Pay to Have Your Bloated Computer Slim Down

What a bunch of BS. You already have to pay an arm and a leg for your new computer. Your new computer is usually chock-ful of free software that want you to pay some sort of premium later. One retailer has took that outrage to new level. If you pay Best Buy $30, they will remove all those extras that you did not want on your computer in the first place! Can you believe that!!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/technology/28software.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

What's Going on with Apple Quality?

So, everyone was all abuzz about the imminent arrival of the new iPhone. The new lower price was indeed attractive, plus the new amenities made it a steal. But, now problems seem to be plaguing the much sought-after device. First, there was the problem with users' not getting the stated download speeds from the 3G network. Some were reporting not even connecting to a 3G network. Then the dropped calls. One man in Houston, TX reported 12 dropped calls in one hour. That's insane! Now, users' are reporting small cracks are beginning to appear in the case of the phone. Many report the cracks near the metal "silent" switch and the headphone jack. Apple forums are busy with the numerous complaints. One user claimed the thread on the Apple discussion forum was deleted. What's going on? Apple doesn't want the bad publicity to get out. iPhones have become so popular that the Taiwanese manufacturer is going way over production limits to fill orders. Is this perhaps having a detrimental affect on quality?

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/08/iphone_case.html

Start of the Semester

Wow the beginning of a new school semester. I took the summer off and was really appreciative of the break. The change in my work schedule was difficult to manage at the end of the last semester. I had to quickly find a new way to manage my time and effectively work my school work into my new work schedule. I now work 4-12 hour days. One would think, "Great! Four days off." But, it really doesn't equate to that. With the addition of school it equates to zero, goose egg, zilch, nada days off. By the time my work day is done, I get home, feed the dog (try to spend at least thirty minutes playing with her), take a shower, eat a bite, read the Bible, play a game on my phone and it's easily 9:45-10:15 p.m. That gives me a good 4 hours of sleep before the next work day starts. Just from getting ready in the morning, the drive to work and back and the work day itself is a whopping 15 1/2 hours up and going. I have started to notice gray hairs that I never had before and a noticeable decrease in energy. Thankfully I will be retiring in October (or near there) and can dedicate a little more time to school.

Women and the Web

Talk about girl power! Women's websites are on the rise. It seems more and more women want to read blogs posts of women and their daily trials with children, family, fashion, makeup and shopping. If only this woman's blog could get that type of exposure. The New York Times reported that a very successful Mommy blog called Dooce has been a hit with many women. The site has been so successful that the Armstrongs (of whom Heather Armstrong is the creator) have quit their jobs. That's what I call successful.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/14/technology/14women.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=technology

iPhone 3G Users Reporting Problems

The popular iPhone 3G is a wonderful device and the reduced price and improved internet speeds have made it a popular cellular phone. However, Information Week reports some users have been reporting dropped calls, problems keeping a 3G connection. The problem appears to be with the device itself and not AT&T's network. The problem is thought to lie in the chipset used in the iPhone.

http://www.informationweek.com/news/personal_tech/iphone/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=210002971

How to Identify the Wealthy

So, how does one know whether the person next to them is "well-off" or not? Just take a glance at their iPhone. The LA Times says if you see a glowing red gem, they are one of only eight people that purchased software from the App Store called "I Am Rich." The software cost a whopping $999 and has no other function than to - well, let others know you are rich...or stupid? Hmmmm....

Gas Prices

Gas prices have ruled the year. The price of gas has caused Americans to actually reduce the way they drive and the distances they drive. The thought of carpooling (once a disdained idea) flourished and the lost art of walking was found. Asian car companies smiled as their fuel efficient hybrids and gas-powered cars became all the rage.

But, what was the real reason for the high price of gas? We first heard there was a shortage, then we need to do more offshore drilling, open the wildlife preserve in Alaska, use less fuel, use other fuel sources....every option seemed to ignore the fact that speculators were sitting at their keyboards clicking the price of gas up, up, and away!

Now, those same speculators have become spooked. Something spooked them and they are now selling those contracts that they never really owned to begin with...Many people disdain government regulation on capitalistic ventures. But, when it bleeds your country's citizens dry, when capitalism need to be put in check?

HDTV - To Calibrate or Not to Calibrate

Ok, what's the deal? What happened to the good old days when you just pulled a TV out of the box, plugged it in, turned it on and presto...viewing pleasure! Now we have to worry with the newer generation of LCD, Plasma, and OLED TV's that must be calibrated...by professionals no less! So, who says that I can't tell what looks best to me...they are my eyes after all. But, according to experts, you can achieve a much clearer, more pleasing picture, that is more energy efficient if you let a professional calibrate your TV.

There are cheaper options (though probably no different than one fooling around with the brightness, sharpness, color, and tint on your own) such as calibration DVD's. Some movies also have built in calibration software such as Monsters, Inc and Finding Nemo. As I have no children I don't own either of these movies and am not able to verify the validity of this claim. However, I might rent or borrow one of these movies just to search through the options on the disc for this calibration software. The only problem is, I wonder if the calibration software will optimize the picture quality for these particular movies only?

Cellular Phones Have Many Uses

Many people cannot live without their cellular phones. Daily contact with cell phones are part of normal activity. We use them for personal and business communications. They surprise us with their capabilities. But, did you know your cell phone was capable of cooking for you? If you don't believe me, watch this video and see if this doesn't make you think about your little cranial cells! http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/portable/video/x5odhh_pop-corn-telephone-portable-microon_news

Many Loved Mojave

Cnet reported Microsoft is testing new marketing techniques for Vista. By using its most powerful deterent, Vista skeptics. Many XP users were shown a new operating system code-named Mojave. A large number of the XP users were pleased with the new operating system. Their pleasure turned to surprise when they were told Mojave was actually Vista. Now, Microsoft must try to incorporate this survey into a new marketing strategy to its advantage. How many XP users do you know that have completely maligned Vista without having used it?

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-9998336-56.html?tag=nl.e703