STEMs toy ideas

Amazon’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math gift toy ‘category’ might be of interest to a few of you. If you are, click here https://www.amazon.com/b/ref=s9_acss_gb_cg_HTLLPCGB_4a1?node=10054374011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=events-center-c-5&pf_rd_r=48YWSPTNSV9Z93E6PXZQ&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_p=ed09b6ac-6ff0-406f-863f-4a53593203e2&pf_rd_i=HTL_desktop

Copyright 2007-2015 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.

Android Games and Apps Giveaway

For a limited time, Amazon is giving away some paid apps for free.

click on image

which may be worth a look-see. Click on the image to see today’s batch of freebies. (There’ll be a different assortment each day of the giveaway.)

* Someone told me today is the first day of Spring.
Which, if it’s true, is good news to me.
And I always vote For good news.

This Just In: China reveals existence of cyber warfare hacking teams

“The country has finally admitted to the existence of units dedicated to cyber warfare.” Read more..

[May as well admit it. There’s no one who didn’t already know …] [Still, an important read.] [And in this case, “cyber warfare” includes espionage.]

Today’s quote: “We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like.” ~ Dave Ramsey

Paul’s Tip: Don’t be like that. Be smart.

Copyright 2007-2015 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.

Amazon’s New Coins – the latest E-currency?

Today I received an email from Amazon telling me they had given me 500 free “Coins”  as a ‘thank you’ for being a Kindle Fire owner. (A $5 value!)

Useful when you spend your time in the land of Elves..?

That was new to me.. I had never heard of “Amazon Coins”.. Is this the next Bitcoin?

So, I read the blurb.

“What is Amazon Coins?
Amazon Coins is a new way to buy and enjoy Kindle Fire apps, games, and in-app items for less. Save up to 10% on apps and games by purchasing Amazon Coins.“

Ah. “Buy”.
Why purchase Coins? (Besides “saving up to 10%”)

“Where can I spend Coins?
You can spend Amazon Coins on your Kindle Fire or on Amazon.com. Explore great Kindle Fire apps and games on the Amazon Appstore for Android.”

(To see the Amazon product page, click here.)

Oh, how super-neato keen.

I can’t wait to buy a whole huge stockpile of Amazon Pennies!!!  Um, I meant “Coins”.

Is it just me, or is this just giftcards for timewaster games for kids (the overwhelming majority of Android “apps”)?

Yippee yahoo.

While I guess I am pleased with a free $5 giftcard ( now I can buy Angry Birds Star Wars Edition!!! ) … I still have to wonder whose idea was this, anyway? Did they go to college to learn to come up with ideas marketing strategies like this? ( I kinda suspect this will sail about as far as the Titanic did.. but has the advantage of costing a lot more. )

.. I mean.. nobody pays for apps any more. Right? (Everything on the Internet is free.. right? Just “download it”?) Could this be a way to artificially boost “sales” and “clicks” statistics? Nah. But Amazon just “sold” one more Angry Birds Star Wars Edition…
Right?
(Actually, I wouldn’t be caught with an Angry Birds. I’m not 9.)

Today’s quote: “Things are never so bad they can’t be made worse.” ~ From The African Queen

Copyright 2007-2013 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.

Free – Today Only

Android tablet and smartphone owners take note.

Friend and fellow tech blogger Rick Robinette clued me to the fact that Amazon’s Free App Of The Day today was a good one. Please see FREE Today Only – Splashtop Remote Desktop (Android App) At Bookmarks4Techs for his review and the details..

“If you own an Android Tablet PC or Smartphone, this app is a MUST HAVE.  It is remote software that allows you to remotely access and stream content from your home computer to your tablet computer or smartphone.  Very cool app…  Get it FREE – TODAY ONLY!” Read more..

 

Winners | Friday Fun | My New Tablet Is Not A Tablet

I have mentioned here that I am intrigued by the new “tablet” PC’s (ala the iPad) but have held off, waiting for better capabilities at a better price. Amazon’s new Kindle “Fire” (check it out here) seemed at first glance to be the first to fit that criteria, and got my interest going — but I will not buy the first release of any product, and will wait for version 2.

My need for a portable, and the lack of really good tablet (yet) had me looking at netbooks again. Remember netbooks? The most hyped product – sure to change the game – of just a couple years ago?
I never did get one. Too underpowered, and I didn’t like the small keyboards.

It so happened that I saw in my local gizmo and gadget store a Limit One Per Customer deal (always a good indicator of a bargain) for a 15.6″ laptop (aka “notebook”) for $230. The same price as netbooks go for these days. So I got one. (An eMachines EM443). I repeat: $230.

For a mobile device, it’s big (deliciously big when Netflix watching) true enough, but it’s quite light .. and I’m not trying to fit it in a purse. (When I’m really “on the go”, my HTC smartphone is in my pocket.) Battery life. Big bright screen. Optical drive. Full-size keyboard. Windows 7 Home Premium. Build in webcam. I figure, why settle for a crimped little netbook? Or a tablet that mainly only lets you view (or “surf”)? With a stripped-down OS..

Winners announced: The folks at Novosoft generously donated 7 licenses for Handy Backup Standard to me, to award to my readers. I sincerely thank them for that.

“Handy Backup is an easy-to-use backup software designed to perform automated backup of your computer. User-friendly interface and a rich set of backup features make it one of the best PC backup software for home and small office use.“

The lucky winners are….

(Winners, check your Inbox [and maybe your Junk folder] for the Subject HBStandard Winner)

Friday Fun:

The weekend is almost here. Yay!

Today’s quote: “The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised.” ~ George F. Will

Copyright 2007-2011 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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Sunday Beauty

Folks, the 60th pretty picture for your Sunday is an award winner..

Click on image to see larger (Desktop wallpaper size..)

“Elakala Waterfalls Swirling Pool Mossy Rocks” credit to: ForestWander Nature Photography, www.ForestWander.com, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Today’s tip: Folk’s there’s a new Kindle in town and it’s more than just an e-Reader. I think you may want to give it a look see. Check it out (as they say) here.

Today’s quote:“If we continue to develop our technology without wisdom or prudence, our servant may prove to be our executioner.” ~ Gen. Omar Bradley

Copyright 2007-2011 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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A Quick Word About Torrents & DRM-free Music

I received a note from a reader that got me a bit hot under the collar for a moment. It was in regards to a comment I made in yesterday’s Internet radio article (see, Music Radio For Your Phone (or Blackberry)(or PC)) .. specifically, “no, I do not purchase tunes“.

The writer presumed that indicated that I am like everyone else in the free world (apparently) and used a “file sharing” program (commonly called “Torrents”) and they inquired as to which one I liked best and recommend… uTorrent? eDonkey? LimeWire?

My first thought was, clearly they are new to the site. My second was a realization that I have not mentioned this in some time now. Perhaps the time is right to say it again.

• I cannot tell you the exact number of times, but I can tell you the percentage is quite high, that when I am called in to remove a “virus”, I will find a “file sharing program” installed on that machine. Cyber criminals like to plant trojans in files, and then “seed” the torrent sites with them. And they lose no sleep.. as you are trying to get something for nothing yourself.

• “File sharing” is (in my mind, anyway) synonymous with “stealing”. I don’t steal.

So there you have it: it’s risky and “quasi-legal” (at best). I don’t do it. And anyone who asks me about torrents will get a copy of this article. (Can you guess? I do not recommend it?)

So where do I get my songs? (aka “today’s free download:”) Well, I “digitized” my records and tapes using a “Y” cable (to my stereo)($3) and the editing program Audacity (free).

“Audacity is an open source audio editor that is available for several platforms (including Windows, Mac, and Linux/Unix). It is one of the most popular free audio editors in use today mainly due to its excellent set of tools. As well being compatible with MP3, WAV, AIFF, and OGG file formats you can use Audacity to record live audio, and convert analog audio such as tapes.”

But if I had it to do over again, I would get a USB turntable.

Alternatively, I would use a legal music service. And, I would buy the DRM-free versions of the songs. Instead of reinventing the wheel, I will point you to an article, titled: Buy Music Unfettered by Digital Rights Management

“Competition is now wide open for these interoperable music files. Besides iTunes, millions of DRM-free files are available from Amazon, Rhapsody, Napster, Zune, eMusic, and others. But each store has its own benefits and limitations: price, file quality, selection, and other quirks. Here’s how they all stack up in the DRM-free download world.”  Read more..

I know. 99% of you are LMAO-ing. What?! Buy music???!!!

Yes.

Pay for it if you want it. The fact that “everyone is doing it” (torrents/file “sharing”) does not make it right.

Related: How To Digitize Your Old (Analog) Movies, Music, and Photos

Today’s quote: “Character is doing the right thing when nobody’s looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that’s right is to get by, and the only thing that’s wrong is to get caught. ~ J.C. Watts”

Copyright 2007-2011 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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