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Freebies: Thumbs Up, Down

Thanks to Dylan Tweney for "101 Fabulous Freebies" [May]! I downloaded two of the listed programs, Spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-Aware, and they solved a problem that had been vexing me for six months. ("Vexed" is a radically clean expression for what the little bug did to my computer and my attitude.) It's particularly nice that he recommended both programs, as what one misses the other gets. Many, many thanks.

Mac McCauley, Oregon City, Oregon

Your excellent article missed one organizational tool that has been in constant use on my computer ever since Steve Bass recommended it in his online Tips and Tweaks column from last October.

Anyone who is attempting to keep on top of personal and professional data should give EverNote a try. A paid version of the program is available, too, but I have been very happy with the freebie.

Carol Campbell, Truro, Nova Scotia

Recently I needed to print out my tax return, but I discovered that my printer was inoperative. Fortunately I had just installed PDF Creator (one of the freebies I found out about in your timely article). I used the utility to make a standard PDF file, and then I e-mailed it to another location. In short, it's a good thing the May issue came out before April 15!

Also, since I have a habit of folding over a corner of the pages that I wish to return to, this is a very dog-eared issue.

Bart Bresnik, Mansfield, Massachusetts

Your introductory paragraph says, "These are the real deal--no hobbled half-products or demos that time out after 30 days." I beg to differ with regard to two downloads I checked out today.

One was Foxit Reader, which your article says includes "a 'typewriter' that lets you edit any text in the PDF." Technically correct, but it shows a message declaring that any text typed in will contain markings that can only be removed by the full paid version of the program.

The other download, the free version of eFax, allows only two free outgoing faxes, despite the article's implication that you can send and receive equally.

Wallace Cassel, Eugene, Oregon

Editor's response: You zeroed in on the two items about which we've received several complaints. We could have been clearer about the tools' limitations, and we apologize for the confusion.

Laura Blackwell

Readers' Tips on Extended Warranties

Thanks for an excellent article ["Are Extended Warranties Worth It?" May].

I travel in my work, using PowerPoint presentations, and I bring along my own laptop and projector. To protect against theft and breakage, I obtained a rider on my house insurance for about $50 a year that covers both devices.

Also, consider asking whether a warranty on your item could be negotiated--the insurance company's offering, if available, likely would cost less than the vendor's, as you're already a client.

Fred Plastow, Warsaw, Indiana

One good potential source of extended warranties may be the product's manufacturer, rather than the retailer. In researching a warranty for my 60-inch Sony TV, I found the best deal from Sony itself ($229 for four years).

Gary McCready, Salisbury, Maryland

I can't overemphasize the importance of an accidental-damage coverage policy for portable electronic items. My digital camera once slipped from my shoulder to a tile floor. Repairs, done at no charge but itemized on the invoice, came to more than three times the cost of the warranty--a bargain in my book.

Dave Samuels, Spring Hill, Florida

Many states have laws governing extended warranties. In my state, for instance, the law provides "automatic warranty protection [for four years] in addition to any 'express' written or verbal warranty provided by a manufacturer or seller." This law covers "all new and used goods purchased for family, household or personal use"--just about every kind of product except used cars.

When seeking a repair for a defective TV that was beyond the manufacturer's warranty period, I brought our state law to the manufacturer's attention, and the maker repaired the unit at no cost to me.

Bill Harrington, Denmark, Maine

One point I would add to your article: Salespeople are often wrong about what is included in an extended warranty plan--the fine print may specifically exclude, say, accidental damage that the salesperson claims will be covered.

Steve Landes, Glen Ellyn, Illinois

When Cars Get Too Smart

Now with OnStar periodically sending you diagnostic stats about your car by e-mail and with Microsoft getting into the fray ["Cars That Are Smarter Than You Are," Gadget Freak, May], I can't wait till a hacker breaks into a car's onboard computer and gives carjacking a whole new angle. Or for the day when the idiot "General Protection Fault" warning lights up on the dashboard. It'll almost make the jokes from years ago look prophetic.

Craig Steffler, Helena, Montana

A Clean E-Mail Account

In the May Consumer Watch ["The Ultimate Tech Consumer Guide"], you suggest creating a second e-mail account dedicated to online shopping. Good idea, though maybe not only for the reason--privacy--you put forth. I maintain several separate e-mail accounts: personal, business, buying, and junk (for Web sites that require an e-mail address).

To my knowledge, my buying account--in contrast to the others--has never received a single piece of spam. That tells me that the shopping sites I buy from do not share my e-mail address with other parties. I can only say, Bravo for them!

Karen Brown, Loudon, Tennessee

More Than Just Directions

That was a nice write-up on the different online map services and GPS systems ["Never Ask for Directions Again," May]. I have used both of the USB GPS systems [reviewed online], and I prefer the Earthmate.

One thing not mentioned in the story is the wonderful ability to record and play back your trip. After being pulled over for speeding and charged with going 16 mph over the limit, I went to court and was able to show my route, speed, and direction. It knocked the ticket down to 6 mph over and put $60 back where it belonged.

Dan Ripley, Palmetto, Georgia

You gave high marks to MapQuest for accuracy. However, for almost a year the Utah Department of Transportation has been trying to get MapQuest to update information on renumbered exits for the state's major north-south highways--so far to no avail. On a map and accompanying directions that MapQuest provided me in March, the stated exit numbers were still wrong.

Walter Bornemeier, North Salt Lake, Utah

Record Wait for a Rebate?

As a subscriber since the late eighties, I've seen my share of letters to the editor about rebate problems. I'm writing because I just got a check in the mail. Since I wasn't expecting it, I surmised it must be an old rebate. My current records go back only to 2004, and it wasn't among them. I didn't think it could be any older, but I dug out earlier records, and sure enough, there it was--a claim sent on August 24, 2003! So maybe the lesson is that you're supposed to wait for years, not months, for that precious rebate.

Michael S. Comeau, Canoga Park, California

The Most Important Function of a Cell Phone

In the market for a new cell phone, I was looking through your reviews ["Pick the Perfect Cell Phone," June, and other online reviews].

Remarkably comprehensive! You seem to address everything from the operating system to the battery life, from the games available to how well the thing will toast a bagel. Your reviews discuss just about everything that a person could possibly want to know about a specific phone, except--how well does it work as a phone?

In particular, I am interested in knowing which cell phones provide the best reception in areas where the carrier's signal is weak. And how good is each device's audio reproduction? Discussions with friends suggest that I'm far from alone in wanting this kind of information.

Seems to me that your phone reviews are slanted almost exclusively toward early adopters and technology geeks--those consumers who happen to enjoy spending their time playing with built-in cameras, background images, ring tones, and 87 other features that have nothing to do with the core function of wireless voice communication.

Perhaps future phone reviews could be broken into two parts: function as a cell phone, and bells and whistles. By doing so, I think you would provide a service to a much wider audience.

Jim McCormack, San Diego

Support Tips From a Pro

Despite the line on the June cover--"Never Call Tech Support Again!"--you probably will have to call for help sometime. Will you get the support you want?

I work as a PC tech for the City of Omaha and Douglas County, supporting 3400 machines, associated users, and multiple networking technologies. I worked previously as a customer service rep in the insurance industry for over 14 years. If I've learned anything about getting good service, and quickly, it is that it takes more than just not being rude.

Be nice and be willing to push compliments up when they are due. The tech wants to help you and will help you. That person did not cause the problem you want fixed, and doesn't have the intimate knowledge you have of your own system.

Be prepared to listen. Have a notepad handy. Ask for and write down a case or reference number for your call. The representative will often give you their name and ID number. Use their name, and be appreciative. "Jane, thank you for helping me with my printer" will go farther than "Okay, it works now [click]," because invariably you'll call back for help with something else and you may get that same person.

Part of what grooms an okay tech toward becoming a stellar one is getting a caller who wants to tell their boss that they did a great job. That's why you keep a notepad nearby and request the representative's ID. Managers and supervisors live for escalations that begin with "No, it's not a problem. In fact, Jane was so nice and thorough that I wanted to make sure her managers knew about it." Be ready to explain exactly why you are complimenting the tech.

All of this will help keep that good tech available to you for the next call.

Michael Parkinson, Omaha, Nebraska

Corel WordPerfect Office

Kudos for acknowledging Corel WordPerfect Office as superior to Microsoft Office ["WordPerfect Office: A Better App Mix, for Less," Reviews and Rankings, June]. Your reviewer, Dennis O'Reilly, recognized a very powerful feature of WordPerfect--that is, its ability to give you finer control over the look of a document via the Reveal Codes option.

The software's other important features should be noted, as well. One is the program's ability to open and save Microsoft Word documents in their native format. While WordPerfect will convert Word documents, Microsoft's Office does not convert WordPerfect documents. And WordPerfect's Word Compatibility Toolbar gives you the option to save your documents in any of several formats: Word, PDF, HTML, or XML. Invaluable!

Another consideration to bear in mind is that Corel will give you an unconditional 30-day free trial of the suite.

Paul Garatt, Paducah, Kentucky

Keeping Up With Digital Photography

Digital photography is coming into its own now. The pace of technological advancement in this realm is truly astounding to us old-timers. Shortly, digital "film" will surpass the image quality of real film, and the end of such progress is nowhere in sight.

These technological improvements allow more people to do serious photography. I know dozens of amateurs who have high-end cameras and want high-end results. And I believe that artistic expression is a deep-seated human need.

For these reasons, I would encourage you to expand your coverage of products and technologies for high-quality, high-end digital photography.

Bob Hall, Nantucket, Massachusetts

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