Every weekday, our guide to the Web takes care of business, tackling tech topics that really matter to everybody. From topic definitions to topical rants, Dan Gray\’s pieces inform as much as they entertain.
On a whim, I bought the Saturday Night Live - Best of John Belushi offering from the iTunes Store a few weeks ago. I’ve always been a fan of Belushi’s work, so when I saw that the collection was one of the first downloadable videos in the iTunes Store, I figured that it was […]
Last week’s article on rechargeable NiMH battery tagging brought an interesting and important caution from the Gnome-o-sphere …
I’ve heard it so many times, it’s like a broken record. “Dad, could you get some AA batteries when you go to the store?” We go through the things like water. The oft-repeated request always begs the response “What happened to all of the NiMH rechargeable batteries I bought?” No one ever seems to know. […]
Have you ever gotten the feeling that every appliance in your home is about to launch a simultaneous self-destruct sequence? Our washing machine is still limping along and the clothes dryer has recently developed a horrendous screech. But the latest in a series of straws dropped this morning, when our dishwasher unleashed a nasty surprise.
“When’s the last time we rented a DVD from Blockbuster?” I asked my daughter this evening. “A really really long time ago,” she replied. “It seems like years.” Looking back, it hasn’t been years (plural) … but it’s been a solid year, at least. But we haven’t signed up with an online DVD rental […]
In the market to buy or sell a home? Browsing for real estate has never been easier. How tough is it to log in, kick back, and comb those online real estate listings? There’s no comparison with the bad old days, when you had to venture into a real estate agent’s office and wrestle away […]
Your boss has given you the order … he needs 500 copies of that new full color brochure and he needs them now. Not next month. Not next week. Right now. Knowing that you can’t just snap your fingers and make it happen in an instant, can you get him to settle for delivery tomorrow? […]
I’ve been experimenting with ear plugs as an insomnia remedy for the past few weeks. I’m happy to say that the early results are quite promising. Wearing a set of ear plugs to bed wasn’t easy at first. It took some getting used to, without a doubt. While the first couple of nights were […]
Does sweat + net = an effective exercise routine? It’s been said that exercise needn’t be boring if you’re entertained while exerting yourself. After all, fighting the battle of the bulge isn’t just about finding the magic weight loss program. It’s about finding the right type of exercise–and exercise equipment–to fit into your daily routine […]
Forex. For what? To some, the Forex network is shrouded in mystery. But what is it, exactly? (Hint: it’s not an ultra-secret international WAN maintained by the Fantastic Four and the X-Men.)
My trusty Oreck vacuum cleaner broke a few months back. I called Oreck to see if it might be covered under warranty. After asking for the serial number, the helpful customer service representative replied that it was indeed covered. I just needed to bring the vacuum to an Oreck store to have the part replaced. […]
The icons of American high-tech are updating their looks with wild abandon. Bing, bang, boom … First AT&T, then Intel, and now Kodak have announced brand spanking new logo designs. I can’t recall a time when three huge companies (let along tech companies) have implemented logo design changes within weeks of each other. Maybe I […]
Okay, I confess … I’m not at CES this week. I’m just sitting here in my garage office, trying to keep up with all the stuff rolling out of Las Vegas. In the midst of forming an opinion about the importance of the show, I’ve been sidetracked by a trip through the Yahoo News slideshow. […]
When the rumors started to fly this week about the launch of an ultra-cheap Google PC or a mysterious “Google Cube” at CES, I just shook my head. Trace it all back to the original LA Times article and it’s all the more bizarre. Some folks might think that Google is ready to ship something […]
When you wake up on a postal holiday and you need to buy postage stamps, where do you turn? Why the Internet, of course! Printing your own postage (even custom stamps!) on your desktop printer can be a snap, but there are some caveats. Want to know more? Dread standing in line at the post […]