Personal Technology Tips in Plain English
Archive for July, 2008
How To Stop Telemarketers From Calling Your Cell Phone FOREVER
Jul 31st
Well, that headline is one claim that seems to good to be true. . .
But that’s what the Federal Government is promising based on a new Act that went into effect this year. It is promising that after registering a phone number with the National Do-Not-Call List, your number will now be permanently placed on that list…forever.
It used to be that your request to have telemarketers stop calling you would expire after several years — and you previously needed to proactively RE-sign-up for the Do Not Call Registry list.
Now, with the Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007, all numbers put on the list will be permanently saved. However, numbers will be dropped from the list each time you disconnect the telephone number and someone else gets assigned.
And in a very weird option offered, you can actually delete your phone number from the Do No Call Registry if you want telemarketers to resume calling you all day and night. Can someone let me know why you would want this option?
In any case, here’s how to place your telephone number(s) or confirm their placement on the National Do Not Call Registry. . . Read the rest of this entry »
When Photo Editing Is Simply A Picnik {dotcom that is}
Jul 30th
Sometime Less Is More.
There are tons of time where photoediting is sorely needed . . . like slimming someone down in beach shots from the summertime to make them “frameable” for the mantle in your home.
But there are times where you just want to do some quick and easy edits without launching Photoshop or GIMP or the other full-blown photo editing suites. And sometimes you just want to do it right there when you find a photo online.
Here’s a new online service I found recently that does the trick (and plenty of more neat tricks) for free. . . Read the rest of this entry »
How To Exponentially Increase Your Productivity On The Phone
Jul 29th
Have you ever arrived at a meeting place and some one else already has the room or spot — forcing you to find another location for the group immediately? And then worry about how to get everyone to the new location? You scrounge around for a piece of paper and marker, and then you search the walls for pre-existing posters from which you can steal a tiny piece of their scotch tape to use for your new sign. Then you have to put it on the door or other easily seen location hoping that everyone reads the walls. . .
Or was there ever a time where you needed to contact everyone last minute to let them know that your scheduled meeting is now cancelled or post-poned?
Perhaps you want to update a bunch of friends about your location if they happen to be in the library, or mall or somewhere else too big for a literal shout out to everyone?
Or do you have a group of people that you need to call to pass along the same piece of information and you just don’t want to sit there and dial down the list on your phone tree?
Perhaps you are in charge of giving everyone an update for a follow-up item you are personally in charge of? Now that you have the answer, you have to go down the list and call each and every person to let them know in person about the details. . .
Here’s a great service that can instantly save you time on the phone making repetitive calls. . . Read the rest of this entry »
Keeping Tabs On Your Kids, “Get Smart Agent 86″ Style
Jul 28th
The summer is when the kids are let loose to have some fun.
It might be to the park with the nanny or out and about at the mall or pool if they are older. While you are off to work, they are off to play – full-time.
But in today’s world, how can you be so sure that they are safe and sound wherever they are? The modern parent has undoubtedly discussed whether seriously or in jest about having spy cams for nannycams. Why can’t you keep tabs on your children every second of the day if you want to? Afterall, they are YOUR kids, no?
But outside of your home, it’s a little harder to keep tabs on the whereabouts of your little ones. Especially as they get to become “bigger ones”.
Only if there was a way to stick a GPS device on your child’s body so that you’d know exactly where they were going 24/7, right? Well guess what. . .
It is officially 2008 and here’s how you can do just that –
Apple iPhone 3G Final Price $174.00
Jul 16th
Wow.
1 MILLION iPhone 3G handsets were sold since the launch of the new Apple iPhone this past week. Kudos to Steve Jobs and his team.
Yes, the new iPhone is discounted to $199 if you are a new customer with a new contract. I just read that about 40% of the sales are from current customers. Many of them weren’t eligible for the “upgrade pricing” of $199. But the 60%+ new AT&T Wireless customers + many of the exsisting AT&T Wireless customers could get the new iPhone 3G for $199. That’s still a LOT of people.
While the iPhone has been carefully marketed so that there is no further discounting to cheapen the brand and product image (and maximize revenue), there is one avenue for new 3G iPhone buyers to get an additional $25 back in the form of a “rebate” promotion from AT&T Wireless. . .
1 Million new iPhones with over 60% of them for new customers in new contracts and moreover, with over 10 Million iPhones to be sold by year end according to Apple’s own projections. . . that’s means there’s clearly over $15 Million just waiting to be claimed by the new customers through this promotion. Are you one of them?
With this discount, you’ll get the iPhone 3G for basically the manufacturing wholesale price for the 3g cell phone.
Here’s how to claim your $25 cashback free from AT&T Wireless. . . Read the rest of this entry »
“If I’m Late Today, It May Be Because I’m Still In Line At The Apple Store. . .”
Jul 10th
Today is THE day.
All original iPhone owners have lost their coolness factor by a notch when they woke up today.
That’s because there’s a new breed in town as of 8am today, July 11. . . The iPhone 3G owners are now king of the oooh and aaaahs.
The iPhone 3G’s have been shipped and arrived at AT&T Wireless stores ready for the madness that will erupt when each store opens at 8am local time.
While most of the downsides of the original Apple iPhone still remain, it is interesting that the hype is so big for the 2nd generation product waiting to be snatched up by people that slept in lines across the globe last night.
I love tech, gadgets and the web. Hope you pick-up a useful tip or two here today that helps you use technology to your advantage! Better yet, why not share your own expertise in a comment on a post today to help the other readers that land here for answers!