5 apps and services for productivity and wellness

The best apps and online services are helpful tools that seamlessly integrate into everyday life. We’ve gathered some of our recommendations that can help with tracking your work, improving on sleep, and taking a mental break. Budgeting We researched nearly 50 options and tested six in order to conclude that You Need a Budget (YNAB) is the only budgeting app worth spending money on. It’s easy to set up, walks you through budgeting and saving, and can sync with your credit cards and banks. You’ll be able to view month-to-month spending trends and get concise feedback that actually helps with sticking to your various budgets. We like that YNAB’s financial guidance delves deep and that it outlines a zero-sum budgeting model which leaves money allocation specifics up to you.

Worthwhile gadget upgrades for the tech-obsessed

More than likely, there’s someone in your circle who takes great pride in knowing about and staying on top of the latest tech. While you or your gadget-obsessed acquaintance may have a broad selection of new gear, the celebrated laptop, camera, or phone might not be the one that comes with all of the bells and whistles. We’ve compiled some of our favorite upgrade picks that come with extra or special features that add to functionality, quality and overall performance.

Gear That Will Delight Guests And Make You The Best Party Host On Game Day

Whether your friends are football fans who care about seeing and hearing every last detail or finger food enthusiasts who want to enjoy a break from the game, we can recommend gear that will give you and your partygoers the best experience possible. For the party that puts your guests in the game Create an atmosphere that’s as close to actually being at a game as you can get with top notch audio gear and a television with superior image quality. We think that the TCL 55P607 55-inch TV is the best value for most people. It’s packed with features like Dolby Vision, high dynamic color range, and Roku. Next to pricier competitors, its image quality and performance during sports programming really impresses.

Building A Brand Around Africa's Social Media Buzz

Thursday February 26, IBOM LLC hosted a panel titled “Using Social and Mobile Technology to Stay Connected in Africa” as part of Social Media Week New York. Taking place at Brooklyn restaurant BUKA, the event focused on publications and how social media can be used to latch onto trends and traffic — which supports a marketable foundation and a news site that can actually stay afloat. Before the panel discussion, Ogundele Damola, founder of ASIRI Magazine, chimed in from Nigeria via Skype giving

Why Climate Was A Big Deal At The U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit

Last month at the Bloomberg Philanthropies hosted U.S.-Africa Business Forum, a package of economic and socially impactful deals to benefit Africa were announced. The event — part of the U.S-Africa Leaders Summit — summed up how $33 billion would be invested in Africa. According to The White House, a total of $26 Billion — $12 billion from the summit — will now be allocated to Obama’s Power Africa initiative, while $7 billion will be directed towards U.S.-Africa exports. In addition, American c

USAID Rural Radio Program Connects Farmers to Resources, Agribusiness in Liberia

The USAID Food and Enterprise Development (FED) Liberia program is in hopes that 28 community journalists and 14 radio stations are the start of a new agricultural revolution that will equip rural farmers in Liberia with essential knowledge and resourceful tools. Along with the state government, USAID FED’s Feed the Future initiative works to elevate the country’s agricultural stance. Now, in an effort to bridge the informational disconnect that rural farmers experience — due to a lack of techn

Connections to Independence builds bridges from foster care to positive futures for youth in Minneapolis

Contrary to how most people view it, Tiffany — a teen who’s just become familiar with the foster care system — says it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to her. Making the shift was a dream come true she says — as was becoming a participant of Connections to Independence (C2i). The South Minneapolis-based non-profit assists youth in foster care ages 15-21 to transition to an independent lifestyle as they age out of the system. “People have their own opinions, but with me it’s like I’m in a

FLOW Northside Arts Crawl returns with soul in Minneapolis

Last year, FLOW Northside Arts Crawl rolled into the neighborhood on a diminished note. With much dedication and many art projects focused on the 2011 May tornado, this year FLOW artistic director Dudley Voigt said the event was scaled back up to its potential. [Photos below] Saturday July 28, dozens of artists specializing in painting, dance, spoken word, graffiti, music and visual media presented work at more than 20 public art and exhibit spaces. With a mobile pedal stage and the addition of