WikiHow is a great resource for those of you who’re looking to learn how to do something new.  While it’s not gadget- or geek-specific, it has a lot of articles on tech-related things including how to:

• Rip DVDs to your iPhone
• Make your laptop usable outdoors
• Become a computer geek
• Make a motion detector
• Send SMS (that’s text messages) from your PC
• Maintain a radio controlled car
• Make a sugar rocket

Of course, there are also a lot of oddball non-tech-related articles on there that can be fun to read.  Say you want to become a panhandler or a street performer… WikiHow has you covered.  Finally, if you really need to save up for that iPhone or new laptop, we recommend the articles on living cheaply and/or getting a job.  Of course, you can save a lot on rent if you learn how to squat in an abandoned property or live on the street too.

And it’s a Wiki, so if you see something that’s missing… write it up and add it.

For those of you who share the same fascination for fonts as I do, there’s probably no need to explain the infatuation.  But for the rest of you out there, where do I start?

Sure, everybody likes looking at nice things, but a really good font can inspire and connect in ways many other design elements can only aspire to.  Typography and the art of fonts have helped in the conceptualization of scores of great tech creations.  Just ask Steve Jobs about his inspiration from typography.

You really should waste no more time and start downloading new fonts right now.  You’ll soon have a font infatuation of your very own… guaranteed!  So leaving my weird font obsession behind for a moment to help you start yours, here are my 7 favorite (and free) places where you can procure the perfect font for your next project:

1.  urbanfonts – Alright this site makes number one on my list because I’m really used to their categories and organization.  Be sure to peruse their “Famous” font section.  It’s loaded up with all of the favorites that you never knew you were so familiar with.  Give it a whirl… you’ll see what I mean.

2.  daFont – This site is loaded with freebie font goodness too.  Checking out all the new ones, I’m almost drooling on my self.  Yes, I’m that obsessed.  I also like that each font has its own specific page often with comments from the author on its inspirations and intended use.

3.  FamousFonts – More typography that just about anybody will recognize right away.  The site’s written in German, but is simple enough regardless.  Be sure to check out my favorite “Musik” section.

4.  FontFace – This site has is fairly distracting, but if you can see past that, go straight to the Free Font of the Day page for a new fix daily.

5.  Abstract Fonts – Worth giving a regular look for new and interesting submissions.  Also, stay in touch with ease by subscribing to their RSS font feed.

6.  SimplytheBest Fonts – Again, I’m a fan of the categorical system at this site that just makes good sense.  It’ hard to describe a visual concept with words, but they pull it off with quite the large font database.

7.  Dingbat Depot – Get your dingbat fonts right here.  Who ever thought drawing by typing could be so easy?  They even have a Late Night with Conan O’Brien graphical font.

So there it is in a nutshell.  My seven favorite free font resources.  If you’re not already a font fanatic, I bet you will be after browsing these sites.

Remember this from The Office?

Yeah, I know the whole exercise ball (or “fitness orb” if you prefer) for a desk chair thing is easy to make fun of. And I’m fairly certain their use by neighboring coworkers would annoy the heck out of me in a cramped office environment. But for those of us who work day in and day out from the comforts of our own home offices, the exercise ball as a chair concept might just be sheer brilliance.

Benefit #1 – Active Sitting Improves Posture. When we kick back and lounge out in our ergonomically engineered desk chairs, very rarely do we sit in them as intended. In fact, more often than not, we’re slumping or slouching or just doing something else wrong all together that’s compressing our bodies and attacking our posture. The exercise ball not only prevents slouching, but it forces our postural muscles to stay on the move. Known as active sitting, this constant movement ever so slightly tones these important muscles as we work. Other benefits can include better balance and even tighter abs.

Benefit #2 – Exercise Reduces Pain. I can personally vouch for the pain relief realized by daily use of an exercise ball for task seating. My body was being punished from spending up to 12 hours a day sitting incorrectly in my ergonomically correct office chair. By the end of the day, I could count on an achy back along with neck and shoulder muscles so tightly wound they could snap. But since I now use my exercise ball for about 4 hours of my daily work time, I’ve couldn’t feel better.

Benefit #3 – The Movement Kills Fatigue. Along with a reduction in aches and pains, I’ve also noticed that the fatigue factor of spending so much time at my computer each day has dwindled dramatically with the use of my personal fitness orb. I attribute this to the slight but ever constant motion that keeps my body stimulated. In other words, it’s sort of like a miniature version of the energy rush accomplished by more vigorous exercise.

Benefit #4 – You Might Even Burn A Few Calories. Well, we’re burning calories no matter what we do. But the extra movement from spending time on an exercise ball does indeed accelerate the burning of calories. Just how much depends on individual circumstance. I find myself bouncing around quite bit (which is okay, since there’s no one here for me to annoy). Also, I find myself almost subconsciously doing a few crunches or at least good stretching here and there as the exercise ball is with me in my office perpetually.

Benefit #5 – The Price Is Right. This is perhaps the best benefit of all. A basic exercise ball costs around $30 or less. In fact, I found mine at Target for $17. It’s been about a year now and it still hasn’t popped or punctured, so I consider that quite the bargain. Be sure to get the right size that allows you to sit upright with your feet flat on the floor while still putting your hands in the right place for your keyboard.

I’ve considered going naked, but after the initial feeling of liberation you quickly realize you should probably put your iPhone in a case of some sort.  What did you think I was talking about?

When I bought my iPhone second-hand (with two days of use on the clock), it came from the original purchaser with an Incase Molded Rubber Protective Sleeve.  I liked it at first.  It doesn’t add bulk, it gives the iPhone a nice grippy texture, and it’s not bad looking.  The rubberized exterior is probably pretty good at handling some of the shock that your iPhone encounters on a daily basis.  That said, there are two fatal flaws with the Incase Rubber Sleeve.

First off, it allows some dirt/pocket link/other abrasive material to slip down along the edge.  This has resulted in a number of iPhones that now sport scratched chrome bezels… including mine.  Incase blames this on Apple… Apple blames it on Incase.  I think if your “protective sleeve” causes damage — no matter whether the chrome trim is “inferior” or not — it’s not much of a protective sleeve.  Bad, Incase, bad!

However, the first problem can be mitigated by religiously removing and cleaning the case often.  That brings me to the second problem: removal of the case more than five or so times and it starts to stretch.  After that, it goes downhill fast until you have a fitted rubber case that fits looser than Calista Flockhart’s sweat pants.  Mines so saggy it doesn’t even stay on that well anymore.

I’ll be calling Incase and seeing what they have to say about what’s obviously a flawed product.

I’ve since replaced the rubber with a form-hugging clear plastic case from Power Support they dub the Crystal Jacket.  It’s a bit pricey at the standard iPhone case price of $30, but it’s a very well-put-together product.  It comes with the case (front and back pieces), a nice belt clip, and a screen protector (I’d already installed a Power Support screen shield, so this was just a spare for me).  The case has a couple of benefits I didn’t even think of when I picked it out to replace my Incase: it covers the face of the iPhone a bit on the top and bottom (no ear prints!) and it slides in and out of my pocket a lot smoother than the grippy rubber on the Incase.  Of course, the Crystal Jacket set allows unimpeded access to all iPhone controls and you can even hook up the charge/sync cable with the case still on.  It does not allow the phone to sit in the dock, however.

Are you still using the freebie bud style earphones that came prepackaged with your iPod or brand x mp3 player?

Well, let’s face it… If you are still using the freebies, you might be one of the rare few.  It’s really too bad that the big sellers of portable digital music geniusry (yep, I made that word up) don’t choose to put much research and development effort towards equal matching headphones.  I mean most of the earbud headphones that come included are only worth about their weight in plastic.

But the question still persists…

Even after you’ve made the choice to upgrade to something – anything – better than the included earbuds, how much are you willing to spend?

After all, the digitally compressed music file that your device is pumping to the headphones is not exactly audiophile quality stuff.  The same holds true for the audio circuitry of your music player – it sounds good enough on the fly, but the right amount of money and expectations can certainly purchase better quality.

If money were no object to me, I’d defiantly be sporting a pair of custom audiologist fit and personally tuned Ultimate Ears earphones.  These are the buds that most professional touring musicians use on stage, recently replacing the bulky and all too murky floor monitors.  Maybe I could settle for the $900.00 ue 10 pro model – arguable the best of the best of consumer earbuds.  But unfortunately I just can’t justify that price for spinning my flattened mp3s.

Could I settle for Shure’s new sound isolating three driver SE530 earbuds?  You bet I could.  My ears are practically salivating right now just at the thought of pure, crisp, and transparent sonic beauty.  But again, for the nearly $500 price tag, I’m going to have to pass for now.  Maybe someday.

Right now, I’m rocking my $40 V-Moda phones.  I know these are kind of obscure and arguably pretty darn ugly too, but man they sound good to me.  Granted, I’m one of those bass freaks and these deliver plenty of the low end I want to hear and feel like I feel.  Many would consider the bass to be too much and highly inaccurate.  To each their own.

So there you have it, I give myself around a $50 allowance for good earbuds to suit my on the go musical experiences.  Any more than that and I’d be way too upset when I manage to lose them or shred the poor cord.

Again, it would take a bit of persuasion to convince me to step out of my earbud comfort zone.  How about you?

So I have to admit, very rarely do I even notice my LCD monitors.  I spend most of my time at my computers looking right through the screen and intently focusing on the task I’m supposed to be working on (or the diversion that’s keeping me from finishing that task).

Of course, the definition of functioning technology means it should do what it does with out any further notice.  For a product such as a monitor, you don’t really want to pay notice.  Awareness is distraction.  As soon as I actually see my monitor, that probably means something is wrong.  In my case, it’s usually a finger print smudge or dust attracting the sunlight’s glare.

To keep things in check, here’s my insight on keeping LCD’s clean and out of sight:

Start With the Right Solution.

I happen to know for a fact that I would never have any reason to physically reach out and touch the screen of my monitors.  I have no touch screen technology and I’m just not a touchy-feely person.  Nevertheless, I always end up with distracting finger prints on my screens.

While many commercial screen cleaning products are available, I prefer a homemade solution containing the same ingredients of the best solutions.  I keep a spray bottle mixed with half isopropyl rubbing alcohol (containing at least 90% isopropyl) and half water.  It couldn’t work better.

Spray and Swaddle.

After powering down my LCDs, I find a liberal spraying of the screens is the only way to go.  I use a really soft cotton t-shirt which I keep exclusively for this purpose.  Use one side to clean, then the other to buff out any marks or smudges.

I find my glossy style laptop screen will wipe clean without even needing solution.  In contrary, my dual Dell Ultrasharps with glare reducing finishes generally need a bit more persuasion.

Be Smart, Beware.

Do be careful…  One little speck of gunk can scratch and scathe your beloved flat screen in ways you’d never imagine.  As a disclaimer, I’ll also go ahead and say that I’m fairly generous with the liquid end of things and I’ve never had a problem with that, but electronics and liquids don’t traditionally mix.

What ever you do, avoid glass cleaning products that contain ammonia.  The chemical will gradually break down the plastic of your screen, damaging its clarity significantly.

Skip the Scratches.

Avoid scratchy paper towel or any material that might scathe your display.  If you’re not sure about the pureness of your tap water, make your mix with distilled water to further avoid any scraping.

I’ve apparently been lucky enough to never have had a scratch on any of my monitors.  That said, I’ve heard that a dab of Vasoline rubbed into the scratch with a soft cloth sometimes reduces the visibility of the scratch completely.

Has anybody out there ever personally tried this remedy?  Personally, I would be a bit worried that the petroleum based Vasoline might interact with the screen’s material, causing yellowing or distortion.

If you’re ready to go smudge free, just follow these pointers and your monitors will be out of sight.  Or at least distraction free!

Get started with this perfect hour long set, especially tailored for a summer patio party.  Songs meant to enjoy.

If you’re not already a Rhapsody subscriber, don’t worry… Rhapsody lets you play 25 songs a month for free.

Sangria Wine – Austin, TX singer-songwriter Jerry Jeff Walker is oft-overlooked for his influence on outlaw country.  While this summer patio party song isn’t of the outlaw variety, it is festive – In the same way the “I like pina colodas” song was until you found out it wasn’t about the good life, but instead about getting dumped.

I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) – The Proclaimers’ classic song of duration.  This song just goes down even better with a cold beer or tasty boat drink or five.

No Rain – Remember the dancing bee girl video for this song?  This song is testament to a summer’s weekend freedom.  As long as there’s no rain.

Feel Us Shaking – This tune from The Samples is like the last hoorah of the 80’s in a so very late 90’s kind of way.  Either way, it’s just a darn good summer song and it always leaves me shaking.

The General – Dispatch tries to tell us to enjoy our weekend by singing about a general.  Actually, I’m not sure what this song is really supposed to be about, but I think everybody likes it.  Enjoy.

Maggie May – My whole life, until about last year, I totally despised Rod Stewart.  I think it was probably because of all the TV commercials selling his songs on compilation CD after compilation CD.  And then it hit me.  I no longer have to be embarrassed.  I like this stuff.  I mean, it’s classic after all!

Pirate Looks At 40 – Jack Johnson’s stripped down and astoundingly clear take at this Jimmy Buffett acoustic classic is a perfect summer chill song.  I’m convinced I might just be an under 40 victim of fate.

It Don’t Matter – Jack Johnson’s beach bum buddy Donavon Frankenreiter with a serenade to “hey, anything goes.”  Let’s all be happy and enjoy!

What Would You Say – I’ve always been a huge Dave Matthews fan, since way before it was popular to be a huge DMB fan.  While this may be the original mainstream hit, it never gets old.  A modern day timeless classic?

High And Dry – Let’s mellow things out a bit more with Jamie Cullum’s cover of Radiohead’s song that is apparently telling the story of either a motocross racer or Evil Kaneivel.  I never did comprehend, but I love the song regardless.

Brown – What ever happened to the jam band?  Well here’s C. Brown jammy goodness from perennial favorite Widespread Panic.

Little Wing – No playlist can ever be complete without a proper acoustic or for this matter, bluegrass song.  Here’s a classic made over by South Austin Jug Band, guaranteed to get you grooving in your seat and knockin’ on the patio table.  Bet you can’t help yourself.

Tuesday’s Gone – This Lynyrd Skynyrd classic is only too perfect for one of those all weekend long forays.  You know, the kind that start Friday and end not on Sunday night, but on Wednesday morning.  What ever happened to Tuesday?  Play this one last.

As the iPhone hype continues, it’s worth noting that while the latest must have gadget arguably combines more features in a user intuitive package than any previous generation device, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it performs those tasks better than other devices.

Choosing just the right mobile device comes down to choosing exactly what features you’ll use the most. For a phone meant just for good old voice talking, obviously the less complicated the better.

And those with photography always on their mind would probably appreciate having a top-notch camera feature set built in to the phone, even if it means skimping on other techie features. Granted, no cell phone is ever going to replace the pro photo gear, but even having decent point and shoot snapshot capability with a real lens and a flash would be a plus.

Here are 3 camera phones that out shoot the iPhone in an instant:

Nokia N95

This Nokia has a great set of photo features, including:

• 5 megapixel sensor
• Carl Zeiss lens
• Built in WiFi for uploading pictures

Sony Ericsson K790a

You can’t go wrong with this CNET Editors’ Choice featuring:

• 3.2 megapixels
• Powerful Xenon flash
• Image stabilization technology

LG enV VX9900

While not quite as competitive in the megapixel department, this camera phone is still praised for its photo quality. Worth taking a look anyway.

• 2 megapixel camera
• Blue reducing auto focus
• Built in Flash

Also, if you’re seriously considering a new device, you might consider waiting for the recently rumored Samsung SGH-G800 5 megapixel cameraphone. And we all know that iPhone will get even better with the second generation.

iRobot and their Roomba robotic vacuuming systems have been around for quite awhile now. While many have completely dismissed the Roomba as a gimmicky toy for geeky adults, my personal story is dramatically different.

Now I must admit… I was skeptical for years about these things just like everyone else. How in the world could something so little replace something so big? After all, even the old saying goes, “there’s just no replacement for displacement.”

But then one fateful rainy afternoon, the Roomba became a part of my life forever. I would have never have actually bought one of these things any other time, but as the basic model Roombas were being sold for something like $99.99 during a Woot-off, I many not have been thinking perfectly clearly.

The iRobot Roomba 4110 I ended up with has not only become my pet vacuuming robot, but also a staple of day to day household life. I’ve even managed to convince my wife that this is the greatest thing ever (actually, wasn’t much work).

Initially, I thought my pet robot might help keep up with the endless task of sweeping our kitchen floor, which is dauntingly large – taking about 10 minutes to do a good sweeping by hand. I figured if the Roomba picked up the crumbs and a bit of dust here and there, it’d be worth its keep.

Was I ever wrong!

Not only does the Roomba cover the basics with ease, but I’m constantly amazed at how well it does the corners, edges, and obstacles such as chairs and furniture. All the sales lingo on the box – logic this, aware system that – well it’s accurate indeed. I’m constantly fascinated by just watching the artificial intelligence guide the robot to all the right places.

In fact, it goes places where no upright vacuum has ever dreamed of going before:

• Under the kitchen island? No problem.
• Under the couch? Again, no sweat at all.
• Under beds? With ease.

Believe me, you would be totally amazed at the amount of dirt this thing ends up with after a max run cycle. The best part is my little test…

I thoroughly vacuum a room with my powerful upright, to perfecting clean standards. Then I set the Roomba free to do its thing. Guess what? The dirt bin still ends up full.

Really, I only have two pet peeves. First is the Roomba’s ever dwindling battery. I know they decrease in capacity over time, but I’m thinking maybe lithium technology might be a better choice. And then there’s the random patterns it leaves on plush carpet. It’s probably just me, but I really have a hard time dealing with vacuum lines that aren’t straight and neat.

So honestly, will iRobot replace your current upright? Probably not.

But will it save you loads of time while keeping your house spot-free clean around the edges? Absolutely yes.

Remember the good old days when Sony was the ultimate consumer electronics innovator?

The Sony Trinitron was arguably the best television money could buy – a 19 inch status symbol, if you will.  And of course, Sony technology played a good part in the invention of the compact disc and also VCRs and camcorders.  Let’s not forget that Sony at one point nearly dominated the high end computer market with ultra desirable and attractive VAIO PCs.

Among even more brilliance, the Walkman, which was in a way the very first predecessor to today’s iPods, was for all practical purposes a modern marvel.  Heck, I was practically raised on Sony… my first boom box cassette player was aptly branded “My First Sony.”  I spent many summer days sitting on the porch jamming to Michael Jackson’s Thriller album on that favorite red and yellow jam box (yep, I’m a little embarrassed to admit that, but at least I’m honest).

But Sony, what in the world has ever happened to you?

As you release what engadget calls “one of the ugliest devices we’ve seen in years,” I can’t help but agree with them.  A high definition video Walkman is a respectable idea, but the GV-HD700E is just not the answer.

While engadget says the device “resembles a decade-old handheld cassette recorder with a seven-inch HD display flanked on top,” it reminds me of a Sony 4-track MiniDisc recorder I used to use to record my garage band’s practices in the mid nineties.  Yes, MiniDisc.

Some would say it looks like Sony borrowed the HD Video Walkman’s case from one of their old DAT recorders, pretty sophisticated technology from 1990.  And by the way, wasn’t that about the last time recording to tape was still considered innovative?

I can’t wait until the day Sony returns to their inventive roots… you know kind of like Apple these days.  Wouldn’t you be embarrassed to promote and release a behemoth like this in the time of the pocket size iPod with an uber-sleek form factor?

Sony, I’m really sorry to say this, but 1997 was over 10 years ago.