After vowing never to purchase an Apple product, I broke down and purchased not 1, but 2 Apple iPod Touch systems. Both were acquired through Corner Brook Classifieds for under $100 each and included a pile of accessories.
Seeing how Apple’s popularity wasn’t waning I bit the bullet.
Both iPod Touch devices were 8 GB which I’m told by others who have these devices these devices are “limited” as to what they can do. However with a retail price of $198 and getting both devices for less than $198 with accessories it was a great deal.
I played with one of the Apple iPod Touch devices before giving it to my son to replace his MP3 player. I kept the other and began putting it through its paces and being an Apple neophite, it meant a rather “steep” learning curve for me.
First impressions after downloading and installing iTunes weren’t that great. I found iTunes to be relatively slow and sluggish when moving around the interface. It took some time getting used to moving around the interface and to the different features available. Getting used to the software wasn’t that bad but overall the performance was less than expected.
Upon installing iTunes and plugging in my new-to-me Apple iPod Touch, I was greeted with several screens indicating there were installed Apps and music. I was asked if I wanted to transfer the licenses to my computer and authorize the iPod Touch on this computer. Seeing how I did not purchase those items, I declined this offer and found a place to restore the device to “factory” settings.
This meant downloading and installing the latest Apple OS for the device which took several minutes to complete.
It took several attempts to have my music library synced with the iPod Touch but I think that’s just me being unfamiliar with the iTunes software.
After creating my iTunes account, I downloaded and installed several applications on my Apple iPod Touch that included a variety of social networking and general applications that were free. This was relatively easy once I learned how to navigate around the iTunes software and the App store.
The applications I loaded on my iPod Touch were for FaceBook, Twitter, Yellow Pages, MSN Messenger, Kijiji Classifieds, CBC Radio, TSN Mobile and Daily Planet.
Using the Apps requiring just a tap to operate seem to work best for me. Those that require input and interaction via the touch keyboard are okay, but I don’t like the feel of the touch keyboard even though it is easy to use.
Web Browsing on the iPod Touch was okay but I did find some limitations with the Safari. The lack of Flash support troubled me – anyone care to help?
The verdict is still “out” as to whether I like the Apple iPod Touch. Check back in several weeks after I’ve been exposed to it more for a more indepth review.
The iPhone 4 is now available in Canada and has become such a big hit it is difficult to find one at any retailer.
Even despite problems being experienced with the iPhone’s antenna, Canadian customers lined up for hours before the phone’s Canadian debut in hopes of snagging the hottest smartphone in the Canadian market. Major retailers such as Rogers and Bell quickly sold out of the iPhone at many of its Canadian locations but promised customers that more was on the way.
With prices starting at approximately $170 for the iPhone 4 in Canada (based on a 3-year term), many retailers expect the device to surpass any other smartphone in sales.
Customers in Canada who have purchased the iPhone 4 are more than satisfied with the device.
It seems that Humber Motors Ford in Corner Brook doesn’t want my business. According to their sales representative and their sales manager they had too many “issues” with me in the past and “Humber Motors Ford would prefer you purchase your Ford product elsewhere.”
I ran into issues with my 2008 Ford Ranger. I complained and blogged about Humber Motors Ford’s customer service. I had actually vowed never to buy a North American auto again but decided to give both Humber Motors Ford and Ford Canada an opportunity to live up to their billing as being “service leaders” and a manufacturer of “quality vehicles”. Maybe the problems with both product and service I experienced at Humber Motors Ford in Corner Brook were the “exception”, not the rule. [click to continue…]
I have never hidden my dislike for banks. However, now banks have a bit of competition for companies that I truly dislike – Newfoundland Auto Insurance Companies.
I’m at a loss why Newfoundland Auto Insurance rates suck. I always knew that dealing with insurances companies was not a pleasurable experience but it was a legal necessity to carry auto insurance. Yet, it is beyond me how Newfoundland auto insurance companies determine the rates they charge.
After being a customer with The Cooperators for over 20 years (both auto insurance and home insurance), my wife and I had the unfortunate luck of having to make a claim. It sucks when you are determined to be at fault in an accident but that’s why you carry auto insurance in the unlikely event that you do have an accident.
Imagine my surprise in receiving a letter from my insurance company indicating they would no longer honour the renewal of my auto insurance policy because we were deemed to be “high risk” clients. They did however, offer to provide me with an alternate auto insurance for “high risk” people.
My Newfoundland Auto Insurance policy had been in place for well over 20 years and I assumed that this was a mistake. After speaking with my agent I was told this was not a mistake and that my Newfoundland auto insurance policy was not being renewed because of recent claims made. The alternate product they had mentioned in their letter would mean my auto insurance would more than double.
As if it wasn’t bad enough to have a driver under the age of 20 (my son) insured on my policy that caused my auto insurance policy to be over $2500 a year. Now I was looking at an auto insurance policy that was going to cost me over $5000 a year!
Calling other Newfoundland insurance companies did little to lessen the shock. Most companies would now treat us as “new policy holders” with accidents and our rates were going to be “high” according to the reps spoken to.
After searching online for ways to lower my insurance costs I stumbled upon TD Insurance. Within a few minutes I had completed my online profile and received my insurance quotes back. To my surprise, TD Insurance rates were about the same as what I was paying with The Cooperators.
How could this be? How could one insurance company relatively new to the insurance market beat the prices that I was receiving here in Newfoundland with a company that I had such a long history with?
I called the toll free number (1 888 791 5346) and was connected with a representative named Laura. I was amazed at the quality of service that I had received, and with how quickly she knew answers. Not only did she assist me in saving more money but gave me more advice than any other insurance company did here in Newfoundland.
The service and the price that I had received was absolutely amazing that I immediately started the process to switch my insurance company’s for both my home and auto.
Right now I have more liability insurance and more things are covered than I ever did with The Cooperators. I’ve been treated better as a new customer than I have ever been before.
The Newfoundland auto insurance companies could learn a thing or two about offering competitive rates and service.
It looks as if there will be an overhaul of the Canada Pension Plan but exactly what this means is yet to be determined.
In recent days the Canada Pension Plan payments and contributions were up for discussion as Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and his provincial counterparts worked out an agreement in principal. According to Flaherty, this would see “…modest phased-in and fully funded enhancements to defined benefits under the Canada Pension Plan”, but exactly what that meant was not disclosed. [click to continue…]
“Shut up and eat it” – it’s a standing joke around my house about some of the meals prepared by my wife. “Shut up and eat it” has some of its roots in a few really “interesting” meals that have been served at our house in the 20 plus years we’ve been together.
The kids get a kick out of mystery meat and we all laugh at her inability to cook rice. I even went as far as buying her a cook book on a variety of rice recipes as a gag gift one Christmas.
“Shut up and eat it” has been fun and our family has tolerated the many fun meals we get to try including things such as turnip fries and the latest Meatloaf Pizza. Yes, you read it right – meatloaf pizza.
Meatloaf pizza is as it sounds, a crust made with meatloaf, topped with pizza toppings. There’s no way to describe it other than “interesting” to say the least. I joked to my wife telling her she finally succeeded in ruining two of our favorite meals – meatloaf and pizza!
It wasn’t all that bad and definitely ranks above the rice that she cooks at times. I appreciate the fact that she experiments with things and makes life interesting. It also means I don’t have to cook and for that I’m grateful. Like me, she works hard and having the courage deal with me, the kids and prepare meals after a long day is a challenge at times.
What made me blog about meatloaf pizza was the successful marketing material from which my wife obtained the recipe. One of the local supermarkets was passing out booklets of recipes outlining a variety of healthy meals filled with ingredients available at their store. The pictures were very colorful and the meals presented looked delicious. Of course anyone shopping and browsing through the book would be more likely to see something interesting and buy the ingredients as an impulse purchase.
This is an effective marketing and sales technique that obviously works. I just hope there are not many other unique recipes in the book otherwise the next few meals have major potential of being “Shut up and eat it meals” – just kidding!
What’s the worst meals that you have ever experienced? Drop me a note or a leave a comment.
I dropped sites such as ShoeMoney.com, JohnChow.com and ProBlogger.net from the sites that I regularly read because these sites were simply recycling content I could easily find elsewhere. Plus I was sick of these individuals promoting how they made money to suck readers into subscribing to their lists, buying their products/services or being referred to a “friend” of theirs who happened to have a product/service to help me make more money online.
Today, I revisited JohnChow.com for the first time in over four months. It was the same crap, just a different day.
Nothing had changed in four months and if anything, it had gotten worst. Here was John Chow promoting his “friends” and their “ebooks” that would help me make money online and as always, the titles of his posts were enough to suck in any novice blogger.
How could anyone not want to get a free ebook telling you step-by-step how to be a six-figure blogger?
There is no denying the success of these bloggers at making money. However, people have to realize and understand the strategy they employ.
They create pseudo-helpful ebooks, products and services. They write catchy blog posts promising to show you step-by-step how to make the same money they have . They capture your email address in the process of giving you this “free” information. They hammer away at your email address with every known product/service they are affiliated with.
The problem is most of this information is available for free on other less popular blogs and you won’t have to give up your email address to get it.
There is no easy way to make money online. It is hard work.
There is however, proven techniques that will make you money online. John Chow and these other bloggers have perfected this technique.
Many of John Chow’s readers are aware of what’s taking place at JohnChow.com. Just look at some of the comments:
If I knew it was worthwhile, I’d give the guy my email address, but another list coming to me every day to BUY BUY BUY for no real value to me is kind of annoying.
It was kinda inevitable, wasn’t it? The much touted Internet marketing recipe is for a free ebook to be given away in exchange for an email sign-up. Building the email list is key here to having an audience for future offers
…why do you always recommend other bloggers’s service or products?
Downloaded and went through the Ebook on your recommendation john(via twitter). Most of the stuff shared is recycled content and loads of affiliate links in report (i don’t mind a few but they are too many).
Even though people realize what is happening, they continue to flock to these professional bloggers like sheep. It amazes me how writing about your success can make you both famous and more successful.
Remember the next time you visit one of the sites run by these bloggers – you are a piece of their formula to make money. If it says it’s free, there’s a catch and you will have to pay somewhere in the future, whether it be with your time, your email address or credit card.
But as John says in response to one of the comments left on his site “You know, you can always unsub from the email list at any time afterward.”
After a chance encounter with Paul Chernish, the driving force behind JobUna.com has brought Web 2.0 to the job search market.
After spending a lifetime in the recruiting world, Paul Chernish used his experience to develop JobUna and launch a site that has great potential for bringing the job seeker and potential employers together.
What is Jobuna?
Jobuna can be classed as a social networking site linking temporary and contract workers with temp agencies. Launched in Beta, Jobuna brings a fresh new perspective to the staffing and employment niche. Jobuna is a free service striving to bring both job seekers and employers together in a more social environment. [click to continue…]
I’ve made it a point to watch the Corner Brook real estate market the last several years. I’m not looking at investing in any real estate in the Corner Brook area, my interest is purely recreational.
The Corner Brook real estate market is definitely an anomaly in my opinion. I look in amazement at properties listing for as high as $800,000 and and average asking price in the mid $300,000 range.
There is nothing happening in the local area driving the Corner Brook real estate prices to where they are. Are the real estate agents in the Corner Brook area serious about these asking prices? [click to continue…]
The iPhone 4 is now available in Canada and has become such a big hit it is difficult to find one at any retailer.
“Shut up and eat it” – it’s a standing joke around my house about some of the meals prepared by my wife. “Shut up and eat it” has some of its roots in a few really “interesting” meals that have been served at our house in the 20 plus years we’ve been together.