I don't know why I like reading these but it's fun to remember the flops throughout history...
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1991915_1991909_1991902,00.html
Monday, May 31, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Stepping off the TV "grid" - post-update (#4)
Just thought DirecTV users (and maybe other services are like this too) would want to know this one.
Apparently, once your service has been terminated (and the receivers run the next nightly update), you can no longer watch any shows you had recorded on your DVR(s). I'm sure this is in their terms of service, and they explicitly make the "DVR Service" a separate line item on your bill...still, it seems kind of dumb that they wouldn't let you still watch pre-recorded shows until you have to send back the receivers. Especially given that they told me that they'd send me return boxes within 7 days and then I'd have another 7 days to return them - so at most I would have had 14 days or less.
I was kind of expecting that this might happen, and I did watch everything I really wanted to watch already, but there were a few things left on there that I probably would have watched over the weekend before resetting the receivers. I guess it's kind of surprising because now I have been left with a bad taste in my mouth, whereas yesterday I was actually quite pleased that they were very thorough and professional on the cancellation process.
Also, just as a privacy thing, it is always best to do a full reset/erase of everything on any electronic device (if possible) before returning it or sending it in - whether it be a receiver, iPod, phone, etc. so that no personal data is accidentally left on them. You only need to read Slashdot for a few days to see how important this is :)
Apparently, once your service has been terminated (and the receivers run the next nightly update), you can no longer watch any shows you had recorded on your DVR(s). I'm sure this is in their terms of service, and they explicitly make the "DVR Service" a separate line item on your bill...still, it seems kind of dumb that they wouldn't let you still watch pre-recorded shows until you have to send back the receivers. Especially given that they told me that they'd send me return boxes within 7 days and then I'd have another 7 days to return them - so at most I would have had 14 days or less.
I was kind of expecting that this might happen, and I did watch everything I really wanted to watch already, but there were a few things left on there that I probably would have watched over the weekend before resetting the receivers. I guess it's kind of surprising because now I have been left with a bad taste in my mouth, whereas yesterday I was actually quite pleased that they were very thorough and professional on the cancellation process.
Also, just as a privacy thing, it is always best to do a full reset/erase of everything on any electronic device (if possible) before returning it or sending it in - whether it be a receiver, iPod, phone, etc. so that no personal data is accidentally left on them. You only need to read Slashdot for a few days to see how important this is :)
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Facebook privacy settings
For people who use Facebook, you may have noticed or read that their privacy settings are getting progressively "worse" (at least by default) - they're starting to share a lot more information with third party stuff.
A general rule about anything on the internet is to know that anything you put out there has the potential to be seen by anyone, and once it's out there, it's out there and can never really be taken back. If you treat all sites that way, you'll probably stay out of trouble.
That being said, many people use Facebook a lot, and Slashdot has provided some tips and open source software links for automatically setting your privacy settings to their maximum levels.
A general rule about anything on the internet is to know that anything you put out there has the potential to be seen by anyone, and once it's out there, it's out there and can never really be taken back. If you treat all sites that way, you'll probably stay out of trouble.
That being said, many people use Facebook a lot, and Slashdot has provided some tips and open source software links for automatically setting your privacy settings to their maximum levels.
More $-saving
My good friend Shelley publishes a blog on being debt-free and money-saving, which has inspired me to think more along these lines. I'm definitely not "frugal" but I also like the idea of getting more value for what I'm spending money on.
Besides the $100/month I'll be saving without DirecTV, yesterday I added my mom's cell phone to our existing family plan. Sprint actually encourages people to do this, up to 5 phones on one account, and with our setup, everything is shared (unlimited texting, data, etc.). For my mom, it's $30/month savings from having her own account.
So something to consider - I've know some couples who pool accounts with their friends to save money and split the cost, if you can work out the details it's definitely a good cost saver.
And...this week I will be paying off my car. This is huge for me, because I've never had a paid-off car in the nearly 14 years I've been working. Because of circumstances and my affinity for buying new stuff, this car is actually my 4th in 14 years - 3 new pickups and the Saturn Vue, all of them have been new, and 2 of them have been leased. Probably not the best choice money-wise...then again, I enjoyed them a lot when I had them :)
Besides the $100/month I'll be saving without DirecTV, yesterday I added my mom's cell phone to our existing family plan. Sprint actually encourages people to do this, up to 5 phones on one account, and with our setup, everything is shared (unlimited texting, data, etc.). For my mom, it's $30/month savings from having her own account.
So something to consider - I've know some couples who pool accounts with their friends to save money and split the cost, if you can work out the details it's definitely a good cost saver.
And...this week I will be paying off my car. This is huge for me, because I've never had a paid-off car in the nearly 14 years I've been working. Because of circumstances and my affinity for buying new stuff, this car is actually my 4th in 14 years - 3 new pickups and the Saturn Vue, all of them have been new, and 2 of them have been leased. Probably not the best choice money-wise...then again, I enjoyed them a lot when I had them :)
Stepping off the TV "grid" - update #3
Well, patience, when it comes to electronics and things of that nature, has never been my strong suit (I am very patient about other things, but as my parents will probably attest to, there are certain things that, once started, I have a one-track mind on).
As the last paragraph may have suggested, I cancelled my DirecTV service this morning. This was prompted by 1) using the previously described Windows Media Center setup for a couple of days, and it works perfectly (and I didn't realize how much I was missing without HD locals!) and 2) the fact that last night I figured out that Windows 7 has a built-in UPnP server and transcodes/streams the recorded TV to any UPnP capable device, not just MS Media Extenders. I think this is new with Windows 7 - Microsoft is finally figuring out it's to their advantage to interoperate with stuff (this actually makes me GLAD I have Windows for the first time in like forever). I also took a look at how much stuff was on the DVR that we will NEVER watch (we don't even have time to watch the 3 or 4 new shows we keep up with).
I still have/had no complaints or problems with DirecTV. If my hobby wasn't computers and media devices, DirecTV would still be the best choice I believe when compared with Dish, Cable, etc. But I don't think in the long run any of them will be relevant compared with the internet's media capability and flexibility.
I was a tiny bit disappointed that they didn't try harder to keep me - I have been a customer for 6 years and am the kind of customer they want. They offered to take $27 off my bill every month without even extending my contract, but that's still about $70/month, not enough to compete with "free" (yes I know it's not "free" but it's free for me given all the investment I would have made anyway in equipment and internet service).
So...at midnight tonight, I will be "disconnected" for the first time in 14 years, since college when I didn't have cable.
Am still evaluating whether or not I need to upgrade my internet connection speed. Given that I'm getting some of this off the air and not over the internet, it might not be necessary now.
As the last paragraph may have suggested, I cancelled my DirecTV service this morning. This was prompted by 1) using the previously described Windows Media Center setup for a couple of days, and it works perfectly (and I didn't realize how much I was missing without HD locals!) and 2) the fact that last night I figured out that Windows 7 has a built-in UPnP server and transcodes/streams the recorded TV to any UPnP capable device, not just MS Media Extenders. I think this is new with Windows 7 - Microsoft is finally figuring out it's to their advantage to interoperate with stuff (this actually makes me GLAD I have Windows for the first time in like forever). I also took a look at how much stuff was on the DVR that we will NEVER watch (we don't even have time to watch the 3 or 4 new shows we keep up with).
I still have/had no complaints or problems with DirecTV. If my hobby wasn't computers and media devices, DirecTV would still be the best choice I believe when compared with Dish, Cable, etc. But I don't think in the long run any of them will be relevant compared with the internet's media capability and flexibility.
I was a tiny bit disappointed that they didn't try harder to keep me - I have been a customer for 6 years and am the kind of customer they want. They offered to take $27 off my bill every month without even extending my contract, but that's still about $70/month, not enough to compete with "free" (yes I know it's not "free" but it's free for me given all the investment I would have made anyway in equipment and internet service).
So...at midnight tonight, I will be "disconnected" for the first time in 14 years, since college when I didn't have cable.
Am still evaluating whether or not I need to upgrade my internet connection speed. Given that I'm getting some of this off the air and not over the internet, it might not be necessary now.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Down one mower
I just sold my old 11-year-old Craftsman mower that has one of the self-propel drive wheels not working, for $25. I now have $25 and more garage space...I call this a win-win :)
Madame Sparkles showed her excitement by laying on the floor and demanding petting.
Madame Sparkles showed her excitement by laying on the floor and demanding petting.
Jane Lynch is awesome
We all love her on "Glee" already, but I've been reading up on what she does outside of her career, and this in particular was pretty neat - I don't agree with some of PETA's methods, but the basic message here is still a good one.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)