Hasta La Gadget!

Nokia might have pulled out from the smartphone business under the Lumia moniker after coming to an agreement with Microsoft, but this does not mean that their name is no longer holds any value. Just take a look at the newly announced Nokia N1, and you will know what I mean. The Nokia N1 continues to maintain the sheer simplicity and design which happens to be the “signature” of most of Nokia’s products.

The Nokia N1 is the first Nokia-branded Android-powered tablet, which is a departure from all the other Windows Phone devices that they used to churn out. Sporting the innovative, predictive Nokia Z Launcher interface, the Nokia N1 is not quite ready for a commercial release just yet, but rather, it will only hit the market this coming Q1 2015 – which is just a couple more months left to wait, thanks to a brand-licensing agreement with an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partner who is behind the manufacturing process, distribution and sales.

Available in Lava Grey and Natural Aluminum colors, the Nokia N1 will arrive with a 7.9″ laminated display, where it sports a chassis that measures all of just 6.9mm in terms of thickness, while a quad-core 2.4Ghz Intel Atom processor would keep things running as it will be powered by the Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system. It is said that the Nokia N1 is tipped for a Q1 release in China next year, where it has a recommended retail price of $249 prior to taxes. Do you think that the Nokia N1 will make it big, being a mid-range model? [Press Release]

Nokia N1 Android-Powered Tablet Revealed , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.

Are you one who is currently finding it rather challenging to make ends meet, and would want to look for the best deals in the market all the time? Well, if a new smartphone has been on your wishlist for quite some time already, perhaps you might want to consider picking up the Motorola Moto X Developer Edition for $229.99 a pop.

This handset is far from being new, but to pick up last year’s Motorola Moto X Developer Edition at this price point does sound to be a rather tempting proposition. At $229.99 a pop, this unlocked GSM handset will run on either the T-Mobile or AT&T network. Since it is also a Developer Edition version, it will arrive alongside an unlockable bootloader, so that would enable you to run custom ROMs in an easier manner compared to a vanilla Moto X.

Just to refresh our memories, it will feature internal memory, a 4.7” AMOLED display at 720 x 1280 resolution, a dual-core 1.7GHz CPU, 2GB RAM, a 10MP camera at the back and a front-facing 2MP shooter, with Android 4.4.4 KitKat on board alongside a 2,200mAh battery. Surely the $229.99 price tag is a whole lot better than the original $649.99 price that some people forked out for it earlier on, right?

Motorola Moto X Developer Edition Going For $229.99 , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.

Courtesy Silversea Cruises

In recent years, reports of health scares and mechanical malfunctions have raised questions about cruise safety. As a result, many travelers are wary of whether a cruise is the best vacation choice.

But here’s the reality: With a growing demand for improved safety measures, immersive itineraries and innovative onboard entertainment, cruise lines attract an increasing number of passengers each year — and for good reason. In January, the Cruise Lines International Association estimated 21.7 million travelers would take a cruise in 2014, up from 15 million in 2010.

With the introduction of new ships, high-tech amenities and extended time in time, the industry is striving to lure millennial, multigenerational and first-time cruisers of all budgets and ages. And when you consider that all meals, activities and lodging are bundled into one rate, it’s easy to see why cruise vacations are steadily growing in popularity.

But once you’ve decided to take a cruise, comparing ships and itineraries can be exhausting. That’s why U.S. News compiles the Best Cruises rankings. Our annual lists include 15 major cruise lines, ranked based on their reputations among travel experts, guest ratings from Cruiseline.com and health inspection scores collected from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. After evaluating the data for each cruise line, we’ve identified the lines that offer the best experience in the following categories.

In Pictures: The Best Cruise Lines of 2015

Top Luxury Cruise Lines

Courtesy Crystal Cruises

For the second consecutive year, Crystal Cruises earned the top spot on our 2015 Best Luxury Cruise Lines list. Thanks to multimillion-dollar renovations in 2013 and 2014, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony now offer even more standout amenities, including an herb garden (on Serenity) and an outdoor Fitness Garden (on Symphony). Apart from its ship upgrades, Crystal Cruises outshines competitors with its exemplary service, gourmet dining options and unique enrichment programs, such as tai chi lessons and food and wine tastings. What’s more, Crystal Cruises received a 4.6 out of 5 traveler rating — the highest of all 15 cruise lines. Small luxury line Silversea Cruises reclaimed the No. 2 spot due to a combination of personalized service (the line maintains a nearly 1-to-1 crew-to-guest ratio), all-suite accommodations and a 4.2 approval rating among travelers. Regent Seven Seas Cruises also kept its No. 3 title, thanks to its luxury cabins, complimentary shore excursions and unique culinary offerings.

Top Cruise Lines for the Money
Finding a budget-friendly cruise is one thing; selecting an affordable cruise that doesn’t compromise quality is another task altogether. Best Cruise Lines for the Money ranks the cruise lines that maximize comfort and convenience without leaving a major dent in your wallet. Royal Caribbean, with its ice skating rinks, zip lines and surf simulators, reclaimed the No. 1 spot this year. Apart from the line’s versatile amenities and low rates for 2015 itineraries, Royal Caribbean reigned supreme thanks to its well-balanced combination of high traveler, expert and health ratings. Those in search of great value along with even more family-focused cabin options and kid-oriented amenities should consider Disney Cruise Line, the No. 2 cruise line for the money and the No. 1 cruise line for families.

See: Is a Cruise for You? 7 questions to ask before you commit

Top Cruise Lines for Families

Jimmy DeFlippo / Disney Cruise Line

For many families, the perfect cruise provides kid-friendly services and cabins spacious enough for the entire group. But once you’ve narrowed down that list, picking the cruise that will satisfy all members of your crew can be tricky. Disney Cruise Line, the No. 1 cruise line for families, appeals to a wide range of age groups. On a Disney cruise, younger guests can enjoy character meet and greets and sign up for educational programs in the ship’s animator’s studio. Meanwhile, travelers ages 14 to 17 can hang out at the exclusive teens-only lounge. And grown-ups can take advantage of adults-only restaurants, nightclubs and lounges. Like Disney, Royal Caribbean caters to a variety of interests thanks to its poolside film screenings for kids, video arcades for teens and fitness classes, spa treatments and wine tastings for adults. Plus, Royal Caribbean’s 3.9 approval rating among families helped it take the No. 2 slot for the second consecutive year. Larger groups seeking spacious cabin options and a variety of shore activities should also consider the No. 3 cruise line on this list, Celebrity Cruises. Celebrity offers “Family Tour Challenge” excursions, which range from learning to pilot a gondola in Venice to flamenco dancing in Barcelona.

Top Cruise Lines for Romance
When searching for the perfect cruise with your better half, you want to consider criteria like couple-friendly services, accommodations and atmosphere. But you also want to factor in the opinion of like-minded travelers. Thanks to a 4.7 approval rating among couples, Silversea seized the No. 1 place on our Best Cruise Lines for Romance list this year, edging out luxury competitors Crystal Cruises, Cunard Line and Azamara Club Cruises. Aside from its high approval rating among couples, Silversea offers customizable shore excursions along with activities designed with duos in mind, such as wine tastings, cooking lessons and dance classes. And if you are celebrating a special occasion, such as a honeymoon or anniversary, Silversea provides a variety of memorable cabin add-ons, such as Champagne, chocolate and flowers. Crystal Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises, which took the No. 2 and No. 3 slots, respectively, also provide a myriad of specialized packages. Crystal touts flower and photography services, along with wedding and vow renewal ceremonies, while Azamara features “Bon Voyage” gifts that can span anything from Champagne to spa vouchers.

See: 9 Things You Should Know Before Booking Your Next Cruise

Top Cruise Lines in the Caribbean

David Roark / Disney Cruise Line

With more than a third of all cruise ship itineraries covering the Caribbean, chances are you’re considering a cruise to ports of call in this part of the world. For the second year in a row, Disney Cruise Line captured the No. 1 spot on our Best Cruise Lines in the Caribbean list. Though Royal Caribbean and Carnival offer a greater number of scheduled Caribbean itineraries in 2015 and 2016, Disney Cruise Line held on to its title thanks to its superlative Overall Rating and its high percentage of Caribbean bound-itineraries. Disney’s four ships offer a variety of shore excursions, ranging from rainforest treks in St. Maarten to snorkeling and kayaking adventures in St. Kitts. Disney also owns Castaway Cay — a private Bahamian island that’s only accessible to Disney passengers, where guests can take advantage of child-friendly and adults-only activities, including meet and greets, yoga classes and seaside massages. That said, if you decide to sail to the Caribbean with Royal Caribbean or Carnival, which earned the No. 2 and No. 3 spots this year, respectively, you’ll be rewarded with ample shore excursion offerings. Royal Caribbean boasts unique tours, such as eco-safaris in Grand Turk and off-roading adventures in Bonaire, while Carnival features ziplining expeditions in St. Lucia and horseback riding in St. Maarten, among other adventures.

See: U.S. News Best Cruises Rankings

About the author: Liz Weiss is an editor for the Travel section at U.S. News. You can follow her on Twitter, connect with her on LinkedIn, circle her on Google+ or email her at eweiss@usnews.com.

I’ve been at this parenting game for a while now. Not as long as some of my wise fellow dad bloggers, but long enough to have accumulated quite a bit of dirt beneath my parental fingernails — which have been painted dozens of times and in a variety of colors by my two daughters — and long enough to have walked a metaphorical mile with LEGO bricks stuck to the bottom of my parental feet.

Despite the relative long-ness of my parental tooth, I’m also not immune to the nagging twinge of parental insecurity. I doubt myself more than any active-engaged parent who tries probably should. It’s damn hard to be alive and alert in the Pinterest age of perceived perfection filled with amazing school lunches and darling lunch notes, handmade end of year teacher’s gifts that radiate thoughtfulness, and countless kid/parent videos, each one more clever than the last. I can’t compete with any of that sh*t either. Fortunately, this parenting game isn’t a competition. Our kids aren’t going to be holding up a score placard like the crooked Ukrainian judge at the end of an international figure skating tournament. They love us and if we try our best, they will notice and appreciate our efforts to keep them on the straight and narrow even if we take a winding path to get there.

So stop fretting over every decision and quit judging yourself against the people of the Internet. Half that crap is Photoshopped, anyway. Here are the seven things I finally stopped worrying about as a parent, and in turn, have made me a better, happier parent almost instantly:

1. Serving my kids vegetables and/or fruit every single day.
My wife and I have built a sturdy foundation, of this I am nearly almost totally 99 percent certain, probably, so there is no longer (was there ever?) a need to panic about their fruit and veggie intake on a daily basis. My daughters each, although one WAY more than the other, enjoy many varieties of fruits and veggies, raw and prepared in a variety of ways. It’s all good. And if they skip a day or two, I know that they will be fine.

2. Spending an hour or two in front of a screen instead of playing outside.
Because it can be fun to loaf around and play games. Just look around and in the mirror — we all have our noses in our phones! They are kids, after all, and it’s relaxing to sometimes veg out in front of a TV screen or a device. The outside, with its sticks, lightning bugs, swing sets and scooters, is an option they choose often enough, so I can chillax if, on occasion, they pick the iPad or the 3DS instead. They will be fine.

3. Missing some of the check-the-box tourist destinations while traveling together as a family.
We no longer push our daughters’ physical or mental limits to squeeze in everything when we travel. Instead, we do what we can at a leisurely pace, see what we can see, experience more of a place rather than see all of that place, and, in turn, leave the girls plenty still to discover should they return decades later with their own kids. So what if we miss something being advertised on a postcard at the airport? They will be fine.

4. Wearing shorts that are tiny or shirts that are skin-tight.
Their a** cheeks aren’t sticking out, their underwear is not visible and the pockets are not longer than the hem (man, that trend is hideous) of their denim shorts, but their clothes, they are tiny-ish. I could never get comfortable in threads like that, although now that I’m losing weight, I find form-fitting shirts more pleasant than baggy ones. But then again, I am a man — no one is going to bat an eye if my form is evident through my clothing as I walk down the street. Women don’t have it so easy. My girls are 10 and 7 and they wear what makes them most happy without a care about a world full of adults who might judge, men who might leer or women who might tsk-tsk. My two goofball daughters dress for themselves and no one else, and that is what I wish to instill in them. They are comfy and they will be fine.

5. Jumping in the pool immediately after eating.
To quote Josh and the Jamtones’ hilarious “Bear Hunt” comedy skit, “So I just had a piece of pizza, who cares?” Myths are for those with too much time on their hands. Finish chewing, then cannonball away, girls — you will be fine.

6. Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, that “Best Day of my Life” song and other pop music.
The popular brand of music is no longer a bugaboo for me… but, let me be clear, the Demi Lovato version of “Let It Go” still sucks. I’m grateful for the kiddie music that has allowed me, as a music lover, to give my daughters song upon song that they were able to “get” from a very young age, songs that spoke to them and their childhood experiences as toddlers, grade schoolers and now, as kids who are just now beginning to grow out of their youth with a wistful melancholy about that very transition. While amazing bands like The Pop Ups, Recess Monkey, Lunch Money and The Not-Its are still being spun loud and proud and with much love, they are sharing space in our iTunes library with First Aid Kit, Brandi Carlile, and even more familiar names. It’s all good because my girls know what great music, made with passion and presented live in intimate settings, is all about. They’ve been holding hands with it from the start. And they will be fine.

7. Not playing organized sports or “official” extracurricular competitive activities.
I was a sports kid, but my girls, they’ve tried gymnastics, ballet, tap, soccer, karate, basketball, floor hockey, tennis and golf, yet nothing has “stuck” as much as imaginative unstructured playtime together, as sisters, at home. They get along with other kids, especially if they’re younger and adorable — that’s when my two mini-mommies shine — and so I am no longer concerned about the absence of team or solo competitive pursuits. Many “experts” will tell you a child needs such activity, but even without much going forward, I am certain my daughters will be absolutely fine.

This post was originally published on Jeff’s site Out With The Kids. Follow Out With The Kids on Facebook.

Also on HuffPost:

By: Zach Mack

Credit: Drew Swantak

It’s hardly been 10 minutes since you finished your last pumpkin beer of the season and already people are busting out the tinsel and lawn decorations. As you slide from the dark, spicy beers of fall into the… even darker, spicier beers of winter, I have a few recommendations you should consider grabbing on the way back from buying your inflatable Rudolph.

More: What Your Beer Says About You

Credit: Liz Childers

Oskar Blues Ten FIDY

Imperial Stout, 10.5%
Longmont, CO
When the temperature drops and the sun starts setting at 4pm, sometimes the best thing you can do is reach for a full-bodied, high-ABV comfort beer like Ten FIDY. It’s packed with roasted coffee and dark chocolate flavors while still boasting an uncharacteristically hoppy backbone (98 IBUs), which is everything a winter-weary soul needs. The only thing that’s better than the can is finding it on nitro draft.

21st Amendment Fireside Chat

Winter Warmer, 7.9%
San Francisco, CA
This is the short-sleeved sweater of winter beers: full-bodied enough to warm you up, but not so over the top that you’ll be sweating after one. It has hints of cinnamon, coffee, and chocolate with an ample malt backbone and a lingering aftertaste that will have you swearing you just took a bite of fruitcake and Christmas cookies.

Sierra Nevada Celebration

American IPA, 6.8%
Chico, CA
Leave it to the consummate pros at Sierra Nevada to create what’s arguably the most crowd-pleasing winter seasonal on the market. They’ve traded out cinnamon and cloves for good old-fashioned American hops. The resinous aromas of the hop-forward recipe will have you convinced there’s a freshly chopped Christmas tree in the room with a nicely wrapped Sega CD console underneath.

Credit: Liz Childers

Southern Tier 2XMAS

“Double Spiced Ale”, 8%
Lakewood, NY
Ever the innovators when it comes to seasonal offerings, the team at Southern Tier based 2XMAS off of a traditional glögg recipe, which is a warm, boozy Swedish holiday beverage (think mulled wine mixed with a bunch of booze). They’ve brewed this one up with cardamom, figs, orange peels, cloves, and ginger root, all refreshingly balanced with a subtle spice that carries through nicely on the dry finish. It’s cozier than a cashmere Snuggie!

Bell’s Winter White Ale

Witbier, 5%
Kalamazoo, MI
If you need a break from the glut of dark seasonal beers, Bell’s has a solid answer with their Winter White Ale. The subtle clove, orange peel, and banana notes from the Belgian yeast and its dry finish make it familiar but refreshing in a dark sea of winter warmers. The seasonally low 5% ABV makes it a more sessionable option for holiday parties.

Pretty Things Babayaga

Stout, 7%
Somerville, MA
At first blush, it may seem like Massachusetts’ best gypsy brewers are just putting out a par-for-the-course winter stout, but they really aren’t messing around here: they smoked the malt with rosemary to highlight the dark espresso flavors and used a blend of Belgian and English yeast strains. The velvety mouthfeel and smoky finish make it a knockout comfort beer that pairs equally well with burgers as it does chocolate desserts.

Looking for the perfect brew for the colder months? Head to Thrillist.com for the full list!

More from Thrillist:

23 American Beers To Drink Before You Die

America’s Best Craft Breweries: The State-By-State Breakdown

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