FitSugar

Get on the Ball: Advanced Camel

FitSugar — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 02:30:00 PDT

I love backbending poses. Stretching through the front of my body makes me feel so open and alive. I always feel so energized afterwards.

One of my favorite backbends is the Camel. It feels amazing on its own, but if you do it with an exercise ball, you can stretch your spine even further. Just place the ball against a sturdy wall, arch back, place your hands on the ball and walk them down. You can even work on getting the crown of your head on the ground, which is a great prep for an advanced backbend called Thunderbolt. Check out this video to see how to get into it.

Music: The Calling by Pressure Drop

Verizon's First 4G Phone, the ThunderBolt, on Sale Thursday

Kristen Hawley — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 13:51:01 PDT

Verizon will release its first 4G phone, the ThunderBolt ($250), this Thursday. The device, which first surfaced last year, was officially unveiled at CES in January.

Despite running on Verizon's new 4G network, ThunderBolt customers can enjoy the same pricing plans as current Verizon subscribers: voice plans starting at $40/month and data starting at $30/month. The ThunderBolt has a 4.3-inch hi-res screen, 8mp camera with flash, and 720p HD video camera.

Since it runs on the 4G network, the ThunderBolt is the first Verizon phone to be able to handle voice and data use at the same time. It also can serve as a mobile hotspot for up to eight other devices, which according to Verizon will be free until May 15. After that, users can choose to pay an additional $20 for 2GB of data each month.

Acer Introduces Aspire S5 - World's Thinnest Ultrabook

Kelly Schwarze — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 15:59:24 PST

Acer kicked off CES 2012 today with the introduction of the Aspire S5, billed as the world's thinnest ultrabook. With a 13.3-inch LCD display, the computer measures 15 mm at its biggest point and weighs less than 3 lbs.

Using the same Instant On technology as the Timeline, the S5 boots to full functionality in 1.5 seconds and boasts a battery life of "several weeks," according to a statement by Acer. The included Always Connect feature wakes the S5 from sleep mode via a separate device like a tablet or smartphone. AcerCloud, Acer's multiplatform compatible response to customer cloud storage, will come pre-installed on the S5.

Despite its size, the S5 does include external ports, hidden within what Acer calls a MagicFlip I/o port panel. A touch of the MagicFlip key reveals an HDMI, USB 3.0, and 20 Gbps Thunderbolt port. You heard it - Thunderbolt. The brushed black metallic cover is made of magnesium-aluminum alloy. An Intel CoreTM processor, SSD storage, and Dolby Home Theater v4 round out the S5's inner specs.

Look for the S5 to ship in the second quarter of 2012, when pricing will also be announced. Check out a first look at the new ultrabook in the gallery!

Alex Guarnaschelli on Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs

Susannah Chen — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 06:01:24 PDT

Between Alex's Day Off, her two restaurants, and a column on Food Network, star chef and restaurateur Alex Guarnaschelli has her hands pretty full. Still, she's somehow made room to compete in the forthcoming star-studded season of Next Iron Chef, which premieres this Sunday, Oct. 30.

We caught up with her at the New York City Wine & Food Festival to get her thoughts on competing under pressure, making new celebrity chef friends, and the show's most emotional moments.

YumSugar: What was it like competing in Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs?
Alex Guarnaschelli: It was like going to sleep-away camp and being 18 again, in a way. You're removed from your normal life, in an abyss, with a knife and chunks of meat. It was an interesting experience. I made some friends that I didn't expect to make, like this one. [Michael Chiarello walks up].

Michael Chiarello: We had a love child on the series. [Winks.]
AG: I'd never met Michael Chiarello, as an example. I thought, "Wow, he's a tough cookie - I don't know about that one," but then we wound up in tears, laughing so hard, so many times. He would just give me that little look and a little flick of the eye, that little Clint Eastwood facial expression and it just kind of reboots you. It reminded me how alive we are. I don't know if that's good. It's kind of like being whipped with a thunderbolt.

Read on to hear more of Alex's takeaways from Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs.

Rumor: New MacBook Air Coming Soon

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 18 May 2011 09:19:23 PDT

If you've been itching to trade in your clunky machine to buy one of Apple's ultrathin laptops, you may want to hold off just a bit longer. New reports say that Apple is expected to refresh both the 13-, and 11-inch MacBook Airs this Summer - likely June or July - which is less than a year after the newly revamped models were introduced last October.

The hardware refresh should include new and super-fast Sandy Bridge chips and Thunderbolt ports for fast data transfers.

Apple Upgrades MacBook Air, Mini, Does Away With White MacBook

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 09:43:31 PDT

Apple added and subtracted a few things from its Apple Store this morning, boosting the MacBook Air and Mac Mini models with some additional features, rolling out OSX Lion for purchase, and doing away with the white MacBook forever, encouraging you to tote lighter, faster, and sleeker laptops for years to come. Learn about the details of each change below!

MacBook Air

The new Macbook Airs are the lightest, thinnest, and cheapest in the laptop category now, with the 11-inch starting at $999 and the 13-inch at $1,299. New specs in both models include a back-lit keyboard, new and fast i5 and i7 Intel processors, and Thunderbolt connections for fast data transfer. Of course, you still get the same sleek touchpad, flash storage, and long-lasting battery life in all of the models along with the latest version of OSX Lion.

Find out what's new with the Mac Mini and OSX Lion after the jump.

The Week in Geek

GeekSugar — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:01:44 PDT

This week, a special delivery from Nintendo, some more iPhone rumors, and a simple way to get around the new New York Times paywall. Check out these stories and more in this week's recap.

Big news first: a new 3DS is in our hands! Stay tuned for a review, tips, and other awesomeness inspired by the brand-new gadget.
Another week, another crop of Apple rumors. The week started with a rumor that the next iPhone was not coming with a NFC chip - the chip that allows you to pay for purchases using your phone. At the end of the week, we heard that the next iPhone may sport a metal back.
Now that the iPad 2 has been with us for over a week, we had a chance to check it out and form some first impressions. And since the iPad 2 is the current hotness, anyone who wants to get their hands on an original iPad can snag one for a dramatically reduced price.
In new phone news, Verizon released is first 4G phone, the HTC Thunderbolt. And T-Mobile released the newest version of the Sidekick, which also runs on a 4G network.
Android fans: if $800 for a Motorola Xoom was a bit too steep, you're in luck! Motorola is introducing a WiFi-only Xoom on March 27 for $599.
Google Chrome introduced a new logo, so in its honor, here are five helpful Chrome tips.
March Madness kicked off this week, and thanks to the Internet, you can watch even if you don't have a TV. If you're a fan, be sure to check out all of the ways Google is adding to the experience: stadium tours, bracket templates, and more.
The New York Times will begin charging for content on March 28, but there's an easy way to get around the paywall - just follow these Twitter accounts!