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Internet gets its wings, netbooks to be hot holiday item
Sept. 30, 2008
Remember several years ago when Internet cafes were all the rage? Over in Europe, some of these cafes were huge and occupied multi-floor buildings.
The last time Clark was in London, however, he saw one formerly popular cafe that was reduced from 500 terminals to about 75. What happened? The marketplace changed. Free wifi became wide-spread and suddenly everyone could access the Internet from their cell phones.
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CLARK'S TIP TOPICS
Find more consumer advice in Clark Howard's book, "Get Clark Smart" |
Likewise, the Internet will increasingly be anywhere you go. Delta Airlines will have high-speed connections on all its flights by 2009. The price for access will be around $10 for a few hours or around $13 or $14 on longer flights. Delta's system will not be compatible with Skype.
Meanwhile, what you surf on is undergoing a transformation. A new class of ultra-lightweight mini-laptops -- called "netbooks" -- is all the rage. Many of them are Windows based.
Clark recently over paid for one Hewlett Packard model at $599. Lenovo's S10 ThinkPad is going for $399, which is not much for a fully functional mini-computer. Expect a big marketing push for netbooks this holiday season. People will be snatching them up for themselves and their favorite road warriors.
Speaking of traveling, there are new TSA-approved computer bags available where you don't have to unpack your laptop at security checkpoints. The TSA can actually check your laptop while it remains in the bag.
Network DVR -- with no hardware -- coming in 2009
Sept. 24, 2008
Back in the 1990s, Clark told you about a company called Replay TV that changed TV as we know it. The service allowed you to use a computer hard-drive to record TV and watch it as you wished. Replay TV was soon eclipsed by TiVo. Now TiVo faces its own threat from a new technology that could be a boon to cable providers.
Cablevision is the first provider eyeing the launch of network DVR capability in early 2009.
You'll be able to watch something and just decide to record it -- without TiVo or an actual DVR. Cablevision will allow customers to store content on their servers -- no hardware to buy, nothing to break, you just pay them a monthly fee. It's cheaper to store what you want on a mainframe than for everyone to have their own individual machine.
Meanwhile, Clark also wants to let you know about the poor man's DVR -- which is any inexpensive computer that has a built-in DVR. When you want to watch what you've recorded, just hook your computer up to a TV or watch it on the computer itself. No monthly fees!
New site for auction of sports and concert tickets
Sept. 22, 2008
There's a new site in beta called Zigabid.com, where you can buy or sell sports and concert tickets at auction. Clark himself has season tickets for several Atlanta sports teams, so he'd like to see if he can unload some of his ducats. ... More
New wave of phishing e-mails
Sept. 19, 2008
Five years ago, the hottest rip-offs were phishing scams, where you received a bogus e-mail that looked legit and claimed to be from your bank or a busines. The hope was that you'd click on a link in the e-mail to access your account online and reveal sensitive financial info. ... More
MySpace Music promises unlimited FREE music streams
Sept. 18, 2008
Clark has yet another way for you to get all the music you want for free -- legally. The music business has been through a radical transformation thanks to technology. So many people think it's OK to steal music online because the major labels were arrogant Luddites who didn't initially embrace the MP3 movement. For the longest time, they preferred that you buy an overpriced CD. ... More
More recent Technology Tips from Clark:- Internet coming to cars, airplanes
- Sirius/XM merger can't hold a candle to HD Radio
- Online and cable TV worlds delivering targeted ads
- New tech developments from NetFlix, Hewlett Packard
- Free e-mail providers differ on privacy issues
- A crash course in online safety
- Sezmi promises a new revolution in TV viewing
- Microsoft pays you to use their search engine!
- Pocket camcorders make a great gift
- Facebook adopts new safety measures
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What would Brian Boitano do? If he lived in the Miami Valley, he'd check out "Skate for the Heart" featuring saxophonist Kenny G. and Olympic and World Champion figure skaters at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Nov. 19, at the Nutter Center. Boitano won't be there, unfortunately, but here's who will: Ekaterina Gordeeva, Irina Slutskaya, Viktor Petrenko, Jeffrey Buttle, US Pairs Champions Rockne Brubaker and Keauna McLaughlin, Shae-Lynn Bourne, Caryn Kadavy, Jozef Sabovcik and Steven Cousins. Tickets are $42 to $100. More »
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What's happening this week
- Skate for the Heart featuring Musical Guest Kenny G at Ervin J.
- Auntie Mame at Dayton Playhouse
- Mothergrove at Peach's Grill
- Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra with Violinist Vadim Gluzman at Schuster Performing
- The Cover of Life at the Dayton
- Third Friday Fling in Yellow Springs
- 103.9 The X and Live Nation Present Staind, Seether and Papa Roach in Concert at Hara Arena
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'Quantum of Solace'[movies]
Men have curious ways of getting over a romantic betrayal. Some try avoidance. Some go on the rebound. James Bond's method, as seen in "Quantum of Solace," involves shooting, ducking, running, bleeding, locking dudes in car trunks and the massive destruction of parts of Italy and Bolivia. Obviously Daniel Craig is back as the shoot first, drink cocktails later version of 007 in the follow-up to 2006's "Casino Royale". More »
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Amelia's Bistro, Bellbrook, restaurant review [review]
Call it comfort food, gourmet style. From crab raviolis with vanilla lobster sauce, to a hand-cut and brined pork chop served with a fig jam, to a simply "Big-Ass Cake" that's a chocolate lover's dream, Amelia's has the potential to become a destination restaurant — worth the drive to Bellbrook. More »
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