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Saturday, July 9, 2011

BREAKING NEWS: Boehner To Seek Smaller Deficit Deal

House Speaker Boehner announces plans to seek a smaller $2 trillion deficit deal on the eve of bipartisan talks.

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Top 10 Real World Easter Eggs and Cheat Codes

By Adam Dachis

Top 10 Real World Easter Eggs and Cheat Codes

Top 10 Real World Easter Eggs and Cheat CodesYou might think that you have to wait in line, buy only what's offered to you, subject yourself to advertisements, and generally go through you day accepting nuisances because that's just how the world works. But just like on your computer, there are easter eggs hiding out in the real world just waiting to let you unlock the bonus levels of life. Here are our top 10 favorites.

10. Get Free Money

Top 10 Real World Easter Eggs and Cheat Codes As far as cheat codes go, picking up some extra coins was always a pretty sweet deal. You might be able to do the same in real life by searching unclaimed money sites like Missing Money and TreasuryDirect. Not everyone has free cash with their name on it (like me, sadly), but it only takes a few minutes to check to quickly become a little bit richer.

9. Eat for Free On Your Birthday

Top 10 Real World Easter Eggs and Cheat Codes When it's your birthday, you shouldn't have to pay for food. That's how I feel, anyway, and a lot of restaurants agree. If you join their rewards programs, you can pick up tons of free goodies. Sometimes it doesn't even matter if it's your actual birthday, but rather just your birth month. Either way, there's plenty of free food with your name on it.

8. Find Your Car Easily by Using Yourself to Amplify Your Keyless Entry Remote's Signal

Top 10 Real World Easter Eggs and Cheat Codes When you can't find your car in a parking lot, pressing the lock button a few times will generally make it beep and honk so you can track it down quickly—but this only works if your car is in range. Putting the keyless entry remote in your mouth and pressing the lock button can help extend the range. Some Reddit users suggest that you just need to put it under your chin and it works because the signal resonates in your skull.

7. Open an Airplane Lavatory Door from the Outside

Top 10 Real World Easter Eggs and Cheat CodesThose airline bathroom doors? You can unlock them from the outside. All you have to do is flip up the lavatory sign on the door and slide open the lock. You don't want to be doing this to unwitting strangers, of course, but this could be useful in case of emergency (or just to play a cruel joke on a friend).

6. Order Secret Items at Fast Food Restaurants

Top 10 Real World Easter Eggs and Cheat Codes Just because it's not on the menu doesn't mean you can't have it. There are plenty of secret menu items at plenty of chains. Starbucks has a tiny-sized coffee for light drinkers. Chipotle will make practically anything that can be accomplished with their available ingredients—like quesadillas. Wendy's will make you a "meat cube" burger, knowing as the Grand Slam, that consists of four heart attack-rendering beef patties. In and Out, on the other hand, offers a grilled cheese that is essentially a hamburger-less hamburger (but somehow really tasty). And if you're torn between being a carnivore and vegetarianism, Fatburger will make you "The Hypocrite"—a veggie burger topped with bacon. You don't have to order what's presented to you. If there's something you want, ask for it. You might just get it.

5. Get Shopping Discounts by Pretending to Be (or Actually Being) a Tourist or Student

Top 10 Real World Easter Eggs and Cheat Codes Several retail stores give you discounts for being a tourist. You don't necessarily have to actually be one, but just say you are. At most you'll have to provide some sort of out-of-state identification (which you can always say you left at the hotel if you're unable to provide it). Being (or pretending to be) a tourist can save you around 10 to 11% off your purchases, so it's always worth asking if the store you're at provides that kind of discount.

Getting student discounts forever is also pretty easy (and likely more useful than when you're actually a student and don't need them as much as you do when paying off loans). For online verification, you can generally just Photoshop the date on your ID. If you need to send an unofficial class schedule and make it look official, it's not that hard to spoof an email address. Alternatively, pay some college kid a few bucks to get the discount for you or enlist a student you know. You have plenty of options, so these discounts are pretty easy to come by if you're okay with bending the rules.

4. Go Directly to Voicemail When Making a Phone Call

Top 10 Real World Easter Eggs and Cheat Codes Do you ever have a phone call to make that would be a lot easier if you could just talk to an answering machine? Rather than leaving it to chance, or trying to call when you think the other person won't answer, just use slydial. All you do is call 267-SLYDIAL, enter the phone number you want to call, and you'll get sent directly to voicemail so you can leave a message.

3. Get Discounts Without Giving Up Personal Information

Top 10 Real World Easter Eggs and Cheat Codes Discount cards can be great, but you're essentially selling your personal information to the store in exchange for a few cents off a head of lettuce. How can you avoid this and still get the discount? There are a couple of effective ways. First, companies can often look up your information via your phone number and we recently learned that you can just tell them that your number is 867-5309—a number that's almost always in the system. Alternatively, you can just say you left your card at home and ask the cashier if they'll use their own card. If there's a rewards system in place, they'll often be happy to do this. Finally, you can always just say you want to sign up for a card, let them scan it, and then say you'll bring back or mail in the signup form when you're done. Of course, you won't actually do that.

2. Don't Wait on Hold

Top 10 Real World Easter Eggs and Cheat Codes Calling customer service is not something most people look forward to, and that's often exacerbated by traversing phone trees and waiting on hold. If you're just trying to get a human, doing nothing can trick the system into thinking you have a rotary phone (assuming it's not a voice-based system). If it is, just talk incomprehensibly until the computer gives up on trying to understand you and sends you to an actual person. Or just use GetHuman. If you want to avoid the hold wait, try LucyPhone. In some cases they can even help you avoid navigating through the phone trees, too.

1. Skip Television, DVD/Blu-ray, and YouTube Advertisements

Top 10 Real World Easter Eggs and Cheat Codes When you're watching TV, DVD movies, or content online, ads can be annoying, but you can skip them all! Obviously the advent of the DVR made this especially possibly, even when watching live-ish television, but there are easier ways. If you have a TiVO, you can enable a 30-second skip button to make passing through ads especially easy. If you're using Windows Media Center, you can set it up to skip ads all together. Several other DVRs and HTPC softwares include ad-skipping options as well. For your disc-based content, there is, of course, the stop stop play trailer- and ad-skipping trick. Finally, if you're on YouTube, just reload the page to skip the ad.


Got any other great real-world Easter eggs or cheat codes? Share 'em in the comments!

You can follow Adam Dachis, the author of this post, on Twitter and Facebook.  Twitter's the best way to contact him, too.

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BREAKING NEWS: Jeter Gets 3,000th Hit

New York Yankee Derek Jeter reaches 3,000th hit with a home run.

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Microsoft at Risk; Microsoft and the Cloud


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The Best of Channel Insider
Top Stories
10 Threats to Microsoft's Business
A VAR's View: Microsoft Cloud Licensing
Cloud Computing: An Impending RMM Challenge for MSPs
Tech to Keep You Connected to Work
IT Nightmare on Consumer Technology Street
Also of Interest
Oracle Releases VDI 3.3
Worldwide SaaS Revenue to Grow 21% in 2011: Gartner
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Tech Analysis
Tablets Hold Promise, Challenges for Channel
The explosion of tablets offers a host of opportunities for resellers, but security concerns remain an issue. Here's a look at the state of tablets in the channel and the opportunities ahead.
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In This Issue
10 Threats to Microsoft's Business
Microsoft is under attack. Apple, Google and several other companies are wreaking havoc on different parts of the software giant's operation. Simply put, this is a very difficult time for Microsoft, and the company's future as a dominant force is, for once, in doubt. Here's a look at the disruptive threats Microsoft must face down.
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A VAR's View: Microsoft Cloud Licensing
Microsoft has always defended its complicated, multi-SKUed software-licensing labyrinth with claims that it helped customers and channel partners get just what they wanted and buy it just the way they wanted to buy it. So why are Microsoft's cloud offerings, Office 365 and Windows Intune, only offered in one way?
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Cloud Computing: An Impending RMM Challenge for MSPs
Many MSPs have grown accustomed to managing customers' physical IT assets in a single location by using remote monitoring and management tools. But here comes the cloud, complicating the process with virtual machines in multiple locations hosted by multiple entities. How will MSPs cope?
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Tech to Keep You Connected to Work
With the summer holidays already here, chances are you are headed to the beach or the mountains or somewhere else that doesn't have a desk. Here are some of the essential technology tools you should pack to keep up with what's going on at work. Check them out.
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IT Nightmare on Consumer Technology Street
With social-media tools, more handheld gadgets and consumer-grade Web email proliferating across businesses, the question remains how to best secure and control these technologies. While some companies are relying on blind trust, others have instituted policies. Here's a look at the state of security amid the consumerization of IT. Where do you fit?
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Why Tablets Are a Smarter Buy Than E-Readers; P.h.D. Holders Feeling Sorry for Themselves

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TOP STORIES - July 9, 2011
Why Tablets Are a Smarter Buy Than E-Readers
P.h.D. Holders Feeling Sorry for Themselves
Toyota Joins Linux Foundation to Rev Up Car Infotainment
Apple's App Store Passes 15 Billion Downloads
Eight Touch-Screen Gestures Encourages 'Active Learning'
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Hot iPad 2 Alternatives to Consider
For those who don't want the popular iPad 2, there are some compelling alternatives currently available or launching soon.
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Internet Security Myths That Delude Users
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Why Tablets Are a Smarter Buy Than E-Readers
A new study from Pew Research reveals that e-reader ownership is outpacing that of tablets. But when it comes to choosing between a tablet and e-reader, it's a no-brainer when you compare the features, or lack thereof, of the two devices. Even e-reader maker Barnes & Noble is transitioning its Nook Color into a tablet. We take a look at why opting for a tablet rather than an e-reader seems like the best idea.
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P.h.D. Holders Feeling Sorry for Themselves
Well-educated workers say they care about their jobs, and feel a lot of stress at work. Sounds just like everyone else, doesn't it?
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Toyota Joins Linux Foundation to Rev Up Car Infotainment
Toyota is joining The Linux Foundation as a Gold member to maximize its own investment in Linux while fostering open innovation throughout the automotive ecosystem.
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Apple's App Store Passes 15 Billion Downloads
Apple is claiming its App Store has passed 15 billion downloads, and currently boasts 425,000 apps, including 100,000 native iPad applications.
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Eight Touch-Screen Gestures Encourages 'Active Learning'
The Georgia Institute of Technology has modernized traditional active-learning techniques for touch-screens by crafting a set of gestures for electronic media--including highlighting, commenting, extracting, collapsing, magnifying, linking, outlining and bookmarking.
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How to Get Started with Cloud Computing
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