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Weekend of March 5th, 2010

We celebrated Dave's birthday weekend with more of your calls and emails! Dave thanks you all for the birthday wishes. Be sure to read our show notes below. Maybe your call or email was answered.

Listeners & Guests on the show this week:

For ALL the details ... be sure to listen to the show by downloading the MP3 or clicking the RED & WHITE "Play" button on the media player, both on the right-hand side of this page.

HOUR 1:

Tech News & Commentary

 

Andy in Durham, North Carolina listening on WPTF 680 AM asked: "Looking for the best VOIP for personal phone use. I'm looking at Magic Jack and Skype. I'm wondering if you had any thoughts on those two."

Skype, on the other hand, wants to be a social networking system, as well as a VoIP service. When you register for Skype, you join their network with a "Skype name." The Skype client program on your PC offers features that are similar to an IM client, like iChat, or Windows Live Messenger. You can type, voice chat, or video chat using a web cam. Skype's audio quality is outstanding when you have a good headset microphone.

For more information, tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast.

 

 

Janet in Newark, Delaware listening on WDEL 1150 AM asked: "I have an idea for a video game that I think will be just as popular as a FarmVille type game, and just as involved, and I don't know who to talk to about my idea. Can you help me with that?"

The beauty of Facebook Apps, like FarmVille, is that they are self-published through Facebook itself. All you need to do is write the program, following the rules of the Facebook third-party API (Application Program Interface, or in other words, the method your program must use to connect with Facebook).

If you are not a programmer, but just have a great idea, the Developer's Community pages might be a good place to meet a programmer that you might pitch your idea to. They even have conferences listed, so perhaps you should consider attending one of those?

 

Dolores in Staten Island, New York sent us the following email and asked: "What do I need to buy, so my printer and laptop can work together but be un-tethered? A router, a remote, or something?

I have a Dell Inspiron 1501, and the printer is an HP Deskjet 5650. I connect to the Internet with a Verizon network card (I think that is what you call it) and my printer currently gets connected to my laptop with a regular wire cable."

 

 

Thomas in Warren, Ohio listening to the podcasts asked: "I have Roadrunner Turbo. I wanted to know what would be the best router combination to take advantage of the speed of the Roadrunner Turbo, and how much effect does your router have on your speed?"

Roadrunner Turbo offers several different speeds, and in its higher modes, it can outrun some Cable/DSL routers. With a 15 megabit per second download speed, you'll need to make certain your router offers a 10/100 dual speed WAN port because traditional broadband Internet speeds have been 1.5 to 6 megabits per second, and there is no real reason for routers to have WAN ports offering more than 10.

With Roadrunner Turbo and Verizon's Fios, there is. So, at the very least, make sure you have a WAN port that can run 100 megabits per second. Our networking and game geek, Mark Lautenschlager, says that the D-Link "Xtreme" series of routers benchmark very well in something called "WAN to LAN," which measures the throughput the router can achieve moving data from the Internet to your own networked PCs.

 

Maybe you wanna give Roadrunner a call and see if they will send you a free router in exchange for a new contract.

 

We've been getting several comments on recent ITTV Updates. So we wanted to share them with you.

Tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast for more details.

 

Jack in Los Alamos, New Mexico listening on XM Ch.139 or via the Internet asked: "I have two very old laptops running XP. They are really slow. I'm wondering if converting them to Linux would help this out. Wondering where I can get a "cookbook" that will explain how to install Linux on these computers. Both are limited to about 1GB in memory."

Of course you can install Linux on your laptops. You can either replace Windows XP with a Linux distro (distribution, or packaged, pre-compiled version of Linux), or you can install Linux in a dual boot environment along with Windows XP, splitting the hard drive space.

The advantage of Linux is its speed and security. It's a faster OS than Windows XP, and it runs on more modest hardware. Your laptops, with their 1GB of RAM, would certainly feel much faster running Linux. But that is only part of the equation.

As for information on installing Linux, we recommend the following websites: The Linux HQ, the main Linux.org site and a site called Linux Tutorial.

HOUR 2:

Tech News & Commentary

 

Robert in Fairbanks, Alaska listening on KFBX 970 AM asked: "We bought a Samsung Plasma TV and have DirecTV satellite service. They show a movie in HD on one channel, and regular on another. We switch back and forth, and can't notice a difference. What's going on?"

If you are able to tune to the HD channels, then we're assuming that you do, in fact, have an HD tuner from DirecTV. If that's the case and you're not seeing a difference in the picture quality, then you may want to look at your cables and connections. Make sure you are using one of the high definition connections to ge the signal to your TV.

Every tuner, even the High Def tuners, will have a set of standard definition connections. The ones you'll want to use to ensure you get a high definition picture is the component (that's the cable with the red, green and blue connectors), DVI (which is less common), or HDMI, which will not only give you the best quality, but will transmit both the High Def picture and audio over a single cable. In fact, if you have a full HD, or 1080p set, and want to take advantage of that highest resolution, HDMI is really the only way to go.

If you're using an old-style coax cable, S-video, or a composite cable (that's the yellow one), then you're only getting a standard definition signal to your TV.

 

Peter in Pawleys Island, South Carolina listening on Satellite Radio asked: "Jupiter Jack, does it really work? Is it any value? Does it work with all phones?"

Jupiter Jack works, sure, but not quite as automatically as the ads want you to believe. For example, the ads say "works with any phone." That's not true. It works with any phone that offers a headphone jack. Jupiter Jack includes adapter kits to fit a number of different phones and smartphones, but you should really make sure it will work with your phone, first.

The big problem with it is the FM transmitter. It's not very powerful, and it can easily be trampled by FM stations in your area. The latest version of the Jupiter Jack can be tuned for FM frequencies between 88.3 and 89.3, and 99.3 and 101.3. If those are busy areas of your FM dial, you can expect the Jupiter Jack to have a lot of static and low volume problems.

Building quality is also a common complaint, with some customers saying that the Jupiter Jack "simply fell apart." Pricing is dicey, with $6.99, with shipping and handling being charged on a $10 product. Also, replacement batteries are expensive, when ordered through them. Their current web deal is buy one, get one free, but many customers have complained that as soon as the word "two" was mentioned. They were shipped, four of them (two orders with two each).

So if you want to order the Jupiter Jack, we recommend that you verify your phone will work with it, check the FM frequencies in your area, and be very careful to get the order clearly placed when you call them.

Click here for more information

 

Cam in Brooklyn, New York listening on WVNJ 1160 AM & online sent us the following email and said: "I just returned from a medical mission to Haiti and the Dominican Republic. So, I am just now getting a chance to review the answer you provided regarding gloves that will accommodate a MP3 player. Thanks for mentioning the Podio. I will definitely check into it. All went well on the medical mission and I will look forward to using my Lo Jack gift on my MacBook Pro.

 

Wes in Wilmington, North Carolina listening to our podcast and on WPTF 680 AM asked: "Have an older computer with a Standard Celeron Processor in it and a Standard 250 watt power supply. I upgraded my RAM to 2GB. I also upgraded my internal hard drive, and have an external powered hard drive. I just added a new video card with a 512MB memory requirement. How necessary is it for me to add a new larger power supply and will I be a drain on the processor."

The way you'll know for sure you need a larger power supply is that your computer will start shutting down at random and for no apparent reason.

Needless to say, this is never a pleasant experience and it may not be the best way to go about it because there is always the chance that it will randomly shut down when you're in the last line of that document that took you 3 hours to write, or when you're fighting the last boss on that game that has consume several days of your life, or in the middle of burning a DVD.

As a healthier alternative, you can go to ASUS' Power Wattage Calculator. There, you can select all the relevant information about your PC (processor, video card, memory, hard drives, CD/DVD drives, etc.), and it will tell you the minimum recommended wattage that your power supply should have to feed your computer's various components.

 

 

Kim in Nina, Wisconsin listening on Sirius Ch.108 asked: "Looking for a better backup solution for full recovery. One thing I've come across is software that backs up the entire drive, but takes a lot of time throughout the day. I'd like to be able to exclude certain directories. What types of consumer products are available to give me the option to recover the entire C drive, but where you can just leave it alone, that it will run on its own and if you have a crash, you can just put a new drive in and get your system back."

What you're asking about is something that us geeks call a "bare metal restore." Meaning, your hard drive dies, and you replace it with a new drive that's completely empty. After restoring your backup, you're up and running just where you were before.

For most people, a "bare metal backup" actually isn't what they want. They want to back up their documents and photos, maybe videos, their emails, and so forth. For that group, an online backup solution, like Carbonite, might be the right option. For $55 a year, you back up selected data into "the cloud," and you're not only protected against accidental deletion, you're also protected against something like a fire at your home that destroys the computer and the backup drive.

For more information, tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast.

 

Randall in Asheville, North Carolina listening on WWNC 570 AM asked: "I am looking for a device that I can plug a PC card into, and then plug that device into the USB port on my computer. Wondering if there's anything out there close to that."

You may need to look for this one on eBay. Technically, the device you're asking about did exist, we know that at some point, Kingston had one, and a company called Allegiance put one out sometime around 2006, but we had a very hard time finding any for sale today.

Kingston discontinued its model, and not many others seem to have popped up since then. Ironically, you can still easily find the reverse model that let's you add USB ports by plugging in a PC card into your laptop.

 

Les sent us the following email and asked: "Do you guys have an “Into Tomorrow” App for the Droid phone yet?

No, there is not one yet, but there will be one real soon. There is currently one being designed and tested. The App is being created by our friend from across the pond, Horacio Balseiro. Horacio is the same guy who made our "Into Tomorrow" App for the iPhone, and has begun doing many more things with us lately.

 

HOUR 3:

Tech News & Commentary

 

Matt in Alberta, Canada listening on Sirius Ch.108 had a tip for Robert in Indianapolis, Indiana (from Hour 2 of the 2/26/10 show).

Matt also asked: "When will 4G be in effect, and is it really 10 times faster than 3G?"

AT&T and Verizon have plans for a 4G network in the next couple of years. Sprint has one that is currently being tested. They have said that it will be 10 times faster, but now it may only be slightly faster than 3G networks.

In order for something to be considered 4G, it would have to generate a speed of 100 mega bits per second. That's according to the International Telecommunications Union, that sets the standards. Current 3G networks only offer a top speed of 2MB/s, and most broadband home connections offer a max of 5G’s, for example.

Sprint’s 4G network, which is only available in select cities, uses a new technology called WiMax, which BTW stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, and it currently offers a top speed of 10mbps, which is only 5 times faster than 3G, not 10 times faster. So with WiMax, Sprint is really only offering an enhanced 3G network, rather than the world’s first 4G network, as they claim. Sprint currently only offers the WiMax technology on their aircards, but HTC has a phone they call the Super Sonic in development, and they expect to release the phone during the second half of 2010.

For more information, click here or tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast.

 

 

Greg in Newark, Deleware listening on WDEL 1150 AM asked: "I used to be able to send text messages from my computer to the cell phones of some of these wild and crazy girlfriends that I used to have. When I switched from AOL to the Verizon FIOS, I lost the AOL. I tried sending the text messages to the cell phones using Windows Messenger, Yahoo, and Google, but I just can't figure it out. I never had any trouble with the AOL. How do I do it?"

The easiest way for you to stay in touch with your wild and crazy girlfriends might be to download AOL Instant Messenger since you're already used to it.

AIM still supports text messaging and you can get it for free at the web site.

If you don't want to install yet another IM application, you can just open Yahoo! Messenger, go to the "Contacts" menu and click on "Send a Text Message".

On Windows Messenger, you'll have to add your crazy girlfriend as a contact and include her cellphone number in her details, then when you start a conversation with her, you should have the option to text the message straight to her phone.

For more information, click here or tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast.

 

Anthony in Savannah, Georgia listening on WPTF 680 AM asked: "I have an Acer Aspire, and the place where I plug the power adapter in the back of the computer is either shorted out, or doesn't make a good connection every time. Wondering the best way to get that fixed, if it can be done myself, or if I need to send it into a shop to get it fixed."

The Acer Aspire is a notebook computer, which means that the place you plug in your power cord isn't simply a replaceable power supply, as it would be with a desktop system. If it's really the connector on the back of the notebook that's bad, then yes, you're going to need to arrange for service with Acer, and send the computer back, or at least get it to a local Computer Repair facility in your area.

However, it is quite possible the problem lies with the connector on the power brick that you're trying to plug in to the computer. Those bricks usually have a power cord leading to the AC converter brick, then a smaller cord with a special connector to feed power to the notebook. It's far more likely that the connector wire on the power brick is bad. The only one to know for sure, however, is to borrow the same power brick from another Acer Aspire and test it, or just order a replacement power brick online and see if that fixes the problem. If it doesn't, then it's still your computer, but at least you have a spare power brick. And that's usually a good thing. If you want to buy a replacement power supply, you'll need to search online for one compatible with your specific model.

Although Acer used the same power cord in many models, there are some differences. So, you may have to do some homework, so you don't order the wrong item.

 

 

Ray in Raleigh, North Carolina listening on WPTF 680 AM asked: "I got into the user permissions in Windows XP and didn't quite know what I was doing. I was trying to setup a user for strictly having access to two programs and nothing more. Somehow, I managed to lockout not only the users, but also the administrator, and I'll be doggonned if I can get back into it. I can take the drive out and bring it to another machine and try to work on it there, but everything I tried so far, looking at Internet suggestions, has been futile. Please help me get back into that thing."

You have created folders on your hard drive in Windows XP that you can't access, even when logged in with Administrator rights? If that's the case, you might need to take ownership of the folders.

This will usually correct a permissions problem, if that's indeed what the problem is. Microsoft has a Knowledge Base Article, explaining the procedure for this. It's not hard, but if you're running Windows XP Home Edition, you will need to start the computer up in "Safe Mode" to make this work.

 

Melissa in Marion Springs, Michigan asked: "I have a laptop that's about 6 years old. I had to wipe the hard drive and put everything back on. My problem is I can't watch movies on Real Player. I can watch YouTube movies, but it's really slow. I've downloaded a few movies from YouTube and I can't watch them on Real Player for some reason. It shows that I have the file but it won't let me watch them. Wondering if you had any answers."

You might need to install the latest version of RealPlayer.

It's also important that you've downloaded these YouTube Flash videos (or FLV files) to your computer using the RealPlayer downloader. From your web browser, right click the video and choose "Download using RealPlayer." That will fetch the file into the RealPlayer library and prepare it for playing on your computer. There are other methods for downloading videos from YouTube, but we suspect RealPlayer likes it best when it gets to download the files.

It worked fine for Mark just a few minutes ago, when he downloaded the HD video of the new Gorillaz song "Stylo" from YouTube, and played it back at ear-shattering volume.

If you have any questions about any of this week's show info, please email us here.

Into Tomorrow Product Spotlight with Rob Almanza

This Week’s Prizes for Our Listeners

Intuit: Promo Codes for TurboTax Deluxe Online - Each is good for one free federal and one free state preparation and e-file

iolo: Copies of System Mechanic – PC tune-up software

Virtual Mechanics: Download keys for SiteSpinner Pro -- A drag-and-drop tool for creating sophisticated sites for the web and for mobile devices.

Zinstall: Product Licenses for Zinstall HDD Edition – Upgrade to a large hard drive, keeping your entire system intact

ITTV Video

Celebrate Dave's birthday with us! Be sure to wish him a Happy Birthday in your comments. Rob Almanza shows you all the cool stuff in our Into Tomorrow iPhone App on our Product Spotlight this week. Also featuring: Chris Graveline with This Week in Tech History. Travel into yesterdays technological achievements and events

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