Order Pizza Online

Have you ever ordered a pizza online? It is a pretty impressive process. You can keep track of where your pizza is in process (oven, truck, etc) and it can track past orders so you can easily re-order what you had last time. Dominos.com has the option as does Pizza Hut.

Improving Cell Reception

A common problem I hear from people is that their cell phone doesn’t work well at the office (or maybe at home, or at the mall- whatever) – this product is a signal booster. I have no idea how well they work but I thought it was worth a mention. Perhaps someone has heard of them and can let me know if they are decent.

Car Stereo Sales Down!

This is an interesting article that highlights the fact the after-market car stereos are down by more than 25%. This doesn’t surprise me since the iPod hasn’t gotten huge. The one comment that doesn’t show up in the article is the fact that many new cars now have integrated computers and systems. Adding an after-market system seems costlier and the ROI seems lessened.

Sunday Night Football Online

This makes a ton of sense - putting football online with extra camera angles - love it!

Sunday Night Football Online

This makes a ton of sense - putting football online with extra camera angles - love it!

iPhone Challenges

Apple is still getting grief for the launch of the iPhone. It was really botched. If Nokia can sell 1M phones a day it stands to reason that Apple should be able to launch a phone without the problems that have occurred. I honestly don’t know why they didn’t have a pre-sale which would have given them a better understanding of demand.

Sony eBook Reader

I am kind of interested in the idea of an eBook reader. It seems like a logicial next step if I could easily read on my snart phone. The price is still too high for the reader ($300+) and the books aren't cheap enough.

In time they will come down. Sony is opening up their platform to other book sellers. Nice!

Video Game Labels

New York is proposing a law for labeling videogames. It seems to me that having something like this for videogames is consistent with what we have for DVD’s and movies. Right?

New Ads From Microsoft

Microsoft has launched a campaign to counter the very funny “Mac vs. PC” ads that Apple has aired for quite some time. Just the fact that Microsoft needs to respond gives Apple credibility. Microsoft Windows is on 95% of the machines in the world and they feel that they need to respond to Apple! Here is a link to commentary about the first web based ads.

Zappos - online shoes with free shipping

I bought some shoes from this website Zappos.com – I have to say the process was pretty easy. You go online and select the shoes you want to try and then buy them with a credit card. The shipping is free and while the prices aren’t “great” they are OK. Once you get the shoes you try on the ones you like and ship back the rest. The return shipping is also free. It was kind of fun, I ordered 2 pairs that I ended up returning. It is worth trying at least once.

What is next for consoles?

This article highlights the fact that the console makers (Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo) plan on rolling out more titles, more exculsives, yada, yada, yada. That is fine and all but I would like to see them inovate more. The Wii was different. What's next? More games is so 1998!

A new MP3 player option!

I am a big fan of the iPod but as much as I love it I really wish a competitor would offer something compelling to drive Apple to faster innovation. Here is another shot from Creative.

PS3 to get Video on Demand!

Here is a story about the new Playstation 3 video option. You can easily view movies and content with your PS3. More and more video is coming to us on-demand instead of on shiny discs.

The iPhone Experience is Less Than Perfect

This article discusses what I think has been widespread...that is, the iPhone launch has been less than perfect. I konw that my iPod Touch was updated and it is very slow every time I plug it in to synch. At first I didn't think the 2 things were related but now I am starting to think that something funky is going on with the iTunes/iPod/iPhone software.

I plan to wait it out a few days and hope it will sort itself out. I am really glad I am waiting to get my iPhone!

Are Windows Laptops Cheaper?

I have been saying this for some time but now you can see it backed up in PC magazine. Essentially Apple laptops are very price competitive with PC laptops.

The Apple App Store for iPhone

One of the really impressive things about the new iPhone is the ability to download the new apps. 

The New iPhone 3G reviewed

As many of you know I covet the new iPhone and I need to wait until my currect cell contract is up in November. The early signs are good that it will be a pretty awesome product.

I have read a few things that are concerning. The data plans are expensive and the GPS doesn't offer turn-by-turn directions...but it seems that it is a pretty nice little mini-computer.

Competition for Blu-Ray players?

It is about time we see more players in the Blu-Ray market. From the article;

Pioneer will start selling Blu-ray disc recorders in Japan sometime before March
2009, the company said Tuesday, the latest in a string of Japanese electronics
makers entering the increasingly competitive sector.

Until we get competition we won't see the prices coming down. I hope that we start seeing $150 players in the next year.

Another Sad Lightning Story

I had another customer come to me with a computer that was fried by lightning. It prompted me to do a search online and I came across this very interesting article about the impact of lightning on electronics. It is worth a read. A part of it...

It is unfortunate, but a fact of life, that computers, computerrelated
products and process control equipment found in premises data communications
environments can be damaged by high-voltage surges and spikes. Such power
surges and spikes are most often caused by lightning strikes. However, there
are occasions when the surges and spikes result from any one of a variety of
other causes. These causes may include direct contact with power/lightning
circuits, static buildup on cables and components, high energy transients
coupled into equipment from cables in close proximity, potential differences
between grounds to which different equipment’s are connected, miswired
systems and even human equipment users who have accumulated large static
electricity charge build-ups on their clothing. In fact, electrostatic discharges from a person can produce peak Voltages up to 15 kV with currents of tens of Amperes in less than 10 microseconds.