Wednesday, April 22, 2009

What Sucks About Netflix

I've been a Netflix subscriber for some time now and have found it to be a great alternative to a premium cable TV subscription. For under twenty bucks I get unlimited streaming of movies and 3 DVDs at home at a time. What sucks about it that as a dedicated movie freak I'm watching a ton of movies and not getting much else done.

When I first signed up for Netflix I didn't think I'd stick with it because like you I'm all about instant gratification and didn't like the idea of waiting for my DVD rentals to come in the mail. What came as a shock to me is that on average when I send back a movie it only takes about three days for my next one to arrive. Think about it they don't ship your next movie until they've recieved the one you sent back. Netflix is able to do this by having shipping/recieving centers strategically located all over the country. Still three days is pretty amazing.

In the rare occasion I don't have a fresh Netflix movie to watch there are thousands of titles available to stream. For the most part streaming is pretty seamless and of high quality, there are few titles that don't look very good but thats an exception to the rule.

If you like movies as much as I do then I suggest giving Neflix a try since the trial is free the only risk you are taking is becoming as addicted as I am.

Netflix, Inc.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Quantum of Solace

Quantum of Solace picks up immediately where Casino Royale left off, with Daniel Craig's Bond betrayed by lover Vesper Lynd. His road to revenge or redemption reveals a new worldwide conspiracy called QUANTUM that has infiltrated Her Majesty's Secret Service itself taking him outside the law and forcing him to go rogue against his own government.

Quantum of Solace is beautifully filmed, and a lot of what made Casino Royale a more sophisticated and mature Bond film are found in abundance: Bruising stunts, excotic locals, and zero camp. No more silly gadgets, endless inuendo and no characters named after a sex act or body part.

As a long time 007 fan I've had to accept bond for what he was flaws and all. Some of my friends just couldn't tolerate the camp, silly gadgets. The new Bond defines the modern action hero requiring no explanation or apologies. Quantum of Solace is definitely worthwhile to rent or buy even if you're not a Bond fan.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Quicken Home & Business 2009

I've used finance software off and on throughout my professional life. Quicken, QuickBooks, Microsoft Money you name it I've used it. My finances have been relatively simple to date it's just been more convient to use a simple spreadsheet or a paper ledger. Of course things change and my business and personal finances have grown too complex for the old pen and pad and shoe box full of receipts. After some reaserch I jumped back into the world of computerized accounting software.

Quicken Home & Business 2009 became the obvious choice for me because it brings your personal finance and home based business accounts together including online banking, credit card, loan, 401(k), and investing accounts. The Business tab gives you an overall snapshot of what's coming in for the month, what's going out, and what's left in your accounts. Set reminders to pay bills on time and instantly check past bills if you need to verify an unusual charge or transaction. Define goals, set targets, and perform thorough analysis of your 401(k), mutual funds, and stock investing with advanced tools and investing reports. The business tax deduction summary lets you instantly see your tax deduction status throughout the year. With so many powerful features Quicken Home & Business 2009will save you time, frustration and money.

Compared to previous versions Quicken Home & Business 2009 is much more intuitive to set up and use. Once installed the program asks you a series of questions about your finances and your accounts. Overall I found it a pleasure to use (Caution: Take care to set things up correctly from the beginning because it can be quite a chore to figure out what when wrong when accounts don't balance or transactions are misscategorized).

Overall rating 7.5/10

It's for you if you want to keep track of your personal finances, investments and manage a simple small business that doesn't deal with much in the way payroll. If you do have more than couple of employees and need to manage and track payroll expenses and taxes then you really should bite the big bullet and invest in QuickBooks in spite it's steep learning curve.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

About Point Man Reviews

Have you every wished you had a buddy to let you know whether a movie was worth seeing or if that new gadget worked as advertised. Point Man Reviews is that friend and we will be there for you with an honest unbiased assessment of books, movies, electronics, software, sporting goods and a whole host of products and services that make our lives easier.