Geek Gift – Star Trek Phaser!

40th Anniversary Star Trek Phaser
Greatest Geek Gift ever!!
Appearing in all three series of the classic Star Trek series, the Type-2 phaser defended the Enterprise captain and crew against untold aliens and villains. This authentic replica is modeled after the master prop that was used over the course of the three-year series, including the original lights and sound effects plus the detachable Type-1 phaser.”

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AppleCare? No AppleCare?

AppleCare. What is it Good For?

In Consumer Reports’ June issue, that hit stands May 6th, a study was conducted on product reliability by the Consumer Reports National Research Center in which they sampled subscribers’ experience with 10,000 desktop and laptop computers. Products tested spanned all brands and specs of the industry. But when it came to technical support, including ability to solve problems, wait time on the phone, and the knowledge and support of staff, Apple’s Mac team came in strong receiving high scores accross the board from their laptops to desktops. In the study, Apple’s technical support was able to solve consumers problems 80% of the time, compared with the overall industry’s 60% success rate. (Some of the “not so successful” companies in the survey include HP and Compaq…Are you suprised?)

As any Mac user will know, all Apple computers come with 90-day complimentary phone support, a 1-year limited warranty, and the offer of additional Applecare (at a purchase price of $169 for an iMac, to $349 for a Macbook Pro). Before the purchase of my first Mac, the idea of “Applecare” was foreign to me. I didn’t understand why Apply would require it’s consumers to purchase the right to speak to their “techies” over the phone. But after witnessing my first “Apple Crisis” and the outstanding support and options provided to Applecare holders….I was sold. And now clearly, the public should be sold to. When investing in a computer we should give it every chance to succeed. By purchasing an Apple, you are choosing the best. And now, with Applecare’s award winning support standing out from it’s peers, we can now receive the best help out there. Even if it’s just calling Apple to say hello and “thanks”, it has been proven to be worth the extra bucks.

Read the full article here.

(Via MacBlogz.)

TiVo brings back Lifetime Service

TiVo brings back Lifetime Service
The subscription-based TiVo service has quietly brought back its Lifetime Service subscription plan on a permanent basis, extending what was originally a temporary deal. When it originally launched, the service offered similar lifetime subscriptions that were ultimately phased out in July 2003. The lifetime service is receiver-specific, though it is possible to transfer it from an older receiver to another one for a fee of nearly $200 that also maintains a one-year subscription to the TV recording service for the older device.
The Lifetime Service plan costs nearly $400 and is priced to compete against annual subscription rates, which run nearly $130 in typical use. The feature should work with both Series 2 and Series 3 DVRs and should be available immediately”

(Via Electronista .)

Black iMac? Nope, it’s Averatec all-in-one PC

averatec all-in-one pc looks nothing like an imac

Korean PC manufacturer Averatec has tossed their hat back into the all-in-one computer ring with this new model that bears more than a passing resemblance to Apple’s latest iMac models.

The Averatec All-in-One (AIO) PC looks much like an iMac dressed in black. But under the hood, it’s all about Windows. The system sports a built-in 22-inch LCD monitor and houses all of its brains inside the box, which is only about 2 inches deep.

The AIO is powered by a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E4600 CPU, and comes pre-loaded with Vista Home Premium. The standard config also includes a 320GB hard drive, 2GB of DDR2 RAM and an nVidia GeForce 8400 GPU. There’s also a built-in 1.3 megapixel webcam, and the system includes a wireless keyboard, mouse and MCE remote control in the box.

Expect the Averatec All-in-One PC to start showing up at retailers in the next couple of months, with a MSRP of $1299 USD, $100 more than Apple’s bottom-of-the-line 20-inch iMac.

[via Crave](technabob.)

FlyTunes announces several major changes!

I have used FlyTunes for a few weeks now and I love it!

FlyTunes Inc. today announced several major
changes to its mobile content network, popularized on the iPhone and iPod Touch.
Beginning today, FlyTunes is adding video and audio podcasts, a new user
interface, and a customizable channel guide. As the first content network
specifically focused on mobile devices, the FlyTunes network has experienced
explosive user growth since its launch in January at CES.
With over 200 new channels available immediately, the new video and audio
channels cover a wide range of topics, including news, entertainment, politics, kids
& family, health, comedy, business and technology. With today’s additions, FlyTunes
now offers users over 350 channels of music, talk, video and podcast entertainment
choices, far more than fee-based satellite radio services.
To ease users’ ability to find the content they want from its ever-increasing channel
options, FlyTunes is also releasing a new, streamlined user interface that lets users
quickly find and select desired channels from two simple dialog boxes. Each
selected channel now displays more detailed information, including an SMS text
message link to allow users to send friends a direct link to listen in. The new
MyGuide feature allows users to personalize their mobile media experience by
enabling or disabling individual channels and even entire genres from the selection
menu.
“The mobile Internet is a completely new paradigm for content and ad delivery,
very different from traditional broadcast radio and TV” said FlyTunes CEO Sam
Abadir. “FlyTunes offers an unmatched variety of media that our customers can
personalize to match their tastes and enjoy anywhere they go on the device that
they already own.”
The new channels, user interface and guide editor are available immediately to all
FlyTunes users. FlyTunes is available at no charge – new users can sign up HERE!

CBS buys CNet

Bits: CNet’s Allure for CBS: Both Are Laggards
So CNet is finally being bought.

In January, I wrote a post called “The Problem With CNet: No One Wants to Buy It.” Every Internet and media company has looked closely at CNet. They are intrigued because it is a leader in its category of tech news and reviews, with some good technology and brands. But it is growing slowly, and its cost base is so high that its profit margins are meager. And the asking price, which hovered between $1 billion and $2 billion, scared off all the potential buyers.

So what is different for CBS, which announced today that it will pay $1.8 billion for CNet?

For one, CBS is also a company with well-known brands and sluggish growth. So CNet adds some luster to CBS, even if it would drag down other theoretical buyers like Yahoo.

Interestingly, on a conference call with investors this morning, CBS said that its own Internet properties — like Sportsline and the Web site for the Grammy Awards — are actually growing faster than CNet is.

CBS, of course, gave the normal synergy talk: The network’s relations with auto, financial services and drug companies will bring new advertisers to CNet, and CNet’s tech advertisers will add customers to CBS properties. CBS can obviously cut some of CNet’s overhead costs. (If the deal goes through, it also cures a big headache for CNet’s management: the agitation for reform from Jana Partners, a hedge fund.)

CNet has been diversifying away from technology into some other areas that may be of use for CBS. It is building its BNet service for small businesses. Intriguingly for CBS, CNet also owns TV.com, which it has been trying to use to create an entertainment and television fan portal. Owning CNet’s News.com domain name might even lead to a revival strategy for the once great CBS News.

Read full Article HERE!

(Via NYT > Technology.)