Once upon a time, I used to use several Internet services for home delivery of things I could easily get by strolling outside. As you might guess, a lot of those services are now out of business. Services like Kozmo, Urbanfetch, NYDelivery.com, NYFood.com, Menusonline.com -- the list could go on. Of course, in Internet time, that was long time ago, but in real time, that was just few months ago.

Searching around the Web reveals how few services there are around these days for New York's truly lazy. Here are two that you might want to try.

Netflix is a service that delivers DVD movies to your house via the mail. For a $20 monthly charge, you can rent as many movies as you like -- holding on to upto three at a time. Here's how it works. You sign up for a membership that's $19.95 a month and then select, online, 10 films you would like to watch. The company then snail-mails the first three that it has available. It also includes postage-paid envelopes, so all you do is stick each back in the mail when you are done with it. When they receive a movie, then send you another from your list of selections. There are no late fees and no long-term contracts.

This system works well and is easy to use. It can be harder to get popular titles, which may be out in circulation -- but with more than 10,000 titles in its collection, there must be something you want to watch. They do not have VHS tapes -- those are more expensive to mail; DVDs sent without the fancy boxes cost just 34 cents to mail (they pick up that bill).

Another service to try, this time for grocery shopping: EZshop123.com. This service, which is based in New Jersey, delivers to Manhattan and in Hudson County. The service stocks 5,000 items, including things like fruit and meat, packaged foods and toiletries. You can place your order via the Web or phone 24 hours a day, selecting items from the Web site. In Manhattan they do not deliver above 96th Street, so that's something they need to work on. And if you don't live in a doorman building, you have to have someone home when they deliver.

RESOURCES:
Netflix.com
Ezshop123.com

Once you try these out, do write in to techguru@sree.net and let me know your thoughts.

Send your feedback -- and ideas for coverage: techguru@sree.net

See the Tech Guru School Site of the Month

o o o o o

To join the LOW-volume "Sree Tips" e-mail mailing list, send your name and e-mail address to sreetips-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. No more than once a month, you will receive an e-mail message with tips and tricks about new, useful and fun Web sites.