Just last month, I went through a debachle with my internet service provider, AT&T.  When we got their DSL service about a year and a half ago, they sent us a Siemens Speedstream 4100 modem.  It worked "OK" for most of its life, then after about a year and four months, it started acting up.  I wouldn't load any web pages until it was re-booted.  It was slow...

The Speed XL men's electric razor by Philips Norelco is the best electric shaver that I have ever owned.  Previous razors that I have used had one large shaving track, and it would miss a lot of hair on certain spots on my face.  Norelco's razor has three circular shaving tracks that are sure to make more contact with your face.  For someone like me with thick, fast-growi...

It seemed foolish and a waste of money that when I go through a set of AA batteries in one of my electronic devices to just go and throw them out.  These rechargeable batteries from Duracell can be used in any electronic device, from remote controls to portable CD players and radios.  It's great to be able to recharge because some of the devices we use use up battery power so fast...

Facing the problem of high heating bills, I was rather reluctant to use a space heater because of all the horror stories I had heard about them catching fire.  But then, I learned about Eden Pure's Sun Twin portable heater.  It uses infrared heat lamps instead of heating elements.  During operation, the unit only becomes warm to the touch, meaning there is virtually no risk o...

Recently I had been working on a project where I was storing music from old cassette tapes onto my computer, so as that technology becomes more and more obsolete, I will still have all that music.  But, before I could do this, I had to get a cable that would fit the two red and white RCA jacks on the back of the cassette player, and the 3.5mm line-in jack on the back of my computer.  ...

When my HP laptop's battery seemed to no longer hold a charge, it was time to think about replacing it.  I went to Hewlett-Packard's official store, and found this 12 cell notebook replacement battery.  I found that this replacement model was much, much better than my original.  Very lightweight, adding roughly a pound to your laptop's weight.  Its listed run tim...

For a few years now, one of my favorite hobbies has been listening to shortwave radio from around the world.  If you happen to share this interest, the Sangean ATS-909 is one of the best world-band radios that I have owned.  It is very small and compact compared to other shortwave radios on the market.  The reception is excellent considering its size, as many of the other smaller...

I have found that most standard incandescent bulbs which go into lamps or light fixtures produce and dingy, dull, yellow light.  Trying to read or do work in that kind of light can be hard on your eyes.  After seeing an article about full-spectrum lighting, I decided it was something I needed to improve the quality of light in my home.  You can recognize full-spectrum bulbs in st...

It had come time to replace the old thermostat installed in my home.  The old one was full of dust, and highly unaccurate, as it was an old-fashioned non-digital thermostat that used mercury to run.  After installing the new one, I discovered the old one was keeping my house 2 to 3 degrees warmer than I thought it was, which was probably wasting lots of energy and money.  I thoug...

If you have a flourescent light fixture in your home, sooner or later you will find that it will quit working altogether one day.  That means your ballast has burned out and needs replaced.  (Note: If just one bulb has burned out, it is just that bulb, and not the ballast.)  When looking for a replacement at The Home Depot, I found this model made by General Electric.  It wa...

I recently bought this Magnavox flat panel LCD television when I needed to replace a CRT set that had broken.  So, it was my first experience with a high definition-ready television.  Unpackaging and setting it up was a surprisingly easy process.  A small stand came packaged that simply needed bolted on, then it could be placed inside of my entertainment center cabinet.  I w...

When your inkjet cartrige runs out of ink, buying a new one can be rather costly.  An entire new cartrige costs around 30 dollars, while this refill kit will provide me with multiple refills for half the cost.  While refilling a cartrige can be time consuming and quite messy, it is worth the money you will save.  The great thing about these kits is that the exact same type will r...

Since I seem to have a ton of computer related accessories in my office, it can sometimes be hard to find a USB cable long enough that will reach the printer that sits over on the other shelf.  While browsing the computer accessories at RadioShack, I found a really convenient extension cord for USB devices.  It is very sturdy and durable, with a thick wire and good quality connectors....

Apple's iPod Nano with a 4GB storage capacity was a purchase I decided to make after upgrading from a cheaper "off-brand" mp3 player.  Recently, I had been more "on-the-go" and needed a more convenient and cost-effective way to take my music with me.  I think that Apple has created a very straightforward and easy to use interface for the iPod.  All I need ...

Having Norton Internet Security installed on your computer is an essential to keep it working smoothly for years to come and very important to keep your personal information safe.  Recently, I upgraded to Version 2009, Symantec's most recent version of Norton Internet Security.  I find it very convenient because it keeps my system protected without me having to do anything.  ...

Often times, the standard mouse that came packaged with your desktop will wear out and become annoying to use.  This happened to me when the ball and wheels inside my old mouse got hopelessly clogged up with dust and dirt.  When searching for a replacement, I found the Optical IntelliMouse from Microsoft.  For just 25 dollars, I was able to get a more sturdy, durable and easier t...

Drinking water straight from the tap not only tastes unpleasant, but is also bad for your body.  Not to mention, buying bottled water becomes expensive over time.  This Brita faucet-mounted filter is an essential to have in my kitchen.  I found it simple to install, as it only needs threaded onto the end of a faucet.  FIlter cartrige removal and installation is made easy wit...

After years of having a seperate printer and scanner cluttering up my computer area, I decided it was time to look for a decent-priced printer and scanner combo.  The Hewlitt-Packard All-In-One is a compact unit that includes a printer and a scanner and has an added copier feature.  Setup for this printer was very easy.  All you need to do is connect up the power cord, then plug ...

Apple's iTunes has been my favorite place to purchase and listen to my favorite music.  All in this one software package is everything I need to get the full experience out of my music.  All you need to do is download the installer from Apple's website, and follow the on-screen instructions and it will be up and working within minutes.  The highlight of the software is th...

Flash drives are perhaps one of the most convenient computer-related inventions in the past few years.  This flash drive made by SanDisk holds a whopping 8 gigabytes of data - and is still very compact - unlike high-capacity flash drives were a few years in the past.  One thing I really like about this flash drive is that it doesn't have one of those annoying caps that covers and ...