You've heard or said it hundreds, maybe even thousands of times. "I'll talk to you later," "Give me a call," or "I'll see you later."

The words talk, call and see are slowly taking on new meanings.

We're living in an age where we utilize powerful technology to communicate with other people within our personal and business environments.

After a night of hanging out with some friends, I usually part with "I'll talk to you later." But I know that actually means, "I'll see you online later tonight" or "I'll forward you some funny jokes at work tomorrow."

Is the internet quickly becoming a substitute for the telephone, or in person meetings? For many, it already has.

You think that 24-hour quickie-mart down the street is convenient? Ha! The internet takes the cake when it comes to convenience.

It's time to hang up your phone and fire up your instant messenger. Widely used products such as AOL Instant Messenger and Microsoft Messenger allow anyone to communicate instantly with their 'buddies.' Some people will continue to say, "it's just not the same, it's too impersonal." Well, their pleas for something more personal are gradually being addressed and answered. Most major instant messaging software now includes some type of voice chat. With the help of standard speakers and a microphone, people are able to actually speak to their online buddies. Think of the money saved on long distance calls alone!

It's also time to put down your newspaper and log on to one of the many online news sources. How can you top breaking news from CNN.com? What advantage does your local paper have over regional news sites such as SiliconValley.com, Boston.com and NYTimes.com? Maybe the fact that they're printed on recycled paper keeps you reading. Besides, it's much easier to find exactly what you're looking for through an online resource. Say goodbye to the riddle that reads, "What's black, white and re(a)d all over?" In my mind that has become, "What's 800x600 and read all over?"

I'm not necessarily calling for a revolution. In the grand scheme of things, we're only on this planet for a short time. Would life be drastically different if days were 25 hours long? I know in my case I'd probably just maximize that hour passed out on a couch somewhere. Ah, who am I kidding? I'd be parked in front of my PC. After all, I am just a typical nerd.

If you arm yourself with the right tools, you can add a few minutes, and some pleasure, to your everyday life. Tune in next week when I fill you in on some more of those tools.