A Visit From the Geeks

     

                        ...with sincere apologies to Clement Clarke Moore

’Twas the week before Christmas, when all through the land
Not a computer was working as there was no broadband.
The software was loaded, wires connected with care,
In hopes that Bell, Time Warner or Verizon soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of a new iPad danced in their heads;
Unable to Tweet, Twitter or Facebook
Dad could order neither iPad nor Nook

When out on the driveway two trucks pulled in,
We sprang to our windows to investigate the din.

The LEDs reflecting on the new-fallen snow
Gave the luster of high-tech to everything below.
When, what should appear to my wondering eye,
But one rep from Bell and the other, a cable guy,
 

More punctual that most, with tool belts they came,
Both knocked on the door and asked for our name:
“No Smith, Jones or  Johnson do we have on our lists
Are you sure that dispatch might not have missed?”

A quick call to the office confirmed our plight

and they both said they could set things right.

They spoke no more, but went straight to their work,
One checked the phone line the other gave a smirk,
“That’s old tech” he explained,

“Cable is better for the internet to be sustained.”

Back and forth they argued well into the night

While my wife and I feared going on line was getting out of sight.

And then, in a twinkling, we heard up above
The clanking of a ladder and someone shout “Shove!”

As we drew in our heads, and were turning around,
Down the chimney the DirectTV man came with a bound.

He was dressed all in blue, from head to toe,
And his face indicated that he was someone in the know

A bundle of tools he had flung on his back,
A drill and saw and of course a spare battery pack.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work
And installed a new dish, receiver and one added perk

A new satellite modem was part of the deal

Internet for only $150 a month, what a steal.

This will bring your modem back he inferred;

It not too late to order on line he assured.

So we logged on to Amazon and the iPad we did find
Compete with free shipping from UPS, oh how kind.

With our broadband back we were both in awe

And bought most everything on line that we saw.

There were tablets, iPods and a new smart TV,

A laptop, cell phone and of course a Blue Ray DVD.

As the three went to their trucks and were driving away

“Don’t forget the extra batteries” we heard them all say.

More Gift Ideas....

Last week I gave you some ideas for gifts and stocking stuffers for the techie on your list.  Here are some more ideas that will delight someone with a digital sweet tooth and not break your holiday budget.

Watching TV programs on demand via the internet has become very popular.  You don’t need to invest in a new smart TV to take advantage of offerings from Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon TV or any of the other programming services streamed online.  For $35 to $40 you can give a Google Chromecast or Amazon Fire TV Stick.  Both of these units, about the size of a USB memory stick, plug into an open HDMI port on your digital TV and allow access to most all internet delivered TV services.  Of course you must have Wi-Fi, a good internet connection and a subscription to one or more of the TV services.  Both devices are easy to use and set up.  The Chromecast requires a smartphone or computer to operate.  The Amazon Fire Stick comes with a separate remote control.

For a few more bucks you can purchase Apple TV or Roku units.  Both provide most of the same features as the less expensive offerings and both come with separate remote controls, so it may be worth the higher price of about $100.  All of these devices are available online and at most big box electronic stores.

For the hobbyist there are several offerings from WEMO.  I wrote last year about this company that sells wireless devices to control electrical devices and lighting remotely from a smartphone or tablet.  WEMO has expanded their product line to include coffee makers, slow cookers and even wireless webcams.  Perhaps the most “geeky” addition is a universal module that can be customized to control most any household device.  The latter requires a bit of knowledge of wiring and electricity.  For the right person who loves to take things apart and tinker, this gift is sure to be a hit.  You can see all the WEMO offerings on line at www.wemothat.com

Seems that each year the digital stuff we want to keep increases almost exponentially.  The good news is that the cost to store our bits and bytes continues to fall.  Why not give a high capacity USB storage drive?  They come in various sizes from 500 Gb to 6 Tb and larger and plug into most any computer.  A good choice is a 1Tb drive. It will set you back less than $70.  1Tb (about one trillion bytes) is enough to store about 16,000 hours of music, 1000 hours of HD TV or 300,000 high quality photographs.

At about the size of a ham sandwich, it is a better alternative to the more than 120 individual DVD disks that it would take to store the same amount of data.  Of course, for those priceless photos and videos be sure to make a backup. This can be done most easily with a second unit. You can find these portable storage drives online and at most stores selling computer supplies.

I hope that these suggestion were helpful and result in some happy faces around the tree.

Holiday Stocking Stuffers and Gifts

It’s that time of year again when many of us are on the lookout for a gift or stocking stuffer for our techie friends or relatives.  This week and next I will give you some ideas that should help in your quest and not break your budget.

No matter if we are using the most powerful feature-filled iPhone or a five year old “flip” phone, we need to keep them charged up or they revert to nothing more than digital bricks.  Many kitchen counters or junk drawers today have more different cables and plug in power supplies than foodstuff.   The phone, the iPad, the GPS, the MP3 player all have chargers.  Fortunately most also are using USB cables.

For less than $25 you can replace all of these different plug-in chargers with a unit that mounts directly on your existing 110v outlet.  The unit has multiple regular AC receptacles for the coffee pot or radio as well as two or more USB power ports. You can use these ports rather than the individual chargers that came with your device.  An added benefit is that there is a built-in power surge protector in the unit.  There are several models available.  Best bet is to go on line or to a store that specializes in computer equipment like MicroCenter.

For the more ambitious, you can buy units that actually replace the existing AC receptacle in the wall with one that has both regular plugs and USB plugs.  They are as easy to install as replacing a regular receptacle.  You can find them at Home Depot for about $15.

While some new cars have USB power ports factory installed, older cars don’t.  It is not uncommon for several devices to require power while driving over the river to grandma’s house.  You may have the kids in the back seat using a tablet and also want to charge your phone and perhaps plug in the GPS.  There are several companies that make a multi-port USB power adapter that plugs into the standard power port (nee cigarette lighter). I have seen these for sale at automobile parts stores, electronics stores and of course on line.  Depending on the number of ports, plan on spending between $10 and $20.

No matter how much we prepare there will be times when we really need our phone and the battery is on life support.  About the size of a deck of cards, a portable battery power pack can be a real life saver.  The device has a rechargeable battery and a USB port.  When not in use it can be stuffed into a purse, backpack or briefcase. The unit stays charged for months. You can find various models on line and at most big box and electronics stores.  They cost between $20 and $60 depending on the number of charges they can handle.