Friday, June 29, 2007
Have you guys heard about this new gadget coming out called the iPhone? You can't miss it, everyone is talking about it. The hype for this iPhone is so huge its palpable. Some lines started days ago outside the Apple and AT&T stores. I cannot deny the beauty of this device. For the most part, this is something we have not seen before. However, the more I see and read about it, the less I lust for it. I'm willing to bet many people don't even know why they want the phone in the first place. The marketing campaign for this thing was amazing- good enough to make you say "I want that" as if you were some brainwashed Apple fanboy. Are you really going to pay $600 for a phone? We have smart phones out today that cost $200 which can already browse the internet, play MP3's and store your personal data. I'm generally not an Apple fan. And I already pay for an unlimited data plan for my phone so my lack of enthusiasm does not stem from an inability to afford this device. I suddenly find myself unimpressed with the features of the iPhone. To me it's nothing entirely new, just a fancy package for many things we already do on our current smart phones. I will say that the official page for the iPhone is plenty cool. They have a video tutorial/tour of the iPhone and even show you how to activate it. I wish other manufactures would take the time to do those things. Apple is starting to make some nifty gadgets these days, but I don't think they make the best ones. Good for Mr. Jobs - he's making a killing, but I'm feeling at this moment that while initially the iPhone sales will probably do great, they will soon die down - leaving us looking back realizing the device was over-hyped. Who knows?
www.apple.com/iphone
AT&T iPhone
www.apple.com/iphone
AT&T iPhone
Labels: Apple, Gadgets, iPhone, technology
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Ok, so yes, there is a GPS unit on my Amazon.com wish list. Because I am a nerd, yes, I know you all know that already. But have I died an gone to heaven?
The iNavi G1 is just so dreamy... **sigh**
It has the rather nifty feature of rendering 3D maps with details such as the stars in the night sky and mountains in the background.
There is a "Car Diary" software application that lets you keep track of car-related expenses, but the most wonderful thing ever is it has Karaoke capability!
Hahaha.The Duct Tape Server was built entirely from four rolls of gray Nashua duct tape.
Pentium P4 2.4 GHz
Intel SFF Motherboard
1GB twinned DDR RAM
80GB SATA HDD
350W PSU
CDROM
2 80mm LED fans
Labels: server
There is a new place to search and find making its name in CyberSpace.
FriendFinder
FriendFinder says it is the place to find love, friends and fun. Who doesn't want that? I'm not really seeking out anybody, I have all the aforementioned relationships and activities and am very blessed. But I remember days when I thought it was hopeless to meet anyone whether romantically or as friends. Being a single mom, working full-time and going to school to finish my degree I had very little time to go out. And I can't exactly take my little boy to a bar with me.
I tried Match.com and eHarmony at one point, I even did the one where Dr. Phil gives you pointers. Whoa! I know! FriendFinder is a little bit less demanding, it isn't seeking to find you a wife or husband. So you're not going to feel like mail-order-bride when you sign up.
It comes in six different languages allowing people all over the world to meet and talk with each other.
FriendFinder is more like MySpace in that you post blogs, chat with each other and join groups based on your interests. It's not like a system which matches you up based on what a computer thinks from what it reads in a database somewhere. That is quite refreshing and the results are good because you have a hand in it.
The community is still rather small, but it's growing hourly. It's free to sign up which I appreciate since Match.com and eHarmony make you pay to find friends...as if you didn't already feel bad enough about signing up. And a bonus right now is the $300,000 June Summer Blast Off Contest (for being an affiliate)! So if you are interested, then give it a try and see what happens.
FriendFinder
FriendFinder says it is the place to find love, friends and fun. Who doesn't want that? I'm not really seeking out anybody, I have all the aforementioned relationships and activities and am very blessed. But I remember days when I thought it was hopeless to meet anyone whether romantically or as friends. Being a single mom, working full-time and going to school to finish my degree I had very little time to go out. And I can't exactly take my little boy to a bar with me.
I tried Match.com and eHarmony at one point, I even did the one where Dr. Phil gives you pointers. Whoa! I know! FriendFinder is a little bit less demanding, it isn't seeking to find you a wife or husband. So you're not going to feel like mail-order-bride when you sign up.
It comes in six different languages allowing people all over the world to meet and talk with each other.
FriendFinder is more like MySpace in that you post blogs, chat with each other and join groups based on your interests. It's not like a system which matches you up based on what a computer thinks from what it reads in a database somewhere. That is quite refreshing and the results are good because you have a hand in it.
The community is still rather small, but it's growing hourly. It's free to sign up which I appreciate since Match.com and eHarmony make you pay to find friends...as if you didn't already feel bad enough about signing up. And a bonus right now is the $300,000 June Summer Blast Off Contest (for being an affiliate)! So if you are interested, then give it a try and see what happens.
Labels: FriendFinder, social network
Oh gracious.Levi is Set to Launch Cell Phone by Next Week...
It will be a designer cell phone and going to be officially launched in none other than the fashion capital of the world, Paris.
The thing I don't get is we all know Levi has the ORIGINAL JEANS, right? They are the classic brand of jeans, so why in the world would they go and so NOT be original by making their own "designer" cell phone?
They call it innovative. Maybe it is, but I never have been a big cell phone girl. Though I do love me some jeans.
Their press release says "The functional essence of the Levi's brand's design philosophy is perfectly captured by the phone's compact design and sturdy riveted steel casing."
I guess we shall see and who knows maybe it will be fantabulous.
Labels: cell phone
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
You don't necessarily have to believe everything I say, which is why when I blog about something I do my research first. Most of the time I'm right on the mark. Recently, I was called out on who actually wrote a song...over on the music section of Bring Me Up. When that happened I began researching everything more and better. =o) Good for you, time consuming for me, but it's all good.I recently read a press release on the wire about IBackup. They are a leading online backup/storage solution provider, who recently announced "enhanced booster file transfer technology to transfer files from their PC to their Online Storage drive along with support for International character sets to cater to the worldwide audience."
In reading their own "About Us" section after scanning the press release, I found that IBackup gives you highly customizable secure online backup, Online Storage, access and data sharing solution with several possible interfaces and options to backup, retrieve and manipulate data.
One of the more favorable features for smaller companies and even educational centers would be to use the IDrive for IBackup which maps your IBackup online storage account as a local drive on your computer allowing you to drag-n-drop, open, edit and save files in your online backup account as if they were on your local computer.
IBackup has affordable subscription-based plans, so you won't break your bank account keeping your files safe and easily accessible.
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.
Labels: Computers, ibackup, storage
bLaugh has b laughing. Haha. No, for real though I am always laughing at their comics which is why I recently added their widget to the right of my blog here. This one came up recently and I had to send it to Brian. It is hilarious!
Labels: hilarious
It makes me happy when people allow you to try something for free for a couple weeks. That makes me more comfortable with what they are offering; if they have the confidence to let you try it out first.
When I started putting money into a 401K and then a 403B, I realized I know little to nothing about money markets and stocks. I mean what is index stock options trading?
There is a company named OEX Options and they use a variety of technical indicators, such as ADX, DMI, Chaikins Money Flow, Wyckoff, candlestick charts, to teach traders method, rules, and approach.
So what is OEX? OEX is the ticker symbol for the S&P 100 Index. It is a subset of the S&P 500 index.
One of the tips OEX Options stands by is knowing the "pivot point" of a market. A defined "pivot point". If the market trends above this number within the first hour of trading it's likely the trend will continue UP for the day; conversely, if the market trends below this pivot point it's likely it will have a downward trend.
When you find a place that wants to give you pointers on something you are unfamiliar with you should always look around and find a company that makes you feel comfortable. OEX Options strives to do just that.
Disclosure:
This post brought to you by OEX Options.
When I started putting money into a 401K and then a 403B, I realized I know little to nothing about money markets and stocks. I mean what is index stock options trading?
There is a company named OEX Options and they use a variety of technical indicators, such as ADX, DMI, Chaikins Money Flow, Wyckoff, candlestick charts, to teach traders method, rules, and approach.
So what is OEX? OEX is the ticker symbol for the S&P 100 Index. It is a subset of the S&P 500 index.
One of the tips OEX Options stands by is knowing the "pivot point" of a market. A defined "pivot point". If the market trends above this number within the first hour of trading it's likely the trend will continue UP for the day; conversely, if the market trends below this pivot point it's likely it will have a downward trend.
When you find a place that wants to give you pointers on something you are unfamiliar with you should always look around and find a company that makes you feel comfortable. OEX Options strives to do just that.
Disclosure:
This post brought to you by OEX Options.
Labels: finances, review, stocks
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Since I take like.... 8,372 pictures a day I have a HUGE photo collection on my external hard drive. Thousands upon thousands.I look at them through the windows film strip option, but I would like to see it bigger without having to open up Photoshop all the time.
**Cut to point**
PicLens
PicLens is "a browser plug-in that instantly transforms your browser into an immersive, full-screen slideshow experience." With one click, the image expands into full screen mode, where you can browse through the photos on the page in high resolution. Woohoo!
Support is currently provided for Flickr, Facebook, Friendster, Picasa Web Album and image search results from Google and Yahoo. Site owners can add support to any site with photos by including Media RSS support.
This is cracking me up!I didn't know whether to write this under geek or design so I'm just throwing it in here and hoping everyone finds it alright.
These speakers...look like dogs.
You can apply them to any audio device with 3.5mm headjack, e.g. PC, Mac, iPod, PDA, MP3 player, CD player. It claims they have a high quality sound. Lol. All I know is they look pretty darn pissed off and I think they are hilarious.
Would you use speakers like this? I'm not sure I would. I think I would want better speakers, no offense, I'm just so weird about my gadgets and my music, ya know what I'm saying? But they are cute and definitely would prompt an interesting conversation.
Monday, June 25, 2007
It's not yet a law in Delaware, but this weekend while in Jersey I was reminded of the hands-free cell phone law they have in practice. I don't have a hands-free accessory for my cell phone. I know it is blue tooth capable, but I haven't bought a blue tooth head set yet.
So, the Jersey reminder (courtesy of Bri) got me thinking about it and looking around for a bargain. You know me and my penny pinching.
I came across The Phone Resource Online Telephone Store. It started out being an online telephone store for special hearing impaired devices, conference phones, EnGenius Durafon phones (long-range cordless phones) and other special needs phones. But they also carry Jabra Bluetooth and Plantroics telephone headsets.
They have over 15 different bluetooth options to choose from. The price ranges from the high $200s down to $50 which I think is an awesome deal because I haven't been able to find one in that price range anywhere else. But I was reading about the more high end ones and perhaps they are the better way to go. The higher end bluetooth devices have noise-canceling microphones for superior sound quality. Plus they have the freedom to roam up to 33 feet which is a pretty sweet distance if you're working outside and don't want to get your phone dirty or..well..drop it.
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.
So, the Jersey reminder (courtesy of Bri) got me thinking about it and looking around for a bargain. You know me and my penny pinching.
I came across The Phone Resource Online Telephone Store. It started out being an online telephone store for special hearing impaired devices, conference phones, EnGenius Durafon phones (long-range cordless phones) and other special needs phones. But they also carry Jabra Bluetooth and Plantroics telephone headsets.
They have over 15 different bluetooth options to choose from. The price ranges from the high $200s down to $50 which I think is an awesome deal because I haven't been able to find one in that price range anywhere else. But I was reading about the more high end ones and perhaps they are the better way to go. The higher end bluetooth devices have noise-canceling microphones for superior sound quality. Plus they have the freedom to roam up to 33 feet which is a pretty sweet distance if you're working outside and don't want to get your phone dirty or..well..drop it.
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.
Labels: phone accessories, phones
Think I can come up with a MacGuyver tip each day?
With a little bit of help from Brian and his book I am sure that I can.
Today however, I found one on my own.
10 uncommon uses for your used coffee grounds
With a little bit of help from Brian and his book I am sure that I can.
Today however, I found one on my own.
10 uncommon uses for your used coffee grounds
10. Deodorizer. Dry them out on a cookie sheet and then put them in a bowl in your refrigerator or freezer, or rub them on your hands to get rid of food prep smells.To read the rest, 5 through 1, check out Curbly.com it's a super snifty site. =o)
9. Plant food. Plants such as rosebushes, azaleas, rhododendrons, evergreen and camellias that prefer acidic soils will appreciate the leftovers from your morning cup. Also, grounds can add nutrients to your compost bin.
8. Insect repellent. Sprinkle old grounds around places you don’t want ants, or on the ant piles themselves. The little buggers will move on or stay away. Used grounds are also said to repel snails and slugs.
7. Dye. By steeping grounds in hot water, you can make brown dye for fabric, paper and even Easter eggs.
6. Furniture scratch cover-up. Steep grounds and apply a bit of the liquid to furniture scratches with a Q-tip.
Labels: MacGuyver Tips
So, KeepCash.com is a deal and coupon code website. All of the special codes and rebates that are going on will be kept posted at KeepCash. So if you can get a $30 rebate on a DVD player from Circuit City you'll be able to check on it at KeepCash.com.
Fun for me, they also keep up with NewEgg.com. So in checking out their site I just found out that Newegg.com has the BFG GeForce 7950GT 256MB PCI-E Video Card on sale for $165.63 after a $20 instant rebate, a $40 mail-in rebate. And I also read that BestBuy has the Insignia 200W 5.1-Ch. Home Theater System on sale for $69.99 after a $30 instant rebate and free in-store pickup.
So see, it's kind of like have the Sunday fliers and ads at your fingertips online every day. I'm so excited about this...time to bargain shop!
You can sign up for a newsletter or subscribe to their RSS feed so you make sure you know all the latest deals.
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.
Labels: awesome deals
Saturday, June 23, 2007
A letter opener that also functions as an alarm clock. Sure why not?
But...really..why?
Opening so many letters, you find yourself bored and you fall asleep?
It also happens to have 4 USB ports available for you to plug in other gadgets, so maybe that is the real purpose of this little thing. But it apparently can open a letter super speedy. And it can be powered by 3 double A batteries or a USB cord.
Labels: Gadgets
Friday, June 22, 2007
Yes, it's true, 5 days out of the week I haul around a heavy laptop. It's heavy because it's one of those tablet laptops that allows me to wage digital warfare with Illustrator.
So many places are going wireless now that I often find myself picking up signals in odd places. But the problem is I can't plug into anything and my battery gets drained unbelievably fast! It causes me to clench my jaw tight and silently growl.
And so the search begins for the cheapest way to get batteries for my travels when occasions such as this arise. The lowest price for batteries anywhere is LCB, they have the lowest price in Dell Laptop Batteries, camcorder batteries, digital camera batteries, batteries used in medical equipment, UPS back-up batteries...I had no clue so many batteries existed but let me just tell you, LCB has them. Have no fear they aren't knock-offs either, they are brand name batteries just at cheaper prices. Imagine it to be like an online Costco warehouse, but just of batteries. You get the picture?
Interestingly, they also offer Battery Rebuilds for discontinued or hard to replace batteries which is pretty cool and I had to pass that news onto my grandparents. And I've told people I work for about the site, too, because we're all techie geeks and batteries come in very handy.
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.
So many places are going wireless now that I often find myself picking up signals in odd places. But the problem is I can't plug into anything and my battery gets drained unbelievably fast! It causes me to clench my jaw tight and silently growl.
And so the search begins for the cheapest way to get batteries for my travels when occasions such as this arise. The lowest price for batteries anywhere is LCB, they have the lowest price in Dell Laptop Batteries, camcorder batteries, digital camera batteries, batteries used in medical equipment, UPS back-up batteries...I had no clue so many batteries existed but let me just tell you, LCB has them. Have no fear they aren't knock-offs either, they are brand name batteries just at cheaper prices. Imagine it to be like an online Costco warehouse, but just of batteries. You get the picture?
Interestingly, they also offer Battery Rebuilds for discontinued or hard to replace batteries which is pretty cool and I had to pass that news onto my grandparents. And I've told people I work for about the site, too, because we're all techie geeks and batteries come in very handy.
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.
Labels: batteries, Computers, electronics, Gadgets
**Drooling**
Look at this! LG launched their first ever range of Full HD TV’s in the UK.
Look at this! LG launched their first ever range of Full HD TV’s in the UK.
The Plasma range includes two models, the 60-inch 1080p Full HD PF95 and the 50-inch HD Ready PB65, which also include Simplink and have a high contrast ratio of 15,000:1 as well as Clear Filter Pro which improves brightness and glare by replacing the thick glass filter with a thin film filter.
Labels: plasma TV
Let me reiterate...I do not have an iPod. I don't. And I've always said that I won't. But now they've gone and created software to make an iPod the ultimate geek toy!iGadget...
iGadget, allows you to add driving directions, weather reports, movie showtimes, RSS, text files and utilize Outlook features such as email, appointments, tasks and contacts. There are new plug-ins releasing constantly and just last week they added a feature which allows you to find gas prices for any location in the US.
....aw man. Gimmie one of those solar panel beach bags and an iPod with the iGadget and I'd never leave the sand.
Ok, this is the technology themed blog, but we all know it really means we can discuss anything remotely geeky, too. Right? Hehe.
My younger brother graduated with a dual-degree in business management and marketing. He has always been the business minded one. He is great at puzzles and creating strategic plans. He reads marketing books, business-themed books, etc. It's crazy. But anyway, sometimes I look out for sites that I think would interest him. (Since my craziness spans from all that is the WWW).
I find him information on business, companies and their rankings. He likes to know what's going on with the Fortune 500 and such. It's nice to have the net at your fingertips because you can easily find out Google ranks, Top Yahoo Rankings and other statistics that indicate growth or popularity for a company.
There are marketing related search engines now, like Apogee Search; it is one of the 25 largest Search Engine Marketing firms in the world. What this means is Apogee gets the stats and analyzes them for you. In addition, they keep you posted on all the latest news having to do with rankings online. Like the AdWords IP Exclusion mess that is currently going on. Apogee explains that The IP Exclusion tool allows you to "camouflage your AdWords paid search campaign from being seen by 20 competitors." Seems awfully sneaky to me, so I'm glad Apogee gave me the heads up.
You should check out their site. If you're like me you can learn a lot at their blog about latest news, but if you are business minded and want to generate more profits and learn more about search engine ranking...you can do that, too. =o)
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.
My younger brother graduated with a dual-degree in business management and marketing. He has always been the business minded one. He is great at puzzles and creating strategic plans. He reads marketing books, business-themed books, etc. It's crazy. But anyway, sometimes I look out for sites that I think would interest him. (Since my craziness spans from all that is the WWW).
I find him information on business, companies and their rankings. He likes to know what's going on with the Fortune 500 and such. It's nice to have the net at your fingertips because you can easily find out Google ranks, Top Yahoo Rankings and other statistics that indicate growth or popularity for a company.
There are marketing related search engines now, like Apogee Search; it is one of the 25 largest Search Engine Marketing firms in the world. What this means is Apogee gets the stats and analyzes them for you. In addition, they keep you posted on all the latest news having to do with rankings online. Like the AdWords IP Exclusion mess that is currently going on. Apogee explains that The IP Exclusion tool allows you to "camouflage your AdWords paid search campaign from being seen by 20 competitors." Seems awfully sneaky to me, so I'm glad Apogee gave me the heads up.
You should check out their site. If you're like me you can learn a lot at their blog about latest news, but if you are business minded and want to generate more profits and learn more about search engine ranking...you can do that, too. =o)
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.
Labels: marketing, page rankings, strategy
Thursday, June 21, 2007
I took the Personal DNA test...my results (you can mouse over the colors for a brief description):
My personalDNA Report
The test was long, but the report it gave back to me was very interesting. Some of the things it said I predicted, other things surprised me. If you have the time you should check it out. It's really snifty!
My personalDNA Report
The test was long, but the report it gave back to me was very interesting. Some of the things it said I predicted, other things surprised me. If you have the time you should check it out. It's really snifty!
Labels: personal dna
A Washington Post writer recently suffered a case of slippery fingers and dropped his beloved BlackBerry into the toilet.After he fished it out (he says the water was clean) he shook it and then took the battery out. His first thought was to get a hair dryer and blow it dry. But then he called a friend who told him simply to leave the Blackberry overnight in a bowl of uncooked rice.
Duh! Why didn't I think of that!? Bowl of uncooked rice...haha, but seriously this guy knew what he was talking about and proceeded to explain. "Rice, he explained, sucks out moisture."
He has left his Blackberry in a rice spa treatment each night since the fall into the toilet bowl. He says it is still working, but the time has been frozen. Hmm...the time...doesn't the whole organizer functionality depend on those seconds to keep moving?
Who knows. I don't own a Blackberry and probably never will.
Moral of the story: We electronics get revived in bowls of uncooked rice. =o)
Labels: blackberry
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
How would one go about hiring someone to put a video game mosaic in my house?
The mosaics above were created by Arno Coenen of Rock and Royal. How awesome are they!?
There are more photos here, including some of the construction process.
The mosaics above were created by Arno Coenen of Rock and Royal. How awesome are they!?There are more photos here, including some of the construction process.
Labels: art, video game
Aw man, it was only a matter of time before more digital phone services started popping up. Skype was and is still paving the way, but Packet8 is giving them some competition. They give you all sorts of enhancements and accessories to make their digital phone service quite enticing.When you subscribe to a Packet8 plan using our online store, you will be shipped a Broadband Phone Adapter , an all-in-one expandable VoIP phone system, a standalone VideoPhone or Video Terminal Adapter or a Virtual Office business-class speakerphone and Phone Adapter, depending on the plan you choose.
You make and receive calls as you always have, but they are routed more efficiently to save you money. There is NO EXTRA CHARGE for popular features like voicemail, caller ID with name, call waiting, three-way calling...um hello, everyone should want to take part in a service like this!
Packet8 has packages for residential peoples, but their business package is pretty cool. There is even Outlook integration to organize your calls and your e-mails. With both packages you get a free 1-800 fax number. You think I'm teasing, but I'm not, I promise. You can have Unlimited Calls US/Canada for under $25 with their basic residential digital phone service. And for under $15 you can get an office extension plan for your business. Very cool. I'm all about saving money!
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.
Labels: digital phone, internet, video phone
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
That's it.**Throws hands up in air**
Google is great and all, but they are definitely trying to take over the world.
Imagine it if you will...Google is the Brain and we are all Pinky.
The Google Brain: Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?What is Google Brain plotting now?
We as a collective Pinky: I think so Google Brain, but if you replace the P with an O, my name would be Oinky, wouldn't it?
A hybrid car of course.
Charged PHEVs with additional battery capacity..that you can monitor wirelessly.
Google teamed up with Pacific Gas & Electric and their plan is to create cars and trucks that will be partly powered by the country's electric grids. Oy vey! I foresee some serious black-outs in our future.
I wonder if you can Twitter via Google Talk from the steering wheel!?
NARF!
Labels: google
Should I? Could I? Would I?This past Christmas I wanted to buy one of those fancy projectors that project your movies onto a wall. Yes, because then it would be like I have my very own movie theatre at home. But then I realized it wouldn't work with my surround sound...because the only one I could afford didn't have all those hookups.
So there is a Indianapolis Projector Rental, why can't there be one for Delaware? I know it is meant for companies to rent them and use them at big meetings and conferences, but I would rent one to use for a party or just for a movie marathon weekend with a small group of friends. So the Indianapolis Projector Rental place is targeting a wider area now and they want y'all to know. If you live near New York City (Long Island), Los Angeles (LA County), Chicago, IL, Philadelphia, PA, San Jose (Santa Clara County), CA, Detroit, MI, Indianapolis, IN, Jacksonville, FL, San Francisco (north to Santa Rosa), CA and Columbus, OH...Projector123.com will deliver your projector rental to you via FedEx.
Clearly not what the Indianapolis Projector Rental place is meant for, but it would be super fun all the same!
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.
Labels: projector rentals
My parents have Comcast Internet. It works great.
They have Verizon phone service and I believe if they lived in a development; not out in the country...it would work great. However, it doesn't. And so the last time a service rep came out to look at the lines he told my Mom the only sure fire way to guarantee good service would be to get FIOS.
I don't know what will happen, but maybe leaving Comcast would save money in the end. Their rates are ridiculous (though I feel competitions will force a drop).
Verizon FIOS plans to add HD VOD... HD Video on Demand will definitely persuade some people to cross over.
Verizon labs already have an internal time line for launching the service -- that they aren't ready to share. Who knows what will happen next!
They have Verizon phone service and I believe if they lived in a development; not out in the country...it would work great. However, it doesn't. And so the last time a service rep came out to look at the lines he told my Mom the only sure fire way to guarantee good service would be to get FIOS.
I don't know what will happen, but maybe leaving Comcast would save money in the end. Their rates are ridiculous (though I feel competitions will force a drop).
Verizon FIOS plans to add HD VOD... HD Video on Demand will definitely persuade some people to cross over.
Verizon labs already have an internal time line for launching the service -- that they aren't ready to share. Who knows what will happen next!
Monday, June 18, 2007
It's hard to know how to feel about the ease with which banks, loan offices and other such financial institutions can pick up new customers. I find it a little bit scary that there are so many different ways to get a mortgage, car loan, school loan...loans, loans, loans. And you can do it all without even talking to anyone anymore thanks to the web.Y'all know I love the Internet. I love researching, blogging, putzing around and then writing about it. A couple years ago I used a website to help me find the cheapest car insurance. All the bells and whistles seemed to be eliminated; I plugged in my information and the sharks started competing. It wasn't until I picked a company that I found out all the little pieces which inevitably upped my final payments.
The next loan I intend to take part in will be one for a personal investment...a mortgage. What I'm scared about with regards to adding my name to the pile of lenders has to do with my credit score. Every time someone pulls your credit score...your number drops 5 points. Holy mackenzie! So if I put my name into a site which will find me the best rates...does that mean each lending company will be pulling my credit and my score will plummet?
So, how do you know you are getting into something secure and customer friendly? Is there even such a thing as a secured personal loan? So in my readings there was one site that immediately seemed to know my fears. The UK Personal Loan Store flat out says "If you are seeking a personal loan there are many options that are available, some times too many. Just what is the best selection for your personal requirements? How do you choose the right loan?" I found out through their site that it's not so much the credit inquiries that hurt you, but it is the inquiries of which you are actually applying for the credit or loan. So even if you put your name on 250 sharks...they can't all eat you. =o)
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.
Labels: finances
Friday, June 15, 2007
Thursday, June 14, 2007
You don't have to play with MS Paint anymore. Go to www.thedollpalace.com where you can color in tons of images to choose from. It's quite fun.
Oh yeah, you are guaranteed to stay in the lines too. SO, you go to "The Doll Palace" to get your Free Coloring Pages and choose your image - it could be Tink, The Bratz, an animal or even lipstick. So now you've created a masterpiece. You can print it out; you can share it with friends (and challenge them to do better than you).
Oh! I also want to mention that you can upload your own fantasy to color. Draw something, scan it, upload it, color it, and share it. If you want to save your work, you will have to register, but that's free. It's a cool site - I think we all need to take a break and color again, it'll be good for you.
Why don't you check out my coloring skills here - and I challenge you to give this a try and link your beautiful work here!
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
I'll be honest. I don't like Macs. There, I said it. Needless to say, I laughed when I read today that Apple had ported Safari to the Windows platform. When it comes to internet browsers I do mainly use Firefox. But I didn't switch to Firefox until about a year ago. Even on a Mac I use Firefox. Why? Because I don't like Safari. Safari always seemed to be lacking something. It was slow, you couldn't import and export bookmarks, and it doesn't load all websites correctly. So today when I read the Safari news, I said "Ok Mr. Jobs, I'll bite." I downloaded Safari for Windows. It was great to see an import and export bookmarks in the file menu, but other than that I found nothing special, and I would not use Safari over Firefox. For you Mac/Safari users, I'm sure you'd give a yawn to this news. For you Windows/IE/FireFox users, this may look quite different at first, but I'd say you will switch back to your previous browser after a while. I already uninstalled Safari.
I'm sure the purpose of this software release was not to make the world switch to Safari, but rather to give people more access to Apple products, to give them a taste of the Mac world. "Like what you see? Come join us, and together we can usher in a new era of computing - an era where Macintosh reigns over all things PC." If you want to use a Mac, don't fake it by using Safari, just go out and buy one. But anyway, forget about how I feel - try it yourself. The link is below.
Download Safari for Windows here!
Labels: Apple, Macintosh, software
Monday, June 11, 2007
JETSON!
While only a prototype exists, the hope is that this "futuristic kitchen" will be customizable to meet the needs of the interested parties.
The prototype includes a LCD monitor connected to a CD/DVD player and a computer which enables displaying recipes, watching a film, or connecting to the Internet, thus perfecting your cooking experience.
The kitchen has the shape of a rounded cube, or block, and it is manufactured as a monolith that can be lifted and transported to the desired location. It is made of an advanced composite material that is often named 'the material of the future' by designers and architects. Material is resistant to all weather conditions, enabling the kitchen to be displayed outdoors.
WHHAAATTT!?
It looks very cool, but imagine winning the Powerball would be the only way to afford it.
And then we have the Z. Island by DuPont.
Oh yes. DuPont.It is a sensory-receptive kitchen appliance. The main island unit evolves from a horizontal cooking and eating surface continuously into a vertical digital surface. Oh it gets better! There is a scent diffusion technology by Oikos Fragrances which is incorporated into the allowing the system to be programmed to dispense a personalised selection of scents into the kitchen, altering the room's ambiance to complement the time of day or occasion!
There are links, I'm not making this stuff up!
Labels: kitchen
Friday, June 8, 2007
If you want to study Monkeys, what do you do? You probably take a stroll into the jungle with a pair of binoculars. If you want to take a closer look at the lives of ants what do you do? Perhaps you might make an ant farm. So, what do you do when you want to study little kids? You might have some come into a room and play with some toys, or speak with them and see how they behave. Wrong - you make a robot child, silly.
So, Japanese scientists have created a robot that acts like a toddler to better understand child development. By the way, to behold this robot is potentially nightmare inducing. His gaping mouth and wide lifeless eyes are the least bit convincing. I'm thinking the little girl from The Ring.
Anyway, CB2 is his name, and he was created at Osaka University. He moves like a child age 1-3. He's 4 feet tall, can change facial expressions, speak with an artificial vocal cord and can even rock back and forth (like I did in the corner after I saw this thing). Minoru Asada, a professor at Osaka University said the robot was created to learn more about child development. "Our goal is to study human recognition development such as how the child learns a language, recognizes objects and learns to communicate with his father and mother."
So instead of studying an actual child...
Read more.
Labels: robots, technology
For those of you who wish to partake in some covert night time bad-assness, you might want to check out Optics Planet. They have a huge assortment of night vision optics to choose from.
You got your night vision equipment: goggles, binoculars, scopes, cameras even thermal imaging stuff! They have the equipment you need - whether it be for neighborhood watch, security or hunting. I personally will be looking into something here since my car was broken in to last week. OpticsPlanet has everything from generation 1 to 4 night vision - but they have other tactical gear as well.
For you military buffs there is full line of military & tactical gear, holsters, flashlights, rifle scopes, rangefinders...everything you can think of to make you feel like Inspector Gadget or MacGuyver!
The prices are good - on the low side, and they have free shipping (you can't beat free shipping). So if you're into tactical gadgets or just like fantasizing, perhaps you'll want to browse around.
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored by OpticsPlanet.
You got your night vision equipment: goggles, binoculars, scopes, cameras even thermal imaging stuff! They have the equipment you need - whether it be for neighborhood watch, security or hunting. I personally will be looking into something here since my car was broken in to last week. OpticsPlanet has everything from generation 1 to 4 night vision - but they have other tactical gear as well.
For you military buffs there is full line of military & tactical gear, holsters, flashlights, rifle scopes, rangefinders...everything you can think of to make you feel like Inspector Gadget or MacGuyver!
The prices are good - on the low side, and they have free shipping (you can't beat free shipping). So if you're into tactical gadgets or just like fantasizing, perhaps you'll want to browse around.
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored by OpticsPlanet.
Labels: Gadgets, technology
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Marin Soljacic, an assistant professor in MIT's Department of Physics and Research Laboratory of Electronics had a thought. Quite often we forget to recharge our cell phone, and when it is about to die it emits an unpleasant noise. "Needless to say, this always happens in the middle of the night," he said. "So, one night, at 3 a.m., it occurred to me: Wouldn't it be great if this thing charged itself?" He began to wonder if any of the physics principles he knew of could result in new ways of transmitting energy.MIT is known for being at the forefront of new technology. Marin Soljacic and researchers there have made a 60 watt light bulb glow via wireless energy 7 feet away. Wireless energy!. This is significant. We are now closer to having small gadgets run without having to be plugged in somewhere. This technology works by using tuned waves - setting the recharging device and the same frequency. Much work has yet to be done, but either way how cool is this?
MIT News
Labels: energy, technology, wireless
Sony has a new 'Odo' concept camera out on the market.My digital camera is a Kodak and I have a rechargeable battery that holds a charge for quite some time. I just don't know of this Odo camera could compete, even if it is more energy efficient. Taking pictures of my son are just too important to me and if I picked up my camera only to find it needed to be wound up before I could snap a shot...well...I don't know how I would feel about that.
What do you think?
Labels: gadget
Holy mackenzie! I can get a 2GB flash drive for under $23! And hello, a 4GB flash drive for under $33! You don't even know how happy that makes me, because I can fill up flash drives like a water canteen in the desert. (Yes, I know, I'm cheesy).
When you're a geeky gal like me, you're always going to be looking for the best deals on CD-Rs, DVD-Rs, printer ink, flash drives, etc.
So when you hear about a "Super Media Store" it's just like hearing about an Abercrombie & Fitch sale if you're a super preppy shopper. Sorry A&F, you don't do it for me, but Super Media Stores are right up my alley.
The best thing about "Super Media Store" is that they openly tell you all their best deals right on the main page of their site. Right off the bat you know you can get $100 off a printer AND 3 free ink cartridges if you buy a Primera.
It's also a helpful site in getting advice about things you are interested in; regarding technology. For instance, right now you can read an article about "Ten Tips for Taking Better Pictures With Your Digital Camera." Being able to take care if several of my geeky needs at once is very convenient.
For a frugal shopper this is an instant bookmark in my list of favorites.
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.
When you're a geeky gal like me, you're always going to be looking for the best deals on CD-Rs, DVD-Rs, printer ink, flash drives, etc.
So when you hear about a "Super Media Store" it's just like hearing about an Abercrombie & Fitch sale if you're a super preppy shopper. Sorry A&F, you don't do it for me, but Super Media Stores are right up my alley.
The best thing about "Super Media Store" is that they openly tell you all their best deals right on the main page of their site. Right off the bat you know you can get $100 off a printer AND 3 free ink cartridges if you buy a Primera.
It's also a helpful site in getting advice about things you are interested in; regarding technology. For instance, right now you can read an article about "Ten Tips for Taking Better Pictures With Your Digital Camera." Being able to take care if several of my geeky needs at once is very convenient.
For a frugal shopper this is an instant bookmark in my list of favorites.
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.
Labels: awesome deals, Gadgets, technology
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Oh dear Lord.MasterCard Worldwide today announced the launch of Europe's first watch equipped with MasterCard® PayPass™.
Why would anyone want a wrist watch with a built in credit card?
God forbid you accidentally pass your wrist by a sensor, you'll be charging things left and right and then having to dispute the charges. I would not purchase something like this, I'm far too clumsy. I understand the desire for convenience, but this is a little bit ridiculous.
Labels: gadget
Monday, June 4, 2007
What could be better than a fun new gadget?A fun new gadget that is astronomical related. I'm lucky to live in an area that is just enough country-like that I can still see the stars on a clear night. Sometimes it's so beautiful you just don't want to go inside. Meade's MySKY is comparable to the Celestron skyscout.
With the new Meade MySKY gadget it's going to be even more difficult to drag myself inside. Meade MySKY features a full-color LCD screen and the ability to identify over 30,000 celestial objects at a click of a button. You plug in headphones if you need it to be quiet and a narrator tells you all about what you're looking at.
One of the coolest features is the "Tonight's Best Tour." It takes you to the most interesting objects in the sky for your time, date, and location. So very cool!
The MySKY is customizable and becomes your own little sky exploration guide. For me it is so much cooler and easier than depending on a printed map of constellations. This is far more interactive and intuitive, because you don't need to know how to read the maps. And to top it all off, a Meade MySKY Personal Planetarium will be available soon!
For all your astronomy needs, including MySKY, shop at OpticsPlanet.com – Lowest Prices Guaranteed, Free UPS on all order above $29.95.
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Time passes so fast these days; I often don't want to look at the clock. But this clock is so cool I think I'd want to look all the time!Wall Gear Watch made by invotis.
The hands are gears that slowly move around the clock as time passes.
It's just so mod and funky looking and since it is functional you don't have to feel bad about buying one. =o)
Apparently things that tell time make really fun gadgets, because I know I've posted about cool clocks before.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Do you remember the people who would come to your door on summer afternoons and try to persuade your parents to buy encyclopedias? I do. And my parents did. My brother and I would get all caught up in being really smart and we'd convince our parents to fork over their hard earned money for a bunch of huge books we would never open.Today kids are so lucky. They don't have to think about lugging around volume of hardback books and encyclopedias. Everything they could ever want to know is literally at their fingertips thanks to the Internet.
Encyclocentral is a new website filled with different references and informative materials. They are running a Site Promotion to get their names out in the cyber world. So fellow geeks stand alert; Encyclocentral has over 9,000 different articles to fill your brain with.
Of course I immediately wanted to see what information could be found under the Gadgets & Gizmos category. Did you know there is a photoblocker that makes your car invisible to traffic cameras? Now you do. And if you just want to find something funny to read or remind yourself when David Letterman was born you can visit the Site Promotion and click on the Humor section. I also found it interesting that you could look up things regarding Legal matters. The articles stem from basic information on laws to explaining what the word "incorporation" really means.
It's pretty cool and there's a lot of interesting articles listed that you'd have to look a hundred different places for if you just used a regular search engine. So definitely head on over and check out Encyclocentral.
Disclosure:
This post is sponsored by Encyclocentral.
Labels: encyclopedias, references
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