There's a Sucker Converted Every Minute

Ponca City, We love you writes "Once the US converts from analog to digital broadcasting next February, those who receive their signals over the air will need a converter box for older, non-digital models. Government-approved converter boxes sell for $60 or less and a government-issued $40 rebate coupon is available for the asking but that hasn't stopped companies like the Ohio-based Universal TechTronics from offering supposedly free converter boxes. The gimmick: the box is free, as long as you pay $88 for a five-year warranty, plus $9.30 shipping. Universal TechTronics seems to specialize in 'high-tech' products of questionable value, marketing the Cool Surge portable air cooler, 'a work of engineering genius from the China coast so advanced that no windows, vents, or freon are needed' that uses the same energy as a 60-watt light bulb. It works by blowing a stream of air over two ice packs that you have previously frozen in your freezer. What's the best tech scam you've heard of lately?"

Comments

Tech scam?

[jeiler]

"We have to filter P2P to solve network congestion"--Bell Canada.

Tech Scam

[Anonymous Coward]

DVD rewinders.

Re:Tech Scam

[AngryUndead]

o ye of too much faith [in humanity].

Water-free water, pay only $9.99 shipping!

[krnpimpsta]

"It works by blowing a stream of air over two ice packs that you have previously frozen in your freezer." means = "no freon"?

Well, then I'm also selling water-free water for places that have water shortages. Just add 1 cup of water to the device and you will have an entire cup of water that you can drink!

Re:I like Vista

[tomhudson]

and now I have the ability to play games without the horrible FPS that came with Vista.

Vista comes with a First Person Shooter?

Let me guess - you score points by killing penguins with thrown chairs, you buy armour by making campaign contributions, and you power up by eating up all the ram chips lying around.

Re:Carbon credits

[mazarin5]

Once the tree dies, its carbon goes right back into the air.

Is spontaneous combustion a big problem for trees in you area?

Re:I like Vista

[PopeRatzo]

My laptop with vista is noticeably faster than my desktop with XP (with the exception of network transfer speed), even though they have the same specs

I don't believe you.

For me at least XP seems to get much slower with age while vista does not do so.

Yes it's a well-known bug in XP that the code get tired after several weeks of use because there's a qi-leak.

Now, why not take that weak shit to the park? Maybe the squirrels will believe it.

kquade

[kquade]

Q: What's the best tech scam you've heard of lately? A: Windows Vista.

Concentrated Water

[fahrbot-bot]

From the Seattle Times: Buying bottled water: Should you feel guilty -- or trendy?
(and probably other places) ...

Desalinated seawater from Hawaii, meanwhile, is being sold as "concentrated water" -- at $33.50 for a two-ounce bottle. Like any concentrated beverage, it is supposed to be diluted before drinking, except that in this case, that means adding water to ... water.

[ Yes, people really are that stupid. ]

Re:Audiophile Hardware

[ikkonoishi]

Thats nothing.
http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AKDL1-Dedicated-Link-Cable/dp/B000I1X6PM/

You save $49.75!!!

Check out the user reviews.

If I could use a rusty boxcutter to carve a new orifice in my body that's compatible with this link cable, I would already be doing it. I can just imagine the pure musical goodness that would flow through this cable into the wound and fill me completely -- like white, holy light. Holding this cable in my hands actually makes me feel that much closer to the Lord Jesus Christ. I only make $6.25/hr at Jack In The Box, but I saved up for three months so I could have this cable. It sits in a shrine I constructed next to my futon in Mother's basement.

I only gave it four stars in my review because I can't find music that is worthy enough to flow through this utterly perfect interconnect.