Even though I am no longer in school, and will probably not experience back-to-school shopping for a while, I am going to indulge myself for a second and make my “wish-back-to-school want list”.

I've created my back-to-school wishlist on flickr with the tag pocketchangebacktoschool. I would love to see other people's back-to-school hauls or fantasy lists. If you upload images onto flickr, and give them that tag, we can all drool collectively. Make sure to leave a comment here, too.

Here's what I came up with:

1. Vista Umbrella (so Lost in Translation)
2. Moleskine Notebook
3. Anna Sui Rouge Ring
4. Nars Blush
5. L’Oreal Volumious
6. Wonderful little eraser
7. Favorite pencil from college
8. Japanese gel pens
9. UGGS (no shame; great for winter)
10. Leather gloves (APC)
11. Commes des Garcon Wallet
12. Colette Molouf hair accessories
13. Mandarina Duck book bag
14. Chloe patent black wedges
15. winter coat + black tights + flats + knit hat (APC Winter 06)

Sherry

UPDATE: So apparently the tag hasn't gone into effect yet. I was unable to access my old flickr account, so i had to create a new one. And apparently, as a new user, flickr administrators need to review my account to make sure I'm not spreading pornographic images. So for now, just go ahead and tag yours, and leave the link in the comments.

Posted by Sherry at 06:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

School is starting again and it’s time to go back to that dorm room you left last semester. Designing the room the way you want is loads of fun, especially when the parents are not around. However, if you are not creative about decorating and tired of staring at a boring, empty room, here are some resources which might be helpful.

Bed Bath & Beyond has set up several kinds of dorm room styles (with their products, of course) for those of you devoid of decoration ideas. It might not fit your taste, but it's definitely a good source of decoration ideas. I like the comfy cushion chair which is perfect for rest breaks from annoying school work. The other items I found interesting are the utility tote which can organize all my random collections and the bed lifts which help increase the storage room under the bed.

If you (or your children) happen to get an unfurnished room and plan on buying some new furniture, the IKEA Style Lab lets you build a “preview” version of the bedroom you envisioned with their products. Although the furniture selections for this tool are limited (you cannot apply all of IKEA’s products), it gives you a chance to know what your shopping list actually looks like and helps lower the risk of getting weird combinations.

However, if you still have no clue or just have no patience to check out these websites, all hope is not lost. Personally, I feel that linens like bed sheets, quilt covers, shams and curtains will brighten up your room immediately. Just pick a main color for your room, and start shopping on the linen with that type of color...it is difficult to go wrong with the above advice.

And just to perfectly match our theme this week, this is my last post on Pocket Change since my internship will end on Friday, and I am going back to school. Wish me luck!

Patricia

Posted by Patricia at 05:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

So you're buying a new computer, and Word just seems like overkill. You just need to write some papers for class; you don't need to write a fully-annotated, cross-referenced, chart-filled, fish-smelling* thesis. And you sure don't want to pay for it--that's money that could be going to Top Ramen and beer (or baseball cards and soda pop, or clothes that are too big for you and mopey music--for college, grade school and high school students, respectively.)

You could give Open Office a try--it's pretty good, and extremely free. But there's a new kind of word processor that offers a level of convenience that conventional software can't touch: online word processors.

These new applications offer the most commonly-used features of regular word processors, but you can use them from anywhere you can get to a browser and an Internet connection. You don't need to concern yourself with what software a given computer will have, or carry your files around on a thumb drive, or try to keep them synched with some sort of online storage. You create an account on these free services in much the same way that you sign up for a free email account, and they keep track of your documents for you. They look normal when you print them, and most let you import and export Word documents and export PDFs. And if you do a lot of group work, a couple of them offer much more intuitive collaborative editing modes than conventional word processors--no need to worry if you're working on the most recent version of the document from among the 10 in your inbox; everyone's working on the same one, and their changes are all marked.

Here's a rundown of the most popular ones:

• Writely, which was recently acquired and re-launched by Google, is probably the most user-friendly of the ones I looked at--if you use gmail, it will feel familiar. It offers basic word-processing features, imports and exports Word, text and OpenOffice and exports PDFs. It also lets you view your documents as XML feeds, which can be handy if you want to keep an eye on changes that others are making.
• ZohoWriter offers editing and sharing features similar to Writely, although it's a little rougher around the edges. Conveniences include a special-character-insert button; downsides include a weak help system and a non-intuitive version-comparison feature.
• ajaxWrite only works in Firefox 1.5 and greater, and has no facility for sharing--in fact, it doesn't even save your files remotely (and I couldn't get it to save locally, either.) I include it because a) the word AJAX makes me tingly and b) it looks much more like a regular desktop application than either Writely or ZohoWriter. It has its uses for creating one-off documents, but I wouldn't recommend it as an example of what this class of applications is capable of.
• ThinkFree is truly impressive, and leaps and bounds more full-featured than any of the above apps. More than a word-processor, it's a full-fledged office suite, with a word processor that mirrors Word in much of its functionality, an Excel-like spreadsheet, and a PowerPoint-esque presentation module. The word processing and presentation modules have simple AJAX versions and more complex Java ones that offer more features at the expense of load speed and some browser compatibility. You get a gig of storage space, and publishing/sharing options.

There are some concerns common to any of these apps. Most are in beta, although they feel fairly stable. With all except ajaxWrite, you're trusting your documents to remote servers and companies and people who aren't you. In an increasingly connected world, it's hard to keep your private information from speeding across one network or another; most people of my generation hardly give it a second thought. It's something to think about, though. One advantage of keeping your documents on remote servers is that it actually reduces the likelihood of data loss--I guarantee you all of these services back up much more religiously than you or I do.

With all that said: if all you need is simple word-processing capability with a minimum of fuss, I'd recommend Writely. If you really want to poke Microsoft in the eye, give ThinkFree a try.

Aram

P.S. Check out this week's Carnival of Insanity!

*Why Microsoft engineers felt the need to include a feature that makes your document smell like fish, I'll never understand.

Posted by Aram at 05:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

Let’s say, hypothetically, that you’re a mid-30s Internet millionaire with a beautiful family including a kid in elementary school. You’re looking for a way to spend far more money than is strictly required on some minor luxury, but you also want to begin molding your child into a miniature version of your slightly nerdy self. How, you ask, could you most efficiently combine your needs for conspicuous consumption, vicarious living, and geekery?

You, my friend, need to check out the Lunchbox Collector. (Non-IE users may need to scroll the page to the right.) $975 for a mint condition Star Wars lunchbox? How can you go wrong?

Also, if the above description is mostly accurate but you're more into cringe-inducing attempts at humor instead of a totally bad-ass X-Wing, you could also drop $550 on a fashionable vinyl Ziggy lunchbox from 1974. Thermos included, trenchant insights into the human condition not available at this time--although I guess you could cut something out of the sometimes-poorly-named funny pages and tape it to the box.

Mike

p.s. Try not to go off on your kid when they trade the lunchbox to a classmate for a Ho-Ho and a Spongebob temporary tattoo. Thirty years from now, when they're spending $50,000 on a new-in-box set of Spongebob bedsheets, they'll think back on this and realize what they did.

p.p.s. Maybe you should buy the bedsheets now and sell them to your kid for $40,000 later. Might be a good investment--that's all I'm saying.

Posted by Mike at 04:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Though we're still firmly against thought control, we're sharpening our sweaters, putting on our new pencils, and writing the answers on the insides of our hands: it's Back-To-School Week at Pocket Change! We'll have a whole week's worth of posts about getting back to the books, so keep coming back. Even if you're like me and you're fairly certain that the only time you'll ever see the inside of a classroom again is for the court-ordered community service, I assure you that we'll still have something of interest. We always do.

So enjoy Back-To-School Week, and remember: If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding. I mean, seriously, how can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?

Aram

Posted by Aram at 10:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Yes! Radioblogclub.com adds another simple way to sample, recommend, and discover music (thank you , Jill, for pointing it out to me). Their site allows you to search for songs and add to a playlist that you can enjoy online or embed in a blog. I am enthusiastically in favor of any site that lets good music spread like wildfire. They give you tips to customize your blog player on their blog. Blog blog blog blog.

I was going to include the player in this blog but some lawyers tackled me and threatened physical harm to my wife and kids should I ever have a wife and kids. Thanks, RIAA, for ruining everything.

Here's what it would look like (click the image for a link to a playlist that I made):

• Soulive is a jam-funk trio with a virtuosic keyboardist who plays basslines with his left hand. I was pleasantly surprised to find them tearing it up at the Google Dance in Mountain View a couple weeks ago.
• Derek Trucks is one of the greatest slide guitar players on the planet right now. He's only 25.
• Charlie Hunter plays an 8-string jazz guitar, covering bass lines and guitar lines simultaneously.
• Don Ross plays solo acoustic guitar that sounds like 3 guitarists at once.
• Coco Montoya is a great blues player with an outstanding live show.
• The Allman Bros... if you don't know the Allmans, there's nothing I can do for you. Enjoy this Dickey Betts great.

AJ

Posted by AJ at 02:32 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

This week I am feeling a bit nostalgic. Maybe it’s because of Ben’s post featuring Goodnight Moon, one of my favorite classic children’s books, or maybe it’s because my niece has officially stepped into the wonderful world of third grade. Oh the third grade--the year of multiplication and division, fractions, and computer games like The Oregon Trail (although my childhood memories look a little more like this) and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego.

In any case, thinking of childhood always brings me such fond memories about all the games and books I loved as a child. Legos were a big hit in my house, as well as Tangram Puzzles and R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps series, but the one thing that always stood out for me was the Choose Your Own Adventure book series. These interactive children’s books were cleverly written so that the reader would assume the role of the main character by determining how the plot would unfold. For example, if you chose to follow the spies into the abandoned warehouse, you would turn to page 4; if you listened to the stool pigeon and headed for the piers, you would instead turn to page 52--the story could turn out in any number of ways.

With a bit of research I’ve discovered that a company called Lean Forward Media has began producing a DVD TV game version of my beloved Choose Your Own Adventure books, beginning with The Abominable Snowman. I am tempted to get myself my niece a copy of the interactive movie, but part of me thinks that using a remote control to determine whether I’ve triumphed over giant squids by choosing to dive into the underwater cavern is not as satisfying as flipping through the pages of an actual book--skillfully cheating by using my finger as a placeholder in case the ending I chose was not to my liking. Call me old fashioned.

Jill

Posted by Jill at 05:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I love bread (especially focaccia), but am very picky about it. One of my favorite bakeries is 13 miles away from my home. I used to drive there twice a week, and then realized I was paying double for my bread--bread for me and gas for my car.

Being a cooking enthusiast (my kitchen becomes my refuge from the pressures of school and a good way to procrastinate), I decided to make my own bread. Not wanting to compromise on the taste and time spent in making homemade bread, I got myself a Salton Breadman TR888 bread machine. It has good reviews on Amazon, a multitude of functions and was the right price (I paid $69.99).

This machine is simply amazing!

Not having made bread before, my first loaf turned out to be quite delicious. No experience or skills are required in operating it. Simply put in all the ingredients as suggested, push the button, and after three to four hours, a homemade, fresh and fluffy loaf of bread is made. It can make up to 2-pound loaves at one sitting. There are 19 programs, three shade selections and even a delay timer. With the 19 programs, you can make several kinds of bread (including a quick setting that makes bread in around one hour), dough, butter and dessert. The delay timer can be set up to 13 hours- put all the ingredients in the pan at night, and wake up to the wonderful aroma of fresh homemade bread in the morning!

So far, I have made several loaves of bread, dinner rolls, and even pizza dough. All the results were impressive, and cleaning is not much of a problem. There are a few minor issues that I would like to mention:

1. It is not a noisy machine, but it does make a noticeable sound. When using delay timer, make sure to put this thing away from your bed.
2. Although the machine does come with a recipe book, you can try recipes from other sources. I personally recommend allrecipes.com. You can find tons of selections with ratings from reviewers (other cooking enthusiasts). To save your time searching in the large database, you can buy their Tried & True Cookbooks. These are the collections of popular and highly rated recipes contributed from others on the site.

The other product I considered was the Sunbeam 5891. It also has nice reviews, similar functions and is even cheaper (The cheapest one that I found on Become.com is around $36). I chose Breadman over Sunbeam because the design was a lot more attractive. Nothing wrong with a little superficiality, as long as it contains all the functionality I desire.

Patricia

Posted by Patricia at 04:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

(Image credit: Worth 1000)

Say it ain’t so. Pluto has been demoted. It’s no longer a planet. The International Astronomical Union (whose site is currently getting hammered with traffic) has downgraded Pluto from its rightful place at the far edge in our solar system. They assert that Pluto is no longer a planet under their new guidelines that shrink the Sun’s revolving minions from nine celestial bodies to eight. We need to mobilize. We need to fight back.

How will students survive the loss of Pluto as they try to pass their science classes? Most of us remember Pluto as the last word in the planetary mnemonic “My Very Energetic Mother Just Served Us Nine Pies”. How will we remember the order of the universe now? This is a serious problem when educational funding keeps getting cut.
And did these so-called scientists think about how Neptune is going to handle its new responsibilities at the outer limits of our universe? Is Neptune expected to hold down the fort after centuries of slothful indolence? Please, Neptune never had a serious job in its life. Guarding the gates was Pluto’s job. Now, I know Pluto was always the odd man out, the planet without a partner. But is that sufficient reason for eviction?

So what does all this have to do with shopping (I knew you were wondering.)? Well, dear readers, it’s time to cash in on Pluto-abilia. Buy up maps of the planets while they are still whole. They are instant collector’s items. Buy movies like Breakfast on Pluto or a planet mobile from your local museum of natural history. And speaking of which, what will the planetariums do now that they’ve lost an orb? Will they strip Pluto of its stripes, pull it from the walls, cordon it off, label it a poseur or pretender?

I don’t just want to encourage planetary profiteering. I want you to protest, too. We must save planet Pluto. People have already registered savepluto.com, .net and .org, and Pluto's fans are representing themselves well at Worth 1000's Photoshop contest. Speak up, fight back. We’re not going gentle into that not-as-good-as-it-used-to-be night.

If we don’t start now, what will be next? Is there really a Santa Claus? Yes, Virginia, we’re just getting warmed up.

Mimi

Posted by Mimi at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0)

I have fallen into an uncontrollable H&M spiral. I know a lot of people complain about the cheap quality of their clothing and the generally overwhelming experience of shopping in the store (at least in SF). But despite the 45 minute wait for the dressing room and then another 20 minute wait at the cash register (on a lucky day), H&M is one of the best things to have happened to women’s fashion, at least around here. Why?

1. They know how to interpret trends and reference runway designs. I got a knock-off of a Chloe dress there, and I’ve gotten many multiple inquiries and compliments that made me feel a bit smug. One Anthropologie store manager asked me if I bought it from their store. Not even, lady.
2. Good designs. They have the ability to produce interesting clothing that doesn’t look cheap or cheesy. I got this amazing grey granny vest with huge mickey mouse buttons. It is adorable and really versatile.
3. I find stuff there that is interesting and quite funky, but still very wearable. Stuff on both extremes. Makes for fun mixing and matching. Good way to help define your style.
4. It’s affordable. You can buy a dress for under $40. Clothing for the masses.

OK yes, the quality is not always great. But sometimes it’s pretty good. Go there with an open mind, lots of time, and try on things that you find remotely interesting or appealing, and see what happens. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Sherry

Posted by Sherry at 05:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I've been dedicating a lot of time, money and knuckle skin to my project/childhood dream car, a cherry red 1965 Oldsmobile Cutlass convertible. I bought it with the intention of doing all the work on it myself, so that I'd really appreciate the time I spent cruising in it. And as far as I can remember from last summer, cruising was a lot of fun. I think.

These days I'm mostly to be found underneath or bent over it, cursing, banging, swallowing the odd bit of fluid, and generally taking two steps back for every step forward. The other day, it tried to kill me by having the brakes fail as I eased it into the driveway. (OK, it would have hit the side of my house about about 3 mph. More of a cry for help than actual Christine-worthy behavior.) But hey, it's old enough to be my mother; this is to be expected. (Not that I expect my mother to kill me. Moving on...)

I'll not bore you with the details (unless you ask) but I will pass on one key thing I've learned. It can be worth it to buy parts online, but unless you're buying a simple commodity product or some crazy performance thing, it will save you time and heartache to buy from a dealer that has a store near you. That way, when they ship you the complete wrong master cylinder or don't include the gasket with the water pump (to pick two examples out of, oh, you know, the blue) you can drop by the store and deal directly with them, rather than having to ship it back, wait a few more days, and hope.

That means I mostly buy from Kragen (which you may know as Checker or Schucks, depending on where you live--it's all partsamerica.com, as it turns out.) They've had their share of hiccups (see above), but they've had their act together more than other online-only stores I've dealt with.

Happy wrenching,

Aram

P.S. I'd be remiss if I didn't give a shout out to Brian at HotAutoWeb who hooked me up with the car to begin with. Friendly, honest guy, sweet rides--Go Spudman!

Posted by Aram at 06:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

(This is the first in a series of war stories and helpful hints from having worked at a big-box retailer as an operations manager. Please feel free to ask any questions or if you have a story that you could use help resolving! Become.com is on your side!)

The Old Switcheroo. We like to think that all employees are honest just like we like to think that all customers are. Unfortunately, we live in a world where consequences are often not felt until after bad habits are formed.

Giftcards have increasingly become the new gift to give. It is slightly more personal then cash, yet gives similar flexibility within a chain of stores. When you buy a gift card you should always check the receipt to see that the card number matches the number on the back of the card. It is all too easy for a greedy associate to use slight-of-hand to switch your chosen card with a blank.

So what happens? You take your $50 blank gift card and give it to a friend. They go to the store and attempt to use it only to find that it is “inactivated” and has no value. They probably never tell you because they are embarrassed or think you were playing a joke. Meanwhile the associate gets away with your $50 in store credit and buys a new pair of shoes.

Lesson Learned? Take the few seconds to check your purchase receipt to verify the card matches. There is usually a gift receipt that also prints to verify the amount for your intended recipient. Give this with the gift card so that your friend can give it to the merchant should there be an issue.

Daryl

Posted by Daryl at 11:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I need a new music service. I am not planning on renewing my Musicmatch subscription once the year is up. The player is pretty slick looking and I like being able to listen to music at work, but I find it a bit confusing to use, slow (!!!), and the music selection for On Demand feels really limited at times. Plus, I still can’t figure out how to alphabetize my playlist. Where is it? I swear I’m not dumb.

I also don’t understand why songs are displayed as being available for On Demand subscribers, but will only play for those who upgrade to Plus. If I pay for OnDemand and am browsing in the OnDemand section, and a song appears to be available for me, it shouldn’t add it, pretend like it’s going to play, and then give me the “upgrade to plus now!” message. Not cool. I miss Napster. I would without hesitation pay a subscription fee for the ability to browse and download (or even just listen to) songs from random people’s libraries. I like how iTunes lets you listen to other people’s libraries, but they have to be on the same network as you--which for me is no one but myself. Luckily I’ve found that a lot of artists put up popular/recent songs on MySpace for free. For example:

• Bossy--Kelis
• Chasing Cars--Snow Patrol
• Crazy--Gnarls Barkley
• Aaliyah

Free, legal, and no software to download. Other than that, does anyone have a favorite music-download/streaming service?

Sherry

Posted by Sherry at 05:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I found this post while searching baby blogs. Reading books to babies is very important. I strongly recommend board books for babies; otherwise the books get ruined.

Top 5 books for my baby:

• Goodnight Moon. A good book, and Michael pays attention for the entire book, which automatically qualifies it for the top 5.
• But Not the Hippopotamus. Another good book: a sense of humor and some social educational value.
• Pat the Bunny. A great book, which incorporates touching different textures to engage your baby.
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See? A great book that uses repetition to engage baby.
• Is your Mama a Llama? Llamas are cool, and so is this book. Our family favorite.

Ben

Posted by Ben at 01:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Okay, so I cheated. I couldn’t figure out which vacuum to buy just by reading Become.com’s research (See part 1). So I brought home two to test drive. And yes, I did fall for the shiny purple Dyson DC 14 for animal hair. I also bought the Sears Kenmore Progressive Canister model that got “Best Buy” ratings from Consumer Reports.

Last night, we took them for a test drive. Since the Kenmore was about half the price of the Dyson, we opened that box first. It took a while to figure out how to assemble it as the instructions looked like hieroglyphics. When we finally took it for a ride on the carpet, it didn’t seem to suck up all that much stuff. It just grazed. And it took expensive HEPA bags (2 for $8) that I’d need to buy on an ongoing basis.

My significant other (S.O.) then got into the act and opened the Dyson DC 14. This bagless purple machine is outfitted like a Harley and as powerful to drive. It sucked unbelievably well. We re-vacuumed the same rug and it picked up stuff that’s probably been lurking since the Paleolithic age. We ended up cleaning the whole house. The place felt so clean you could eat off our floors. However, we were so exhausted and sweaty from pushing that big palooka that we just sprawled there ourselves.

Not going to work! While S.O. enjoyed the trial run, I know he’s not planning to push that incredible hulk on a regular basis. So, I’m back to square one. I feel like Goldilocks at the Three Bears house. The first vacuum was “too soft” on dirt. The second was “too hard” on my back. I need to find one that’s just right!

We’re returning both today and I’ll resume the hunt shortly. We bought ourselves some time by vacuuming the whole place last night!

Mimi

Posted by Mimi at 02:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A few weeks ago, I bought three pairs of the highly praised shoe insoles Insolia Inserts. After waiting eagerly for days they finally arrived in the mail, and I must say that these little pieces of plastic have not disappointed.

Without delay I ripped open the package, read the directions on how to properly position the inserts, and got to sticking. It took several attempts until I was finally satisfied with the placement of the inserts in my new pair of BCBG Wheat Kid Myrna pumps. The directions were fairly simple, but to this day I am still unsure if I placed the inserts in its proper location. Needless to say I immediately took my shoes for a test drive around my house, making sure I stepped on hard surfaces like bathroom tiles and wooden floors.

If used properly, the packaging indicated that I would experience an instant difference in the feel of my shoes. I did not exactly have a life altering-moment when I slipped into my shoes, but I certainly think that these inserts make a difference in the overall feel and comfort level. The inserts have a tendency to come undone at the arch of the shoe, which may be attributed to the adhesive, shoe design, improper placement, or all of the above. With the added support, the inserts may initially feel a bit awkward or unnatural and may take some getting used to, but once you get past that hurdle the inserts definitely make walking in high heels much more bearable.

Four weeks, three pairs of shoes, and countless trips around town later, I am convinced that I can brave the world of killer high-heels fearless and very, very tall.

Jill

P.S. Mike's entry on how to get the best deal on Priceline was included in the most recent Travel Carnival. Buncha good posts there.

Posted by Jill at 04:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

If you are horrible at directions just like me (I once got lost on the beach of Lake Michigan alone for over an hour and ended up calling for help), this is the solution for you--the Garmin Nuvi 350 GPS. (You can't buy it from their site, so blatant plug here.)

Not too long ago I bought my first car, which did not come with a navigation system. Not wanting to spend an extra $2000 was the main reason why I did not consider buying a built-in navigation system. From then on, I started searching for a GPS that would meet my needs- precise, simple, visible and portable (since I can get lost even when I am not driving). Suggestions from my friends included getting a GPS equipped cell phone. However, I really doubted the screen size of such a phone would meet my standards so I gave up on the search. One of my friends has a Garmin StreetPilot 2720, which I found rather nice. The only drawback is that it can be used only in a car. Since Garmin seems to produce high quality GPS units, I started doing research on their products. I found Nuvi 350 which had excellent reviews on Amazon and it turns out to be perfect for my needs. Here are the reasons why:

• Precise: It gives me the quickest way to my destination without any trouble. Not only that, it provides really detailed local information of nearby gas stations, malls and places of interest. The device comes in handy for locating that elusive Target store when you are in the middle of unfamiliar territory.
• Simple: Easy to use. (The manual is useless anyways.) The turn-by-turn voice direction function is extremely helpful.
• Visible: The screen size is just right, and the anti-reflective glass makes it easy to read.
• Portable: Compact pocket size is great for traveling. If you are going to Europe, buying an extra Europe map SD card can prevent you getting lost in a foreign country.
• Cool extras: It also functions as an mp3 player and photo viewer. Since I never have had a chance to try these features, I cannot vouch for their usefulness. The price comes down to $600 (much cheaper than a built-in GPS). For a person with a poor sense of direction, I think it is worth every penny that I paid for!

A friendly notice: this tiny magical machine is supposed to be mounted on the windshield while driving. However, it is illegal to mount anything on the windshield in California and Minnesota. To overcome this problem, this kit comes with a dashboard disk which lets drivers mount their GPS on the dashboard.

Patricia Huang
Intern

Posted by Patricia at 04:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

My roommate's mother has been mailing us milk.

This sounds deranged, except it's this awesome stuff I had never heard of: Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) pasteurized milk. It's sold in rectangular boxes and has a shelf life of about 6 months. Once you open it, it spoils like regular milk, but still: this raises the possibility of only shopping for milk twice a year. I didn't trust it when I first saw it on our shelf, but after a stint in the fridge, it tastes perfectly normal.

This stuff is really popular in the rest of the world--supposedly, 7 out of 10 Europeans drink it regularly, and my roommate (who is Puerto Rican) says that it's what everybody drinks there.

Why isn't this stuff all over the place in the US? It's a natural for emergency supplies, camping, or just lazy people. It's also kind of hard to find online--this place sells it, but in large quantity. Even Become doesn't seem to list any, only UHT soy milk. (I know. It's a shock. Take a deep breath. Talk to a friend or a mental health professional if you feel the need.)

If you ever see a box of this stuff on the shelf at the store, buy it. Then take it home, and leave it on the shelf. Every so often, look at it and think about how it's not spoiling. Put a Twinkie next to it, and see if they fight.

Then, mail it to my roommate.

Aram

Posted by Aram at 06:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In the midst of chaotic traveling situations these days, luggage may be lost more easily than ever. People throughout the history of travel have kicked themselves for forgetting their precious luggage with valuable items. Despite the airlines’ best attempts at returning lost luggage to their rightful owners, plenty of luggage still slips through and remains unspoken for. And where do all those lost valuable items go? Scottsborough, Alabama, of course.

Unclaimedbaggage.com is a gem of a site that offers consumers/flyers a chance to purchase items from luggage that is never claimed. If you fancy taking a road trip or just happens to live nearby, stop by at the store and explore around an even wider selection of items for sale at unimaginable prices. Check out a typical receipt and you will ogle at the deal. For more examples of what treasures they find, click on interesting stuff and you will be amazed.

There you have it folks--like Mercedes, this will also be my last post. As of Thursday, I will no longer be a researcher intern. My last year of college beckons and I must answer the call. "What is best, that best I wish in thee" - Troilus & Cressida, Act ii, Sc.2. Farewell, folks.

Melissa

Posted by Melissa at 06:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I hate vacuuming so let’s start with that. My Fantom vacuum lasted four years and now it barely laps at the dog hair, the handle is busted and the electric cord just disappeared inside the canister casing. So, it’s time to buy a new vacuum and I’m ready for a change. Of course, the yellow and purple Dyson’s caught my eye in the local Bed, Bath and Beyond as I’m a sucker for bright, shiny stuff. But that’s no reason to buy a vacuum—it needs to suck. The more powerful the suction, the better! So, I decided to research vacuum cleaners on Become (blatant plug!) and figure out what to do.

Boy, there are a lot of things to think about. Bagless or replaceable bags? Bagless is more expensive but-- to me-- replacing bags is like the razor and razor blades analogy or cheap printers and exorbitant ink cartridges. Then there’s the upright vs. canister issue. Is one easier to push, clean stairs, or get under furniture? However, on the issue of hepa filters, for this asthma girl, there’s only one choice—a heap of hepa to keep all those nasty little dust particles out of the old respiratory tract.

One of the best articles I found was called Yakko's guide to choosing a vacuum cleaner. This man knows about vacuuming and, while being pretty objective, he seemed to like the Dyson a lot (and not a word about the pretty colors!). Other good sources I found were Consumer Reports for a basic overview (although for details you need to actually subscribe) and Appliance.com.

So, what vacuum am I going to buy? I’ll tell you next week. I’ve got to buy one this week or my house will be buried under dog hair. (Is my dog the only one that sheds year round?). If you have any recommendations, please leave a comment!

Mimi

PS Hello to everyone coming over from the Carnival of Insanities!

Posted by Mimi at 04:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

OK, I’m becoming a big fan of Kayak.com. I found my last two flights after using them and I’m about to make it three. That’s not the only reason why I like them though: I have a soft spot for any company that ridicules Dick Cheney like they do in their ad campaign. (Although in what I suppose is an effort to avoid the wrath of Bill O'Reilly, they make fun of Democrats, too.) Now, they have finally given me the feature that has always been on my wishlist: a price-over-time graph. This is the ultimate feature for helping you gauge when to actually purchase your tickets. I have found that there is a sweet spot for buying the tickets right around 3 weeks ahead of the trip date—not the earlier the better as most people assume. It will be interesting to check see how ticket prices were affected by that thwarted terrorist plot. Maybe they’ll drop because no one wants to fly dehydrated. I’m down for that, though: less getting up for the joker in the window seat who’s got a bladder the size of a stale roasted peanut.

AJ

Posted by AJ at 03:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ho ho ho! 'Tis the season for giving! Well, okay so maybe I am a few months early, but recently I have been finding myself with an abundance of people to give gifts to and a serious deficiency in gift ideas.

Hey, there are always Egglings, perfect for brightening any home or office space. And name me one person who wouldn’t want to do their business in one of these. And as you can see in the picture, my all time favorite--sadly not made for private purchase.

When all else fails, why not give in, and give a gift card or certificate. Sure, some may argue that it is a very impersonal gift, but what better than to give a gift that you know the receiver will love. No returns for me!

Visa offers gift cards that are accepted in millions of places—including retail stores and online merchants. American Express and MasterCard offer similar prepaid cards and certificates. If you are looking to pamper a special lady, the giveBeauty card is a clever and useful idea. After all, how many more socks or ugly sweaters that grandma knitted can a person receive?

Jill

Posted by Jill at 05:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Since my current cell phone contract ends next month, I’ve started to look into replacements for my poor banged up Samsung. I’m currently salivating over the Motorola KRZR and the LG Chocolate phone. The Chocolate phone got very good reviews on CNET, and I’m eagerly awaiting news on how the KRZR performs when it’s released soon. Anyone have any cell suggestions for a gal on the go? (We're experimenting with turning off TypeKey authetication, so there's no need to sign in. Comment away!)

Mercedes

P.S. This is my last post as an official Become employee since I start law school next week. Wish me luck!

Posted by Mercedes at 02:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Last Friday I bounded home and found the shiny new Elle lying in wait for me in the mailbox. Of all the magazines I’m currently subscribed to, Elle is definitely one of the better ones. Its cover and appearance belies interesting articles and respectable product recommendations. Anyways, as I was flipping through it, I spotted the new Marc Jacobs pendant watches. Instantaneous infatuation. It is ridiculously cute with a smidgen of practicality! I’ve been loyal to my favorite Swiss Army watch since 2000, but these are too cute and kitschy to pass up. Besides, they’ll help keep me on schedule. Only thing is, I haven't seen them anywhere--does anyone know where I can get one?

Right after I spotted them, I saw that Susie Bubble (one of my favorite bloggers) had written a post about them.

Sherry

UPDATE: Ha ha. OK, I'm kind of dumb. Nordstrom has it, and therefore we list it. Added to the list of things to check before I post: our own site.

Posted by Sherry at 11:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Remember how when we started this blog, we said we'd point out things that you should avoid? Well, it's a shame that we couldn't have acted sooner on this one, because somebody paid $1,550 (plus $200 shipping) on eBay for what appears to be a sun-bleached mermaid corpse.

This raises all kinds of questions. Can you legally ship this? Where do you display it? How can I un-see these pictures?

I'm scared and confused.

Aram

Posted by Aram at 04:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Priceline always seemed like a good idea, although the Shatner commercials worried me a little. But I never actually used the site to make reservations, because the idea of placing a blind bid without knowing what I should be asking for (the Name-Your-Own-Price model) is a little scary. Whatever price I end up getting, I'm going to wonder if I could have gotten a couple dollars cheaper. But shouldn't it be possible to ask other people what prices they got? Obviously Priceline doesn't want to tell their users about this, but somebody should be organized enough to get this together.

Apparently someone has been organized enough, and they did it a couple years ago but failed to inform me. Bidding for Travel has users post the deals they've gotten from Priceline, as well as some tips for making more informed bids. They don't seem to have a lot of data about airline prices, but the hotel data is pretty recent, and all they ask in return for the savings is that you tell them what deal you got.

Mike

Posted by Mike at 02:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Despite digital media proclamations of the “paperless office” and the death of hard copy, paper purveyers are flourishing.

Sure, you can keep all your data on a PDA, send email on your BlackBerry or write memos on your Treo. But can you paste a wine label from a memorable restaurant meal on these? Can you draw a quick sketch of an amusing scene or a breakthrough idea? Can you fold your Palm Pilot into a real paper airplane and send it sailing across the room?

To all these I say no. And surprisingly, the digerati are with me! In fact, they are recognizing (even celebrating) that there are just some things for which paper is a more elegant or satisfying solution than a laptop, handheld or digital paper.

Getting Things Done by David Allen is the productivity bible for many of today’s techno-savvy workers. And what does this scribe and his fanatical fans recommend for keeping our increasingly complex lives sorted? He suggests a deck of index cards snuggled together with a paper clip. Or a series of colored file folders. How retro, and yet...how modern. And let’s not even mention how many paper stickies are plastered around our monitors--to remind us of all the digital things we need we do.

Of course, there are more elegant solutions than these such as my personal passion for moleskine notebooks or the myriad stylish journals available from paper emporiums like Kate’s Paperie or Levenger. Oh, and there are even homemade notebooks for those abandoning their digital personal managers but who want something a little more classic than a pile of clipped yellow note cards.

Mimi

UPDATE: I got a nice email from Rick Kantor from Getting Things Done who kindly allowed me to reprint it below:

Hello Mimi,

I have the privilege of working with David Allen, and enjoyed very much your post about Paper for many reasons. I spent the earlier years of my career in the paper industry and had the great fun of knowing Kate from Kate's Paperie when she had her first little art supply store at Parsons School of Design in NY. Lovely lady, indeed, with exquisite taste. Suffice it to say my love of paper made me especially appreciate your blog.

Because your column is devoted to products, I would be remiss not to point out one of the most essential, unassuming, inexpensive and necessary paper related items I have, and yes, it does happen to be one that The David Allen Company just produced themselves to fill this need: GTD File Folders. I use mine specifically for travel, when the scraps of paper, reports, travel confirmations and support notes can eat you alive. Not to mention the receipts ! I love paper but unpacking my bag at the end of a trip was like a Jack in the Box of unexpected crumpled bits. Now, a place for everything in my computer bag. So simple. So ordinary. But for me, at least, a life saver.

Thanks for mentioning David's work. I hope we may meet in person, perhaps at one of David's GTD RoadMap seminars in the Fall or WInter.

Kind regards,

Rick

Posted by Mimi at 01:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

A friend of mine was having trouble with her contacts recently. Her reasonably-priced temporary contacts were blurring up after only two days of use--about 12 days earlier than normal. So, she naturally went to her doctor to find out whether it was the contacts, her solution, her habits, her eyes, or her imagination (in which case she'd be redirected to a different kind of doctor). He insisted that it was not the solution, but the lenses--and that she should upgrade to a higher priced brand of contact lenses. Magically, he could offer a free trial pair on the spot.

Well, my friend is very distrusting of doctors these days. Perhaps it's because she works for a pharmaceutical company and sees how part of their marketing strategy is to transform doctors into product pushing foot soldiers... I don't know.

But she didn't take the bait. A few days later, she randomly came across a newspaper article explaining that her brand of solution has been recalled because of a tendency to cause fungus in the lenses (though she’s seen it occupying shelves since then). Forbes ran an article today. One of the effects of this fungus is blindness.

Oops! Thanks a lot, Doc.

I advised her to a) get a new doctor and b) check out Recalls.gov in the future.

AJ

Posted by AJ at 12:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Recently I spoke to a close friend and fellow traveler, and she gave me a heads up on Airtreks--a cool website that lets travelers create customized multi-city/around-the-world itineraries with an unrestricted number of destinations and immediate pricing estimates. After a bit of research, I realized that Airtreks has been around since 1987 (though it was known as High Adventure Travel, Inc. then) and featured in numerous well-known publications and television programs like the Today Show, National Geographic Traveler, The New York Times, and USA Today—never mind that I was the last to know.

The best part about Airtreks is that it isn’t just another airfare search site. Airtreks allows you to create a custom-made excursion with its easy to use TripPlanner tool and then seals the deal by enlisting the help of knowledgeable, reliable, and professional travel consultants to answer all your questions.

Airtreks offers a bunch of other noteworthy services such as travel specials, airfare search specifically for business class, travel blogs, and even a travel gift certificate good for use on any multi-stop international airline from their site.

The next time I plan an around-the-world trip, I know where I’ll be getting my fix.

Jill

Posted by Jill at 04:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (33) | TrackBacks (0)

Looking for the strangest scientific equipment on the planet? Look no further than the Black Hole of Los Alamos, in New Mexico. You know...where they build all the nuclear weapons. You too can buy a piece of history, or just a piece of weird from this crazy thrift store. Want a cryogenic thermos? $50. How about a centrifuge for $100?

Cool stuff.

Daryl Griffin
Sales Manager