PopSugar

You Asked: Am I Being Played For a Fool?

DearSugar — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:00:00 -0800

Dear Sugar,

To make a long story short, I have been in an on again/off again relationship with a former colleague for years. We go to events together, date, kiss, etc, but there's no real commitment. He knows that I've decided to remain a virgin until marriage, so this is not just his scheme to get laid. A friend of mine decided that she wanted some answers, and she approached him to ask about our relationship. He didn't know that she was my close friend, and he revealed to her that he is not at all interested in having a relationship with me. So why do I still care so much? Every time I try to back off, he just pulls me in again. I'm so confused.

- Feeling Used Felicity

To see Dear Sugar's answer read more

Dear Feeling Used Felicity,

You still care about this person because you're human, and while rationally you might know that having feelings for him is a bad idea, it doesn't mean your heart has realized that yet. It takes time to break away from someone, but in this case, that's what you have to do. Though I don't know the details of your history together, this guy sounds like a charmer to me, which means that he reels you in not because he has any intention of commitment, but because he likes the comfort of always having you there. Even if you're not having sex, he's still getting something out of this and you're just getting a broken heart.

If you continue to let him, this guy will try to pull you in over and over again. You just have to put your foot down, and remind yourself that you deserve that commitment that you're looking for. Once you make the break you'll be able to open yourself up to all sorts of new possibilities. I know this will be difficult, but it'll be worth it. Good luck.

Source

You Asked: Is He a Player?

DearSugar — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 06:00:00 -0700

Dear Sugar,

Ever since I met the guy I am currently dating, I've been having the best of times. We're great friends and when I'm with him, I feel like I can be myself - I don't have to pretend to be someone I'm not just to please him. We're getting to be pretty close now, and I used to be so sure that this was what I wanted, but now I'm having second thoughts.

When we started seeing each other, rumors started to sky-rocket. They aren't rumors about us; they were rumors of his past that have been troubling me. According to everyone, he's a player. I really like this guy, but I don't want to put my feelings out there if I'm only going to get hurt. What should I do? - Protecting Myself Maureen

To see Dear Sugar's answer read more

Dear Protecting Myself Maureen,

The thing about dating and starting a new relationship is you have to treat your relationship like it's the only one you have both ever experienced. We all have pasts, we all have done our fair share of things we aren't proud of with ex's, but if you continue to put so much emphasis on rumors, you might ruin a potentially great relationship.

Just because he was considered a "player" before he met you, it isn't to say that he can't be a great boyfriend to someone he truly cares about. Being single and playing the field is important when trying to figure out what it is that you like and don't like. Remember, you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince.

Trust your gut instincts with this guy. If you haven't already had the exclusive talk, now's the time to do so. Once you are on the same page, leave the past in the past and try your hardest to ignore idle gossip and enjoy your time together. Good luck!

Source

Gear Review: slotRadio by Sansa

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:20:25 -0800

I love my iPod, but there is a new music player vying for my heart: the slotRadio ($79) by Sansa.

The two-inch-by-two-inch clip-on music player comes with a data card with 1,000 songs from the Billboard music charts, with prearranged playlists by music genre. I tried the additional Health and Fitness mix, which includes the mixes for warmup, cardio, roadwork (cycling), power (lifting), yoga, cooldown, and the even more mellow spa mix.

To see what I thought of this music player, just read more.

I must admit I am a bit technically challenged - ironic since I am a blogger, I know. Even with my latent Luddite ways, I found the slotRadio super easy to use. The instruction manual was simply written with helpful graphics. Open the box, charge the radio, which took about an hour, put in your music card, and go. My inaugural run with the slotRadio was great. It clips onto your clothes and is so small and light you don't even notice it. The volume button is easy to find, as is the skip button. You can easily skip genres, too. I warmed up with Lady Gaga and Nelly and moved onto cardio with a few bands I have never heard of, like VHS or Beta. The slotRadio feels like a pop music education in a good way. This little player is a great way to introduce yourself to new music. However, I had to remove the foam covers from the earbuds to keep them from falling out of my ears.

The video screen features graphics of exercises and lets you know the next song up on the playlist so you can advance easily to find motivational music. The slotRadio is also a real radio. As an NPR junkie, I love that I can switch over to radio and catch up on news or Fresh Air while working out.

I enjoyed the Health and Fitness music card much more than the standard Billboard artist music card. Thankfully, the data cards are easy to change, and there are many options to choose from, including Christmas tunes, '80s and '90s music, Latin, and classical. The extra data cards cost $40. The slotRadio bundle comes with headphones, charger, and Billboard music card. These make a great gift for the musically impaired fitness fanatic in your life.

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Lego MP3 Player: Love It or Leave It?

GeekSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:17:25 -0800

Is it just me, or are Lego-themed products popping up everywhere? I just spotted another: this colorful Lego MP3 player ($40) on ThinkGeek.

It has all the functionalities of an iPod, holds 2GB of music (about 500 songs), and features a digital display and USB connection. The coolest part: it's made from actual Lego pieces, so it'll snap together with any Legos you already have. Build-an-MP3-player, anyone?

What do you think?

Insignia Portable DVD Player Reviewed

GeekSugar — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 08:00:38 -0700

I've never been the target customer when it comes to portable DVD players because I hardly ever watch movies on small screens and when I do, I'm happy just using my laptop. Having recently spent some time with my friend's four-year-old, I learned that some people - particularly those who haven't lost their two front teeth yet - rely on portable DVD players for entertainment in planes, trains and other boring locations.

I got a chance to take the Insignia 10.2" 16:9 Widescreen LCD Portable DVD Player for a spin and was pleasantly surprised. I often think of Insignia as an "inexpensive" or "affordable" alternative to more pricey gadgets, but I was immediately intrigued by the player's compact size, light weight and sleek body.

To check out additional pictures of the player and read my full review, read more

I was most impressed with the player's design and usability. It features a fool-proof control wheel (yes, it vaguely resembles the iPod's clickwheel), as well as a small remote that fits into the body of the device for storage. It weighs 2.6-pounds, which is notably lighter than my laptop. While I'm still not sure I would travel with a portable player instead of my laptop, I see where this could be good alternative for keeping yourself or the kids entertained or even as a gift for a Luddite who wants to watch DVDs but doesn't want to deal with connecting a player to a TV (say maybe your great-grandama...).

The Insignia DVD player plays DVD, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3 and JPEG formats, which means you can watch videos stored on your iPod on a slightly larger screen. You can also connect to video game consoles. It ships with an A/V cable, car power adapter, AC/DC adapter and remote. At first I thought the price tag of $190 was a little steep, but discovered most of the other portable players on the market are 8-inches or less. For comparison, the Panasonic 8.5" Portable DVD Player with 12 Hour Battery is $260.

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Love at First Sight With Philips Network Music Player NP2500

GeekSugar — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 09:02:17 -0800

During my adventures at the Philips event in Portugal last week, I was introduced to this tiny yet mighty device - the Streamium Network Music Player. As much as I was drooling over the touchscreen Prestigo universal remote (review on the way!), I must say that this player stole my heart. At home, I usually connect my laptop to my home stereo system to listen to tunes, or else I pop my iPod on my portable stereo's dock. The first one is usually a hassle (stereo must be changed from TV to AUX, volume must be adjusted on both laptop and stereo, etc.), and the latter usually offers a temporary fix since the sound quality isn't that great.

But now my friends, there's the Streamium network music player NP2500 which will wirelessly playback all of your tunes from your laptop or PC, and stream Internet radio stations (thousands of stations worldwide), all while utilizing the device's FullSound technology (which makes the sound amazing). The player shows off full album art in full color and you can control the player with the included remote control.

You can currently pick one up on sale from Dell for $162.

Muji Wall-Mounted CD Player: Justify My Love

GeekSugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:00:24 -0700

I actually no longer have a dedicated CD player anymore; if a CD does, in fact, need to be played, it can be thrown into the DVD player or the optical drive of one of our many home computers. However, now I'm kind of lamenting the fact that I don't need a CD player, because I can in no way justify this Muji Wall-Mounted CD Player ($178).

Muji, for the uninitiated, creates spare, clean products, as is evident with this CD player, which is finally available in the US. Mounted on a wall, it's light years prettier than my big old bulky boom box I had years ago. I also love the ingenious power cord; you merely tug it to turn the player on and off.

Sadly, it shan't be mine, because I can't make a good enough excuse to own it - and it even goes with that all-white gadget color scheme I have suddenly become obsessed with.

Closer Look: Samsung's New Crystal USB Audio Player

GeekSugar — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 14:30:10 -0700

I finally got the chance to get an up-close and personal look at Samsung's latest mp3 player, the crystal U3 USB digital audio player. While looks can sometimes be deceiving, I kid you not when I say this player is extremely small. The ultra slim U3 is literally a USB flash drive turned music player as the USB stick pops out so you can directly insert it into your laptop. With no wires or programs to download and a 15-hour battery life, this player is popular for those who want instant plug and play functionality. Available this August in pink, blue, green, white and black. Priced at $90 for the 2GB player.

To check out more images of the crystal player, read more

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Making a Comeback: Six Retro Chic Record Players

GeekSugar — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 04:00:42 -0700

There's just something about sifting through stacks and stacks of records, finding a gem, and then taking it home to hear the crackle and amazing sound that a record provides. There's really nothing like it. And although I (and a majority of you) get our music digitally, old vinyl is making its comeback. Maybe it's the "full steam ahead to digital" momentum that makes people long for something a little less electronic, but I personally don't mind. I love music in all its forms, even when it comes on 45-inch discs. In honor of the record player revival, check out some of my favorites that I've found while skipping around the web.

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Colossal MP3 Player Spotted at Walgreens!

GeekSugar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:00:12 -0700

Need a GIANT MP3 player? Spotted in the aisles of Walgreens, a $22 dollar MP3 player - the size of your head! Walgreens and their genius digital music player manufacturer have apparently glossed over the fact that iPod's success came largely from its convenient small size to bring you the Colossal 256MB mp3 player! Who cares if you don't own any bags big enough to fit it. It's COLOSSAL!

Who knows what they were thinking with this thing - it has just 256MB and requires 2 AA batteries, and the packaging gives away no sense of irony whatsoever.

Don't bother checking online for this bad boy - I could only find it in person at a downtown San Francisco store. I have half a mind to go back to that Walgreens and buy it, just so I can wear it around town as a social experiment. And it's pink, because, you know, a white one just isn't attention-catching enough!