Image from RusticConnection.com

Interior spaces should appeal to your family and guests. It’s unpleasant to spend time in a home that presents a cold atmosphere. When beginning a decorating project it’s important to think your plan through.

For example, if you own a log cabin, you need proper rustic décor. There are simple and efficient ways to make your cabin warm and inviting. On the same note, if you’re enhancing a home, you’ll want the interior decorating to make it memorable to your guests. When your home or lodge is embellished well, you’ll be giving your guests the gift of cozy memories each time they visit.

A warm atmosphere

Typical lodge décor offers a bucolic atmosphere. One of the easiest and most effective tricks is sometimes overlooked. Rustic heat registers make all the difference in the world when promoting warm ambiance.

Just look around a lodge or log cabin that has off-colored and unattractive vents. It takes away from what would otherwise be an accomplished decorating project. Rustic heating vents are easy to install. This is a positive step towards your overall decorating goals.

Light up a room

Rustic lighting can also help. This is an area that is also often neglected. Take advantage of the many unique styles; each will add magic to any room. Everything from chandeliers to post mount lights are available.

A mix of ranch island lights and a showy illuminated piece will make a statement. An amber mica desk lamp could bring charm to any den or study. Other options include pinecone, fish, bear, and twig designs for lighting of rustic décor. Square lanterns make for a truly rustic take on sconce lighting. The idea is to bring the outdoors to the inside of your log cabin or lodge. Create an environment that feels adventurous!

Get down to it

Another method for decorating success is to choose the right rugs. They are an important helper to bring warmth to your rooms. Rustic rugs come in sizes that accommodate any area.

Rugs are a main attraction that liven up any log cabin or lodge. Included among the many appropriate rustic designs are Navajo and Western rugs. There is also a line of rugs designed specifically for lodge décor with rich, earthy tones. Colors add interest and rugs are an effortless way to bring it all together.

Take it outside

Don’t forget the necessities needed on the outside. It’s a shame when people work hard to achieve a certain look and then skip over noticeable outdoor features.

Mailboxes and house numbers are objects that emphasize an expression. Address markers that appear to be made of bark set the mood for visitors before they cross the threshold. Mailboxes also can make a distinctive statement. They are what passers-by see most often, and something you see every day. There is a wide variety to choose from online that include styles perfect for any setting.

Bring it on home

Everyone wants their dinner guests to feel right at home. These uncomplicated and sometimes overlooked rustic décor ideas can be done easily at any time. Maybe your lodge or log cabin just needs a facelift. There are trouble-free ways to create a fresh look. These decorative ideas will work in any type of space, be it in the middle of nowhere or the middle of the city.

Image from HeatRegisters.com.

When you’re trying to restore your craftsman home to its original beauty, details matter. When I first started working on my craftsman, my primary concern was about making sure I that had a functional and efficient heating system. Living in a dream home can be a nightmare if it is drafty all the time!

Once I had installed new windows and upgraded to a more efficient furnace, I started looking at other options to make my home warm and inviting. As I was sitting in my living room with the furnace on, I noticed how unattractive my air vents were; the paint was chipping, it was filled with 90-year-old dust, and the rusty metal looked tacky against the backdrop of my beautiful hardwood floors. I was resolved to get my heat registers looking great again.

Hard-pressed at the hardware store

I started by looking at Lowe’s and Home Depot for a series of heat registers for my cold air returns and air vents. What I found was kind of depressing. Each store only carried one brand, and they just looked cheap. My hope was that upgrading my heat registers would be distinctive and subtly enhance each room’s appearance.

Unfortunately, the brand-x stuff at the big box stores just didn’t have the period look I was hoping for. What’s worse, I  couldn’t even find the proper size for my cold air return anywhere.

That big shopping mall in the sky

Undeterred, I decided to start looking for heat registers online and found a lot of great options. I found that there were many good websites out there for heat registers and air vents. They have dozens of different options for every era of craftsman home and lots of good information at the bottom of each page.

First I considered whether I wanted a metal or wood heat register for my living room — a tough choice indeed. The wood air vents have a natural character and can be stained to match other woods. The selection of different wood options is truly amazing, with 143 different custom woods available from Afrormosia to Wenge! Even as all of these choices were very tempting, my husband and I eventually decided to go for the more distinctive brass heat register options.

Period pieces

What we found was a really large selection of different brass heat registers to match styles of different periods. It was a very enjoyable process of sorting through the furniture and décor we had in each room and deciding what era we would like to emphasize. In the end we decided to install Wellington style solid brass for our living areas and bedrooms. They complement our flooring so nicely, yet stand out as very attractive details to make our home resonate with the elegance of its original construction.

I’m so glad that I didn’t end up purchasing one of the off-the-shelf heat registers from the hardware store and found what I truly wanted online. With a few more furnishings and finishing touches, we are going to be ready for some serious entertaining!

If you have not yet heard about bank phishing (pronounced “fishing”) it is in your interest to find out about this scam. Phishing is a form of Internet banking fraud that criminals have found is an effective way of stealing, but it does not have the same risk of getting caught as street crime.

The phisher sends out scam e-mails designed to appear as if they come from a genuine bank. For example, you might find in your Inbox an e-mail saying that you are overdrawn by a certain amount and must contact the bank immediately. A link is provided to access additional information. Everything about the e-mail looks genuine. Is there not a good chance you will click on the link and find out what has happened to your account, or maybe you will opt to call the number provided?

That fateful click or call

What is going to happen if you click on this link or call the number listed? A click on the link takes you to a login site that appears, at first glance, to be the official Internet site of your bank. You enter your user name and password, and this information is added to the fraudster’s database. With some clever computer coding, you are then directed to the genuine bank Internet site where you find that you are not logged in. You need to login a second time to access your account. This is not an unusual situation and it is unlikely to arouse suspicion.

Meanwhile, your account details have fallen into criminal hands. In the time it takes you to find out what happened, they are already using your account details to withdraw money, try to take out loans and do other kinds of identity theft crime.

If you call the phone number included in the e-mail, it usually connects you to an operator employed by the phisher. This operator asks you for the personal details of interest to the fraud perpetrator.

Escaping from the Phisher’s clutches

Although the phishing scam operator does a good job imitating your bank’s web site, there are invariably a number of little mistakes which an alert bank customer can identify.

First of all, does your bank know your e-mail? In many cases, your bank does not have a record of your e-mail and so you know immediately that the e-mail is a fraud. Also, the URL supplied is won’t be exactly the URL of your bank. Look carefully for small spelling differences. Most people will not pay attention to these minor differences — you should make it your job to notice them.

A good rule to follow is never to click on a URL found in an e-mail  that says its from your bank. Access your bank’s web site only though the URL bookmarked in your Internet browser. Suspicious emails of this kind should be reported to the bank so appropriate legal action can be taken.

Image from Flickr.

While Colonial architecture appeared first when Europeans were settling America in the early 1700s, it didn’t cease to exist then. Over the course of the next 300 years, variations of Colonial design remained consistently one of the most popular and enduring styles of architecture.

Colonial décor was inspired by European country homes settlers lived in prior to immigration. However, early American décor was distinct, as it featured clean lines, white walls and minimal embellishments. Why was this so? Some attribute this austerity to the puritanical values held by early Americans, but there was a more practical reality: Very little in the way of material possessions could be transported over the Atlantic by sailing ships.

Minimalism the basis of colonial decor

Much of what is available to the modern colonial decorator is based on that which is practical. For example, the rooster weather vane for telling the direction of the wind, or a simple wooden coat rack, free of embellishment.

Shakers held the belief that watches were an unnecessary indulgence, so they took to keeping only one clock in a home, usually in the dining room or other common area. The fireplace was the heart of a Colonial home. A quality set of cast iron fireplace tools were essential to a warm home and can bring flair to a modern colonial, even if the fireplace was no longer in use.

Colonial revival

As Colonial architecture regained popularity in the 1870s, it was celebrated as an authentic alternative to the excesses of Victorian homes. Still, more ornate wallpapers and handcrafted brass pieces worked their way into the style, so that Colonial Revival was a more opulent impression of an earlier time.

These later homes tended to have florid crown moldings and great columns at the entrances. One element that remained consistent throughout colonial design was the hallmark window shutters. While most shutters are purely decorative now, in early New England they served a very practical purpose of offering additional shelter from the elements.

Modern methods to enhance colonial style

Light switch plates and electrical covers weren’t a feature of early American décor, but they are found in every room in every home across America today. Fortunately, you don’t have to outfit your charming colonial home with those beige plastic plates. From smooth copper to hand-hammered brass, you can buy light switch plates online that match your colonial motif.

Likewise, there are hundreds of other great options for colonial décor online such as rugs, firebacks, classic mail slots and more. You don’t have to haunt antique shops any longer to decorate your home, it is all available at the click of a button.

Jeep Patriot image from Flickr.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has come out with its annual list of Top Safety Picks. Eight SUVs and 19 cars have been given Top Safety Pick awards for 2010. People who want to make sure they’re getting the safest cars before filling out a personal loan application for a car loan should definitely check out this list.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named six vehicles made by Ford, which makes Volvos, Top Safety Picks. Subaru and Volkswagen each had five vehicles named on the list. The Institute picked four Chrysler vehicles.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

For 50 years, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has operated for the purpose of reducing automobile accidents and injuries. The Institute is a non-profit organization that gets its funding from insurance companies. Each year, four tests are conducted to determine the Top Safety Picks:

1. Frontal offset impact test
2. Side impact test
3. Rear crash protection and head restraint ratings
4. Roof strength test

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety also rates child booster seats for cars and other consumer products. Of course, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has been accused in the past of serving the interests of the insurance companies rather than the public, which is why vehicle testing is highly regulated. It has also come under scrutiny for being unfairly hard on motorcycles, but who are we kidding? Motorcycles are not known for their safety features.

New safety requirements

The New York Times noted that there were some major changes in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s list. For instance, last year 94 vehicles were named on the Top Safety Picks list, and this year there were only 27. Furthermore, Toyota and it subsidiaries last year earned a total of 11 Top Safety Picks awards, and this year the company, which includes the Lexus and Scion brands, got none at all.

In order to make the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Picks list this year, vehicles had to get a rating of “good” on the roof strength test, which measures rollover protection, was required in order to make the list. “Good” is the highest rating. This change caused Toyota vehicles to be shut out, the length of the list to be reduced dramatically and the Honda Accord to be left off the list after it made the 2008 and 2009 lists.

Auto industry impact

Naturally, safety ratings play a big part for many consumers when they are considering vehicle purchases. After a couple of tumultuous years in the auto industry, the stellar safety ratings for Ford should help the company stay afloat while we ride out the rest of the recession.

Chrysler should be particularly encouraged by its four wins after it had to file for bankruptcy protection this year. Sales of the four vehicles that made the list should help stabilize the company. Those four vehicles are:

• Chrysler Sebring 4-door with electronic stability control
• Dodge Avenger with electronic stability control
• Dodge Journey
• Jeep Patriot with side torso air bags

Check out the full list of vehicles that made the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s list in the New York Times’ Wheels column.

Image from Flickr.

As more people embrace new methods of communicating, language must evolve to describe those methods. I admit that I do more communicating via Facebook and online instant messaging than I do by phone or even in person. Even the payday loan store is being replaced by the internet.

Apparently this is true for many, as the the Oxford New American Dictionary has declared “unfriend” the 2009 Word of the Year. In the dictionary, the word is defined as “To remove someone as a ‘friend’ on a social networking site such as Facebook.” This says more than one interesting thing about modern culture.

Are we unfriendly people?

News organizations and even an Oxford Dictionary editor are painting Oxford’s choice for Word of the Year as a reflection of the unfriendliness among us. Christine Lindberg, senior lexicographer for Oxford’s US dictionary program, wrote Is it a comment on the times that our Word of the Year is about rejecting people we once embraced?”

She poses this as a question, and I have an answer: No. It is not a sign of the times. There have always been fickle, petty, vindictive and sometimes downright mean people. There have always been humble, loving people who do uncharacteristically mean things out of anger and spite if they are pushed just so.

The bright side

The positive thing about people having the option to unfriend others is that it’s harmless, and it has taken the place of more damaging methods of expressing anger. Be honest, I’m sure you’d rather be unfriended on Facebook than have your tires slashed or your car keyed or your yard toilet papered.

Yes, unfriending someone is an immature, petty way to deal with interpersonal conflict. However, I think the fact that it gives an outlet without doing property or any other sort of damage is positive. Yes, feelings can get hurt when someone gets unfriended, and it could lead to other consequences, but the act of unfriending itself is quite harmless.

More new words

Not surprisingly, many of the other finalists for Word of the Year were technologically inspired. On the short list was hashtag, a symbol (#) used on Twitter to allow people to search for terms. Netbook and paywall also were finalists. Confirming that text messaging is one of today’s most popular methods of communication, “sexting” and “intexicated” also were finalists. Sexting, of course, means sending explicit messages or photos. Intexicated refers to being distracted because of texting while driving.

The dismal economy also triggered new words, including “funemployed,” which Oxford now defines as “taking advantage of one’s newly unemployed status to have fun or pursue other interests.” Another finalist for Word of the Year: “zombie bank: a financial institution whose liabilities are greater than its assets, but which continues to operate because of government support.”

Thanks to a politics, “teabagger” and “death panel” are now officially words. As my parting piece of news, I want you to know the phrase “tramp stamp” has made it into the dictionary. Good job, America.

Mr. T image from Wikimedia.

We all know at least one. World of Warcraft players are among us, sometimes in unexpected places. For instance, I wouldn’t have pegged Mr. T for a World of Warcraft fan, but he is the new spokesman for the online game that has captivated more than 10 million players.

Mr. T is not just trying to sell WoW, though, he’s putting his own special spin on it with a new “weapon,” the mohawk grenade. World of Warcraft entertains millions of people, and some of those people are not even players. For instance, I know a writer for a payday loan company who has never played World of Warcraft but is always entertained by little news tidbits and popular videos that involve WoW every so often. OK, that person I know is me.

Why I approve of the mohawk grenade

I was delighted to read about the mohawk grenade because not only is it a funny concept, it’s harmless. The mohawk grenade doesn’t harm the characters it hits, it simply transforms their hairstyles into Mr. T’s signature look.

Reports say that mohawk grenades are available to players in North America today, and overseas friends will have access to them next week. Each mohawk grenade has five charges, and once you use one up you can buy another.

How to get a mohawk grenade

You can get a mohawk grenade in World of Warcraft by locating a Night Elf Mohawk non-player character outside a starting zone. Everything I’ve read says you can “claim” it. So … good luck with that.

There’s no official word on how long the mohawk grenade will be available, but it’s a temporary feature. If all of the “weapons” in World of Warcraft worked this way, I’d definitely consider playing. I wonder what other fun weapons WoW could come up with? Maybe a grenade that makes the target talk like a pirate? I’d definitely use grenades that gave people funny accents or made them talk like Sarah Palin.

More fun with Warcraft

The last time I got a good laugh out of World of Warcraft news was when I came across this video of a boy completely losing it after his mom canceled his WoW account. Of course, the authenticity of this video has been questioned all along. However, even if this particular video was staged, everyone who knows an avid WoW player can attest to the fact that it’s at least based on a true story.

Image by flickr

Yes, NASA is reporting today that it has found water on the moon. How did they do that? Well, to put it in layman’s terms (because that is the only language I speak), they sent a rocket with all kinds of sensory instruments hurtling toward the moon. When it crashed it created a big plume of debris, and this sensitive rocket detected that there was water in it.

So, if you picturing a puddle or a river or pond, that’s not quite the case. The rocket reported that there was water vapor and ice grains. NASA discovering water on the moon has got people talking about what they could do with this water. As is the American way, a lot of people are throwing around ideas for how they could make money off of it, even though no money lender in her right mind would invest in moon water products.

Ideas for water on the moon

I have one particularly witty friend who wrote on Facebook today: “Ice found on moon! Get some barley, hops and yeast up there and start brewing!” I came across a space blog that said “I don’t have to tell you about the implications here. Just think of how much you could sell authentic Moon bottled water for.”

Both of these ideas, bottled moon water and moon beer, would most definitely sell. I would pay a good chunk of money for moon beer. I am sure people with tons of disposable income would pay staggering amounts for a bottle of moon water.

Marketability is not the problem

Of course, no matter how much money people are willing to pay for moon water or moon beer, there’s no way the sale price would cover the cost of collecting water on the moon. Everyone knows space travel and exploration are super expensive. Almost as expensive as war.

So before you start making phone calls to investors or designing moon beer labels, remember that profit means you have to take in more money than you spend. Still, if anyone out there does end up making moon beer, please let me know.

Good old fashioned Reeboks (not Reebok Easytone shoes) image from

There’s a lot of hype surrounding the new Reebok Easytone shoes, which boast that they can help firm up your gluteus maximus. Reebok Easytone shoes retail for $99 to $109, so the hundred-dollar question is: Are Reebok Easytone shoes worth it?

With the holidays so close, it’d be silly to go out and get an instant cash loan so you can buy them right away. You should probably ask for them as a gift instead. However, before you do that or go spend your own hard-earned money on Reebok Easytone shoes, make sure you know what you’re getting into.

Pros: science points to effectiveness

The basic gist of how Reebok Easytone shoes work is that they are constructed for creating instability or making it harder than usual for the wearer to maintain balance. It’s pretty well-known that maintaining balance requires muscle tension and thus creates more developed muscles.

So the idea behind the Reebok Easytone shoes checks out; it appears logically sound and feasible. However, it’s not a quick fix. These shoes won’t help you suddenly shed pounds and develop a perfect posterior. Walking is walking, and until the walker develops more muscle — which will take awhile, even with the shoes — calories won’t burn much faster than walking alone. So, Reebok Easytones shoes are step up from regular walking on the fitness scale, but not a huge step.

Cons: One-trick pony

While the instability-creating soles of Reebok Easytone shoes are the key to power walking, the Reebok web site cautions buyers against playing sports or basically doing anything other than walking or running in them. This is because being off-balance is a very bad thing if you’re jumping or moving side-to-side in a fast-paced game such as tennis or basketball.

So, while Reebok Easytone shoes cost the same as high-end cross-trainers, they can’t be used for the same purposes. If you are considering getting Reebok Easytone shoes to replace your regular athletic shoes and  you often participate in sports, I say don’t do it. Stick to regular shoes and be comforted in the fact that if you’re regularly participating in sports, you’re way ahead of most of us in the calorie burning department.

If you plan to use your Reebok Easytone shoes for walking only, it’s just a matter of cost versus result. Understand that results will be gradual and only slightly superior to regular walking. So if $100 is small potatoes to you, it might be worth it.

This is what modern holiday shopping looks like.

As much as I hate to say it, it’s time to start thinking about holiday shopping. Personally, I think the holidays have devolved into a ridiculous festival of consumerism. However, for many families, celebrating the holidays by buying gifts is an important tradition.

If you can’t afford to buy gifts for people without taking out a no fax cash advance, it might be best to explain that. Or you can consider thoughtful gestures in place of gifts. However, if throwing a little money around during the holidays makes your family or your significant other’s family happy — and you have enough money to do that — here are some ideas for big gifts that don’t cost big money.

Holiday shopping easier than ever

The good news is, you can buy just about everything on the Internet nowadays. One of the hardest parts of the holidays has always been going to stores where a lot of stressed out people fight over the last Tickle Me Elmo. Thanks to the wonder and magic of the Internet, you can avoid all of that this year. I highly recommend it.

Of course Internet shopping  means shipping, which means planning in advance. That’s why I am telling you now to get started. Take the crazy stress out of the holidays by making a list, checking it twice, and ordering all of the material crap your loved ones want over the Internet. Need some ideas? Let’s get started.

Motorola Droid, $199

You might have relatives or close friends who are on the fence about whether to switch from their five-year-old flip phone to a smartphone, even though they know they’d love one. OK, I admit, I am talking about myself. The Motorola Droid, which has gotten great reviews and runs on Verizon, which has the largest coverage area in the country, is a great gift idea.

The $199 price tag comes attached to a two-year contract, and you must redeem a mail-in rebate. If you or the gift recipient doesn’t mind a slower processor and the absense of a real keyboard, you can pick up the HTC Droid Eris for only $99. Not a bad idea if you have cash concerns.

Netbook, $299

Every time a gift-giving opportunity arises, my boyfriend mentions that he wants a laptop, and I always think “Yeah, right, when we win the lottery.” However, netbooks, the little laptops that are geared specifically toward internet use, are getting downright affordable.

Prices for netbooks have been slowly creeping downward, from $400 to $350, and for the holiday season, many are going on sale for $299. Check for offerings from HP. If $299 sounds like too much for one gift, consider getting family members to chip in for other family members.

E-reader, $259

For book lovers, e-readers are becoming the newest craze. The Amazon Kindle will retail for $259 this holiday season, as will the Barnes and Noble Nook. Of course, as with most technological devices nowadays, these gadgets do much more than display text. Check out the features on these two products to pick the one that’s right for the recipient.

For a less pricey option, the Sony Reader is only $199, but make sure saving $60 is worth it. Grilling your relatives about which features they want in their gadets might take some of the surprise out of it, but what is the point of spending that much money if you’re not getting the person exactly what they want?

Image from Flickr.

It appears as though the release of the Motorola Droid may have done it: Google plans to invest heavily in mobile advertising. It will plunk down $750 million to acquire AdMob, “the world’s largest mobile advertising marketplace,” according to the AdMob web site.

The $750 million price tag makes this one of Google’s largest acquisitions to date. Not to rile the conspiracy theorists, but those who are afraid of communism because they don’t like the idea of one large entity controlling their lives, you might want to keep an eye on Google. Luckily, the company’s unofficial slogan is “Don’t be evil.”

About AdMob

So what makes a company worth $750 million? The AdMob web site says “Mobile devices are a critical media platform and we are building the tools to let every business on earth leverage mobile.” Now Google will own the power to let every business on Earth leverage mobile. I guess it can just ad that to the list of its powers. If Google takes over the same day loans industry, I think it will be in charge of everything online.

With the Release of the Motorola Droid and the Droid Eris, and with the hype surrounding it, it’s clear that smartphones, which provide numerous opportunities for mobile advertising, are in higher demand than ever. The Los Angeles Times reports:

In a recent report, AdMob said that the number of mobile ads it served had increased nearly 540% from September 2007, to 10.2 billion per month from 1.6 billion. As mobile phones morph further into pocket Internet devices, and consumers grow accustomed to performing online functions like search, gaming and instant messaging on their handsets, opportunities for advertising companies like Google will grow rapidly, analysts expect.

The L.A. Times also says Google “expects regulatory scrutiny of the AdMob deal but hopes the pact will be approved within a matter a months.”

Is Google aiming for a googol?

According to the all-knowing Wikipedia, Google has acquire 56 companies so far. Most of them are small startups. It’s most expensive acquisition so far has been YouTube, which it bought for $1.65 billion. It spent $3.1 billion on Double Click, which is now its AdSense service.

Ad Mob is the fourth-biggest purchase Google has ever made. Google bought AOL for $1 billion in 2005. Rounding out the top five for priciest Google acquisitions is $625 million Postini, an online security company. Some people might be interested to know that the Google Groups feature is derived from Deja, the first company Google acquired. Apparently the amount Google paid for Deja is too negligible to report, probably only a few mil.

I know what you’re thinking after reading a title that says “read the user manual.” Why would you thumb through pages and pages of lame text when you could just look up what to do on the Internet?

While reading the owner’s manual for Motorola Droid tips is the most obvious way to understand how to use your new device, it certainly isn’t the most fun or the most efficient. So, in the spirit of giving people what they want, here are some Motorola Droid tips that will make it easier to use that hot new gadget that you’ll be paying off installment loans for in the next few weeks.

Quick launch

One of my favorite things about my archaic cell phone — which is small but has no camera or Internet capability — is that when I push the call button, it pulls up the 10 phone numbers I’ve called most recently. Using Quick Launch on the Motorola Droid is a similar idea, but it pulls up the applications you’ve used most recently.

In order to use the Quick Launch function, hold down the “home” button.” The six apps you’ve used most recently will pop up on your screen. Let’s see, mine would probably include Facebook, Twitter, mp3 player … kind of like my web history on my personal computer. Sounds like a handy feature.

Beware battery drainage

One of the features touted on the Motorola Droid commercials was its interchangeable batteries. This feature is necessary because if you’re using your Motorola droid for its intended purpose — as though it’s a tiny computer — it’ll go though battery much faster than a regular cell phone.

It makes sense. I only have to charge my cell phone every two or three days, but my laptop runs out of battery after just a couple of hours. The battery for the Motorola Droid lasts a lot longer two hours, but a lot less than two days. Think of your Motorola Droid like a laptop: you have to plug it in or switch the batteries if you’re going to be using it constantly for several hours. Tech Banyan warns:

Be careful when using a pouch holster for your new Motorola Droid.  If it contains magnetics, it may turn your Motorola Droid on “car mode.” This will eat up your battery life quicker than you think.

More Motorola Droid tips

For additional Motorola Droid tips, read “10 Tips for Your Motorola Droid,” from Tech Banyan. For specific battery-charging Motorola Droid tips, hit up PressZoom. To read, share, comment or otherwise geek out in general on Motorola Droid tips, check out Android Forums.

As its name indicates, Android Forums is a space for chatting about all Android phones — smartphones that operate on the Google Android processor. So far, the big ones are, of course, the American-made Motorola Droid and its cheaper, slower Taiwanese cousin the Droid Eris, made by HTC. For more Motorola Droid tips, you can find the user manual online by going to the Google homepage on your Droid and clicking the blue button in the upper right-hand corner.

Image from blogspot.

Newspapers are continually trying to come up with ways to improve their online presence. Mostly they do this for the purpose of keeping their businesses afloat, but for those newspapers who still are concerned about improving reader experience, I’ve got a tip for you.

Tell the world where you are. Remember, the Internet is everywhere. Google Alerts linking to stories on your web site are being sent to people in other states and other countries. For instance, I get Google Alerts on robberies at stores that give payday cash advances from Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, California, everywhere in the country.

Breaking tradition

I have worked at a local newspaper before. I know it’s customary not to waste space and words on identifying the state where your newspaper is based. Journalists hate redundancy. To be clear, I am not saying reporters or web editors should go into stories and add the state after every mention of the city. I am saying newspapers need to include the state at the top of every page.

Newspapers also hate messing with their mastheads. Oh, they hate it a whole lot. However, newspapers could save online readers in faraway places a lot of frustration if they’d just add the city and state to their online masthead. It could be in tiny print below the regular masthead, but it should really appear on every page.

Breaking it down

In case you don’t see why this is important, let me give you a little scenario. Today, I got a Google Alert about a payday loan store robbery, and the story was from the Superior Telegram. If you click on that link, you’ll see nice and big at the top “Superior Telegram.” Great, now we know the name of your newspaper.

A web surfer looking at that gets virtually no information whatsoever. Is this telegram superior to other telegrams? Or is that the name of a city? If you work for a newspaper and you are reading this, I know what you are thinking (besides “eek! italics! and exclamation marks! unnecessary!) You are thinking “Hello, you stupid person, the state is right at the bottom in the address.”

Guess what. That’s not good enough. That’s not how web surfers operate. A graphics designer at my company once put it very well: “People don’t like to read the Internet.”

A widespread problem

I am not picking on the Superior Telegram because this is a problem with pretty much every online newspaper in a city I’ve never heard of. After I couldn’t find the state at the top of the page, I looked for an “About Us” tab. None was to be found. Yes, obviously I did eventually scroll down to the bottom of the page and see that Superior is in Wisconsin.

So, you can either continue to hold disdain for the short attention spans and general stupidity of your online readers who live in other states, or you can get off your high horse and help them out. Adapting to the Age of the Internet means making changes in the way you present yourselves. Once you put your newspaper online, it is no longer a local newspaper. Don’t make your readers work to find out who and where you are.

Bye bye BlackBerry?

Stores opened at midnight. People lined up in the streets, awaiting Verizon Droid sales. When did people become cell phone geeks? I think it started with the iPhone, which was the first mobile communication device in recorded history to cause people to behave this way.

Now, midnight Droid sales and crowded Verizon stores look like Wal-Mart on the night of a video game console release. At least, that’s what it looked like last night at Verizon stores in Manhattan, where 65 people lined up outside one store and more than 100 at another.

Mobs and marketing

The release of a new “Star Wars” movie, tickets for concerts that are bound to sell out, the latest Xbox model: these are things that cause people to line up in the middle of the night in November. It wasn’t until the iPhone, it seems, that people were willing to go to such lengths as getting a quick payday loan and waiting out in the cold for a cell phone.

Yes, I know the iPhone and the Droid and all smartphones are more than cell phones. Still, it’s amazing to me that the marketing people for these devices can create so much hype that people are intent on being “one of the first” to own it and being able to say they got it the day they came out.

Droid does

Preliminary reports indicate Droid is meeting its goal of being the iPhone’s biggest competitor. CNET reports:

Many people have been comparing the new Droid to the iPhone, and some have even called the new device the true iPhone killer.

Several people interviewed Thursday night outside Verizon stores said they had wanted an iPhone but didn’t want to switch to AT&T, and now they’re glad they waited. Loyal Verizon users are the most excited about the Droid, which means Droid sales are having a somewhat unforeseen effect on another Verizon product.

Droid the Blackberry killer?

A common category of Droid buyer appears to the the ex-BlackBerry user. Based on interviews with people outside the Droid sales, CNET reported:

Gabrielle Dahms and her boyfriend, Will Welch, had been BlackBerry Curve users. Welch said he had tried the BlackBerry Storm last year when it first came out, but he didn’t like it. He also thought the iPhone was cool, but was unwilling to switch carriers for it. And he said he would have probably upgraded to the BlackBerry Tour if the Droid hadn’t come along

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People have a tendency to remain loyal to their wireless carriers, and some iPhone users are simply loyal to Apple products. So in many cases, Verizon Droid sales will likely draw people who already use Verizon and are looking for an upgrade.

More smartphones on the way. (Verizon Droid Eris not pictured.)

Everyone has heard of the Motorola Droid, set for retail release tomorrow. We’ve all seen the commercial publicizing Droid’s quest to one-up the iPhone. However, today it has gotten out that another Droid, the Verizon Droid Eris, will also be available, and for half the price.

Consumers who were considering getting same day loans tomorrow so they could buy the Motorola Droid tomorrow just want think about avoiding debt and getting the Verizon Droid Eris instead. The Motorola model costs $199 after a mail-in rebate, while the Verizon Droid Eris, also to be released tomorrow, will cost $99.

A world of Droids

The main difference between the Motorola Droid and the Verizon Droid Eris appears to be the manufacturing company. The Verizon Droid Eris is made by HTC, a company based in Taiwan. HTC certainly doesn’t have the brand recognition that Motorola has, and of course the Verizon Droid Eris lacks some of the features of the Motorola Droid.

Motorola is an American company based in Illinois. The economy may play a big factor in which Droid becomes the best-seller. Americans who have the luxury of being a tad altruistic might be motivated to buy the Motorola Droid in order to spur the U.S. economy. However, many people’s budgets are tighter than ever, and in this recession, saving  money is the new cool trend.

What’s the difference?

Naturally, you get what you pay for, and the case is no different with the Verizon Droid Eris. Some of the features the Droid commercial boasts about, including a “real keyboard,” are not present on the Verizon Droid Eris.

Naturally, in order to carry the Droid moniker a smartphone must run on the Android processing system. Verizon Droid Eriz does run on Android, but it runs on version 1.5 rather than Android 2.0. Translation: the Verizon Droid Eris is slower.

Don’t worry, we still have something to look forward to after tomorrow. Motorola has another Droid model on the way.

Not that kind of Skydeck (image by flickr)

People who have seen the Honda Skydeck concept minivan, which was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show, call it “futuristic.” The front doors are scissor doors. You know, like the ones on the DeLorean, so that’s what I thought of immediately when I saw photos of the Honda Skydeck concept.

The Honda Skydeck concept is built in such a way that the back doors slide open like a regular minivan, and the front doors open by flipping up. There’s no divider between the doors, so when both sets are open there’s full access to the inner cabin with nothing but seats in the way.

More to come on Honda Skydeck concept

Not much else is know about the Honda Skydeck, but as is to be expected from Honda, the design is meant to appeal to a “wider range of ages and lifestyles.” Also, as expected, the Honda Skydeck is a hybrid vehicle.

Of course, Honda doesn’t want to spoil anything like how big your car loans will have to be to buy it, so there’s no word on the price yet. The fact that it’s a hybrid minivan designed to look cool indicates it’ll be on the higher end, but Honda is known for making inexpensive vehicles.

Reviews of Honda Skydeck

The official Tokyo Motor Show web site says “In designing the Skydeck, Honda transcended these traditional boundaries to create an automobile appealing to people of a wider range of ages and lifestyles.” The UK Autoblog, which claims to “obsessively cover the auto industry,” had this to say:

One of the design highlights of the show is bound to be the Honda Skydeck Concept. This futuristic, airily named family van is clearly a long way removed from being a production-ready vehicle, yet it arouses more than just passing interest. With its windscreen blending into a glass roof, driver and passengers have an impression of unconstrained freedom.

So I suppose we’ll be seeing the Honda Skydeck concept brought to reality on showroom floors in a few years. In the meantime, people who wish to own hybrid minivans will have to either order them from Japan or wait for the Toyota Sienna next year.

Microsoft research building in Redmond, Wash. Image from Flickr.

Microsoft confirmed that it’s laying off 800 more employees today. Along with that announcement come a couple of fun facts: not only are they ahead of their June 2010 deadline, they are ahead on numbers of people they planned to lay off!

So I guess laying off 5,800 employees isn’t so hard is it? The company announced in January that it would lay off 5,000 employees by June 2010. So the 800 people who were laid off today can rest assured that by cutting their jobs, Microsoft was going above and beyond the call of duty!

Sorry, I was quick to judge

Of course, I could be being overly cynical here. I suppose finishing the layoffs as soon as possible was perhaps to spare employees the mental anguish of wondering if they’d get the ax. Of course, it’s a little more agonizing to have to look for a job and wonder where your next pay day will come from, but I’m trying to give Microsoft the benefit of the doubt.

As far as laying off an extra 800 employees, it is true that the economy has changed even since Microsoft’s announcement in January. Furthermore, Microsoft didn’t pinky swear that it would only fire 5,000 people, so I guess it’s off the hook.

The buzz online

Comments on a popular Microsoft blog based in Seattle, Wash., say that contract positions for Microsoft have started popping up on Washington’s unemployment web site. Microsoft is based in Redmond, Wash.

One commenter says “it looks to me like Microsoft is simply replacing full-time slots with contractor/vendor positions.” An interesting strategy, and probably not one that laid off employees or their families are too fond of. Other speculators believe that Microsoft will continue to lay people off, even though the company has reached its goal.

Motorola building image from Flickr.

Controversial commercials that take shots at the iPhone have caused the release of Verizon and Motorola’s Droid phones to be a much-anticipated event. Today, the companies have finally released pictures, prices and the official retail date for Droid phones.

Word on the street is that the Droid will cost $199 with a two-year Verizon contract and a mail-in rebate. The first installment in the Droid phones line will be available to purchase on Nov. 6. Did I say first? Yep, reports are circulating that the Verizon, Motorola team plans to release up to three Droid phones by the end of the year.

Suspense and more suspense

So what are fans of Droid phones – and more importantly people who plan to give Droid phones as gifts — to do? Putting off holiday shopping is generally a bad idea, but you certainly don’t want to end up paying off a credit card charge for the wrong Droid phone.

The Christian Science Monitor appears to have some inside info about Droid phones. Check out some of the rumors about Droid phones technology that have been making their way around the Internet. There’s no information about when the other Droid phones will be released, so I guess  procrastinators have an advantage in this case.

Verizon Droid review

A few lucky tech testers have gotten their hands on the Verizon droid and reviewed it. One reviewer from China (see http://english.dgshi.cn/content/200910/294430.html) says the Droid is “blindingly fast,” and the the slide-out keyboard is very comfortable to type on. It’ll take time to find out how durable the keyboard is, but the Droid appears sturdy thanks to its metallic body.

The Droid comes with stand that acts as a desk cradle, charger and  multimedia station. The reviewer says “The movies, games and pictures all were crystal clear and really sharp.”

Marketing mayhem

The makers of Droid phones were audacious enough to directly target the iPhone with their advertising campaign. “Everything iDon’t, Droid does” the commercials say, after listing several items such as “iDon’t run simultaneous apps.”

This bold marketing strategy that highlights several enticing features of the Droid has really caught people’s attention. Watch the full commercial at DroidDoes.com.

Google power

Yet another indicator that Verizon and Motorola are about to hit paydirt with the Droid phones is that the venture has Google power behind it. The Droid phones are powered by Google Android 2.0 operating system.

With Motorola on the outside, Google on the inside and Verizon — who boasts the largest coverage area in the U.S. — making the connections, I think we’re about to see the rich get richer. What do you think; are Droid phones going to drastically change the smartphone market?

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mangpages/ / CC BY 2.0

Most parents are willing to go through extremes to protect and closely monitor their children. It’s perfectly understandable. As a parent myself, I want to ensure my child’s safety, no matter how deep or how far I have to go to do it, even if it means getting a payday loan. But how far will some parents go in terms of ‘closely monitoring’ their children? Will some invest in the new Little Buddy Child Tracker for a more intense scrutiny?

What is a Little Buddy Child Tracker?

The Little Buddy Child Tracker from the Best Buy house brand, Insignia,  is a GPS tracking device that allows parents to know where their children are and notifies them if their children takes off from where they’re suppose to be. In other words, it’s the perfect way to pose as an undercover detective and stalk your children. It’s almost like getting a payday loan with your payday loan lender closely monitoring your every spending. It sounds a bit creepy if you ask me.

Little Buddy Child Tracker – Is it a good investment?

Don’t get me wrong, the Little Buddy GPS seems like a pretty cool tracking device. I like the fact that you can easily find out where your child is using a smartphone or computer. However, there’s a huge problem I see with this.

First off, I just want to make sure you understand that children are not stupid. They’re a lot smarter than some people give them credit. They can figure out some of the craziest things you could ever imagine. So here’s the deal: how do you think your child will react upon discovering this tracking device hidden somewhere in their backpack? Will you lie to them or profess the truth that you’ve been secretly tracking their every move for the past several months?

Engadget, an award-winning multilingual technology weblog, brings out a very good point:

With a name like “Little Buddy Child Tracker,” you know this thing has to be awful, right? Insignia, Best Buy’s house brand, has just listed an incredibly invasive and humiliating new GPS tracker on its site, and rather than promoting it as just that, the marketing brains have decided it best to aim this at paranoid mums and dads who’ve done such a poor job raising their offspring that they can’t even trust ‘em to trek out on their own… Just make sure they don’t ever know that you were responsible for planting this thing on their person, else you can forget about junior footing those nursing home bills when the time comes.

I believe children should be raised in good faith and trust. Mutual trust in a family becomes evident when its members, particularly parents, make every effort to pave a clean path of respect and good communication within the household. When you constantly practice and teach your children good morals and the value of responsibility, you’re not only preparing them for their future; you’re building trust. Trust them like you want them to trust you. Be open and share your thoughts and feelings with your child. In return, they will do the same. In my opinion, using the Little Buddy Child Tracker will only prove the opposite in the long run. But hey, that’s just my opinion.

Let’s Talk Budget

Just to give you a heads up, you can get a Little Buddy Child Tracker device for $100. Keep in mind, however, that there likely may be a monthly subscription fee. So if you want to avoid the probable need of a payday loan, you might want to direct some of that ‘tracking’ attention towards your budget and, if necessary, make changes to your finances and analyze your priorities.

Little Buddy Child Tracker can send alerts to smartphones if children aren't where they are supposed to be. Image from Flickr.

The most recent child abduction case to go national was the sad story of Somer Thompson, a 7-year-old Florida girl who was missing for days before detectives found her body in a landfill. No doubt this case will convince many parents that the Little Buddy Child Tracker is a good investment.

The Little Buddy Child Tracker is just what it sounds like. It “combines global satellite positioning and cellular technology to signal the child’s whereabouts to a computer or smartphone,” says Sun-Times Media.  The benefits of this device are obvious, but this particular child tracker has an additional advantage: It’s a lot less expensive than previous devices of the same type.

How much does Little Buddy GPS cost?

Most GPS devices so far have retailed for $200 to $500. The Little Buddy Child Tracker is cheap by comparison; it retails at Best Buy for about $100. Granted, many families don’t have $100 per kid just lying around, but maybe grandma or another relative would be willing to put up a cash loan to help keep the kids safe.

Of course, there are a lot of arguments against the Little Buddy Child Tracker. Sun-Times Media reports that “the device immediately drew angry writeups from some techies, who called it a reason for children to run away from home.” And, of course, for children of a certain age, people are arguing that Little Buddy Child Tracker is an invasion of privacy.

Focusing on what’s important

I don’t think any of the arguments against Little Buddy Child Tracker can trump this: It might save a child’s life. Granted, it might not. Sure, abductors will find out about these GPS devices; they’ll check for them and ditch them if they really want to carry out an abduction. But what if they don’t? And there’s no arguing that it would eliminate the problem of a child getting lost.

I think all of the minor problems people have with Little Buddy Child Tracker are no match for a kid’s life. I am sure there are not any parents out there who don’t believe that even the minor possibility of saving their their child’s life is worth $100. Of course, I’m not a parent. Does anyone else out there have other arguments for why parents should not use Little Buddy Child Tracker?