What is the ink life of your printer?
When my wife started grad school two years ago we laid down some cash (from a student loan) for a new MacBook and took advantage of a free printer (after rebate) promo that Apple had at the time.
We are the proud owners of an HP Photosmart C3180 All-In-One. When we first got the printer we got the HP ink cartridges, but once I had to get more ink I quickly switched over to the recycled ink cartridges (prefilled, I got one of those refill kits ONCE… never again! - unless you like black, blue, red and yellow fingers for a week). However about a month or two ago I noticed that the less expensive recycled cartridges were really cheap, so I bought the last three that they had. Guess what. They don’t make the recycled cartridges for my printer anymore. I visited the HP site and now they suggest two other printers as the C3180 is no longer for sale. I like our printer, it has done a fine job and as long as I remember to set the print quality to fast draft everytime, untill the ink gets almost out, I far exceed the 220 pages that HP says you get from the ink cartridge. I know printers and computers are now dispossable (meaning that when you are done with them it is cheaper to throw them away and replace than to get them fixed). But shouldn’t my printer break or stop working before I need to replace it? I did get ink this weekend, once again having to buy the HP brand cartridges at about twice the cost of the recycled ones, I may be frugal when it comes to ink but I am not buying a refill kit ever again.
I have now spent the last week and a half enjoying the new capabilities of living with an iPhone. Initially using ziphone to jailbreak and simunlock the phone so I can use my current provider, on Sunday I upgraded to the new 2.0 software thanks to the Pwnage Tool 2.0 - I am now rocking my world with app store applications like the free WordPress app that I am using to post this.
From TUAW
Audacity, the free and open-source audio editor (also available for Windows and Linux) is in need of some Mac-love. Whilst Mac OS X users can get themselves either the stable v1.2.6 release or a 1.3.3 beta version, development going forward is a little uncertain at the moment. According to the Audacity forum, there are no active developers on the project with Macs, and the latest beta (v1.3.4) is not going to appear on the Mac platform until “someone [with a Mac] volunteers to compile it, and sort the remaining bugs out.” Yikes!If you’re interested in working on the project, then you’ll want to head over to the Audacity ‘Get Involved’ pages for more information on how to get your hands on the code. Even if you’re not a developer, if you’re able to contribute via another means (such as with documentation, testing or donations), I’m sure the Audacity team would welcome you with open arms.
As a weekly user of Audacity on the Mac I would like to encourage anyone with the brain power and time to please help out. Audacity is the best audio editing program that I have used (it blows GarageBand out of the water) - granted I have not used Logic or ProTools but Audacity really does a great job, especially the current Beta release, a few glitches to work around but they are manageable.
FYI.
At midnight on February 17, 2009, all full-power television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting in analog and switch to 100% digital broadcasting. Digital broadcasting promises to provide a clearer picture and more programming options and will free up airwaves for use by emergency responders.
Congress created the TV Converter Box Coupon Program for households wishing to keep using their analog TV sets after February 17, 2009. The Program allows U.S. households to obtain up to two coupons, each worth $40, that can be applied toward the cost of eligible converter boxes.
A TV connected to cable, satellite or other pay TV service does not require a TV converter box from this program.
Consumers have a variety of options. Options to explore include:
1. Keep your existing analog TV and purchase a TV converter box. A converter box plugs into your TV and will keep it working after Feb. 17, 2009, or
2. Connect to cable, satellite or other pay service, or
3. Purchase a television with a digital tuner.
For more information and to request up to two $40 coupons for digital converters please visit www.dtv2009.gov
With all the tools and cables that I carry back and forth to work, church and home every day/week. It is good to have reliable tool storage and when carrying stuff in and out constantly it is important to have things securely closed. Currently I have a small leather case that I keep a couple of screw drivers of various sizes, a flashlight, and a utility knife. For more detailed applications I also carry a small toolbox that has a variety of cables, adapters, screwdriver heads and sockets, a collection of pens and markers and a couple different kinds of tape. Oh yeah, there is also a cable tester, a solder iron, a voltage meter and a couple different sizes of tie straps.