Marcster

What do you want to do with it? Just surf the 'net or something more intense? What's your budget? What screen size are you after? 14.1" or 15.4", a tiny 12.1", or a gigantic 17"?

http://aspoke.com/skins/laptop_skin_skulls_black_A.jpghttp://aspoke.com/skins/laptop_skin_depth_A.jpg More: How about a "Skin" for something: http://www.schtickers.com http://www.decalgirl.com/browse.cfm/2,224.htm http://aspoke.com Etc., etc. -- just do a Google search for "laptop skin" or "psp skin" or whatever you think she needs a skin for. Prices are around $20 - $25 each. Skins for iPods and PSPs are cheaper because the stickers are smaller. I bet no one else will get her one. http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/Marcster2005/Smileypad/Happy/Big-Thumbs-Up.gif

No, the "box" you are describing is the DSL modem in your case. If you pick the "box" up, it'll probably say "DSL modem" on it somewhere... To do what you want, you need a wireless router. I recommend: The Linksys WRT54G: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124010 It's $49.99 with free shipping. If you don't mind fronting the extra $10 to get it back on a rebate, then this WRT54GL router is much better: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124190 After rebate it'll be $4 more than the WRT54G model. The "L" variation has more RAM and ROM and can be modified with 3rd-party software (if you'd ever get into that...) I don't recommend Netgear or D-Link. SMC and Buffalo make good products but setup can be a bear if you aren't an egghead. I'm starting to hear good things about Level One routers, but I have not had any personal experience with them. Here's an example of what I am talking about: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833118004 Hope that helps.

From what I've read on TomTomforums.com, that applies to all TomTom GPS units. For instance: http://www.tomtomforums.com/showthread.php?t=4336 (you don't see anyone pipe in with a "I've got a TomTom 920 so I get free updates for life! Neener-neener-neener!")

OK, this information supersedes anything I've said about the TomTom series: Well, now that I purchased two TomTom One LEs and have really delved into it, it seems that the FREE map updates are not all they are cracked up to be: I was under the impression that TomTom's map updates were free forever (along with Scott as well as many other GDers...) However, now that I've installed TomTom HOME 2 (the software that allows you to update and backup your device), I see that things are not as we assumed. Rather than let you buy a device with out-of-date maps (such as the two year old Garmin c330), TomTom lets you download unlimited map updates for the first 30 days that the device is put into service. While this means that you'll always have the "freshest" maps from the get go, it doesn't mean that you'll have "free maps for life" which is the impression that many GDers and all of the reviews that I read were under. I don't know if this is a recent change in TomTom's thinking, or if they've made it a fuzzy issue on purpose... From the reading that I've done on TomTomforums.com, apparently TomTom makes a great device but the company's customer care can be a little lacking at times. Another crazy thing is that you can only send updates to the rest of the community through the MapShare feature for the first year. This allows "locals" to advise others to road closures, bridge closures, etc. You would think that they would want to allow this type of updates forever, for the good of the community but no... apparently after the first year, your advice is worthless. This may change since MapShare has only been around for about 2 months in my estimation. Apparently a set of Complete Maps of US/Canada are around $70 (charged as GPB) or you can choose from 6 different regions of the US for about $60 each. Alaska and Canada are lumped into a 7th region. As an alternative, there's TomTom doesn't hold a gun to your head to force you to buy new maps. If you happen to live in an area with no new construction, you could conceivably use the same map edition for years. On the plus side, you can purchase maps of most other countries and take your TomTom with you on a international vacation, so there's that. Go to TomTom's new Web site: http://www.livechangingmaps.com and click on the "Latest Map Guarantee". There you will see the policy in black and white. However, I must say that as a Web designer, I am blown away by the Flash work on that spinning globe. WOW! I don't feel that it's bait-and-switch, but I can't believe that at least one review didn't make this more clear. At the very least, they provide you with current maps from the start, which is more than I can say for other GPS companies.

Yeah, all of my stuff from Best Buy arrived today. I was wonderinf why all of my items were packed individually (sent as six different boxes), but I think they might have pre-boxed everything. Then it would simply be a matter of slipping the invoice in, sealing the box, and slapping on an address label.

Yeah, Wegmans carries jelly belly beans loose. http://www.wegmans.com/about/storeLocator/ Other grocery stores that sell bulk food items might also. It wouldn't hurt to check around.

I made the cover of Tom Tom Club's self-titled album my avatar over there. Someone will get it.

I downloaded C3PO here: http://www.tomtomforums.com/showthread.php?t=86 The voices that cost money range in price from $5.95 to $12.95: http://navtones.com The packaging was probably so difficult to open to prevent theft in the store. They should make a version of the packaging for people who buy online. Sheesh! And for those who didn't follow see the other thread on GD, I just joined tomtomforums.com as Genius of Love, (it's a joke, the band Tom Tom Club had a club hit in the 80s called Genius of Love).

UPS dropped off the TomTom LEs this afternoon... I got the my wife's unit out of the plastic package -- no small feat, BTW. http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/Marcster2005/Smileypad/Weather/whew.gif The other one is for my parents for Christmas. I set up home, and my wife's work (I work from home, this is her unit). I used my new TomTom to navigate to the local post office (and back). Strange, but it wanted me to take a different route home. It was very speedy in recalculating the original route in reverse. I even took some wrong turns (down a side road) to see what it would do... It quickly recalculated, no fuss no muss. The only little thing is that it thinks my court is a two way -- it used to be until about 9 years ago. Now it's a one way. I'll have to figure out how to do the Map Update. I downloaded the latest maps and the free English voices, official Dunkin Donuts POI list and the C3PO voice (my wife's favorite Star Wars character). So far so good. http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/Marcster2005/Smileypad/Mil-Positive/worldturns.gif

Some things are easier when demonstrated on video: (it's the same steps as the WikiHow, but in a slightly different order).

http://i16.tinypic.com/6svf405.png Complete directions, with pics: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Shirt-out-of-a-One-Dollar-Bill The directions are for a $1 bill, but you could do $10s, $20s, etc. http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/Marcster2005/Smileypad/Things/INShoppingVDollar02.gif

Although I would consider Acer to be a second-tier computer maker, they did just buy Gateway recently (and picked up eMachines in the process).

Back in the day, when I was a mobile DJ (mid 90's), I was actively looking for that song... I would always look for it at used record stores (since the album and 12" were out of print, I couldn't order it). IT TOOK FOUR YEARS!!! But I finally found the actual record Tom Tom Club for $1.00 at a record store in Reading, PA. It was like finding the Holy Grail, OK, maybe not that important, but close. Nowadays, you can just buy the original and the club mix on iTunes for $.99 each, no searching involved. Have a great day too. http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/Marcster2005/Smileypad/Mil-Hello-Bye/baseballcap.gif

Yeah, get a credit for the $30. The LE is a better unit. The LE is a Best Buy exclusive, by the way... As such, they probably don't sell too many 3rd editions. The LE also has the capability to do multi-stop itineraries (such as: to your friends to pick them up, to dinner, then to a baseball park, then to ice cream, then to drop them off, then home). The 3rd edition can only do one stop at a time, so each of the above stops would have to be typed in separately. For instance, your house to your friends. Then from their driveway type in the trip to dinner. Then when you leave the restaurant, to the ball park. And so on. Talk about annoying... Also the LE has a memory card slot (which the 3rd edition lacks) if you want to add a TON of POI lists (some will fit on the 3rd edition, but you can't put in a 2GB or 4GB card). Another place to learn about the TomTom is www.tomtomforums.com (I just joined as Genius of Love over there -- it's a joke, the band Tom Tom Club had a club hit in the 80s called Genius of Love). You can even get different voices for your TomTom there.

J&R has been around since before the Internet became popular. My first order with them was easily 12 years ago. They're one of those companies that has "just OK" prices unless the item is on sale...

Are these presents wrapped? (does person #2 know what #1 has, for instance?) http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/Marcster2005/Smileypad/Hmmm/ththinking.gif

I ordered 4 Seagate hard drives and 2 TT1 LEs on BF. Due to the apparent limitations of BB's shopping cart, I had to order the hard drives as two seperate orders and the LEs as individual items. Based on the e-mail confirmations, I will be receiving 6 little 2lb boxes tomorrow. I don't know why they couldn't at least put two hard drives per box.

XM Radio has similar units.

Just remember that the previous generations (1st and 2nd gen.) of Nanos don't play video. That may or may not matter to your recipient.

That's my opinion too.

Based on lukewarm reviews like this, I'd avoid it. http://www.gpsmagazine.com/2007/01/ces_2007_coverage_gps_du_jour_-_nextars_q3_and_p7.php Even the people giving the Q3 four and five stars on Amazon have some legitimate complaints and note the poor design of the unit: http://www.amazon.com/review/product/B000GC2DDE/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_summary?%5Fencoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending I am assuming that the Q3 is the model you purchased, but you didn't state it for certain. I would consider Nextar to be a second tier GPS company. Maybe even third tier.

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OK, I know I said I wouldn't buy one, but... I did. I got the 7" widescreen one from Staples on BF. I was talking to my CIL (cousin-in-law) on T-giving about cameras (he's a camera geek) and I was saying that I never get prints made of all the photos I take... Then we were in Staples at about 8 am on BF and the manager was just putting out more frames, so I just picked one up... It's nice, though I'm not totally sold on the 16x9 format since I have to crop photos before loading them onto the memory card (or else the photos don't look right in the frame). The widescreen format will be great for landscapes, I'm sure.

Hanns-G 19" standard-format (non-widescreen) LCD for $119.99 plus $14.17 s/h: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824254009