Hewie's Views and Reviews
By Hewie Poplock

Welcome to this issue of Hewie's Views & Reviews. Be sure to visit Hewie's Favorites at http://www.hewie.net/ .

In this issue:

++++ More Mergers
++++ Home Networking and Cheap Routers
++++ Bargain Sites Revisited
++++ Goodbye to the IBM PC
++++ Top Reasons for Broken Cell Phones
++++ New additions to Hewie's Favorites

++++ More Mergers

The computer industry is once again experiencing corporate merges. Symantec, the security company is purchasing Veritas, the backup company once known as Seagate Software. The price is in the billions. Oracle is finally purchasing PeopleSoft after a bitter try for many months. Although not really computers, but close enough because of the technology, it looks like Sprint Wireless and NexTel will be merging. AT & T Wireless recently merged into Cingular Wireless.

++++ Home Networking and Cheap Routers

According to the New York Times, nearly one-quarter of American households have four or more TV sets. I am in that category. I am also seeing many homes having 2 or more computers. The need to network home computers has become commonplace. New computers are cheap and older systems cannot command enough money to sell. Also, most households have 2 or more computer users and usage time is increasing for all users. If you haven't networked your computers and you use broadband to connect to the Internet, you need to make it happen. By using a router, all of the connected computers can access the Internet, even at the same time, and have a hardware firewall in place as well. The routers are now very cheap and even free after MIR (mail-in rebate). I was able to get a 4 wired port router with wireless as well for under $10 after MIR and free shipping from Amazon. Even if you only have 1 computer and connect via broadband (DSL or Cable), I highly recommend that you use a router with a built in firewall.

++++ Bargain Sites Revisited

There are several lists of deals that I have mentioned before, but here are the sites that I check. Not all of the items that they list are computer related. I also have a word of warning. These sites can be hazardous to your wallet.

SlickDeals.net (http://www.slickdeals.net/)
Buy.com - Deal of the Day (http://www.buy.com/retail/clearance/dotd.asp)
TechDeals.net (http://www.techdeals.net/)
GotApex? (http://www.gotapex.com/deals.php)
FreeAfterRebate.info (http://www.savetz.com/rebates/)
DealHunting.com (http://www.dealhunting.com/)
Ben's Bargains (http://www.bensbargains.net/)
Discount Watcher (http://www.discountwatcher.com/Computer)
More Stuff 4 Less Bargain Blog (http://www.morestuff4less.com/)
DealofDay (http://www.dealofday.com/)
Notebook and Laptop Reviews (http://www.notebookreview.com/default.aspx)

++++ Goodbye to the IBM PC

When talking about mergers and sales above, I did not mention another important event. IBM is selling off its PC division. For a long time, there has been IBM PC's and its clones. Now the IBM PC will be gone. IBM is selling it's desktop market to a Chinese company. They cite the fact that the desktop PC has become an appliance, and even available in Wal-Mart.

As some of you know, I was once in the business of selling computers. Our systems typically sold for $2,000 and above. Once you added the printer, surge protector, and some software, a monitor, and other items, you approached $3,000.

We had a livable margin to stay in business. As the prices dropped and the big-box stores opened, it was sometimes cheaper to buy from them than from our wholesalers. As our margins dropped, it was time to get out of that business. Today, I can't imagine how even the biggest companies can make a profit when they sell complete systems including monitors and printers for under $500 and sometimes well under that price. It is no wonder that IBM got out, e-Machines and Gateway merged (maybe you didn't know that), and the Compaq-Hewlett Packard merger developed. We will have to see the fallout after the holiday season. We may see some more brands merging or disappearing.

++++ Top Reasons for Broken Cell Phones

A new survey by Siemens finds that the top reason for broken cell phones is dropping them. They found the second top reason was shoving them in a tight jeans pocket and sitting down.

- Here is the list:
- Dropping the handset
- Placing in pocket in tight jeans and sitting on them
- Used the handset in the rain
- Threw the device on the ground in a rage
- The dog/child got hold of the mobile
- Dropped the cell phone in the toilet
- Dropped the handset into the sea
- Forgot the cell phone on the roof of the car
- Got perspiration on the mobile during workout
- Dropped the handset in the snow


++++ New additions to Hewie's Favorites

RadioLovers.com
http://www.radiolovers.com/
Free old time radio shows online for free: Abbott and Costello, Superman, Groucho Marx, others in mpg format.

SitePal
http://www.oddcast.com/sitepal/
Oddcast's VHost SitePal allows YOU to create speaking animated characters (avatars) for your web site and add your own audio message

Education Online For Computers
http://www.educationonlineforcomputers.com/links/
Free and fee-based online software training

Bob Cerelli's Windows Page
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/index.html
Provides clear, accurate and easy to understand information regarding Windows95/98/ME/2000/XP

CocktailDB
http://www.cocktaildb.com/
Cocktail Database; an encyclopedia for scholars, writers, bartenders, and mixologists

Nostalgia Central
http://www.nostalgiacentral.com/index.htm
Provides a trip from the Swinging Sixties, via the Mirror-balled Seventies, to the Day-Glo Eighties

How-to Protect Your Wireless LAN
http://www.maximumpc.com/how_to/reprint_2004-01-05.html
Protection for wireless lan described in detail

Portrait Illustration Maker
http://illustmaker.abi-station.com/index_en.shtml
Customize your own personal icon, down to the last detail, including specific eye color, hairstyle and skin color

Sir Victors Realm Of Gifs
http://victors_realm.tripod.com/new-index.html
Unique and wonderful gifs for use on your webpages includes backgrounds, buttons, welcomes, and more

10x10
http://www.tenbyten.org/10x10.html
10x10 (ten by ten) is an interactive exploration of the words and pictures that define the time. Updated every hour

Tech Support Guy
http://www.helponthe.net/
Tech Support Guy offers free support to users of Windows XP, 2000, 98

Suggest A Fix PC Support Forums
http://www.suggestafix.com/
Free Tech Support, without the techno babble

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