It is evident after Fashion Week New York 2009 that plaid is in for fall and spring. From evening gowns to skirts to shirts and shoes, plaid and check patterns are available in all colors and styles. It can easily be worn incorrectly, quickly turning into a fashion faux pas, so if you’re not sure how to add plaid to your daily lineup, Shefinds has some good tips to follow. Just don’t forget about tech-cessorizing!

Whether it’s a cute plaid USB key or the quintessential Burberry laptop bag, there are many options for plaid in your tech-cessories. Here are my “just a touch of plaid” hot picks for fall:

Top from left: 1) A4 Tech G-Cube GOP-20B Mad For Plaid USB Wired Optical Mouse - Beige 2) Red Plaid Punk USB Flash Drive Rectangular 3) Superbreak Laptop Sleeve Buffalo Plaid by JanSport Bottom from left: 4) Dakine Prom Backpack in Autumn Plaid 5) Burberry Laptop Messenger Bag 6) Red Plaid Blackberry Curve Skin

These tech-cessories will allow you to add a hint of plaid to your wardrobe without bombarding it. Just don’t use all of these together!

Flipping through my fashion magazines made me wonder, why plaid? Why now? In some ways, plaid is a pattern that never goes out of style with a strong and rich tradition. Yet, it seems to pop back up in my mags during a weak economy. Coincidence?

During a recent interview on CBS Sunday Morning News about his new book “Tartan, Romancing the Plaid,” fashion designer Jeffrey Banks explains that he saw a phenomenon on the streets of New York after Sept. 11. Plaid was showing up on women, everywhere (and not check patterns like Burberry, but the very symmetric Tartan plaid). “The world was rocked and they were looking for something that they could hold onto, that they knew would not deviate, because so much had changed overnight,” Banks said.

Something about plaid patterns implies security and stability, probably due to the structure and strong organization of plaid. Given our economy today, it is understandable that it has made its way back into many designer collections. Regardless of the reason, I am excited to have plaid back. To me, it has always represented elegance and tradition.

How will you wear plaid this fall? Looking forward to your thoughts and comments.

The Dell Summer Rocks tour closed out its festival run and definitely saved the best for last — the Austin City Limits music festival. With sold-out days that capped attendance at 65,000, the three-day event saw record crowds over the weekend. And while the weather was hot, it was certainly not as oppressive as in years past.

2008 ACL Festival Entrance

We came, we saw, we kicked its a**! - Bill Murray (Ghostbusters)

An appropriate quote, which sums up the Dell Dome and Dell Stage presence during the event. Bill Murray was at the festival and even local hero Lance Armstrong was spotted hanging out at Dell backstage, just two of the many celebrities that were in town for ACL this weekend.

Dell Sound and the Jury contest winners The Steps opened up the Dell Stage on Friday. Having come out on top of the battle of the bands at Antone’s earlier in the week, The Steps showed no sign of wear as they provided another memorable performance for the crowd.

Sound and the Jury Winners – The Steps

The Dell Dome was again the center of activity for those who wanted to get out of the sun and take part in one of the many activities that were available. From button making to temporary tattoos, from artist interviews to the occasional impromptu hip-hop dance contest… the Dell Dome brought smiles and joy to many festival attendees.

Dell Dome 2008 ACL Festival

MC Johnny Santos and dancer at Dell Dome

The 2008 ACL music festival hosted over 130 bands on eight stages, with Manu Chao, Beck and Foo Fighters headlining the evening lineups over the weekend. Manu Chao drew one of the largest crowds with his eclectic music, which draws influence and sounds from artists across the globe. Foo Fighters closed out the weekend on Sunday with a performance that was certainly epic in nature. While rumors swirl that the Foo Fighters may be taking a break, they certainly left it all out on the stage with a performance that at least for me will go down as one of the best in event history.

2008 ACL Sunday Sunset

As the dust settles on another successful year, stay tuned to see what Dell Lounge has in store for the rest of year.

Most of us can remember the days when a photo enthusiast spent a fair chunk of change with a professional photo lab. A good lab not only developed your negatives and slides but would also put a great deal of effort into printing them. Getting color balance, brightness and contrast, and other tonal features of a photograph right were not the easiest tasks to accomplish in an amateur’s darkroom.

In the digital age, things aren’t all that different. Most of us aren’t exactly experts with photo editing software and the fact is minor differences in how LCD displays show us color can throw off your results. Photo quality paper isn’t cheap so every time your photo printer spits out an image with unexpected differences between what you wanted to see and what shows up on the printed page, it costs time and money and proves extremely frustrating.

This is why I am excited about the launch of Dell’s newest color photo printer, the P703w All-In-One Printer. This color inkjet printer uses Kodak Color Technology to provide outstanding 1,200 dpi color printing on Dell Premium Photo Paper. It uses a separate print head and ink tanks to produce superb color accuracy and excellent ink and paper economy. It also comes with an internal wireless network adapter for convenient use from anywhere in your home and if you have a router capable of Wi-Fi Protected Setup, the P703w supports that simple and secure method of getting it connected to your home network.

One of the best features of the P703w is the Dell Imaging Toolbox software. While this software is on our more conventional inkjet printers launching this year, the version packaged with the P703w has some unique features designed to take advantage of the printer’s superior photo capability.

The photo editing and printing features of the Dell Imaging Toolbox offer an array of very simple one-click tools that produce outstanding photos. The Kodak Perfect Touch feature instantly provides excellent contrast and brightness adjustments to your photos but you can also go in and tweak your pictures in great detail if you feel the need.

The P703w is an excellent high-speed inkjet printer on plain paper, but make no mistake – the reason you will want this printer is for printing outstanding quality photographs on photo paper.

In my experience, you can’t find a better photo-quality printer without spending several times the $189199price. The Dell Imaging Toolbox software and the wireless network adapter are included in that price.

The Secure Digital card is a marvel. It can hold a lot of data and it is super convenient. Many people have already discovered this when using their digital cameras, which was the first intent for SD cards. Now, as the Associate Press has reported, music companies are ready to embrace SD cards to sell music albums.

These cards come in two flavors, SD and SDHC (Secure Digital High-Capacity). They are flash memory solid state devices. The SD version was the first, featuring a FAT 16 file system. SDHC is a newer version and uses the FAT 32 file system. It can hold a lot more data than the original SD version. There is a little confusion with SDHC cards not working in some devices. So, before buying one it is very important to find out which type will work for you.

As you can see in the photo, the SD card design is very portable. Interestingly there are actually three different types of packaging, the standard SD, Mini SD (not shown), and Micro SD memory card. If you go to buy a card you will most often see standard and mini cards. The standard cards are usually used in laptops and the mini cards are designed for handheld devices. These memory cards are so compact that six standard SD cards in cases, or 12 SD cards without carrying cases, will occupy the same space as one CD in a carrying case. This makes it very comfortable for me to hold five in my pocket and never worry about them cracking or scratching. And remember, because of the SD card packaging shell, you do not always have to hold SD cards in a case. With a CD you must.

Personally, I really like this idea of moving to memory cards because I have CDs that no longer work. One time or another they were scratched while spinning inside the player. Remember CDs work mechanically. They have to spin in order to be read, which consumes more energy than SD cards because the latter requires no motors or servos. 

So, that means it will take fewer parts to manufacture SD readers and players (when manufactured). This will help make devices more portable, cut costs and prevent waste. It’s a green solution. Also, keep in mind a mechanical device will break down faster than solid state technology. Oh, and one more thing while on this point, it takes less raw material to manufacture memory cards than CD-ROMS.

With new computers being sold with solid state drives, we can feel confident that the technology is reliable and ready for new markets. Plus, now that music will start to be distributed on SD cards, movies and software distribution can’t be that far off.

If the industry is concerned about copyright issues than take a look at Iron Key. This company has incorporated copyright protection on a hardware level. They are currently using this technology in USB memory keys. I would not be surprised if that technology could be implemented into SD cards as well.

Finally, think about how convenient a home entertainment system would be with a super-thin console that can play movies and hundreds of songs with one storage device. Plus, you would never have to cross your fingers ever again, hoping that the CD will play. I want one!

Here are some things I read this week that you might like.

The Washington Post has an interesting article on a study that ties wage disparities to outlook on gender roles.  This one might surprise you.

I was happy to read that some headphones meant not to filter out background noise have been created.  This could be a safer option for jogging and cycling.

Savvy Auntie has a fun idea for talking with kids on webcams in I See Webcam Fun. 

Have you heard of Chictopia?  This online community is all about fashion!

Enjoy, and have a great weekend!

Can you remember a time when you weren’t on the go? Me either! According to WomenTravelTips.com, women now constitute almost 50 percent of all the business travel in the United States, and we know moms pick up much of the carpooling duty. So whether you are stuck at the airport or waiting during gymnastics class, here are some great gadgets to help you stay connected and productive.

The new Polaroid PoGo pocket printer is a pocket-sized, ink-free digital photo printer that produces full-color photos wirelessly from Bluetooth-enabled cell phones or from your digital cameras. At only 4.7 x 2.8 inches, everyone has room to take this on the go.

Laptop accessories are essential for someone who can’t always be stationed in one place. I keep a wireless mouse and power supply in my bag at all times. Now you can protect your accessories too. This great Belkin Mouse Trap holds your accessories and unzips to double as a mouse pad. I know, cool beans!

A Flash Card digital Camcorder is another great on-the-go accessory. It’s petite enough that you can always have a quality video camera with you. Of course, you do not want your cool stuff to become a Disappearing Laptop Statistic, so you will want to get a lock.

This Combination lock is a self-coiling cable for easy travel and it comes in red. The increased color options have really made taking technology everywhere a little more enjoyable. Are you finding that it is easier or more fun to get around with your gadgets lately? What is your favorite?

Some people believe that it is not responsible to allow younger children on the Internet. Well, that is true if you’re using the computer as a baby sitter. After all, there are questionable Web sites and some that we definitely would never want our children to see.

However, that should not stop us from going to all the great kid-friendly sites. Reality is we can’t hide the Internet from them. Sooner or later they will hear about popular Web sites from their friends. Besides, shouldn’t it be you, the parent, who introduces your child to the Internet?

I’d like to share a really great site for kids. It has been put up by PBS, the same outfit that brought us Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. Well, now PBS KIDS has 25 different shows that kids can interact with online. There are lots of fun activities and games to play. But, and here’s the big highlight, the games are not mindless point-and-click activities. They have been crafted to entertain kids while they learn. The site is clean in design and easy to navigate. Go to pbskids.org and see for yourself.

Another site worth checking out is Webkinz. My family has a Webkinz account. It is just a fun place for kids. It is not completely geared toward educating your kids but the site is safe, fun and G rated. Basically, you buy your child a Webkinz pet (stuffed animal) at the store. I have seen them at Walgreens for about $7 USD. The Webkinz comes with a code that a parent or guardian uses to register their child on Webkinz.com. Then the fun begins. Kids can play games to earn KinzCash cash, which they can use to buy items for their Webkinz (pet), and their virtual playroom. Who knows, you may want to log on to play games when your child is asleep.

New sites are always coming out with great products and some not so great. So, it can be hard to keep up with all the best places for your child. Try going to linkopedia.com. They have a list of recommended sites for kids that is broken up by categories. Another great resource is just asking your family and friends.

So, let’s hear what you have to say. At what age do you think we should be introducing children to the Internet? And, if you have a recommendation for a kid- friendly site, please comment below. Thanks!

The crowd was buzzing as I walked into Antone’s last night. Six bands were left standing from more than 700 entrants in this year’s Dell Sound and the Jury contest. After weeks of voting, fans and celebrity judges had finally narrowed down the selection to the six … however, there could be only one winner.

After great early performances in the evening from bands such as Quiet Company, 60 Tigres and T-Bird & the Breaks, the final act from Austin’s own The Steps brought the house down.

With plenty of supportive fans on hand, The Steps took the stage and electrified the audience. Battling and playing through technical difficulties during their set, The Steps proved they had the talent and presence to handle the pressure and still kill it on stage.

The Steps (Photo by Marleigh Jones)

With the win, Will Thompson (vocals and guitar), Sam Thompson (lead guitar), Stephen Ross (bass) and Z Lynch (drums) have earned the right to take the Dell Stage front and center for this weekend’s Austin City Limits music festival. Congratulations!

The Steps will be first on the Dell ACL Stage for Friday. For the rest of the stage lineup, please refer to the following list:

Friday, Sept. 26

11:45 a.m. — The Steps

1:30 p.m. — Yeasayer

3:30 p.m. — Jamie Lidell

5:30 p.m. — Slightly Stoopid

7:30 p.m. — G. Love & Special Sauce

Saturday, Sept. 27

11:45 a.m. — Langhorne Slim

1:30 p.m. — José González

3:30 p.m. — Man Man

5:30 p.m. — Spiritualized

7:30 p.m. — Iron & Wine

Sunday, Sept. 28

11:45 a.m. — AA Bondy

1:30 p.m. — Octopus Project

3:30 p.m. — Against Me!

5:30 p.m. — Blues Traveler

7:30 p.m. — Band of Horses

The Dell Dome will also be a hub of activity during the festival. Take a look at what the Austin American-Statesman had to say earlier today in its piece headlined “Inside the Dell Dome: music, mirth and ping-pong.”

Which act are you most excited to see during the festival?

Something special is under way on one of our sister blogs and it’s worth calling out for anyone interested in big ideas – in this case, saving the planet.

My colleague Todd Dwyer, who blogs about the ReGeneration movement, has teamed with Sarah van Schagen from Grist.org to drive across the U.S. to talk with people and share what they’re doing to help sustain our natural environment. See, hear and comment on their reports – 15 cities in 15 days – at ReGeneration.org.

If you like what you see on the site, please take a moment to join more than a quarter million of us who are part the global ReGeneration movement.

Let me be honest here — losing weight is something I know a little about.  After all, I’ve done it many times.  Programs with support groups like Weight Watchers have reported that “people who attend meetings lose 3 times more weight than those who go it alone.”  But the face-to-face support group is not for everyone. I don’t know why — confessing your latest binge to a group of strangers is really more fun that it sounds.

Here is where the online part comes in handy.  Of course losing weight online really counts.  Here are some tools to help you do it!

• 1. Get started with a baseline BMI and diet plan from Web MD
• 2. There are plenty of places to get healthy recipes online
• 3. Join others at the Spark People community and get support
• 4. Finally, if you tend to forget you are on a diet, try a diet reminder

There is new weight loss technology available offline also.  Straight from The Jetsons is this Body Fat analyzer that scans your body and gives you results in 7 seconds. Be nice and do not scan others!

I believe the rule is diet AND exercise, so I’ve also posted some great items for fitness. Has new technology helped you with weight loss?