Just plug in your Social Security number, your tax filing status, and the exact amount of your expected IRS refund to get the status of your check.

Just visit the Get Refund Status page on the IRS.gov website to get started. You’ll need three bits of information: your Social Security number, your filing status (single, married and filing jointly, married but filing separately, etc.) and the exact amount of the refund you’re expecting.

Note: When you enter the amount of your refund, make sure to enter only how much you’re expecting to get back in your check; don’t include any portion of the refund that you’ve asked the IRS to apply to next year’s taxes.

Plug in your information, click the “Submit” button, and almost instantly you’ll get details on your refund; in my case, I learned that the IRS will drop my check in the mail on April 7. Good to know.

What if the IRS website wasn’t able to find your refund? Most likely, your tax return simply hasn’t been processed yet.

As the IRS.gov refund help page notes, it takes about 72 hours for electronically-filed returns to show up in the Refund Status system. Did you file a paper return? If so, you’ll have to bide your time for a good three or four weeks.

Bonus tip

Wondering about your state refund? Most states will let you check the status of your refund online, similar to the IRS. Try Googling the “[name of state] check tax refund status” to see if your state has an online refund status checker.

Visit: IRS.gov Refund Status page

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And if you’ve wasted as much time as I have taking virtual strolls around the streets of New York, London, Paris, and San Francisco, bad news: there’s a new, time-warping feature that’s sure to deepen your Street View addiction.

Ready to give it a try?

Just click and drag the slider to go time traveling in Street View.

• Go to any Street View-enhanced address in Google Maps, then look up at the translucent gray module the top-left corner of the page. Just below the street address, you should see a little clock labeled with a recent date, plus a red “New!” tag.
• Click the date and the module will expand, revealing a slider with a range of dates. Click one of the dates, and the inset window will display the Street View photo for that particular snippet of time.
• Now, go ahead and click the smaller Street View image to make it fill the screen, then use your mouse to look about and wander around—in the past.

The range of available dates will vary depending on the location, and don’t expect to find any Street View images pre-2006 or so.

For example, I was able to travel all the way back to 2007 on my block here in Brooklyn, with snapshots available for almost every year up to October 2013. But on my old street in Sacramento, California, only two dates were clickable: March 2008 and August 2011.

Even if the available dates are somewhat limited, it’s still pretty heady to jump back in time five years and watch, say, the building across the street morph from two stories to five, or witness how today’s trendy restaurant was once a boarded-up eyesore (see the larger image above).

Click here for more Google tips!

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If a hacker did manage to hijack my Google account, they’d have free rein over more than 10 years worth of email, almost all my work files, every address I’ve ever looked up on Google Maps, all my saved Google searches…well, you get the picture.

So, do you have some, most, or all of your personal eggs in Google’s basket, too? If so, you’d be nuts to protect your Google account with little more than a single (and potentially easy-to-crack) password.

The good news is that Google offers a series of tools for beefing up your security—and if you’re smart, you’ll switch on as many of them as you can.

Here’s four essential ways to lock down your Google account, starting with…

1. Set up two-step verification

No matter how strong your Google password is, there’s always a chance (as the recent Heartbleed security bug reminds us) that someone will get their hands on it.

That’s why you should seriously consider turning on an extra layer of password security, especially if you have anything more sensitive than, say, your shopping list stored in Gmail or Google Drive.

If you have “two-step” verification turned on, Google will occasionally ask you for a six-digit security code before unlocking your account.

Here’s how “two-step” verification works: in addition to signing in with your password, Google will periodically ask you for a six-digit security code before unlocking your account.

The ever-changing code gets beamed to your phone via text message or a special Google “authenticator” app.

Now, I admit to an occasional weary sigh whenever Google pops up a security screen asking for yet another six-digit authentication code. (You can, at least, set your PC or Mac to only prompt you for a Google code every 30 days or so.)

That said, it’s comforting knowing that a hacker with your Google password would need to jump through more hoops before unlocking your account—and all your precious data.

Want to turn on two-step verification? Here’s how…

• Log into Google, click your Google icon in the top-right corner of the page, then click Account.
• On the next page, click the Security tab, find “2-Step Verification” in the Password section, click the Setup link, then follow the steps.

2. Check your recent activity

Want to find out if anyone other than you has been poking around your Google account?

There’s an easy way to view the most recent activity for your account—including the last several times someone logged in, their approximate location, their IP address, whether they logged in with a Mac or PC, and more.

• Go back to the Security tab under your Account settings, find the “Recent activity” section, then click the “View all events” link.
• Check out the list of recent events—and as you do, pay special attention to the map on the right side of the page.
• See anything suspicious? If so, click the “Change password” and create a new password, pronto.

3. Get a text message whenever there’s “suspicious” activity

Just like your credit card company, Google is constantly checking for “suspicious” activity on your account, such as a changed password or multiple failed login attempts.

Google will send you an email whenever it thinks a stranger is poking around your account. Even better, it can send you a text message—but only if you give it a cell number first.

Here’s what you do…

• Once again, head for the Security tab in your Account settings, then click the “Edit” link under “Send phone alerts.”
• Under the “Notifications” heading, click the “Edit” link next to “Phone number.”
• Enter your number, then click the blue button to get a verification code.
• Back on the Notifications page, make sure “Phone” is checked as an alert option for both “Password change” and “Suspicious attempt to access account.”

4. Set up a “recovery” phone and email address

So, let’s say a hacker does manage to sneak into your account, or you otherwise find yourself locked out of Google. Now what?

The easiest way to prove that you’re you is to have Google call or text your mobile number—but again, you’ll need to make sure Google has your digits.

You should also supply Google with an alternate email address—you know, one where they can send a link for resetting a lost or stolen password.

• Once more, click the Security tab in your main Google settings, then click one of the Edit links next to “Recovery phone” and “Recovery email” in the “Recovery & alerts” section.
• Go ahead and entire the phone number and email address where you’d like Google to contact you in case something happens to your account.
• All set? Click the blue Save button.

Click here for more Google tips!

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Discovered only a few weeks ago, Heartbleed is the code name for a gaping hole in a commonly used security protocol that’s supposed to protect passwords, credit card numbers, and other sensitive data submitted through a web page.

Some of the biggest web sites on the planet—think Google, Yahoo, Pinterest, and more—may have been vulnerable to Heartbleed, and most have raced to beef up their security.

Unfortunately, it’s possible that hackers have already scooped up a generous portion of exposed passwords. (And before you scramble to your PC, security experts warn that you shouldn’t bother changing your password for a given site until you’re sure they’ve patched the security hole.)

So, what can you do to keep bad guys from stealing your passwords with help from the next Heartbleed? (And yes, there will eventually be another bug or virus that takes Heartbleed’s place in the headlines.)

Well, like wearing a seat belt in a car, there are plenty of measures you can take to greatly reduce—but (as Heartbleed proves) not eliminate—the odds of your Internet accounts getting hijacked by hackers.

Nope, there’s no such thing as bulletproof Internet security—but there’s no guarantee a seat belt will save your life in a car crash, and you still buckle up, right? (Right??)

Here’s five things you should do to keep your passwords (relatively) safe, starting with…

1. Get a password manager

Sure, it’s hard to give up your old password habits and start fresh with new ones, and it’s even harder to entrust your precious passwords to an unfamiliar program.

Believe me, I know. I dragged my heels for years before finally breaking down and buying my own password manager, and I had all kinds of excuses for doing so: hackers might break into the program and steal my passwords, I didn’t have time to figure out how to use it, my passwords were probably safe anyway…etcetera, etcetera.

Well, it’s true that no password manager can possibly keep all your passwords completely safe, and yes, there’s usually a learning curve. And no one hates change more than me.

Painful though it was, though, I finally did make the plunge with a password manager, and I’m glad I did. No more scraps of paper with passwords scribbled on them, no more forgotten passwords, and no more “weak” passwords like “Patterson123.”

Indeed, once you pick a password manager of your own, you’ll find the following steps a whole lot easier. Take, for example…

2. Use lengthy, “strong” passwords

A password like “Patterson123” or the old, not-so-reliable “password” is easy to remember, but guessing them is a piece of cake for even the most casual hackers.

Indeed, enterprising password thieves have collected gigantic databases of stolen passwords, culling through them to figure out the most popular combinations of words, letters and numbers.

Bottom line: If there’s an identifiable word or name in your favorite password, it’s “weak.” Period. Your birthday backwards won’t cut it, either, nor will the name the street you grew up on

Instead, make sure your passwords are “strong”—meaning they contain (ideally) a meaningless garble of letters, numbers and symbols.

In its guide to creating strong passwords, Microsoft recommends at least eight characters, no words or real names, plenty of symbols, a combination of lower- and upper-case letters, plus a sprinkling of numbers for good measure.

Nope, strong passwords aren’t easy to remember, but they’re tough (although not impossible) to crack.

Besides, your password manager can remember—and even create—those lengthy, indecipherable passwords for you.

3. Never use the same password twice

It is, of course, much easier to remember one password for all your accounts than it is to commit dozens of passwords to memory—and yes, for years, I was one of those one-password-for-everythng people.

As you can imagine, though, using the same password for all your Internet accounts makes life incredibly easy for any hacker who manages to steal your one big password.

That’s why you need to use different passwords for each of your online accounts.

I know, I know—even more to remember, right? Again, here’s where a password manager (which, typically, will store all your passwords in a searchable database) can come to the rescue.

4. Change your passwords regularly

Like bread in a cupboard or the clothes in your wardrobe, passwords get stale over time.

No, you don’t have to change your passwords as often as the Kardashians shed wardrobes, but you should consider changing your passwords at least every six months or so—all the better to keep hackers guessing.

The best password managers can help by flagging passwords that are ripe for changing, as well as storing your old passwords in case you ever need them again.

5. Use “two-step” authentication whenever possible

So, you’ve diligently exchanged your weak passwords for strong ones, you’ve created different passwords for each of your accounts, and you’re changing your passwords every few months or so.

Does that mean your passwords are completely safe from hackers? Sadly, no.

That’s why you should consider an extra level of security for your most precious online accounts, particularly when it comes to your primary email account—you know, the one where all those “Reset your password” messages go.

Some of the biggest online services around—think Facebook, Google, Apple, and the like—have implemented something called “two-step” authentication: a method of securing a password with a secondary numeric code.

Switch on two-step authentication on Google, for example, and Google will regularly (but not always) prompt you for a six-digit code after you’ve entered your password.

This code changes every 60 seconds, and it’s sent to your phone via text message or a special “authenticator” app.

Sound like a pain? Well, it is, and I still find myself groaning whenever I need to fetch another six-number authentication number on my iPhone.

But what’s a pain for me is even worse for a hacker, who now has an extra hoop to jump through even once s/he’s managed to snare one of my strong passwords.

Got more Internet security questions, or password tips you’d like to share? Post ’em below!

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And in all that time, how many Gmail messages, contacts, calendar events, YouTube videos, and more have you saved, sent, uploaded and otherwise stored on its servers? My brain hurts just thinking about it.

Want to pack all your personal Google data into a big digital suitcase? No problem.

Well, here’s the thing: not only can you find out how much personal data you’ve got sitting in Google’s memory banks, you can also download a giant digital suitcase of all your Google stuff, which you can peruse and store on your own hard drive.

Downloading an archive is a smart way to safeguard your Google data against server failures, bolts of lightning, and other random acts of God.

It’s also a prudent move if you ever decide to part ways with Google and delete your account.

Related: How to download all your Facebook posts, photos and videos to your PC

Best of all, packing up a Google archive is quick and relatively painless. I archived and downloaded a 1.3 GB file stuffed with more than a dozen years of data in about 45 minutes.

Note: One big piece of the Google archive puzzle that’s still missing is Gmail, but Google says Gmail archives are coming within the next month or so. Stay tuned.

You can pick and choose which bits of personal data you want packed into your Google archive.

Let’s get started…

• Log into your Google account, click your Google profile photo in the top-right corner of the page, then click Account.
• Click “Download your data” in the left column of the following page (under the Account heading), then click the blue “Create an archive” button.
• Next, you can pick and choose what to pack into your Google archive—anything from calendar events and contacts to YouTube videos and the contents of your Google Drive. You can also just go ahead and pack everything by checking the “Select all” box at the top.
• All set? Click the red “Create Archive” button. A progress bar will appear, showing you how far along Google is in the archiving process (which took less than 15 minutes for me). Got better things to do? You can ask Google to let you know when it’s done by checking the box next to “Email me when the archive is ready.”
• Once the archive is finished, click the blue Download button to save your Google data to your desktop. (It took me about half an hour to save my 1.3 GB Google archive to my system.)
• Open the archive, and you’ll find all your Google data neatly divided into a series of folders. If there were any errors in the packing process, they’ll be listed in a file called “errors.html”; just double-click the file to open it in your web browser.
• Note that Google will store your archive online for a week; after that, it’ll be deleted automatically. You can also delete the online archive manually by clicking the “Delete archive” link.

Looking for more Google tips? Click here!

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You can compose a new message, archive old ones, jump back and forth between email threads, and more, all at the press of a key.

Want to ditch your mouse while using Gmail? Make sure to enable keyboard shortcuts first.

The first step is to enable keyboard shortcuts in your Gmail settings. Here’s how:

• Open your Gmail inbox, click the gear icon in the top-right corner of the screen, then select Settings.
• Make sure the General tab along the top of the page is selected, scroll down to the Keyboard Shortcuts setting, and switch it on.
• Scroll down to the very bottom of the page and click the “Save Changes” button.

So, ready to plow through your Gmail with nary a mouse click?

Let’s get started with…

1. “c”

Just press the “c” key to compose a new message.

2. “g” followed by “a”

Whenever you “archive” a Gmail message, it ends up in your All Mail folder—an archive of every single email you’ve ever received or sent (save for any messages you’ve permanently deleted).

Want to take a peek? Press “g,” followed by “a.” (“G” for “go,” “a” for All Mail.)

3. “e”

So, you’ve just read an email and you’re done with it—no need to reply or otherwise take action.

If that’s the case, just press “e” to send the message—or the entire thread (or “conversation,” in Gmail parlance) to your All Mail archive.

4. “r” or “a”

Tap “r” to instantly compose a reply to an open or selected message, or press the “a” key for “reply all.”

5. SHIFT + “u” or SHIFT + “i”

Press the Shift key + “u” to mark an email as “unread,” perfect for making sure you give an important message a second look.

On the flip side, you can also mark a message as “read” by selecting it and pressing Shift key + “i”.

6. TAB followed by ENTER

Finished typing your email? Don’t touch that mouse. Instead, just press the Tab key + Enter to send.

7. “g” followed by “c”

Gmail isn’t just a haven for email; it’s also a digital, cloud-based Rolodex. Press the “g” key, then “c” to go to your Contacts list. (Yep, you guessed it: “g” for “go,” “c” for “contacts.”)

8. “g” followed by “i”

Ready to check your inbox again? Tap “g,” then “i” (“go” to “inbox”).

9. “k” (or “j”)

Want to skip the entire email thread you’re reading? Press “k” to move on to a more recent Gmail “conversation,” or “j” to jump to an older one. (Sorry, there’s no apparent rhyme or reason for the letters “k” and “j.”)

10. “n” (or “p”)

Skip to a newer message (“n” for newer) within a conversation, or go back to the previous (“p”) message.

11. “o”

Open the most recent message in your inbox, or open a selected message.

12. “z”

Regret something you just did? Tap “z” to undo your last Gmail action (or at least, your last “undo-able” action—for example, tapping “z” to undo a just-sent email won’t do you much good.)

Bonus tip

There are a few keyboard shortcuts that will work in Gmail even if the Keyboard Shortcuts setting isn’t enabled. For example, you can press the Control key (or Command, on a Mac) plus Enter to send a message, Control (Command for Mac) + Shift + c to Cc someone, or Control (Command for Mac) + Shift + b to add Bcc recipients.

Of course, there are many more keyboard shortcuts for Gmail where these came from. Got some you’d like to share? Post ’em below!

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Why not, you ask? Because your pal probably didn’t send that email.

Chances are that your friend’s email account was hijacked by a hacker who’s now spamming everyone in your friend’s address book, hoping to fool at least some of them—maybe even you—into clicking a link that leads to one of the shadier corners of the web.

How can you tell the fake emails from the real ones? Well, that can be a bit tricky.

An especially enterprising hacker may go to great lengths to impersonate one of your friends or co-workers, all in the hopes that he’ll trick you into giving up a credit card number or a password.

Far more common, though, are the somewhat crude, easy-to-spot messages sent to a wide swath of people, typically with a clumsy (or non-existent) subject line and a single, arcane-looking link.

Let’s tick off six warning signs that the email you just got is from a friend’s hacked email account, starting with:

1. There’s nothing in the message except an odd-looking link

 
It’s mysterious and tempting, no doubt—and it’s also a favorite tactic of hackers trying to fool the most people with the least amount of effort. Do yourself a favor and steer clear.

2. There’s a string of random email addresses in the “To:” field

 
Puzzled that your friend sent a sketchy email message to you and six other people you don’t recognize?

Well, hackers usually divvy up the email addresses in their victims’ address books and send their spam messages to small chunks of them at a time—often in alphabetical order.

3. Your friend is suddenly pitching weight-loss pills or “enhancement” remedies

 
Did your buddy just send an email suggesting you slim down, find an exciting new career, discover the secret of personal enlightenment, or boost the size of your … ah, “organ,” shall we say?

Nope, your friend isn’t trying to drop a hint. Instead, you’re looking at some of the crudest, yet most effective spam pitches of all time. Toss these messages in your “Junk” folder, pronto.

4. Your friend warns that someone’s posting funny—or mean—things about you online

 
“Hello this user is posting very bad things about you,” writes your friend. Or another variant: “Someone just posted a funny picture of you.”

You know you want to click, right? (Full disclosure: I’ve almost fallen victim to this ploy myself.)

Well, don’t—that is, unless you want to end up on a porn site, an online pharmaceutical store, or worse.

5. Your friend needs you to wire money, ASAP

 
Troubling news: a neighborhood friend who’s travelling in Rome (hmm, she went on vacation without telling you?) had her purse—along with her ID, passport, credit cards, and traveler’s checks—stolen, and now she’s frantically emailing you for help. Could you do her a huge favor and wire her some cash?

Well, here’s the scoop: your friend probably isn’t on vacation, nor did anyone boost her purse. That said, someone likely has taken control of her email account in the hopes of tricking you out of a few hundred dollars.

6. A colleague needs your social security number, password, or credit card number

 
Bob from the office just emailed, and he’s got more details on the BlueStar account that you’ve both been slaving over. He also has an odd request: he needs your social security number, your date of birth, and at least one credit card number for a web form. Could you send ’em right over?

Beware. Even though “Bob” seems to know specifics about the office, it’s possible you’re the target of a so-called “spear-phisher”—a hacker who’s managed to scrounge up some “inside” personal or professional information about you, and who’s using said info to impersonate someone you know.

Spear-phishing is a clever, tough-to-spot tactic that’s netted some high-profile victims, and there’s no sure-fire way to protect yourself.

But if a co-worder suddenly requests a key password or your Visa card number over email, think twice (or better yet, give her a call) before clicking “send.”

Bonus tips

• Getting suspicious email messages from a friend? Make sure to contact him or her immediately and let ’em know.
• You may see some of these same tactics used on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites, so careful with spammy-looking direct messages and wall posts.

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Billing itself as an online “try-before-you-buy destination” for the latest a greatest gadgets, Ybuy has been around for a few months but is only now emerging from public beta, according to TechCrunch.

The premise is simple, and somewhat enticing. Once you sign up, Ybuy will send you a gadget a month, along with a prepaid return shipping label. (And yes, shipping is free both ways.)

Ybuy's catalog of try-before-you-buy gadgets is small, but enticing.

After 30 days of tinkering with your monthly Ybuy gadget, you have two options: either a) clean it, pack it up, slap the shipping label onto the box and hand it over to UPS, or b) keep it and pay the standard retail price, minus your monthly $25 Ybuy subscription fee.

If the system sounds familiar, you might be thinking of Netflix’s movies-by-mail subscriptions—except with Ybuy, you’re getting gadgets rather than discs, and you can’t keep the loaned gadgets indefinitely.

Also, the number of items in Ybuy’s try-before-you-buy catalog is on the small side—just 30, to be exact.

That said, we’re talking some pretty enticing gear here, including the iPad 2, the new Kindle Fire tablet, the Xbox 360 game console and its motion-sensing “Kinect” camera, the Roomba 562 “Pet Series” floor-sweeping robot, the Wi-Fi-enabled, Facebook- and Twitter-friendly Body Scale by Withings, the gorgeous Jawbone Jambox wireless speaker, and a Sous Vide water oven. Sorry, no phones—or at least, not yet.

For its part, Ybuy claims it has a “team of specialists, product testers, and tastemakers” who determine which “best-in-class” gadgets to offer to members. And hey—if you’re not feeling inspired, you can always opt out for a month, or cancel your membership. (Members pay their dues monthly, by the way, rather than in an annual lump sum as I’d initially suspected.)

All in all, very interesting—and so far, I’m having a hard time finding any deal-breaking ifs, ands, or buts. The one caveat is that for now, Ybuy is still invite-only; you’ll be prompted to request an invitation the first time you visit the site. (I’m still waiting for an invite myself.)

It’ll also be interesting to see whether certain items in Ybuy’s catalog—like, say, the iPad 2 or the Roomba—end up with a long waiting list.

So, what do you think: would you cough up $25 a month to try the latest gadgets at home?

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Sometimes the hassle just isn’t worth it.

But here’s the thing: daily deals are everywhere and if you’re not using them, you may be spending more money than you should. It only takes a few minutes to get set up and start buying at discount prices.

Here are 10 tips that can save you cash on daily deal sites, starting with…

1. Find the sites that work for you
There are five well-established and organized sites you may want to consider: Groupon, livingsocial, BuyWithMe (BWM), Bloomspot, and HomeRun.

Most sites offer a wide range of products, while others are a bit more tailored. If you are looking for deals on vacations or airfare, then Bloomspot and BWM would be a good match. For spa services, try Living Social and HomeRun. And Groupon has a variety of deals, including great restaurant and drink specials.

Other top sites you may want to try include Gilt City, Lifebooker (New York and Los Angeles only), Social Buy, Scoutmob, The Dealmap, 8coupons, Yipit, and Tippr.

2. If you feel like it’s a scam, it probably is
You can’t get something for nothing. If the deal seems too good to be true, well … it probably is, so beware.

3. Beware of price inflation
Some companies are all too willing to boost their prices purely to sweeten the deal for a given coupon. If a deal promises 50% off of a $100 service, make sure the service really is worth $100—and not, say, fifty bucks.

4. Don’t skip Yelp (or another customer review site)
So, got a coupon promising half-off for the best sushi in town? Don’t just take the restaurant’s word for it. Read customer reviews of the places offering the deal before you plunk down your credit card. It only takes a few minutes to read some reviews and get a flavor for whether people love it or hate it.

5. Read the fine print
The devil’s in the details, particularly when it comes to coupons. For example…

• The quoted prices on your coupon typically don’t include tax (but don’t expect these deals to be tax-free), so make sure to factor that into your budget.
• Look out for “New customers only” or “Limit one per person,” since you don’t want to end up with five massage sessions when the spa will only allow you one. (Although these extras can make great gifts!)
• Don’t forget about the expiration date. There is some ambiguity here and laws vary from state to state but most of the time, the customer is refunded the value by the merchant, not the daily deal site.
• Some deals have specific instructions (e.g. call ahead to reserve a spot), so make sure you’re up to speed with their policies. This will save you time and headaches.

6. Manage your inbox
Daily email blasts from your favorite coupon sites are a nuisance, no question. Unfortunately, you can’t really avoid them unless you opt out of all e-mails—and that means you might miss out on some good deals.

Carefully setting your email preferences and signing up for only the sites you like can cut down on the spam. Another option: consider creating a separate email account devoted just to coupon deals.

7. Complain if you’re not happy
The best coupon sites generally have a large network of customer service reps, and they know unhappy customers will destroy their business. So if you’re not satisfied, let them know! Often they’ll offer another coupon, voucher, or a credit.

8. Don’t buy something only because it’s an amazing deal
Whitewater rafting for 80% off? Great! But if you don’t know who’d want to go with you, or you’re not quite sure how you’d get there—or maybe you’re not much of a swimmer—you might want to pass, regardless of the savings. After all, just because it’s a good deal doesn’t mean you need to buy it.

9. Don’t let the ticking timer scare you into an impulse buy
If you’re not sure about it, don’t click “buy” just because you’re short on time. There are always similar deals out there, you won’t be missing out.

10. Get a do-over on your coupons
Having buyer’s remorse about a deal, and customer service isn’t being sympathetic? Never fear; you can always trade or sell your coupon at sites like Lifesta.com, DealsGoRound.com and CoupRecoup.com.

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The two-and-a-half-month-old Decide.com already offers shopping advice for HDTVs, laptops, and cameras, but the site began serving up pricing predictions for cell phones—more than 170 of them—this past weekend.

Among the smartphones covered by Decide.com: the speed, feature-packed Motorola Photon 4G, the glasses-free HTC Evo 3D, the Samsung Infuse, and of course, the iPhone 4.

Click on a phone, and you’ll get details on the lowest prices from a variety of retailers, links to reviews, and price-drop alerts.

Not bad, but here’s what sets Decide.com apart from the pack: a graph that tells you the site’s best guess for whether prices for the phone you chose will go up, hold steady, or fall within the next couple of weeks, plus a “buy” or “wait” recommendation.

Decide.com also tells you if it thinks a new and improved model is waiting in the wings—and indeed, for the soon-to-be-obsolete iPhone 4, the site has posted a big red “wait” warning, plus a note that reads “Rumored: Next model coming October, 2011.”

How does Decide.com come up with its predictions? As the site’s founders explained earlier this summer, it uses a massive database that crunches historical pricing and lineage data for hundreds of gadgets, along with a little help from the hyperactive tech rumor mill.

It’s a handy service—particularly when it comes to Android phones, which tend to dip in price soon after hitting the market.

LINK: Decide.com

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