Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Blackberry Goodies: New Yahoo Instant Messenger (Ver 2.0)






My next 2 posts will be for those of you out there who use Blackberries (or as I fondly call them, Crackberries :-)

Blackberry just announced the release of a new version of Yahoo IM for your Blackberry. This new version, Ver 2.0, now lets you read and maintain your IM conversations from within your Messages (Email/SMS etc) Inbox. No need to toggle anymore from your Messages icon to your Yahoo IM icon. Yippee! In addition, the new version now lets you see people's avatars as well.

To download and install it, go to your Blackberry's Internet Browser, find the link to the new Yahoo IM, click on it and follow the steps. Word of warning though, I encountered a problem installing it into mine, a Blackberry model 8707. The applications showed the program was properly downloaded and installed. However, the Yahoo IM icon was nowhere on my screen. Also, after rebooting my device, the following error msg appeared: Uncaught exception: java.lang. Error. After researching thru the net and help grps, it seemed I wasn't the only one to encounter this. It's some Yahoo bug that affects certain newer Blackberry models. The fix is pretty simple though:

Go to Options/Advanced Options/Applications/Modules then scroll down until you see net_rim_yahoomessenger module (v 1.*.*) and delete it. After it deletes, your Blackberry will reboot, and when it comes back on, the error is gone and the icon is there.

To read more about this bug, go to: http://www.blackberrycool.com/2007/10/25/005902/

Monday, October 29, 2007

Sandisk Sansa Take TV













I couldn't have discovered this neat little gadget at a more perfect time. I've been trying to look for a PC cable to connect my laptop to my TV, plus an audio cable as well. All of this so I can watch the videos I have loaded on my laptop on my bigger screen TV instead. So far, I've been having a hard time finding the PC cable.

Then I found this. The Sansa Take TV is like a USB drive where you can transfer your video files to. Then you connect it to its TV cradle (which is connected to your TV via composite video or S-video), and press play on the accompanying remote control. It's as simple as that! The gadget is small and portable (shorter than a pencil). Comes in 2 memory sizes, 4GB (5 hours of video) and 8GB (10 hours). Supports the following video formats: DivX, xVid, and MPEG-4.

Available for pre-order at amazon.com. 4GB $99.99 (ships out Nov 1). 8GB $149.99 (ships out Nov 7). Can't wait til mine arrives!

Friday, October 26, 2007

You're Wearing That?: Understanding Mothers & Daughters in Conversation

I ordered and read this book over a year ago. But the lessons it taught me still linger, so I thought it would be a good first book to recommend here in my blog. It's a great book that made me understand my Mom better, her actions, and how we relate to each other (which seems to get harder to do, as we grow older). I caught myself nodding my head frequently as I read the book, as it would give sample situations between mothers and daughters. They were all so eerily familiar. I loved the book so much, I recommended it to my Mom to read. And she loved it as well. I'd like to think our relationship has become stronger thanks to this book. I've become more patient with my Mom, and I hope she understands me much better now too. I guess it also gave me a sneak peak on what motherhood would be like for me in the future. By the way, it's also a good read for the men in our lives, i.e. our Dads and brothers. Gives them a clue on what's going on between us and our Moms. I got this at amazon.com, $10.17, but it's probably available at local bookstores by now. Check it out.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Staple-less Stapler

Got this for my Mom last month. It's pretty cool. It doesn't use any staples. The way it works is that it cuts a hole thru the sheets of paper and creates a hanging chad that binds the papers together. It works best on a maximum of 5 sheets of paper. Bought it at amazon.com, $6.66. Available in a variety of colors, including silver, blue, and black.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

myGlobe Downloads

I will now shamelessly hock my wares ;-) Globe recently launched its new web portal. It's got a lot more stuff in it, plus now you can download stuff directly to your phone from there. Browse thru lists of ringtones, wallpapers, games, videos and more. Select what you want, click to purchase (charge it to your plan/postpaid bill or your prepaid account), and get a link directly on your phone to retrieve the download. Now easier to find out what stuff's available, as well as find specific items you're looking for. Halloween's coming up - go and check out the Halloween wallpapers and greetings. Enjoy it at myglobe.com.ph.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Temptation Island


If there is any one movie that defines my circle of friends, it would be Temptation Island. Thanks to the Pinoy Box Office channel, this hilarious movie has made a comeback. With its funny lines ("Walang tubig, walang pagkain, di magsayawan nalang tayo."), equally funny scenes (hallucination scenes with a giant fried chicken and a giant ice cream cone), low budget production moments (the ship on fire), and much much more, this is a movie you can watch hundreds of times and still laugh til your tummy hurts. I was dying to get a VCD of the movie, but there were none to be found in any local video store. So I finally resorted to the net, and got myself one, even if it cost probably 3 times more that it would have here. Well worth it, as it is now our gang's prized possession. Order at kabayancentral.com, $14.99. And if you want to get a taste of some of this movie's gems, check out these video links:

Walang tubig, walang pagkain...: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSwhNcGXG_g
What are bitches for...: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUNI9PgC8TU
Oh it's a bright sunny day...:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHPh5DiIFCY
Careful now...: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIyqhwCsi7Q

Enjoy!

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Table Mate




My dining set can sit a group of 6. So i'm always in a bind when I have a bigger group of people over at my flat for dinner. Some people end up eating in the living room, with their plates on their laps. I've been searching for a set of portable, foldable tables for months. But all the ones I saw were bulky. Til I found the Table Mate. They're actually available via home TV shopping (Value Vision). You can find them online on their site too, valuevision.com.ph. Costs Ps1995 each. But if you get 2 (like my friends and I did), you get a 3rd one for free - costs Ps3990 for 2. If you decide to buy one, I suggest you order it over the phone (Tel # 8902345). I tried ordering it online, but the order got screwed up. Apparently they don't process online orders anymore (so why do they have an online store? weird!).

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Plant Sitter Auto Watering Sensor


When I moved to my own flat a year ago, I started buying plants and setting up my own little garden out on my balcony. But because I love to go out of town, my major problem was how to water my plants, especially if I was gone for more than 3 days. The solution came when I found this neat gadget online, the Plant Sitter! It's the perfect thing for people who live on their own or don't have household help around. You stick the pod into the soil and then put the end of the coil into a container of water (I use soda bottles). The pod has a sensor that can tell how much water the plant needs everyday, and it puts it only that much water daily. By the magic of gravity, or something like that ;-) , it siphons the water from the container into the pot via the coil. I swear it works! My healthy plants can vouch for it :-) Available at amazon.com. $12.95 for a set of 3.

Friday, October 19, 2007

Smart Candle



I've wanted to have candles set up during some cozy parties I host at my flat. But the fear of burning my place down or cleaning up messy candle wax kept me from doing so. Until I found Smart Candles on the net. They're battery powered LED lights, placed inside glass holders. They look super real. They even flicker. The glass holders come in various colors. I got them in white (like the photo above). They're available on amazon.com at $39.99 for a set of 4. I saw them sold at True Value some months back. So you might want to check there too.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Foaming Handwash










Sometime last year, for some reason, I started getting obsessed with foaming handwash. There's something about it being light on your hands and the whole mystery about how it transforms from liquid in the bottle to foam in the palm of your hand. These 2 are my latest faves:




  • I love Method for their clean and fresh packaging. Their products range from handwash to laundry detergent. I love the Eucalyptus Mint scent. Got them at drugstore.com for $4.39.



  • Last Jan, while I was on a business trip to the US, a college friend of mine asked me to bring her home some Coconut Lime and Verbena foaming handwash from Bath and Bodyworks. I just loved the smell! I ended up buying 4 bottles for myself too. I'm now on my last bottle. Argh! So I'm going to have to get my next batch via the net at bathandbodyworks.com. Costs $3.00.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Metal Pen - No Ink Pen





The neatest thing ever. Imagine never running out of ink or ever having to replace your pen! This pen is made of stainless steel. The nib of the pen is made of a solid metal alloy that leaves a mark on most types of paper when you write on them. The mark it makes kind of looks like pencil writing. But it can't be smudged nor rubbed out - so it's permanent. A pen to last you a lifetime! Check it out at grand-illusions.com. Costs $29.98.









Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Halloween Costumes - Deluxe Optimus Prime



Every Halloween, I look forward to buying my nephew's costume for the year. The competitive side of me always wants him to have the most kick-ass costume vs all the other kids. So I search the net high and low for the newest and most in demand costumes. A few years ago it was the Batman Begins costume, with matching chest muscle plate and evil pointy ears. This year, it's the Deluxe Optimus Prime costume. Note the "deluxe" classification - for an extra $17 vs the "standard" version, he gets a toy arm weapon and a chest piece. These were so hard to get, perenially out of stock. I resorted to finally getting them on eBay, at a bit of a premium. But from the joy in my nephew's face, it was all worth it (he wore the mask all evening long the day he got it). Can't wait til trick or treating time when he'll have the coolest costume all other kids will be drooling over again. Originally found at costumecraze.com, $ 45.95.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Hippychick



I first encountered the Hippychick when I was visiting my friend in Singapore. She was using it as she carried her little girl around as we shopped along Orchard Rd. What a neat gadget! It really made carrying your tot around so much easier, and took away the strain from your back. I recently ordered one for my sister. Her 2nd son, who we fondly call Baby Buddha, is starting to get heavy, and this will definitely make it easier for her to carry him around. You can find it at hippychick.com and at amazon.com. UK Pounds 34.95.

Fold Flat BBQ



I love going out of town and doing the occasional BBQ if I happen to have yummy burger patties my friend brings home for me from Guam. I used to use a basic tiny BBQ grill I bought in the supermarket. Then I found this ultimate portable grill on the net, the Fold Flat BBQ. The sleek design is enough to make you drool. See how flat it becomes when you fold it, so cool! And it's light to carry as well. I finally ordered one of these, and I'm dying to try it out next time I go up to Baguio. Available at iwantoneofthose.com (a site that has many other cool stuff - more on those in future posts). UK Pounds 19.95.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

C String









Kiss panty lines goodbye! If those nasty panty lines by the waist bother you, even when you're wearing a thong or G-String, here's the solution: The C-String! The first time I saw this on the net, the first thing that came to my mind was, "It looks like a hairband!", and I swear, it does. But as strange as it may look, it seems to really work. Personally, I can't imagine wearing one of these, i.e. I didn't buy it. I'd be too afraid it would fall while I'm walking along the street in my dress. But for those who are avid thong wearers, this may just fit you. Available at cstringdirect.com. Starts at $20.

Salad Spin n Store Bag




I was planning to finally buy a salad spinner for myself the other week. Until I discovered this space saving gem. The Salad Spin n Store bag is like a ziplock bag where you store your greens, manually spin around for a few seconds to drain the water, and you're ready to go! The plastic bag has a reservoir at the bottom where the water from the greens drains to. Best of all, the bags are reusable! So if you have limited space in your cupboard and can't fit a salad spinner, this is a good alternative. You can find them at surlatable.com or also at amazon.com. They cost $3.95 each.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Welcome!

Well I finally did it! After years of shopping on the internet, for me, my family and friends, I've decided to put up a blog where I can share my latest internet "finds" with everyone. Everyone tells me I have a knack for finding things on the net. I figured it's time I share my discoveries. Hope you enjoy!