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Weekend of October 16th, 2009

Dave is back in the studio with Rob, Chris and Mark! We're answering your phone calls via the AskDave Hotline. Also, are you guilty of TWD – Texting While Driving? Rob has a new cell phone application that frees you from having to text while driving on this week's Product Spotlight.

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

Randy in Springfield, Tennessee listening on WTN 99.7 FM asked: "I don't know how many times I come home and set my cell phone down and I go to the other end of the house, it rings and I miss the call. Is there any technology out there that will allow me - when I get home - to plug my cell phone in and ring the other phones in the house when I get a call?"

We recommend trying the following:

3) Google Voice - A free service available by invitation only at the moment. Assigns one number that rings on both your mobile and landline phones.

"Technology On-The-Go" Feature With Andy Frankel from Nextar

Steven in Redmond, Washington listening online asked: "I've got a challenge that I'd like to get your help on. On the new phones that are out there, the iPhone, the Google phone, etc... What I'm trying to do is use open source software out there to create an application for our country's first responders. I hear one of you has some law enforcement background. Love to hear some input and your guidance on which of those two phones would be best for that purpose."

 

 

Michael in Danvers, Massachusetts asked: "Do they have any AC as well as battery operated digital TV sets that are available on the market? You know it would be great if they came out with them so that you can use it on batteries or on AC power, as well as using it with a 12 Volt DC source such as a car battery. These digital TV sets would be perfect to use in a car, in your house, boat, RV, a camper, or in your tent, shed, garage, or using it on a camping trip if you wish to watch TV while you are camping up there in the mountains."

 

Joe in Johnstown, Pennsylvania listening on Sirius Ch.108 asked: "Is it true that Netbooks don't do streaming video very well?"

Like most things where technology is involved, it depends. The short answer is yes, netbooks can do streaming video playback. The problem here is your qualifier "very well." If you want to play high resolution streaming videos, such as YouTube's HQ format, or if you want to play TV shows and movies on Hulu.com zoomed up to full screen, your netbook is likely to run out of gas. But for the standard resolution streaming video, in most cases, a netbook will do just fine. Don't forget that a mainstream notebook computer can often be purchased for around $500, so if you're looking at a top of the line netbook, you need to compare it to one of those notebook computers as well.

John in Jonesboro, Tennessee listening on WJCW 910 AM asked: "Flip video camera - I have been looking at these online and would like to purchase one. Is there a cheaper alternative that offers the same ease of use and the same video quality?"

Flip cameras are great little devices. For those who don't know what they are, imagine having a camcorder that fits in your shirt pocket. They have a built-in USB connector. So, once you shoot your video, you transfer it directly to your computer with the USB port, no tapes or even cables to deal with. They start at $150.

A cheaper alternative would be the RCA Small Wonder. It is the same type of camera as the Flip, with the fold out USB connector. There are several versions available and you can find them for as low as $80-$100 and up.

We have to point out that the main difference between Flip and Small Wonder cameras is the video quality. Flip cameras now record in HD, but you would pay more for that. We've been happy with the results we get with the small wonder, except for windy environments. The sound isn't so great because they only have a built-in mic and they pick up whatever noise is around you!

 

Deb in Glenside, Pennsylvania listening on XM Ch.139 asked: "I recently bought a converted Sprinter van RV for camping trips. I plan to install a stereo with satellite radio and iPod input. The van came with a DVD player and TV. Is it possible for the iPod, car stereo system, and TV to work together to play movies?"

Sure. Any mobile electronics store with a good installer can help you with that. You may even be able to install a simple 12-volt powered video/audio switch yourself that will get the job done for ya. In many cases, you can even use a DC-to-AC converter and use some of the small items as-is. For example, the Dexim MHub Dock Station will Charge your iPhone and also includes a 3-port USB Hub and an SD card reader that can be used to play your videos or show your pictures in the RV.

Mustang Mary in North Miami, Florida listening Online called with an awesome comment: "I listened to the guys and instead of buying an LED TV, I bought an LCD TV and was able to buy a Blu-ray player with the money I saved. You guys do a great job."

HOUR 2:

Tech News & Commentary

Leroy in East Point, Michigan listens to Podcast asked: "I've been wondering. I hear everyone there likes the iPhone. And I've heard you can buy unlocked phones. Can the iPhone be unlocked so it can be used for other service providers? If so, where can I go to find one or how would I do it? I know there's software available to unlock other phones."

You can find unlocked phones on several different websites on the net. However, currently the only other provider that will allow an unlocked iPhone is T-Mobile. You also have to be careful because If you update your unlocked iPhone, it has the potential to re-lock your phone, which makes it almost impossible to then unlock again. Please remember that you are dealing with a phone that is supposed to be exclusively on AT&T, so having an unlocked phone voids any warranties from Apple and will make it difficult to keep updated.

"This Week in Tech History" Feature with Chris Graveline - Brought to you by C.Crane. Call C. Crane at 800-522-8863 or visit them online here.

George in Warwick, New York listening to our podcast asked: "I want to thank you for picking me as a winner in the Hot Summer Giveaway Spectacular. I won a Sangean HDT-1 HD component tuner. I hooked the radio up to my audio system and it will not pick up any stations. I have tried it with two different antennas including a rooftop antenna and there is no reception of any regular or HD stations. There is absolutely no phone number listed in the manual to contact Sangean about the unit being defective. They do list their web address and on the website there were two email addresses to contact them. I have sent an email to each of the addresses and they do not respond. Is there anything that you can do to get this unit replaced for me?"

Listen to our podcast to find out the details we have on this product.

Wayne in Holtz Summit, Missouri listening on KLIK 1240 AM asked: "Wondering if anyone out there makes a radio similar to the Bose Wave radio, but not so expensive."

The closest match to the Bose could be the Cambridge Soundwork i765. It has an iPhone/iPod compatible dock and you can listen to your music, tune “Into Tomorrow” or any AM and FM station, even play CDs. It also has a built-in DVD player and a video input so you can play your iPod's videos. The Cambridge Soundwork system can be found online for just over $300, whereas the Bose system costs $500!

 

Roger sent an email and asked: "Ever since I retired last year I have been driving my wife nuts because she can no longer listen to the Clark Howard Show on her computer when I am in the house watching TV. Our computer is in the same room as the TV so when I have it on she cannot turn up the volume on the computer so she can hear the radio show in other rooms while she does housework. She says I deliberately come inside when it is time for Clark to come on and turn on the TV! Who knows, maybe I do. Can you give me some info about a Wi-Fi radio that may solve our problem?"

The first one that comes to mind is from C.Crane. They're experts in the Wi-Fi radio industry. You may want to check out their CC Wi-Fi Radio. It has built-in speakers, so you won’t need to plug it in to external speakers. You can also connect headphones to it and listen in private.

Connecting it to a wireless network is quick and pretty simple. CC Wi-Fi Radio can connect to your network with an Ethernet cable as well, so that’ll give you a more solid connection. The CC Wi-Fi Radio can store up to 99 of your favorite stations. To make it easier, you can access their Internet radio database online and search for a station. If you can’t find the station you want, you can add it manually online and it’ll be on your radio the next time you turn it on. CC Wi-Fi Radio is available for about $140.

 

CEA Update Weeky Feature with Meghan Henning - The Consumer Electronics Association is giving away $10,000 and a free trip to the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January. Meghan Henning tell us about it. Be sure to listen to the podcast for more details.

Victor in Smyrna, Georgia listening on Satellite Radio asked: "My friend's birthday just passed. He was interested in two things -- Bluetooth headset for his HTC Touch and some noise cancelling headphones. Trying to find something for his birthday, even though it's late. Something preferrably under $100."

One suggestion we have for you is the Jabra BT530 Bluetooth headset. It provides background noise elimination and with the adapter -- the Jabra A330 -- you can connect to his PC simultaneously. The Jabra A330 adapter supports Windows 2000, XP and Vista, It's a plug and play device with no drivers requirements.

Noise cancelling headphones are not new to the market, but the "IMAGINE" line has taken it one step further and made them affordable. Imagines headphones are currently on the market for under $80 which is drastically lower then their competitors.

Facebook Question from Norman: "What is a good antenna for the new digital TV signal? I need a mobile one."

You still need an antenna to continue watching free, over-the-air television since the transition to DTV. Generally, the same antenna that provided you with good quality reception on an analog TV set will also provide good DTV reception, but this is not always the case.

The type of antenna you need for digital reception depends on several factors, including how far you are from the transmitting station -- a bit more difficult when you need a mobile one -- where your antenna is located and in which frequency band (VHF or UHF) the stations are that you want to watch. To learn which frequency band the stations you watch are in, type in your address and zip code at antennaweb.org. This is also a very helpful resource for finding an outdoor antenna that will continue giving you free local broadcast programming.

You can spend quite a few bucks for a mobile antenna including those that rotate -- of course, that's the best for when you're on the road, looking for various stations. Don't forget a portable DTV Converter Box if you're using an analog TV.

“Into Tomorrow” Product Spotlight with Rob Almanza: DriveSafe.ly by iSpeech -- Mobile app that reads your text messages and emails (Scroll down for more info)

HOUR 3:

Tech News & Commentary

Steve in West Jordan, Utah listening on XM Ch. 139 asked: "Just bought a laptop and was going to use it to transfer videos from my digital video camera, but it doesn't have a firewire connection. Is there anything else that I can use that would give me the same speed and quality to transfer to an AVI file?"

Your best bet would probably be to look into a PCMCIA or Express Card Firewire adapter. Most laptops have one of these slots. They will usually not slow down the transfer rate of the Firewire cable. You can find these, generally, for under about $50, though some are more expensive.

There are some Firewire to USB cables and adapters available. These tend to be more expensive and may slow down the transfer rate of the data. What you need to keep in mind when stepping down to a USB connection, is the data transfer rate. Firewire transfers data at either 400 or 800 megabits per second. USB 2.0 transfers at 480 megabits per second and USB 1.1, which you find mainly on older machines, transfers at only 12 megabits per second. Basically, if your computer is USB 2.0, which all the computers from the last several years are, then you shouldn't have a problem using one of the USB adapters. However, if you're trying to connect one of these adapters to a USB 1 port, you're not going to get the transfer speeds you need for video.

“Into Gaming Minute” with Mark Lautenschlager

Bruce sent an email and asked: "Thanks for sending me the idapt charging station, which I won in your Summer Giveaway. It looks impressive, but of the six tips provided, only 2 are of any use to me, and not much at that. I tried to find a supplier of additional adapters, and can't find any in the U.S. Apparently this product is mainly for the U.K. and Europe. If you have any info on where I can order more adapters, without a ridiculous shipping charge from overseas, please let me know."

 

Leonela in Lexington, South Carolina listening online asked: "I want to get a new phone on AT&T. It's between the iPhone and LG Vu. What are the main differences and which one would you recommend for me?

The LG Vu some people would agree it was designed for people who did not want to pay the expensive price tag for the iPhone. Both phones have features that the other lacks. For example, the LG Vu offers AT&T Mobile TV which is not yet available on the iPhone, and it's 3G speeds tend to be a bit faster. The iPhone's touch screen and multimedia are both much easier to navigate then the Vu's, and the Vu lacks the option to connect to the internet via a Wi-Fi network.

It's hard to say which phone is better because it's more of a matter of personal preference, and what you want the phone to do for you.

Tom listening on KIVA 1550 AM sent an email and asked: "I was wondering if you happen to have covered anything about wireless headphones lately? I wanted to know if there was some kind of new wireless headphones out there that are like the headphones that you can use on a regular MP3 player maybe with some kind of Bluetooth setup or like those transmitters that you plug your cell phone or MP3 player to transmit to the car's stereo."

We suggest you look into trying the JayBird FREEDOM Bluetooth headphones. Tthey are lightweight with no solid bar behind your head. The rubberized over-the-ear piece provides a pretty comfortable fit for most ears. The JayBird works with all mobile devices, MP3 players, iPods, PCs, Macs. They have an integrated microphone that works great with VOIP applications like Skype, you can pause the music while you are taking a call and resume when you're done.

Joel in Lighthouse, Texas listening to our podcast asked: "I'm a currency trader and the system I use gives me an audible alert when it is time to trade. I'd like a standard cellular phone type Bluetooth that is A2DP compatible, but all the headsets I have found are more of a stereo headphone design with two earpieces. I don't need stereo bluetooth, just a standard Bluetooth. I've done some looking around but can't find anything I like. Can you help me?"

One product you can look at is the Plantronics Voyager 855 Headset. This is a typical bluetooth headset with a detachable second earbud. You can use it as a standard single ear headset or attach the second earbud to it and listen to stereo music. It is A2DP compatible and you can find it starting around $32 from Amazon. They also have it at TigerDirect and other retailers, but we've found the price to vary a lot with different retailers.

Another option might be the Jabra BT8010. This one functions similarly to the Plantronics, but it is slightly bigger.

Eddie sent an email and asked: "I would like to know if there is a way to copy the XP programs and other programs that came with my laptop HP Professional. I also want to know if I can use a 16 GB flash drive to copy all the programs on my PC, without using an external hard drive."

1) We recommend you try Acronis True Image - Provides home users reliable and timeless backup and recovery of their operating system, applications, settings and personal files.

2) If you can fit all of your computer data on a 16 GB flash drive, then yes, it's possible. If not, you may need to buy a portable external hard drive with more flash memory.

Dennis from Erie, Pennsylvania sent an email with a comment about our show: "Just a quick note of appreciation, for the work you and your crew put into your radio show and the daily spots. As a former Police Officer and Broadcaster, and an “early adopter” of technologies (when I can afford them), I feel that I can appreciate your personal history, and hearing your voice each week, makes me feel that I am hearing from a friend. Godspeed, my friend."

From the entire “Into Tomorrow” team: Thanks Dennis!

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

Into Tomorrow Product Spotlight with Rob Almanza

Stop texting while driving with this new app for BlackBerries and Android phones! Rob shows us how DriveSafe.ly can help you be more safe at the wheel in this Web 2.0 world.

This Week’s Prizes for Our Listeners

Absolute Software: Copies of LoJack for Laptops Premium Edition

Dexim: MHub Dock Station (Charge & Sync iPhone/iPod & BlackBerry)

Firefold: Several Ultra-High Performance HDMI Switchers & HDMI cables

Honestech: Copies of Audio Recorder 2.0 Deluxe -- Convert all of your music, including cassettes, LPs and 8-track tapes, into MP3s and other music formats.

ITTV Video

Are you guilty of Texting While Driving? Learn about a new mobile application that reads your text messages and emails while you drive on our Product Spotlight with Rob Almanza. Also featuring: This Week in Tech History with Chris Graveline.

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