16 Jul 2009, Posted by christie in Misc Bytes, 4 Comments

Google Voice available by invite – now YOU control your calls

I got an email this morning telling me that Google Voice is now available and giving me an invitation link to get started.

You are invited to open a free Google Voice account. To accept this invitation and create your account, visit
https://(the invitation link here)

If you haven’t already heard about it, Google Voice is a service that makes using your current phones much better!

Here’s what it offers:
A personal phone number that rings all of your existing phones when people call
All of your voicemail in one inbox with unlimited online storage and free voicemail transcripts sent to your phone and email
Low-priced international calling to over 200 countries and free SMS
Other powerful features like the first phone spam filter to protect you from unwanted callers, the ability to ListenInTM on your voicemail messages while they are being left, conference calling and more
To learn more about Google Voice before registering, visit: http://www.google.com/voice/about

Please note that Google Voice is only available for sign up in the US.

We hope you enjoy Google Voice,

The Google Voice Team

Several months ago I had given them my email address saying I wanted to be notified as soon as Google Voice was available for me to sign up, and I was pleased to get my invitation today! You can select your own area code or the area code nearest to friends and family who’ll be calling you. There is a table of rates for international calls, but calls within the U.S. are free. Anyway, I selected my own area code, then I was allowed to enter a few letters or numbers, something that would be easy for my family and friends to remember. I entered my initials and was presented with five screens of available numbers that had those initials in them. I selected a number. Then I was asked for the phone number of the phone I want to ring when someone calls my Google Voice number. Once I did that, I clicked a button to let Google call me, and I was prompted to enter a two-digit code which was appearing on the screen. This way we don’t set up other peoples’ phones as pranks, I suppose. So I entered my two-digit code and that was it.

Now when someone calls that Google Voice number, it will ring my cell phone. I get an email telling me immediately each time I have a voice mail, and in my Google Voice Inbox I can see a transcript of the voicemail or play it within the email! As I told you last time, you can select what time of day the phone will or will not ring, designate certain callers as spam, and a host of other cool features. You can add other phones too, of course, for maximum flexibility, so all you need to do is give someone the Google Voice number, then you decide which phone it will ring on, depending on your needs. If you live in the U.S., do get your invite!

09 Jul 2009, Posted by christie in Misc Bytes, 0 Comments

There’s My Alltop then there’s my REAL Alltop

Yesterday I was reading Chris Brogan’s blog during lunch and learned about Alltop, an “online magazine rack” of popular topics. I’d never heard of it before, but I quickly set up an account and started picking some sources I want to be able to browse during lunch

07 Jul 2009, Posted by christie in Misc Bytes, 1 Comments

I see niches

Niches are fascinating to me, and I always love to hear about how people found theirs, whether it’s a hobby or a career. I guess that’s because my original field was biology, and creatures in nature have niches too! It’s their position, their place in the community. Do you know what your niche is? Do you have more than one?

06 Jul 2009, Posted by christie in Misc Bytes, 2 Comments

Three Kroger Popcorn Seasonings Recalled Due to Salmonella

CINCINNATI, Ohio, June 30, 2009 – The Kroger Co. said today it is recalling Kroger Popcorn Seasoning Movie Theater Butter Flavored, Kroger Popcorn Seasoning White Cheddar Flavored, and Kroger Fat Free Butter Flavored Sprinkles sold in some of its retail stores because the Company has been made aware by a supplier that an ingredient in the product may have been contaminated with Salmonella.

No illnesses have been reported in connection with the Kroger products.

Stores the company operates under the following names did not receive any of the seasonings being recalled:  Ralphs, Smith’s, Fred Meyer, QFC, Fry’s, King Soopers, City Market, and Foods Co.

Kroger is recalling the following items:

• Kroger Popcorn Seasoning Movie Theater Butter Flavored sold in 2.82-ounce jars with a sell-by date of JUN 08 10 under the following UPC code:  011110 72445.
• Kroger Popcorn Seasoning White Cheddar Flavored sold in 2.82-ounce jars with a sell-by date of JUN 09 10 under the following UPC code:  011110 72444. These two seasonings were sold in Kroger stores in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia and Virginia; Dillons and Gerbes stores in Kansas and Missouri; Baker’s stores in Nebraska; and Food 4 Less, Hilander, Jay C, Owen’s, Pay Less and Scott’s stores in Illinois and Indiana.

• Kroger Fat Free Butter Flavored Sprinkles sold in 2-ounce jars with sell-by dates of JUN 08 10 and JUN 09 10 under the following UPC code:  011110 66853.  This seasoning was sold in Kroger stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

Customers who have purchased the above products should not consume them and should return them to a store for a full refund or replacement. 

Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, particularly in young children, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and/or abdominal pain. For more information, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website at www.cdc.gov.

Consumers who have questions about this recall may contact Kroger toll-free at (800) 632-6900. For more information, please visit www.kroger.com/recalls.

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28 May 2009, Posted by christie in Misc Bytes, 8 Comments

Evernote: Capture and sync notes – even tweet them!

synchronize your Evernote notes to the web and to any other desktop, phone, etc., so that you have access to your notes from whatever machine you want to use. The text in images is searchable, whether you’re using EverNote online or off.

06 May 2009, Posted by christie in Misc Bytes, 0 Comments

Fomites: A disgusting source of swine flu and almost impossible to avoid.

We’re all very busy avoiding breathing in other people’s coughs these days, but we’re forgetting something very important: fomites. Fomites is the term for inanimate objects like clothing, blankets, etc., that can transmit a contagious disease. Since I have a background in microbiology, I just about everything as a fomite! And now maybe since our consciousness is raised regarding this swine flu we don’t want to catch, I hope you will also become aware of fomites and try not to let them make you sick.

02 May 2009, Posted by christie in Misc Bytes, 0 Comments

Now you can add a theme to your Google Docs form

Thursday, Google added 70 themes that can be used to add color and perhaps a fancy design to Google Docs forms.

28 Apr 2009, Posted by christie in Misc Bytes, 2 Comments

5 ways to get off to a rotten start on a new job

If you do these five things, you’re almost guaranteed to have a rotten, if short-lived, experience on your new job!

20 Apr 2009, Posted by christie in Misc Bytes, 2 Comments

Gmail does everything except pick out your shirt for you

With all sorts of features like “Suggest more recipients,” “Mail Goggles,” etc., Gmail Labs feature can now make your chat sessions better, handle your email any way you want, and pretty much run your life for you. You’ll still have to wash your own clothes, but other than that the Labs features have it covered.

14 Apr 2009, Posted by christie in Misc Bytes, 0 Comments

Google Voice – makes the phone work for you!

Google Voice is available right now for GrandCentral users, but soon it will be available for everyone! It has so many great features that will turn the phone into a tool you can use instead of an intrusion that ruins nice moments of your day and night.