Free Electronics Kingdom

Latest and Greatest in the Mac World

2009-10-29T08:02:00.001-07:00

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Okay, so I decided not to immediately post about the new Apple products, in fact I have been busy with other things. But I am back and I am ready to finally post about the new Apple products, as there have been many that are being released, and many more to come, so here is my list of 4 latest and greatest gizmos that Apple has released this year!

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Number 4! - Magic Mouse

I personally love this little mouse, it works mediocre, but since it comes free with your purchase of the new Mac computer (will give more details later) I really don't see a problem with it, and it's definitely a step up to the old mighty mouse they use to box up with your PC! So, about the specs, I believe it is wireless, and it has motion sensors and touch sensors on the top so there are no buttons you just use little hand gestures on the mouse to scroll, click, and do other things.

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Number 3! - Time Capsule

Awhile back there was news of the apple time capsules suddenly just dying off, in fact if you google it I believe there is a resting site of all the time capsules that died. Anyway, under all the new things Apple did, they also updated the Time Capsule!

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Number 2! - Mac Mini

The new Mac Mini has a new unibody so less scratches. They didn't really mess with how fast it goes, according to a chat seen in this review. However it's battery life is a lot better, and overall it is now more like a Macbook Pro. Overall, it's definitely a nice improvement.

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Number 1! iMac

There is a lot to say about the new iMac, but only one word needs to describe it, it's great. My biggest gripe is that the keyboard no longer has a number pad and there being no scroll button on the mouse is a bit hard to get use to. However the new iMac has a bigger monitor and better resolution.. it no longer comes with a remote, and is great but in my opinions it's expensive still.

LEAKED: Barnes&Noble "Nook"

2009-10-20T08:31:00.001-07:00

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A little while back, B&N announced they were going to making an e-book reader. (Which will be sold either today or next tuesday, I am not sure.)

Gizmodo today, released leaked photos of the highly anticipated e-book reader, formally called the Nook.

Here is some information from Wired News:

The reader, named the “Nook,” looks a lot like Amazon’s white plastic e-book, only instead of the chiclet-keyboard there is a color multi-touch screen, to be used as both a keyboard or to browse books, cover-flow style. The machine runs Google’s Android OS, will have wireless capability from an unspecified carrier and comes in at the same $260 as the now rather old-fashioned-looking Kindle.

I must say I am excited for the e-reader. I am an avid fan of the Kindle. But always found a bit of things were just not right.. like annotating, and other things. Hopefully this e-book reader can fix those problems.

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Powermat

2009-10-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

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Back in the 90s, and maybe a bit of the 80s, portable devices were the wave of the future. There were pagers, big bulky cell phones.. later they came out with leaner cell phone, PDAs, and the list went out. Not only was there portable communication, but other portables too, such as the game boy.

The only problem with carrying so many things, was charging all of them, although back then most things took batteries, as we came into the 2000, charging with a dock, or just a cord to an outlet was a lot easier. But then we had cluttered outlets.

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Now, to solve having your outlets taken up by charging portable machines. They came out with the Powermat. You can buy one at Best Buy to my knowledge, and so far I have only heard good reviews of it. Not only can it charge up to 3 devices at once, it is also energy efficient. (Much love to you tree huggers)

I haven't had the chance to pick one up yet, but it would be a great addition to anyone's home or office, as it advertises. One thing though, most people don't carry many devices anymore. Instead they resort to just having one "smart phone" which does everything. And if it's only one device, it's only one cord.

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Playstation

2009-10-09T08:46:00.000-07:00

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When the 3 new generation consoles came out (Wii, Playstation 3, Xbox 360) there was a big heated debate on which was the better console, albeit, that would be like comparing, apples, oranges, and grapes. The sales charts said otherwise, saying the Nintendo Wii was the best with the most sales, because it was made for everyone, not just one type of gamer. So once people took the Wii out of the console war, it was just PS3 and Xbox 360.

When looking at the prices, it was obvious that the Xbox 360 trumped the playstation 3, but when looking at the problems, PS3 won. (RRoD anyone?)

Fast forward a year or two, now all three have had price cuts and at the moment the PS3 is winning, but is that because people were just waiting for the price cut? The recession has been hitting hard, so I understand their price cuts (who would pay 400$ for a console?) but I think come christmas, sales will change. But, anyway, I found a great deal on a PS3, seen here. So check it out.

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2009-10-08T12:03:00.000-07:00

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In latest news, Dell is apparently negotiating with AT&T to make an android phone for them. Granted, I don't have anything from Dell, and I hear lots of bad things about Dell especially when carrot top was doing the advertising. But, I am curious to see how it goes.

With further research, Android seems pretty promising. Check out my other blog post with the newly announced Dell Adamo XPS.

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A new thin laptop

2009-10-08T09:03:00.001-07:00

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Dell is going to be releasing a new laptop that is said to be thinner than the macbook air, see above.

I am a little skeptical about these thin lappies. They look like they're going to break if you drop them or even just blow on them. Plus I can't imagine the keyboard is very good. Anyone have any comments?

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The Zune HD

2009-10-02T12:10:00.001-07:00

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Here is another review about a great little gizmo that was released this fall. The Zune HD is the Zune 2. Basically. Mimicking the Ipod Touch, with a touch screen, I was able to play around with it.

The body of the player is a sandwich of brushed metal bread with plastic "meat" through the center. On the face of the device is a tall and thin 3.3-inch OLED display and a lean home button at the southern end of the panel.

Source from Engadget

It functions great, has a lot of features, and best of all the music plays well.

So, this was a short but sweet review. :) Sorry. I didn't have much time to play around with it before one of my kids wanted to mess with it.

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Remember back in my day?

2009-10-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

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Remember back when Apple first started developing computers? There was no such thing as a right click option. And we all thought that the apple computer were amazing, even with all their problems.

I remember.

I remember growing up, using the apple computer, it was new and exciting. Technology was first starting to get rolling. I remember when my computer would shut down, there would be a small monitor with a sad face on it. And I'd slam my desk and curse.

I remember having floppy disks as the only way of installing, transferring, and anything else that had to do with data. I remember thinking Oregon Trail was the best game ever.

Ah yes, those were the days.

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But right now, is probably not the time to get into reminiscing about the old days. Or as my Mother calls them, the Dark Ages. This blog is about the rumor of Apple redoing their mighty mouse to tweak it a bit. Give it a bit of a facelift, and hopefully it won't just be a piece of crap that comes with your desktop.

Here is an excerpt of the news:

Apple's infamous Mighty Mouse—the mouse that comes with every desktop computer from the company—is about to get a facelift, if the latest rumors are to be believed. No longer will the little scroll ball get mucked up with gunk, nor will the touch-sensitive surface mis-register your fingertips. According to sources speaking to AppleInsider, Apple plans to use its "extensive research and development in multitouch technologies" to create a newer, mightier pointing device.

Source

Hopefully these rumors are true. The mouse always gets so dirty. It's almost so pretty I want to frame it.

Read the full article at Ars Tech.

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All my childhood memories

2009-10-01T11:44:00.000-07:00

Destroyed

FREE Ipod Nano 5th Gen

Okay so now that's over and done with. Who likes the new Ipod nano? I do. I love it. It's sleek, has an array of colors, functions really well, and while the camera is said to be oddly placed. I don't see why I would be using it in the first place. I am going to listen to music.

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My only complaints are that it's so light I feel like I may forget about it and sit on it.. or perhaps break it with my clumsyness.

I'm back, with new offers.

2009-10-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

FREE PSP Go System

Hey everybody!

It's been a really long time since I've used this blog. I think it's time to dust it off, and with dusting comes new things that I have found on the internet in my solitude.

So, when the PSP hand held system came out, it was a must have for any kid, tween, and grown adult. It could watch movies, play your favorite video games. And it was extremely functional, but a little pricey.

Afterward, the PSP Go system came out, which doesn't seem to be quite as popular but it still works like the PSP did.

But what I really don't understand is why this screen isn't touch-sensitive. Especially when the slider is closed, I want to flick and zoom through webpages, the PS store and the XMB. More than once I've attempted the feat, only to remember, what the shit, this huge screen isn't touch capable.

So closed, the PSPgo can't really be navigated. Scratch that. You can accidentally hit LB to restart your movie—a function you'll use frequently—if by accident.

It should be noted that Bluetooth also allows you to use a SIXAXIS/Dual Shock 3 controller with the Go. Syncing is easy and the system works perfectly, but consider the practical ergonomics for a moment. You end up balancing the Go on your lap in this really awkward way.

Looking at the design, a conspiracy theory pops in my head. The PSPgo was the template for the PSP2. Open, it had dual analogs. Closed, it had a touchscreen. Somewhere inside, it had a faster processor, more RAM and, hell, maybe even 3G or something. Maybe it was machined of metal and could be thrown like a ninja star. Regardless of this theory's truth, we're stuck with the Go as-is.

Source

So, the PSP go's ergonomics are.. questionable. But there is more to it than it's sidekick like appearance.

Honestly, the hardware is only half of what holds the PSPgo back from being something better. It's the aging PSP software full of unfixed nagging points, like that Wi-Fi doesn't connect automatically upon startup, typing is still done through that horrible phone-dial-like interface and lack of support for background downloading from the PS Store.

Yes, while the PS3 allows you to download games and movies while performing other tasks, the PSPgo is stuck monotasking during downloads. Oh, and if your PSP dies before you've finished that 1.6GB movie download—which takes a while over the Go's slow 802.1b Wi-Fi—you get to start all over. (Also, while it's nice of Sony to keep compression levels low, SD quality movies on portables need smaller files sizes than this for people to watch movies on the go.)

The browser is absolutely archaic. Beyond tedious analog nub navigation, the Go ran out of RAM while loading Gizmodo just like it had before on the original PSP...just like is prone to occurring on the PS3. Sony has advertised a browser on multiple systems that doesn't really work, and that's just ridiculous.

PSP Minis, or tiny apps like you see on the iPhone (in some cases, exactly like you see on the iPhone), are on their way. But the limitations are strict, meaning that even the games ported from the iPhone could be missing functions like networking. And how big or wonderful will the catalog be if Sony can barely recruit studios to develop for the PSP as it is now? (Sony has catalog of 225 PSPgo games that will be downloadable over PC or Wi-fi at launch.)

Also, you may not have heard about one key software feature. When you close the PSPgo from the XMB, a clock appears on screen. Thank goodness, because I've been needing one of those!

Source

It's battery life.. is well, to say the least slightly disappointing to it's comparable counterpart PSP, and the Nintendo DS

Running for only 4 hours and 47 minutes with all the works going. The DS and even the PSP can hold a charge longer than that.

My recommendation? Don't get the PSP Go, but instead go for the PSP. While I don't have a link for that offhand, I'll be sure to update with one later on.

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New Kindle App for iPhone

2009-03-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

Get a FREE Kindle 2!

Read Kindle books on your iPhone or iPod touch

Get the best reading experience available on your iPhone or iPod touch
Access your Kindle books even if you don't have your Kindle with you
Automatically synchronizes your last page read between devices with Amazon Whispersync
Adjust the text size, add bookmarks, and view the annotations you created on your Kindle

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Apple Unveils Talking Ipod

2009-03-11T11:55:00.001-07:00

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Apple introduced a smaller version of its popular iPod Shuffle music player on Wednesday with a new feature that tells the user what song is playing.

The new 4-gigabyte gadget costs $79 (57 pounds), is half the size of the previous Shuffle, and carries up to 1,000 songs -- twice as many as the last generation of the device.

All of the controls on the new Shuffle have been moved from the device to the earphone cord. The new VoiceOver feature announces songs and playlists to users in 14 different languages, according to Apple, whose shares rose 4.5 percent.

The voice function is particularly useful on the Shuffle, which does not have a display screen like most iPods or other digital music players.

Needham & Co analyst Charles Wolf said the new Shuffle design was appealing and called the voice function a "nice a little gimmick. It shows that Apple intends to keep that piece of the portfolio going. They're going to continue to innovate, upgrade the sub-$100 device."

"It won't necessarily stimulate sales, but it clearly will keep sales of the Shuffle going forward," he said.

The VoiceOver feature works by synchronizing with iTunes software, which installs a voice kit on the user's computer. VoiceOver can also tell a user how much battery life remains.

"You previously couldn't have multiple playlists on the iPod Shuffle because you couldn't really switch between them as there was no way to know how you would switch," said Greg Joswiak, Apple vice president of iPod marketing, told Reuters. "So now instead of seeing, you get to hear."

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Although Apple does not break out Shuffle sales, Needham's Wolf estimated some 7.5 million units were sold in the December quarter, it's biggest-selling quarter. Apple sold 22.7 million iPod units overall in the period.

The third generation of iPod Shuffle will be the world's tiniest music player, smaller than an AA battery. It comes in two colors, silver and black.

Apple will continue to sell the second-generation version of the 1-gigabyte, 240-song Shuffle for $49. but phase out the 2-gigabyte Shuffle, which sells for $69.

The iPod music player has played an important role in the revival of Apple's fortunes. The company has sold more than 200 million iPods since they launched in 2001. It launched the first Shuffle in January 2005.

The refreshed Shuffle comes just a week after the company updated its line of Mac desktop computers. Apple refreshed it MacBook laptop computers last fall.

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Make Your iPod Talk to You

2008-10-20T11:52:00.000-07:00

Free Apple iPod Nano

Free Apple iPod Nano

9 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do With Microsoft Outlook

2008-10-20T11:34:00.000-07:00

Free Microsoft Outook 2007

1. Open Calendar, Contacts, or Task List in a separate window

Tired of clicking on the navigation buttons every time you want to switch between your Inbox and Calendar? Right-click on any of the Navigation buttons and choose Open in a New Window, and you can keep your Calendar or Contacts open in windows of their own. They'll stay open while you deal with messages; simply use Alt-Tab to navigate between the windows.

2. Display multiple dates in the Calendar

You can display multiple, noncontiguous dates in the Calendar by going to the monthly calendar display in the upper left of the Calendar window and Ctrl-clicking on the dates you want to view. Each date you Ctrl-click will appear as a column in the main Calendar display. You can also display any continuous range of dates by dragging the mouse over a series of dates on the monthly calendar.

3. Customize the flag and category icons

You probably already use the flag icon in the Inbox message list to remind you of messages that you'll need to look at in the future, or the category icon to help organize your mail. (The flag icon appears at the far right of each entry in Outlook's message list; the category icon is the rounded square just to the left of the flag icon.) You can specify which color flag or which color category will appear by default when you click on those icons. Simply right-click on any flag or category icon, choose Set Quick Click…, and select the category or flag that you want to use as the default.

4. Use shorthand abbreviations for dates and time

Outlook's Calendar understands both plain English text and terse abbreviations in its Start Time and End Time fields. For example, instead of typing a date, simply type "next Tue" or "next month" and the Calendar will insert the correct date. ("Next month" becomes the date one month from today.) In the time field, you can enter "now" or an abbreviated time like "4p," which Outlook will expand to "4:00 p.m." The same plain text shorthand also works in the Scheduling window, which means that you go to the Appointment Recurrence dialog and enter "next Thursday" as the Start time, and Outlook will specify the right date.

5. Modify Outlook's menus

Do you want the commands you use most often to appear at the top of Outlook's menus? Just choose Tools Customize, then the Commands tab, and click Rearrange Commands... In the dialog that opens you can move menu items up and down in the list, delete items you don't use, and add ones that you want. You can also save time by specifying "accelerator keys" that will launch a menu item when you type a single letter while that menu is open. To change or create an accelerator key for a menu item, click Modify Selection in the Rearrange Commands dialog, and insert an ampersand (&) immediately before the letter in the menu item that you've chosen to serve as the accelerator key.

6. Add holidays to your Outlook calendar

If your company observes religious holidays, or observes the same holidays honored in a head office in another country, you can add those holidays to the Outlook calendar. Use Tools Options; on the Preferences tab, click Calendar Options…, then click Add Holidays…, and place check marks next to the national or religious holidays you want marked in your calendar.

7. Insert calendar data into your e-mail

If your e-mail account is on a Microsoft Exchange server and you're writing to someone else who uses the same Exchange server, you can insert data from your calendar into an e-mail. In the message-editing window, go to the Message ribbon (selected by default), choose Calendar from the Include group, and specify the time period and level of detail that you want to include. This option isn't available if your account is on a POP or IMAP server.

8. Add a contact from an e-mail message

To add the sender of an e-mail message to your Contacts, go to the message itself (not the entry in the message list), right-click on the sender's name, and choose Add to Outlook Contacts.

9. Get rid of unwanted add-ins
Keep Outlook 2007 sleek and fast by removing add-ins that other software installs with asking your permission. Go to Tools Trust Center… then click on Add-ins, find the Manage: item at the foot of the window, make sure that COM Add-ins is the current item, and click on Go…. From the COM Add-ins dialog you can disable an item by clearing its check box, or remove it entirely by clicking Remove.

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Top 10 Digital Photo Frames

2008-10-17T07:18:00.000-07:00

Free Philips Digital Photo Frame

Today there are over 30 vendors selling these framed digital wonders, offering standard features like built-in memory, Wi-Fi, and video playback. The good news is that there are a handful of truly innovative digital photo frames out there. No matter your tastes (or your recipients'), here's our list of the 10 coolest digital photo frames to get you in the picture.

1. LG DP889
All-in-one devices are hot-ticket items, like this digital photo frame that displays photos and lets you watch DVDs, for example. The LG DP889 sports an 8-inch, 16:9 widescreen with built-in memory to display up to 250 photos in a slideshow. What's different about this frame is that you can bring it with you on your travels to watch DVDs, thanks to the integrated DVD player.

2. Pandigital Kitchen Technology Center
Spice up your kitchen with Pandigital's super-cool Kitchen Technology Center (KTC). This combo frame lets you not only display scrolling digital photos in your kitchen, but you can also watch TV (thanks to the 1280-by-720 HD-ready resolution) and access preloaded recipes on its 15-inch LCD screen.

3. Tao Electronics Digital Photo Penholder
For the working professional, Tao Electronics's Digital Photo Penholder ($80) is a great gift. It consists of a digital photo frame with a 3.5-inch TFT LCD and a handy pen and holder. The frame offers 128MB of internal memory (there's no memory card reader) and measures 5 by 4 by 2 (HWD) inches.

4. GE 27956FE1 DECT 6.0 Photo Phone
The GE 27956FE1 DECT 6.0 Photo Phone dons a 7-inch LCD screen and supports SD, xD, and MS memory cards for viewing your photos. Its 1.9-GHz cordless phone lets you make calls and see the person who's calling with its nifty picture caller ID.

5. Mustek PF-i700
If everything you own must have some sort of iPod integration, then Mustek's PF-i700 is right up your audio alley. With its 7-inch screen and remote control, you can enjoy video, music, and photo playback right from the built-in iPod dock. It even charges your iPod's battery.

6. Falcon DigiFrame Fridge Magnet
The refrigerator is like a scrapbook: It displays a family's photos for all to see. But there comes a time when you run out of magnets and space to hang your precious memories. That's why the Falcon DigiFrame Fridge Magnet is a perfect choice. It scrolls through up to 66 photos or can also be paused on one of your favorites—all on its 2.4-inch TFT LCD.

7. Ality Pixxa + Pictura Mirror PC017M
Similar to the mirrored finish on the LG Shine phone, the Pixxa + Pictura Mirror PC017M from Ality features a mirror that disappears to reveal this wall-mountable digital photo frame's touch-screen interface. That means it's great for hanging up in the hallway or near the front door, so you can check yourself in the mirror before you leave the house.

8. Picwing 7-inch Digital Photo Frame
The Picwing 7-inch Digital Photo Frame ($249) is Wi-Fi-enabled, so you can sync your Picwing albums to it whenever you please. Instead of using a memory card to access your photos on the frame, you manage your photos on Picwing.com. All you have to do is setup an e-mail for your album. Then, you can e-mail photos to friends and family, and they'll be able to view them on their frames.

9. Pandigital 7-inch Collage Multi-Frame
A collage of digital photo frames would get expensive. That's why Pandigital designed the 7-inch Collage Multi-Frame, which is a blend of print and digital photos. The collage consists of one 7-inch digital photo frame with a 16-in-1 card reader and 128MB of internal memory, as well as three traditional photo frames for displaying printed photos of your choice.

10. Smartparts 32-inch Digital Picture Frame
For the person who has to have the biggest of everything, the Smartparts 32-inch Digital Picture Frame ($760) will certainly take the cake. This wall-mountable, behemoth frame has a high-def widescreen with built-in speakers and is compatible with all popular memory cards.

Free Philips Digital Photo Frame

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How to customize Windows Vista

2008-10-17T06:48:00.000-07:00

Free Windows Vista

How to customize your Windows Vista cursor

How to customize your Windows Vista logon

Improve your Windows Vista sidebar

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5 reasons why it's hard to pick a cellphone

2008-10-16T11:47:00.000-07:00

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When people ask me what cell phone I carry, I mumble. I equivocate. I hide. In part, that's because I don't want my personal choices to look like some sort of official PC Magazine endorsement. But it's also because, like most Americans, I'm trapped in a series of two-year contracts and paying more than I'd like to for less service than I want.

My contract just came up for renewal, and it's time to buy a new phone—but I can't. I just can't decide. I've pinpointed five problems that are making my choice difficult, and I think you'll be able to relate. Want to suggest an answer for me? Tell me on our discussion boards.

1. Two years is a long time, and carriers don't hold up their end of that bargain. I'm about to slap down a two-year commitment. That should be a two-way deal: If this was any other business deal, I'd ask for a detailed plan of what my investment will get me over the next two years, including product roadmaps, network buildouts, and possible mergers or divestitures. Of course, that's not going to happen. Mobile phone companies merge without warning, hide their product plans, and take their customers, once they're on the hook, for granted. (Any former Nextel or Blue AT&T customers will be nodding ruefully here.) That makes it hard to commit.

2. Too few people today talk about voice quality. I'm shopping for a family plan, and one of my family members is even pickier than I am about voice quality. Now, this is one of those situations where I'm in a much better position than the average consumer. I can tell you that the Nokia 6263 sounds tinny and the Nokia 5310 has a bit of hiss, because I try dozens of phones. But if you go into a mobile-phone store and talk to the salespeople about voice quality, you'll get a lot of blank stares. There's still an infuriating insistence that although phones may have different cameras, screens, music players or whatever, they all sound the same when making calls. That's flat-out wrong. Anyone with half a brain knows it's wrong, and it has to stop.

3. Deals are still phrased in terms of devices, not monthly costs. If there's one lesson to learn from the subprime mortgage crisis, it's that monthly payments matter to your personal finances. A lot. And when you're locked into a contract, your personal circumstances might change but your monthly payments won't. So one of my top priorities is to lower my monthly payments. (Paying more per month is not an option right now.) Wireless companies are deaf to this. They'll make a million deals for free phones (a one-time cost), but there are very few deals for lowering the payments you'll be saddled with well into 2010.

4. Why can't I find out how much I'm going to pay? Amazing but true: Even once you find a monthly payment you're comfortable with, it's almost impossible to figure out exactly how much you're going to pay. That's because a mysterious amount of "taxes and fees" are added to every wireless bill, and so far, the salespeople have refused to tell me how much the charges are. Yes. They're telling me that I will be on the hook for some amount that is larger than what they're charging, but not by how much.

5. Trade-offs between carriers are still too sharply defined. I've been a Verizon customer for nine years, but I'm sick of being beholden to the claustrophobic insularity of Verizon. I run across a lot of GSM phones in my travels, and I'd love to be able to use them. Sticking with Verizon is like being what a Mac user was in the mid-1990s: It's a great niche, but you're out of the global mainstream. I'd also like to access the Web from my phone. (Yes, you heard me, I don't have a data plan.) On the other hand, I also need to lower my bills—and get solid voice quality.

I've celebrated the vibrant competition between wireless carriers in the past, but when you're shopping, it can be really annoying. The trade-offs are sharp. T-Mobile has great rates and offers GSM, but it doesn't have a single really good 3G phone to provide rich, 3G voice quality. Calls sound great on Verizon, but you're locked into Verizon's offbeat ecosystem. AT&T is expensive and has problems where I live. Sprint is cheap, but its ecosystem is just as closed as Verizon's.

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Microsoft Office Has a Free Rival?

2008-10-16T11:34:00.000-07:00

Get a Free Microsoft Office 2007 Full Version

OpenOffice.org, now released in its long-awaited 3.0 version, is a free, open-source replacement for Microsoft Office—and the first and only application suite that can be seriously considered to be a substitute for the massive power and flexibility of Microsoft's suite. OpenOffice.org used to look clunky and work slowly, but the 3.0 version, which I tested in its final Release Candidate version (RC4), is sleek and fast.

It still retains the essential look and feel of Microsoft Office 2003 and earlier versions, instead of imitating the new ribbon interface of Office 2007, but that's a plus for many users who want as much continuity as possible when switching to a new application. OpenOffice.org doesn't include all of Office's features, but it adds some conveniences that Office can't provide, such as built-in PDF export and a single interface for opening and editing word-processing documents, HTML files, worksheets, presentations, and drawings.

Get a Free Microsoft Office 2007 Full Version

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Blu-ray Recorders will be available in early 2009?

2008-10-15T08:25:00.000-07:00

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One of the more frequent e-mails we receive is, when are Blu-ray recorders coming out? Blu-ray recorders have been available in Japan for quite some time now, but we haven't seen any manufacturer planning to offer a recorder in the U.S. However, HD Guru recently blogged about the CEATEC trade show in Japan, and we noticed this little nugget buried in the middle:

"Panasonic will be introducing a freestanding Blu-ray recorder/player in the US during the first half of 2009. (BTW, Blu-ray recorder prices have really dropped in Japan. I spotted a Sharp Blu-ray recorder at Yodobashi camera for around $800 S)."

That's news to us. In fact, we met with Panasonic engineers recently, and when we brought up Blu-ray recorders they had no news for the U.S. market. Although we do get plenty of reader e-mail concerning Blu-ray recorders, there's plenty of reasons to believe they won't be popular in the U.S. First up is the high price. An $800 recorder might be a big price drop, but it's still much more than standalone Blu-ray players, which most consumers already consider too expensive. Secondly, HD DVRs are relatively cheap and convenient, especially when you consider that a blank 25GB BD-R Disc costs about $8-$10.

Lastly, we'll be interested to see exactly what you'll be able to record with a Blu-ray recorder. We're assuming people would be most interested in recording premium content from networks such as HBO, but we'd be surprised if content providers didn't start using copyright protection to make that impossible. Meanwhile, remember that anything you record off of most network and cable channels will be chock full of onscreen ads and snipes--hardly the sort of version we'd want to archive to our permanent collection. So while there's certainly a limited market for Blu-ray recorders, it will be interesting to see if they're able to expand beyond that niche audience.

Get a free Panasonic Blu-ray Disc Player

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New Apple laptops have glass trackpads and Nvidia chips

2008-10-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

Get the new 13-inch MacBook or 15-inch MacBook Pro for free

Apple touched up its line of laptop computers Tuesday with a minimal nod to the economic turmoil that might push consumers to be more frugal this holiday shopping season. Apple avoided a major price cut to the Macintosh line, though it did lower its least expensive computer, the basic MacBook, by $100 to $999.

For the updated MacBook and MacBook Pro machines, Apple crammed more high-end features into thinner laptop casings, and made those developments slightly easier on the wallet.

In an event at Apple's headquarters Tuesday, Steve Jobs, Apple's co-founder and CEO, highlighted the new laptops' larger glass "multitouch" trackpad, which, like the iPhone, understands multi-finger gestures for spinning and zooming.

Jobs also said Apple switched from Intel Corp. to Nvidia Corp. as the supplier of the laptops' graphics chips. Jobs said the change speeds up processing-intensive activities — playing popular 3-D video games, for example — as much as six-fold.

The redesigned laptops are lighter than existing machines, and Apple touted a construction "breakthrough" in the way the casings are cut and tooled from aluminum, without a stronger skeleton fused to the insides.

At the lowest end of the redesigned laptops, a MacBook will cost $1,299, while the most expensive MacBook Pro, which comes with two graphics chips from Nvidia for extra fast graphics processing, costs $2,499.

An updated MacBook Air, the ultra-thin portable notebook that does not have a CD or DVD drive on board, is $1,799. The new machines can be ordered online Tuesday and are expected to reach Apple's retail stores on Wednesday.

Get the new 13-inch MacBook or 15-inch MacBook Pro for free

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Top 5 Most popular gadgets

2008-10-14T08:44:00.000-07:00

These are the gadgets that online searchers are craving:

To get these gadgets for free follow the links:

Free Apple iPhone
Free Panasonic Viera
Free Samsung Instinct
Free Apple Nano

Funny cellphone commercial

2008-10-14T08:33:00.000-07:00

Get a free Apple iPhone

Get a free T-Mobile G1 Google Phone

Get a free Apple iPhone

Get a free T-Mobile G1 Google Phone

How to Buy a Blutooth Headset

2008-10-13T09:16:00.000-07:00

Get a Free Aliph Jawbone 2 Blutooth Headset

Driving and talking on a cell phone can be dangerous (and often illegal). Using a Bluetooth headset while driving is one way to go. Bluetooth is a wireless technology that allows different electronics to work together.

Step 1

Identify if your cell phone has Bluetooth technology; you can check the manual or the phone's settings. If it does, you can use a Bluetooth headset. If it doesn't, you will have to use a wired headset or buy a Bluetooth adapter.

Step 2

Although you can buy Bluetooth headsets online, go to an electronics store to find one that's most comfortable. If you wear glasses, try on the headset with and without your glasses.

Step 3

Once you find one that's comfortable, try using the different controls. Some come with one-touch answer and end-call functions--this is particularly helpful when you're driving. The fewer buttons you have to press, the less distracted you will be. Other features to consider are on/off, battery length and volume control.

Step 4

Finally, make sure the headset you have chosen is compatible with your cell phone. Most Bluetooth headsets are backward-compatible, which mean they will work with any cell phone that has Bluetooth. If you're not sure, ask a sales associate at the store.

Get a Free Aliph Jawbone 2 Blutooth Headset

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How to Avoid Red-Eye While Taking Digital Pictures

2008-10-13T09:09:00.000-07:00

Get a free Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT SLR Camera

Red-eye occurs when light from the built-in flash of a camera bounces off the subject's retinas and reflects back to the camera lens. Along the way, the light takes on the tint of the blood vessels in the eye, which causes the eyes to appear to be glowing red in the picture. Below are some tactical tips to help you to avoid red-eye in your digital pictures.

Step 1

When inside, turn on as many lights as possible. With the additional light, The persons eyes will constrict a little, so less flash will be reflected back to the lens. Most cameras also adjust flash output based on the ambient room lighting, so the brighter the room, the weaker the flash needs to be.

Step 2

If you're shooting indoors , position the person next to a window. The light coming in through the window will have the same effect as turning on additional room lights.

Step 3

Change the camera settings to red-eye reduction mode. With red-eye reduction mode on, the camera fires a short, preflash in advance of the main flash. The idea is the same as turning on lots of lights, the eyes constrict in response to the preflash so that when the main flash fires, less light is reflected from the eyes. Remember, that it's called red-eye reduction and not red-eye prevention mode for a reason: That short preflash can do only so much, so you may still wind up with some red-eye areas. Be sure to tell people to expect two bursts of light. or, they will think that the preflash is the real flash and assume that the picture was taken. Some cameras actually fire three lights for each shot. The third , which the camera sends out when you depress the shutter button halfway, helps the camera's autofocusing mechanism pinpoint the subject-to-camera distance.

Step 4

Consider posing people so that they're not looking directly into the camera. A profile shot can be as captivating as a regular image. You can also ask people to look to one side or slightly up or down. Since the flash light won't be heading straight for the eyes, red-eye reflections will be minimized.

Get a free Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT SLR Camera

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Is Microsoft buying RIM?

2008-10-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

Get a free Blackberry 8820 (unlocked)

Funny story -- we pretty much heard this exact same rumor floating around last August, but given the current economic situation, we're inclined to believe this one a good bit more. A recent Reuters report is pointing out that RIM (like practically every other company right about now) is ripe for the picking, and any outfit with a serious load of cash reserves could get themselves quite a bargain. Given that the Redmond mega-corp has shown interest before (and clearly has plenty of Greenbacks), we were particularly interested in Canaccord Adams analyst Peter Misek's quote: "I'm fairly certain [Microsoft] has a standing offer to buy [RIM] at $50 a share." If you'll recall, RIM's stock sat at $148 per share just four months ago, and now, it's hovering around $60. As expected, Microsoft had no comment on the report, but don't be surprised to see something go down if Wall Street keeps hemorrhaging.

Get a free Blackberry 8820 (unlocked)

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Awesome iTunes Remote Application for Android

2008-10-10T07:40:00.000-07:00

Get your free T-Mobile G1 Phone

One of our favorite apps for the iPhone is the iTunes remote, so we're thrilled to see one for Android. Jeff Sharkey says that he reverse engineered the remote protocol from the iPhone and touch and used it to create an iTunes remote for Android. As you can see in the video, it looks amazing and works perfectly in the Android emulator, just like Apple's (in the real thing, you won't actually have to enter the IP address or pairing code).

Android iTunes Remote Control from Jeffrey Sharkey on Vimeo.

Get your free T-Mobile G1 Phone

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Top 10 must-have gadgets

2008-10-09T08:20:00.000-07:00

This month's stars include the new Logitech Squeezebox Boom and the Nintendo DS Lite. What else is hot on our most recent Must-Have Gadgets list? A stellar flat-panel TV, a sexy Bluetooth headset, and an extreme LCD monitor. Rather than trying to compare gadgets across multiple categories, we present them in alphabetical order because, when you get right down to it, we think they're all must-haves.

1. Aliph Jawbone 2
Despite its quirks, the Aliph Jawbone 2 is quite possibly the ultimate Bluetooth headset in terms of design and sound quality. The Aliph Jawbone 2 is a fashionable Bluetooth headset with a comfortable fit and an array of noise-canceling and voice-enhancement technologies that result in amazing sound quality.
Read Review
Get it for free here!

2. Apple iPhone 3G
The iPhone 3G delivers on its promises by adding critical features and sharper call quality. The iTunes App Store is pretty amazing, and the 3G support is more than welcome. Critical features still are missing, and the battery depletes quickly under heavy use, but the iPhone 3G is a big improvement over the original model.
Read Review
Get it for free here!

3. Apple iPod Touch
The iPod Touch is a beautiful product, inside and out, but prepare yourself for sticker shock. The Apple iPod Touch has a large, video-worthy screen, a cutting-edge interface, and Wi-Fi Internet, e-mail, and music download capabilities.
Read Review
Get it for free here!

4. Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
The Canon PowerShot SD 850 IS has just about everything you'd want in a point-and-shoot. Great performance and image quality; solid image stabilization; face detection.
Get a similar camera for free here!

5. Gateway XHD3000 Monitor
Although it costs more than competing 30-inch LCDs, the Gateway XHD3000 goes a long way toward justifying its high price with a long list of features and outstanding performance.
Get a similar monitor for free here!

6. Logitech Harmony One
While it's missing an RF option, Logitech's Harmony One is one of the best--if not the best--universal remote we've ever tested.
Get a similar remote for free here!

7. Logitech Squeezebox Boom
The Logitech Squeezebox Boom is the best all-in-one tabletop Wi-Fi radio we've seen to date. Wi-Fi radio with built-in speakers; compact form factor and bright, easy-to-read screen; supports Wi-Fi and Ethernet home networks; and compatible with virtually all non-DRM audio file formats.
Read review here
Get a similar one for free here!

8. Nikon D3 Camera
Nikon's flagship dSLR packs a full-frame 12-megapixel sensor and is a highly versatile imaging powerhouse that lets photographers create images previously impossible to capture.
Get a similar camera for free here!

9. Nintendo DS Lite
With a slick new design, brighter screens, and a growing library of fun and innovative games, the Nintendo DS Lite is an impressive improvement over the original DS.
Get a similar DS for free here!

10. Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ800U
With the accuracy of its THX mode and great black-level performance, the Panasonic TH-50PZ800U is one of the best-performing HDTVs available.
Get a similar TV for free here!

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Picture of Apple's Supposed New Laptops Surface

2008-10-09T07:05:00.000-07:00

Get a free Macbook Pro

Oh Apple -- release some new laptops so this madness can end. The forums at MacRumors are abuzz over a Taiwanese site that's showing off pictures of what appears to be a very close cousin of that MacBook Pro-esque casing we saw earlier. This isn't the same model, surely, but it does bear a striking similarity in both design and materials -- and after lots of deliberation and comparisons, we're fairly sure this isn't the Air either (the hinge ends in a totally different spot in relation to the keys).

That machined quality we noted in the earlier post is present, though as we said previously, the sides of these housings do look like separate pieces. Regardless, if any of this is even remotely true (and not another Photoshop from someone's mother's basement), Apple is indeed taking its laptops in an Air direction, which isn't surprising -- but signs of these being the end-result of new manufacturing process? The jury's still way out. One more pic after the break of that controversial side piece.

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Design of Samsung Sway SCH-U650 Could Use a Few Tweaks

2008-10-08T07:44:00.000-07:00

Get a Free Verizon Wireless Gift Card here

Product Summary

The good: The Samsung Sway SCH-U650 has a sleek design, great call and photo quality, and a solid midrange feature set.

The bad: The Samsung Sway SCH-U650 lacks a thumb grip for opening its slider. Its controls are flush and it uses a proprietary headset connection.

The bottom line: Its design could use a few tweaks, but the Samsung Sway SCH-U650 offers satisfying performance and a functional feature set.

It's clear that Samsung loves two things: slim slider phones and midrange camera phones with a flip design. Indeed, we've seen a deluge of such models over the last few years, with the latest in the slider camp being the Samsung SCH-U650 for Verizon Wireless. Also called the Sway, (why, we're not quite sure), the SCH-U650 has a tried-and-true Samsung design. It's thin, silver, and attractive, but it wouldn't stand out in the cell phone crowd. Features are solidly midrange and call quality was satisfying, if a little harsh. It debuts October 15 on for $69.99 with a two-year contract and a mail-in rebate.

Get a Free Verizon Wireless Gift Card here

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Potential iPhone bug Discovered by 12 year old?

2008-10-08T07:29:00.000-07:00

Get a Free Apple iPhone 3G here

A 12-year-old who uses his iPhone mostly for texting with his girlfriend has discovered what looks like a new vulnerability with the device.

The unnamed boy, son of blogger Karl Kraft, turns on the passcode lock and disables SMS Preview in order to prevent his parents from seeing any messages, Kraft wrote on his blog.
Those settings block the display of incoming text messages and show an alert saying "New Text Message" if an SMS comes through while the phone is locked. However, if the phone is set to emergency call mode the incoming text messages are previewed.

"Thus all I need to do to intercept the messages from his girlfriend is to place the phone in emergency mode and wait 30 seconds for the next sickly sweet message," Kraft writes. Apple representatives did not return e-mails seeking comment.

A different security hole related to password-protected iPhones was discovered in August, and last month a researcher disclosed that the iPhone captures all the activities of a user in order to enable the cool fading applications effect.

Get a Free Apple iPhone 3G here

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Google Employees Get Android Phone Earlier?

2008-10-08T07:06:00.000-07:00

Get a free T-Mobile G1 Phone

Most of us will have to wait until October 22--or later, given that T-Mobile sold out--but if you have the right connections, you can get an Android phone now.

Google co-founder Larry Page flashed his Android phone briefly in a meeting two weeks ago with reporters, but they're trickling farther down the ranks at the Internet giant, too.

I snapped this shot of one Google employee surfing CNN.com with his Android phone while waiting for his chief executive, Eric Schimdt, to talk about energy at a San Francisco speech last week.

Android is the Linux-based open-source operating system Google created in partnership with several other companies. T-Mobile is selling the first Android-powered phones, the G1, but other manufacturers are expected to join in 2009.

Get a free T-Mobile G1 Phone

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Are You Getting the New Blackberry Storm?

2008-10-08T06:43:00.000-07:00

Get a Free $500 Verizon Wireless Gift Card to get the new Blackberry Storm

Tuesday night, Research In Motion and Verizon Wireless officially introduced the first touch-screen BlackBerry to the world: the RIM BlackBerry Storm.

The Storm features a touch-sensitive display that's unlike that on any other touch-screen smartphone available today, thanks to RIM's own twist. There are plenty of other highlights as well, including dual-mode functionality, support for Verizon's EV-DO Rev. A, integrated GPS, BlackBerry OS 4.7, and more.

Now, before you run out to the nearest Verizon store, we've got some bad news. Unfortunately, you won't be able to get your hands on the BlackBerry Storm quite yet. A specific release date and pricing were not announced, but Verizon said the Storm would be out by the holiday season with "competitive" pricing. Obviously, we're not fans (and we're guessing you're not either) of such vague answers, especially in light of the RIM BlackBerry Bold delay.

Design
Obviously, the touch screen is the biggest highlight of the BlackBerry Storm, but as we mentioned earlier, it's unlike any other touch-screen smartphone we've seen so far, including the Apple iPhone, T-Mobile G1, and Samsung Omnia.

Rather than provide haptic feedback (or none at all), RIM developed something completely new called ClickThrough, which consists of a suspension system that lies beneath the display, so that when you go to select an application or enter text, you actually push the screen down like you would any other tactile button. It was responsive and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy and accurate it was to compose messages and notes.

In terms of text extry, the BlackBerry Storm features a SureType keyboard when the smartphone is in portrait mode and then switches to a full QWERTY keyboard in landscape mode. The Storm has a built-in accelerometer so it will automatically rotate the screen depending on if the phone is held vertically or horizontally (left- and right-hand support included). The letter/number keys also glow blue when you're typing.

The quality of the display is slightly better than the RIM BlackBerry Bold's. The Storm features a 3.25-inch diagonal display with a 480x360 pixel resolution and support for 65,000 colors, where as the Bold has a half-VGA, 480x320 pixel display. The handset measures 4.4 inches tall by 2.4 inches wide by 0.5 inch deep and weighs 5.6 ounces. It's equipped with a 3.5mm headphone jack, has four shortcut keys (Talk and End, Back, and BlackBerry menu), and a microSD slot behind the back cover, among other things.

Features
Don't be fooled; the RIM BlackBerry Storm is more than just a pretty face. As far as phone features, the Storm, like the RIM BlackBerry 8830 World Edition, offers dual-mode functionality. This means the phone switches automatically between CDMA and GSM networks to offer seamless international roaming--all while keeping the same phone number. (Note that the phone does not support domestic GSM bands, and a SIM card is included in the box.) It also works on Verizon's EV-DO Rev. A network as well as Europe's 2100MHz UMTS/HSDPA band. There's a full HTML Web browser (no Flash), and the Storm will also support Verizon's V Cast Music and Mobile TV services, though not immediately at launch.

Other wireless options include Bluetooth 2.0 with support for stereo Bluetooth headsets and dial-up networking and GPS but no Wi-Fi. BlackBerry Maps is onboard if you want text-based turn-by-turn directions, but for more advanced navigation features, such as voice prompts, you'll be forced to use Verizon's VZ Navigator service.

The BlackBerry Storm will run the latest BlackBerry OS (version 4.7), so you finally get an updated interface while still getting support for multiple e-mail accounts (BlackBerry Enterprise, Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes, POP3, IMAP4, and more) with wireless synchronization. In addition to an attachment viewer, you can also do some light editing on Microsoft Word and PowerPoint files. There's 128MB of flash memory and 1GB of onboard memory, which is all supplemented by the microSD/SDHC expansion slot (supports up to 16GB cards).
Though the BlackBerry is historically known more as a business device, RIM and Verizon hope to attract more consumers with the BlackBerry Storm and it comes with a number of multimedia capabilities. The media player can handle various music and video formats, including MP3, AAC, WMA, WMV, MPEG4, and H.264. The included Media Sync software will also help you synchronize your iTunes files with your BlackBerry. The Storm is equipped with a 3.2-megapixel camera with video recording, auto focus, and flash.
(Credit: RIM)

Finally, it will come preloaded with instant-messaging clients (Yahoo, Windows Live, AOL, and ICQ) and a number of social-networking apps, including Facebook, MySpace, and Flickr. You'll also be able to download more programs over the air through the new BlackBerry App Center.

Outlook
OK, obviously, the RIM BlackBerry Storm has a lot to offer. The touch screen alone already has people drooling and clamoring over the device, and then you add the laundry list of features, and you're looking at a recipe for success. But will it actually deliver? Well, it's a hard to say, having only had about half an hour of hands-on time with the smartphone.

Overall, I was impressed--nice design, feature rich. Again, the ClickThrough touch screen takes some getting used to, and I wonder how it will hold up over months of use. Performance wise, the device seemed snappy, but I also caught a couple of bugs. For example, the camera activated while trying to perform some function in e-mail. However, I know it wasn't a final product, so I won't hold that against RIM. Music and video playback were pretty impressive as well.

There's enough appeal there for consumers, mobile professionals, and new and old BlackBerry users, but I think price will play a huge factor. Verizon has to be careful not to cross that fine line between what's reasonable and what puts the device out of range. What do you guys have think? What are the BlackBerry Storm's hits and misses? Do you want one? How much are you willing to pay?

Get a Free $500 Verizon Wireless Gift Card to get the new Blackberry Storm

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Is the Apple iPod a Fad Whose Days are Numbered?

2008-10-07T11:24:00.000-07:00

Get your free Apple iPod Classic, Apple iPod Nano, or Apple iPod Touch

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak this week likened the iPod to a fad whose days are number while lamenting the limitations of the iPhone 3G, for which he'd like to write certain applications but can't due to restrictions.

"The iPod has sort of lived a long life at number one," he told The Telegraph in an exclusive interview. "Things like that, if you look back to transistor radios and Walkmans, they kind of die out after a while." Woz, who retired from the daily grind at Apple more than 20 years ago, says the media players are approaching a saturation point where "everyone has got one or two or three." It gets to the point, he adds, where they "get real cheap," become omnipresent, and don't sell as well as a result.

He also spoke out about the direction Apple has chose for the iPhone, specifically the limitations the company has imposed on developers, which, in his opinion, stifle innovation. "Consumers aren't getting all they want when companies are very proprietary and lock their products down," he said, arguing in favor of Google's open approach to the Android platform that offers developers more freedom. "I would like to write some more powerful apps than what you're allowed."

"I would like to have the users influence the next generation," he said. "With a religion you're not allowed to challenge anything. I want our customers to challenge us."Woz, who is consider naming his child Zowoz "because it's a palindrome," offhandedly remarked that Apple's next big thing could be an "iWatch," claiming that nobody, including chief executive Steve Jobs, really has the foresight into the next blockbuster gadget.

Here is your chance to get free iPods:

Apple iPod Classic

Apple iPod Nano

Apple iPod Touch

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Laptop Buying Tips

2008-10-07T07:51:00.000-07:00

Get a Free Laptop here!

Bear these thoughts in mind when buying and using notebook PCs.

1. Consider the travel weight. Compare travel weights, not system weights.

2. Don't get hung up on small weight differences. What really counts is the total weight of the bag you sling over your shoulder. But notebook bags weigh 2 to 5 pounds and all your other stuff (power adapter, cell phone, music player, paper documents, and paperback novel) adds 2 to (gulp) 10 pounds.

3. Why 3.5-pound subnotebooks weigh more than 5-pound thin-and-lights? Consider how you normally travel. If you need the optical drive more than occasionally, your real walking weight will be 3.5 pounds for the notebook, plus an additional pound for the modular slice that contains the optical drive.

4. Small notebook, smaller battery. Manufacturers sometimes keep weight down on subnotebooks by shipping with three- to four-cell batteries that are good for just 2 to 3 hours of power.

5. Bigger equals more rugged. A small system with tightly integrated components is somewhat more likely to break in a fall than a bulkier unit where there's room for extra bracing.

6. Midlife battery crisis. Batteries don't last forever. One way to lengthen your battery life span is to charge it up fully, unplug, let the battery run down and then recharge again.

7. Think about the extended warranty. An extended warranty is a moneymaker for the seller. For individual buyers, there is the comfort of knowing that if the notebook breaks, especially early in life, the store may just hand you a new one.

8. Think twice about hi-res. Higher resolution is generally better, except when you try to read the fonts.

9. Make sure you know the difference between a transflective (glossy) screen versus a matted (anti-glare) screen. A transflective screen is better suited for movies, photos, and video editing but produces more glare.

10. You might want two power adapters. Then you can have one at home and one at the office.

Get a Free Laptop here!

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5 Best MP3 players for audiobooks

2008-10-06T11:42:00.000-07:00

Get your free MP3 player and listen to all your audiobooks:
Apple iPod Classic, Microsoft Zune, Creative Zen

MP3 players have quickly become the medium of choice for listening to audiobooks. There are four main features to consider when buying an audiobook-friendly MP3 player: file compatibility, battery life, storage capacity, and bookmarking.

To figure out which supported file types are important to you, think about where you'll be getting your audiobooks. Audible is one of the most popular formats for purchasing audiobooks online, and all of the players listed here are Audible-friendly.

Next, consider battery life. Audiobook fans typically listen in long stretches and you want to make sure your MP3 player can go the distance.

When you're thinking about storage capacity, consider that audiobooks average around 140MB--which can eat up memory in a hurry. For most users, 4GB to 8GB of space is adequate, but if you want to fit your entire music, video, and audiobook library onto one device, high-capacity players such as the iPod Classic and Zune 120 are the way to go.

Finally, there's bookmarking. All of the MP3 players shown here should automatically resume audiobook playback where you last left off, but some MP3 players (such as the Creative Zen) will allow you to manually set multiple bookmarks within an audiobook.

So the best MP3 players for audiobooks are:

1. Apple iPod Classic (120GB)

2. Microsoft Zune (120GB)

3. Creative Zen (16GB)

4. SanDisk Sansa Fuze (8GB)

5. SanDisk Sansa Clip (4GB)

Get your free MP3 player and listen to all your audiobooks:

Apple iPod Classic, Microsoft Zune, Creative Zen.

Source: Donald Bell

Top 5 Speaker Systems For iPod

2008-10-03T12:14:00.000-07:00

Get a free Bose SoundDock Portable music package

Discussing about the top five speaker systems for iPods, one may get a varied range of products from the almost all the big names in the field of speakers. Names like Bose, Sony, Logitech, Altec Lansing, Boston Acoustic has come up with some of the best speaker systems for your iPod. These brands have produced some of the best quality speaker systems in the world. In this article we will be discussing about the best five speaker systems for iPods.

Bose Sound Dock. The Bose Sound Dock is quite an expensive set of speakers for the iPods. But these speaker systems are surely one of the best speakers in the world. The Bose Sound Dock is very simple and easy to set up and use. The speakers have quite attractive design. The sound quality of the speakers is very impressive than many other speaker systems. The Bose Sound Dock comes with remote controlled system so it becomes easier to operate. These speakers help to charge the iPod while it is docked. The Bose speaker system is a single piece speaker, which can easily change into a perfect stereo system for your bedroom.

Logitech mm50. The Logitech mm50 comes with a folding design, which is perfect for traveling. The speakers come with integrated rechargeable battery. The speaker system also include travel pouch and wall charger. The speakers are remote controlled so it becomes quite a user-friendly thing on the whole. You may carry the speakers along with your iPod. The Logitech mm50 have also a line in port for other players too. The speakers are quite affordable and have a good sound quality. Though it does not have a booming bass, but it has a good midrange, clear highs and decent lows.

The JBL On Stage II. The JBL On Stage II speakers for iPods have an UFO like shape. It has got a fantastic look and has a great sound quality. These speakers are definitely one of the top 5 speaker systems for iPods. The JBL On Stage II comes with four neodymium driver speaker systems, which gives out six watts per channel. The speaker system also comes with a remote.

Altec Lansing In Motion iM7. The Altec Lansing In Motion iM7 speaker systems are one of the best among the top 5 speaker systems for iPod. The designs are wonderful and these speakers have a high quality sound. It has got a seamless integration with the IPods.

Boston Acoustic i-DS2. The Boston Acoustic i-DS2 has got an incredible design, which makes the speaker system stand out from the rest. The speakers have a good sound quality and come with remote. The price is quite affordable too. On the whole these speakers can be included in the top 5 speaker systems for iPods for its overall performance.

Get a free Bose SoundDock Portable music package

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Top 5 List on How to Pick The Right Motherboard

2008-10-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

I decided to make a top five list on motherboards because, in building a computer, it’s the hardest component to pick. It’s pretty much the nervous system of the PC, so proper selection is crucial to ensure your new computer performs as well or better than expected. Anyway, on with the top five!

1. Make Sure you pick the right size motherboard for the case you have chosen to use. If you have a micro at ATX case then your motherboard cannot be an ATX. Larger cases sometimes allow you to have smaller motherboards. Check the specs on the case before you continue looking for a motherboard.

2. Count how many SATA or IDE connections are available. I learned the hard way — I bought a CD drive and a hard drive — both IDE — and I only had one IDE connection and six SATA connections on the board I bought. I had To send the hard drive back and get a SATA.

3. Price isn’t everything! a motherboard that costs $80 can just as easily run as well if not better than a motherboard that costs $1000. Check the specs for features you want and also that you don’t need. If you’re not a gamer, chances are you don’t need something like SLI.

4. Do your research! Check and see what other people are saying about the motherboard. Again, just because the motherboard is expensive doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a beacon of quality!

5. Never buy from a third party like a flea market, a friend, or a guy in a van.

Get a free Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe Motherboard here

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Are You Interested in Nero LiquidTV | TiVo PC?

2008-09-30T07:17:00.000-07:00

Get Your Free Nero Liquid TV TiVo PC

Traditionally, anyone who wanted to convert a PC into a DVR was limited to the likes of Windows Media Center, SnapStream Beyond TV, or (for the more adventurous DIYers) MythTV.

Starting in mid-October, however, people can turn their Windows PCs into a full-on TiVo DVR thanks to Nero's new Liquid TV package. The software effectively turns a standard PC into a full-service TiVo DVR, replete with the same interface, program guide, and ease-of-use as TiVo's standalone hardware DVRs--but with the added ability to burn recorded shows to DVD or export them to portable devices such as the iPod or PlayStation Portable.

So, what are the potential drawbacks? If Liquid TV is like other TiVo products, content providers or broadcasters could use program "flags" to make it impossible for certain shows to be transferred to DVD or portable (or recorded at all). But the bigger problem could be the HD issue for anyone not using an over-the-air antenna source. If you want to record a program from your cable or satellite box--for something not over-the-air like HBO, Showtime, Comedy Central, USA, ESPN--most PCs only allow standard-definition video capture (composite or S-Video). To get HD quality, there are only two possibilities: capturing the HD video output stream from the external cable/satellite box, or getting a PC with internal CableCard support.

Unfortunately, peripherals and PCs with hardware support for either solution remain rare. Note that Liquid TV doesn't offer internal support for Internet bells and whistles found on TiVo boxes--stuff like Amazon Video-on-Demand, TiVoCasts, podcast support, Internet radio, and so forth. But since you're already using a computer, all of that would be superfluous, anyway. Its absence isn't much of a loss.

Is Liquid TV worth buying? If PC makers could make it easier to get an external HD cable feed, I think it would eliminate the product's biggest red flag. Also, competing products like SnapStream's Beyond TV already offer built-in support for antenna HD recording, DVD burning, and transfer to portable devices. Still, the ability to get a true TiVo interface, the TiVo remote, and the necessary accessories and dongles in one box--along with a year of service--could well make Nero Liquid TV a compelling PC DVR option for many.

Get Your Free Nero Liquid TV TiVo PC

Source

Free Dragon Naturally Speaking 9 Preferred?

2008-09-29T12:25:00.000-07:00

Get your Free Dragon Naturally Speaking 9 Preferred

The good:
Dragon NaturallySpeaking Preferred 9 lets you skip dictation setup; features a slimmer toolbar; allows voice command to browse Web pages; lets you drop the mouse and keyboard while typing; handy transcription tools; support for PDAs; supports Bluetooth headsets.

The bad:
Dragon is costly and requires a robust computer; Windows only; takes time to learn the voice commands and other features; pricey tech support.

The bottom line:
For people who type a lot or suffer sore fingers and hands, Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9 is the best tool available for dictating text and commanding a Web browser by voice, despite the gradual adjustments needed to conform to your personal manner of speaking.

Get your Free Dragon Naturally Speaking 9 Preferred

Source

Free Palm Treo Pro?

2008-09-26T07:54:00.000-07:00

Get a Free Palm Treo Pro

In terms of design, performance and non-OS features, this is the best hardware Palm has ever made. The feature that deserves the most mention is the redesign—because it's beautiful. Not only is the phone comparable in size and weight to the iPhone 3G (just a bit wider and thicker), but it's visually appealing.

The shiny black case, and jewel-style Centro keyboard gives it a look that is appealing and eye-catching without being gaudy. Rounded edges prevent it from feeling too sterile, and the flush screen marks the first time a Palm touchscreen hasn't been sunken in. The 320x320 resolution screen, GPS and one-button wi-fi are all present, and the 400 MHz processor and 256 MB RAM really run Windows Mobile 6.1 well.

As far as real-life performance goes, the full-sized keyboard is definitely more useful than the one on the Centro, but the lack of definition between keys caused me to make typos on a semi-regular basis. Anywhere signal strength was strong, the 3G was speedy, and call quality was loud and clear. The GPS, complete with turn-by-turn navigation, worked well enough, but seemed to take an abnormally long time to connect to the satellite. And the touchscreen was as responsive and pinpoint accurate as Palm has ever made.

Some of the custom Palm features from the 800w, such as their own chat-style SMS interface and the GPS search bar on the home screen are absent, which is unfortunate, because they were both useful. And in direct light, the screen had a tendency to washout and be difficult to read, even on the highest brightness setting. A dedicated button to take you back to the home screen would have also been nice, but it doesn't kill the phone.

If you're looking for a Windows Mobile phone, I'd strongly consider the Treo Pro, as it has a good balance of design, features and performance for the user. And even if you're not looking for a WinMo phone, it just might tickle your fancy enough to have one around.

Get a Free Palm Treo Pro

Source

Free Adobe Photoshop Elements 6?

2008-09-23T13:35:00.000-07:00

Get a free Adobe Photoshop Elements 6

Many image editing applications claim to offer the power of Adobe Photoshop but at a far friendlier price. Nearly all fail. But in an ironic twist, Adobe's Photoshop Elements 6 adds beginner-focused features that seem very similar to those in one of its main competitors, Corel's Paint Shop Pro Photo X2. Elements 6 has a couple of new features for people who have used the software before, but the main focus of this update seems to be a serious attempt to attract new, novice users--a strategy that rival image editors such as Paint Shop usually pursue. Elements 6 is a better choice for novices than Paint Shop, but if you've used Elements before, you may be disappointed with this version of it.

Adobe has added the Quick Selection tool it first made available in Photoshop CS3 to Elements 6; the tool can make creating a selection (a roped-off section of an image to which fixes are limited) pretty easy, but since it has no tolerance (sensitivity) setting, it can be useless on some images. On the plus side, the Refine Edge feature I loved in Photoshop CS3 came along, too. It isn't quite as sophisticated as CS3's, but it does a fantastic job of cleaning up the edges of selections so you don't have to spend as much time handling stray pixels. Elements 6 still has no photo-blogging conduits, so to post images on your blog, you must export your image using a 'Save for Web' command, and then manually upload through your blogging platform's tool.

The overall impression of Elements 6 is similar to my impression of Adobe's new Premiere 4 video editor; Adobe expended great effort trying to make the application accessible to novices who have never laid hands on it, and in doing so, diluted some of the program's power and flexibility. I think that move will likely irritate users of older versions who have already learned how to use the app. Personally, I'd be perfectly happy using the previous version.

Get a free Adobe Photoshop Elements 6

Source Alan Stafford

10 Cheesiest Computer Mice

2008-09-22T12:04:00.000-07:00

Get a Free Laser Mouse Here

Instead of opting for an ergonomic or wireless mouse, why not compute with a mouse that prints out labels, or one that celebrates the disco era by flashing various colors? Okay, so maybe the following ten computer mice aren't exactly stylish or cool, but at least they'll keep you entertained with their cheesy performances.

1. The Casio USB Label Mouse Printer has an internal compartment that houses a thermal printer that produces self-stick labels for use on binders, DVDs, and more.

2. The 2.4GHz USB Wireless Mouse is meant to be strapped to your index finger, so that you can use the mouse and type on the keyboard at the same time in a more comfortable fashion.

3. As you're scrolling, the USB Disco Ball Mouse's internal lights will flash in red, blue, and yellow colors.

4. Thanko took a wrist pad and mouse and combine them. The Wrist Pad Mouse features a 1-cm-thick wrist support made of silicon, with a honeycomb-like design.

5. Chili, designed by Pat Says Now, is an optical mouse in the shape of a red jalapeno.

6. The Foot Mouse (Slipper Mouse) with Programmable Pedal allows you to use one foot to maneuver the mouse; the other foot manipulates the control panel for left and right clicks and to scroll.

7. The Evergreen Genius Navigator 365 Mouse is a combo 1,600-dpi laser mouse and gaming pad.

8. The Jelly Click concept is an inflatable plastic mouse. Connect it to your computer's USB port, blow it up, and you're good to go.

9. The Hamburger Computer Mouse features a resolution of 250 dpi and a 6-foot long cable.

10. The Targus Mini Kaleidoscope Optical Retractable Mouse cycles through seven colors as you browse the internet or scroll through a document.

Source

Get a Free Laser Mouse Here

Free Blackberry 8820?

2008-09-19T12:28:00.000-07:00

Get a free Blackberry 8820 (unlocked)

The good:
The RIM BlackBerry 8820 is the first BlackBerry to offer integrated Wi-Fi. The smart phone continues to offer Bluetooth, GPS, and push e-mail capabilities as well as push-to-talk and multimedia functions. We were also impressed by the long talk-time battery life.

The bad:
There's no 3G support and no option for a camera version. The QWERTY keyboard can be slippery, and the device uses a proprietary instant messaging client.

The bottom line:
The addition of Wi-Fi makes the RIM BlackBerry 8820 an even more powerful communication device for business users, taking it beyond just e-mail and phone calls.

Watch a video reviewing the Blackberry 8820

Get a free Blackberry 8820 (unlocked)

Source: Bonnie Cha

Free Samsung Glyde?

2008-09-18T11:54:00.000-07:00

Get a Free Samsung Glyde Phone

Product Review

The good:
The Samsung Glyde offers great call quality, a broad selection of features, and a full alphabetic keyboard.
The bad:
The Samsung Glyde's display is too small to do its touch interface justice. Also, the photo quality is poor, and the e-mail support isn't easy to use.
The bottom line:
The Samsung Glyde is a powerful cell phone with decent performance, but its touch-screen design and controls don't complement its features.

Get a Free Samsung Glyde Phone

Source: Kent German

Free Blackberry Bold 9000?

2008-09-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

Get your Blackberry Bold 9000 for free

If you are thinking about getting the new Blackberry Bold 9000, get informed:

The good:

Beautifully designed
Class-leading QWERTY keyboard
Simple email set-up
Excellent battery life

The bad:

Some included software, including the browser and maps, needs work

The bottomline:

The Bold is what BlackBerry fans have been waiting for. It's feature-rich and sharply designed, let down in small measure by some cumbersome software.

Click here to Get your Blackberry Bold 9000 for free

Source: Joseph Hanlon

Free Samsung i900 Omnia?

2008-09-16T06:42:00.000-07:00

Get a Samsung i900 Omnia by clicking this link: http://www.alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=28576

The Samsung Omnia is really an all-in-one device that tries hard to cover all grounds. As a mobile phone, the Omnia nails it when it comes to providing exceptional call quality though it can be frustrating to text message with the phone’s cramped keypad. An outstanding battery life makes the Omnia perfect for long trips out though.

As a full-featured smartphone, the Omnia is great for its variety of programs and applications that can be used for both work and play. Web surfing on the Omnia is decent though the browser fumbles a little when Flash videos pop up on the page. Additionally, it’s got a great 5-megapixel camera that’s almost on par with a regular compact camera. The ability to playback different video formats is great if you need to catch a movie while on the go.

One disappointment is its lack of GPS navigation out of the box. Possibly, you can install other navigation programs such as Mapking since Google Maps lacks the proper navigation capabilities. Also, I found navigating with the Omnia using my finger very frustrating at times. Clearly, the phone is best suited for use with a stylus. Those drawbacks aside, the Samsung Omnia is a decent phone that delivers great multimedia support and business functions.

Pros: Attractive user interface; great 5-megapixel camera; plays multiple video file formats.

Cons: Browser freezes up at times; GPS navigation does not work out of the box; touchscreen interface is frustrating without the stylus.

Again, here is the link to get your brand new Samsung i900 Omnia: http://www.alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=28576&a=28576-blog

Source: Chong Jinn Xiung

Apple Announcements

2008-09-09T12:59:00.000-07:00

At Apple's fourth straight September music event, Steve Jobs took the stage to update Apple's iPod lineup and iTunes features.

Here's a quick summary of the newsworthy announcements from this morning's event.

iTunes 8 is out. The new Genius feature is a music discovery service, the first for Apple.
NBC content is back on the iTunes store, so we can all get back to downloading after a year-long hiatus.
The iPod Classic gets trimmed down in size: a new 120GB iPod. Also, the 160GB iPod Classic was discontinued.
New Nanos are longer, slimmer, with curved edges. They come with an accelerometer now and start at $149 for 8GB.
New iPod Touch: it's slimmer, has iPhone's multitouch technology, and now starts at $229 for 8GB.
iPhone and iPod Touch users rejoice: Jobs says the updated OS X 2.1 software will fix a lot of bugs related to dropped calls, battery life problems, and crashing applications.

You can get all these new iPods for FREE! Check this out:

Apple iPod Shuffle
alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=25091

Apple iPod Nano
alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=20306

Apple iPod Classic
alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=27068

Apple iPod Touch
alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=27069

Source: Erica Ogg

Free Samsung Instinct?

2008-09-08T12:29:00.000-07:00

What a bout a free Samsung Instinct cell phone. Get yours at:
alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=28217

Product Summary

The good: The Samsung Instinct offers a slick, intuitive design and a heavy load of powerful, innovative, and easy-to-use features. It particularly shines as a messaging and GPS device.

The bad: The Samsung Instinct lacks Wi-Fi and instant messaging, and its call and video quality were erratic. Also, its Internet browser could be refined, its internal memory is small, and its camera lacks editing features.

The bottom line: The Samsung Instinct stands out as one of Sprint's finest devices to date. It's just too bad its call quality could use some improvement.

Specifications: Talk time: Up to 345 min; Combined with: With digital camera / digital player / FM radio; Weight: 0.3 lbs

Again, click the link to get your phone for free: alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=28217

Source: Kent German

Help a Reader: Interior Desing & Landscape Software

2008-09-05T11:50:00.000-07:00

One of this blog's readers ask me to find a free interior design and landscape software. I searched for "turbofloorplan" on Google and I found this wonderful site: http://www.alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=28677&a=28677-blog. I sent her this link and after going through the process and completing the requirements, she sent me this note:

"I’m the kind of person who likes to see results. At first, I didn’t believe it, but after reading the testimonials, I decided to give it a try. Believe me, if you do your part correctly, you are guaranteed to receive the offer you chose. And I’m extremely happy with my new Turbofloorplan Home & Landscape
Pro."

If you are building your dream home or remodeling it, make sure to get your copy of this interior and outdoor design software: http://www.alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=28677&a=28677-blog

New TiVo HD XL DVR?

2008-09-04T11:55:00.000-07:00

The new TiVo HD XL was just released! I was wondering how this version was different from previous ones and if it was worth to pay the hefty premium for the additional recording capacity and THX certification. I found this interesting review.

Anyways, I searched in Google for "tivo hd lx" and found this link:

http://www.alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=28668&a=28668-blog. I couldn't believe I could get this $600 DRV plus a one-year service plan for FREE.

I typed my email address, gave some basic personal information, and signed up for free trials. It took me about an hour and the use of a secure Internet connection. I used the Refer-A-Friend option and ended up paying zero dollars! Now I am waiting to receive my free TiVo HD XL and I will confim when I receive it.

Don't let this offer pass by. It will not take you very long. It's totally worth it: http://www.alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=28668&a=28668-blog

Overheating laptops?

2008-09-04T08:48:00.000-07:00

I just read that Sony has issued a recall of 74,000 machines in the US. Apparently, these units overheat due to a wiring problem.

When I use my laptop for a few hours, it gets pretty hot too, but I have never had problems. What is your experience?

Can You Get a Free 50” Plasma TV to watch the NFL Season?

2008-09-04T07:04:00.000-07:00

While browsing on Google for “vizio televisions” I found this site under the sponsored links: alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=28387. I entered my email and then filled out a profile page with my personal information. After answering some survey questions, I was directed to a series of pages to sign up for offers. I reviewed each one slowly and identified the ones with zero cost (for example, movie rental trials and coffee samples). I also used the “refer a friend” option to avoid paying for any other service.

All I needed was a secure Internet connection, a couple of hours, and my basic information. I found out that the company behind this offer is called World Avenue and conducts business legally. After going through all the necessary steps, now I am waiting to receive my Vizio 50” plasma TV.

I will be able to watch all the games of the professional football season on my brand new TV. This amazing plasma features bright colors and maximizes the fast action sports. Again, the site to get your free plasma TV is alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=28387

Want to watch more than 200 NFL games from the comfort of your couch?

2008-09-04T06:43:00.000-07:00

Now that the NFL season kickoff weekend is getting here, I am searching for a way to watch the professional football games. DIRECTV is the only provider of the NFL Sunday ticket package and charges from $300 to $400 for a 4 month subscription. Since I don’t have that kind of money, I need to find a way to watch the games for less. Here are the steps I took to accomplish my mission:

1. I searched on Google for “nfl Sunday ticket cable” and found this link: http://www.alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=28667&a=28667-blog

2. I read the requirements on this site and started the process by typing my email address. After registering with valid information, I completed a survey (yes/no questions). Then, I completed offers including Netflix, coffee samples, and others. I even used a cool “refer a friend” option to avoid buying other products. I spent about two hours documenting the process. I used a safe Internet connection to protect my identity. I found that the company behind this offer is called World Avenue.

3. I had a positive experience going through all the steps to get my free NFL Sunday ticket package. I am waiting to receive the DIRECTV subscription and I will update when it is completed. Let the games begin!

If you take to take advantage of this offer, visit this site http://www.alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=28667&a=28667-blog and complete all the requirements. You will not regret it!

Complete Guide to Microsoft's Vista

2008-08-29T13:01:00.000-07:00

To get a free Microsoft Vista, visit this site: http://www.alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=27990&a=27990-blog

Use this guide lo help you decide which version you should get:

Windows Vista Home Basic

The good: Windows Vista Home Basic does improve some features within Windows XP; fewer system crashes than Windows XP; and Windows Vista offers better built-in support options.
The bad: Windows Vista Home Basic does not put Search on the desktop (it's buried within applications, within the Start Menu); no Aero graphics system in Home Basic; no new software yet written exclusively for Windows Vista; optimized only for the Microsoft Windows ecosystem (for example, RSS feeds from IE7 get preferential treatment); and little reason to leave Windows XP.
The bottom line: Windows Vista Home Basic is essentially warmed-over Windows XP, Windows XP SP3. If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista is stable enough for everyday use.

Windows Vista Home Premium

The good: Windows Vista Home Premium does improve some features within Windows XP; fewer system crashes than Windows XP; and Windows Vista offers better built-in support options.
The bad: Windows Vista Home Premium does not put Search on the desktop (it's buried within applications, within the Start Menu); no new software yet written exclusively for Windows Vista; optimized only for the Microsoft Windows ecosystem (for example, RSS feeds from Internet Explorer 7 get preferential treatment); Tablet PC support unnecessary; fax and scan support missing; and there are too many editions of Windows Vista.
The bottom line: Windows Vista Home Premium is essentially warmed-over Windows XP Home Edition. If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista Home Premium is stable enough for everyday use.

Windows Vista Business

The good: Windows Vista Business does improve some features within Windows XP; fewer system crashes than Windows XP; and Windows Vista offers better built-in support options.
The bad: Windows Vista Business does not put Search on the desktop (it's buried within applications, within the Start Menu); no new software yet written exclusively for Windows Vista; optimized only for the Microsoft Windows ecosystem (for example, RSS feeds from Internet Explorer 7 get preferential treatment); no BitLocker drive encryption; no DVD Maker; and there are too many editions of Windows Vista.
The bottom line: Windows Vista Business is essentially warmed-over Windows XP. If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista is stable enough for everyday use.

Windows Vista Ultimate

The good: Windows Vista Ultimate does improve some features within Windows XP; fewer system crashes than Windows XP; Windows Vista offers better built-in support options.
The bad: Windows Vista Ultimate does not put Search on the desktop (it's buried within applications, within the Start Menu); optimized only for the Microsoft Windows ecosystem (for example, RSS feeds from Internet Explorer 7 get preferential treatment); there's simply too much and not all of it is implemented properly; no new software yet written exclusively for Windows Vista; and there are too many editions of Windows Vista.
The bottom line: Windows Vista is essentially warmed-over Windows XP. If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista is stable enough for everyday use.

Now that you have all the necessary info, visit this site http://www.alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=27990&a=27990-blog and get your free Microsoft Vista!

Source

Cool Laptops for School

2008-08-27T08:21:00.000-07:00

Considering getting a new laptop? What about for free? Visit http://www.alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=25222&a=25222-blog to get one at no cost.

As you kick off the new school year, it's time to consider which laptop you want for the next few years, whether you're in high school, college, or writing a dissertation for your doctorate. This takes more than just picking the best-looking design or going with what your friends are using. You have to find something that's tailored to your needs.

Unless you're majoring in database programming or graphics design, don't get too caught up with processor models and 3D gaming cards. One thing you need to make sure of is that you have 2GB of memory and enough battery life to get you through several classes on a single charge. Almost every back-to-school laptop comes with ample connectivity ports and some flavor of built-in Wi-Fi and Ethernet. A wireless technology like mobile broadband would be icing on the cake. With the proliferation of digital cameras and handheld camcorders, an integrated media card reader and at least 160GB worth of hard drive storage will help future-proof your system.

A good warranty is important, since you can't afford to have your laptop out of action. Nearly all laptops these days come with at least a one-year warranty. It's also helpful to have a good customer support network, in case your hard drive with your precious term paper decides to fail or your roommate spills beer over the keyboard. Quick turnaround times and a knowledgeable support staff are keys to a successful school year.

It's not as big a decision as choosing a major, but picking the right laptop might make the difference between frustration and smooth sailing throughout the academic year. For your information, you can get brand new laptops for free! How is this possible? Visit this site http://www.alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=25222&a=25222-blog and will find out. Now you will not have an excuse for getting bad grades. Enjoy!

Source: Cisco Cheng

Free Microsoft Money / Quicken?

2008-08-27T07:12:00.000-07:00

This is the first "free" offer I will review related to the electronics and computers category. I am interested in getting out of debt, saving, and investing. I want to choose the best tools available in the market. So far I have managed my personal finances poorly and I want to get better at it. Instead of using spreadsheets, I want to use software to take a better look at how I spend my money.

I have read some articles regarding the most popular packages: Intuit Quicken and Microsoft Money. These software packages cost around $80. My attempts at downloading any of these programs for free were unsuccessful. Since I am making an effort to spend less, I really don't feel like purchasing the programs. What to do? I found this amazing website that offers these software for free! I will share my experience:

How did I find this website? I did a search on Google using the keywords "microsoft money deluxe". I saw an sponsored ad with the title Free Microsoft Money 2007. This is the site http://www.alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=23360&a=23360-blog. I though it was a freeware site but ended up being something better (no risk for viruses).

What company offers this software? After doing some research I found out that the company is called World Avenue. Apparently, they offer other products for free. At this point, I became a little skeptical. But I wanted to find out what this was about.

What is required to receive this software? I had to fill out a personal information form (email, address, etc.). I used a secure internet connection and the process took me about an hour and 20 minutes.

What is my overall experience with this offer? I had to answer a series of questions (yes/no) and then was asked to sign up for free trials. I was happy to sign up for a free trial of Netflix. This will probably help me because I am cancelling my cable service in order to pay some debt! I was also excited to try coffee samples (I gotta kick my morning latte habit, too). I did avoid signing up for credit cards because I couldn't handle the temptation. Using the refer a friend feature helped me avoid purchasing any other products.

Anyways, overall the process was a little time consuming but completely worth it. I am waiting to receive my free Microsoft Money 2007 software and start to track my money habits in a more effective way! I will make a follow up posting as soon as I receive it.

PD. In case you want to get the Quicken software, here is the website: http://www.alpha-omega-electronics.com/rd_p?p=150282&t=6730&gift=26999&a=26999-blog

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