Memory: 3GB

Price: $520 on Amazon

So the GTX 670 doesn't quite wet your whistle. We get it. You want to run that new Battlefield 4 download on ultra-high settings while gaming on several monitors. But at the same time, you're not made of money. The 780 is one of Nvidia's top chipsets and, while the price seems high at $520, it's actually modest in comparison to others (don't worry, we'll get to those).

The extra gigabyte of memory makes a difference too, as games like BF4 list 3GB as the recommended dosage for video memory. Any gaming PC equipped with an i7 and 16GB of RAM should have a card like this.

Sapphire Vapor-X

Chipset: Radeon HD 7970

Memory: 3GB

Price: $385 on Newegg

Nvidia and AMD are a bit like Ford and Chevrolet. Each have loyalists who swear by the product's superiority, but in the end it's really two versions of the same beast. The Radeon HD 7970 is the chipset from AMD that's comparable to a GTX 770 from Nvidia. Both chips can manage high to ultra-high settings on modern games and handle all the shadowing, smoothing and anti-aliasing a game can challenge.

The 3GB of memory is on par with any mid- to high-end card, and the Radeon is capable of 4K resolution if you can actually afford one of the displays.

EVGA 06-P4-2791-KR

Chipset: GeForce GTX Titan

Memory: 6GB

Price: $1,010 on SuperBiiz

Alright, no more child's play. You want the biggest, baddest video card on the market and you don't care what it costs. Nvidia has you covered. The GTX Titan is, by leaps and bounds, the sexiest chipset in gaming graphics. It packs every feature under the sun and is backed with 6GB of memory that could likely handle two games at once. This card doesn't run ultra-high settings on just today's games, but will run top-notch without skipping a frame for any 2014 game as well. It's a clean grand to buy, but this card is a Ferrari among Mustangs.

SEE ALSO: Game-Changing Reasons Why Parents Can Say Yes to Video Games

Be sure to leave your thoughts – feedback is highly appreciated. Oh and SUBSCRIBE! ;)

*by andreascy*

Stay Safe While Shopping Online This Cyber Monday

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Hi friends! We are friends by now, right? :) Cybercrime costs the U.S. economy anywhere from $24 to 120 billion each year, the Center for Strategic and International Studies reports. 

This year, get the jump on your Cyber Monday holiday shopping safely by protecting your computer with these eight tips.

1. Use antivirus software - Antivirus software alerts you to malware, spyware or keylogging software installed on your computer. Most antivirus programs also spot phishing scams, which attempt to steal your information by posing as legitimate entities (i.e. your bank). Keep your antivirus software up to date and running this holiday season to stave off cybercrime.

2. Be wary of too-good-to-be-true email offers - If you see an incredible-sounding offer (say, 80 percent off Sephora's new arrivals), check the store's website or CyberMonday.com, a site that lists legitimate Cyber Monday offers. If Sephora is offering the same deal, you know it's legit and you can shop with confidence.

3. Shop securely - Type in the store's actual Web address when searching for deals. For example, go to Macy's site directly when searching for deals instead of relying on a potential scam email or link on an unfamiliar site. A secured Website keeps your data protected so that others may not view it during transmission. Secured sites use https instead of http. If you are trying to check out and you do not see the S there, hold off on your purchase. Someone may swipe your credit card number.

4. Protect your network - Protect your home wireless with a password to stay safe. While you might browse the internet at your local library or coffee shop, don't purchase anything if their network is not secured.

5. Log off, don't just close the window - You bought those stocking stuffers from Target and paid after making sure the page was secured. Don't just close the webpage window, log out of your Target account first. This prevents thieves from stealing your personal or financial information because you left your information logged in.

6. Pay with credit and watch your account - Paying with credit cards is often more secure than a debit card purchase. Keep an eye on your account for fraudulent activity in the days and weeks to come. If you see fraudulent activities, file a claim with the credit card company. Many credit card companies also screen for unusual transactions. So, if someone in Romania tries to purchase $1000 worth of computing equipment, a red flag goes up as this is obviously not consistent with your purchasing behavior. The transaction will not go through and you'll be notified.

7. Update that web browser - Using an old version of IE or Firefox can leave you vulnerable, according to the Chicago Tribune. Protect your finances by updating your browser when asked.

8. Use smart passwords - When signing up as a store customer online, select a strong password that combines letters, numbers and special characters. There are encryption apps you can use to make your password hard to hack, such as KeePass. If you're worried about forgetting an encrypted password, use a memorization tool like Dashlane.

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Hope you found something useful in the above tips. Are there any extra details you’d like to know? Please don't forget to join our Facebook fan page and spread our voice to your friends and other social circles. Stay tuned for more!

*by andreascy*

How To Shop Black Friday Like A Pro

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Black Friday is a great day to get huge TVs, powerful laptops and an array of other products for incredibly low prices. 

If you're new to Black Friday shopping, or if you just want to learn how the pros do it, then follow these tips. You'll be finding the best sales without breaking a sweat.

Be Focused

The first thing that you have to do is being focused. Most people who shop on Black Friday love the amazing sales, but they are just going to buy anything that's cheap. This approach makes it difficult to find the best stores with your favorite products. What do you really want to buy? For example, let's say that you want a new laptop. After figuring out what you want, you can then compare the different stores that offer good laptops to see which one has the best price. Researching the price shouldn't be hard. You can check flyers and inserts, the store's website or check online for the latest Black Friday deals. You should bring the flyer or insert with you to ensure that you get the right price.

Make a Plan

Most people don't just visit one store on Black Friday. If you want to do a lot of shopping, like early Christmas shopping, then you'll want to make a plan to ensure that you visit every store on your list. You should organize your list based on which products you want the most. If you want a laptop, then visit a store with computers before going anywhere else. This ensures that you get the things that you really want, and anything else is just a bonus.

Small Stores

The big brands always advertise Black Friday sales, which causes a lot of people to visit them. Best Buy, Target and other similar stores have lots of sales, but they also have long lines. Consider visiting smaller stores. Due to public demand, nearly every store will have deep discounts on this day. You can call the store or visit the website to see what sales will be offered.

Social Media

Social media will be your best friend on Black Friday. Many retailers will issue last-minute coupons to ensure the highest number of sales. You should follow any retailers that you plan to visit on Black Friday. This will ensure that you get these coupons if they are issued, and you might get updates about new discounts.

Join Forces

Do you have a friend, spouse or child that loves shopping just as much as you? Then join forces to make Black Friday that much easier. For example, you can run to the cheapest product while the other person gets a cart or rushes to find another cheap product that you both want.

Be Comfortable

If you're going to be out all day, then ditch that bulky winter jacket for something more comfortable. It's a much better idea to dress in layers so that you can just remove one or two things to get comfortable. Those bulky jackets will make you feel tired halfway through your shopping because you'll be sweaty and uncomfortable.

SEE ALSO: Four Interesting Graduation Present Ideas

I love to blog about mobile phones and shopping tips. I recommend buying a smartphone from AT&T on Black Friday to take advantage of the biggest holiday saving.

*by andreascy*