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July 6, 2004
Polycom Phone Review
I work from home, often collaborating with colleagues from all around the country. Next to my computer and my chair I would have to say that the best office equipment investment I've made is in a dual phone/polycom conferencing phone. The official name of this product is the "Polycom SoundPoint Pro 2-Line Conferencing Speakerphone with Integrated Headset Amplifier". Unlike most speaker phones features that come with ordinary phones, the Polycom phone's speaker phone is full duplex, meaning that two people on a call can both talk at the same time and hear what each other is saying. Ordinary speaker phones only let one side talk at a time, making the natural free form of conversation difficult.
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October 24, 2003
Swopper Review
I bought a Swopper chair two years ago and I have to say that it works. I love it. My back loves it. My posture has improved dramatically because of it. When I first sat in it at a local design studio in Sacramento, I felt like I was sitting on a cushioned pogo stick that swayed all over the place. It was sort of like being on one of those large green exercise balls, but with a lot more stability. My back had been complaining a lot, mostly due to too much power yoga and sitting in front of a computer 8 hours a day. I didn't know if my back could handle this chair, but if it could I could see the benefits. I'm a chronic squirmer, and this chair would let me squirm away, stretching the lower back and hip muscles to my heart's content. The nice man at the shop let me take one home to test it out and a couple of days later he had my credit card number. Perhaps Swoppers were some come and gone SOMA fad, but if so, I missed it. I had never seen one. Here it is:
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June 28, 2003
Beware - AAA Service or Scam?
"Triple A" - Just saying those words conjures up positive, warm feelings, mostly due to the countless times that AAA tow trucks have come to the rescue and provided a needed jump, or can of gas. I happily pay my $49 yearly fee, feeling secure in the reassurance a Triple A card provides. Why would this company then risk the decades of trust and good will just to make a marginal buck? Here's the story. Last week I came home from a two week trip only to find that my car wouldn't start. Dead battery. Very dead. Car wouldn't make a mutter. Called Triple A and instead of sending out a tow truck, they sent a special truck to provide jumps and also sell you a new battery if you need it. Well, according to the Triple A man, my battery was so dead, it was beyond redemption. He could get it going, but there was no way the car would start again if I cut the engine. He could offer me a great quality battery right there on the spot, and install it for about $112.
This seemed very fishy to me.
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Posted by elise to Shopping | Permalink | Email to a friend
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May 26, 2003
SF Butcher Shop - Fillmore & Haight
My uncle turned me on to a GREAT butcher shop in SF right at the corner of Fillmore and Haight. Dicey neighborhood. The sign on the awning didn't help either - "Lo - Cost Meat". But they get their beef from Harris Ranch and their egss and chicken from Petaluma. They buy direct and are able to pass on the savings to their customers. Harris Ranch flank steaks at $4/lb, and chicken thighs and legs at 79¢/lb. Other good butchers in SF are at Andronico's at 14th and Irving and Tower Market on Portola. But you'll pay twice as much. Also the staff was extremely helpful - offered to carry the 30 lb box of meat we bought out to the car.
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April 29, 2003
iTunes store arrives
Just paid for and downloaded my first album from Apple's new iTunes Store. For years I've been arguing that the main justification one has for copying (illegally) MP3s is that you're pissed that you so often pay 18 dollars or so for an entire album and then only end up liking a couple of songs. All of that overhead into manufacturing and distribution and the artist is lucky if she gets more than 50 cents back from your 18 bucks. So now I get to put my money where my mouth is, and that I am happy to do with this service. The quality is awesome. Also, usually to find new music I go to Amazon.com and play the Real Networks clips with crappy sound quality. The clips on iTunes are high quaility and stream very quickly. Bravo Apple!
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April 23, 2003
good to be Froogle
Google has launched a new product price comparison website - froogle.com.
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April 8, 2003
Target will destroy Macy's
Went shopping last weekend for a microwave. Thought we found a great deal at Macy's - a perfectly fine Samsung which we bought for only $100. One hour later, found the exact same model at Target for $32 (on sale from $65). What is Macy's thinking? How can they expect to survive if their prices are three times that of their competitors?
Target also has perfectly acceptable standard feather down pillows for $10.
Target will destroy Macy's.
Posted by elise to Shopping | Permalink | Email to a friend
