Send Free SMS While in Germany (auf Deutsch)

If you're ever in Europe with a cell phone, you'll probably notice right away that you only pay for outgoing text messages and outgoing calls. And next you'll notice how much cheaper it is to send a text message than to make a call and talk for a minute. So you decide to just send text messages.

Then how great would it be if you could send text messages for free? Welcome to the future. Check out Free-SMS.de --wo alles auf deutsch ist.

Yes, it's all in German, so let me translate the necessities for you.

Note: This site relies on advertising banners to send your text messages for free, so if you're using Adblock (Plus), be sure to disable it while visiting the site. Otherwise, you won't be able to send anything for free. Click Tools > Adblock Plus > Options > and click Enable Adblock Plus to actually disable it and remove the checkmark.

1. Register with the site
Navigate to http://www.free-sms.de. On the lefthand side, click Jetzt neu anmelden!. This is telling you to register.

You will then be redirected to http://www.free-sms.de/pages/register. Here, you'll have to fill out a few things. Let's start with the top box. They are asking you for...

Requested UserName
Requested Password for UserName
Again, Requested Password for UserName
Email Address
Again, Email Address

Moving along to the second box. It then requests...

Select Herr if you are a man or Frau if you are a woman (and you have to select one or the other).
First Name
Last Name
Address (Street Name, Number)
Zip Code, City
Country
Cell Phone Number, Beginning with the Country Code
Landline Number, Beginning with the Country Code
Date of Birth, Beginning with the Day

Skipping the third box (because it's not required), let's move on to the fourth and final box.

Check next to AGB´s gelesen und akzeptiert, signifying that you have, indeed, read and agree to their terms and conditions. And then I recommend selecting next to kein Interesse, meaning that you do not want to receive their newsletter.

Then click JETZT ANMELDEN. Halfway there! You'll then receive an email and a code on your cell phone. You'll have to enter the code on the site --letting them know you received it.

2. Send a free text message
Now that you're registered, you're ready to go. Get back to http://www.free-sms.de. See that same box on the lefthand side?

Fill in your UserName and Password and click Login.

You will then be redirected, and that box will now read du bist online, letting you know that you're in. Now go down to the box that reads "messaging".

Select free-sms. Then click Bedingungen gelesen und verstanden, saying that you've read their terms and also understand them. Next you'll come to a textbox.

Select the beginning numbers of the German cell phone number you'd like to send a text message to. Then input the rest of the phone number. And then type your message. When you're done and satisfied, click zur Vorschau, taking you to a preview of your message.

If you like it, click the advertising banner. If you don't like it, click Hier kannst Du die SMS noch mal bearbeiten to change some things. After you've clicked the advertising banner, a new website will pop up. Go ahead and close it, and back at free-sms, you'll see that your message was sent.

For free! Ka-ching! (Limit 3 daily, I believe)

HackCollege SearchEngine Plugin (Firefox)

Now you can search HackCollege directly from within your Firefox browser --just like you do with Google! Install the HackCollege SearchEngine Plugin for Firefox.

If the above link fails, simply download HackCollege.xml and place it into your C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\searchplugins folder and restart your Firefox.

Shop Cheap Hardware, Software, Books, Brands, and Bags at JourneyEd

To go along with Jason's link to the ultimate steal from Microsoft, JourneyEd is a great shopping site for other cheap software.

A quick search on the site, and I found Adobe Photoshop CS3 Extended for $300, when it regularly costs $700.

However, to purchase any of the products listed, you will have to prove your status as a student --so be prepared to give your SSN. But the site is definitely worth the look if you're in need of some specific, and often too expensive, software for a college art or programming class. Thanks, Katie, for the tip! Any others?

Order Online with CampusFood

I recently found and tested the convenience of CampusFood, so I thought I'd share my positive results.

After selecting my "campus", CampusFood listed several of the local restaurants available for take-out or delivery in my area. I was craving some Mexican food with a Chinese twist, so I clicked this Chinese-run "Fresh Taco" restaurant I really like to see their full menu online. I was craving a burrito and some chicken and rice soup. Yum.

I selected to pay with a credit card (since I never have cash on me), waited a minute for the confirmation email to arrive (letting me know my order went through), and then... Ding, Dong! In 30 minutes, they were at my door. I had already tipped the delivery boy online with my credit card, so all I had to do was run downstairs, say, "Thank You!", run back up, and start eating.

I was floored with how effective this was!

The service also allows pre-ordering and even ordering by text message. I will never save another menu or restaurant phone number again!

The Ultimate Steal: Microsoft Office 2007

September 12th through April 30th Microsoft will be offering the Office 2007 Ultimate edition for just $59.95 for college students. Currently this offer is only good for students in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. (sorry Kelly and Chris). Microsoft also requires you to have a valid .edu address and to be actively enrolled and taking at least a .5 course load. Be sure to have your student ID available also because if Microsoft requests to see it and you can't cough it up - you will be required to pay the full price for the license (about $679) ouch.

You can check out "The Ultimate Steal" from Microsoft here.

HackCollege Podcast Episode 2: Amsterdam

Everything is better the second time around. We shot in Amsterdam this past weekend. Our production value has (at least) doubled. We're really warming up to our podcast; we hope you are too.

Keep your eyes focused on the small video until the end. We cut together some nonsense of Scott, Chris, and I tooling around Amsterdam.

This episode covers:

• Reflections about Amsterdam


• Pickpocketing


• The RED One camera


• IBC


• Existential reflections on lifehacking


• New iPods


• Getting Things Done by David Allen

Sites mentioned in this episode:

• red.com


• lifehacker.com


• Public Search Listings on Facebook [Facebook Blog]

Music this week:

• "Stadiums and Shrines II" by Sunset Rubdown
  
  

As always, let us know what you think by shooting us an email at hackcollege@gmail.com.

Online Literature Notes

One reader writes: "Hey, I have this book [...], and I was wondering if you knew where I could get notes for it. PLEASE HELP!"

Here at HackCollege, we would love to help you study.

• Sparknotes is probably the best known. Not limited to just literature, its online study guides cover philosophy, psychology, and more.
• PinkMonkey is not as user friendly, but it covers a lot of literature as well.
• FreeBookNotes is yet another.
• SchoolBytes has literature guides and other suggestions.
• JiffyNotes has a few.
• Awerty has literature notes.
• Yahoo's Education Section has a list of several Cliffsnotes.
• GradeSaver has literature notes and other samples.
• Someone organized a list of popular high-school reading notes over at Tripod.
• LitSum argues that it has more literature study guides than any other website.
• BookWolf has a small selection.
• CliffsNotes has study guides for literature and other subjects.
• Shvoong has literature guides and other samples.
• NovelGuide features several guides to classic literature.
• Homework-Online has a few literature guides, too.
• TheBestNotes is user generated and is always adding new notes.
• BookRags has been around since 1999 and boast over 90,000 critiques.

If any of those sites fail, always try a Google search: "Book Title", "Author", summary or "Book Title", "Author", analysis or "Book Title", "Author", notes or whatever else. You get the idea.

Please add to this list in the comments! And always feel free to ask us for help.

Why Looking Like an American in Asia Can Be a Good Thing

Last week I wrote a post about looking like an American in Europe and the usually negative consequences. Asia, on the other hand, has a few different rules to play by. The information contained within this article is based upon my own personal experience in Korea and anecdotes from friends who have visited China, Japan, and Taiwan.

Unlike your typical Europeans, the average Korean person was very interested in American culture. The same seems to be true for China and Taiwan, and a little less so for Japan. Perhaps I can make the generalization that the information to follow is true for most of Asia. I haven't been to every place in Asia though, so I don't know for sure.

Because you (may) want to look American, you need to dress and act the part. Rather than talk about how to look like an American for the rest of this post, I'll talk about the benefits of being an American in Asia.

1. People pay attention to you and will treat you with the utmost respect. We hate to play to stereotypes, but it is true: many Asian cultures regard honor and respect very highly. This includes being nice to foreigners. Never in Korea was I heckled or jeered at, which seems to be a daily occurrence in Germany and the rest of Europe.


2. If you are trying to learn the country's language, you have millions of walking dictionaries around you. This is especially true in Korea. Rather than be annoyed because you are pitiful at speaking their language, an Asian person often finds it very impressive that you would even ask. Since most of them have a limited knowledge of English, they should be able to give you a hand.


3. People will pay for your coffee, just to have a conversation with you in English. A dream come true? Perhaps. Because English is (or is becoming?) the language of the "global culture," learning it is very important in any country. While this linguistic ethnocentricity makes me feel dirty, I was more than happy to entertain any Korean that wished to practice their English.


4. You can drink for free if you are a (white) American. A friend of mine studied in China for a semester. A bar offered him 6 frees drinks every night just for showing up, solely because he was white. There's some mystique surrounding Americans, so club owners are always eager to attract them. Think of it as being [Justin Timberlake/Paris Hilton] and going out for the night, except you aren't rich.


5. You will get the best compliments. For example, someone said I look like Matt Damon. I won't need an ego boost for awhile.

That wraps it up. Since more of this is based on anecdotal evidence than anything else, we'd love to hear feedback. Leave comments and let us know if we forgot anything.