I seem to recall putting water-logged electronics into a bin of uncooked rice as a way to help the drying out process, Fred. Not sure if it'll help in this specific instance, but as fixes go it's relatively cheap.

I don't know what else to do to dry out an iPad. I'd take it apart if possible, but is that doable on an iPad?

Maybe seal it up in a container with some sort of desiccant?

This: How to fix an iPad if it gets wet recommends the desiccant approach.

You might want to have Apple fix it but I have no idea if that'd be worth the cost.

If it's still under warranty, getting it wet would void the warranty. They have ways to determine this.

eta: Yeah, rice can act as a desiccant. It sounds like silica gel is better.

Thanks for the ideas!

They have ways to determine this.

Specifically, moisture sensors that change color. So if leaving it in a tightly sealed bag/container of rice or other desiccant for a couple of days doesn't work, you may as well try taking it apart because the warranty is void anyway.

Sadly, my blank screen was due to a dead hard drive. My data is backed up, but I'm going to be reloading software until the end of time.

I was impressed with the computer repair shop. He charged me $80 for the new hard drive and $80 to install it and load Windows and Office 2007. I had Office 2003 and it takes forever to reload because the updates go back to a very primitive version. I mentioned I use AVG and I see that he installed it. It took an hour.

Grrr. My HDMI slot on the Tivo is kaput. So, Tivo wants me to either pay $79 for a new box PLUS $200 to transfer the lifetime subscription or upgrade for $99 plus $398 for a new lifetime subscription. I'm livid. I've been a loyal tivo customer for 8-10 years. This is BULLSHIT. Bet your ass I'm calling tomorrow and asking them to give me a good reason not to switch to the Comcast DVR that I have sitting in my fucking bedroom right now.

That lifetime subscription transfer thing is not good customer relations. It's not really effectively a lifetime subscription if you have to pay a reasonable portion of it again in that same lifetime for circumstances totally beyond your control (and likely to boot).

My, god, talk about irritating skeuomorphism in OS X Lion--I just fired up the full screen version of Photo Booth. Is this not a clear step backwards? I don't know how to operate a "real" photo booth, and there's no obvious indication of how to get the standard OS X controls back--what is the gain from the cutesy curtain metaphor?

Their bullshit excuse is that it was more than 3 years into the lifetime, had it been less, they would have waived the transfer fee. The tech on the phone suggested that I call back and escalate. Given that I've been a tivo customer for umpteen years, own three tivos, and in fact, still pay for a sub to the old Humax box will hopefully get them to waive the lifetime fee. I'm okay with paying $79 for a refurbished box. Or even $99 for the upgrade.

Good luck. I once called to cancel Tivo service and still got billed. I called back and gave them holy hell about it and they STILL argued with me, maybe I wasn't firm enough about "I'm moving to Germany" (which I wasn't, but that's what I told them). Possibly the worst customer service I have ever had.

I get that TiVo needs to make $$ but I will likely need a new TiVo box since I am finally entering into 2006 and getting a new tv. It seems from the TiVo website that the following is true:

a. The only people who can now get lifetime sub are people who have them now

b. to transfer one to a new box is pretty expensive (400) in my case.

I like TiVo but I think I will use the cable provider's box for a bit.