Office1000 Blog November Archive

Shopping for Christmas

By Blog Stories at 11/23/2007 12:52

Time really does fly. I feel like the start of 2007 was just few days ago, but look at it now--we are nearing December! It's almost time to change our calendars. The holiday season is coming fast. It is this time when people start flocking to department stores or browsing the World Wide Web to find some wonderful gifts for the people around them and the people that are dear to them. Need some help with your shopping? Here are some pointers to remember that I made when you go shopping (I hope they could be of any help to you):

• Always shop before everybody else does. Prices are relatively low when shoppers are still not pouring in. Like what they say, the early bird gets the worm. In the same way, the early shopper gets the best bargains.
  
  
• Always think of your budget. Never go beyond what you can afford just to impress somebody. Do not be a fool.
  
  
• It would be nicer if gifts that you give are somewhat unique--that is, the one who will receive your gift will appreciate it more if you put your own touch to it.
  
  
• Research, research, research! It never kills to know what items will be most beneficial to your recipient and what he/she will love.
  
  
• Give something useful, like home appliances (if you can afford them), and small furnitures (e.g. desk lamps or tea tables.
  
  
• Give only what your conscience can allow. Make sure that what will come from you was sincerely your decision.
  
  
• Never ever irritate or pressure yourself with Christmas shopping. The essence of Christmas is not gift-giving, anyway. Do not burden your life with these things.

There you are! Just remember: enjoy shopping and enjoy giving gifts. It's nice when you give something to somebody, isn't it? Though it's also cool to receive gifts, too.

VoIP Phones Here at Office1000

VoIP, or Voice over the Internet Protocol, is an emerging technology that allows you to send voice signals through an Internet-connected computer--sometimes for free, sometimes for a price. It does so by converting your voice into a digital signal that is carried on along the Internet. Depending on your call's destination, the digital signal is converted again into analog signal if you are calling a telephone, or still remain as a digital signal if what you're calling is another VoIP-enabled computer.

There are a number of ways to call via VoIP. You may use your Internet-connected computer (In this case you have to install a special software to facilitate your calls) or you may also attach a VoIP adapter to an ordinary telephone. However, you may also choose to buy a specialized VoIP phone that plugs in directly to your broadband connection and does not need a VoIP adapter anymore.

Here at Office1000, we also sell specialized VoIP phones. Two of them, which I will feature here, are TVP102 VOIP Phone and Multi Link TeleVoIP Phone--both created by Multi-Link.

TVP102 VOIP Phone is a Skype-certified and portable VOIP phone that connects directly connects to your computer's soundcard, so there's no need for special software or drivers. Because of its handy and travel-friendly design, this phone is intended for notebook computers. It is also compatible with Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Linux systems.

Similar to TVP102, The Skype-certified TeleVOIP Phone also directly plugs in to your soundcard, so there's also no need for drivers, as well as a USB port. In contrast, though, this unit is designed for residential and commercial uses. It also has additional perks such as a telephone-like ring and a PC mounting bracket.

Check out Office1000's website for more details about this and other VoIP phones.

Wha'ts Your Music?

When it comes to music, my brother and I are very VERY different.

My brother, just like the usually-portrayed teenager, likes to listen to loud, annoying, rock music. It's not just rock (I can still tolerate light to moderate rock), but hard metal. He also likes rap. Talk about Linkin Park and Eminem. I dunno, I just can't stand those kinds of music. I find them to be hurtful to my ears.

Unlike him, I prefer old music--the classics. I enjoy the company of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata and Mozart's Requiem--even though they are quite, well, dark. They're soft, and they are soothing. Perfect for times of recollection. That is also probably why I like listening to musical plays. Probably, one of my all-time favorites is the Phantom of the Opera. You might not agree with me, but I find the latest film adaptation of the Phantom to be excellent. All I Ask of You. Ah sweet.

However, I listen to a lot pf pop stuff, too.

Interestingly, my brother and I also have different choices over which device will our music come from. My brother, for his part, prefers to listen to his iPod. I guess he prefers so because there is some sense of control over the kind of music you will hear (his iPod, as you might have guessed, is full of rock music). Hmm. Does this suggest that he likes to take control and that he has a tendency to become a tyrant? I cannot say.

I, however, would choose to have my daily dose of music come from ye olde device--the radio. Perhaps, you are curious why? It's because of the DJs hosting the radio programs. Sure, I also listen to the iPod, but it can never beat the human interaction occurring between the DJ and his/her listeners. You can share stories, exchange opinions (however bad these opinions may be), and laugh at jokes. There's a feeling of being in the same place with the one at the end of the line. You cannot have that with the iPod. How about a Podcast? I think it isn't enough. Podcasts are not spontaneous unlike DJs speaking. For me, the radio is still better.

But, I admit, people are different. We are free to make choices. That's the essence of democracy and capitalism.

Some Things You Should NEVER Forget When Building a Home Office

Someday, I'll be having my home office--a complete one. Today, however, I still can't have one due to the limited space here at our house *sob*. What would I want a home office for? Well, obviously, it's a place where you can continue doing your office or school work in the comforts of your home and away from your formal workspace. I believe that we all work efficiently once we are in some place where we are comfortable rather than in a formal setting. That is probably why modern offices today, like that of Google's in Silicon Valley, promote a homey feeling in it, with amenities such as bedrooms, and kitchens--just like home. A home office is also the place where you can do your work-at-home jobs--answering calls, writing jobs, virtual assistance, and the like.

As in most, if not all, modern home offices, you have to have a computer with Internet connection. I think this should go without further explaining. Your computer should have the basic equipment you need--a printer, a scanner, a copier, a headset for facilitating calls especially abroad. What else? Some speakers might do, so that you can hear some music while working--something which you might not be probably allowed to have while you're in the office.

Aside from these technical goodies, you also need the traditional equipments. Some storage shelves, drawers, a fax machine, probably some punchers and staplers, too. They always come in handy, as your computer cannot do everything for you. Of course, never forget the fasteners and the staple removers! Yes, yes, these are little things that need not much attention, but isn't irritating when you can't find one when you need one?

There you go, happy home-office building! As for moi, I guess I'll just continue on with planning--for now.

*Never EVER forget details*

Get Prepared for Battle (i.e. The Big Trip)

When you're traveling, especially if it's a long trip, it is necessary that you are prepared. You don't just pack and pack and pack. You should know what to take with you.

For example, you have planned for almost a month to go on a camping trip to somewhere in the East. You got your food ready, your tent ready, and your camp-specific tools ready. However, when you arrived to your destination, you found out that it was storming and, so, the camp site had to temporarily shut down for safety reasons. *Oh, I've experienced something almost identical to that!*

SO what does this imply? it only means that you aren't prepared yet. In this case, you forgot about prevailing weather conditions. Listen to the weather news on the radio so that, next time, you'll be ready.

To help you out, Office1000 has some radio sets specifically for reporting the weather. One of them is the TrailWorthy Public Alert Portable NOAA Weather Radio. This radio provides alert anywhere in the US through the National Weather Service. If you're on a trip, you may power it with 9V battery. At home, you can use a 12V AC adapter.

See our website for more weather radios.

Aside from the weather, you should also bring a handy address book with you, containing all the numbers listed in the phonebook in your mobile phone. This is important in cases of emergency when your phone is lost, stolen, not working, or something like that. You may never know what will happen so you have to have backups. We also have portable, easy-to-carry address books here at Office1000. Just check these products out at our website.

So, remember, next time that you'll go on a trip, always expect the worst and be ready. Know what you and what you'll need. You can't just go out into the battlefield without ammo, can you?

Time Travel Through Toys and Toddler-ish Things

Toys. Children love them. We, admit it, still love them, even though we are not kids anymore.

Playthings served to enhance our behavior and improve our creativity. Remember Play-Doh? Remember Lego blocks? Toys brought us into some other world separated from reality. When I was very young, I'd pretend that I am some space ranger whose duty was to save the universe and compete with other space rangers. My brother and I would make some space ships out of Lego blocks or anything that would catch our attentions (say, some yarn--to make our space ships "fly"), and battle it out to see who's the better soldier.

When animated movies came out, it was inevitable that cartoon-inspired toys would surface. After some animated movie, it was bound that licensed toys (even fake ones) would come out--some sort of memorabilia of that movie. The Happy Meal of Mcdonald's is testament to this. I cannot remember a Happy Meal toy that didn't come from some cartoon or some movie. Various cartoon-themed items also arose (not just toys, actually) like stationery, clothing apparel, shoes, and many more. There are even cartoon-inspired telephone units that look like toys but do really work--in a sense, they are partly toys because you can play with them (funny customized rings). One of my favorite movies is A Bug's Life. I even had a T-shirt with a Flik design. My brother also had one, too. Hehe.

Sometimes it's good to look into our pasts, when we're still innocent idealistic little beings (Ah, nostalgia!). But time passes and we have to accept that fact. Those days were gone. We've already had our share of innocence. The only way we can do to relive those moments is through these toys and other things that remind us that, once in our life, we were kids.

Make Good Impressions with Vacuum Cleaners, Lint Sheets, and Colored Markers

We all know that being presentable, neat, and organized in everything that we do is vital to success. It does not take a genius to know that. May it be office presentations, house visits, job interviews, or the like, we have to strike a good impression to succeed and forward our purposes.

Here at Office100, we offer some items that may help you give that good impression.

First in our list are the Scotch Lint Sheets Pocket Packs. With its small and portable design, these stylish pocket lint sheets will make sure that other people will not be distracted by the fuzz clinging to your clothes or bag. Each pack contains 40 sheets.

Now, if you're already fuzz-free but your car is not, that is still not good, especially if we're talking about a date here. Try Metro Data-Vac's 12-Volt Vac N Go High Performance Hand Vacs. Weighing just a little less than 3lbs, cleaning your automobile has never been as easy as this. You don't even have to recharge it!

The Vac N Go line currently has 4 models. What I will feature in this post, though, is the largest set--AM6B. It includes: -Pik All Nozzle -2 Disposable Paper Bags -Dust Brush -Crevice Tool -Flexible Hose -Shoulder Strap

For more car vacuum cleaners, check out our website.

For artworks and stationery stuff, Sanford Colorific Washable Markers are perfect for you. Each pack contains four scented, nontoxic markers that do not dry even if left uncapped for three days. As their name suggests, they are washable, so you do not have to worry about making your workplace a permanent mess.

Pick the calculator that is right for your tasks

There are many many types of calculators on the market for many types of functions. Some people can get by with a very basic calculator that does simple functions, while others may need to fulfill special needs such as scientific calculations, tax caluclations or maybe even just large buttons so they are more easily used.

At Office1000, we offer several types of calculators, and there is one for everyone.

These calculators I will highlight in this post are all made by Aurora and have just had their descriptions updated on our website. To look at other types of calculators, you can simply look at the categories of calculators by type.

The first two calculators are both handheld dual power calculators. They differ slightly in appearance but the HC127 (pictured here) has a little bigger buttons for ease of use, as well as a flip cover. The HC212 has a protective slide hard case and COST/SELL/MARGIN keys. You can click on the link to view all of the handheld calculators that we offer.

The next calculator is the DT403 Dual Powered Desktop Calculator. This calculator has an oversized 12 digit LCD display as opposed to the 8 digit display the handheld calculators offered. It offers the Cost/Sell/Margin keys as well as a backspace key and a square root key. We offer other types of desktop calculators as well, some 8 digit and some 12 digit.

The scientific calculators offer many types of functions that are necessary to specific functions and probably are not the choice for simple math. The scientific calculator I will highlight in this post is the Aurora SC150 131 Functio nScientific Calculator. This calculator offers everything you need for scientific calculations and would be perfect for classroom applications for classes like algebra, trigonometry, calculus and statistics:

• Durable 8+2 digit LCD display calculator
• 131 functions
• Flip back hardcase cover
• Basic scientific functions
• Exponential functions
• Trigonometric functions
• Statistical calculations

This calculator is battery powered operation only, unlike the dual powered calculators. We do offer several other scientific calculators that you can check out on our website.

I hope this helps in the quest for the perfect calculator for your needs. Happy calculating!

Innodesk products make your everyday tasks much easier

We still have a few of the great products made by Innodesk in our inventory. We were informed that they are no longer producing product, which means when they are gone...they are gone forever!

There are several different types of products in the Innodesk line, such as the battery operated items:

• Stapler
• Letter opener
• Pencil sharpener
• Trimming scissors
• Shredder
• Dust blower

All of these products are lightweight, compact and easy to store in your desk or desk organizer.

The retract-tip highlighters are a wonderful addition to your highligher collection with no caps to lose. The innovative design keeps the ink from drying out.

There are executive sets that include a letter opener and shredder in two different color alternatives. These are a great compliment to any office.

10 Creative Uses for Duck Tape I'll bet you never thought of

Duck tape or duct tape has many uses. Traditionally, the tape was manufactured to go over the seams of ducts in piping.

Today, duct tape has so many uses, in so many arenas, I don't even think it is possible to list them all.

Check out this website for a ton of great examples of duct tape use I would have never thought of!:

• Reseal your cereal boxes, potato chip bags, and other food packages
• Tape your trousers to your boots to stop ticks from getting in
• Stick the tape to the inside of a shallow pan or box. Stick extra nuts or bolts on tape to hold in place
• Cover the spout of your cola at an outdoor event so later you won't be drinking bees
• If you slide off the road and get stuck in the snow, have someone tape your bumpers together and tow you out
• Tape up your trailer hitch latch to keep it from coming unlatched
• Tape alligators' mouths shut when working with them (I found this hilarious)