Product Review - "From The Heart" CD

Not too long ago, I got a message from a friend.  The short form is "We put together a CD, with proceeds going to charity.  Would you mind having a listen?". 

There's quite a bit more to it, though, so, I'll borrow from my initial message, and the website.   Brian, who let me know about this project, was influenced by Steven Cooper, who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA),  He wanted to do something to help:

Our first thought was to put together a benefit gig to raise money and awareness. I know a lot of really talented musicians. Musicians often get together and play fund raising events (Bless them all).

In our case it just didn’t make sense. The artists I know are spread out amongst the state too far and wide to make it happen. We decided to write original music and came up with a mixed genre CD. Instead of asking our talented friends to appear at a benefit gig….we would ask them to donate a solo or performance to the CD.

 As time went on, 14 original tracks were written, and guest musicians contacted.   The result being From The Heart.  This link gives details about all of the musicians who graciously donated their time and talent toward this project.

"100% of the proceeds will be donated to Steven’s Walk and SMA"

 Now, Voger's been a friend of the family since long before I was around.   So, I've already got two good reasons to check out this album.  Further, though, as a amateur player, myself, with several musician friends, I like being able to directly support artists when I can (picking up albums or merch, hitting some concerts, plugging projects, etc).   I ordered my copy, probably within 10 minutes of reading his message.  It showed up in my mailbox faster than I anticipated.

Now comes time for my review.   What did I think about this?   The short answer is "I liked it".   But, I'd much rather give an answer that doesn't fit within the parameters of a Twitter post.    

What I heard though these songs echoed the "Music" page.  I had the privilege of growing up with a father who introduced me to what would now be referred to as "Classic Rock" - Kansas, The Who, Led Zeppelin, and such were part of my formative years - and would be reinforced as I got older.   What I heard through the tracks on From The Heart was an assortment of new songs that touched on the rock, R&B, and a bit of folk/country that still are a staple of my entertainment.   The guest artists gave each track a unique feel to it.  The songs were well written.   I've listened through the album several times. 

The bottom line:   I've enjoyed this album (several times).  Not only is it good music, but the proceeds are going to a good cause.   For the quality, and the cause, I recommend picking up a copy of From The Heart!  


Thanks to the artists who donated their time and talent, and thanks Voger for letting me know about this!

Product Review: Sony Walkman NWZ-E385 16GB MP3 Player

Sony's Walkman line was iconic during the cassette tape era.  In fact, the product name became synonymous with portable cassette players, regardless of manufacturer.   Cassettes are pretty much a thing of the past, today; and the Sony Walkman product line has been present in the portable media market still (though a different manufacturer's media player has become a generic term).

My first experience with the Sony Walkman player was in 2007, as a gift.   I found the tactile interface preferable, for my needs, and the 4GB was adequate at the time.   With time, I would upgrade my device, a couple times.   I stayed within the Sony family.  This had more to do with re-evaluation at each purchase time for features and cost. My most recent model was the NWZ-E465 (16 GB).

The NWZ-E385 was purchased through Best Buy on 5/29/2015, with a sale price of $78.99.   My reason for upgrading was the beginning of a short in the headphones, though no issue when playing through USB.  

My first observation on the recent version of this mp3 player were some subtle changes.   This player now uses a standard miniUSB cable, vs the proprietary Sony cable used by previous models.   This makes replacement a less challenging project, when needed.   I also noticed that the volume and hold switches were now in the face of the device, vs on the side.   These may take some getting used to, though the hold seems to be a bit more awkward than on previous versions.

The "pro" side of the NWZ-E385:

• Compact & lightweight (similar or lighter than previous)
• Tactile interface (very useful for non-visual operation)
• Clear screen for videos or easy reading of screens
• Several options on the "home" screen (FM radio, music, videos, photos)
• Good sound quality on playback
• MiniUSB port 
• Drag 'n' Drop convenience from Windows and Linux

Unfortunately, Sony, I found quite the list of "cons" on this model.   Specifically, in comparison to the NWZ-465 (several years old), I have observed the following:

• Device enters "hold" mode automatically, even when not selected by user
• Device no longer has microphone or voice recording
• Hold button on face is somewhat awkward when not looking at device
• "Bookmarks" feature no longer available
• "Play-through" feature no longer available
• Alphabetic selection now goes through groups vs individual letters (ie N-P vs N, O, P)
• Does not recognize all tag information. Some genuine albums show as "unknown" artist/song/album.

The features I find most disappointing in this model are the removal of the bookmarks and play-through.   Play-through was nice in that it allowed continuous play from one album/artist to the next (if the mode was properly set).  The bookmarks feature had been extremely useful.   On the 465, this allowed for five separate bookmark lists of up to 100 tracks each, permitting on-the-fly playlist creation and editing.   While the E385 allows playlists, these files are not as convenient for on-the-fly use.    Given my normal usage, this makes the device rather inconvenient.


Conclusion:
While Sony has had excellent products in this product line before, it appears that they have taken a drastic step backwards.   Gone are the features that I previously found useful, and at present, the device seems to have been a half-hearted attempt to put something on the market.   I have been in touch with Sony's product support, inquiring if there was a firmware or operating system update which would fix some of the device shortcomings.   Unfortunately, the responses I received were "I don't know", and "there is a Sony file transfer software download".   The latter is merely an alternative to Drag 'n' Drop, which does nothing for the device functionality.  

Is Sony getting out of the portable media player industry?   After seeing the NWZ-E385, my guess would be "yes".   This device is a neutered version of previous models - of which I've owned and given glowing past reviews.  Sony lists a 128GB and 64GB device, but with a $1,200 and $300 price tag, respectively, they are not comparable products.

There is a strong likelihood that this player will be returned within the return period.  While I dislike doing this, I may find a better alternative in either an older Sony player or a different manufacturer's product.

Product Review - Cooler Master Seidon 120V Liquid Cooler

Some time ago, I reviewed the Corsair Hydro Series H60 Liquid Cooler.   This was just one of Corsair's offerings in liquid cooling.  Other manufacturers have released similar self-contained CPU liquid coolers, as well.  

Component manufacturer Cooler Master got into this game in mid-2013 with the Seidon liquid cooler.  Comparable to the Corsair models, there are a couple versions.   Cooler Master has also released a Nepton line.    This will be limited in scope to the Seidon 120V.

I took an interest in this product when it was new, but never moved on it until fairly recently.   25% off during a Tiger Direct  store closing helped make up my mind on it. 

From the package, it claimed to work with (pretty much) every socket processor (CPU) out there.   Since I needed something good to cool down a Xeon, I figured this would be good.   Previously with my other Xeons, I've used H60's, which have  worked straight out of the box.   Well, you know, they say something about "assuming"....


As I had everything ready for my assembly, I found that the Seidon will work with a socket 1366 CPU, but only with the Cooler Master mounting hardware.   This includes a special back plate.   Unfortunately, my Supermicro board has a connected backplate for mounting a cooler.   While some boards have removable backplates, the Supermicro do not.  Removal of this plate will damage the board. 

No worries, though, as my editing machine has an H60, though in an AMD configuration.   Easy enough, with a Phillips head screwdriver, I've switched the Corsair to Intel, and mounted it in the Xeon's case, and it's assembled and ready to go.    On to the editing machine, though, I find that the radiator does not fit properly in one mounting position, the power cords do not reach the headers from another, and a few other headaches.   This starts me on a game of Musical Components for a couple hours over two days.   Eventually, I get it tweaked up and running. 

Observations on the Seidon 120V:
My first observation was that with the backplate screwed down tightly, it still feels "loose".   With slight force, it's got a rotational "wiggle".   At first I thought this may settle down after the thermal compound has had a chance to heat up and whatnot.   Unfortunately, even with that, it's still been wobbly. On the plus side, though, it's only when rotational force is applied, which is not going to be happening while it's running.

My second observation, is that the Seidon is not nearly as quiet as the H60 was (and still is).The machine I am presently using to type this has two H60's, Three Cooler Master 120mm fans, and one 200mm Cooler Master fan.  It runs fairly silent, but for occasional fan spikes and beeps.  Sound decreases when the PC cabinet door is closed, though it's still audible in the room.

Frostytech measured the Seidon 120V at 54.3dBA noise with stock fan/speed.  The temperature, after sitting idle for some time, is, at present, 59°C/ 134°F for an AMD FX 4100.   For comparison the Corsair keeps this unit generally between 26-40°C, depending on load, and had the AMD running at about 30-32°C.   I will follow up on this after checking the thermal compound.




Conclusion:
I wanted to like this product.   I have had several Cooler Master components over the years - cases, power supplies, etc.  I generally trust the brand.   I wasn't as impressed in the end with the Seidon 120V.   It's a good cooler, but it does not seem to live up to the claims on the website:

Seidon

Cooler Master’s compact all-in-one water cooling kit that aims to bring water cooling to the masses. It fits in virtually every case, is compatible with every available Intel and AMD platform, and is as easy to install as a standard heat sink.

•  While it does fit a 1366 board, it would not work with the board I intended to use.  I give it a pass, because it's an unusual board.
• This wasn't the most difficult component to mount, but it got to cycle between several ATX cases - including a Cooler Master - before finally fitting in one.
• "As easy to install as a standard heat sink"is not exactly accurate.   At present it is mounted in an Asus board on an AMD FX 4100 CPU.   Mounting required the board to be removed, Asus bracket removed, backplate fed through, backplate held into place for mounting, and board to be re-installed in case.   This may be a little different on initial assembly vs modification

Ultimately, it seems to be a decent cooler.  While the temperatures and sounds are higher than before, it still falls within tolerance, and the PC operating sound is far from that of a bearing going bad in a fan.   While the fan can be lowered (reducing the sound), it will also increase the operating temperatures. "Decent", however, is just that.  I kept comparing it to the H60; and it kept coming in second place.   Were it not for the No Refund policy during the store-closing event, I may have considered returning this, and grabbing an alternative. 

This doesn't put me off Cooler Master products in any way.   I'm still curious as to the new Nepton coolers' capabilities.   I'm very content with my other CM products.   While I'll probably "get used to"the sound here, I don't see myself replacing it, as yet.  

Mozilla Matchstick: Kickstarter Update on Febrary Release

I have to admit, I was excited  to see the Kickstarter campaign for Mozilla's Matchstick.   Their new streaming device was funded a few months back, with the promise of developer units shipping in November, as well as the first-run production units.  Following this, backers were told that their units should ship in February 2015.   I had hoped to bring a product review on this at some point this month.

Unfortunately, since the early units shipped, communication has been light from Mozilla.  Upon checking my email yesterday, I found a message from Kickstarter "Project Update #16: Matchstick - The Streaming Stick Built On Firefox OS by Matchstick.tv".   My first thought?  "Great, it's February, I should be getting my shipping confirmation soon!"  My hopes were immediately dashed upon opening this email, as the subject inside was "February Update:  Product Delay, Hardware, DRM, Content, and more!"

This is the start of their update:

Hello Matchstick Fans!

We’ll cut to the chase; Matchstick is not going to ship in February. 

It’s been a very busy couple of months and we’ve had to make some hard decisions about how to move forward. We’ve decided to release the product when it is ready, and anticipate that to be in August 2015. Let us explain more.

There is more to it, and I'll touch on what the "delays" hope to accomplish.   To read the rest of this, along with some backer comments, please go here. Some of the user comments may run a little blue. 

There were a few points made in the rest of the message.   They hope to be able to add more content providers to the device.   They have to work in some DRM (Digital Rights Management) in order to appease some of the content providers.  They are looking to release devices with a quad core, vs dual core processor.   They want to update the software to go with the updated hardware.

I was a backer to this project.   This is not my first crowd-funding project for which I have supported.  It won't be my last,.   I understand that delays can happen.  At the point in time when I actually receive my devices, I intend to give a fair and thorough evaluation on the product, itself.   It will now have a new category in the eval: "Worth the wait?"

The thing that stands out the most to me here, though is the timing.   Days to weeks before the items were supposed to ship, they release this notice?  In the afternoon on a Friday?   Bad form, there Mozilla.  During the funding period communication was great.  Unfortunately it died off following completion.   However, the update from CES 2015 indicated no problems. In fact, the product was demonstrated at CES last month with talk of weeks to delivery. 

I find it hard to believe that the inability to deliver on time was truly a last-minute surprise.   This should have been known for some time.   It should also have been communicated with project backers.   Development for newer hardware should have been on the drawing board, but should have waited until an evaluation of the success (or failure) of this project.   It appears that instead of going into production, as promised, production is being delayed, with a tentative release point 6-7 months after initially projected.   If the devices were not in production, this could very easily have been communicated.  Slight delays are understandable


This project had a goal of $100,000.   In the time it was open, it raised over $470,000.    This was, according to early communications, enough to fund the project and add two bonus features that were slated as a later update. Things were all going good until February 6. 


I'm disappointed on several levels here.   I've worked with Mozilla's products for many years, and I expected better from them than what appears to be a last-minute decision to skip Matchstick v1, and use the funds raised for a future Matchstick v2.  This could have been handled so much better.

Product Review:

Limefuel LP200X

The 20,000mAh Dual USB Battery Pack

Random chance worked in my favor recently.   A friend shared a link with me for this particular item.   Not only did he give good testimonials to his experiences with it, but he expressed how the sale price was dramatically lower than what he had paid for his not long beforehand.   This wasn't enough to make me plunge on an impulse item, of course, I had to do a bit more reading and asking a few questions before I placed my order.

One of my concerns is running out of juice when I am away from home/the office.  My commuting doesn't always lend itself to a car charger or wall outlet.  To that end, I have phones, tablets and such that are underutilized, so as to conserve battery.   

There are plenty of battery packs out there, certainly.  I will freely admit that I have not tried many of the ones out there.  I also have not had the full chance to run the Limefuel through a lot of tests.  If need be, down the road, I will revisit this with a supplemental review.  

My criteria in choosing the Limefuel were the features, the capacity, the word-of-mouth, and the price.   This is a device that has a digital display, to inform you of how much power is left to charge your devices.  It has two USB outputs for charging two devices simultaneously.  It charges via a micro-SB cable (included) which has a USB jack.  The 20,000 mAh translates to (in very simple English) "It can give your phone several full charges on its internal battery".  

So, I followed the link given to me, read a bit more, and pulled the trigger on it.   I paid $34.99 (current sale) and got free shipping.  I placed the order on the 23rd, and it arrived on the 27th.   Holidays aside, it could have been here faster.    (this after seeing that shipping could take some time because of popular demand).   

Now for the fun part!  It arrived today in the mail.   AI only had some brief time to open and check it out as I was on a deadline.   As soon as I finished up, I was able to devote my complete and undivided attention to it.   As previously noted, it has two output USB ports with a LED flashlight in the center.   On one side is a microUSB charging port, and directly opposite is a button.  On the top center, there is a screen which will light up over an LCD display that informs the user as to the remaining power of the charger.   Pressing the button once will activate the display.  Pressing it twice quickly will turn on / off the flashlight.  

When it arrived, it had 59% battery power remaining.   I found that it charged failry quickly in the wall socket.   I have since tested it on a Motorola Photon Q phone, a Samsung Galaxy Tab 3, and a Sony Walkman mp3 player.  I do not have any Apple devices to test this on.  However, per the site, several iProducts are listed (iPad, iPhone...)Based on my experiences so far, I will accept their claim despite not being able to personally verify it.

If I were to list initial pros & cons for this guy, here's how I would go:

Pro:

• Cost (especially the sale) was more than competitive vs lower power models
• Battery capacity is more than sufficient for even some of the heavier users
• Two USB ports allows for simultaneous device charging
• USB allows for a variety of devices to connect
• Shipping time (for me) was very fast
• Good charging time on internal battery.

COns:

• Size:  The Limefuel is about 6" long, so it is (understandably) big
• Weight:  This thing's got some weight behind it.   
• Instructions:It's rather intuitive (to me) but came in a brown box with a cord only.   Might be useful to some to get an idea of estimated life, with certain usage

For me, the pros have so far outweighed the cons.  I see advantages on using it on the road, as it offers a more consistent voltage than the DC in a car's cigarette lighter.   This may have a better effect on the longevity of some batteries.   I can see this being good for road trips, golf courses, field trips, off-site work (at a client's, commuting, etc) or on recreational activities, like camping.   The size and weight of it may affect some carrying it For the price though, I found that the you can get about the most bang for the buck with this one.    

'Tis The Season To Be Wary

Holiday Scamming:

This is perhaps the time of the year where the greatest amount of shipping occurs.  Quite possibly it's also when the greatest amount of shopping goes on, too.   Christmas, Hanukkah, and other holidays get celebrated, and gifts are purchased for these.   This is in addition to the online shopping that happens year-round.  Unfortunately, with the convenience of online shopping, comes the predators.  To help you out now, and for the future, I'll be pointing out a few of the common  - and new - tactics, how to identify real from fake, and things you can do to protect yourself from becoming a victim.

Sorry, we missed you:

What it is:  Perhaps the most common bulk message sent out is "We Missed You For Delivery" email.   The alleged sender of this email is often claimed to be UPS, USPS, DHL, FedEx, or some other delivery company.   "Dear customer, we tried to deliver a package to you...." or words to that effect, will be the message they send.    In fact, they often will have company logos in their email to make things look legit.   You're asked to print out a file, listed as "invoice" or such, that comes attached with the message and bring it to your local office to pick up the package that they "could not deliver".  However, opening the attachment will open up an executable file (.exe), which will do naughty things to your nice computer.

How to know it's fake:  There are a few telltale signs that a message like this is bogus

• It contains spelling and grammar errors.   If you notice, these messages will often have incorrect grammar, spelling errors, wrong word choices, etc.  A multi-billion dollar company like FedEx at least has a spell-check for their form letters.
• It is addressed to "Dear Customer" or some such generic salutation.   This is an easy one, as it allows for the criminal to send out an email message to millions of people, so that even a <0.1% rate of opening the bad file will be a significant number.   if a multi-billion dollar firm had to contact you, they would do it by name, but for mass advertising
• There are multiple people in the recipient field.   If you see that a message is addressed to you, and a bunch of other addresses, some which you probably don't know, this is an indication that this is not legitimate.   Multi-billion dollar shipping firms don't mass mail missed delivery messages.   On the same note, why would the same "ticket" be usable by all those individuals?
• The sender information is incorrect.   This may be difficult for some folks to tell,  Sometimes you can hover the mouse above the email, and see the actual address, sometimes it's in the parentheses next to the "name", Anyhow, for this particular type of email, it will often come from either a disposable free email site, or be a forgery.  
• Delivery services will leave a note at your door/mailbox about a missed delivery attempt.  
• Speaking of deliveries, the delivery service is only that.  Your vendor does not provide them with your contact information.   So, if you order a movie from Amazon, and UPS delivers it, UPS is only given the package, not your contact information (except for the address).   
• Information inside is incorrect (such as mentioning Thanksgiving approaching during December).   
• You haven't ordered anything recently

What to do:   Generally, the best practice in these cases is to not open these.  Unless you have a pre-existing relationship with one of the delivery services, these email messages "from" them, will be malicious just about always.   The best thing to do is to report it as spam, and delete it. opening the attachment is exposing your computer to malicious code.   (Apple & Linux fans, you may be statistically less likely to be vulnerable to these, but you're not immune, as recent events have shown.

If you've been a victim:  the best thing to do is to make sure your anti-virus and anti-malware software is up-to-date and running.   This should catch the executable from the start, or nip it.  

There are questionable charges on your account:

 

What it is:  This generally takes the form of an email purporting to be your financial institution.   They claim that there are strange activities on your account recently, or unauthorized charges, and verifying information will prevent your account from being closed, suspended, frozen, etc.   

How to tell it's fake:  The telltales for this being not legitimate are similar to the previous example's:

• Spelling and grammar errors in the message - legitimate companies aren't this sloppy.
• Addressed to "Dear Customer" or similar.   Your true financial institution would address you by name n the event.
• It arrives from a financial institution in which you do not belong.  If you don't have a Citi account, then it seems unlikely that they would contact you about an account.   While identity theft/fraud is a possibility, it is not as likely in these circumstances. 
• The sender field, is incorrect (see above).
• It's addressed to multiple addresses - Logic and privacy would suggest that such confidential matters would be communicated directly, and not in bulk.
• The link provided does not match who they claim to be. For instance a message claiming to be from PayPal, with a link that goes to "paypal.[gibberish].biz/verify" is taking your to a non affiliated site.

 

What it does:  Clicking on the link in these email messages will take you to a site that looks like whatever the email claimed.   In fact, some of these outfits may have [address].com/cit, /hsbc, /discover, /chase, etc and run multiple phishing emails.   This page may be as simple as a login page (username/password), where clicking "submit" will store your information in their server, and forward you to the site you thought you were at (possibly logged in), granting the criminals access to your account.   Other forms ask for much greater amounts of information (account number, security questions, debit number, PIN, etc).   These often get shut down pretty quickly, but the damage can be done pretty fast.   

 

What to do:  Much like the  Missed Delivery email, this one can be deleted.   While your financial institution may communicate with you electronically, they will come from a legitimate company address (not a  free email address), address you by name, and not attempt to have you log in to a service.   Also, it's a very good idea to manually access your financial institution's site, vs following a link.   

 

What if you've been a victim: In this event, it's best to contact your financial institution at once.   It doesn't take long for an account to be emptied, or purchases to be made.   Changing passwords may be helpful, as well.   Further, you can contact your local police, 

 

We have your order:

Today, I saw one of these messages.   This one alleged to come from "Target.com" (the true address was something different, and unrelated):

As Thanksgiving nears we want to advise you that our online shop has an order addressed to you. You may pick it in any store of Target.com closest to you within four days.

Please, open the link for full order information.

Always yours,
Target.com

Because the link had already been disabled, it was impossible to tell whether it was going to attempt to install malicious code over a browser (attempt to trick a victim into a fake login page, or something else.  

How to tell it's fake:  there are some similar and simple methods to IDing a bogus email of this nature:

• It is from a store that you either don't frequent, or from which you don't shop online.
• It is addressed generically (Dear Customer)  A genuine order would have your name, and while maybe not having all the order details, at least an order number
• Addressed to multiple individuals.  Do that many people actually share the same invoice number?
• Speaking of invoice numbers, one will likely be missing from one of these email messages.
• Spelling or grammar issues on the page/email.
• The sender field does not match (see above)
• Logos are wrong (In this particular email, the "Target" logo was square)

What to do:  Much like other examples, your best move is to mark it / report it as spam, and delete it.   This is especially true for a company from which you haven't ordered..  

If you've been a victim:   For this, it's best to contact your financial institution at once, and your local law enforcement for filing a report.  


In conclusion, online shopping can be very a very convenient, safe and time-saving thing.  Billions of orders have gone through  over the past twenty-odd years.   In addition, financial institutions have been working online for years, as well, offering safe and convenient services.   That there are some criminals out there that would profit at your expense does not condemn online shopping/fiance as a whole.   However one should always be wary when something seems "off" (mentioning an order or shipment you're unaware of, or an account you don't own, for instance).  Remember to watch out for the telltale signs, and there's less of a chance of you becoming the victim of one of these scams.

Black Friday 2014 Specials

Happy Thanksgiving!  It's the time of year for turkey, stuffing, football, and an ever-increasing number of sales.  

Since we don't have a traditional storefront, we're a bit more flexible here.   In fact there's absolutely no need to lineup outside - or maybe even get out of your pajamas and slippers.  

How easy is this?  Just reply to this email, call or text, or visit our web page and fill out the contact form, and mention the special(s) you're interested in!

Mystery Prize Drawing:

There's something new this year, too.  Each order will be entered into a drawing for a prize this year.   This contest is open from this posting, until 11:59 PM Central Time on Sunday, 11/30/2014, with the winner being drawn after close.   The winner will be notified on Monday 12/1/2014.  To be eligible for the drawing, one must select, and arrange for at least one of the promotional (or standard) services.   Work does not need to be completed prior to drawing.  

2014 Specials:

Cleaning House: 

We'll go through your computer, cleaning out viruses, and malware, and "clean it up" for you.   In addition, we can remove any unwanted programs you may have in the background.  This can often be done on-site, or as a drop-off.   Turnaround time depends on extent of work needed, but is often same-day or overnight.  

Base cost: $30/computer.

(additional software costs may arise for additional installations)

"Just Like The Ones We Use To Know":

We can transfer your old home videos (VHS) to either DVD or video files on a flash drive or external hard drive.   As time goes on, the VHS tapes begin to deteriorate, and we can help you to preserve your family memories.   Turnaround time on one two-hour tape can take as little as an afternoon, depending on orders.   Rush service is available. 

In addition to VHS, we also do vinyl to CD transfers.  This is a great way to make a CD or MP3 copy of your favorite records for the car, or the gym, or where ever you listen to your music (or stories).  

If you have still photographs, and you would like digital copies made, look no further.   We will scan your old  (or not so old) still photographs into digital format.   We can also transfer documents into .pdf files (used with Adobe Reader).  Digital photos may be returned, with originals, on a CD or DVD (depending on volume); or flash drive or hard drive at the request of customer.

***New this year***  we are offering mailing service as an option.   Please contact us first for estimates.   Your originals, and finished product will be shipped back to you in a timely manner.   

***Soon Arriving***  We've been asked several times if cassette to CD (or mp3) is available.   Good news, everyone!  We're just about at that point.   This should be ready to go in a few days.   I just need to run a few more tests.   

Cost:

VHS to DVD: starting $10 for 2 hour VHS to DVD

Record to CD: starting $10 per LP transfer (includes individual tracks)

Cassette to CD: will start at $10 per cassette transfer (will include individual tracks)

Additional Disc Copies: $2/DVD, $1/CD 

Graphic CD/DVD:  +$5 per disc design (includes first disc), $3 per additional discs.

Still to Digital Pictures:  Varies by volume of pictures.   Estimate will be given before work begins.  

"Letter to Santa":

OK, so maybe this isn't just for your letter to Santa... With this package, we will take your list for Christmas or Holiday cards, Party Invitations, Thank You's, or any other mailing you'd like.   We'll enter, format, and print you mailing labels to send out.   Turnaround time for this service is often same day or overnight.  Rush service is available.

Base cost:  $10 / page, with bulk and repeat rates available

"Fix It Up":

Got an older machine that needs a part?   Let us know.   We have or can get you the right part(s) to fix up your system.   Parts include DDR and DDR2 desktop and laptop memory, sound cards, graphics cards, modems, wireless adapters and internal cards, cords, and more.   Please ask, as inventory changes periodically

Cost: varies

"My New Toy":

Got (or want) a new computer?   We can work with you on building your dream machine - or personalizing your new (or old) machine to suit your preferences.   The initial consultation is free.   Total price will be known after consultation, so there are no surprises in the end.   Factors included in final cost will be computer/components/software cost, installation and configuration, and setup & instruction.