This is more than your average universal remote. I already told you about all of the great features (custom favorite channel buttons, HIS and HERS favorites, easy-to-use macros, a bright and colorful LCD display, and more - see below), and now I have something new for you. We have just put up a new webpage to generate customer interest in this amazing new remote. You can find everything you need to know about the iconRemote here at www.X10iconRemote.com. Make sure to sign up for the email updates so you don’t miss out when the iconRemote goes on sale. These things are going to fly off the shelves!
Visit the new iconRemote website:
www.X10iconRemote.com
Find out more in the X10 Knowledge Base:
http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/IconRemote
Tell your friends. Why wrestle with a bunch of remotes when this handy little gadget can replace them all and do so much more!
To receive an alert when the iconRemote is released enter your email address below, and I'll keep you updated!
Want to be the FIRST TO KNOW when the iconRemote is released? Sign up today and we will send you a reminder the instant it's available!
It’s never really been my style to brag, but to describe my home entertainment system as “extensive” would be a gross understatement. I’ve got a big, plasma screen television, a six-speaker stereo system, digital cable, a DVD player and a VCR. I’ve even been thinking about picking up one of those new HD DVD Players. The only problem is that every time I add another component to my entertainment system, I have to add another remote to the growing pile on my coffee table.
Right now, I have so many different remote controls scattered across table tops and hidden between couch cushions, that they’re becoming harder and harder to keep track of. When friends come over, and they want to watch a little bit of television, or a movie, they can never seem to figure out which remote turns on the TV and which one operates the DVD player—they’ve been on my back to pick up a universal remote for months now! But I wasn’t sure if there was a single remote control out there that could effectively replace the ones I already have, so I had to make sure to do my homework.
Working at X10 pays off in many ways, but today I was espcially happy to hear about a solution for remote control(s) problem!
It's called the iconRemote! This thing is amazing! It has a brightly-lit, easy to read LCD screen that displays logos from all of my favorite stations, and ten separate, customizable user profiles, including convenient “HIS” and “HERS” buttons. (My wife will approve!)
And set-up is easy too. Unlike the Harmony Remote from Logitech, which must be connected to a computer before you can get started, the iconRemote is ready to go, right out of the box, no additional equipment needed! All I had to do was turn it on, and the On-Screen Wizard guided me through the entire set-up process.
And there are no remote control code books to fumble through either, because the iconRemote has the world’s most extensive code library stored in its internal memory! And in the unlikely event that I need a code that isn’t contained in the iconRemote’s internal memory, it’s not a problem, because this handy little piece of technology is capable of learning commands directly from another remote!
And there’s so much more: The iconRemote features ten programmable buttons (versus the Harmony’s four) while features such as Punchthrough and Quickpower make it easy for me to activate my entire entertainment system with the push of a single button! And it just keeps on getting better! This amazing remote features large, easy to read buttons, while a Smart Macro system allows me to execute complicated tasks with a single command. For example, I can turn on my TV, my DVD Player and my stereo simultaneously, and get my favorite movie started (with surround sound), all with the push of a single button! And the best part is, I can finally get rid of all my other remotes!
So when is this great new toy available? SOON, VERY SOON!
Find out more in the X10 Knowledge Base: http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/IconRemote
To receive an alert when the iconRemote is released enter your email address below, and I'll keep you updated!
Want to be the FIRST TO KNOW when the iconRemote is released? Sign up today and we will send you a reminder the instant it's available!
Earbuds are great when I’m on the go, but when I’m relaxing at home and I’ve got those headphones up like I’m listening close, they pretty much cut me off from the rest of the world. And more often than not, they get in the way. Besides, sometimes I enjoy listening to my music the way it was meant to be listened to, and most of the time, headphones don’t cut it. They just don’t have the kind of power you get from a real pair of speakers. And when you listen to headphones as much as I do, sometimes you just have to get away from them.
So I’m up late one night, just surfing the web, and that’s when I found out about the iParty from X10. You can do tons of cool stuff with this thing. All you have to do is slide your iPod nano or iPod Mini into the iParty, and connect the included receiver to your stereo, and you’re good to go! That’s all there is to it, I swear! Once I had my iParty all set up, I was able to listen to all the music on my iPod over my stereo speakers. So now I get a fuller, richer sound—something I miss out on with headphones. The iPod and the iParty when combined is about the size of a deck of cards, so I can still carry my music around with me. And that’s cool because when I team my iPod up with my iParty, I can use the iPod itself as a wireless remote. So I can change tracks, fine-tune my volume settings, even create and sift through playlists without getting off the couch. But the coolest thing about the iParty, by far, is the fact that it makes listening to my iPod a completely social experience!
A couple of weekends ago, I decided to have a little get together. Being the raging geek that I am, I was kind of excited to show off my iParty. And it worked like a charm. I played DJ the whole night, using my iPod as a remote. And because I was able to walk around and mingle with the crowd, I didn’t miss a thing!
]]>To make matters worse, there are instructions on how to bump locks all over the internet, and apparently, this technique works on 90% of locks. One story I read even said it is so easy to do that a child can learn the technique in only a few minutes.
Pretty scary stuff. So what can you do to protect yourself?
-Start a neighborhood watch program in your neighborhood.
Getting to know your neighbors and letting them know when you will be out of town is a great way to help keep an eye out for suspicious behavior.
-Make sure that the perimeter of your house is well lit.
We have the perfect solution at X10.com. Our Motion-Activated Floodlights are motion activated and weather resistant. And, right now they are at the low price of only $69.99! Click here for more information.
-Get a guard dog.
A barking dog will make that burglar think twice before he tries to get into your home.
My german sheppard makes sure of it!
-Replace your locks with “bump proof” locks.
They are available at many hardware stores starting at $140 for a dead bolt.
-Buy a home security system.
This is a great way to alert yourself and your neighbors in the event of a break-in. We have an extensive line of security systems at X10.com. Our wireless Protector Plus Security System offers complete protection including door and window sensors, siren and flashing light alarms, an infrared motion detector, easy, do-it-yourself installation, and it will even call your cell phone in the event of an emergency. All for only $99.99! Click here for more information on X10 Security Systems.
For more info on lock bumping WikiPedia is a good start: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_bumping
]]>A video sender is essentially a device that can be used to beam a signal from one television to another—and their very existence drives the cable companies mad! Read on to find out why...
When I had my digital cable service activated, the cable company provided me with a single cable box. That’s right, ONE box. There are TWO televisions in my home. You do the math. Doesn’t quite add up, does it? The single box works great with the TV in my living room, but does absolutely nothing for the TV in my bedroom. I was told that if I wanted to use my digital cable with multiple TVs, I would have to pay for another cable box.I wanted to find a way to watch my digital cable on either TV in my home, but the last thing I wanted was to spend money on another bulky piece of equipment that would take up space and spread its wires through my home like some sort of wild, overgrown vine. Fortunately, X10 was able to provide me with the perfect solution to my problem: The new and improved VK82A Video Sender (What can I say? I just happen know a couple of the good folks who work at X10…).
So maybe you’ve heard of a video sender before. If you’re already familiar with them, then get ready for something completely different, because this video sender is new and improved! The first thing I noticed was its compact size. I mean, this thing is small— about the size of computer mouse, so I can hide it anywhere I want to. Not that I need to hide it at all: This video sender doesn’t sacrifice form for function. It sports a sleek and stylish design that looks high-tech and matches well with my entertainment system—that’s something my wife really appreciates. But don’t be fooled by this video sender’s compact size—it’s as powerful as ever! This amazing new video sender even comes with a built-in remote sender which allows me to control the action with my remote control no matter which TV I’m watching! And, the whole set-up is legal, unlike all of those other “black box” scams you’ve probably heard about.
And it doesn’t end with digital cable. If you have more than one TV in your home, but can’t afford to equip them all with expensive electronic equipment such as DVD players, then the VK82A Video Sender is the perfect solution for you. It works with RCA or coaxial cables, making it compatible with most audio/visual devices. In fact, with the right connection, you can even use it with your PC! Watch movies you’ve downloaded to your hard drive right on your TV screen!
So if you’re looking for an effective and affordable way to get a signal from one TV to another, check out the VK82A Video Sender—just don’t tell your cable company about it!
]]>Users of Skype for Mac 2.0 will be able to make video calls to both Mac and PC Skype users. Other options exist for such cross-platform video calling but not from the most popular instant messaging clients.
The last Skype release for Macs, Skype for Mac 1.5, does not support video calling.
Mac users with the free Skype software can view the video call within the Skype window or on the full computer screen. Users can also see how they appear to the person they are calling in a small window on the screen.
Other options from lesser-known providers are also available. SightSpeed offers free software that supports video conferencing between Mac and PC users.
Mac users interested in the latest version of Skype must be running Mac OS X v10.3.9 Panther or newer and have a G4, G5 or Intel processor.
]]>Hover over images to see bigger image |
Let me tell you a bit more about this...
We have created a system that makes connecting with people easier, faster, less expensive...fun!
Only actually being there is better. It's a new and improved way to share conversations, smiles and tears with your loved ones. More a little later...
What do you have to do for this chance?
1. Take a short online survey
2. Receive $300 in X10 gear
3. Help X10 to improve
This chance is only there until September 4th!!!
Here's the link: CLICK HERE
]]>Danny Ferrer, of Lakeland, Fla., pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy and copyright infringement charges after an FBI investigation of his Web site, BuysUSA.com. Ferrer also was ordered to pay more than $4.1 million in restitution to software makers Adobe Systems Inc., Autodesk, and Macromedia Inc.
Ferrer bought numerous airplanes, a fighter-jet simulator, a Lamborghini, a Hummer and other luxury vehicles with his profits. U.S. District Court Judge T.S. Ellis III ordered the items be sold to pay restitution in the case.
"You extended your hand into the pockets of these people," Ellis said before sentencing Ferrer. "If severe penalties were not attached, people would line up from here to Los Angeles to do what you've done."
Ferrer told the judge he started selling the pirated software to pay for a feeding tube for his sick wife, but "there was probably a certain amount of greed."
Prosecutors said they are working with the FBI to investigate the providers of fake software serial numbers on the Internet, which allowed Ferrer to sell the programs.
The software looked legitimate to consumers, but was deeply discounted, said John Wolfe, of Business Software Alliance, an industry group.
Ferrer's Web site began selling software in 2002 and was shut down by the FBI in October 2005, authorities said.
Prosecutors said the illegal sales cost the software companies as much as $20 million, but industry officials say the amount could be higher.
"This is the ultimate case," prosecutor Jay V. Prabhu said in court. "This is a case where someone made a lot of money."
(Source: www.sfgate.com)
]]>They publish this list each year and it reflects the trend as to the websites of the moment, as perceived by the main stream media. There are 7 categories this year: (Check out category 5 !)
- 1 - ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & MEDIA
- 2 - SHOPPING, LIFESTYLES & HOBIES
- 3 - NEWS & INFORMATION
- 4 - STAYING CONNECTED
- 5 - TIME WASTERS
- 6 - TRAVEL & REAL ESTATE
- 7 - WEB SEARCH & SERVICES
Read the whole article with all sites and descriptions here: http://www.time.com/time/2006/50coolest/index.html
]]>Publishers using AdSense for search now have the option to open search results within their own websites. By adding an additional set of search results code to your page, you can display Google search results framed within your own site. This new option will help you blend AdSense for search into your site even further. You'll also have the added advantage of keeping users on your site while still offering them the useful information available through Google search.(Source: Google)
How do I implement Adsense for search results on my own page?]]>Before you can implement AdSense for search results within your own site, be sure to create the page where the search results will be displayed. If your web host or site application does not offer you the ability to create an separate URL for your search results -- for example, if you're using Blogger -- you will not be able to implement your search results within your page.
Once you've created the page where search results will be displayed, follow these steps:
1. Log in to your account at https://www.google.com/adsense.
2. Visit the AdSense Setup tab
3. Choose AdSense for search as the product.
4. During the first step of the guided setup, scroll down to the More options section and click the radio button marked Open results within my own site
5. Enter the URL of the page you've created in which you'd like search results to appear. You must create this page yourself; it will not be created or displayed automatically on the URL you enter. If you're familiar with relative URLs, you're welcome to enter one instead of the full URL.6. Continue to choose any other options for your search box and results.
7. Copy the code generated in the Your search box code box and paste it into the HTML source of the page where you'd like to display the search box.
8. Copy the code generated in the Your search results codebox and paste it into the HTML source of the page on which you'd like to display the search results.
9. Save your webpagesNote: Any AdSense for search settings or options that you've selected, including Competitive Ad Filters and site-flavored search, will continue to work with search results in an IFRAME.
Today I got interviewed by the X10 community director, Michael Mallari.
You can find the original here: http://www.x10community.com/article_meetx10marko_08162006.html
Here"s a text version of it:
Meet Team X10.com!
By Mike Mallari - August 16, 2006
We want to take the opportunity to introduce you to members of the X10.com team! Today, we sat down with Marko Wollschlaeger, one of the Web Producers at X10.com and had the opportunity to ask him a few questions. Marko has been with X10.com since January of this year, working on many projects for the company. His striving to put out a great product has rewarded Marko and his team with many compliments from customers for his designs. Here’s what Marko had to say:
X10C: Tell us about your title and role at X10.com.
Marko: Most people here wear so many hats that it sometimes is hard to remember what my official title is. In fact, that is one of the things I really like about X10: They're not big on titles, but what you bring to the job! This thinking gives talented people a real chance to bloom! To answer your question: My title is Web Producer
X10C: How long have you been a web producer?
Marko: Like many web guys I always loved computers and everything around it. HTML and all the other languages gave me the opportunity to combine the technical with the creative aspect. Then, when you then add ecommerce to it, it really becomes fun! Many think I'm crazy (especially my wife!), but after 10 hours of computer work, I go home and work a bit on...you guessed it...my computer! :) I first started fooling around with HTML in 1997, and since 2000 I have done it professionally.
X10C: Prior to X10.com, what other companies have you designed sites for?
Marko: I worked for myself since 2000, designing many, many pages. A lot of my works were in somewhat of an academic background. For example, I built the Tacoma Public Library Intranet in 2001/2002. But I also have a love for music pages (what is it with web designers and music?), and I got the chance to design the site of my favorite band, Kingdom Come (www.kingdomcome.de). Other than that there are numerous short-term projects from advertising agencies to private websites for my grandfather in law.
X10C: Which sites have you worked on at X10.com?
Marko: You should ask which sites I HAVEN'T worked on! :) While I’ve had my fingers pretty much everywhere, my real babies that I can claim ownership on are:
www.x10sentinel.com, www.x10minitimer.com, www.newtox10.com and www.x10securitysystems.com
X10C: Can you tell me what you’ve learned or taken away from each of these sites? What do you do when you move on to the next project in order to be better than the previous?
Marko: Obviously, one learns all the time, especially in the web production business. A web producer that tells you he knows it all, most likely knows nothing. With every new project we try to apply what we’ve learned before. We put something out, test it, improve it and test it again. In a way that is the beauty of web production, it never gets boring!
X10C: Many people are pleased with your style, in fact, I hear you get many compliments from the forum members. How does this influence how you design your site?
Marko: Well, first of all, I believe in being nice. Sounds simple, but many people have no concept of it. As you know I am German, and I noticed that here in the states being nice is often misinterpreted as being weak. For me it takes much more strength and patience to stay nice even under pressure and it will always win out in the long run. So, I try to do the same in the forums. I am nice, I make an honest attempt to help out, and most important I try to listen! Not everything can be implemented, but on more than one occasion I was able to realize certain wishes of our community. A recent example was a pop-up that I disabled on all my sites after the community made me aware of some of the flaws. I wish I had more time to spend in and with the community.
X10C: You have your own team to assist you, can you tell us more about your team and who they are?
Marko: Firstly, if something goes wrong it was Owen's (my graphical merchandiser) fault! No, seriously it is great fun to work with my team. It can be a challenge sometimes to balance all the different opinions and personalities, but I love it. I believe in open communication and exchange, for it assures the best results. We joke a lot, yet work very hard, which is a great combination. All team members are involved in what's happening, so they understand WHY we're doing what we're doing. Usually, a small taskforce consists of a web producer, a graphical merchandiser and a copywriter.
X10C: What about your copyrighter? How is it working with her?
Marko: Well, she writes copy! :) Seriously, I am not good at writing copy, partially because I am German, partially because I am just more the programmer, marketer and search engine optimizer. I am very happy to have a good copywriter taking care of the copy. It's not easy to find good copywriters. Only good web producer are even rarer!
X10C: What does a graphical merchandiser do to help you out?
Marko: Good question. Owen, what do you do all day? Okay, Owen is responsible for pretty much any image you see on our websites, he also got into HTML lately, helping me out that way, too. And like I said before, I involve all my team members in the whole cycle of things. For example, Owen also helps me with statistics and numbers I need to base decisions.
X10C: What are some of your future goals in working for X10?
Marko: Well, I always want to grow professionally and personally. Fortunately, training and professional growth is very supported by X10's leaders. They believe in making an employee more valuable by training him. I think it's a win/win situation. So, learning and getting better in all aspects of my work is certainly my first goal. Furthermore, I would like to see the community grow and become a one-stop base for all people interested in home automation, security and much more. I would like to ask all members to keep posting their feedbacks, or comments in my blog www.x10community.com/marko .
X10C: What can people expect from Marko down the road?
Marko: An even better X10 experience!
X10C: Anything else you would like our reader’s to know about?
Marko: It's Owen's fault.
]]>Paul Boutin, employee of the start-up Splunk, categorized the log entries by parsing the AOL data to create a typology of AOL Search users. He came up with 7 different types...
The Pornhound. Big surprise, there are millions of searches for mind-bendingly kinky stuff. User No. 927 is already an Internet legend—click here if you're not faint of heart (and not at the office). When I clicked Splunk's "Show Events by Time" button, though, I found that porn searchers vary not only by what they search for, but when they search for it. Some users are on a quest for pornography at all hours, seeking little else from AOL. Another subgroup, including No. 927, search only within reliable time slots. The data doesn't list each user's time zone, but 11 p.m. Eastern and 11 p.m. Pacific appear to be prime time for porn on AOL's servers. My favorite plots show hours of G-rated searches before the user switches gears—what I call the Avenue Q Theory of Internet usage. User No. 190827 goes from "talking parrots jokes" and "poems about a red rose" before midnight to multiple clicks for "sexy dogs and hot girls" a half hour later. An important related discovery: Nobody knows how to spell "bestiality."
The Manhunter. The person who searches for other people. Again, I used Splunk's "Show Events by Time" function to plot name searches by date and time. Surprisingly, I didn't uncover many long-term stalkers. Most of the data showed bursts of searches for a specific name only once, all within an hour or a day, and then never again. Maybe these folks are background-checking job candidates, maybe they're looking up the new cutie at the office, or maybe they just miss old friends. Most of the names in AOL's logs are too ambiguous to pinpoint to a single person in the real world, so don't get too tweaked if you find your own name and hometown in there. I've got it much worse. There are 36 million searches here, but none of them are for me.
The Shopper. The user who hits "treo 700" 37 times in three days. Here, the data didn't confirm my biases. I'd expected to find window shoppers who searched for Porsche Cayman pages every weekend. But AOL's logs reveal that searches for "coupons" are a lot more common. My favorite specimen is the guy who mostly looked up food brands like Dole, Wendy's, Red Lobster, and Turkey Hill, with an occasional break for "asian movie stars." How much more American could America Online get?
The Obsessive. The guy who searches for the same thing over and over and over. Looking at the search words themselves can obfuscate a more general long-term pattern—A, A, A, A, B, A, A, C, A, D, A—that suggests a user who can't let go of one topic, whether it's Judaism, real estate, or Macs. Obsessives are most likely to craft advanced search terms like "craven randy fanfic -wes" and "pfeffern**sse."
The Omnivore. Many users aren't obsessive—they're just online a lot. My taxonomy fails them, because their search terms, while frequent, show little repetition or regularity. Still, I can spot a few subcategories. There are the trivia buffs who searched "imdb" hundreds of times in three months and the nostalgia surfers on the hunt for "pat benatar helter skelter lyrics."
The Newbie. They just figured out how to turn on the computer. User No. 12792510 is one of many who confuses AOL's search box with its browser address window—he keeps seaching for "www.google." Other AOLers type their searches without spaces between the words ("newcaddillacdeville") as if they were 1990s-era AOL keywords.
The Basket Case. In college I had to write a version of the classic ELIZA program, a pretend therapist who only responds to your problems ("I am sad") with more questions ("Why do you say you are sad?"). AOL Search, it seems, serves the same purpose for a lot of users. I stumbled across queries like "i hate my job" and "why am i so ugly." For me, one log entry stands above the rest: "i hurt when i think too much i love roadtrips i hate my weight i fear being alone for the rest of my life." Me too, 3696023. Me too.
]]>