video

Who Really Owns Your Digital Assets?

Damian Davila — Wed, 27 Sep 2017 08:30:12 +0000

Throughout your life, you accumulate a wide variety of assets, including cash, real estate, and vehicles. But you've also probably been collecting assets of the digital kind — whether that be music downloads, frequent flyer miles, or cryptocurrency. When you put so many of your hard-earned dollars into virtual goods, there are some important considerations to keep in mind if you want to pass them on to your heirs.

What are digital assets?

Many people think of digital assets as digital copies of things that you purchase online, such as music or ebooks, but there are other types of digital assets. They include things that you store in virtual storage systems, such as Dropbox or iCloud. Some examples are photographs in your Flickr account, financial documents in your Box account, and bitcoins in your Coinbase account.

Social media accounts are also digital assets. Even if they don't have any monetary value, the contents may be something you want to bequeath to your heirs.

It can be easy to assign a dollar value to some digital assets, and difficult for others. The dollar value of an online-only savings account, for example, is as straightforward as it gets. On the other hand, a photo collection of the first 10 years of your son's life could be worth several thousands of dollars to you and nothing to the average Joe.

Taking care of your digital assets

Here are some best practices for taking care of your digital assets once you're no longer in the picture.

1. Read the fine print of your user agreement

Just because you hit the "Buy now" button for a digital file doesn't really mean that it's yours. Unlike physical books, CDs, DVDs, or vinyl records, purchasing digital works grants you no ownership rights. Most companies just license you the right to access and use the song or video.

For example, if you read Amazon's Conditions of Use, you'll find that "Amazon or its content providers grant you a limited, nonexclusive, nontransferable, non-sublicensable license to access and make personal and noncommercial use of the Amazon Services." In Amazon's Music Terms of Use, it also notes that your account can't be shared or transferred: "You may not share your Amazon.com username and password with others or use anyone else's Amazon.com username and password."

In other words, you don't own the asset and you can't get around that fact by giving your account password to anyone else.

2. Double check if digital assets can be in your will

If you haven't already, you need to create a last will and testament. But whether you can include a particular digital asset in the will depends. Not only must you actually own the digital asset, but also you must be able to transfer it.

Every company treats digital assets differently. For example, let's take a look at three cases of transferring airline frequent flyer miles upon death:

Air Miles Canada allows you to transfer ownership of air miles at no charge when an account holder has passed away.
American Airlines' AAdvantage program indicates that "mileage credit is not transferable" even to estates, successors, or assigns. However, American Airlines includes a clause that it may make exemptions upon its sole discretion and payment of any applicable fees.
Delta SkyMiles clearly outlines that "Miles are not the property of any member" and may not be transferred under any circumstances, including death.

3. Store a repository of all passwords

This is key. While your executor (the person executing your estate after your die) will need your login credentials to access your digital assets, they will have no legal authority to access your passwords under most state jurisdictions.

So, plan to leave a letter to your executor with the usernames and passwords of the accounts that you would like to pass on to beneficiaries. While a simple letter containing the account information can do the trick, there are also several digital alternatives. Some digital services that allow you to pass on digital assets are Password Box's Legacy Locker and YouDeparted.com.

4. Take advantage of existing programs

Some companies are already taking steps to plan your digital afterlife.

Google's Inactive Account Manager allows you to instruct Google to transfer data from several services, including Google+, Picasa Web Albums, and YouTube to specific individuals after three to 12 months of inactivity.
Facebook can "memorialize" an account after its owner has passed away.

5. Designate a beneficiary for all financial accounts

All types of banking and investment accounts provide you the option to designate a beneficiary. Without a beneficiary, your account will most likely end up in probate. While some states may grant your family some protection, designating a beneficiary well in advance is the best way to make sure that your digital moneys reach the right person(s).

You can change the beneficiary of your account as many times as you need. Every time that you go through a major life change, such as marriage, birth of a child, or retirement, you should revisit who your beneficiaries are.

6. Check your local and state legislation

In 2014, Delaware became the first state to sign legislation (House Bill 435) granting families the right to the digital assets of loved ones who become incapacitated or pass away. The law includes a wide rage of digital assets, including computer programs, audio files, images, and more. It's reasonable to expect similar legislation to appear in other states.

7. Instruct your beneficiaries to still give it a shot

Even when the company has a reputation of not budging and an airtight user agreement, tell your beneficiaries to try anyway. You never know when a company may make an exception. Airlines, in particular, are often willing to work with survivors who want access to a spouse's frequent flyer miles.

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This article is from Damian Davila of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

A Simple Guide to Buying The Best Travel Cameras

Nick Wharton — Thu, 25 May 2017 08:30:14 +0000

If one thing is true about buying a new camera for an upcoming trip, it's that there are plenty of choices. However, deciding among them can be overwhelming. The camera market is more than saturated and it can be hard to figure out which one of the available options is right for you and your travel style.

One of the most important things to keep in mind is that the "best" camera is the one that will serve your needs best. Do you want to be able to use it underwater? Do you want to be able to take more professional looking photos by choosing settings manually? Deciding what factors are most important to you before you shop will help ensure that you pick a camera that is the best match for your needs.

To help you make an informed decision, I've compiled this guide to some of the most popular travel cameras. As a professional videographer and photographer with more than five years of experience, I've found that the cameras below are the best in their class. My colleagues and I have used every one of them and recommend each for the categories listed.(See also: 8 Ways to Take Stunning Travel Photos)

For the adventurer

Any active traveler knows that the tougher a camera is, the better. Chances are, your camera could be subjected to rain, snow, seawater, and lots of bumping around while you're climbing, sailing, diving, skiing, or just strolling around town. You need a rugged camera that can accompany you through it all.

Tough TG-5 by Olympus

The newest addition to Olympus' Tough lineup, the TG-5, is currently available for pre-order and will soon hit the mass market. Priced at $450, you can drop this tough point-and-shoot from heights of up to seven feet, subject it to temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit, and dive with it to depths of 50 feet. It's also dustproof and crushproof. This rugged camera can survive pretty much any condition you subject it to, and still take great pictures. It renders colors vibrantly and includes art filters if you want an easy way to add Instagram-like effects to your photos. If you prefer to do more in-depth post-processing, the TG-5 also shoots stills in RAW mode. It shoots stunning video in Ultra HD 4K.

Pros: In addition to its durability, this camera can fit into your pocket easily (it measures 4.4 inches by 2.6 inches by 1.2 inches). It's also lightweight at just over half a pound.

Cons: As a point-and-shoot camera, the TG-5 has no manual mode. If you intend to only use your camera in automatic modes, then this isn't really a downside.

GoPro Hero5 Black

GoPros are excellent and durable cameras that allow you to take action photos and videos from a unique point of view. You can take GoPros on the ski slopes, to the sea, mountain biking, parasailing, and just about anywhere else without ever having to worry about damaging them. Their durability is one big draw, but users also praise their wide angle lenses, which allow you to capture more in one frame than a traditional camera.

The easy mounts you can buy to accompany a GoPro allow you to shoot from your arm, a helmet, a bike, and so much more. These mounts secure the camera so you don't have to worry about losing it. You can focus on what you're doing while simultaneously preserving that moment for future viewing.

The Hero5 Black, the latest model, retails for about $400.

Pros: GoPros are great for extreme sports, but even the not-so-extreme traveler can benefit by using them to catch hands-free footage on the go. The body of the Hero5 Black is waterproof up to depths of 33 feet, meaning you no longer need a special casing to keep moisture out. You can shoot in 4K Ultra HD, and change settings with the touch-screen or by using voice commands. The Hero5 also features GPS, stereo audio, electronic image stabilization, and the ability to upload clips automatically to the cloud.

Cons: If you're going to be taking a lot of portraits or wildlife close-ups, a GoPro is probably not for you. The wide angle lens gives an immersive feeling to action shots, but also creates barrel distortion. The Hero5 comes with a linear field of view setting that allows you to shoot in a mode that corrects some of that distortion, but it's still not perfect.

GoPro colors can also be a little flat. You can use the ProTune feature to help increase saturation a bit, but without some postproduction editing, you may be disappointed with the vibrancy of your images.

One final thing to keep in mind is that the battery life of GoPros is notoriously short, lasting only about an hour-and-a-half when you're using the camera's GPS, electronic image stabilization, and Wi-Fi. You may want to purchase a backup battery, which costs around $20.

For the instant gratification seeker

Digital photography pretty much spelled the death of Polaroid cameras and their instant-print ilk. Or so it seemed.

These cameras have recently been staging a comeback, and some of them are small enough to be excellent for traveling. They allow you to instantly and effortlessly share your favorite shots with new friends that you've made on the go.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 8

The Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 is 4.6 inches by 4.7 inches by 2.7 inches, weighing 11 ounces before adding the batteries. That's not tiny, but it's smaller than some competing cameras. I prefer the Fujifilm brand because in my opinion, its cameras are more comfortable to hold and I've always liked Fujifilm's standard color grading in photos.

The Instax Mini 8 sells for about $60. You'll need to buy the Instax Mini film made specifically for these cameras.

Pros: The retro touch and the ability to get prints on the spot make these cameras instant fun. Want to make friends with locals wherever you go? Ask nicely to take their photo, then give them a copy from your Instax Mini. Kids especially appreciate the gift. You can also use the photos as souvenirs for yourself, or postcards for folks back home.

Cons: The image quality of the Instax Mini 8 doesn't match even most cellphone cameras, so don't buy it to capture beautiful landscapes. It's more of a fun, retro snapshot device.

Another drawback is that instant film is notoriously expensive, so be prepared to spend around $13 for a twin-pack (10 exposures on each film cartridge). You'll want to stock up before you leave home, because you'd be surprised how fast you can go through 10 shots — especially if you're used to shooting pictures digitally. You'll also need a scanner if you plan to upload your snapshots online.

For the artist

If you want more control over your camera, you'll need a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera with a manual mode, so you can adjust the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO according to the light conditions and the elements you want to emphasize in your shot.

Canon EOS Rebel T6i

Canon's Rebel line of cameras are perfect entry-level DSLRs for travelers. They allow you to easily move between automatic and manual modes, giving you full control or easy point-and-shoot capability, depending on your mood and situation. This camera is easy to use and won't take up too much space, yet allows you to move closer to professional photography capabilities.

The T6i boasts a 24.2 MP sensor for beautiful high-resolution shots, and a quick, accurate autofocus. The 3-inch touch-screen is fully articulating, making it perfect for vloggers who need to be the focus of their own shots. This particular model of Canon Rebel frequently finds itself on the list of best DSLR cameras and it's my favorite of the DSLR class 24 MP+ category.

Pros: Automatic modes make it easier to shoot near-pro quality images and video even if you haven't fully mastered shooting in manual yet. Additionally, this model includes a very handy wireless transfer capability that enables you to sync pictures from the camera directly to your phone or computer, so you can easily publish on the go.

Canon's Rebel cameras are typically sold with a starter lens, and this one comes packaged with a EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM. In layman's terms, this lens has a great range of wide-angle through medium telephoto, image stabilization for sharper photos, and the stepping motor (STM) keeps autofocus smooth and quiet during video.

Cons: Weighing in at 18 ounces, this camera is one of the bigger and heavier ones we've included in this list, although it is still very portable. Its dimensions in inches are 5.10 by 3.93 by 3.07, and it costs about $670.

For the vlogger

If your main intention is video blogging, then the best vlogging camera currently on the market should be your choice.

Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II

You really can't beat this compact $679 camera for video. It's small enough to fit into a backpack pocket (4.2 inches by 2.4 inches by 1.7 inches, and weighing 11.2 ounces), which is nice for those who require some level of portability while traveling. It has a flip-up selfie screen for those perfect vlogging shots or selfie stills, and with its 1-inch image sensor it takes pretty nice photos, too.

Pros: Selfie flip-up screen. Beautiful colors. You can shoot images in RAW mode for in-depth editing in Lightroom or Photoshop, which is a feature still lacking in many compacts.

Cons: Barely pocketable. If they made it just a half inch narrower, this thing would slide in and out of your pants pocket with ease.

The biggest con about the G7 X Mark II is the fact that there is no external mic port, which is a huge disadvantage for people who are serious about taking professional videos. Unfortunately, none of the best cameras in this class have an external mic port.

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This article is from Nick Wharton of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Got a Personal Finance Tip or Story? Enter Get Rich Slowly's Contest!

Meg Favreau — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:24:10 +0000

Our friends over at Get Rich Slowly are running a video contest where readers can share their personal finance tips and success stories for a chance to win $500. The deadline is fast approaching — all entries must by in before the 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time this Sunday, April 15. Check out the contest information page for all the details on how to enter, or take a look at the current entries for some inspiration.

Wise Bread isn't participating in the contest, but in the spirit of it, I made this short video about my one favorite frugal living tip.

Watch video

There's some neat entries in the contest already — I look forward to watching yours!

This article is from Meg Favreau of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

11 Ways to Incorporate Video into Your Business

Justine Grey — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 19:54:30 +0000

Link:

http://www.openforum.com/articles/11-ways-to-incorporate-video-into-your-busines...

When I started my online business in 2008, using video for your online business was new and experimental. Fast forward to today and video is absolutely everywhere and then some, even those with no real business are cashing in on fame and fortune thanks to mega popular YouTube.

Although everyone seems to be tuning into the importance of video, it’s still a daunting thought for many business owners who aren’t quite sure where to add video to their online brand. But it’s not so hard. Here are 11 ways to make use of video.

1. Use video to entice people to sign up for your newsletter

By far the biggest way to drive sales to your business is through a mailing list or a newsletter. But getting people onto your mailing list is not always easy because nowadays, everyone has some sort of ‘free’ offer to entice people to join. More and more people just do not consider these freebies very valuable any longer.

Video is a great way to entice people onto your newsletter because you’ll be breaking away from what everyone else is doing and showcasing yourself and your company in a very real and engaging way.

Real business example: John McIntyre recently created a personal development site called Make Life Go Bang that features a video of him sharing 50 reasons to sign up for his newsletter. This interesting method means people won’t join just for a freebie and also helps them quickly connect with his mission and personality.

2. Better engage with your blog posts

More and more people are using video in blog posts to present their products and services in a more visually appealing way. Video can often be more engaging and entertaining than a printed article.

Real business example: David Siteman Garland from The Rise to the Top and Andrew Warner from Mixergy are two of my favorite video bloggers because their passion shines through in every video they produce. By taking time out to interview interesting people, they’re helping other entrepreneurs and start ups learn the ins and outs with stories that inspire and motivate.

3. Create a dedicated video page

While using video in your blog posts or to entice newsletter subscribers is a great start, you can take things further by displaying all of your videos with one dedicated page on your website. This will lower your bounce rate with new visitors and help people filter through your interesting content better.

Real business example: Entrepreneur Pat Flynn has a great dedicated video page on his blog Smart Passive Income that works with the Wordpress plugin TubePress to bring all of his recent Youtube videos right onto his website. It’s an easy way to showcase his videos and keeps his readers engaged with his content for longer periods of time.

4. Add video to your about page

To help connect with new visitors, why not create a video demonstrates your personality and company vision to share on your about page? It will be a welcome change from static images found on most other about pages and will give people a real glimpse into who you are in a very short time.

Real business example: Michelle Ward, the When I Grow Up Coach, uses video on her about page in this way. As a business owner, you want to ensure you attract the right customers and by sharing a snippet of your personality – or your company’s mission – right on the about page, you’ll engage the right people while saying goodbye to those who wouldn’t be the right fit anyways.

5. Sell more on your sales pages

If you’re serious about selling a service online, video can help attract and convert potential customers on your sales pages. By giving visitors the chance to learn more about what you’re selling and your motivation behind it, you’ll see a higher interest rate, more people willing to share your message, and more customers at the end of the day.

Real business example: Tara Gentile, creative business coach, uses video often on her sales pages to entice potential buyers to get to her know better and decide if the product is the right fit for them. Of the benefits, she says, “I know my enthusiasm and passion is what helps to sell a product. I can spend hours writing copy, crafting headlines, or perfecting prose, but 3 minutes in front the video camera says more than I can ever hope to with written words. Video makes the intangible, tangible. And that, inevitably, converts more sales.”

6. Excite on your product pages

We live in a world in which stunning photography is the norm – even amateurs with cell phone cams can produce images the equal of those shot by professional photographers. That means having wonderful photos of your products isn’t going as far as it used to.

Use video on your product pages to show people exactly how your items work, their key features, benefits, and also to give people a closer look into what life would be like by owning them.

Real business example: Catherine Choi of So Young Mother uses video to feature her diaper bags, lunch boxes, and cooler bags. Whenever I visit her website, I always take a moment to view one of her videos because her video marketing is so engaging – as if she’s right there in person explaining her product details to me.

7. Master the YouTube stream

YouTube recently announced their videos get over 3 billion views a day, and all those eyeballs need to go somewhere, so why not toward you? You can easily embed YouTube videos on your website and take advantage of the crazy volume of traffic YouTube gets daily, exposing new audiences to your message and increasing your brand awareness over time.

Real business example: Mashable wrote a great post about 5 brands killing it on YouTube but one that stood out to me most was Home Depot. Sharing their expertise with YouTube watchers means people will continue to think of them anytime they want to change their kitchen cabinets or replace their tiled floors. Maybe you can share your expertise in the same way?

8. Stream live for more interaction with fans and customers

By making yourself fully available for questions and chats live, you’ll win people over continually because you’ll become known as someone who cares deeply about your customer’s needs and wants.

Real business example: Even though Gary Vaynerchuk has built a multi-million dollar business stemming from Wine Library TV, he still jumps on ustream to chat with fans and followers. This good will encourages people to get to know him better and increases his likeability and brand.

9. Brighten up your digital products

If you sell virtual products, such as business tools and training, video is the perfect medium to use to better connect with your customers and explain things that sometimes text just cannot.

Real business example: While I’ve tried a lot of virtual products that include video, Danielle Laporte’s The Spark Kit includes an incredible amount of beautifully made videos – frequently interviews with experts and some of her flying solo – that share insightful tips and inspiring nuggets.

10. Add some magic to your support area

Many companies use video in their technical and customer support areas because it cuts back on customer emails and phone calls considerably. Whether you sell something physical, virtual or service based, you can use video to answer frequently asked questions, demonstrate how to use specific features of your products, and much more.

Real business example: My invoicing and time tracking system of choice, Harvest, does a great job of showcasing tons of different help queries in their support area with video. I’ve found that by taking a moment to filter through their pages, I have less need to email with questions, which is quicker for me – and cheaper for Harvest.

11. Cut down on training time for new employees

By creating training videos, easily done with screencasting software, you’ll connect with your employees in a deeper way and clarify all aspects of the work you need done very simply for them. In addition, you can reuse videos any time a new employee is brought on board, freeing you up to work on more important matters.

Real business example: As I expand my team, I can clearly see the benefits of recording training videos and sharing them with new employees compared to alternatives such as email communication or live training sessions online. I use Screenflow on Mac to record my training videos and this eliminates confusion over little details and ensure my people are quickly up to speed when they sign on to work with me.

This article is from Justine Grey of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro webcam: why doesn't 4 stars tell the full story?

Torley Wong — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:01:47 +0000

Logitech makes some good stuff: I keep hearing raves about their Revolution mice, and they're well-known for keyboards (I own a DiNovo Edge and it has great battery life) and webcams. However, Logitech is also one of the more lopsided companies in regards to support across multiple platforms, as I learned recently with the QuickCam Pro for Mac (Amazon affiliate link, but you may rethink buying after reading what's to come). While not a conventional review, this is a closer look into what to beware of with the QuickCam Vision Pro.

I have a QuickCam Pro 9000 that worked pretty well on my Windows XP (since upgraded to Vista) machine, aside from blue screens of death if I replugged it. However, when I connected it to my Mac, I had extremely low framerate, around 5 FPS. Casual searches showed this was because the "RightLight" technology to automatically compensate for dim conditions was only in software, and there are no Logitech Mac webcam drivers. Thus, I learned about the confusingly-named Vision Pro. It has a very similar form factor to the 9000, the main differences being some coloring ones, such as the ON ring light is white instead of orange. But the insides are supposedly different (I haven't cracked mine open), with the Mac version having RightLight in hardware.

I did my research, I swear!

I searched for the Vision Pro at Amazon, and read the many (now 102) reviews, which averaged out to 4 stars. I noted most of the ratings corresponded with intended usage: people just doing iChat or Skype video chat were enthusiastic, while others who had more heavy needs weren't as happy — placing myself in the latter category and mindful to clarify the caveats myself, I ordered one. As with other Mac versions of Logitech goods, it's significantly more expensive than its Windows counterpart. In this case, about US$100 vs. $70 — presumably that's because of the hardware as well as having less sales volume, but Logitech hasn't acknowledged this.

Unboxing and installing the Vision Pro was very easy. I plugged it in to a free USB port on my Mac Pro. But I also noticed, to reaffirm what I mentioned earlier, there are no Mac drivers, no control software which allows you to adjust picture settings as well as wackier special effects — as is present and extensively developed on the Windows side. Apple does provide Photo Booth, so I started that up and was sorely disappointed: the framerate was as slow and jerky as the 9000 on my Mac. I couldn't find any way to optimize this; others report the same.

Then, I tried iChat and Skype. In both, the video preview was silky smooth (as expected), and here's where I noticed a substantial framerate improvement. Looking closely, I wondered if this was because of the dimensions: iChat and Skype seem to (again, I wish Logitech provided clear documentation) show a 320x240 preview, while Photo Booth records at 640x480. (Photo Booth with my MacBook Pro's built-in "iSight" webcam is visibly smoother at this same resolution.)

A video's at least a few thousand words, see for yourself (an unaltered framegrab is at the top of this article): I look like a ghost because what's on my monitor is white-ish. This isn't the Vision Pro's fault.

Another test: I started QuickTime Player, because File menu > New Movie Recording lets you do just that. Again, I was thwarted by a choppy framerate, and on top of that, the image was forcibly zoomed in, cropping the image. I don't know why it does this, and couldn't find a way to disable it. So far, I was very disappointed.

So many half-finished features

Now, it was time for me to use the Vision Pro for real — record screencasts with ScreenFlow. I'm sad to say that Telestream, the makers of ScreenFlow, offered me no leads on recommended and compatible webcams, so I chose the Vision Pro because it seemed to be in the higher-range of things. But overpriced, I do think. Again, a disappointment: ScreenFlow's preview was very jerky. However, when I actually did record a video, it looked smooth. The final recording size was shown as 640x480, even though its blurriness suggests it was actually recorded at 320x240 and upsampled.

So in short, here's the rub: Logitech's support for the QuickCam Vision Pro is sorely lacking. You have little idea what to expect or how it should behave. Its marketing is disingenuous, too, which is a red flag to consumers. They claim:

HD video: QuickCam Vision Pro is a high-performance webcam capable of delivering 720p high-quality images* up to 1600 X 1200 pixels.

Yet aside from a little footnote, Logitech don't give you advice on how to actually get higher resolutions. No list of tested, compatible software. On the Windows side, the included picture-taking app makes it easy. On the Mac side, no such luck. It really makes you feel like while this was offered to the Mac market, they put little thought and consideration into its usefulness.

But wait, there's more… suckiness…

There's no system way to turn off autofocus or RightLight either, and like the 9000, the microphone is mediocre, captures too much background noise, and distorts easily with awful clipping, so don't believe the "A high quality microphone provides excellent, hands-free audio." It's not true, it sounds like you're in a tin can if you speak from about two feet away. I use a Zoom H4n for my mic recordings, but it's over $300! (You'd be far better off with even a dedicated USB condenser mic.)

To get around the issue of no video adjustments, you can get eCamm's iGlasses which works with most webcam apps (but not ScreenFlow), but this sort of thing should've really been bundled.

That's not the end of your troubles: several reviewers note the Vision Pro gets very dark if two or more apps try to use it at the same time, or in quick succession. I can confirm this is true, as well as another problem where it fails to turn on if you keep making one recording after another — it's a pain and breaks your creative flow. Workaround? Replug. But that's annoying.

Oh, if you're wondering, human support from Logitech is lacking, too. I've received no help on how (if it's even possible) to make the Vision Pro work adequately in Photo Booth. Did I mention iMovie doesn't support it either?

All in all…

While the Vision Pro is usable, it gives me mixed feelings and has wasted a lot of my time. I'm not satisfied with my purchase. Buyer beware if you intend to do more than the most basic video chat, where cheaper webcams will perform fine. I'd give the Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro 2 stars out of 5. I looked at getting an original Firewire Apple iSight but they're even more expensive, and I've been wary of competitors like the aGent.

It appears there's a dearth of really excellent Mac webcams — if you know better, would you please recommend me and fellow WiseBread readers one? I'm so sad.

This article is from Torley Wong of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Free movie rental from Hollywood Video

Paul Michael — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:54:49 +0000

This deal is about as simple as they get. So grab a bag or two of your favorite popcorn, browse through the aisles of your local Hollywood Video and pick up a video rental on the house.

So, what's the catch? Well, there is one but it's a tiny one. All you have to do is sign up for the Hollywood Video newsletter, no big deal, and you get your coupon.

Any restrictions? None that I can see. This was on my coupon:

This coupon is a one-time offer and is good for one free New Release DVD or Hollywood Film Library® movie rental.

The only slight niggle I had was installing the coupon printer, I'm no big fan of extra software. But it's a small gripe for a free movie. Enjoy.

This deal is about as simple as they get. So grab a bag or two of your favorite popcorn, browse through the aisles of your local Hollywood Video and pick up a video rental on the house.

So, what's the catch? Well, there is one but it's a tiny one. All you have to do is sign up for the Hollywood Video newsletter, no big deal, and you get your coupon.

Any restrictions? None that I can see. This was on my coupon:

This coupon is a one-time offer and is good for one free New Release DVD or Hollywood Film Library® movie rental.

The only slight niggle I had was installing the coupon printer, I'm no big fan of extra software. But it's a small gripe for a free movie. Enjoy.

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Hack a Mac!

Troy Hadley — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 21:07:45 +0000

If you're like me, the closest you get to hacking anything is when you are allowed to carve the turkey at Thanksgiving. But lately, I've been inspired to learn how to do all those techy things that my nerdy friends seem so good at. I'm also a sucker for most Mac products, but I had heard bad things about AppleTV.

So I was happy to see tech-lovin' geeks at Wired Magazine publish a fun hack that turns AppleTV into a full-fledged computer.

Apple TV is dead, long live the Mac Nano. Sort of. Just two weeks after Apple released its streaming media box to the public, hackers successfully installed OS X, Apple's desktop operating system, on the $300 device, making it the cheapest PC Cupertino has ever sold.

This hack takes some very serious time and patience, but man, a full-fledged Mac for $300!

Picture by Jane M. Sawyer.

This article is from Troy Hadley of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Some of the Best Personal Finance Videos I've Found

Sarah Winfrey — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 21:27:59 +0000

While I can't post the actual videos because of copywrite issues, CNNs free money videos are positively inspiring. That is, they inspire to to understand more about money, how to save it, and how not to lose it. I know, I know...plugging CNN is more than a little cheesy. But give them (and me!) a chance before you walk away. Try out a video and let me know what you think.

Many money videos are so dry and boring that I end up thinking about something (anything!) else. My thoughts trail off until it's too late; I come back at a point where the introduction is over and I can't understand anything. Capital gains, eh? And those are...??!!?

But these videos? Much better. If you're new to thinking about personal finance or want a refresher, head over to Money 101. They cover the basics on everything from setting priorities and budgeting to choosing retirement plans and different sorts of insurance. While not at the tip top of excitement (no explosions, sorry!), they're not boring either and are stuffed full of information. If you're interested in hearing from the leaders of major companies, try C-Suite Strategies on for size. Their interviewees include the leaders of Best Buy and Fed-Ex, among others, all discussing financial matters like investing and entrepreneurship. Finally, there are all sorts of short features, from one that folows a clothing company through the start-up process to a review of driving the Lamborghini Murcielago roadster. Check them all out here .

This article is from Sarah Winfrey of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: