| Mix it up for the holiday so everyone has a choice
Pretty good, I'd bet. The worst-case scenario is you wake up Jan. 2 and still have some wine left. But, really, how bad is that? Save any unopened bottles for another special occasion. Most white wines will last in the fridge for a year or more; most reds can hang on for a few years. Buying a case also means you don't have to worry about having just the right kind of wine to suit everyone's taste. Instead of offering one type of red or white, why not offer two, or three, or four? There's no easier way to boost the spirits of a table than to set out an assortment of wines your guests can mix and match with the food. And the best part: Buying wine by the case saves money. Most liquor stores offer 10 percent off on a 12-bottle case; at some stores, the discount is 15 percent.
Panasonic camera addresses need for AA solution
While most camera buyers are looking for rechargeable lithium ion battery packs there is a niche for the simple AA solution and Panasonic is addressing this with its new point-and-shoot DMC-LS80. We've had a little camera that just ran on AA batteries and it had its uses when we were roughing it with no electricity nearby and no solar solution set up. This entry-level model has a three times optical zoom with 8.1 megapixel resolution and such features as an optical image stabilizer to compensate for those wobbly fingers, intelligent ISO that determines whether or not the subject is moving and adjusts the ISO and setting and shutter speed accordingly, an auto macro feature that makes the switch to macro on its own for those close-up shots and a quick auto focus. Useful features that will make the beginner feel that much more capable behind the camera.
The hottest holiday gadgets
For those too reserved to kick out the jams, digital cameras continue to top electronics gift lists. Chris Odle teaches digital camera classes at Jack's Camera Shop. "The classes fill up and we're offering more all the time," Odle said. "I think interest is heightened. Older adults, especially, feel pressure from kids and grandkids to share pictures online. But they're apprehensive to begin the search. Once I get a camera in their hands, they see how easy it is to successfully capture their vision." Has Odle seen a particularly hot camera this year? "Panasonic cameras," he said. "I can't keep them in stock. We have the mainstays like Canon and Nikon, but right now Panasonic is a great brand." The demand for consumer electronics is increasing and is only likely to grow, Dubravac said.
CES Thoughts: Microsoft's Future, Intel and AMD, Can HD DVD Recover ...
With Surface, Microsoft is still rolling out its contained offering to food services and healthcare , but it will be partnering to move to the consumer market, which apparently is screaming for this thing. IPTV is the furthest along with major inroads into the U.S. and European markets. This all may be followed by Zune, which seems to have some really good marketing all of a sudden. This provides the promise of a packaged iPod killer with a new solid back end. The Xbox 360 is already expected to move into British Telecom homes as a set-top box, and PC OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) are screaming to license. This represents what could be one of the most significant changes the company has ever seen, the products in the CE segment will improve, I just hope the company learns to more effectively use its sense of humor and doesn't lose it.
To Hell With the Chief!
It's true that Midwesterners have a great deal of just plain common sense and Madhoosier is very eloquent as well. Obama fills the bill for me and, as a great-grandmother offers hope and confidence that the next generations will restore the American Dream. Thanks all! .
Photosmart A626 photo printer
The HP Photosmart A626 is a compact photo printer that features a special 4.8-inch touch-screen display and stylus to make printing photos easier than ever. Equipped with a small carrying handle, the attractive, boom box-shaped A626 is designed for you to carry along on trips or special occasions. The A626's interface is intuitive and innovative, but like the larger, more expensive version of this printer—the Photosmart A826 ( )—the A626's print quality suffers from dull-looking dark prints. The A626 uses a tri-color ink system, which includes cyan, magenta, and yellow; this means that blacks are processed, or a combination of those three colors, as opposed to a true black ink. As a result, test prints with the A626 lacked depth and shadow detail; the quality of black-and-white photos was especially inferior.
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