Got a Motorola Droid

I got the new Motorola Droid smartphone last Friday and have been fooling around with it all weekend. It looks pretty good, but coming from a "dumb phone" it doesn't have some of the features from that phone, but I think it makes up for them in many other ways.

More to come on this topic, but some forums I have found indispensable are:
Android Forums
AndroLib
HowardForums: Android VZW Smartphones

Getting FiOS

The little green boxes were put in the grass last winter and now I see Verizon trucks in the neighborhood, so I go to Verizon's FiOS website to see if I can finally get FiOS. Yes! It looks like I can finally order it. While I'm pricing it out (I really only want TV and Internet, I'm thinking of dropping the landline), I get the "live chat" window. Well, well, well. Mabel wants to "help" me. The only question I really have for her is how much the "taxes and fees" are. She tells me she can't answer that because it's different based on where you live. I tell her I'm in NJ. She again tells me that it's a computer automated thing and she doesn't know. I ask if it's in the $20 range or $50. No answer.

So she goes on to make me an offer only good while I'm online with her NOW!!!!! She'll waive the DVR fee for three months. And, she will waive all the activation and installation charges. Big deal. The website already does that. I told her I would think about it. She seemed disappointed that I wouldn't be signing up NOW!!!!! with her. Oh well, I'm sure she will get over it.

Over the next few days/weeks (and I really hope not months!), I will chronicle my FiOS exploits and let you know how things are going. Stay tuned....

Security for Online Banking

Check this post on the Top PC Support Blog about using a Live CD for online banking, especially for business accounts.

Get Affordable Help With Your Computer

I'm available as an expert to help you with any computer related problem you may have.

Biznik

I was reading an article at Entrepreneur about 8 Sites to Help You Network (8 niche social networks deliver the introductions business owners need). I joined Biznik.com which allows people to join a local business community to connect and collaborate with nearby entrepreneurs, and find out about local seminars and events.

Cool Desktop Wallpaper

Vladstudio is the project of Russian digital artist Vlad Gerasimov. He has created some amazing desktop backgrounds (or wallpapers), in all resolutions from 128x128 (for mobile phones) to 2650x1600 (for wide screen monitors). He even has backgrounds that span across multiple monitors. Low quality versions are available for free download, but you can get a subscription to the site for as low as $8.99 (a one time charge).

Just say NO to IE6

If you are still using IE6 (or another older web browser), please consider upgrading. The latest browsers are more secure and in most cases faster than the older version.

If you need assistance with this, head on over to Top PC Support.

Oxt weekend? Will this catch on?

Explaining a future date can be downright confusing.
People often use the phrase “next weekend” to describe the future weekend, but this can lead to confusion. While some interpret “next weekend” to mean this coming weekend, others interpret it as the weekend after, hence the use of the awkward, overly wordy, “not this weekend but the weekend after.” Oxt weekend is a new phrase you can use instead of saying “not this weekend but the weekend after.” Check it out here.

Thinking about Win 7 ?

Thinking of upgrading your PC to Windows 7 when it arrives in October? You may want to test your PC to check if you will get the most out of Windows 7. Check out the Microsoft Windows 7 Upgrade Adviser. For more assistance, head on over to Top PC Support.

Anti-Virus

Please be sure your anti-virus and anti-spyware software is up to date. Most vendors update their virus definition files daily, so you should have the "auto check" feature turned on for that software. If you're not sure about this, or have any questions, head on over to Top PC Support for assistance!

Book List

Edit 4/26/09: I'm now reading Tami Hoag's Prior Bad Acts and John Sanford's Dark of the Moon is on deck!
Edit 4/21/09: I just finished reading Ed Park's Personal Days and am now reading James Patterson's Mary Mary.
Edit 4/12/09: I just finished Patricia Cornwell's Scapetta .
Edit 3/23/09: I recently finished Tess Gerritsen's The Sinner and am now reading The Keepsake.

Edit 3/15/09: Recently I finished Tami Hoag's Kill the Messenger and Clive Cussler's White Death.

Edit 1/27/09: I am just about finished with Stephen King's Just After Sunset.

Edit 1/13/09: I didn't have a chance to read Bones before it was due back, so I will read that once I have time. New books are James Patterson's Cross Country and David Bach's Start Late, Finish Rich: A No-Fail Plan for Achieving Financial Freedom at Any Age.

Edit 12/30/08: I haven't even had time to finish those two (below) and Alice Schroeder's The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life and Jonathan Kellerman's Bones are ready at the library for me. I had them reserved, so I can't tell them when I want them. When they're ready for you, you pick them up or lose them.

Edit 12/19/08: Next up is David Baldacci's The Whole Truth and Jonathan Kellerman's Obsession. I will get back to the Hoag marathon after these!

Edit 12/10/08: I read Michael Connelly's The Brass Verdict. Now I'm going on a Tami Hoag marathon! I will start Dark Horse next and will continue reading all her novels up until her latest one.

Edit 11/27/08: Happy Thanksgiving! Now reading Tami Hoag's Dust to Dust.

Edit 11/12/08: Picked up Nelson DeMille's The Gate House and will begin that immediately.

Edit 10/28/08: Picked up David Baldacci's Simple Genius and that is on deck.

I started reading Michael Palmer's The Fifth Vial and also started reading Robin Cook's Foreign Body (because that was ready at the library for me). I hardly ever read two books at the same time, so we'll see how this works out.

Virtual Garage Sale

I've created a virtual garage sale page for all the stuff I'm selling on Craig's List. You can find my stuff for sale here. My contact info is there as well, along with pictures of all the items.

We adopted kittens

We adopted two kittens from the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter. Rory is a 4 1/2 month old female and Chase is an 8 month old male. Rory is black with a white underbelly and paws. Chase is grey and white. Rory is a real "lap cat" as she likes to sit with us and be petted. Chase has been staying under the couch most of the time, but I'm sure he will warm up to us in a little while. They've only been home with us for less than two days.