Here it is, the time of year when many columnists feel the need to blurt out their New Year’s resolutions in public. I guess I’m no different. But my New Years resolutions? They’re a bit geeky, of course …
I'm going to get in better shape. This means getting more exercise and cutting most (!) of the junk out of my diet. If it's sold in the snack food aisle, I won't be eating it (at least not on a regular basis). Not geeky enough, you say? I'll be keeping track of my blood pressure on a daily basis, thanks to our snazzy new blood pressure monitor with the USB link and PC software (full Lockergnome review coming next month).
I'm going to do my part to help reduce our nation's dependence on foreign oil. Almost all of the incandescent bulbs in our house have been replaced with energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs and I've installed a programmable thermostat. Now, I'm looking into converting our oil-fired boiler to natural gas.
I'm going to install a snazzy surveillance system at ranchero indebto, complete with a wireless camera or two. And I might even include a hidden surveillance camera, a la the nanny-gator cam in "Meet the Fockers," minus the gator.
I'm going to build my own quiet PC. In 2004, I conquered my fear of ceramic tile flooring and toilet replacement. In 2005, I'm finally going to tackle building that PC from scratch.
Okay, so that's a start ... Lets see what I can come up with tomorrow ...
Are you looking for the best pricing for digital photo prints? Sit back and read on ... I've done the homework to bring you the details on photo print pricing and shipping costs--as well as the type of photo paper--at more than a dozen vendors. Want to pay just 12 cents a print? How about 99 cent fixed price shipping?
This is the year of the digital camera. With millions of new devices on the street, photo print processors are licking their chops. There's a lot of capacity in the market and competition for business is fierce.
There are bargains to be had, and pitfalls to be avoided ...
There's a wide range of not just photo print pricing, but pricing schemes. Bulk and subscription plans can lower per print prices considerably. But those plans lock you into a vendor. You'll do well to check out a photo print vendor rather than going with a prepaid plan right off the bat.
Photo print quality is a huge issue. There can be a striking difference in quality between vendors. This is another example where price isn't everything. "Wow, those prints look like mud, but what a great price" just doesn't cut it.
Digital Photo Printer Price Comparison Chart
I've been comparing cell phone plans. Yep, again. If you're a faithful reader, you know that mobile stories are a thing of legend here at rancho indebto. Truth be told, I don't really like to use a mobile device to talk. I like to use it communicate ... via email. When I hooked up with the Danger Hiptop two years ago, it was nirvana. T-Mobile's unlimited data offer was the greatest cell phone plan I'd ever seen.
But my first-gen (black and white!) Hiptop is getting long in tooth and sticky in the keys. Those sticky keys are cramping my style. And don't get me started about the wonky reception ...
It's clearly time for an upgrade.
New Cell Phone Plan, continued
In a service-based business, a service management software package is more than just de rigueur ... it's not a question of appearance, it's a matter of substance. Success turns on maximizing both resources and billable hours. Service management software lets you put your people where they're needed as it provides them with the information and resources they need to get the job done right.
Service management software is useful for centralized service and repair depots, as well as with mobile dispatched technicians. At its core, the software is used to keep track of service calls, labor, parts, and billing. But it goes far past that.
Service Management Software, continued
Photoshop training comes in many shapes and forms. While the bookstore shelves are packed with Photoshop training books, book-based learning often fails to jumpstart the brain. (Disclaimer: this is from a guy that's put many geekbooks to bed.) For many folks, hands-on classes with real live Photoshop experts will open the eyes faster than any book or video. But the level of Photoshop training classes varies with the venue.
There's great stuff out there, to be sure, but there's stuff that's not so great ...
Adobe Photoshop Training, continued
I was killing some time at our local CVS pharmacy tonight, waiting for the pharmacist to refill a prescription when my gaze fell to the display of blood pressure monitors. Small circumstance that, as the prescription happened to be for a blood pressure medication. Now why am I babbling about that in Lockergnome? Well ... the blood pressure monitor that caught my eye comes with software and a USB connection ...
I've had high blood pressure for a while. I honestly can't remember how many years it's been, but I can say that I've mostly been lax about using a blood pressure monitor. The unit we have is more than ten years old and it's been a few years since it's had a fresh set of batteries.
Problem is, our old blood pressure monitor lacks geek-appeal.
The USB-equipped monitor I saw tonight, on the other hand, fits the bill. Heck, I could almost get excited (Whoa, Nellie!) about keeping track of my blood pressure.
Blood Pressure Monitor w/PC Software (with PC Software!), continued
VOIP rocks! Faithful Gnomies might remember that I signed up for AT&T's CallVantage Voice Over IP telephone service this past summer. It's been six months and I'm still digging it. The overall VOIP call quality is excellent and I've slashed my monthly phone bills by more than half. With unlimited long distance, I can yak to my heart's content without watching the proverbial egg-timer each time I make a call. Now that the VOIP market is burgeoning, I've gotten off my duff and put a chart together, comparing the plans ...
The chart currently includes VOIP plans from AT&T, Lingo, Packet8, Verizon, and Vonage. I'll be adding more providers as time permits.
Among the big players, the most popular features like voice mail, call waiting, call forwarding, caller ID, and 3-way calling are provided at no extra charge. Tell that to your local phone company the next time they try selling them to you at extra cost!
While we've come to take free unlimited long distance for granted with the VOIP plans, my digging has turned up some interesting options with regard to international calling. How about unlimited calls to Asia or Europe?
If you're thinking about going with a Voice Over IP plan, the VOIP comparison chart is a must read.
VOIP Plan Comparison Chart, continued
Ah the cycle of (debt) life ... Once you've racked up a bunch of credit card bills (after buying all that cool geek stuff), it's inevitable that you'll look for a better deal on that debt. For some folks, it's an endless cycle. Rack 'em and pay 'em down. Homeowners with a considerable amount of debt often tap the equity in their homes to help ease those cash flow problems while freeing up enough cash to buy more gotta have stuff--whether it's this year's killer PC, monster flat screen TV, or a snazzy new ride.
To tell the truth, home equity is a great thing when used properly. As housing prices rise, so does the equity (value) you have built up in your home. If your credit rating is good and the value in your home has risen, the banks will compete with each other to put that cash in your hands.
But while that burst of cash can seem like a gift, it's always best to enter into any transaction as a knowledgeable borrower. After all, you're not getting a present ... you're merely borrowing your own money.
So lets start with the basic question ...
What's the difference between a home equity loan and a home equity line of credit?
Home Equity Loans and Lines of Credit, continued
I went shopping for a new desktop computer at the big box stores today. It was an interesting trip, to say the least. Well, maybe interesting isn't the right word. To tell the truth, I can't boil the experience down to just one word. But looking back over time (as I'm prone to do), it's simply amazing how much computer you can get for the money these days.
Today's PC shopping trip was easy on the stress. I was shopping for a friend, not for myself. While I had an investment of good will in finding the right computer, it wasn't a personal investment of cash. I simply wanted my buddy to walk out with the best computer he could afford.
We accomplished that task. He got a cool PC for just five big ones.
But what didn't he get?
[Computer Shopping Trip, continued]
If there's one thing that drives me nuts about my home office, it's the wires. I need a cable management system in the worst way. While I have wireless hub to support the laptop, the wired network is a tangled mess. It all starts with the cable-modem. From there, it's a simple run through the AT&T CallVantage VOIP box and into the Linksys router. But that's where the cable management situation gets completely out of hand ...
What do you do with your old cell phone after you pick up a new model? If you're like me, you end up tossing it in a drawer, rather than in the trash. Of course, if you are like my wife or daughter, you aren't burdened with what to do with that old cell phone. You simply lose it. Well, not that simply ...You have to run it through the washing machine and drop it in the ocean, first.
[Cell Phone Recycling, continued]
It's been six months since I went through the final steps of spyware removal on my PC. And I'm happy to say that it's been six months of spyware-free computing. Spyware removal and avoidance is a daunting task to the uninitiated. Yet for those who have been through the battles, it's not insurmountable. Heck, it's not even tough (sometimes). To be successful in removing spyware, you must be methodical. Stick to your anti-spyware knitting and you'll whip the nasty stuff, without a doubt.
My spyware-fighting methodology hasn't changed in these six months. I follow the same formula I set out back in June. Now I don't want to blame all the woes of the world on Microsoft Internet Explorer, but it's easy to point to MSIE as the conduit for spyware infestation.
Without further adieu, here's a reprise of my action plan for spyware removal and avoidance:
[Spyware Removal - Six Months Clean, continued]