Shipping Service Quality

I buy a lot of computer parts to support my hobby of repairing computers. I buy several hundred items a year, enough that I need to keep track of each order and shipment to ensure that it makes it to me. Otherwise I forget.

Given the 100+ shipments this year, this is what I've found:

All items "lost in the mail" are due to bad US-based eBay seller practices. Items get lost due to lousy label printing and poor label attachment. These items have all eventually showed up, but it is definitely the seller's fault, and not the shippers.
For domestic shipping, USPS is the most reliable and predictable. UPS Ground and FedEx Smartpost are very slow. FedEx Smartpost uses ground trucks to move items thousands of miles, and then they hand it to USPS for delivery. I guess it is cheap.
Items from overseas (mostly China) normally makes it to me within 3 weeks, but it can be as quick as 7 days, or take as long as 8 weeks. So I can't bank on timing when ordering items from China.
LaserShip is getting better. They're still sloppy, but not as horrid as my previous experience with them. I speculate that they have a lot of driver turn-over, which results in inexperienced delivery people.
USPS's "informed delivery" is pretty awesome.
Amazon's real-time delivery tracking is very awesome - when it's available.

Other Thoughts: None!

Installing the Eve Smart MotionBlind Upgrade with my Large Roller Shade

I have a large window in the front of my house and a roller shade was just the right window treatment for it. But I also wanted to automate it. My MotionBlind Upgrade kit and my new roller shade I looked around to buy something that I was comfortable with, but simple non-automated roller blinds can be expensive, especially when they're larger than 6 ft x 6 ft. This is disappointing, as a roller blind is just a tube with a small amount of synthetic cloth but can easily cost hundreds of dollars. Plus, since I wanted a smarthome blind, we're talking $500 or more from the "service oriented shops". I'm a tech guy. I think can do better. After thinking about DIY and creative solutions, I decided to try out the Eve MotionBlinds Upgrade (MBU) kit. This kit transforms an ordinary roller blind into a smart blind. The MotionBlinds mechanism is basically consists of a small motor and battery in a long metal tube. This motor tube slides into a roller blind ...

Sodastream Carbonator Leakage, Usage, and Weight

SodaStream 60L "Carbonator" CO2 cylinders have a specific weight when empty, plus about 410 or so grams for the CO2 they should have when they're "full". A little while ago I went to buy a replacement Carbonator from my local hardware store. The dealer pulled a new Carbonator out of the box and sensed it was lighter than usual. He put the "light" Carbonator in the "empty" pile and sold me a different one. At that moment I concluded that it would be smart of me to weigh both new and empty SodaStream carbonators. Here are the results. Weighing a SodaStream Carbonator - for both Science and Consumer Protection. The dealer told me that sometimes the carbonators leak after they leave the SodaStream filling facility. That means there could be an opportunity for customers like me to get ripped off! The SodaStream cylinders I buy claim to have a net product weight of 410 grams - and that means that a full Soda Stream Carbonator shou...

My iPhone is being remotely controlled by a hacker! (and how to fix it)

Who is remotely controlling my iPhone??? This is a personal story that scared the hell out of me. On Monday I was awoken by my iPhone alarm telling me that it was time to get up to go to work. I picked up the phone and looked at the day's calendar. Ug. I put it back down in its dock for a couple more Z's. Seconds later, I heard it clicking. I looked at my phone, and it looked like someone was typing on it! Click. Then a swipe. And then more clicks. One of my business apps was being operated, but NO ONE was touching my iPhone! I was sure that a Hacker was remotely operating my iPhone, digging around for my private data! This was shocking. My phone stores a lot of good stuff - my email, photos, finances, passwords and all sorts of other goodies. If someone compromised my phone they could know where I am. They could operate the cameras, the microphones - in short, they could know almost everyth...

Hot (and Cold) Attic Tempertures and Electronic Equipment

An unfinished attic can be an extreme environment for electronic equipment, with conditions that are very unlike what is experienced inside normal living spaces. What's the deal with installing electronic equipment in an unfinished and uninsulated attic? I wanted to install a standard WiFi router in my attic to function as a Wireless ISP (WISP) gateway. My attic is a fantastic location from a radio signal perspective, but it is an uncomfortable place for both people and electronic gear. Although the attic is well insulated, that insulation is on the floor, designed to keep the living space of my home at moderate temperatures. As a WISP gateway, my WiFi router is best mounted above the insulation and close to the roof, where the only protection from weather extremes is the wood of the roof and a layer of asphalt shingles. Equipment Specifications and Extremes Almost all electronic equipment has a set of specifications regarding operating environment. These specifications state the...

Fixing a SodaStream Jet, part 1: Disassembly Guide

I've had my SodaStream Jet for years, and once in a while something has gone wrong. Disassembly is the first step to repair. Start with this article to see how to disassemble the SodaStream, and then once you have that down, scroll through my other articles to see how I repaired specfic SodaStream problems. SodaStream Jet Disassembly Guide Tools Required Flat head screwdriver Phillips head screwdriver 1. Remove the Carbonator. Duh. 2. Remove the black panel lever The front big black tilt lever needs to be removed first. Removing this panel is tricky, but it isn't impossible. Looking up at the bottom of the black panel, there are two tabs, one on the left and one on the right. These tabs fully secure the panel in place. The trick is to use a flat-head screwdriver under the plastic to gently lever the tabs out of the way. Note in the pictures how I approach these tabs with my screwdriver. I usually release the left side first, and then I release ...

Repairing a MagSafe Charger's Cord

Here is how to repair the cord of Apple MacSafe power adapters. There are three common failure modes of a magsafe wire: The base of the cord becomes frayed where the wire enters the power brick. This is usually caused by repeatedly wrapping the cord far too tightly around the brick's "ears". The head of the magsafe connector becomes frayed. This is usually caused by repeatedly removing the magsafe magnet by yanking on the cord. Chewed up cord. This is where a pet or other pinching device weakens the cord. These types of failure are usually repairable at home using the technique described here. Tools Required: A beginner's Soldering kit, like this one, including a low-wattage soldering iron, rosin-core Solder, and wire strippers. Heat shrink tubing . Any color works, but these days I use white to repair a MagSafe cord. One Soldering Sleeve, appropriate for 22 or 24 AWG wire Heat gun (optional.) Process: The general process is t...

The Lance J. Technoweb

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