sarameg, i got my Western Digital 250 GB hard drive from buy.com for $79.99 right before christmas. it looks like my specific model is no longer available, but the 250 GB WD they have listed is $171 and you can get $10 off of that with Google checkout.

Nobody uses webcams?

C'mon...get into the 21st century!

And then report back to me on what I need to get my parents there.

Well, you have to remember that many of us don't like showing our faces in real life, much less on the interbunny.

We do know that ND had a webcam at one point.

ION, I bought a 500 GB Maxtor OEM SATA drive from newegg.com last month for $189. It's very roomy.

I suppose I just accept that a lot of technology doesn't last forever.

I have an environmentalist rant about this, but since I also really really like buying new toys, it's a pretty half-assed one.

The only webcam I ever had was a free one that came with my Dell, ages back. It was cheap and crappy, as befits a gift with purchase, and so I threw it out when I switched to Mac.

We have an iSight at work, but I've found that in order to use it for video chats, you really need a separate microphone (ideal would be a headset) because in order to be heard, you need to be so close to the camera that the person you're chatting with is basically looking at your chin.

Dear Canon:

The instructions for your camera clearly state that two AA batteries are enclosed. Not so much. I'm already losing faith.

Me

One of these days I'm going to have to get someone to send me their dead ipods so I can take one apart...

They are really impressive looking once you take them apart. The exterior design was gorgeous, but the interior design is remarkable.

And then report back to me on what I need to get my parents there.

Any camera around the $15 or $20 mark would be appropriate. Anything cheaper and they won't last for use, but I wouldn't invest much more money than that in it. My former flatmates used them and had to replace one a month or two ago, and that's what they were saying.

I'm looking for a webcam, too. I want to use it as a sort of portable security camera, to monitor classes when they're in small rooms not visible from the main classroom. Any recommendations?

How do I figure out what high-speed providers (cable or DSL) are available to me? As far as I can tell, the best method involves randomly going to providers' sites, entering my phone or address, and seeing if they offer service in my area. Is there no sort of clearinghouse for this thing?

Also, is Earthlink the devil?

Does your city or town government have an information line? If you're lucky, they may have some info.

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