Info-Girl

http://www.toppstown.com/UserSite/TotalImmersion/Info.aspx 

  Yep they are here…Three-dimensional avatar in the form of baseball virtual cards (3d) made by Toppstown "where your cards bring sports to life".  Ttoppstown has managed to bring card collecting to exploding the world of web-based social networking to create the first online sports community with 3d avatars.

 So how does one get started… 1st thing is you need to find a pack with the codes.  I hear there are codes in 1 out of 2 packs you purchase for around $9.95, best pick up two packs of the 2008 Topps Series #2 baseball cards.  

You will then need to visit www.toppstown.com (parents are welcomed).  Just like other avatar games you can create your own clubhouse, add other features and games to your collection as you build points collected, traded, or even purchased off ebay.

Course you'll need a PC (sorry MAC users not yet), internet access, and webcamera, along with your new 2008 Topps Series #2 cards. So if you have a baseball card collector, baseball fan, PC gamer, or just someone who is into new technology you'll want to jump on this great gift item.  As you know with cool new toys or tech stuff there is never enough made for the market that seems to pop out of the wood work overnight.  Just hope Toppstown have planned to upgrade their website as many gaming sights under estimate the power of their new web base game. 

Question is where can you get these 3d cards? Well as with any cool new tech stuff ask your kids they more than likely already know… or google it.. or check out the links I've attached to hopefully make it easier on you to enjoy anyway to experience sports.

Wow Toppstown you've come a long way from ring pops and push pops to then make a 3d baseball web-based social network!  Glad to see they have employed people who can think out of the box!  Now lets see how long it will take for someone to take something so sweet to make it a 3d Adult interactive social network. 

http://www.siliconangle.com/technology/topps-3d-live-baseball-card-not-your-fathers-baseball-card/

So how many of us did our do diligence of getting our DTV box coupons then drive to one of the many places to get our converter box only to find out we could have waited a little longer. Course those who jumped 1st had the issue of waiting for stores to even get enough of these little black boxes in stock. Then those who waited to the last min of the original due date of Feb were in a panic as not enough coupons were given out fast enough. Good thing there was an extension. Now those coupons might get to you on time as it is part of the economic stimulus package and there should be plenty of DTV boxes as now it seams you can walk into a grocery store and find a stack. If you actually want help on how to hook these box up and if you might need additional connections or longer coax cable then you still want to visit your local RadioShack store. They seem to have a good stock and the employees know how to hook these little boxes up. Course they will offer you an upgrade antenna so you can get more channels and a few antennas will pick more HD channels. As well as they will offer you an inshore replacement 1 or 2 years to protect the product. Either invest the money or buy a Monster surge protector that also cleans the power. Course with TV prices dropping as they are maybe you want to just go ahead and upgrade your TV this way you can see these free over the air HD channels with that tax return.

There is a silver lining, I hear some stores are allowing you to purchase the DTV box and when you get your coupon in they are allowing you to use the coupon (found several RadioShacks doing this). Plus now it looks like these DTVs have flooded the market so they seem to be going on sale. Wow who said it doesn't pay to wait.

Course its been interesting the feed back customers give as they are picking up their boxes:

1) Government conspiracy to stimulate the economy (lets see we planned for an economic crash and thought that analog to digital conversion could help us get back on track, if only that simple)

2) I thought black boxes were illegal now they want us to buy them so they can see what we are watching (hello not watching much if your watching free TV).

3) They just want to make it difficult for us elderly people or those who don’t understand this technology. (this maybe valid)

4) The TV makers paid those political people a lot so they could sell more TVs at higher cost (if this was true then why make a box that allows you not to have to purchase a new TV, and oh yea hasn't the cost of TVs gone down.)

5) The government just wants to know where we live and track us with these coupons. (thats why the government thought only 1 million coupons were needed when in 2005 the US had a pollution of 305,186,613 and according to USA today the avg home has more TVs than people, http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2006-09-21-homes-tv_x.htm)

6) Those cable and satellite people paid the political people to make us have to pay for TV. (again why make a box and give a coupon to get around this)

Course it all comes down to how people spend their free time. Maybe if we don’t get these converter boxes we might have to leave the house for entertainment, might presume higher education, might visit with family and friends, might go on a vacation, and oh goodness buy a news paper or read something all of which would have a higher impact on the economy versus sitting around listening how bad the economy is by watching free TV.

I did find this great link to help you decide which box to get as it has a rather good list of DTV comparison chart: http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-tv-converter/

Thats right the NEW boost $50 unlimited has no hidden fees!  This same plan used to cost over $75 plus fees per month.  So if its time for you to pay your monthly bill be sure to bring in a few extra bucks this month to save a lot with no fees and more services for less.  That means you will save about $30.00 a month… One of these new phones on this new plan is $29.99, the next is $39, then $49, and the most poplular one is a flip phone for $99.99  the I776. 

You can take your current boost phone numbers and move it to the new boost plan, but the phone you use needs to be an IDEN phone which can be purchased as Radioshack, BestBuy, Walmart, etc.  One thing I found was RadioShack staff will help move your number to the new plan and phone where most aren't even sure what this plan is or how it works. 

This new no fee $50 unlimited plan adds unlimited calling area, calls, to any network, texting, GPS, internet, walkie talkie, and photos can save you $360 a year.  Lets see the old plan was $75 for the same services + $5 fee= $80 a month less the new plan cost of $50 which is a monthly savings of $30!!!  x 12 months thats $360.00 a year!!
SWEET plus you get more features and unlimited calling area.  NO  CONTRACT and NO SNN needed.

Now here's the deal… FINDING these phones.  RadioShack seems to have started the program first in Texas with a small supply of phones that didn't support their demand within a very short period of time late Jan 2009.  Now Boost unlimited $50 plan is now everwhere from RadioShacks across the nation, to BestBuy, to Sprint stores, to Sprint private stores.  Looks like its another case where supply doesn't match demand (do we not learn from Xbox, WIIs, and IPods)

Course the only thing I see maybe an issue with this Boost new plan is filling the demand for phones and find a phone with a Qwerty keypad.  Boost looks to be marketing young men and college students.  They really need to relook at what they have.  The nearest thing to what they have is Metro PCS with a $45 unlimited plan but still doesn't include all that the Boost new plan includes.  Plus we all know Boost is the old nextel system who is now owned by Sprint… can you say bigger network!  A lot bigger network. Have no fear if you cross the street or are not in the city!

I have heard you can put your Boost sims card IDEN network into the any Iden phone to include Iden Blackberries but you wont get blackberry services.  Think those who are selling their old Iden blackberries may not know the true value of what they have selling their old units for $39 while the only thing in sprint stores is selling for $549… might want to raise that minium asked for. (unless its an old battery).

Boost will be bring out a qwery keypad Boost Unlimited phone in Apr and another looks to hit the market in Aug 2009 all under $200.00.  Will someone please take a cool phone like the Rant by Samsung or take a clue from Virgins Wild Card or Ocean phones.  This says we have good phones and great prices and that you can actually type a txt message vice waiting T9 to figure out what your trying to say.  Course there is one phone that is planned to hit sooner than later question is will there be enough made to fill the demand its called i465 Motorola with a Qwerty keypad. Here's a great article about it: http://www.newlaunches.com/

Boost  (aka  Sprint) your hitting the right idea  someone needs to expand on the market base, technology and make sure supply is out there to "help" those who don't want to sign another contract in these  trying times.  Lets not forget that many people don't want to pay $99 for  Sprints unlimited plan … or  ATTs plan  that  has  unlimited  calling at $99  but then add on the  txting for another $20  and media for another $20 and well you see where I'm going with this.

I have  of course left ATT and Sprint for this new boost plan and enjoy the savings… now I can afford to take the family out for  a movie and afford the popcorn  .

http://www.magicjack.com/4/index.asp

Do you have the Internet in your home?  If so you can save money on local and long distant calling by using the magicjack!  Thus you can talk more to more people with less money.  Can be use this product anywhere in the US and Canada.

You can order this off the TV, internet, or stop by your local RadioShack.  The product has a 30 day return policy even if you have used it, just keep a hold of the packaging.  RadioShack will have this product in their computer section… and if the manager is smart he will have more stocked up in his telephone area and international power transformers.  This will help them remind you to pick two up before going over seas so you can chat with those whom you are visiting on your return to the states.  Its $39.99 for the product and first year service.  After that its only $19.99 per year.

If you register your magicjack before you go where ever you are going to visit then leave the item with whomever you visit then they can call you or you can call them on their US phone number.  All they need is the internet… home phone… and magic jack.  http://www.magicjack.com/4/index.asp

Keep in mind that if your internet or POWER goes down so does the magicjack as any other VOIP service would, so why not go ahead and pick up a computer power back up.

Use our Phone Service free for 30 days, make all the free calls you please. 100% Risk FREE – you pay nothing.

Here is a special link for those who are having issues with things popping up on their screen… its a matter of changing a few settings: http://magicjackhacks.blogspot.com/

So why MagicJack and not someone else… well magicjack is really to be used here in the US and Canada but if you want someone overseas to chat with then both of you will need a magicjack.  I hear that sometime the beginning of this year 2009, that magicjack will be offered overseas.  Again the only way the overseas works if both parties have a magicjack.

If that’s not easy for you to do then look at just about any VoIP service in the world can do the same thing….. without having to buy anything, which MagicJack requires.

Here are examples of PC to PC free services anywhere in the world:
Google Talk
Skype
Yahoo Messenger
MediaRing Talk
Windows Live Messenger
Gizmo Project
etc…

All of the above VoIP services also provide PC-Phone long distance calling with very low international rates.

So, even though MagicJack may be the best thing to hit the USA this past year, recommend that you do your homework to see what best fits your needs….  there are many other services when it comes to international calling…. (don’t just down load a version make sure the version is the most current and covers international as there are many packed deals on the market)

Vonage
Skype
Yahoo Voice
Gizmo Project
Packet8

If your someone who is calling international a lot don’t just select one service as other services may offer the same places your calling cheaper.  ALWAYS check the current rate as rates change daily, best to look at least three services to make sure your getting the best deal.

The Katana DLX is now available from Sprint. Photos of the latest in the Katana line have been added to the Photo Gallery:

Read the rest of this entry »