Cable Organizer

By Jeff Zbar
www.chiefhomeofficer.com

The modern home office often is bedeviled by a timeless nemesis: the dust bunny. Whether under the desk or other home office furniture, behind the technology (like the printer, the fax machine, the monitor, for example), or anyplace else, dust and debris can gather to cause unsightly clutter and allergic reactions.

Cleaning the workspace can be vital to ensuring an attractive appearance, a clean office and fewer allergens and triggers that cause sickness.

When a power outage revealed recently that my battery backup was kaput, I decided to get a new backup. I also took the chance to change and better organize the wiring behind my flat panel monitor and beneath my desk. I essentially cleaned up the rat's nest that had taken form around my space – and untangle the mass of cables that attracted dust bunnies and an unsightly mess.

My new APC Back-UPS Pro 1300 seemingly came with a mental retuning. The introduction of this device didn't just mean I had more time to power down devices in the event of a blackout. It gave me a whole new outlook on home office cleanliness.Read more

With budgets tighter than ever, inexpensive entertainment options are in high demand – particularly those close to home. But there's no need to waste time and money holed up at the local cinema when you can watch a movie amid the fresh air in your own outdoor home theater.

According to Paul Holstein, COO of industry-leading eTailer CableOrganizer.com, "It's easier and more cost effective than you might think, and much more fun!"

Here's CableOrganizer.com's advice on what you'll need to transform your backyard into a slice of home theater heaven:Read more

Don't wait until danger and destruction are imminent to ensure you have the provisions needed to keep you, your family and your property as safe and secure as possible. Whether preparing for a natural or man-made disaster, it's imperative Americans don't simply cover the bare necessities like batteries and canned goods, or wait until a situation is at hand to seek out the necessary provisions. Take the time to thoroughly plan and shop in advance so you are fully, not partially, prepared for an emergency.

While it's of utmost importance to have the fundamentals in place relative to food, water, medication, communication and transportation, there are a number of other important factors to consider when safeguarding the homestead. Every household has stacks of important papers that are difficult, in some cases virtually impossible to replace, such as insurance policies, medical records, birth certificates, legal documents, passports, computer data, automobile and home ownership documents. Jewelry, medications, and other valuable items also require waterproof, secure protection, and those who own such items would be well-served by ensuring they are safe and secure during a disaster, those natural and otherwise.

Consider this assortment of "next level" emergency preparedness tips, gadgets and gear:Read more

While Home Theater-related products certainly abound, some at astronomical price points, there's no need to break the bank with each purchase as a vast array of cable and equipment management solutions are available at every price point – many of which thankfully solve some really annoying problems.

Consider these cost-effective Home Theater solutions:

Universal Remote: $216

A universal remote control will allow the lucky owner to relax to the fullest extent and focus on you and your guests instead of the equipment. The Logitech Harmony 880 is one advanced universal remote that can control all entertainment systems with the touch of a button. It's optimized for complicated HDTV and PVR systems to help you set-up difficult configurations. For example, the interactive color display lets you quickly choose a 16:9 ratio for movies and HDTV, or the standard 4:3 ratio for basic television programming. Read more

In time for the anticipated Super Bowl HDTV retail bonanza, here are some HDTV Buyer's Guidelines to help consumers make smarter high definition television purchases (also accessible online at www.cableorganizer.com)

LCD or Plasma: How do I choose?

When it comes to choosing between Plasma and LCD, it's important to shop in the mindset that one high-def TV is not necessarily better than another - rather, it's a question of which one is right for you. That said, it can be a tough call to make when all that meets the eye are sleek screens and vibrant pictures - are Plasmas and LCDs really that different? The answer is yes, and in order to make your purchase a well-informed one, we've summed up the features of each screen type:Read more

As we all know (or if you don't, you should), October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This month, CableOrganizer.com is donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the following items ($1.00 for each unit sold) to The Donna Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises funds to meet the critical needs of women living with breast cancer. Here is a roundup of pink gadgets that are fun, functional, AND support Breast Cancer Awareness:

Cable Turtle - The cutest cable winder on the block. The cable turtle computer cord organizer is the perfect solution for long cables and are indispensable in handling electrical cords, USB cables, excess mouse cables, keyboard cables and more in any environment where long cables present a problem.The large cable turtle organizer can hold about 3 cords. Priced from $5.99.Read more

Protecting computer, home entertainment and other cables and wires around the home from your dog or cat is important for the devices, but most importantly, your pet. There are many inexpensive tools that will prevent pets from chewing on wires and playing with cables.

Here are some tips to keep dogs and cats cable and wire safe:

- There are numerous products on the market today for covering household wires to keep your pet - and even small children - from chewing on them. An extremely inexpensive and convenient product to protect your wires is the split wire loom - flexible and durable plastic tubing with a slit down the side allowing for easy insertion of a cable bundle.

- You can also cover any wires that are accessible to your small pet with spiral cable wrap – plastic wrap that keeps wires tightly bundled and also protects them from being chewed on by pets. Spiral cable wrap is also available in many colors to match a room’s décor. Read more

If you're wondering whether Plasmas and LCDs are really that different, the answer is yes. In order to make your purchase a well-informed one, read on for information on both screen types...

LCD: Known longhand as Liquid Crystal Display, LCD is the same technology used in your flat-screen computer monitor. Light streams through liquid crystal-filled cells to form images that have good color saturation levels and can be easily viewed even in rooms with high levels of ambient light. Great for gamers, LCD screens are wall-mountable, and available in sizes up to 46".

Plasma: Plasma display technology uses charged neon and xenon-filled gas cells to form bright, color-saturated images with excellent black levels. Excellent for home theater buffs who want to get the most out of their TV or movie-viewing experience, Plasma screens can be on the pricier side, but are available in screen sizes of up to 60". Read more

By Jeff Zbar
www.chiefhomeofficer.com

Earth Day is about more than conserving the world's precious and declining resources. It's also about preserving resources in the home office or small business -- which, in turn, can help conserve the world's precious and declining resources.

It's not enough just to turn off lights and wear light clothes in summer and slippers in winter. You need to do more than close your window blinds to better insulate the home office (and home), or turn off fans when you're NOT in a room.

By buying and using simple tech devices, you can save resources for the long-term. Amid the current economic recession and flourishing energy conservation movement, home and business owners and lessees alike are looking to cut costs and conserve power. At www.ChiefHomeOfficer.com, we practice responsible home officing year-round. It's smart, and helps me look my kids in the eyes when I consider our shared future.

"One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to save is through technology," notes Paul Holstein, COO of CableOrganizer.com – an online storefront offering a wide selection of energy management solutions.

Examples? How about...Read more