Before selecting a prepaid cell phone service, you have to do quite a bit of research of course.  Looking at coverage and pricing as compared to your usage are the two most critical things.  I've tried to summarize the basic costs on a page I put together on the topic of prepaid cell phones to help in making those comparisons.  However, the numbers certainly don't tell the entire story. As a consumer myself, I'm always concerned with how happy I'll be with the service. Wil... Read Full Story

My husband, like many American men, loves beef. Not long after we met years ago, I made my first meal for him. It was beef stroganoff. Now, many years later, he still requests this dish periodically. This particular beef stroganoff has a bit more of a tomato flavor than many and is treasured in my home because the meat is consistently tender. I like it because it's preparation is easier and quicker than many others and the meat in particular is very simple to handle as it's cut up only a... Read Full Story

Kids can have a lot of fun with a camera or camcorder.  For the youngest kids, you want to be sure the device is easy to handle. Luckily there are lots of specially designed camcorders and digital cameras for kids. (Polaroid Pixie's and so forth)  For kids that are just a bit older (school age) then an affordable camera with greater photography or videography skills is usually warranted however. The pocket camcorders that have proliferated on the market are one option for those hopi... Read Full Story

I received my first pressure cooker in my early 20's.  It was a handy-me-down from my aunt that had already seen many years of service. It was a 4 quart Mirro-Matic that made quite a clamor when cooking. I was single at the time and I seldom used it, but once I got married I discovered some of it's finer points as I began cooking regularly. This page is dedicated to cooking with a pressure cooker. You'll find handy information about how to use and care for them, press... Read Full Story

A few days ago I mentioned Wal-Mart's entry into the no contract cell phone world. T-Mobile has now begun offering monthly plans that require no committment as well.  Their Even More plans give users voice, text, and data services. Prices vary from $29.99 to $79.99. With the no contract plans, handset costs will go up a bit. However there is an option to spread out this cost as a monthly interest free payment. Prepaid phone have long been attractive for the flexibility they allow wh... Read Full Story

The pressure is definitely on cellular providers to reduce costs and/or contractual committments. The number of no contract cell phone options continues to expand and come down in price for consumers. Tracfone, Boost, Virgin Mobile and so forth continue to expand their offerings and upgrade the phones that they provide. Meanwhile Net 10, MetroPCS, Boost, and Virgin Mobile now offer international text messaging and/or calling to make their services more competitive with the traditional ca... Read Full Story

Jitterbug is probably the number one phone recommended for seniors who aren't too tech savvy or have difficulty with dexterity, vision, and/or hearing with traditional cell phones.  They introduced their new model a few months ago.  The Jitterbug J is a bit slimmer and lighter than previous models.  Users can now opt for voice mail, roadside assistances, and even a 24 hour nurse hotline for a fee. The new model also has a volume control button on the front of the phone and... Read Full Story

I talked about the super small Aiptek Trio HD just a matter of days ago, and today I wanted to mention another new mini camcorder that's entered the market.  JVC introduced it's first of these small devices not long ago; the GC FM1. It seems to be capable of some pretty reasonable video and still images as well. It records 1440x1080p video at 30 fps and can also do 720p, VGA, and QVGA video. It offers only electronic image stabilization and no USB dongle.  It stores what i... Read Full Story

I talked about the super small Aiptek Trio HD just a matter of days ago, and today I wanted to mention another new mini camcorder that's entered the market.  JVC introduced it's first of these small devices not long ago; the GC FM1. It seems to be capable of some pretty reasonable video and still images as well. It records 1440x1080p video at 30 fps and can also do 720p, VGA, and QVGA video. It offers only electronic image stabilization and no USB dongle.  It stores what i... Read Full Story

For anyone who wants to be able to record the location of the photos they take, built-in GPS is a tremendously useful feature. There have been some DSLR models with this capability for a while now, but affordable consumer point and shoot cameras didn't have this option; until now. The Samsung CL65 is the first point and shoot GPS digital camera that I'm aware of on the market. Priced just over $350 online, it gives users a 12.2 megapixel sensor, 5x optical zoom, dual image stabilization,... Read Full Story