The eBay Problem
When eBay was fresh and shiny and new, I spent a lot of time there. I bought things that I needed, sold things that I didn’t need, and had good experiences. It was like going garage saling without having to…
DIY Solar Power
Lowes is going to begin offering install-it-yourself solar panels beginning next year. The $893-panels, made by Akeena Solar, easily install on the roof with two bolts, and weigh about 40 pounds a piece. Installation is only the first step, however.…
Two Newbies on the eReader Front
Barnes & Noble’s highly-anticipated Nook eBook reader has begun to ship, and a few reviews are showing up online. The Nook was designed as a direct competitor to the Amazon Kindle, and from what I can tell, it does make…
“So Stop Breaking It!”
We’ve all heard that phrase, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Well, Joel Kelsey, of the Consumer’s Union, has a different answer to ISP’s that claim we don’t need net neutrality policies because “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix…
Amazon Kindle Audio Update
In November, I presented a talk to a group of disability services personnel about the inaccessibility of the Amazon Kindle DX. Basically, the device is very cool, but has limited features that would allow those with print disabilities to access…
App Overload
I read an article today that indicated there are now more than 100,000 apps in the iPhone App store. There are 10,000 submissions a week for apps for the iPhone, most of which are approved rather quickly. How the heck…
Use of SETI = $1.2 Million?
An Arizona school district information technology administrator is being investigated for misuse of campus computers because he installed and ran SETI software on up to 5,000 machines. The school district contends that this cost between “$1.2 and 1.6 million dollars…