Christine Arehart - NeedATechMakeover.com winner, Getnthruit

Keith Mottola - NeedATechMakeover.com winner, Steps off Broadway

Susan Gibbs - NeedATechMakeover.com winner, Fiber Farm

Congratulations to Christine, Keith, & Susan, and thanks to all of you who contributed in the NeedATechMakeover.com contest! Also, don’t forget to check out our parenting blogs at Mighty Girl, The Savvy Source, Cool Mom Picks, Craftzine.com. Happy Holidays!

Please join us in congratulating:

• “Steps off Broadway”
• ”MVFiberFarm”
• and ”Getnthruit”!

Dave Altavilla and Marco Chiappetta of Hot Hardware will connect with our winners, videotaping the process of setting up their new gadgets and gizmos. We should be posting their videos here in early December, so make sure to come back and see them—and give our winners a little love while you’re here!

I just want to join the internets. Really.

They have a home computer now. An outdated, slow, cantankerous old thing that no longer meets their basic technology needs. What they need is new home computing technology that will carry them into the future. Let me tell you why…

They are expecting their first grandson any day now — today, October 6, is my due date. So, seriously, we are literally talking any day now! That’s the good news. The bad news is that 2,000 miles separate my Mom and Dad from their soon-to-be-born grandbaby. Traveling this distance more than once or possibly twice a year is the most my family can manage financially. A technology makeover would allow them to share in their grandson’s life though online video and photo sharing, two simple communication tools that are completely out of the question with their current computer system.

At the young age of 54, my Mom has lost most of her sight in both eyes. Among all the difficulties this creates in her life, this loss makes it impossible for her to continue to use the current home computer for personal or business use. In addition to helping her see her grandson grow, a technology makeover that includes tools for the sight impaired would allow my Mom to continue to use the home computer to manage my parents’ modest real estate investments (for retirement).

With the first grandson on the way, my Mom and Dad already have a granddaughter – my 12-year old niece, Rachel, whom they are now raising. Despite some challenges in her upbringing, Rachel is a very bright child, curious and interested in learning. With the right guidance and support, she could end up being just the second person in our extended family to attend college. A technology makeover for the home computer would enable her to keep up with school assignments and research college options (using the school’s computers before or after regular school hours is difficult since my Dad works and my Mom can’t drive).

A tech makeover will help my Mom and Dad in so many ways. They both will be able to bond with their new grandson even over a great distance. My Mom will be able to continue to use a computer despite her sight challenges. And their granddaughter will have a valuable tool to help her succeed in school and prepare for college.

My family is far-flung, with relatives on both coasts and in Canada and the Philippines. I know my parents feel cut off because they don’t have e-mail; they often ask me for my advice on services for seniors such as Celery which print or fax e-mails. I have researched that for them, but they would only be able to receive messages, and not send images or other files. My father is an avid amateur photographer and has taken some beautiful shots over the years; I would love to share some with you but he doesn’t have a scanner. He has been interested in getting a DSLR or even a pocket-sized point-and-shoot for some time; while it’s possible to take a camera’s memory card to a camera shop and print its contents without having a computer at home, that wouldn’t be taking full advantage of the camera’s potential, not to mention that he can’t share his shots with others without a computer. A tech makeover would help my father explore his favorite hobby, and help my whole family stay in touch.

I am a graphic design student at the local college in Gainesville, FL. When I read about the “Need a Tech Makeover”, I was very excited to believe that I may have a chance at a tech makeover and with this makeover, have the ability to push my design projects/career to the next level.

The graphic design program uses the MAC platform at school, however, I have a PC at home–therefore, working on school projects is quite difficult when I have to transition between the two (2) platforms. This also goes for the software for which we work from. Grant it, the Adobe product line (Photoshop, After Effects, Illustrator, InDesign) works on both PC and MAC; it’s the MAC specific applications such as: DVD Studio Pro and Final Cut Pro, which causes the most headaches. Learning Final Cut on the MAC and not being able to take my projects home, to continue working on my edits, is very difficult. I have to take the “ideas” of how Final Cut’s software works and try to apply those techniques within Adobe Premier.

I also work a lot with photography and would love to have the opportunity to be able to take a great shot and then make it better (provided better light, stronger equipment, etc). It would be great to have a tech makeover to help me become a better graphic designer, to be able to share my work with the world, and push the designing envelope.

I believe having new technology (computer/equipment/accessories) would definitely help me take my designs to the next level by simply having the ability to place more time and efforts into my work. The performance upgrade will allow me to render projects faster and increase my productivity.

Being a graphic design student is very challenging due to the amount of software and/or equipment I have to purchase. With limited capital, I find myself choosing lesser quality equipment to compensate. The technology upgrade would allow me to take my work on the go, professionally display my portfolio, and assist me to great measures with my career.

With the items I have now, I am limited to their performance. A technology upgrade will allow me to build on my current skills and push the limits of the new technology. I enjoy what I do and want to continue giving the graphic design world a taste of what I do (and of what I could become).

I put forth a great deal of effect to excel in everything I do; and “needatechmakeover.com” may be exactly what I need to do so.

Thank you for this opportunity.

Sincerely,
Robert Davidson

Our DVD player went out about three months ago (There went my ‘wild’ Friday movie nights!)

My television broke last week
(Currently watching a 13″ television from 1992)

My ‘poor’ nine year old only has an original NES
(Duck Hunt, anyone??)

My fiancé came with GIANT ugly floor speakers
(They totally rock that 13″ t.v.)

We don’t own a camcorder
(And my son scored TWO touchdowns on Saturday!!)

Our camera takes fuzzy, crummy pics
(Did I mention that touchdown?)

You are probably asking, “Why, Shelly? Why haven’t you upgraded all of these things to make your life easier and perhaps a little happier?”

Because every single dollar that we have is going towards making our lives better with the launch of my own organic skincare line, Plein de Vie. We have been making sacrifices to reap rewards later. I want to teach my son that with hard work and a solid dream, anything can happen . . .

Even winning the grand prize in a tech makeover

Thank you so much for your consideration!

Shelly

I want SO very much to have more computer knowledge, mine is so limited and I am self taught, with a few classes. I would love to have more training, so I won’t be afraid (or intimated)to figure out problems and understand what I am doing. To want to have more fun, while I work and play.

My EMBROIDERY SEWING MACHINE INTIMATES ME!!!
I have been sewing since I was 14, and I love to sew. I REALLY would like to use my computer in conjunction with my emboridery machine I purchased in 1999! I am just too intimated to use it, and lessons did not come along with the purchase of the machine. My husband is angry with me because I don’t use it, I spent a lot of money and I would love to sew lots beautiful dresses for my 3 graddaughters, with beautiful emboridery designs. It would also be great to download emboridery designs from the internet, and to be able to design some of my own, with the new computer to transfer to the sewing machine, it could all be possible.

As you can see by the attached photos, my emboridery machine is in a closet-packed away. My old sewing machine is in a bedroom closet, to save bedroom space, I use it - but it would be so much more fun to have a new computer along with the knowledge of training to be able to achieve more than I’ve done so far, which is not much. I would work VERY hard to make this all possible. Grandma would R-O-C-K!!!!

I honestly don’t know if the schools need new computers but I’m guessing that because of the last discussion and after seeing one of those pretty iMac’s in my son’s classroom on orientation (you know, those colored ones that came out years ago) that perhaps they could use at least one new one somewhere. With the way kids like to spend their time these days, it can’t hurt the classroom (or school) to be equipped with the best technology out there. I can’t think of one kid who wouldn’t be excited to be able to sit down at a brand new computer and play a really cool game that might actually teach him/her something in the process.

I don’t how much detail to go into just that I’m tired of seeing school budgets being cut and having to question whether $20 is too much to ask for something in the classroom. This is my tiny way of maybe helping out. They don’t know I’m doing this, I don’t know if I’m allowed to enter them but hey, it’s worth a shot.

Thanks!!!
P.S. I left our location and school name out of this but if we win, I’ll be sure to share it

I would love to use my computer on a warm tropical island sipping a cool island drink…but in reality I would be able to use the technology where ever needed. It would be wonderful to transport the technology easily between work and home, at a wi-fi cafe or have it tag along on vacations. Even better, have it be a part of our vacations.

My techonology needs an upgrade like my VHS cabinet needs a match. The next level would be more than playing with new techie toys, but integrating the techonology into our lives. I would like to start seeing techonolgy not as simply a tool, but as the only essential way to accomplish a task. Upgrading to the next level would mean finally having the feeling of living in the 21st century. Not being surrounded by relics of the 20th century sure would help!!!