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Comcast overcharges me by $772 on two cancelled accounts, offers support via Twitter - UPDATED
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Broadband, Features, Home Entertainment, Smart Home,
Update: Within two hours, I got a call from a Comcast representative who stated that, since the payments were made by credit card automatically, there is no reason they can’t credit it back to that credit card. She went on to tell me that they’d process the refund tomorrow. Very cool. However, I wonder what the response would have been if we hadn’t been paying by credit card, and instead used ACH transfer from a bank account. In any event, the Comcast folks on Twitter really are listening, and really are aiming to put out fires. Good stuff.
This morning I opened mail from Comcast, which, to my surprise, showed that I was two months late on paying up. I thought that was odd, since I kicked Comcast to the curb for Verizon FiOS two months ago. I called and got it taken care of, to find that I was owed $72 and that it would arrive in 6-8 weeks. Kind of annoying, but no big deal. Then they called me back, to tell me that I had another active account that has been auto-debiting from one of my accounts. That one was to have been cancelled back in May. Once that was straightened out, the damage was that Comcast owes me a cool $772. I asked when I’d receive it, and they said 6-8 weeks. I thought that was fairly crappy, being that when I cancelled the services, I also revoked Comcast’s right to take any money from my private accounts. I threw up a gripe on Twitter, and a few minutes later, Comcast’s Twitter customer service went into full effect. Gotta give them props for that. They asked me to email them the details, so they could look into it. You can read the email I sent them, after the break. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts. We will update with any progress made on this, let’s see how customer service on these Web 2.0 Internets works. [Photo Credit]
Gallery: Comcast overcharges me by $772 on two cancelled accounts, offers support via Twitter - UPDATED
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N55 Walking House
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smart Home, Science, Transportation, Videos,
This house can hustle. The Danish art collective N55 teamed with MIT to make a walking house. Standing 10 ft. high, it is both solar and wind powered, and features a living room, kitchen, bathroom, bed, wood stove and a computer for its leg control. They are hoping that the legs can be mounted under any structure and that modules can be linked for larger living spaces. One of the designers, Øivind Slaatto, plans to live in it in Copenhagen. What a great thing it would be if this prototype became real and could get out of the way of tornadoes, overflowing waterways, and nasty neighbors.
Read More 
| Telegraph
Gallery: N55 Walking House
Clever Pizza Hut. They know when you are writing on walls or hunting fellow zombies in Facebook, you just don’t have the time to cook or get to Taco Bell. Although they already have online ordering, they have designed an application so that you can order pizza, chicken wings and pasta without leaving the site. The Pizza Hut Interface already has over 300,000 fans, in the U.S. and the company claims they have already sold over a million pizzas online.
Read More | Pizza Hut Facebook
Gallery: Pizza Hut Hits Facebook
For clean freaks and those whose hands are gooey no matter how many times they wash up, the Automatic Bin is 100% hands-free operation. Its lid almost instantaneously opens when it senses trash. Made of stainless steel, it holds 50 liters (~13 gals.,) and runs on 4 D-sized batteries or included AC adapter. The bin also has manual over-ride capability and an ABS removable top for simple washing. Cleanliness is yours for £79.99 ($157.84.) We wonder if it will automatically open if it knows that we are just tossing wadded up paper towels towards it.
Read More | Lazybone
Gallery: Automatic Trash Bin
Now that Thanksgiving is just around the corner, wouldn’t it be nice to have a meat thermometer that is easier to read? Taylor’s Instant Read Thermometer is 6-inches of digital information. With an on/off switch, it shows temperatures of 58-302°F, although we hope that the beast of your choice never gets that hot. Choose between one of the six colors. At a price of only $10.00, it comes with its own plastic pocket case for protection.
Read More | Sur la table
Gallery: Taylor Instant Read Thermometer
Digital Foci Image Moments 15 Photo Frame
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cameras, Corporate News, Smart Home, Misc. Tech, USB,
Image Moments is currently working on a new frame, the 15 (IMT-153.) The 15-inch XGA (1024x768) digital LCD has a contrast ration of 700:1. It will hold 450MB of memory, which equals out to more than 2,000 photos. The frame supports CF, MD, MMC, SD/HC cards, Memory Stick, MS PRO and Duo, and xD-Picture Card. Copy images directly from your card via USB 2.0, then organize, catalog, delete and sort. Available next year with 3 included interchangeable mats, the IM 15 will set you back $399.99.
Read More | digital Foci
Gallery: Digital Foci Image Moments 15 Photo Frame
DIY Solar Powered Jack-O-Lantern
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Smart Home, Misc. Tech,
Go green this Halloween with a DIY Solar Powered Jack-O-Lantern. Aside from the pumpkin, you will need a carving knife, a Sharpie to design a face, and a solar-powered garden light. You can get all the instructions to make your own and remember to go really green by munching the roasted seeds, baking a pie and tossing the pumpkin on your compost pile. Make has lots of other ideas to spice up your Halloween, including a mag with 40+ projects.
Read More | Make
Gallery: DIY Solar Powered Jack-O-Lantern
Anything that shortens our clothes washing chores is fine with us. Guopeng Liang designed the iBasket for the Electrolux 2008 Design Lab Competition. Hamper-shaped, the prototype automatically washes once there is enough weight in it. With a wireless connection, it has a remote monitor and control of wash cycle frequency by PC and IM notification to PC or mobile device when your clothes are done. We only hope the final product won’t be transparent so we are forced to see our dirty laundry.
Read More | tuvie
Gallery: Electrolux iBasket
Sometimes we have to include the silly, like this USB Volcano Lamp. At a size of 246 x 80 x 80mm, you simply add half of the bag of lava beads and water and let the phony fireworks begin. The light can also be powered up by 2 AA batteries (not included,) and features fan and LED on/off buttons. The volcano comes with a bag of beads, USB cable, and a guide for the inept. You can get your own mini-St. Helen’s for $18.00.
Read More | Gadget4all
Gallery: USB Volcano Lamp
Poufman (Pacman) Living Room Set
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Smart Home, Video Games,
For fans of Pacman, the Poufman Living Room Set should be a staple. Made of wood, polyurethane, and elasticized fabric, the modules are interchangeable and can be arranged in many ways or more can be added to create a larger seating area. The lining is removable for further exchange and decoration. Available in white, black, turtledove, and dark red, the set was made by the Italian company Qayot. Contact them if you would like your own set of the pop culture chompers.
Read More | Home Tone
