WhiteFence Home Services Blog

Digital Transition Help

In February of 2009, analog signals will cease broadcasting and will instead be replaced by digital signals for our television sets. And it looks like some other players are getting involved with the digital transition game — namely, Circuit City. The electronics retailer is already ramping up to make sure that people's TV sets aren't left behind in the analog world like some relics of an ancient civilization.

To keep your tube out of a museum (or the next Indiana Jones sequel), Circuit City is allowing consumers to call in and redeem their government vouchers to purchase their digital converter boxes. In addition, they will be offering tons of information regarding the transition in-store, online and over the phone.

For more information about crossing boldly into this new digital wonder-verse, visit MediaPost Publications.

I have cable at home, so I'll be fine come February 2009. Are you prepared for it, or are you going to need to purchase a set top box?

Tags: digital, digital cable, digital transition, digital tv, tv, tv service

Posted by Eddy on August 25, 2008 4:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Help on Using Movers

While the season for moving during the summer is winding to a close, it is still going strong as people relocate all around the country. As anyone that's moved before knows, packing everything you own into piles of boxes is a trying ordeal and sometimes ends up being much more stressful than you first imagined.

WTOP News recently posted a feature about the moving season and how to prepare for movers. Apparently, "an estimated 40 million Americans move each year, with August being high season". The tips provided in the article about using movers cover the entire moving process, from planning and organizing to the actual day of the move. Some of the tips include things like packing a couple of weeks worth of dishes and clothes to reduce stress as well as getting snacks and drinks ready for the movers on the big day.

If you're moving this month or thinking about moving in the near future, these tips on movers are a must-read. To find out more, head over to WTOP News.

Tags: hire movers, movers, moving, moving help, moving tips

Posted by Eddy on August 20, 2008 7:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

85 Years of Movies

Not many of us can say that we've celebrated an 85th birthday, but this year, Warner Bros. is doing it in cinematic style. To commemorate 85 years of movies, the company is pushing out 85 movies in high-definition for Video On Demand service. These movies will be available across a wide variety of platforms, including both satellite and cable providers such as DirecTV, DISH Network, Comcast, Cox, Time Warner and more.

The movies available include all kinds of classics such as Superman, Casablanca and Dirty Harry. Many of these titles are showing up for the first time on HD VOD, so it is definitely a treat for movie buffs.

To see the full list of the movies that are showing up for the 85th birthday bash, head over to Broadcast & Cable.

Tags: cable, cable provider, cable tv, satellite provider, satellite tv

Posted by Eddy on August 15, 2008 5:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Texas Wind

Inhabitat recently posted an article with some interesting news about the Lone Star State's plans concerning the future of wind energy. If you're unaware, Texas is already one of the primary forces moving forward in terms of wind energy, and it seems that the push is getting stronger every day.

According to the article, Texas has been given the green light to portion upwards of "$4.9 billion towards building new transmission lines to carry wind energy from rural areas into urban hubs like Dallas." This will help to make more efficient use of the current turbines that are already in operation. In addition, it will help "power more than 4 million homes."

To get informed about the "renewable energy superhighway", head over to Inhabitat to read more.

Tags: clean energy, green, green energy, renewable energy, wind power

Posted by Eddy on August 14, 2008 8:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Comcast and DailyCandy

For Comcast subscribers, some interesting news broke onto the Web just recently. According to the Associated Press, "cable and Internet service provider Comcast Corp. is expanding its online menu with the acquisition of Daily Candy, an electronic newsletter catering to women looking for tips on fashion, food and fun things to do in big cities."

DailyCandy is a New York based online newsletter that provides tips for things such as shopping, dining, weekend events and fashion based on your location. Currently, it has over 2 million subscribers and caters primarily to women.

To read more about this interesting venture, be sure to head over to the Associated Press.

Tags: cable provider, cable tv, comcast, comcast cable, comcast high-speed

Posted by Eddy on August 6, 2008 3:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Good News for Movie Watchers

Who doesn't like to watch movies at home? With growing technology, turning your home into a movie theater on-demand is becoming more of a reality, especially after a recent announcement from Netflix and LG Electronics.

It seems that LG Electronics is working on a Blu-ray disc player that not only will play the high definition Blu-ray format for movies, but it will also be able to integrate with your Netflix subscription. The player will sport a connection on the back to plug it into a home network, where you can then stream Netflix movies from the Internet, direct to your television. No waiting anxiously for the mailbox or even downloading, because it plays the instant you click it.

To find out more about this movie watcher's dream, head over to The Wall Street Journal.

Tags: movie subscription, movies, netflix, rent movies, rental

Posted by Eddy on July 31, 2008 7:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Alternative Source of Natural Gas

Like California, it seems that Canada is looking to invest in biogas as an alternative source of natural gas for the future. This biogas is collected from a sewage plant as a byproduct of human waste, and is then distributed to customers.

According to the Vancouver Sun, "it will be the first time in B.C. that energy from human waste is captured and used in this fashion, and it's fairly novel on a global scale as well -- although processes using gas from landfills and agricultural waste are well established." For those of us who are always looking to cut costs on bills and save some money, it's nice to see that all around the world and here in North America, people are investing in alternative sources of energy to power our homes.

To find out more about the biogas process, visit the Vancouver Sun for additional information.

Tags: alternative energy, biogas, energy, gas, natural gas, natural gas energy

Posted by Eddy on July 22, 2008 10:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oil or Alternative?

As the summer rolls on, it seems that prices on gas and other items that we need to maintain our active lifestyles continue to roll on as well. With no immediate end in sight to some of the concerns about spending on energy and other commodities, it's nice to be informed about what is going on in the world of energy in order to stay on top of the game.

Earlier this week Amber over at EnergyBabble posted some intriguing thoughts about the discussion of Oil Vs. Alternative Energy in today's world. She definitely poses a lot of probing questions about the long term reliability of both energy sources, the rising costs of oil and other matters that I'm sure will hit home with a lot of consumers that are trying to keep some money in the pocket. Is more offshore drilling the answer? Or do we need something else?

To join in on the energy conversation, take a trip over to EnergyBabble.

Tags: alternative energy, energy, energy conservation, energy saving

Posted by Eddy on July 17, 2008 11:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Netflix on the XBox?

You'd better believe it. Every year around this time, E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) happens in California. It's a time for those in the video game industry to let others know what is coming in the future and how the last year has treated them.

To kick off the week, each of the major console developers (Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo) holds a press conference where they make their big announcements on upcoming titles and developments for their systems. Yesterday, Microsoft announced an exciting new partnership with Netflix which subscribers could start to see the benefits of as soon as this Fall.

Basically, if someone is a member of XBox Live, Microsoft's online gaming service for the XBox 360, and a member of Netflix, they will receive the ability to stream movies online to their TV through the XBox 360 console. Best part of all? No additional costs.

To read more about this exciting deal, head on over to the WashingtonPost.

Tags: movie rental, movies, netflix, rental, xbox 360

Posted by Eddy on July 15, 2008 10:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

How to Get Rid of Junk Mail

Tired of getting those unwanted ads and envelopes in the mailbox? There's nothing worse than getting home from a long day of work, grabbing the mail and pulling out piles of applications, offers and all the other stuff that can be a pain to toss once you get inside the house.

Amber at Enviromojo recently posted some helpful tips on how to stop junk mail in its tracks. It's a great resource for those who are trying to be eco-friendly while still keeping the unwanted mail from piling up on the kitchen counter. Head on over to EnviroMojo if you'd like to learn more!

Tags: eco, eco-friendly, enviromojo, environment, green, green living

Posted by Eddy on July 11, 2008 4:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Talking DTV

As we move past the halfway point of 2008 towards the next year, more and more people are paying attention to the upcoming transition from analog to digital television. If you were unaware, on February 17, 2009, all over-the-air analog broadcasts will cease, replaced by digital signals. Now, if you have cable or satellite TV you should be fine- however, if you use the traditional rabbit ears, you will need to get a signal converter in order to continue watching your favorite shows and programs.

As the date nears, more people are trying to spread the word. An article posted this week in the New York Times talks about the transition and how groups like the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights are attempting to get more funding to let the public know more about it. Apparently, there are large groups still in the dark on the subject, and could be left in the dark as far as their TV goes next February.

Recently, more commercials and ads have been airing that let people know about this eventual change in the broadcasting format. States are getting in on the awareness game as well. Last week, Monica at CommJunkie posted an interesting article about a recent test run by the Sunshine State, where they cut off the analog signal briefly to show television watchers if they would be affected by the transition or not.

To find out more about this story, head over to the New York Times. If you'd like to know more about the DTV transition, visit DTV.

Tags: cable, digital, digital cable, digital transition, digital tv, dtv, satellite, tv service

Posted by Eddy on July 9, 2008 3:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cleaning to Sell

Now that the moving season is underway, many homeowners are getting ready to become home buyers and home sellers. While the prospect of relocating and finding a new place to live can be exciting and adventurous, it can often times be stressful to being the process of moving.

To help start the move and the selling process, US News has posted a great list of cleaning tips for people looking to sell their home and help get it "market-ready". Some of the tips include:

Wash windows inside and out. Use a drop of liquid dish soap per two gallons of water and a good squeegee. Dry the window with crumpled newspaper. You'll get the best results if you wash windows on a cloudy, not sunny day, because sunlight dries the glass quickly, causing it to streak.
Odors can get trapped in drapes and window treatments; if washable take them down and wash in water heated to at least 130 degrees.
Box up all nonessential items to eliminate clutter. Even junior's toys can be an eyesore. Keep only the most used toys in a container that can be stored in the closed.

A list like this is a great resource for new sellers and old alike. To read these tips and more, head on over to US News.

Tags: cleaning services, home services, house, move, moving, moving tips

Posted by Eddy on July 3, 2008 9:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Green Beach Bag

If you haven't visited EnviroMojo yet, things are really starting to ramp up now that the summer is in full swing. In fact, just yesterday, Amber posted an excellent article titled "Greenify Your Beach Bag", going over some simple steps that will make your trip to the sand and surf better for the environment.

The guide to the greener beach bag covers all of the essentials, with specific tips on the kinds of sunscreen, swimsuits and even beach towels that you can look into before your next visit to Galveston or Key West. Likewise, recyclable beach toys are another enviro-friendly necessity when dealing with children who might accidentally leave their play things buried under the sand or out in the water.

To read the full article, check out EnviroMojo for all of your enviro-news.

Tags: conservation, environment, green, green living

Posted by Eddy on July 1, 2008 9:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tips to Defeat the Heat

During the summer, especially in Texas, the heat can at times be unbearable. While the temperatures are so high, the air conditioner becomes a much welcome invention, making you comfortable inside of your home. The unwanted side effect of all of this is that your energy bills tend to skyrocket along with the heat, since the air conditioner is running like a bandit all day long.

Luckily, there are some simple steps you can take to make sure that you keep those costs low, especially while prices on everything else are rising at the moment. A new article on Homemakers talks about 10 tips that you can use around your home in order to save money for the summer. Likewise, Plenty Magazine posted an article about 5 ways to save on energy as well.

The articles cover things ranging from sealing up the cracks in your home to insulation and even opening your windows when it rains in order to generate a breeze that freshens the air inside. To find out more, check out Plenty Magazine for 5 tips on home cooling and Homemakers for 10 power saving tips.

Tags: cheap energy, electricity, energy conservation, energy saving, save energy

Posted by Eddy on June 25, 2008 9:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

WhiteFence and Reach Out and Read Texas Book Fair

Saturday marked the first ever WhiteFence and Reach Out and Read Texas Book Fair at the Barnes and Noble Westheimer Crossing in Houston, Texas. I can say with great admiration and a sense of accomplishment that it was an absolutely wonderful opportunity for us to support a great cause.

Reach out and Read is an organization that encourages doctors to talk to parents about the importance of reading aloud, and to give books to children at pediatric check-ups from six months to five years of age.Reach Out and Read is a national organizations that serves 3.3 million children annually, distributing over 5.4 million books through more than 50,000 pediatricians, nurses, residents and health professionals. It's a fantastic organization that is dedicated to one of the greatest issues facing families and children in America.

We had local authors present for a good chunk of the afternoon, signing books, interacting with families and reading from their award-winning books on the Barnes and Noble story time stage. Supporters donated new and gently-used books, as well as presented vouchers with their purchases. A percentage of the proceeds of any purchase they made was donated to the Reach Out and Read Texas region.

Check back for more information on the money raised, photos and more details from the event as it filters down to me. Thanks again for all that helped make Saturday a wild success!

More about Reach Out and Read Texas

More about Houston branch of ROR-TX

Tags: barnes and noble, charity, reach out and read, whitefence

Posted by Brett on June 23, 2008 5:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Comcast and Big Ten Network

Good news today for both Comcast subscribers and fans of college sports: Comcast will be adding the Big Ten Network to its repertoire starting in Fall of 2008. Avid college football watchers will be able to tune into the exciting games from the likes of Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan. Apparently, Comcast "initially will make the network available to most of the customers of its expanded basic" and other higher end subscriptions.

The Big Ten Network will be available more readily by Spring 2009. To find out more, visit BusinessJournal. If you don't have a subscription to cable television, it looks like there are more reasons to start shopping this summer.

Tags: cable, cable company, cable television, cable tv, cable tv service, comcast

Posted by Eddy on June 20, 2008 8:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Two WhiteFence Announcements

You might have noticed a couple of new items in the WhiteFence Press Room this morning, bringing a couple of pieces of news about the world of WhiteFence.

WhiteFence and Barnes and Noble at Westheimer Crossing Host Reach Out and Read Book Fair

WhiteFence is partnering with Reach Out and Read to help put on a book fair this Saturday, June 21 at the Barnes and Noble at Westheimer Crossing. There were will be story time with many authors, crafts, treats and more.

WhiteFence Names Chip Smith Chief Marketing Officer

Recently, there has been a new addition to the WhiteFence team. Chip Smith joined the company as its Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. Smith will lead the development and execution of marketing strategies for WhiteFence and its vast network of Web sites, products and services. He has a wide array of experience in this field, including many years with Monster.com in New York.

To find out more about these two exciting announcements, you can read the press releases or check them out at the WhiteFence Press Room. Be sure to keep checking out WhiteFence to get the best deal on your home services.

Tags: home services, press releases, whitefence, whitefence news

Posted by Eddy on June 18, 2008 10:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Green Countries

A recent article was posted on ZDNet about some of the "greenest" countries in the world at the moment, and what their ambitions are for the future in terms of green energy production. Currently, two of the most ambitious energy projects in production are located across the globe from one another, with Portugal being home to one. Interestingly enough, as of 2005, Sweden seems to have the renewable energy edge as far as Europe goes.

According to the article, in 2005 Sweden was using renewable energy sources for nearly 40 percent of its energy production, with a targeted goal of 49 percent by 2020. In addition, Latvia is relying on green sources for nearly 35 percent of its energy, with a goal of 42 percent by 2020.

The article also goes on to talk about New Zealand's oceanic energy project, where seabed turbines rely on tidal flow to produce electricity. It certainly makes you wonder what kind of exciting projects we'll see from the rest of the global community. If you're interested in the future of renewable energy, read more about these projects at ZDNet.

Tags: conservation, environment, global warming, green, green energy, green living

Posted by Eddy on June 12, 2008 9:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WhiteFence on YouTube

For you YouTube fanatics, WhiteFence now has its own YouTube channel. Visit WhiteFenceVideo to see the WhiteFence spots on FoxNews shows Mike and Juliet as well as Fox and Friends Saturday. Also, you can view WhiteFence CEO Eric Danziger's announcement about WhiteFence's push to go green as a company.

If you already have a YouTube account, be sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on future WhiteFence videos and announcements!

Tags: green, green company, whitefence, whitefence news, youtube

Posted by Eddy on June 11, 2008 6:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

EPA to America: Save!

This week the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it was beginning an effort to help Americans save money through advice on cooling their homes during the summer. According to the EPA "Energy Star qualified programmable thermostats can save money on energy bills and help fight global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions". It seems that programmable thermostats that control the schedules of warming or cooling a house down can save consumers "about $180 a year on home energy bills".

Since up to half of our energy costs goes towards making ourselves more comfortable while inside (whether that's through trying to cool down or warm up), having a programmable thermostat can take away the hassle of constantly adjusting the temperature and also relieves some consumers might have about the headache of energy bills that wildly fluctuate.

In addition to saving through a programmable thermostat, the article also provides some helpful tips about how else you can save money in the home, including finding and sealing up unwanted air leaks in windows or doors that continue to raise our energy bill as they allow our heating or cooling to escape. To find out more about programmable thermostats and other methods of energy conservation, read more at the EPA.

Tags: electricity, energy, energy conservation, energy star, global warming, green, green energy, green living, green tips

Posted by Eddy on June 6, 2008 11:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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