• Jul 10, 2009

    Traveling without a charger

    This was my first trip traveling without a dedicated charger for my gadgets! While I've known for a long time that I could charge my Motorola RAZR through USB on my Mac (using my MotoCharger program), I didn't want to use it as I didn't want to have to remember to launch it (I don't like stuff running all the time that is only used every once in awhile).

    For this trip, I found some USB charge only cables for my Pre and RAZR (the RAZR one I acquired almost on accident as it came with the Belkin portable surge strip I bought). I also got a small USB hub, so I plugged the hub into my Mac and then charged my devices from the hub. As my MacBook Pro puts out more than the minimum USB power, it can charge devices. In addition, several years back, the Macs were changed such that the USB ports remain powered when the Mac is asleep. So, at night, I plugged the Mac in, plugged in my devices and by morning, everything was all charged up and ready to go.

    Now I have a different combination of things to carry when I travel; however, this combination serves multiple uses and only requires 1 power outlet which can sometimes be at a premium in a hotel or meeting room.

  • Jul 9, 2009

    Dirty remotes

    Some time ago, I heard that the remote control in a hotel room was one of the dirtiest things one could touch in a hotel. I even saw "sleeves" you could buy to put over the remote so you didn't have to touch it. Well, I have a cheaper and more convenient solution. Hotel rooms have plastic laundry bags, so just slip the laundry bag over the remote and use it. I only use the volume up/down, channel up/down and power buttons, so I don't have to see the buttons. The infrared of the remote goes through the bag, so presto, a cheap and easy solution to not touching the dirty remote.

  • Jul 8, 2009

    People choose to live here?

    I'm in Phoenix (actually Scottsdale) for business and have one big question. Why do people choose to live here? I knew the temperature before I came and prepared accordingly. As my hotel is only 3/4 mile from where we are having meetings, I thought hoofing it wouldn't be all that bad. Well at 10 am and then again at 8 pm, it wasn't all that pleasant.

    This is a desert; there are green lawns and other non-desert plants! Is there really enough water to go around? If I thought we had problems in San Diego, there must be bigger problems out here where the low temperature is 84 degrees!

    I'll cross Phoenix off my vacation list for the middle of the summer.

  • Jul 8, 2009

    Blogging code of ethics

    Yesterday I was reading an article by Walt Mosberg and read his code of ethics where he says that he doesn't accept money or products (to keep) from companies whose products he reviews. This is quite admirable and lets him say whatever he wants. I, on the other hand, will accept money or products from anyone that wants to send them my way!

    This doesn't happen all that often, but recently I was paid for an ad on my blog (it didn't change anything I had to say) and was just offered a product to review. I'll be writing a review once I receive the product. Will the review be swayed because I receive the product for free? Absolutely not! I can already tell that there are things that I won't like about the product, but I'll try to be as fair and balanced as possible.

    Before I sold ReceiptWallet, my blog was running on the same server that my ReceiptWallet web site was on, so there was no added expense to have it up. Now that ReceiptWallet is no longer mine, this blog costs me money every month. The cost is offset by advertising (I do accept advertising if anyone wants to advertise, but I make no guarantees that you'll always like my content) and affiliate links. Right now I have affiliate links for Amazon and MacUpdate Promo. If you like my blog, please use the Amazon link; just enter your search and start your shopping from here!

    So the question for the day is, does advertising or free products influence a good journalist or blogger? (Did I just call myself a journalist or a good blogger? That must have been a mistake; I'm just a guy writing random thoughts.) I think the answer to the question depends on the individual. As I don't make my living through this blog, advertising and free products won't influence me because I write this blog even without advertising and free products. For those that make their living from writing, I could see how it could be an influence, but if you're good at your job, it shouldn't. While Walt says he doesn't take free stuff from companies, would people respect him less if he did?