VLC Media Player is Free

I removed Dell's MediaDirect player from my Inspiron e1405. But that left me without a media player. So I had to find a new one.

VLC media player is a great free option. It has a ton of features, but it also works well as a basic media player.

After downloading and installing it, I just set it as my AutoPlay default for DVDs. Now DVDs automatically play in VLC on my laptop. Pretty cool.

I haven't figured out how to make the media buttons on my machine to control VLC, but I hope to soon.

Find a Cool Night Vision Scope

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I don't know about you, but I've always been fascinated with night vision scopes. Anything that lets me see in the dark is definitely a cool thing.

The best part about night vision is how affordable scopes and goggles have become. Optics Planet has a cool set of night vision goggles for only $205. If I spent much time outdoors at night, I would definitely consider getting these. They're just too darn neat.

This site also has a full line of regular binoculars, scopes, radar guns, cameras, and other similar equipment. It's definitely a comprehensive site for this kind of technology. And it looks like many of the products have free shipping. That's always a good thing!

Check Out a New Astronomy Gadget

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I've always been a bit fascinated by astronomy, have you? My biggest problem is that I stink at identifying things in the night sky. I'm finally able to see the Big Dipper, but that's about it.

But there's hope for me. Meade now has a gadget called MySky that will identify over 30,000 celestial objects. All you do is point at the object and click a button. That's darn cool!

There are also tons of great telescopes available, if you're more astronomically-adept than myself. I'm just pretty challenged in that respect. Maybe some day I'll be able to study up on my constellations. Surely I can get a few more down. Orion might not be hard to spot. :)

Use Rechargeable Batteries for Your Electronics

If I had a penny for every battery I've used in my short lifetime, I'd be a wealthy man.

Unfortunately, there's no way to get a penny back for all those used batteries. In fact, they're probably in a land-fill somewhere, polluting the ground. I should probably be paying the Earth a penny per day, just to compensate for all my used batteries.

A much better solution is rechargeable batteries. I've been loving for them my digital camera and wireless bluetooth mouse. My wife's digital camera takes four AA batteries, so rechargeables are definitely the way to go there.

To maximize your investment, here's a great article on getting more life out of your batteries.

Now go out and buy some nice batteries. You'll save money and the environment. Does it get any better?

Check Out the Gamma Knife for Brain Tumors

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Have you heard about the newest form of brain tumor treatment? It's called the gamma knife. I've seen it mentioned on TV, but I didn't really understand the benefits, until now.

There's a great site that explains the use and benefits of the Gamma Knife. To my understanding, it's a method of radiating brain tumors, to eliminate them from the brain. It's noninvasive, and the procedure takes place in one session.

The process holds the head stationary and then focuses radiation at the tumor from all angles simultaneously. This helps prevent excess radiation to the rest of the body and puts the radiation where it is needed: the tumor itself.

Distributor for Obsolete Electronics Components

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Are you into electronics? What about repairing older electronics? If so, you'll likely need to get your hands on components and parts for those devices. Luckily for you, there are discontinued electronics distributors that specialize in precisely this field. 4-Star Electronics happens to be one of those distributors.

The concept of 4-Star is really quite simple. They market discontinued and obsolete semiconductors, diodes, military components, and other electronics parts. While this may seem like an odd business model, it actually makes perfect sense.

As I mentioned above, people with electronics often need parts to make older things work. 4-Star is your source for those needs.

Based on their website, they have a pretty extensive line of inventory. The odds are high that if you need a discontinued electronic component, they will have it ready to ship out to you.

With all of the desire in today's world to have the latest and greatest gadget, it's good to know that some companies still try to help out people who use other technology. It's doesn't have to be cutting edge to get the job done.

Be sure to check out 4-Star Electronics for your obsolete electronics components. I'll bet they have what you need.

Save Your Notes Online with Stikkit

Yesterday I talked about Twitter, which is a newly popular web 2.0 service.

Today's topic is Stikkit. While Twitter focuses on communication, Stikkit is all about housing your information. It does this with digital post-it notes called "stikkits."

When you register for a free account, you can post stikkits to your page. Stikkit can recognize things you're typing, adding events to your calendar, to-do list, bookmarks, and contacts on the fly. It does this by "thinking" for you; that is, it recognizes key words and symbols such as knowing that "Bob Smith" is a new contact.

If you're looking for a new way to manage information online, you should give Stikkit a try. It's fun!

Check Out These Verizon Phones

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Are you in the market for a new cell phone or carrier? I know that I am. Actually, I don't have a cell phone right now, so I'm hoping to get one in the near future.

You should check out these Verizon cell phone deals. If you sign up for a new plan with Verizon, you can get a free phone. These aren't any old cheapo phones either; you can get the LG Chocolate or even a RAZR. That's definitely a really sweet deal.

Some of these deals come with a spiffy phone, along with a bluetooth headset. You'll be fully ready for mobile communication, once you get a great Verizon cellular plan, a nice phone, and hands free headset. You can keep up with friends, colleagues, and clients, anywhere you go.

The only caveat here is that Verizon must obviously offer service in your area. Sadly, they don't in my neck of the woods. But that doesn't mean that you'll be out of luck. Just go to the page linked above, enter your zip code next to the phone you want, and you'll immediately see what options you have. Easy, right?

Now, maybe I'll do some phone shopping myself...

More People are Buying Smart Phones These Days

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I think I'm the only person in my law school that doesn't own a cell phone. According to a recent press release, a lot of people are now moving past regular cell phones to smart phones.

That's right, smartphone sales (according to Wirefly) have increased 70% from 2006 to the first quarter of 2007. That's a pretty big jump.

As the article explains, these phones aren't just for nerds these days. In fact, I know several people who I wouldn't consider very tech-savvy, but they've opted for the smart phone route.

One reason might be that this gives people easy access to email, internet, and other rudimentary applications. If you're a light tech user, you might be able to forgo a computer and internet at home. That's not for me, but it might work for some of you.

Standard iPod Earphones Are Missing a Lot

I'm definitely not a fan of the standard white iPod earphones. Perhaps my ears are oddly shaped, but the earbuds hurt when I put them in. They just don't fit nicely at all.

Moreover, I have to crank my iPod up all the way to hear my music when I'm riding on the bus. Talk about damaging hearing.

The only good thing about the standard-issue earphones is that they're small and lightweight. I do commend Apple for that. But I just don't see how anyone can use them for long-term listening.

Get Help Selecting a Cell Phone Plan from Wirefly

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Ever since I first stumbled upon Wirefly, I've been increasingly amazed at the services and deals it offers. You can get great deals on cell phone plans, phones, and accessories. But their service doesn't stop there.

If you want to save money off your current cellular plan, Wirefly can help you out with their plan wizard. It's a really simple concept. First, enter your zip code. Then enter your current carrier, phone number, and typical usage information.

Wirefly will then tell you what other plan or carrier might save you money. Their advertising claims that you can actually save up to 40% off your current phone plan. To me, that's some serious money. It's even bigger money, when you realize that a lot of people are paying $75-100 monthly for their cell phone service.

The concept behind this service really makes sense. It's in your best interest to have a cellular plan tailored to your actual calling needs. Wirefly is using their database of calling plans and a simple computer program to determine if they can do better for you. That's pretty cool.

The difficult part, in my opinion, is that most people's cell phone usage varies over time. Thus, one plan might be great for you this month, but it might be really bad for you two months from now. Since we all know you can't just switch carriers every two months, you really have to stick with a plan for a while.

In the end, I suppose you could see calling trends over a few months and then use Wirefly's plan wizard. This would give you a better view of your needs and hopefully save yourself some money.

I don't know about you, but when it's time for my next cell phone, I'm probably heading to Wirefly. It's at least a great place to research plans and prices.