Personal Technology Tips in Plain English
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DEAL ALERT: Free Custom URL Registration + Email Account
May 26th
You know you should get a custom website address and email account.
Stop letting Gmail and Yahoo!Mail take over your identity.
It’s time you buy your own URL and then start using that for your email correspondence . . . For $0.00!
The world’s largest webhost, 1and1 Internet is giving away free URL registrations (worth about $8-10) for the first year. And included in their URL service is free 2GB email accounts.
Even if you “buy” a new domain for $0.00 and then transfer after the waiting period to your own webhost, this is a great promotion to take them up on: 
http://bit.ly/freeurlregistration
Effects of the Economy on Technology Purchases
Apr 1st
Are we there yet?
It seems like it’s taking FOREVER for the economy to get to where everyone wants it to be. We’re all trying to drive in the same direction, but for some reason, we’re just not there yet.
In the meantime, everyone is making do with what they have.
Computer and gadget purchases are no different.
Here’s what I found in my office today after I was told that we’d be getting completely new technology upgrades including new flat panel monitors, ultra portable desktops, and lightweight moveable phone sets.
Little did I know to expect THIS . . .
Totally “moveable” . . . “lightweight”. . . “FLAT-panel” . . . uh YEAH!!@#?!#@?
QUESTION: What tech and gadget upgrades are you drooling over, but are holding out on for the time being? (READ: What’s on your current wishlist?)
Deal Alert: Free Apple iPhone 3G 8GB (No Rebates Either)
Feb 27th
Here’s a straight-forward deal alert:
If you’ve been saving up for an Apple iPhone on the AT&T network, you don’t have to break open your piggy bank any more.
BestBuy usually sells the Apple iPhone 3G with 8GB Memory in shiny Black for $99 with contract or upgrade for existing customers.
In fact, if you want to shell out your 100 bucks for the iPhone, you can see the regular offer on their website right now. Just go to www.BestBuy.com and search for the “iPhone 3G”.
You won’t be able to buy it on the internet like you can from AT&T Wireless or Apple.com because Best Buy only sells the phone directly to you in their big box store locations.
But if you can get $100 off the price of an iPhone 3G, wouldn’t you be willing to drive to the store to pick it up?
This offer is extremely tempting. . . Read the rest of this entry »
Outsource Your Work With Freelancers
Dec 7th
Not enough time in the day? Too much to do, too little time?
It’s time to look at outsource some of your workload. Hiring freelance coders, designers, proof readers, presentation specialists or even plain old virtual assistants can help save the day.
Nowadays, there are online marketplaces where you can go to find the help you need. You are able to submit a job description for small jobs (I’ve done jobs as small as $15) to full blown long-term contractor jobs. You can look to outsourcing as a virtual workforce or like a place to get digital handymen to fix the small things that you just don’t have the time nor people to do it in house.
Three in particular worth a look are among the biggies:
oDesk
oDesk‘s angle is interesting – this service tries to ensure that every minute billed to your project is actual work. So you’re not getting billed for when they go to the bathroom, go outside to check their mail, fix a snack in the kitchen, etc. In fact, they offer per minute pricing via a proprietary remote desktop contractor interface that monitors keystrokes, provides periodic screenshots so you can actually see what your contractor is doing if you so wish to.
Rentacoder
I’ve been using rentacoder.com for smaller jobs. They have a lot of coders around the world that offer decent pricing. Like all of these marketplaces, you have to decide for yourself if you’re willing to open up your bidding to contractors where English is NOT their primary language, etc. Their communication interface keeps track of all discussion you have back and forth so that if there is a need to dispute in the end, a record of everything agreed to is available. They escrow your money for the job and won’t release it until the entire project is done and you approve the release.
eLance
This marketplace got bought out by eBay several years ago, and got a lot of attention – quickly making it one of the “big guys” in the outsourcing marketplace marketplace. The key to any job listing is that you have a lot of coders that are available so that you can get quality help – and also increase competition. Elance fits this picture. Although sometimes because of its prominence, sometimes the overall pricing might come out a little high (vs. if you listed the same project elsewhere). Worth testing to see if you like their platform for some jobs.
There are a bunch of other coder marketplaces too like scriptlance.com, guru.com, etc. All worth checking out. The key point is that you should identify a small job in front of you and test the waters to see if outsourcing is for you.
The 1 Black Friday Deal Everyone Should Buy (It’s $0.00)
Nov 27th
Black Friday has become a national sporting event.
That’s right, not shopping event – a sporting event.
Opportunistic deal hunting gone mass market, right? I’m sure either you just got back from shopping the crazy door buster deals out there at BestBuy, Fry’s, Staples, etc. or you know someone close to you that is right now.
Even if you’ve resisted the marketing machine, here’s one deal everyone should jump on. Why?
1) You can buy it right now in front of your computer without driving anywhere or getting in long lines.
2) It’s free after rebate – Everyone like free.
3) It’s for a Samsung brand bluetooth headset – Everyone can use a bluetooth headset.
The fine print says you can get 3 of these for free. Shipping is free too.
Just print out the rebate form with the receipt page when you get to it at checkout, fill it out and the envelope TODAY.
Now, when the box comes, all you have to do is clip the UPC and mail it away. Done. We like that.
What else are you getting on Black Friday or Cyber Monday? Amazon has some great Black Friday deals with free shipping today too.
Leave a comment below and let us know what new goodies you picked-up!
Deal Alert: Microsoft Windows 7 Premium $29.99
Sep 18th
Microsoft is at it again.
Last time, it discounted Microsoft Office ULTIMATE down to $59.
Now, it is targeting a huge pool of prospective customers and slashing the price of their flagship product for 2009-10. It is selling complete legal versions of Windows 7, for a mere $29.99.
And it’s not the basic edition. It’s for the Home Premium version of Windows 7!
If you are a student or teacher associated with a university (basically if you have a .edu address) then you pass the first step of qualification for this promotion.
It’s one upgrade that I’m actually jumping on after my less-than-happy experiences with Windows Vista Business to date.
Lucky 7, here I come.
LINK TO WINDOWS 7 HOME PREMIUM DISCOUNT
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!