CrossLoop is a great new method of getting IT help. Or, in this case, my help. Anyone who knows me will know I’m always happy to lend a hand, particularly if it’s on a subject I know about – computers would be one such product.

CrossLoop is a simple program that you download onto your computer. When run, it generates a code for you that uniquely identifies you – you give this number to someone who you need assistance from. Using this, and CrossLoop, they can then remotely sign onto your computer to help you out.

So, the next time you’re stuck, give it a try.

Just before Christmas I ordered a TomTom Home Dock. This is basically a little docking station that your TomTom can sit in on your desk, keeping it charged and updated. Nice. I bought it from a seller on eBay with a good rating.

When it turned up the USB socket on the dock was slightly out of alignment so my TomTom wouldn’t go on it correctly. I contacted the seller who supplied a return address for it. Oddly, it wasn’t his but the name of the company who made it – VIVO. I’ve had other TomTom products from VIVO.

So off I sent it last week. However, I was interested in how I was going to claim back my postage for having had to send it back, so I contacted VIVO at the address I was given. There was the problem… That VIVO make mounts for TV’s and have nothing to do with TomTom accessories. So who have I sent it to?

I’ve sent off an email to the eBay’er asking him what’s going on. If I don’t hear from him or I don’t get a satisfactory answer, I’ll be opening a dispute on eBay <bigger sigh>

And, just to top things off, the main car park at work today was completely full (I’ve never known that happen before). I refuse, as some people do, to park on the pavement or in a disabled space, so I ended up at the far end of another car park (which was nearly full). Not that it was far away, but it’s in a different Council area.

Someone remind me to make my next post a lot lighter and happier?

Update (16/01/2008):

I got a new TomTom dock from the chap from eBay. I’m just waiting for him to refund me my postage for sending the faulty one back… that might be a different battle entirely!

Today, for the second time in the last month, I’ve had the joy of needing to contact Play.com.

They no longer have a way of being contacted online – you have to phone them. And after experiencing 20 minute delays just after Christmas, I was in no mood for such delays.

Today I gave them 10 before hanging up and then cancelling my order. If they’d an online method of being contacted, I would have been quite happy to have waited a day or two for a reply. What I don’t have time for is hanging on a phone, especially when I’m “in a queue” and being charged for it.