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If you're talking, we're listening. So how can we help you? Mandatory fields are indicated in bold.
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Learn about upcoming services
The Agavue network is growing, and with it will come more exciting communications services for our customers. To stay informed about the Vue on the horizon, simply fill out this form and we'll email you periodic updates:
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Get updates from Agavue
Stay current on the latest and greatest ways Agavue is helping you experience the web with The Vue, the exclusive email content from Agavue. Fill out this simple form to receive The Vue now:
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How to make searching more effective
Whether you prefer Google, Yahoo!, MSN Search or any of the other terrific search sites, the basics are the same. But with these tips and tricks, you'll find exactly what you're looking for in no time. Remember, search engines are in the business of finding the most relevant websites that match your criteria.
Some basic facts
- Every word you enter is important but may not be necessary. The rule of thumb is this: keep it simple, but specific.
- Don't worry about uppercase or lowercase; search engines treat them the same.
- For the most part, punctuation is ignored
- The word "and" is assumed, but "or" is not so put it in if you mean it.
- If you want to find an exact phrase match, just put the search terms in quotes.
Searching fun
- To look at the weather for most cities, just type "weather" followed by the city and state, U.S. zip code, or city and country. [weather albuquerque]
- Want to find the latest stock price? All you have to do is type the ticker symbol of the company. [AAPL]
- How about the time in Budapest? Just type this: [time budapest]
- Did you know that Google has a built-in calculator? Just enter the equation you'd like solved into the search box. [(4*22+2)/3]
- You can also use Google to convert from one unit of measurement to another. Just type the conversion you want into the search box and they'll take it from there. [5 mi to km]
- Let's say you want to see what's playing at the movie theater. All you have to do is type "movies" and your zip code. Like magic, the show times appear. Or, simply type the name of the movie and your zip code to save a step.
- How about this for fast searching? Just type your UPS, Fedex or USPS tracking number into the search field and you'll find that package instantly!
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The easiest way to share photos
So little Susie just had her ballet recital and you want to share the moment with family and friends. You can take your digital photos to the local photo mart to make prints, or you can use these useful web sites to get them online - in no time - for free.
Flickr.com
With this popular site, users can post lots of free pictures from their computers or directly from many camera phones. Once you get the pictures up there, you can do simple editing like red eye removal, cropping and even add fun effects. You can also put your images into folders and organize them with keywords called tags. The Flickr site also maps where you took the picture. Then you can share your albums with family and friends. It's that easy.
Shutterfly.com
Another very popular online sharing tool is Shutterfly. Shutterfly is a little more commercial than the other two we're mentioning. This site is a place to print photos and make great keepsakes from your pictures. But the free account lets you store and share photos too. Your friends can then order prints, cards, calendars, and more right from the site as they view your pictures.
Picassa
Picassa is owned by Google and is a free download. Unlike Flickr and Shutterfly, Picassa is a standalone program that lives on your computer. You put all your photos into the application and you have a full suite of image editing and management tools. Then you simply sync them with your picassa.google.com account for sharing with the world.
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Learn more about social networking
So what exactly is social networking? Simply put, it's a free way to instantly stay in touch with friends, colleagues and family across the globe. There are many sites devoted to social networking but we'll talk about the big ones.
MySpace
You wanna know about MySpace? Ask your kid. This is one of the most popular sites on the Internet but is dominated by teens and tweens. The site allows users to make their own "MySpace page". The MySpace page is a completely free form profile of your likes and dislikes and allows you to share photos and messages with your network of friends. Users can make their pages private (which means you need an invite to see its contents). Beware of online predators though. Like all web use, parents should take an active role in managing their kid's online life.
Facebook
Facebook tends to cater to an older crowd. It started out as a college thing named after the popular Freshman get-to-know-you headshot book that eased students into a foreign environment. It took off, and now there are more than 30 million active Facebook users from all walks of life and from all over the world. Facebook is based on the concept of "friending" people to add them to your network of contacts. Then the viral nature of the web takes over. Once a part of someone's Friend Network, you can see all of their friends. These friends are often those you have in common from childhood or the workplace. The site is devoted to instant "status" updates, with online games and activities that can be played amongst friends.
Twitter
The instant short form blog. Like Facebook, Twitter links people into networks. All posts, called Tweets, are constrained to only 140 characters and answer one basic question: "What are you doing?" Unlike MySpace and Facebook, Twitter is not an invitation thing, it is more like being a roadie to a band. When you find an interesting Tweet, you "follow" the tweeter. Now every time the tweeter tweets, their followers are notified. You'll be in good company too. The list of famous Twitter users includes Carson Daly, Ashton Kutcher, Miley Cyrus, Ryan Seacrest... even Karl Rove.
LinkedIn
The last social networking site we'll talk about is all business. LinkedIn is a true networking site. Your profile contains primarily resume information, and based on your experiences in work and school, recommends colleagues and classmates to "Link In" with. This is a great way to find leads on job opportunities and getting that oh-so-important connection at your dream company.
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Online family fun
The web's a big place. And young ones can find stuff parents would cringe at. Many computers allow parents to place restrictions on what sites can be viewed by what users on that computer. There is also off-the-shelf software that can prevent little eyes from seeing too much too soon. So what sites are good for kids? If this list from Today's Parent magazine doesn't satisfy your kid's web wishes, nothing will.
Searching for Information
Yahooligans!: The ultimate kid-friendly search engine. Based on the popular adult Yahoo! site, it's a safe place for children to look for information and has a great list of age-appropriate reference links.
Ask Jeeves Kids: The best search engine for answering simple kid questions like, "How does an iceberg form?" or "What causes hiccups?"
Kids Click!: This site was created by a group of US librarians so kids could find age-appropriate Web content on everything from science to health to popular entertainment. All links are non-commercial and non-violent.
How Stuff Works: This award-winning site clearly and concisely tells kids (and adults!) how different things work - from the everyday (how automobile engines run) to the unusual (how Jell-O sets).
Fact Monster: This is a one-stop reference source of kid-friendly facts and articles. The award-winning site also has loads of interactive tools that encourage kids to improve their math, spelling and vocabulary.
Amuse and Entertain
PBS Kids: The activities and games on this award-winning site feature many of the characters from kids' favourite TV shows, including Caillou, Clifford, Barney and Oscar the Grouch. Easy navigation makes it friendly for young and first-time Internet users. There's also an extensive resource section for parents and teachers.
Kids Reads: The best place on the Web for kids to find information about their favourite books and authors, including excerpts from the hottest new releases.
Funology: A great place for kids to find things to do - not just at the computer, but anywhere. The million and one games, magic tricks, recipes, experiments and craft projects will put a stop to the "Mom, I'm bored" syndrome.
Educate and Learn
CoolMath4Kids: Games, brain twisters and colouring-book activities for a variety of age groups help make math fun. A great site for kids who are struggling with multiplication and need to practise their skills.
Science Made Simple: This no-frills site helps kids learn science the easy, hands-on way with clear, detailed answers to their questions and lots of fun projects and experiments.
Funbrain: Interactive tools and games like Grammar Gorillas and MathCar Racing entice kids to learn.
Inspire
United Nations Cyber School Bus: Translated into six languages, the rich content and resources on this United Nations-sponsored site let children participate in a global community over the Web.
GirlSite! Network: This site was created by a not-for-profit organization so girls and young women would have place to speak their minds and share their ideas. Topics cover everything from cool careers and volunteering to creative writing diaries.
National Geographic Kids!: The best part of this all-round great site is the current affairs section, written in easy-to-understand language, so kids can keep on top of new archaeological digs and historical discoveries.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration: A perfect place for budding astronomers to learn about the galaxy. Kids can receive up-to-the-minute bulletins about space programs or use the multimedia section to view current images in space.
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How to set up your own blog
What better way to express your thoughts and feelings than your very own blog? A "blog," the truncated vernacular of "web log," is a running daily or periodic posting of a writer's view on the world. And unlike social media, a blog is open to the entire blogosphere 24/7. If you've got something to say, then a blog might just be for you. Plus, it's easy and free. The hard part is actually finding something interesting to blog about.
You can get a blog started in less time than it takes you to read this. All you need is an email address and the blogging company of your choice (we list three popular ones below). You'll get your own blog address (like you.blogcompany.com), a selection of great free and customizable designs for your blog, lots of file storage and many other great features. You can typically blog as much as you want for free and your blog can be public to the world or private for just your friends.
Visit these leading blog sites to get started:
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How do I contact customer service?
The Agavue 24/7 customer service team is ready to handle any question. Our team members will work tirelessly for you to solve any issues that keep you from accessing your internet or email world. Call our customer care number to get help right away at 505.923.4000 or toll free at 1.877.956.5677.
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What is included in my monthly package?
All Agavue services include unlimited internet access. You can have up to six email accounts. Also included is our on-call, 24/7 Customer Care team.
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What are the ways I can manage my account?
- To pay your bill, simply mail your payment. To ensure accurate processing, please write your ten-digit telephone number on your check. You may use the Agavue envelope provided with your bill statement, or use your own envelope with your correct mailing address.
- To change your account information, simply call our 24/7 Customer Care team at 505.923.4000 or toll free at 1.877.956.5677.
- To change your name or billing address, either call us at 505.923.4000 (toll free at 1.877.956.5677) or change it on your next bill payment.
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How do I read my bill?
- Account Balance Last Payment is the amount you most recently paid and on what date we received payment. If you still have outstanding money owed to us, it is noted under Balance Forward.
- User Charges Your monthly Agavue bill includes recurring monthly charges for services billed one month in advance, plus any usage charges billed after they are used. These items, plus applicable tax, make your Total Amount Due.
- Payments The top left and bottom right area shows where to send your check payment to. The top right area indicates your account information, including the date your payment is due.
