Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Personal savings site BillShrink has a new feature: a gasoline pricing database that directs you to gas stations based on the route you take on your daily commute, not just how close you are to the stations.The Web app isn't just for finding prices. It actually helps you plan your refueling stops along the way. You start by telling it about your car and its mileage, and your home and work addresses. You get back a results page that shows you a Google Map of all the gas stations along your route. You can zoom in and out to expand or limit the search area.
Beneath the map is a listing of all the gas stations BillShrink was able to find, followed by their location, price, and amenities.
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The PC Gaming Alliance has issued its state of the industry report for 2008 and it makes for interesting reading for those who think gaming is all about consoles like Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii.
Here are the highlights:
The PC is the largest single platform for games with annual worldwide revenue of about $11 billion. This is more than any of the console and portable systems from Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo.
In emerging markets such as Asia and Eastern Europe the PC has become the de facto platform of choice for games as console systems have not had major penetration in most countries.
Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs) are the leading products for both revenue and profits. Several Asian MMOGs are generating over $100 million in annual revenue after 5+ years on the market. World of Warcraft is generating over $1 billion in annual revenue.
In 2008, two major new subscription MMOGs (Warhammer Online and Age of Conan) sold over 1 million units at retail.
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Epson America has just released its new document camera known as the Epson DC-06 which is able to deliver flexibility, ease-of-use and affordability to today's K-12 classroom. This $399 device comes with an easy USB connection which enables educators and teachers alike to hook up to one of the new feature-rich Epson PowerLite 85, 825 and 826W projectors or alternatively, to a computer using included software for easy operation. The Epson DC-06 document camera will come with XGA resolution that allows you to show off detailed reproductions within a 10.7"x 14.3" capture area, making it a snap for educators to share information from text books, journals, models, and even 3D objects to keep students riveted.
*~*~*
A few years back, a company called Infinium Labs introduced a new game console, The Phantom. It was going to change the face of PC and video gaming by offering a downloadable catalog of titles available by subscription. It was an aptly named product: The Phantom never shipped.
Yesterday at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, a similar sounding service was announced: OnLive. The major differences between The Phantom and OnLive seem to be that first, OnLive doesn't deliver games to your house, it delivers output (more on that in a minute) and second, OnLine doesn't appear to be vaporware.
Game publishers could also frequently update their games on OnLive by changing the code running on the servers. If one part of a game is too hard, the publishers can simply patch that part and then everyone will play the new version the next time they log in. Publishers can also pull the plug on games that aren’t selling well without taking a big inventory hit.
You'd have no control over these changes, since the game doesn't exist in your house. So if you liked that challenging part of the game, you'd lose it (rather than opting not to patch, as you would now).
*~*~*
And here is a link to The Ultimate Guide for Everything You Need to Know About Twitter >>One of the guidelines is as follows:
Twitter will allow you to import e-mail lists, contacts from instant messaging services, and you can find your friends on their search engine. The best way to build a list of interesting people is to go to the Twitter search engine at search.twitter.com and plug in your interests. This will then spit tons of people back out at you that you can choose to follow. Twitter will also give you some suggestions for people to follow.
Labels: BillShrink, education, epson, finances, gaming, pc, twitter, WoW
Thursday, October 9, 2008
The financial window of Abercrombie & Fitch...Abercrombie & Fitch today reported net sales of $275.4 million for the five-week period ended October 4, 2008, a 7% decrease from net sales of $297.4 million for the five-week period ended October 6, 2007. September comparable store sales decreased 14%. Total Company direct-to-consumer net sales decreased 5% to $20.9 million for the five-week period ended October 4, 2008, compared to the five-week period ended October 6, 2007.
*~*~*
From low to high, Audi is doing well thanks to their "green" car success. The Audi Q7 luxury sport-utility vehicle earned the highest rating in its category under a new consumer sentiment index aimed at identifying the smartest "green" choices available to U.S. consumers.
*~*~*
And you might be interested in know about the prime rate trend which is catching on super quickly this morning. The follow banks have made serious prime rate changes over the last 24 hours. M&T Bank Decreases Prime Rate, The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation Reduces Prime Rate to 4.50 Percent, Harris Lowers Prime Rate to 4.50 Percent, SunTrust Bank Lowers Prime Rate, Webster Lowers Prime Lending Rate to 4.50 Percent, National City Corporation Lowers Prime Rate to 4.50, Wachovia Corporation Lowers Prime Rate, Bank of America and LaSalle Bank Lower Prime Lending Rate and last but not least, Bank of America and LaSalle Bank lowered their prime lending rates.
Labels: banks, economy, finances, sales
Monday, February 4, 2008
Over the past few months, Brian and I have both had trouble with our debit cards. We have both needed to have new cards sent out to us due to fraudulent activity. Let's face it, this is happening more and more frequently and across all types of people because we're living in a digital age. Which is why companies have been developing ways to keep your identity safe. Which leads me to discussing lifelock.
Think you don't need it? Well, spend three minutes taking the National Utility Services' (N.U.S.) 22-question quiz at their site, users' habits are analyzed to determine the likelihood you will become a victim of identity theft. I think you'll be surprised at the results. N.U.S. promotes the LifeLock fraud alert service, the industry leader in identity theft protection and prevention.
Founded in 2005, Lifelock is the leading company for the safe keeping of your name. "If anything happens while you're a LifeLock client, we're going to fix the problem using our experts and cover all losses and all expenses up to a million dollars," promises Todd Davis, LifeLock's CEO.
For only $10/month, they will protect your identity and personal information, guaranteeing protection of up to $1,000,000. To learn more, visit their website and browse their FAQ section.
Labels: finances, identity theft, lifelock
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Essentially my Dad is a chef without a restaurant. I tease with him all the time telling him he needs to just turn the shed into a tiny cafe and become a soup nazi of sorts, you know, like on Seinfeld.
He's such a great cook. I mean, just naturally, he's not one of those people that can't cook without a recipe. Put spices and food in front of my Dad and your 99% guaranteed a great dish. Hmmm...just don't give him cinnamon. Haha.
There are solutions for aspiring chefs that lack the financial means. ARF business loans is the way to go. This is going to be a hefty loan, but since the working capital you will receive is indeed a loan, the interest you pay is tax deductible. Perfect for small to medium-sized merchants. Ahhhh. Si senorita we do have a solution. ;o)
Post has been sponsored.
He's such a great cook. I mean, just naturally, he's not one of those people that can't cook without a recipe. Put spices and food in front of my Dad and your 99% guaranteed a great dish. Hmmm...just don't give him cinnamon. Haha.
There are solutions for aspiring chefs that lack the financial means. ARF business loans is the way to go. This is going to be a hefty loan, but since the working capital you will receive is indeed a loan, the interest you pay is tax deductible. Perfect for small to medium-sized merchants. Ahhhh. Si senorita we do have a solution. ;o)
Post has been sponsored.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Maybe it's because the web has gotten to be a popular tool for finding a home. Or maybe it is because people like to network and research and this is easier than going to the recorder of deeds or your local government offices. If only we could build houses in cyberspace and actually move into them. Betcha we could save a buck that way. I wonder if a digital house would get viruses, that would be bad and probably pretty scary.
Being a home owner IS scary. Particularly for people who allowed a bank to get them in over their heads with an adjustable mortgage rate plan. DO NOT DO IT. You don't know how much you will be making in 5 years, maybe you'll be well off and an increased rate won't hurt any, but is it work the risk?
Brian and I are in the midst of finalizing our first mortgage and we'll be closing on a house this summer. It's stressful to think about all of these financial matters and I think banks sometimes want you to think they are taking care of you...when...they might not be. If you have bad credit and are trying to get a mortgage it might be best to wait it out, stay somewhere else or rent until you can repair your credit so you can go into buying a home feeling more financially stable. A good bank will tell you that and they will work with you on trying to handle debt consolidation.
Just some tips I feel like sharing. Since I know how overwhelming this can be. =o)
This post has been sponsored.
Being a home owner IS scary. Particularly for people who allowed a bank to get them in over their heads with an adjustable mortgage rate plan. DO NOT DO IT. You don't know how much you will be making in 5 years, maybe you'll be well off and an increased rate won't hurt any, but is it work the risk?
Brian and I are in the midst of finalizing our first mortgage and we'll be closing on a house this summer. It's stressful to think about all of these financial matters and I think banks sometimes want you to think they are taking care of you...when...they might not be. If you have bad credit and are trying to get a mortgage it might be best to wait it out, stay somewhere else or rent until you can repair your credit so you can go into buying a home feeling more financially stable. A good bank will tell you that and they will work with you on trying to handle debt consolidation.
Just some tips I feel like sharing. Since I know how overwhelming this can be. =o)
This post has been sponsored.
Monday, July 9, 2007
Bah! Remember my recent post about mortgage loans? Well, it is all absurd I must say. When you research online, everyone makes it sound so easy. It's not, don't let them fool you. All lenders will claim they can get you secured loans with the lowest interest rate with minimal down payments. But when you get to the nitty gritty fine print...it's not that way at all.
It's nice to find sites who will discuss personal loans an a case by case basis. Meaning they do the figures based on amount of loan, amount of time needed to pay it back, the purpose, etc.
And one thing you might find helpful is when a site will allow you to compare loans. "The most important thing to do before getting a loan is to shop around. Before you sign anything, make sure that you have looked at all possibilities for your needs. If you can separate all the various features of a loan and concentrate on the features you require, you can find the best rates for your needs. Nearly three quarters of all loans are paid off early, so it pays to know the charges for doing so."
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.
It's nice to find sites who will discuss personal loans an a case by case basis. Meaning they do the figures based on amount of loan, amount of time needed to pay it back, the purpose, etc.
And one thing you might find helpful is when a site will allow you to compare loans. "The most important thing to do before getting a loan is to shop around. Before you sign anything, make sure that you have looked at all possibilities for your needs. If you can separate all the various features of a loan and concentrate on the features you require, you can find the best rates for your needs. Nearly three quarters of all loans are paid off early, so it pays to know the charges for doing so."
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.
Labels: finances, loans, mortgage
Friday, July 6, 2007
Let me tell you how much of a geek you have to be to find enjoyment in researching mortgage rates and loans for buying a new home. This is something I've been struggling with for sometime now and more so recently than in the past.First of all, even with dropping prices, the house market is so inflated it is insane. I don't know how people can afford to live after they buy a home. But I suppose once it is done, well, you just make do.
There are a trillion places to go for information and they all say they are the best. Every person you talk to will direct you to the best bank or the best loan office or the best whatever. Right? I know you know what I'm talking about. So the best thing to do is hunker down at your PC and surf around, find the site you are the most comfortable with, jot some notes and then eventually call someone for more information and a time to schedule an appointment to talk.
Right away you will notice two major differences in these places. Some of them are insitutitions that have many hands involved because they can do a variety of financial things. You will also find places like DragonFi Home Finance Direct Lender where you are dealing with one person. There are not any brokers involved, you won't be transferred from person to person in the company. This is a one-on-one deal which quite frankly is cool because buying a house is stressful enough as it is.
Dragonfi explores each client's financing needs on an individual basis. They make it their job to make sure you understand the pros and cons of each loan package they offer. No hassles, no stress, no anxieties just people helping people. DragonFi Home Finance Direct Lender employs people to do the number crunching, understand their clients and give the best...it's not machines, it's not calculations based on averages. So, you won't just be an account number to these people. That's very cool to know.
If you are interested in learning more about them, head to their website and call William Walker or Barney Cox at 888.88fi-fly
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
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
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
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