What Are the Benefits of Using Optical vs. RCA Audio Outputs? [Ask The Commenters Roundup]

Okay, beer drinkers out there... What's your favorite winter/Christmas time beer?I am wondering about the benefits of using an optical port for audio vs. RCA ports or a 3.5mm jack.Is there a site with side-by-side comparisons for Android tablets that's current for the holiday season?Anyone got a use for a PowerPC Mac running Tiger? I was thinking of using it as a home server or HTPC but early research suggests it may not be that easy to do.Any suggestions for simple holiday cocktails for a party? I want it to be festive, but plan to stick to a few ingredients rather than stock a full bar.Can you use the Thunderbolt port on a Apple Thunderbolt Display to hook a mini-displayport to DVI adapter up to a non-thunderbolt monitor?I've always lived in a very hot region of India. I'll be going to United States next year, and I believe that's it very cold there, at-least in most places. So, my concern is, how do I keep myself warm there, 'cause I've always lived in a warm place and not used the such a climate.Is there a calendar/email client combo for windows that has the feature I love in Mail/iCal where I can create an iCal event by hovering over dates or words (Saturday) in an email?My laptop is going to totally die in about a year. I'm going to college next year, and I'm looking at going into computer science. Strictly from a programming standpoint, and ignoring boot camp, what's the difference between a mac and a PC?What is a good, modern file system that's Mac-Win-nix compatible? I'm thinking that when I get a new computer, I'll make a partition to share across 3 OSs with iTunes and Steam files.Related Stories

Build Credit by Using the Right Prepaid Credit Cards [Personal Finance]

By Melanie Pinola Oct 18, 2011 7:30 AM 13,815 23

Recent regulations have made it harder for credit card companies to prey on people with no credit history (like college students and immigrants)—a good thing. But what if you do want a credit card and to establish a credit history?

Forbes suggests applying for a prepaid card, which offers several benefits: no credit history requirements, possible cash-back incentives, and no late fees or worries about exceeding your credit limits (because you're limited to the prepaid amount). However, you'll want to check that the specific prepaid card builds credit by reporting to the credit bureaus; some like the Capital One Reloadable Prepaid MasterCard do not, while the Bancorp Bank Purple Diamond Prepaid Visa RushCard does (though it charges an activation fee). Check the chart at Credit Land for the ones that say build credit. You'll note that most of these cards have high APRs, so make sure you pay off the balance in full each month.

There are other ways to build good credit without credit cards and credit scores aren't everything, but, like it or not, your credit history does influence your financial future, so it pays to understand and build your credit as best you can. Photo by Phil Campbell.

Perfect Ways to Obtain a Credit Card with No Credit | Forbes

You can follow or contact Melanie Pinola, the author of this post, on Twitter or Google+. Related Stories

Text by Voice for Android Reads Incoming SMS Messages Aloud, Sends Them Using Your Voice [Video]

By Alan Henry Oct 18, 2011 4:00 AM 9,471 39

Android: There are a lot of apps out there that can send text messages using your voice, including Google's own in-built Voice Actions. However, not many read your incoming messages out loud when they arrive. That's where Sonalight's new app, Text By Voice, comes in.

Once the app is running, Text by Voice is completely hands-free. It's similar to Vlingo in that it listens for a specific trigger phrase, and when you speak it the app jumps into action, acknowledges that you spoke to it, and waits for a command. Tell the app who you want to send a message to and what that message should say, and the app will send it. When you get a response, the app will alert you to the incoming message and speak it aloud as well, giving you the opportunity to reply right away or wait.

Text by Voice stands out because it makes the entire process of sending and receiving texts completely hands-free, which is perfect if you're driving and want to tell someone where you are or how long it'll be until you arrive without touching the phone. Even Google's own Voice Actions require that you tap the screen or long-press the search button to send a message, and it won't read your incoming messages to you. Some Bluetooth headsets include an app that will read incoming messages aloud, but you still have to tap the headset to respond.

Text by Voice is a solid addition to Google's own Voice Actions, but you have to have it running for the app to help you, so remember to start it every time you get in the car. For more voice-activated and hands-free Android utilities, check out our list of Siri-like apps for Android. Do you have a preferred app that will send and receive text messages aloud? Let us know in the comments below.

Sonalight Text by Voice

You can reach Alan Henry, the author of this post, at alan@lifehacker.com, or better yet, follow him on Twitter or Google+. Related Stories