When trying to accumulate reward points, the first thing you need to know is just how many points you earn for every purchase your make. Some reward credit cards like these will give you one point for every X amount of expenditure. From this information, you can easily compute just how many points you will be getting for every time you use your credit card. You should also find out if your reward credit card gives fractional points if you pay for things that are at a fraction of the complete X amount, so that you can add that to your computation.

After figuring out how many points you earn, find out the number of points you will need to get the free product or service offered within the reward scheme. For cash back credit cards, find out the cash equivalent of each point. Find out, what the minimum number of points or minimum amount you will need to be able to redeem the points and have the cash transferred to your current account. After knowing these details, you will then realise just how much money you will need to spend to get your reward. This is not bad though, since a reward is still a reward.

Now the key is making sure that whenever you buy anything, look at the tag to see if there is any difference if you pay for the product or service in cash or using your credit card. If it is even just a bit more expensive to use you credit card, the points you will earn will obviously not be enough to offset the cost. If you will be buying something based solely on the reward points you will get, it is better to just use cash. Furthermore, if you will end up not being able to pay your credit card bill on time, factoring in the interest rates and penalties makes it clear that you should just wait until you have enough cash to buy something. Reward credit cards are great, but only if you end up earning points truly for free and not paying for those freebies because of the interest rates, penalties, and difference in tag prices. Remember to check out http://www.startmerchantservices.com for more information on becoming a reseller of authorize.net as well as merchant account rates–low merchant account rates for those who operate a business.

Some of the more recent Internet related gadgets and accessories that have been taking the world by storm are E-readers and Internet dongles. Added to that are some old favourites that have now become web enabled also – things like Printers, GPS/Sat Nav units and the good old Mobile Phone.

Mobile Phone

The Mobile Phone as discussed at www.treo650.net, has in some ways become a device that can do almost anything as the newer models not only allow Internet Access and Web Browsing with the newer 3G networks, but they also function as a mobile entertainment device with a built in MP3 player, Video Player and Camera. If you only have the space for one device, then this is the route that you really want to go. However it must be said that the old saying – “jack of all trades, master of none” – does somewhat hold true here which is rather unfortunate (perhaps with one exception).

• iPhone – if there is an exception to the rule, it is probably the iPhone, specifically with respect to the way in which the phone also functions as a music player as this is an area that Apple has definitely mastered. The iPhone4 is an exceptional device, slim, sexy and with a bundle of applications that would make a grown man drool it does pretty much everything that you could ask for and does it well.
• HTC Desire & Blackberry Torch – direct competitors to the iPhone the Desire (running Googles Android operating system) and the Torch (with the Blackberry 6 operating system) are both also excellent devices. If you are not a fan of Apple but still want an outstanding touch screen experience with a fairly large library of applications, then the Desire is the route that you need to be going. For fans of QWERTY keyboards that are still looking for a phone that also provides a full range of touch screen options, the Torch is your device of choice. Both of these devices are available at an extremely competitive price to the iPhone and worth looking at.

Internet Dongles

The one thing that Mobile Phones are still not as good at as a Laptop or Desktop computer is unfortunately browsing the Internet. This is not so much due to the speed of the network but rather because of the size of the screen. A great option for those needing a complete Internet experience is utilizing an Internet dongle – this simple little device plugs into the USB port of your laptop computer and helps you get online. Utilizing the same network as mobile phones, you are able to take your Internet with you where you go!

In the past, the only way to find a home in a new subdivision was to get in your car and start driving. You could spend hours locating new subdivisions and then learning about building lot sizes, lot prices and home values within each community. Your search also included touring homes but at some point it becomes very confusing, trying to remember the differences between them all. Today, there is a better way! It is the most comprehensive guide to new homes and the best part is it is not part of a real estate company nor is there anything to buy. It is a free service for everyone. www.boisehunterhomes.com

While every Idaho real estate website claims to have great information for it’s visitors, this is the website that even the Boise real estate agents use when they don’t know. It is simple to use and is not information from a public data source with some fancy new technology and then wrapped in a pretty package. It is a serious resource with information not found on any other site.

The new subdivision resource (http://www.boisehunterhomes.com/home_builder/our-communities-subdivisions-boise-idaho/boise-idaho-homes-for-sale/) is a comprehensive list all the new subdivisions with vacant lots or new homes for sale in Boise and surrounding Treasure Valley, Idaho. Subdivisions are displayed by area and categorized into lifestyle including Townhomes & Condominiums, Entry Level, Move-Up, Upgrade and Luxury Subdivisions. Each category lists lot sizes, lot prices and starting home values for those subdivisions. Community profiles are also available that include community amenities, HOA dues, schools, other information about the community and then view MLS listings for New Homes for Sale and Building Lots.

If you are buying a new home or considering building a custom home you will want to learn more about the BoiseHunterHomes.com that design and innovate new homes. Boise Hunter Homes offers the best information about builders including builder profiles, portfolio of homes and video interviews with home builders. Within the site there are also real estate reports that include Top Producing Home Builders and information about the  Boise Idaho Parade of Homes builders.

Boise Hunter Homes has an MLS search for Boise real estate with interactive maps and registered users can save favorites and create road trips. Other real estate tools for home buyers include a mortgage calculator, information on Boise schools but also great widgets like the kitchen and rent vs own widget plus Idaho real estate market snapshot and other Boise Idaho real estate market and new construction reports.

Are you ready to buy a new home or build a custom designed home? Would you like a new floor plan with the latest in energy efficient construction as well as interior and exterior designs? Start your search with http://www.boisehunterhomes.com to find your dream home.

Simple, stylish and black that will host reviews with all the fashion police. Soft, waxed cotton shell with lots of leather trimmings. The overall design reminds us of the old WW1 British army rucksacks. We liked the striped lining – the whole the bag reeks of understated quality. Exactly the kind of casual bag we want. At USD$300 it ain’t cheap but if this had a Visvim label on it – it would sell for twice or thrice the price.

Get it from NeedSupply

It’s no secret that Facebook is basically one giant worldwide popularity content just hosted exhange review sites. But how exactly to you gloat to your ‘real life’ friends about how popular you are on the interwebs? Through a giant flag of victory on your wall, of course. PrintingFacebook.com was started by an artist named Benjamin Lotan. He offers large 20″x40″ high quality prints which automatically grabs all your friends profile picks through facebook connect. Great idea and would make for quite a conversation piece in your livingtoom.

Yours for USD$20

The iPhone 4 is really good at a lot of things, like searching for garage door service Boise while out and about, but taking unblurry photos is a bit of a challege. There are all kinds of cases out there that let you mount it on things – but this little product does it in a simple and elegant way. It’s adds a standard camera screwhole that will let it mount on any kind of tripod from a little $5 pocket thing, to a Gorilla Pod and all the way to a full Miller Tripod. It also doubles as a stand that angles your iphone to make it easier to watch videos. And it’s small size and shape makes it easy to pocket. Oh and apparently it addresses that antenna issue (which we really don’t think is an issue).

Glif Montage from Glif on Vimeo.

Great little product that’s being developed using the kickstarter webbsite. Yours for $20.

Clearly inspired by the idea of protecting your investment, not to mention the homemade projects and knockoffs out there – Moleskine has finally entered the iPhone / iPad / iPod cover market. Don’t they just look beautiful? As beautiful as Boise ID and the countryside of the region?

We’ve covered moleskine before, we’ve always been big fans of their products. We  can’t wait to get our hands on these. No pricing announced yet, but we’ll let you know as soon as we can review one.

IdeaPaint turns virtually anything you paint into a dry-erase surface and any room into a hub of creativity and collaboration. Well thats what the nifty looking website says anyway.

The application in an office space is obvious, but I think this would be great as a home application. Especially for the new homes in Boise Idaho.

Make a room, cover it in this stuff – and you have a free-for-all room where you can let the children (or inner children) vandalise to their hearts content. Excellent for creative development of the brain, we say.

Originally popularized during the 40′s and 50′s, these shoes (or boots sometimes) got their name from the sport of Polo. They got their name from the sport of Polo in which each game period is called a “chukka”. Design wise they are very much a variation of the classic British military desert boot just like Authorize.net are designed to support your backside.

These days the most common reincarnation of the chukka, would be the ones produced by Vans – which come in assorted materials and colours. Amidst all the variations however,  it’s difficult to find one that looks ‘classier’.

We came accross this one by PF Flyers, which is a classic American brand with it’s own interesting history which has been around since the 90′s.  We love the full grain leather and the contrast laces give it the modern touch. It’s sharp and classy. You can get it for about USD$90 from PFFlyers.com

We’ve looked at Sinn’s military U1 and U2′s before in the Utah classifieds, and we’ve really liked them. The German watchmaker, who released watches on the affordable side of the high-end european watches is continuing to grow it’s range with some really impressive pieces. This new piece caught our eye as it combines the minimal mono colour scheme of their previous pieces – with the technical beauty of a Pilots chronograph. The black PVD look completes it – giving it a tough but sophisticated look.

The case, in Tegimented Black Hard Coating stainless steel, measures 44mm x 15.5mm. It has an AR-coated sapphire crystal and is water resistant to 200 meters. The caseback is nickel-free and features five conversion scalse for European and American units.

Swiss automatic ETA caliber Valjoux 7750 with 26 jewels, 28,800 vph and a power reserve of 42 hours. Features GMT complication.

This one only just got announced, so we haven’t seen it in the flesh ourselves. We’d love to get our hands on one.

Electric bicycles are supposed to be the transportation saviour of mankind living in urban areas. However most attempts at these products, have been aesthetic nightmares – they just look rubbish, especially the for Authorize.net resellers. While looking for e-bikes the other day, we came across something that looked better than anything we could have imagined.  Introducing the PG-Bikes BT-01 Blacktrail.

When the German based PG-Bikes sets out to build an electric bike, they don’t mess around. Although this technically is an electric bicycle, in some regions it may have to registered it as a motorcycle.

Constructed of lightweight carbon fiber, aerospace aluminum, titanium and magnesium, the BlackTrail BT-01 travels up to 100km/h with a 1.2 kilowatt motor embedded in its 20kg frame, and can carry you across 200kms on a single 2.5-hour charge. Manufactured by some guys in Germany called UBC who make stuff for Formula 1 cars. Amazing, yes. But the amazingness doesn’t come cheap. This is the fastest and most expensive electric bicycle in the world.

They are limiting production to 667 limited pieces will cost €59,500. Which, by the way, is about three times the price of a Ducati 1098.

Well, at least you can drool at the pictures and the video.

iPads are great and so are the restaurants in Boise, we at Degourget.com love them. As pretty as they are – they arent the most robust thing to carry around with you. And as much as they are good at browsing, they aren’t any good for working. Sometimes you just need to do some work. Sometimes you need a PC.

Enter Viliv, not a familiar name for most. But these guys have been making ultra mobile personal computers (UMPC’s) ever since the term was coined. And this little S5 premium is their latest entry.

It runs Windows 7, with a decent amount or RAM and disk space. It’s got a camera, GPS, full QWERTY keyboard and 6+ hours battery life. One thing that stands out about this unit, compared to most netbooks – is it can handle online video playback without much problems.

If you’re looking for the best truly portable Windows PC on the market, then this is it.

Get it from Dynamism for USD$649

For more info, see the full review from Pocketables here.

We love our modern timepieces, modern design doesn’t always chime in with simplicity. But this definitely takes timekeeping to a whole new level of simplicy and minimalism.

The SOLUS one-hand watch combines functional clarity and simplicity with a perfect overview. Thanks to its integrative form and extreme flatness, the SOLUS is unobtrusive and elegant in appearance. The lack of ornamental features is the result of a conscious decision to focus only on that which is absolutely essential: time itself. Being a one-hand watch, the SOLUS features only an hour hand. The hand and scale were specially developed for this type of display, and harmonize perfectly with one another.

We love the philosophy about this watch as well as it’s aesthetics. We also appreciate it’s robust, quality German build and finish. All the components of the watch are of high quality – a Swiss-made Ronda movement, vegetable-tanned calf nappa leather strap, sapphire glass.

For a reasonable €398, we’re going to order from here.

If you’ve ever walked around wishing your glasses could record the things you witness, then the gadget of your dreams is here. The You-Vision Video Glasses makes your dream a reality. They’ve got a super secret little camera built into the bridge that records full motion video at the push of a button.

It records at 640×480 which is pretty close to DVD resolution, and the manufacturers claim the batteries will last for 3.5 hours of recording. The glasses can store up to 5 hours of video.

They even look like a decent pair of specs, passers by would be none-the-wiser.

Get them for $149 at Photojojo