Thanks to the current economy most of us are on a strict budget. This can make getting all of the things you want, especially the techno-geeky things, difficult…if you don’t know what you’re doing. There are ways to get around the high cost of technology.

Here are a few of them:

1. Make Sure You Check The Competition

In the world of tech, most people tend to be brand loyalists. One person buys Sony more than any other brand and refuses to go near RCA (or vice versa). Someone else might boast about being a “Samsung Girl.” Try not to be one of these people. Sure you probably prefer one brand but don’t let that preference sway your purchase, especially if there are better and higher rated products out there that you can buy for less money. This is just as true of gadgets and devices as it is of Internet service providers. That’s why it is important to visit every website for internet services in your area.

2. Combine Devices

The days of needing a separate television, DVD player, streaming media device, gaming device and internet device are over. And thank goodness because in addition to being expensive, having all of those devices was such a waste of space and energy! Today you can stream media and Internet through smart TVs as well as through most gaming systems. Most gaming systems will also play DVDs and Blu-Rays as well. If you’re not into gaming, most Blu-Ray players also accommodate streaming media today as well. Try to combine as many devices as possible—your wallet and living room will thank you.

3. Protect Your Devices

Insure your gadgets. Yes, you need to do this in addition to filling out warranty cards. For example, when you purchase through Best Buy you can also purchase an insurance plan that guarantees a replacement device if something goes wrong with yours (including your accidentally breaking it). This way if there is a malfunction or a breakage you can get a new device without having to spend hundreds of dollars on a replacement.

Protect your devices at the “source” too. Power strips were invented for a reason. Take them seriously! In fact, if you want to save even more money, purchase a “smart strip”. These are power strips that can kill standby (or phantom) power—the power consumed by devices even when they are off.

4. Only Buy What You Need

Do you really need the largest cable package with the highest internet speeds? Do you need the biggest data plan? Take a look at what you actually do and what you actually need and go with that. Sure the lure of more! Faster! Bigger! Is strong but resist it! Your bank account will thank you.

For the most part saving money on tech gadgets means denying your inner kid. Your inner kid wants the shiny fancy toys. The adult you knows what you need and what you’ll actually use. Sometimes indulging your inner child is a good thing. When it comes to saving money, though, paying homage to your adult self is the smartest plan you can follow.

In August 2012, after a year of contentious courtroom battles, a San Jose, CA judge handed down a verdict that had a ripple effect through the smartphone and technological industries. In the case, which was one of dozens involving software manufacturers and telecommunications companies, Apple was awarded $1.05 billion from Samsung after a jury determined that Samsung had copied Apple’s designs and ideas for the iPhone. While most of the damages were overturned in March 2013, and the two giants seem to be on their way to settling their disagreements, the effect of the Apple v. Samsung case is clear: within the technology world, piracy and copyright or patent infringement is big business.

Solutions Are No Longer in the Box

From the earliest days of computing, software piracy and intellectual property issues have been a concern. Software developers have lost billions of dollars thanks to users making unauthorized copies of software to give to friends - or sell on the black market - while hackers have used reverse engineering to develop their own versions of popular software. In fact, a 2009 survey by the Business Software Alliance estimated that more than 40 percent of all installed software is illegal and that software developers lose nearly $60 billion in revenue each year due to illegal installations and copies.

Compounding the problem is that in many cases, popular software programs are no longer sold separately and installed using an authentication key that helps prevent piracy or copying. These programs only allow users to access a limited number of features until the appropriate license key code is entered.

In many cases these days, software is not sold separately but is instead embedded within the device’s hardware, such as the Android or Apple operating systems on smartphones and tablets. When software is embedded in devices without the proper protections, that intellectual property is vulnerable to misuse, theft, tampering or copying, leading to potential losses to the developer.

However, protecting embedded software isn’t just about keeping hackers away and ensuring that a low-rate - or better - version of your software doesn’t pop up. Embedded software licensing ensures that only authorized users have access to the software, that only the software functions that have been paid for are accessible and that your intellectual property within the software - code and other aspects of the software design - are not vulnerable to theft, tampering or reverse-engineering.

Complete Customization

The right software licensing protocols allow software developers to effectively monetize their designs and ensure that they receive the proper payment for the all of the features of the program. In the past, when a customer purchased software, they could choose a version based on the functionality they needed. In general, if they wanted top-of-the-line features and functions, they had to purchase the top level software package, at top-level prices.

Embedded software has changed that model. When customers purchase a device with software already installed, they receive the entire version of the software, which may include the most advanced features. Developers looking to make the most money from their software have to remember that devices must also be affordable for their software to truly be useful. Embedded software licensing is a solution, as users can customize the software license according to their needs, paying for the extra features they need or want and restricting access to the features that they don’t need. Customers also have a better experience with the software; not only can they save money by not paying for features they don’t need, but they aren’t encumbered with unnecessary functions.

Intellectual property protection is a serious issue, and failing to properly license embedded software products could spell disaster for your company. When your code, algorithms or other proprietary information falls into the wrong hands your profits and brand identity are at stake. As the Apple/Samsung case shows, proving damages and getting restitution is no easy feat. Employing a robust software-licensing protocol and taking steps to manage user licensing of your products can help prevent the revenue losses that come from piracy and copyright or patent infringement and keep your business on firm footing.

Today’s workforce is undeniably mobile. Employees like the flexibility to work from anywhere while keeping a direct line to goings-on at the office. At the same time, IT workers, many of whom have an information security masters degree or some kind of network security certification, worry about protecting proprietary data when employees are on the go. Whether you’re using a company-issued device or your company has a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policy, you have a fiduciary responsibility to protect your employer’s data. Follow these crucial tips to keep data safe on your laptop or mobile device.

Laptops and Data Security

On October 31, 2012, a NASA employee left a laptop in a locked car and returned to find it stolen. The laptop contained the personally identifiable data of 10,000 NASA employees and contractors. It also stored critical NASA documents.

If the federal government is at risk for data theft, then so are private companies. These steps will help to ensure the security of your laptop.

• Utilize a strong password. Strong passwords contain more than eight characters, have random symbols or numbers in between characters and include both upper and lower case letters. Try to avoid using important dates that are easy to guess, such as your birthday or anniversary date, as part of a password. Remember, a strong password doesn’t make your laptop invulnerable. Hackers have plenty of available software options that can bypass password protection to obtain your data.

• Choose cloud-based apps when possible. For example, utilize a webmail app instead of downloading e-mails to an application on your laptop. Your business e-mails will be stored online instead of being stored on your laptop.
• Use disk encryption software. For Windows, try an open-source encryption program. On a Mac, open “System Preferences,” choose “Security & Privacy” and utilize FireVault encryption.
• Download some laptop tracking software. If your laptop is lost or stolen, then a laptop tracking application can help you, your company and law enforcement track it down.
• Wipe your hard drive when you ditch your laptop. If you’re using your own laptop for work and you upgrade to a new system, then you need to make sure that your hard drive is free of data before you discard, sell or recycle your laptop.

Securing Data on Your Mobile Device

Mobile devices are often thought to be more secure than PCs, but that assumption doesn’t always hold true. For example, Symantec found that mobile device hacking increased 93 percent in 2011 alone. The National Cyber Security Alliance found that just 36 percent of Americans have installed security software or apps on their mobile devices. Malware could attack not only your mobile device but also any other device on your network.

While Android seems to be the operating system most vulnerable to attack, don’t assume that your iOS device or your BlackBerry is safe. In addition to setting a strong password, use these strategies to protect data on your smartphone or tablet:

• Avoid assuming that your Web browser is safe. Researchers from Georgia Tech found that 90 percent of all mobile Web traffic takes place over browsers that fail basic security tests. Your browser bar on your mobile device doesn’t have the lock icon or the “https” configuration that shows that you’re looking at a secure site.
• Be careful about phishing. Georgia Tech also found that mobile users are three times more likely to access phishing sites than desktop users. Don’t click on incoming pop-ups or links. Also, if you receive an e-mail from a company, then type the company’s Web address into your browser instead of clicking the link in the message.
• Check the security of your apps. Before downloading an app, check to see that it encrypts data that it stores. If it’s storing data on an SD card, then someone can remove the card and read unencrypted data on another device.
• Know how to use your security features. Make sure that you know how to remotely lock or wipe your mobile device data if your device is lost or stolen.

You got that great new job, or you're off to school in a new town. Maybe you met someone and plan on getting a place together, or you could just need a change of pace and scenery. Moving is exciting, full of new adventures and possibilities. You get to decorate a new space, meet new people, explore new places, and have new adventures.

It's a thing to look forward to with just a few drawbacks. Packing isn't that fun, nor is possibly leaving behind friends and family, but these are all issues that can be worked out. There is one other downfall to moving, however, that affects your daily life and needs to be taken care of as soon as possible.

A necessary part of moving

When you move, you have to fill out a change address form or forms. If you don't, you could miss out on bills, important notices, tax documents, and much more. You have to update your address on legal forms and identifications. You have to let the postal services know not to send your mail to your old address and where to forward it to. You need to let your landlord know where to send final bills. Keeping up with all the people and agencies that must be notified of your new address can be a hassle, and you may forget someone. Not to mention all the forms you need to complete or all the time you need to take off of work to sit in government facilities to fill out the forms. It can be a nightmare.

Take care of it all at once

But what if there was a way for you fill out a change address form(s) that would include everyone you need to notify all at once? There are sites online that can do just that, and most of them are free to use; you'll just need to pay the proper agencies if they charge. In one sitting you can change the address on your license and vehicle registration, all of your bill collectors will know where to mail your notices, and the post office will know where to send your mail.

Secure way of changing your address

Using an online service to complete a change address form doesn't just save time and money, but it's also secure. You've lost things in the mail before. One thing you don't want to get lost is a notice to change your address. If that doesn't get processed you could miss out on very important pieces of mail. Also, most states have laws about how soon you need to update your address after moving on legal documents and identifications. If you fail to change the information within that allotted time you could face hefty fines.

Using an online service to do a change address is free, fast, easy, convenient, and hassle free. You cover all your bases and can get to the joys of being in a new place without the worry that you may have forgotten someone in your address change. Everyone from Aunt Sally to Uncle Sam can reach you by mail with anything from birthday cards and tax forms.