General Topics Related to Life... Each post is intended to be a five minute read or less. I do not claim to be an expert on any subject, just sharing information I have acquired (but yes, I am a Realtor® so most of my posts are Real Estate related). Readers are encouraged to comment, question... participate. :)
All the techies have been waiting patiently for this advice... It was probably #1 on their list!
PROJECT # 10. Connect your home.
When so-called “smart home” systems first came out, they were the stuff of an MTV Cribs episode, costing tens of thousands of dollars to put various home systems on a remote control. But as with all technologies, costs of connecting your home have come down – a lot. For anywhere from $200 to $2,000, you might be able to have your home’s systems wired so that you can:
Control lighting, heating and AC remotely
Have your HVAC systems and window coverings, for example, work in sync
Monitor your home via video and sensors for security and other home crises (e.g., flood, etc.), no matter where you are.
The best part? Even the least expensive of these systems now is able to be run via a smartphone app. Home security providers are increasingly offering these options, and even some home internet/telephone providers have also gotten into the business of affordably connecting your home.
If you’re considering making a modest investment in a home you plan to own for a while, you’re increasingly in the norm. Studies show that over 50% of homeowners are now focusing on smaller home improvement projects that increase their enjoyment of their homes - even if they don't increase its value.
Have you recently done any of these things? I would love to see your before and after pictures if you are willing to share them with me!
Thanks for reading!
Sarah
**Looking for tips on getting your home ready to sell? Call me at 651-964-0289 for a personal consultation!
Sarah
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An initial web search will bring up a whole page of FCC and DTV websites dedicated to telling you the "good news" about DTV but scroll forward a few pages and the the news is not so cheery. This was not a successful conversion for many and definitely not as inexpensive for the end user as it was advertised to be. Why the delay from Feb to June? This was not just a matter of just hooking a little $40 box to a TV in 25% of homes (20M or so...) in the US... It was much bigger and more costly than that!
My opinion: There isn't more hype about the lack of available free TV or the cost/inconvenience to convert because the outlets to express disapproval are limited and many of those "suffering" with the change are not utilizing public outlets (such as the internet - many can't afford the internet in this economy!) to express concerns but calling gov't 800 numbers instead. Those who are using the internet sites are posting to blogs and commentary sites... that you will not find unless you are looking for them...
On a side note: Who has noticed that all convert boxes have a "built-in energy saver"? They automatically shut off after and hour or two of operation... ahhhhh...
Check out the ASUS Eee PC 1000HE 10-Inch Netbook (1.66 GHz Intel Atom N280 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, 10 GB Eee Storage, Bluetooth, XP Home, 9.5 Hour Battery Life). Asus (pronounced ah-SOOS) was a pioneer in the netbook market. Check out the original CNNMoney.com article (prior to upgraded battery life) where they "road tested" 5 notebooks (including HP & Dell) and this one came out on top!
- This is one wonderful, budget-friendly alternative to a Macbook! Key Features * Up to 9.5 hours battery life
* First netbook with the Intel Atom N280 processor (667MHz FSB)
* 10-inch screen & large chiclet keyboard for comfort
* 160GB hard disk drive plus 10 GB Eee online storage
* Built-in 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for easy wireless connectivity
* Multi-touch touchpad for ease of use
Technical Details * XP-Preloaded with 160G large H.D.D. Intel Atom 280 Processor (1.66 GHz, FSB: 667MHz)
* ASUS Super Hybrid Engine and 6 cell high density battery pack allow for longer battery lifespan of up to 9.5 hours. Super Hybrid Engine offers a choice of performance and power consumption modes for easy adjustments according to various needs
* High Speed Connectivity Anywhere with Wi-Fi 802.11n (2.4GHz only). Eee Connect for an easy way to connect two or more users through a remote desktop feature for easy troubleshooting.
* Exclusive 10GB Eee Storage with easy accessibility anywhere online
* Free 1 YR Warranty (6 month for battery, 30 day ZBD Guaranteed) and sleeve
* Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 7.5 x 1.1 inches ; 3.2 pounds
· Wireless Data Network: WLAN: 802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth V2.0
· Memory: 1GB DDR-2 SODIMM (memory size is upgradable to 2GB)
· Hybrid Storage: 160GB HDD + 10GB Eee Online Storage **Eee Storage service is complimentary for the first 18 months. Please register account information for 6 months extension (depends on country)
· Storage Cards: 2-in-1 MMC and SD(SDHC) flash card slot
· Input/Output: 1 x VGA port (D-sub 15-pin for external monitor), 3 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x LAN RJ-45, 2 x audio jacks: headphone & mic-in
· Battery: Up to 9.5 hours*, 8700mAh *Operation lifetime subject to product model, normal usage conditions and configurations.
· Dimensions: 10.47 (W) x 7.53 (D) x 1.12-1.50 (H) inches
· Weight: 3.20 lbs
· Color: Black or Blue
DEEPER DETAILS...
·A brilliant 10-inch LED-backlit widescreen display makes reading documents and viewing multimedia files more comfortable. This latest generation of LED backlit technology allows for ultra-thin, ultra-bright and energy-efficient display allowing outstanding portability and versatility.
·1024 x 600 resolution allows you to view a single page without often needing to scroll left or right.
·The chiclet-style keyboard is 92% the size of generic notebooks—making it more comfortable to type for less fatigue during prolonged use.
·The ASUS Eee PC 1000HE is powered by the Intel Atom N280 processor.
·Built with the world’s smallest transistors, the Atom N280 processor uses only 2.5 watts of power –- less than 1/10 of the power consumption of ordinary desktop processors –- offering a long battery life.
·This small size processor also packs a big punch. The N280 featured in the Eee PC 1000HE has 667MHz front-side-bus providing higher performance than the older N270.
·It also has the Intel Hyper-Threading Technology which includes high performance-per-watt efficiency and increased system responsiveness in multi-tasking environments.
·Eee PC 1000HE is equipped with a 160 GB internal hard disk drive to give you a large amount of data capacity for convenience.
·It also comes with an exclusive 10 GB of file-encrypted Eee Online Storage that allows you to store, share and access documents and multimedia easily on the move.(complimentary for the first 18 months)
·Eee PC 1000HE comes with WiFi 802.11 b/g/n network connectivity for ultimate wireless accessibility and mobility. Also included is Bluetooth V2.0 for flexibility and convenience with your Bluetooth devices.
·Eee PC 1000HE features 3 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x VGA port, 2 x Audio input/output ports, 1 x RJ-45 port, Kensington Lock port.
·A spring-loaded plug-and-play MMC/SDHC/memory stick/MS-Pro flash card slot is also provided to let you easily access your digital photos and videos and expand your system storage.
·Eee PC 1000HE also features a built-in 1.3 megapixel webcam and Digital Array microphones with to allow you have clear video conversations with family and friends.
·Eee PC 1000HE comes with a user-friendly multi-touch touchpad to help you navigate and have an easy and fun experience.
·Its multi-touch interface allows you to scroll and zoom quickly with 2 fingers. It is intuitive to use and is child-friendly.
·The touchpad is in a wide format so you can access contents displayed on the 10-inch widescreen easily.
·The 1000HE Eee PC comes with a built-in quick recovery system that restores your system to its factory settings by just pressing F9 three times during start-up.
·With the quick F9 recovery process, you won't need any Windows CD or driver CD.
·It is recommended that you back up your data with Eee Online Storage prior to using the recovery system.
·The easy recovery system is only available with Windows systems.
·Eee PC 1000HE comes pre-loaded with Microsoft Windows XP Home and Microsoft Works.
·Here are some reasons why Eee PCs are better with Windows:
Trusted: Windows Delivers a dependable experience that Microsoft and a worldwide community of partners stand behind.
Familiar: Windows is easy to use and be familiar with so you can be up and running right away.
Compatible: You can be confident that your devices and applications will work with Windows – more than any other platform. WHAT MORE CAN YOU ASK FOR FOR $400?
