FOODSAVER V3800 SERIES

It’s difficult to store food in the refrigerator, freezer, or pantry for any length of time. In the freezer things stored get frosty and mostly unrecognizable over time. In the pantry, It hard to keep some pantry items fresh – mostly because we don’t use them quickly.

The FoodSaver V3800 was a Christmas purchase this year. I’ve only used it a couple weeks but here are my thoughts.

* I like the standup design – it takes less space on the counter.

*It’s simple to use. You can use it without reading the directions – but read them.

*You do have to get use to the bag sensor; sometimes it doesn’t responsd. The directions ask that you slide one side of the bag and then position. This works.

*The marinating canister does a great job making faster work out of the process.

*I have ordered some larger canisters to store flour and fresh fruits. I’ll let you know how that goes.

Some reviews complain that the auto bag sensor uses too much plastic (about 1”).
Do you have a FoodSaver V3800 series? If so, please comment.

-Remember, technology is your friend!
John (aka “Founding Geek”)

Netflix Player by Roku

We have had a Netflix account since August 2003. And we have always had great service even when we received a bad DVD or some shipping problem. This box is an welcome addition to our Netflix experience. This was a Christmas purchase (“Merry Chrismas, me!”) so here are my thoughts with my new gadget:

*Easy to open from shipping. Easy setup! I have talked to one other user who had the same reaction.

*I use a wireless internet (cable) and had trouble setting up WEP security on the Player. It might be me but the Roku support forum has others with WEP problems. I switched to WPA security and everything worked fine.

*I connected it to my HDTV via a HDMI cable. There are also component (RCA connectors), composite, and S-Video connections. There is also a digital optical audio output.

*The Player uses streaming technology to deliver content. Skipping around a program means that the player has to reload content. Apple TV isn’t plagued with this problem.

*Good picture quality.

*Sometimes there seems to be a problem with audio/video sync – at times there is a 2-3 second difference.

*I had one video that was scrambled. It looked like interference from copy protection. I called NetFlix, and reported the problem.

*Great price $100-ish. Only $10 bucks/month for the service.

*Not all movies or TV shows on Netflix are available for streaming.

–Please comment and tell me about your experiences.
Remember, technology is your friend!
John (aka “Founding Geek”)

WELCOME – Why I’m Blogging…

As a 4 year-old, I would take apart retractable pens. Watching that point come out of the barrel fascinated me. Click click, click click – how did it work? The only way to find out was to take it apart. So, for a couple years, until I could put them back together, my parents were plagued with a series of disemboweled pens…

Almost 50 years later, I still love gadgets, tech gadgets, kitchen gadgets, computer gadgets, etc. I don’t find myself taking them apart so much, but I love using them to see if they better my life.

Every gadget featured I have purchased and used for a period of time. I’ll tell you what I think and invite your comments.

-John (aka Founding Geek)