SWAP GIFT CARDS

You've been stuck with a Gift card to a store you'll never EVER shop at. So, what do you? Head on over to CARD AVENUE and make a deal for the gift card you DO want!

JUST IN TIME FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE: WALLET ESSENTIALS

(hat tip boing boing)

With emergency cufflinks, shirt accessories including stainless steel buttons, and even a mirror, making yourself look dapper is only a wallet away.

HACKADAY: HOW TO RECORD ON YOUR IPOD

(hat tip engadget/boingboing)

This may be just the reason I have been waiting for to spring for an iPod. With Podzilla and a few extra steps, you can tweak the iPod to make hi-quality recordings!

That's thinking differently.

APPLE TO PRODUCE SUB $500 MACS

I guess even the most pretentious megalomaniac on the planet can come to his senses and realize that market share means providing goods at the cheapest prices.

CLASS ACTION

California resident Cathy Baker walked into her local CompUSA store to return copies of Windows XP and Norton AntiVirus she'd purchased there. When trying to install the programs, she had of course been confronted by all the obnoxious terms in the Windows and NAV End User License Agreements. Instead of clicking OK, she took them back to the store for a refund, as the EULAs said she was supposed to do if she refused to accept the terms.

At CompUSA, however, Baker was told the store's policy was that it could not give refunds for software once the customer has opened the package. Even though Baker had no way of seeing the EULAs until after she purchased the products, took them home, opened the package and tried to install the software on her computer, she was now told she could not get her money back even when she rejected the terms. (In a somewhat bizarre twist, after she protested enough, one CompUSA employee told her that they had "secret instructions" from Symantec to provide refunds in such circumstances.) So, like many others before her, Baker was confronted with the classic shrinkwrap license conundrum: She could only see the terms by opening the box, and opening the box meant she was stuck with it. But Baker did something most others before her had not - she went and got a lawyer.

The result? A complete change in how software companies, and retail computer companies, do business. Now, they have to provide you with user license agreements BEFORE you buy.

To quote Martha:

That's a good thing!

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

HOW STUFF WORKS: BLOGS

It's been called "open source journalism" for those wearing jammies. Now you can learn why BLOGS are taking on Main Stream Media and winning.

And while you're at it, head on over to TIME for a look at the Things We Learned About Blogs, including BLOGGING CAN GET YOU FIRED, BLOGGING CAN EARN YOU MONEY, and ANYONE CAN DO IT!

TECH TUESDAY: STAY ANONYMOUS

Learn how to surf in secret and the techniques used to track you online.

PDA DOA?

(hat tip hackinthebox)

As innovation and integration push PDAs into the realm of Moore's Law, will the PDA as we know it go the way of the do-do?

HOW TO: BACK UP COMPUTER FILES

Let's join together and keep this New Year's resolution. And remember, back up early and often!

MSN TO STREAM TIMES SQUARE ON NEW YEAR'S ROCKIN' EVE

(hat tip daily rotation)

Dick Clark isn't going to be there, so why not watch it online?

Craigslist costing newspapers millions

(hat tip via c/net news)

Millions in ad revenue is being lost to local newspapers as more people discover Craigslist. Which is a good thing and bad thing. Good because Craigslist rocks. Bad because if they realize that, they'll start charging for the access!

Arthur C. Clarke Reports From Sri Lanka

(hat tip slashdot)
Arthur C. Clarke Reports From Sri Lanka on the Disaster.

SITE OFFERS FREE SOFTWARE W/OUT SPYWARE

(hat tip slashdot)

Support these guys. They're doing the Lord's work!

COOL HOW TO OF THE WEEK: Remote-controlled Digital Picture Frame

A great project for that old laptop you have lying around!

(hat tip slashdot)