DanvilleDelivery.com

Just a pointer to a terrific little notebook.  We were looking for a long battery life, small footprint computer when we stumbled across the Acer AS1410.  Technically, this is not a netbook, but in size and price it fits the bill.  Compared to the new n450 based netbooks, the AS1410 is more powerful, a little more expensive, a little bigger, and has a little shorter battery life.  We found it to be powerful enough to surf, watch netflix, and write term papers with a 7+ hour battery life (our experience), and not too expensive at $400 (BJs Club, Amazon).  We had no problems watching youtube videos.  Google AS1410 for reviews if you are shopping for a very portable, very capable, very inexpensive netnotebook…

Product: AS1410 / AO532h
Price: $400 / $300
WEI: 3.2 / 2.1
Disk: 250g / 160g
Ram: 2g / 1g
OS: W7 Premium x 64 / W7 Starter x32
Video: Better / Good
Keyboard: Good / Good
Touchpad: Better (two buttons, smooth) / Good (one button, textured)
Screen: 11.6″ LED / 10.1″ LED
Runtime (claimed): 6hr / 8hr
Camera/Mic: Yes / Yes
HDMI: Yes / No
Warranty: 2yr / 1yr

I’m coming up on the anniversary of my bundle and a lot has changed in home entertainment.  Last fall, we had just purchased a high definition television.  Comcast, with its hdtv pvr and ondemand service was the centerpiece of our home entertainment.  Less than a year later, it’s almost an afterthought.  What has changed? (more…)

No review here.  You can google OOMA for reviews and visit their forums to see what others think.  I just wanted to tell you to hurry up and buy a hub because when they are gone, free VOIP is gone.

Comcast charges $40 plus taxes for phone service.  Vonage charges $25 per month.  Both services are VOIP (voice over internet protocol).  OOMA charges $0 for the same service.  The catch is that their hardware is $250.  After six months on Comcast or ten months on Vonage, you have paid that much in fees.

OOMA is changing their terms of service.  Telo and Costco Hub purchasers will not get free voice mail ($50/yr) and will have to pay an annual regulatory recovery fee ($12).  So, if you want free VOIP and free voice mail, you need to jump on a combo/hub pack before they are gone.

I got my OOMA this week for $210 (Best Buy after Discover Card cash back).  Looks like there are no more available.  Walmart.com has it for $229 with a $25 gift card. 

Took me ten minutes to get this working, and I think the call quality is excellent.  If you want to know how it sounds, call me — 612-0486.

While some local celebrities boast about how much they recycle, using less or reusing is more responsible.  I see a lot of bottles in recycle bins around town.  Bottles take up a lot of room in the bin and on the truck.  They pose a safety risk too.  Beer from a can and wine from a box can significantly reduce one’s carbon foot print without necessarily compromising quality.  The less volume you leave at the curb, the less often it needs to be picked up which means less fuel burned, less man hours, and lower cost for service.  Even better, increased preference will encourage more eco-friendly packaging.  So drink responsibly, Danville. (more…)

I love a bargain, and SonyStyle.com is always running promotions, but I urge bargain hunters to pass on this Snake Oil outlet.  Let’s start with Sony’s partner in crime — Chase Bank.  SonyStyle.com routinely offers discounts of up to $150 off purchases made on a Chase Bank card.  What could be wrong with this?  First, Sony does not stand behind these promotions.  If you cannot redeem your reward, Sony will not help you.  And Chase is as crooked as a credit card gets.  See ChasedAway for details of my dealings with Chase. 

And SonyStyle.com is no better.  I recently had an order for five games cancelled.  The chinglish email I received looked like this…

Dear Valued Sony Customers,

We regret to inform you that any video game which was part of your order SW09071201885 that has not yet shipped has been cancelled.  If you have previously received an email with a tracking number, the items associated with shipping confirmation have not been effected.

Your order had to be cancelled due to an overwhelming number of orders placed during a severe pricing error that occurred on our site. We have done everything possible to fulfill every order but we have exhausted all inventory.  

We are very sorry for the inconvenience this has caused but, we do not anticipating any further inventory in the near future. Additionally, because this was a pricing error, we are unable to offer other products at a discount.

Thank you again for your patience and understanding,

Sincerely,

Sony Style Customer Care
SonyStyle.com

Attempts to get clarification engaged a support center in Costa Rica.  English at the center was limited to, “Order number, please.”  I used their sales number to get an english speaking assistant who told me SonyStyle still had not decided if they would cancel my order.  My order status still indicates processing and SonyStyle has not refunded my purchase price.

Get the picture?  I like my PS3, but I would never do business with SonyStyle.com.  Buy your games at Walmart.com where english speaking staff work hard to ensure you get your $60 worth out of each purchase.

from the Battery University…

• Avoid frequent full discharges because this puts additional strain on the battery. Several partial discharges with frequent recharges are better for lithium-ion than one deep one. Recharging a partially charged lithium-ion does not cause harm because there is no memory. (In this respect, lithium-ion differs from nickel-based batteries.) Short battery life in a laptop is mainly cause by heat rather than charge / discharge patterns.
• Batteries with fuel gauge (laptops) should be calibrated by applying a deliberate full discharge once every 30 charges. Running the pack down in the equipment does this. If ignored, the fuel gauge will become increasingly less accurate and in some cases cut off the device prematurely.
• Keep the lithium-ion battery cool. Avoid a hot car. For prolonged storage, keep the battery at a 40% charge level.
• Consider removing the battery from a laptop when running on fixed power. (Some laptop manufacturers are concerned about dust and moisture accumulating inside the battery casing.)
• Avoid purchasing spare lithium-ion batteries for later use. Observe manufacturing dates. Do not buy old stock, even if sold at clearance prices.
• If you have a spare lithium-ion battery, use one to the fullest and keep the other cool by placing it in the refrigerator. Do not freeze the battery. For best results, store the battery at 40% state-of-charge.

We all know that financing your life at 18% is a bad idea, but a credit card can be a useful financial tool. I’ve used 0% transfers to finance Christmas for up to 18 months and Chase cards to save $150 on my PS3 and $150 on my first $300 worth of games and peripherals. I got 1% back on my college education and 5% back on gas when it was $4/gallon. As long as you make payments on time, these deals can work out.
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The BOS has negotiated a contract with Waste Management that charges residents $50 to recycle a monitor or TV.  Best Buy will take monitors and TVs up to 32″ for FREE.  Staples also recycles for free or for a nominal fee and is paying $3 in rewards for any brand toner or ink cartridge.

RMG Enterprises and the Raymond Transfer Station have both secured better terms for us than the Danville Board of Selectmen.

I bought a HDTV this year.  It wasn’t the first year I shopped for one.  I’ve been interested in HDTV for about five years.  Finally, in 2008, price, quality, and programming synergized into value.

If you are still shopping for a big tv, here is some information I found helpful in making my decision.
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