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I read through an article on CNET yesterday that got me fired up about something I’ve had on my mind for the last three years - the unfortunate, yet inevitable, demise of Circuit City.

About three summers ago, I worked there part time as a TV/Home Theater salesperson and strange as it might sound, I absolutely loved it. Obviously I enjoyed being around the latest and greatest consumer electronics products, but I also got a lot of satisfaction from sharing what I knew with my customers and helping them pick out something that really rocked.

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I would be remiss if I didn’t blog about this. The reason I have not mentioned it prior to this is because it’s so freaking cool I can’t quite wrap my brain around it. I’ve always loved geocaching. This is where you use a GPS to get a specific location, find a “treasure box,” and then log it on the site. It’s a great way to get kids outside, get a little exercise for yourself, and be part of a really cool online group.

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Paul’s Soapbox is a regular feature of TechConsumer where I sound off on various tech topics/products that I’m interested in (or hate). This is just my $.02, so consider yourself warned. This week’s subjects? Vista, Mario, and Kevin Rose…

For all the Vista users out there, I recently stumbled across an awesome program for the Vista Sidebar. It is called Amnesty Generator, and basically it will take the code for any web widget (think Google Gadgets, ESPN, etc) and turn it into a Vista Sidebar compatible gadget. It is a simple program, but works great; I use it to display the NBA.com live sports scores on my desktop. Check it out. There is also a Mac OS X version, but I have not used it.

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Are you shopping around for a flat screen TV, a GPS navigator, a DVD player, or any other cool tech gadget? There are good deals out there but often even better deals can come up. A product may not be within your budget today but a coming 30% to 50% price reduction could make it a great deal. Products often go on sale, and now there’s a way to be notified right away.

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Being that I’m studying for my bachelor’s degree in information technology security, I often find myself experimenting with certain computer security measures and countermeasures. Currently I’m enrolled in a class that focuses on computer and data forensics. Because of this, I have access to trials of some interesting computer forensics programs such as Access Data: Forensic Tool Kit (FTK) and Technology Pathways ProDiscover. Both of these are used by top computer forensics agencies for recovery and analysis of computer hardware and accessories.

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ITaP (short for Information Technology at Purdue) is offering advice for potential buyers of the iPhone: Wait. According to Frank Wolf, Mac specialist and systems administrator for ITaP:

“The iPhone is still being considered by many to be a revision-one product when thinking about it in an enterprise. I recommend to the people we support that they hold off on getting an iPhone until the next revision is released.”

Here’s more of his reasoning as to why you should wait:

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Does this sound familiar? You have a cellphone and a landline that together cost you more than $100/month but you hardly get calls on the landline. You have it just so you (or your significant other) don’t run up your wireless bill with long calls during peak hours. But your cellphone is definitely your primary phone.

That was me before I started using VoIP (voice over IP) at home about two years ago. It is easy and inexpensive to setup, will work with your existing telephones, and I’m only paying about $8.50/month for service now. Here’s how:

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Paul’s Soapbox is going to be a new regular feature of TechConsumer where I sound off on various tech topics/products that I’m interested in (or hate). This is just my $.02, so consider yourself warned. This week’s subjects? Two of my favorite companies to hate: Apple and Sony.

What the hell is up with Apple and their fetish for making products that don’t have user-replaceable batteries? It was bad enough with the iPod, (even if it isn’t quite the only MP3 player in that category) but then they added the iPhone to the list, and now the MacBook Air (my vote for the worst product name since Microsoft Bob). I really can’t understand how it is acceptable to have to send in your cell phone or laptop every year or two (according to Apple) just to have a battery replaced. Did I mention that they’ll rent an iPhone to you while yours is in the shop?

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