The joy of shopping * 6 tips for buying electronics *

1. Windows 7: A lot has been written about it, both positive and negative. I’m recommending just bite the bullet and go with it rather than trying to get a new computer with an older operating system. If you’ve been using the “XP” system, there may be a slight learning curve, as you’ll also have to buy the new version of Microsoft Office 2007. The 2007 word processing and spreadsheet (Word & Excel) have a different look and feel, so cruising around on them will be a bit slower until you are used to them. But you’ll learn to love the changes. If you are using “Vista” operating system, you’ll notice only minimal changes.



2. Something to consider: NetBooks. These are those tiny 10” wide, 3 lb. laptops (with WiFi) you’ve seen at cafes and on planes. Throw them in a purse or backpack, they’re very durable, and cheap! The downsides are they are slow and have a small hard drive. Many people use them as auxiliary computers when traveling.



3. When asked if I want to buy insurance with my electronics purchase, I always say no. Seems kind of expensive, plus I tend to replace cameras, laptops every few years, and there’s usually a 12 month warranty. However, if you bang your laptop

The joy of old-fashioned holiday cards

Several years ago, sending “electronic cards” was all the rage. And in fact, email has pretty much replaced physical mail (aka “snail-mail”). But three things have somewhat reversed this trend with regards to personal correspondence. One, some pretty nasty viruses can be hidden in e-cards, and two, people are bombarded with them, to the point that many people don’t bother opening them.

The third, and most important, is that people nowadays miss personal interaction, especially during the holidays. Receiving a card with a handwritten note is such a joy because it’s so rare to get personal mail. Many people report a dwindling number of

The joy & convenience of mailing labels

It's fun to write little notes on holiday cards, but time consuming. Then there’s addressing them, which is tedious AND time consuming. The good news is you can have pre-printed labels made, and have more time to enjoy the season. Whether you have an electronic contact system, like “Outlook”, or if you just have a hand written list of addresses, we can help. If you are interested in either learning how to do this, or have us do it for you, give us a call.

Choose your electronic gifts carefully. Exchanging or returning is becoming more difficult. KIST can help you deter­mine the best products for your needs.

Make an appointment by December 31 for your KIST service in January and your first session is 50% off.

Load up your recurring dates in your calendar sys­tem (Outlook, Yahoo) now.

Give your loved ones a gift they could really use; a KIST Tech Support Gift Certificate.

Join our mailing list and get KIST more often.

Santa wishes all the boys and girls of the world Peace and Prosperity, Ho ho ho !