From the category archives:

Office Machines

Melitta Take 2 Coffee Brewer

by Joi on August 7, 2007

I totally can’t relate to the concept of having only a few cups of coffee in the morning. And by not relate to, I mean the mere thought makes me break out in an uncomfortable rash.

However, I understand that not everyone is as addicted as I am - thanks be to the all-knowing God (what a world this would be if all of its people were as caffienated as me). In fact, I hear tell that some people actually get by on one or two cups each day - as in, not just the morning. It’s all they have all day.

For those rare birds, something like the Melitta 2-cup travel brewer would be perfect. My mom was this sort of coffee drinker. She’d have one cup in the morning and that was it. She claimed that if she had more than that she’d be awake for days. Amateur!

I always thought she kind of embarassed herself by even having a coffee maker - but she was family and I loved her, so I forgave her for her shortcomings. My dad…now there was a coffee drinker! The man could drink two pots of coffee during the day, then lay down and sleep like a beagle. With people like dad and me…the Melitta wouldn’t even stand a chance. But for the normal people in the world, it might be pretty nice.

From the website:
For the on-the-go coffee drinker, the Melitta Take 2 brews directly into one or both of its 14-oz. stainless steel travel mugs that conveniently fit standard car cup holders. Uses a #2 cone filter, the brewer features dual spouts, which detach for easy cleaning. Added features include an LED power indicator, easy-to-read window water gauge, and auto shut off.

At just a little over $30, the Melitta Take 2 would be perfect for keeping in the office. It’d also make a pretty amazing Christmas gift….. but I didn’t just ring the Christmas bell or anything. Not in August. Not me. And I’m not humming Frosty the Snowman either…..

{ 1 comment }

Supplies USA Computer Supplies

by Joi on March 5, 2007

Supplies USA

There’s another option for you to strongly consider when you’re shopping for Computer Supplies. If, that is, you’re interested in a huge selection of supplies at better prices. At Supplies USA.com, you can find original computer supplies and printer supplies at better prices than large office supplies or computer chains. How huge of a selection? The Over 50 brands and more than 5000 items type of selection. The best kind!

……3M, Apple, Avery, BenQ, Brother, Canon, Citizen, Compaq, Copystar, DEC, Dymo, Epson, Exabyte, Fuji, Genicom, Gestetner, Hitachi, HP, IBM, Imation, InFocus, Iomega, Kodak, Konica, Kyocera, Lanier, Lexmark, Maxell, Memorex, Minolta, Mita, Mitsubishi, Muratec, NEC, Oki, Optoma, Output, Panasonic, PM Company, Printronix, Proxima, QMS, Quantum, Ricoh, Riso, Samsung, Savin, Seiko, Sharp, Sony, Tally, TDK, Tektronix, TI, Toshiba, Troy, Verbatim, Viewsonic, Xerox…

The names I just dropped are the quality brands you’ll find at Supplies USA.com. They have a massive selection of computer supplies, printer supplies, projector lamps, data supplies, high quality oem toner and inkjet cartridges (no refilled or reconditioned).

  • Discount prices on all items
  • Easy web site navigation
  • Shipping from warehouses nationwide
  • Orders processed same day
  • A current Shopzilla customer rating of 10/10 (2/28/07)
  • The fact that orders are processed the same day combined with shipping from 20 locations nationwide means that you get your order sooner than you’d imagine.

    From the website: We ship from more than 20 locations nationwide so we are always close to your location. Most orders placed before 4:00PM local time ship the same day so we provide you timely delivery no matter where you are in the USA. We gladly ship to APO and FPO addresses via USPS. We also ship bulk to International Customers.

    New items and new brands are regularly added to Supplies USA.com, so check back often - the chances are excellent that they’ll have exactly what you’re looking for and at a price you couldn’t have even hoped for!

    As a bonus, from my experience, you often get better service from a quality business like Supplies USA than from the larger chains. Their service is more personable. You feel like you and your business are important to them, rather than feeling like you’re just another order.

    Check out Supplies USA.com, you’ll be impressed. If you don’t need any supplies at the moment, bookmark the site and give them a chance the next time a need (or want!) comes up. I have a very, very good feeling that you’ll use them again and again.

    *The above was a sponsored post - which means I was paid to give a review. The praise is my own because I was genuinely impressed. You know me, by now, and know that I’d never recommend anything to you that I wouldn’t use myself. Supplies USA.com will get my next order, because I really like what I see.

{ 1 comment }

August Deals at Office Depot

by Joi on August 8, 2006

Office Depot, Inc

Below are the Hot Offers Office Depot is serving up in August. If there’s anything you need (or want)to add to your office, Office Depot would be the place to turn and this would be the month to do so.

Save $30 off any $150 purchase from Office Depot in August!

Buy 3 Get 1 FREE Office Depot® Brand Extra Bright Multipurpose Paper! $37.49 Each! Expires August 31st.

Bijour Microfiber Manager’s Chair $89.99 after $10 Instant Savings! Expires August 12th.

Save $10 to $20 Office Depot® Brand Traditional Bookcases! Expires August 12th.

Everyday Low Price $49.99 & Under Office Depot® Brand No Tools Furniture! Expires August 12th.

Everyday Low Price $49.99 & Under Office Depot® Brand No Tools Furniture! Expires August 12th.

Linksys® WRT54G Wireless-G Router $49.99 after $20 Instant Savings!
Expires August 12th.

Everyday Low Price $49.99 & Under Office Depot® Brand No Tools Furniture! Expires August 12th.

Everyday Low Price $49.99 & Under Office Depot® Brand No Tools Furniture! Expires August 12th.

Ativa™ DQ60M Diamond-Cut Shredder $29.99 after $15 Instant Savings! Expires August 12th.

Office Depot Supervalues! Click here to check out this week’s sizzling hot deals & steals!

{ 0 comments }

Blast Away Those Dustbunnies !

by Mike on January 15, 2006

Does your keyboard get all crunked up with dust and bits-o-whatever ?

Does your computer case have a layer of dust an 1/16″ thick ?

Do you like to way over-do it when you clean ‘em up ?

ME TOO !

Today I dropped by my local Staples store and grabben a kit called the AirDr from Digital Innovations.

The Air Dr.

Now you can BLAST away dust from cameras, keyboards, computers, A/V components, and office equipment with pinpoint accuracy.

It contains pure, oil-free, anti-static CO2 gas and delivers higher-velocity airflow than canned air.

It’s compact size houses an easy-to-replace 16-gram air cartridge and replacement cartridges are available.

It was only $14.98, which maqkes it about 3 times the cost of canned air, but I’m betting it will do more than 3 cans of that weak stuff will do and do a way better job in the process.

It’s much more agile and I can access parts of my computer case that have never been cleaned before.

I’ll let you know how long it lasts.

My CPU cooling fan and all the nooks and crannies in my case have never been cleaner.

Be careful, though, this puppy is way more powerful than those cans of air that are only good for selling and not for using.

{ 0 comments }

Start the day off right with a good breakfast!

by Chrispian on December 15, 2005

Egg Muffins I never used to eat breakfast. Not that I don’t like breakfast. On the contrary, there is a booth at IHOP with my name all over it. Before I started eating better I never ate breakfast in the morning. It made a great lunch or dinner, but I just couldn’t bring myself to eat before 10AM. But now I eat 5-6 times a day and a lot healthier. Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day as it kick starts your metabolism and gives your brain and body the fuel it needs to get going. But a good breakfast usually takes too much time and is way too messy. No more.

Say hello to the Egg and Muffin toaster. In 3 minutes you can have an egg muffin with your choice of breads and meat! This little baby looks good and makes short work of breakfast. I prefer to use white/wheat bread (only 40 calories per slice!), but you can build your own hearty breakfast in less time than it takes to put your shoes on. I get tired of cereal, plain toast or oatmeal. This thing is on my Christmas list and I’m half tempted to put it on the corner of my desk just to make my co-workers hungry! Check out the official site for product info and a how to video. Great, now I’m hungry!

Hat Tip to David Seah.

{ 12 comments }

Office Depot is in the Christmas Spirit

by Joi on December 8, 2005

One of my favoritest places in the world - ranking right up there with my favorite Coffee Shop ( Beyond the Brim ) is apparently in a good mood this Christmas season.

Office Depot is in the middle of a couple of promotions that I thought I’d bring to your attention. Click the link that interests you to learn more about that promotion.

Save Up to $100 Instantly or By Mail-in Rebate on Advertised HP Printers! Expires December 10th.

Save 20% or $50 on Select Office Collections! Expires December 10th.

Save $30 off any $150 Purchase from Office Depot in December!

Holiday 2005! Gifts That Mean Business! Expires December 24, 2005.

Curses, my conscience is getting to me. I lied. Office Depot isn’t up there with Beyond the Brim. But it is close.

{ 0 comments }

Mac Mini + Canon PIXMA iP1600 Printer for $460!

by Chrispian on December 5, 2005

Mac MiniA year and a half ago I made the switch to using a Mac. I’m not biased, I still use my PC, but after I started my iBook I really fell in love with the Macs, which is saying a lot. I used to be hard core anti-Mac. Just couldn’t sand them. But the iBook lured me in and I’ve been smitten since. I’m even saving up to replace my PC with a big honkin’ Mac!

I was doing some Christmas shopping online and checking out one of my favorite deal sites, Dealnews.com and found a real deal on the Mac mini. You can get an
Apple Mac mini G4 (1.25GHz) and a Canon PIXMA iP1600 Printer for $460, which includes shipping. If you’ve been thinking about trying out a MAC you’ll have a tough time beating this price. I’ve used a PC for 10+ years now and the one thing about Mac is they just work. If you’re like me and a bit of a hard core geek and like to do some web development on your machine the Mac is perfect because it has Linux under the hood. I’m totally converted and don’t hesitate in recommending it to you, friend. Check out the deal over at dealnews.

{ 2 comments }

Epson Stylus R320 Photo Inkjet Printer

by Joi on November 13, 2005

Epson Stylus R320 Photo Inkjet Printer

Imagine being able to print pictures directly from your digital camera. The Epson Stylus R320 Photo Inkjet Printer lets you own that power.

For the office, this type of printer would be perfect for personalized brochures and flyers. Unpersonalized literature just doesn’t have the same impact. There’s something to be said for keeping your face and your logo in the minds of your customers. The Epson Stylus R320 Photo Inkjet Printer would also aid in creating the all-important portfolio.

For the home, I love the thought of fun greeting cards, and stationery. For anyone who keeps a journal or is into scrapbooking, this would be picture perfect. I also like the thought of adding visuals to my recipe cards, so I can strut my capacity for cunning culinary craftmanship.

Features:

  • USB 2.0 interface, built-in preview LCD; PC/Mac
  • 6-color photo printing at 5,760 x 1,440 optimized dpi
  • Up to 15 ppm black print speed; 4-by-6-inch photo in as little as 39 seconds
  • Accepts wide range of digital-camera memory cards
  • Supports inkjet-printable CD and DVD media

From the Manufacturer:

Print great photos and CDs–no PC required! A fast, full-featured performer, the Epson Stylus Photo R320 makes printing brilliant, long-lasting photos a snap! Plus, it prints directly on inkjet-printable CD-Rs and DVD-Rs, so it’s easy to customize each disk with a cool, finished look.
This versatile printer includes a color monitor to view, select, and crop photos. Print from popular memory cards or PictBridge-enabled digital cameras. For beautiful frame-ready photos, take advantage of BorderFree printing. This inkjet even connects directly to an external CD-R or Zip drive to save and print colorful moments with ease. It’s all within reach with the Epson Stylus Photo R320.

With up to 5,760 x 1,440 optimized dpi and superior 6-color Photo Inks, this printer offers precision color and detail, whatever the task at hand. And, whether printing stacks of photos or an important presentation, the Epson Stylus Photo R320 speeds through every project. With versatile, PC-free printing, brilliant image quality, and powerful performance, this inkjet offers a remarkable choice in the world of digital imaging. And, consider its convenient individual ink cartridges. When paired with Epson’s high-quality, value-priced papers, it delivers a remarkably affordable, home photo printing solution.

I love copywriters. They geek sexy.

Includes:

  • Epson Stylus Photo R320 inkjet printer
  • Cyan ink cartridge (T048220)
  • Light cyan ink cartridge (T048520)
  • Magenta ink cartridge (T048320)
  • Light magenta ink cartridge (T048620)
  • Yellow ink cartridge (T048420)
  • Black ink cartridge (T048120)
  • CD print tray and software
  • Printer documentation
  • CD-ROM containing printer drivers and software (Windows and Macintosh)

I rarely, okay I never, rely solely on a manufacturer’s assessment of what they’re selling, so I hunted around for product reviews by actual consumers. The consensus is that this printer does an amazing job, especially for the price. Most said they were actually pleasantly surprised by the quality of the pictures.

My biggest concern was whether or not the pictures would be pixelated, as they often are with these type of printers (as in the ones that don’t set you back thousands). Apparently that isn’t a problem with Epson Stylus R320 Photo Inkjet Printer. Good to know as I think I’m now on the need side of this printer.

{ 4 comments }

Canon PIXMA iP4000

by Mike on October 24, 2005

We bought a new printer for our SOHO a while back. It’s a Canon PIXMA iP4000 and we love it.

It’s the first Canon we’ve owned and our next one will be a Canon, too, if this one is any indication of the type of output and reliability that Canon is pimping to the world.

Canon iP4000

From their website:

If you’re looking for outstanding quality, high speed and advanced convenience features, the Canon PIXMA™ iP4000 Photo Printer is ideal. Its ContrastPLUS 5-color ink system with four dye-based inks plus a pigment-based black ink produces true-life photos with improved color saturation and contrast along with laser-quality text. Plus, it achieves a resolution of up to 4800 x 1200 color dpi1, for exceptional detail and photo-realism. Canon Full-photolithography Inkjet Nozzle Engineering (FINE) uses a high-performance 1,856-nozzle print head that ejects consistent, prescribed-volume droplets as small as 2 picoliters. Simply put: more nozzles with higher accuracy equal better results at impressive speeds. You can even produce edge-to-edge borderless photos in 4 x 6, 5 x 7 and 8.5 x 11 in. sizes, with the look and feel of traditional photographs.

Using the PIXMA iP4000 Photo Printer is fast and easy. How fast? It can produce up to 25 ppm in black and up to 17 ppm in color, and a 4″ x 6″ borderless print takes only 36 seconds2. How easy? With direct photo printing, you can even print without a computer: simply connect any PictBridge compatible3 digital camera or DV camcorder, and print!

To help keep printing costs down, Canon has developed an efficient system that has five individual ink tanks that let you replace only the color that runs out, rather than an entire cartridge containing unused ink. Plus, a unique low-ink sensor alerts you when ink levels are low, so you are prepared to just drop in a new tank as needed. They call it ” Canon Think Tank System ”

The iP4000 has several unique features that make it a winner:

1) ContrastPLUS ink system for true-life photos and laser-quality text.

2) Up to 25 ppm black/up to 17 ppm color.

3) Dual paper path with built-in 2 sided printing.

4) Maximum 4800 x 1200 color dpi with microscopic droplets as small as 2 picoliters.

5) Direct photo printing from PictBridge compatible digital cameras & DV camcorders.

6) Borderless 4″ x 6″ photographs in approx. 36 seconds.

If you need a quality inkjet printer, give the Canon PIXMA iP4000 a try. It’s working for us.

{ 6 comments }

CW75 Thermal CD-R Label Printer

by Cary on October 23, 2005

CD-R Label PrinterGood Lord we should have bought one of these a long time ago…seriously, while we’ve since switched to backing our data up on 60GB ATA-Tape cartridges, my department at work still has over a thousand backup CD-Rs—all with my cruddy handwriting scrawled across them. Not exactly PRO. To make matters worse, when our clients ask for backups of their data they get the same thing—a cheap looking CD-R with, you guessed it, my nearly illegible writing in black sharpie ink.

But no more! It’s time to move up, so I’ve been eyeing one of these babies, namely, the Casio CW75 Thermal CD-R Label Printer. Here’s a bit from the website:

Stand-Alone or PC Compatible Disc Title Printer • Creates crisp, clear professional-looking CDs without the hassle of applying labels • Thermal printing wont damage CD-R/DVD or drive! • Imports any font, graphic or data from your PC, including track names from Windows Media Player • Print area: each 5/8 x 2-15/16 • Typewriter-style keyboard for stand-alone operation; or hook up to PC. Print area equals 16 lines. 12-character/one-line display, shows CD-R/DVD layout. Print format: 18 alphanumeric and four graphics. Uses eight AA batteries (included) or optional AC Adapter (CSOADA12280L), sold separately. Includes USB cable, PC software with six fonts and 1,055 symbols, black ink ribbon, template and sample CD-R

Personally, I could care less about the computer compatibility…I just want to punch in a title and push print! If I can convince my boss to part with a few bucks I’ll post a review.

Get The Latest Price on the Casio CW75 Thermal CD-R Label Printer (Aff.)

Technorati Tags: ,

{ 0 comments }