I was touched by an Archos

If you don’t mind settling for a non-iPod Touch, look at an Archos 30 GB Digital Media Player with built-in Wi-Fi instead. For about $175, you get 30 GB instead of a mere 8 GB that comes with a $220 iPod Touch. On top of that, you get a 4.3 inch display versus a 3.5 inch screen and with the optional DVR station, you can record from several A/V sources including TV. With a bit of hacking, you can put television shows on your iPod Touch but you need some technical savy to pull it off.

Before buying an iPod Touch, I used to have an Archos media player. I would carry it with me on my trips and use it as a portable hard drive. Each night, we would connect it to our digital camera and download all the photos we took that day onto the large Archos hard drive. That is one thing you cannot do with the iPod Touch. There is no connector between your iPod and your digital camera. After transferring photos to my Archos, I would delete the images from my digital camera, freeing up space for more photos.

With the newer Archos players, you can connect to the web using the built-in 802.11g wireless and browse the web like you can do with the iPod Touch. There are games that you can download and you can rip mp3 music onto the Archos. It is definitely worth a second look if you are in the market for an iPod Touch.

If I see any deals out there, I will share them with you on our site.

Saving Money Wirelessly, Part 2

Now that I am wirelessly surfing the net at home, I decided to save some money on making long distance calls. I am not about to tell you about SKYPE because I have tried it and do not like the fact that you have to buy special SKYPE accessories and handsets.

A new thing on the market allows you to use your home phone, simply by connecting it to the magicJack telephone adapter. There is no software to install on your PC or Mac and all it takes is your high-speed internet connection. Everything is self-contained in the magicJack. I know what you are saying, you have tried Skype and do not like the quality. I agree and it is because with Skype, they lease the services from other carriers instead of having their own dedicated network. That is why Skype cannot guarantee the quality nor reliability. With magicJack, they have their own dedicated telephone network but they have to charge you $20 per year to use it. 

The magicJack sells for under $40 and the first year of use is free. After that it is $20 per year which is still cheaper than any monthly long distance package out there. I like it because you can choose your own number and you can put all your contacts together right on the magicJack which is great for travelling with. 

Wherever you are, as long as you have access to Wi-Fi or to a high-speed internet connection, a computer with a USB port running Windows XP or Vista, you can plug it in and start calling. In time, they will have the Mac/Apple connection which I hope can be connected to my iPod Touch for easy calling anywhere in Canada or the US.

Saving Money Wirelessly

I just came back from the Source (formerly called Radio Shack) with a new Lexmark Z1420 Wi-Fi printer. I picked it up for an incredible $59.99 and with the recycle fee of $8.00 and taxes, it came out to $71 – not bad considering that when I hook it up, I can print anywhere in the house, wirelessly.

I’m a true believer of technology. In this day and age, we should be utilizing what’s out there rather than to stay in our comfort zone and use what we’ve been using for the last twenty years or so. Wi-Fi has been around for a number of years and a lot of my friends and colleagues have been utilizing it alot longer than I have. The reason is because I’m cheap and didn’t care to change my set up, until now. This is excellent for anyone with a small office, home office setup because you can have this printer downstairs near your business and still print from it upstairs.

Last year at this time, multi-function inkjet printers that had Wi-Fi capabilities were selling for $250 and up. Some were Wi-Fi ready and could be upgraded for $50 more. But Lexmark wanted to change the face of printing, so they were among the first companies to offer more affordable Wi-Fi printers, starting with the model that I bought today. As of last year May, the Lexmark Z1420 was the most inexpensive printer you can buy that has Wi-Fi. And looking at HP, Brother and other manufacturers, I think Lexmark still holds the record.

For those of you who have sat back and watched me pick up the TrendNet Wireless Router last week and now the Lexmark Z1420 Wi-Fi printer this week, and think you’re ready to get off the couch then I have a deal for you. Please come to our site and pick up the package for $39.99 for both but do so before March 31st because this offer expires.