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Weekend of August 20th, 2010

We answered more of your calls and emails on the air. Oh, and Happy Birthday Chris Graveline!!

ITTV Video Update

Students are headed Back-to-School with some of the hottest tech gear! Here are SOME of our top picks. Also featuring: Chris Graveline with This Week in Tech History and our latest KidsTech Feature with Caitlyn Gatrell.

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

 

Jamie in Shreveport, Louisiana listening on KEEL 710 AM asked: "International calling, supposedly there are phones for sale that are unlocked that you can purchase and use with SIM cards. You purchase SIM cards from a local carrier in whatever country you're visiting. Want to find out how convenient that is, how existent that is, and on the possibility of using a US phone and how to unlock it."

Unlocked phones can be easily used with foreign carriers, but there are some things you need to keep in mind. Our own Horacio has done this with a few phones.

Let's start with the basics for you to be able to switch SIM cards the phone has to use a SIM card. That means you need a GSM phone. CDMA phones don't have SIM slots. The biggest US carriers that operate GSM networks are AT&T and T-Mobile, but there are others.

The next thing you need to worry about is getting that GSM phone unlocked. You can buy a factory unlocked cell phone, but that usually requires giving up the subsidized price you normally pay with a contract and paying full factory price for the phone, depending on the specific handset you want to use that might add several hundreds of dollars to the price you're going to pay.

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

 

 

The "Into Tomorrow" team discussed the latest apps that they have been playing with recently.

• For iPhone/iPad:
  
  Rob recommends: Shrek Kart HD
  Chris recommends: MapQuest
  
  
• For BlackBerry, Mark recommends: OpenTable
  
  

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

 

 

James from Ann Arbor, Michigan listening to the stream sent us the following email and asked: "I'm looking for equipment to backup my laptops and iPod Touch through my home's Wi-Fi system. I'd also like to be able to upload files to these devices from the remote storage. If I can access the system from away from home, that would be even better. But in-home access is the most important function.

The 2 systems I'm aware of are NAS, Network Attached Storage, and Seagate's FreeAgent GoFlex Net Media sharing device with GoFlex USB storage drives. I talked with Seagate techs and was directed to the GoFlex system, but I'm not comfortable that they clearly understand my needs.

I feel I need minimum of 1 Terabyte, but ability to add more. The portability of the Seagate hard drives is very attractive to me. Price isn't a huge issue, but any money not spent on storage can be consumed by photo equipment or car parts for my old Triumph TR6!"

Seagate's GoFlex Home Network Storage system actually is a NAS device, so in that regard it's nothing special. On the other hand, you're on the right track with NAS.

What the NAS device will do is provide shared access to storage space for your entire network. At the operating system level, it shows up as network drive, accessed by a drive letter just like all the other drives in your system.

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

 

 

Dennis in Nashville, Tennessee listening to the podcast asked: "I'm considering upgrading to a larger monitor; possibly 22 or 23-inch. Also wanting to replace a small 13-inch TV. Was noticing that the monitors have a PC input. Not sure what to look for. Is it feasible to have a small TV that will also give me a monitor and maybe kill two birds with one stone? I don't know the advantages or disadvantages of going either way."

Yes, that is feasible. However, if you'd want to use your PC and watch TV at the same time, that might complicate things a little. Many TVs, though, have a "Picture in Picture" (PIP) option, that will help this a little. You' be able to work on your computer and see a smaller picture with the TV image, or vice versa.

The only problem is it will be awfully hard to see whatever the PIP window is covering. That's probably your biggest disadvantage with going with one monitor for both your PC and TV.

HOUR 2:

Tech News & Commentary

 

Arland listening on WTN 99.7 FM asked: "I am shown to be in a good coverage area with Verizon and AT&T. Problem is it doesn't work that way. I can get AT&T if I sit on the roof. I have an air card with Verizon. It's lousy. I need to know a website to tell me what service and what phone has better reception where I live. How can I find out how to get good reception on a phone? Is there anything I can do with a phone to get better reception?"

We actually found a really cool tool online, called the Root Wireless Carrier Coverage Map. This is from an independent company with no ties to any particular carrier. You can search their maps right down to the block you live on, and it will compare carriers in your area, both the voice quality and data speeds.

 

 

Carla in Appleton, Wisconsin sent us the following email and asked: "I have Verizon and am interested in a smartphone. I already tether to my cell phone through Alltel. I know I must switch to Verizon. Should I get the smartphone with Wi-Fi without the data plan and pay for the tethering or maybe get a broadband USB connection, which I could go to AT&T? Which would be more cost effective?"

You say you already tether to your cell phone, then ask if you should get a smartphone without a data plan. Tethering to a smartphone without a data plan on it is a profoundly unsatisfying experience.

Tethering refers to using your smartphone as the connection for your computer to access the Internet. It was typically done over a USB cable, or in some rare cases, over Bluetooth. The smartphone has to have a data plan and you will also pay something more for the ability to tether.

Some newer smartphones have the ability to function as a Wi-Fi hotspot for a number of devices at the same time. This accomplishes the same thing as tethering, but it's able to support more than one computer at a time, and it uses W-iFi, so no cables are required. But the smartphone that is functioning as a hotspot will require a data plan.

 

Janice in San Juan, Puerto Rico listening on WOSO 1030 AM sent us the following email and asked: "I just got an iPod Touch 32GB and synchronized it to my laptop. The laptop has now died. I would like to sync to another computer, but it says there is already a system attached to this device. I would have to erase all of the songs I downloaded (CD's and other songs I had on my laptop) in order to sync the iPod to this computer.

Is there any help for me to put what is on the iPod on the iTunes of another computer? Also, should I upgrade the iPod to the iOS 4?"

First, we want to stress how important it is to back up your computer on an external hard drive or in the cloud.

Because you can only sync an iDevice with one computer at a time, you won't be able to transfer those songs from the iPod Touch to your new computer. But, you can add songs to the iPod easily.

1) Connect it to your computer and launch iTunes. Click "Cancel" when a dialog box appears.

2) Select the device under Devices in the menu, click the Summary tab, then click "Manually Manage Music and Videos" to enable that option.

3) Click OK in the resulting dialog box, then click "Apply".

4) When in manual mode, add songs or playlists by dragging them to the device icon in the sidebar.

5) To remove songs or playlist, select them on the device in iTunes and press the delete key.

Click here for full instructions.

For more information, tune in to Hour 2 of our podcast.

 

 

 

 

George sent us the following email and asked: "Just got the “Into Tomorrow” App for my Incredible. How can I get the latest show? Have been listing to the radio and all the app versions I have already heard. Could you have a button to listen to the current show?"

The latest show is available every Sunday from 2-5pm Eastern. After that, we play back 10 hours worth of previous “Into Tomorrow” shows, including our latest show. Unfortunately, we don't have a specific button you can hit to take you to the new show, but it does give us feedback for future updates.

 

HOUR 3:

Tech News & Commentary

 

Norman in Chattanooga, Tennessee listening on XM Ch.139 asked: "What's the difference between a regular 10 megapixel camera and a 10 megapixel SLR camera? Does one take better pictures than the other?"

First, the pixel count isn't really the important thing here. In fact, the number of megapixels these days is becoming less and less a factor. The fact that you have many more options for better picture-tasking with an SLR matters.

CNET did a good job when they asked "So, what is Digital SLR anyway?" The term digital SLR is short for Digital Single Lens Reflex, so named because these types of cameras use a mirror positioned behind the camera lens to direct light toward the viewfinder when you're composing a photo. When you release the shutter, the mirror swings quickly out of the way, letting light from the lens travel straight to the sensor and momentarily blacking out the viewfinder.

The viewfinder in an SLR incorporates a prism is usually a pentaprism that flips the incoming image around so that you can see it right side up and bounces it onto the focusing screen where you see it.

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

 

 

Kerry in Decatur, Illinois listening on WZUS 100.9 FM asked: "I've heard that you could use your iPod Touch as a cell phone if you link your cell phone number to your Skype number, if you're around Wi-Fi. I don't know if that's the only way, how well that works, or if there's the possibility for something better in the future."

In theory, yes, that would work. But it sounds like an awful lot of work. We don't really see what you'd be gaining from that, except maybe saving some airtime minutes. In order for someone to call you on Skype from a regular phone, you'd need to purchase a phone number from Skype. That would either cost you $18 for three months or $60 a year. Now, if you typically go over your allotted minutes each month and end up paying for overages, maybe this would work out to be cheaper for you in the long run, but again, it seems like a whole lot of work to save just a little bit of money.

A couple of the potential "down sides" are: since the iPod Touch doesn't have a microphone built-in, you can only use Skype with a headset, as you mentioned in your question, it would only work while you're connected to a Wi-Fi network. If you have your cell phone forwarded to your Skype account and you are not connected to Skype, then you can't get your calls. You would have to cancel the call forwarding on your cell phone each time you disconnect from Skype so that you don't miss any calls or pay more money for a Skype Voicemail account.

So, to make a long story short, yes, it's possible. Just may not be that feasible.

 

Bryan in San Antonio, Texas listening on Sirius Ch.108 sent us the following email and asked: "I have a D-link DIR-825 router, and I use an HP Compaq nc8430 laptop running Windows XP Professional SP2. The HP disconnects from Wi-Fi every 5 minutes or so like clockwork. The network connection is solid when directly connected with a network cable. I also use a Dell Studio 1737 (Windows Vista), which has no problems using the WI-Fi or directly connected. I want to add that I use the HP at work using their Wi-Fi and have no problems there. (Apparently, the HP doesn’t like my home’s D-Link.)

I have updated the wireless card’s drivers on the HP, but the result was the same. I’m hesitant to update the firmware on the router, as I have read D-Link’s support pages and none have mentioned my specific problem. Further, D-Link put out a firmware update in the past for this router that hosed up a bunch of units and couldn’t be backed out until they finally released the next firmware update. I’d like to avoid that since the router is technically working.

I’ve considered getting an AC-outlet solution to connect my router and my laptop, as well as to connect an Xbox 360 to watch Netflix. I don’t know what’s a good and cost effective choice. What would you recommend to fix my router problem, as well as a possible AC-connectivity solution?"

The D-Link DIR-825 wireless router is their "Extreme N" router that supports "Draft 2.0" of the 802.11N standard. Just to give you an idea of where that version of the standard was, Draft 2.0 was approved in March of 2007. In July of 2009, 802.11N went final with then-current draft 11.0 being ratified. In theory, final devices are supposed to be backward compatible, but in practice, many are not.

This router is a dual-band router, meaning that it supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios in the same device. This is generally considered a good thing, as you can configure your network to put the 802.11N devices on the 5 GHz band and run a mixed mode support of 802.11B and G devices on the 2.4 GHz band. Again, however, this can lead to connection problems when a device hunts for a signal.

The HP Compaq NC8430 supports 802.11 B and G standards, but not N. The Dell Studio 1737 is a more recent model, and came both with a Dell Wi-Fi card that supported only the B and G standards, and the Intel 5100 Wi-Fi card that also supported N. Depending on which card was installed in your Dell, you may or may not have the faster N standard (which can reach speeds of 600 megabits per second in some cases, much faster than the G standard of 54 megabits).

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

 

 

On our "Into Tomorrow" Facebook page, we offered a side by side look at the new Motorola Droid 2, which came out last week, vs. the original Droid. We asked you if you were planning to get one."

Tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast for more details.

 

Al sent us the following email and asked: "I have been out of commission for about 17 years suffering the effects of poisoning and paralysis and most fully woke up about mid January this year, going on my first extended trip, which is about a 24 hour plane trip and would like a device to entertain myself, music/video, etc."

 

With it, you can play with apps, watch TV shows, videos, movies, listen to music, and more. Also, you can access the Internet through Wi-Fi on all phone carriers, and if you have AT&T, you have access to 3G Internet.

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

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

Into Tomorrow Product Spotlight with Rob Almanza

Are you ready to show off your tech gear at school? In case you need some suggestions, here are some of our favorite products for back-to-school this year.

1) Laptops always seem to make it on student’s wish lists. This year it’s all about the cores (aka the brains!). Intel’s Core i5 and i7 processors are making laptops more powerful than ever. We ran across a really good deal at Newegg.com, where we found a powerful Toshiba laptop.

TOSHIBA Satellite A665-S6058 NoteBook

- 4GB of RAM

- 500GB Hard Drive

- Intel Core i5 Processor

- $850 at Newegg.com - Click Here

Most of you know, I'm a Mac fan. Apple's Mac computers, that is. So, check out the MacBook Pro. While it does cost more, the 15” version has a Core i5 processor like the Toshiba, with a more solid operating system. What I love most, is how fast it is and the power usage you get out of its battery. I was impressed by it after using my MacBook Pro during a flight back from LA to Miami (about 5 hours) on battery alone! By the way, Apple has a student sale now thru Sept. 7th, 2010 where you get a free iPod Touch when you buy a Mac for school/college. More details on that here.

 

If you’re not a Mac fan, but would like to have a sexy laptop like the Macbook Pro, then look into an HP ENVY 15 Series. Customizable to your needs, it starts at just under $1100. Learn more here.

 

 

2) Apple iPad for College

The iPad is still a hot item! It’s great for college students for their note taking and Internet browsing needs. Plus, the apps make it even more productive. It's all about the apps! However, we remind you: It’s not a laptop replacement, but certainly more portable! The WiFi-only version costs less than the 3G version (at least $129 cheaper), starting at just $500. Keep in mind, you’ll always be on the lookout for hotspots around campus. Unless, you want to pay AT&T for a data plan. Learn more here.

 

 

3) VTech V.Reader

This is great for the little ones! While you can read e-books (or "iBooks") on the iPad, it’s not a dedicated e-book reader. For the kids, check out the VTech V.Reader Animated E-Book System. It’s a fun device for them to enjoy reading their favorite stories. Kids can touch and play as they learn reading skills, and can play interactive reading games. The V.Reader is available for just under $60.

 

 

This Week’s Prizes for Our Listeners

SleepPhones: A Sheep of Your Dreams Kit

SmartSwipe: Secure personal credit card readers for shopping online

Smith Micro Software: Copies of Anime Studio Pro 7

Total Training: Copies of Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended: Essentials

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