March 2009 FYI – Have You Seen this … um … Man?
You thought the Nintendo Wii was all fun and games, but no! It is also a serious crime fighting tool! Japanese police used the “Mii” portrait feature of the Nintendo Wii to create a wanted poster.
Either that or we have begun to be victimized by rogue video game characters. I, for one, will definitely be keeping a vigilant eye out for virtual criminals from now on.
Tech Toy of the Month: Amazon Kindle 2
This particular Tech Toy, now in its second revision, has been a fairly unknown device to this point. However, it is now starting to get more attention from some mainstream media in part due to some controversy. As the saying goes, there’s no such thing as bad publicity. Not that this device is generating the bad publicity, but rather those that fear it are doing more to publicize it by complaining about it.
The Kindle is a wireless, portable, e-book reading device. Lighter than a paperback and as thin as a magazine, the Kindle lets you download books in less than 60 seconds and hold over 1500 books in its memory. The Kindle, or devices like it, have the potential to do for books what the iPod did for music. Today it is not uncommon for people to carry their entire music collection with them. Soon it may be the same for their library.
I won’t try to explain every feature of the Kindle, as Amazon’s web site does a great job of it.
As with other recent media technologies, certain media groups are complaining that this new technology could hurt their business models. It seems to me that those who embrace new technology and figure out how to best make money with the new technology do a lot better than those who fight to keep the status quo.
If you enjoy reading books, newspapers, or magazines, the Amazon Kindle 2 may be in your future. Be sure to read more about this device, as it has the potential to be a much sought after device if it keeps getting more and more publicity.
If you have any ideas for future Tech Toys of the Month, send them in today!
Q: Should I let my laptop run all the way down before charging it?
– Submitted by many
A: This is another example of a question where the answer has changed over time. Since technology has evolved so rapidly, an answer that was valid only a few years ago many be completely wrong today! And in particular, this topic seems to generate a lot of confusion.
While in the past, battery technology required that users regularly discharge the battery almost all the way down prior to charging to avoid the “memory effect”, today’s laptop batteries have virtually eliminated that requirement. A good web site that explains how to maintain laptop batteries is here. While this web site pertains to Apple laptops, the concepts should apply to most brands. To be completely sure, you will need to contact your manufacturer. Basically, most notebooks today can be charged and discharged as you please, with the exception of leaving the laptop plugged in almost all the time. Again, read the web site for a more detailed explanation.
Note, however, that not all electronics use this type of battery technology. I have an electric razor that recommends that it be drained nearly all the way before charging it. So it is always a good idea to read instructions that come with your electronics to make sure how the battery should be maintained.
As usual, please submit any technology questions you may have and your question may be featured in this newsletter!
Don’t Get Spiked on the Road!
More and more people are protecting their computers and sensitive electronics with high quality surge protectors and battery back up units. This is a good trend, and it makes sense that this is happening as society becomes more educated about technology and the cost of quality power protection continues to fall. However, many people, while doing a good job at protecting their technology in their homes and businesses, completely neglect to protect their technology while they are traveling. I know several people who have had their electronics zapped while in hotel rooms! Fortunately, it is quite easy to protect your technology while on the road.
Since it would be impractical to travel with a battery backup, our focus must be on portable surge protectors. Most people travel with laptops, cell phones, and other small electronics. While I do recommend battery backups for devices with hard drives in them, since a laptop has its own battery, it is not as critical to protect a laptop with a battery backup. The battery in your laptop will generally ensure that your laptop is working with consistent power. So it is OK to only protect your electronics with a surge protector while traveling. The trick to to make it convenient enough for you to consistently use the power protection.
Most people think of surge protectors as the stereotypical long strip. However, there are many shapes of surge protectors now, many designed for portability. I personally carry around a single outlet surge protector, cost about $15. I use this any time I plug my laptop in to any unprotected outlet. When I travel more extensively, I have a 6-outlet surge protector that I plug in my laptop, cell phone, and other electronics. I don’t remember how much this surge protector cost, but I’m sure it was less than $20.
While it’s never a good time to have your technology damaged, when you are traveling it can be devastating. By using these simple and low-cost devices, you can protect your technology while away from the safety of your home or business.
Please let me know if you have further questions about protecting your electronics and I’ll be happy to answer them.
February 2009 FYI – Kitties make me laugh, OK?
I found this while doing serious technology research. Really. If it didn’t have technology in it, I wouldn’t have brought it up. I’m serious … Ok, fine. Kitties make me laugh so this was going to make this month’s FYI no matter what. But what’s really funny is that apparently there are many more videos of cats riding Roomba vacuums on YouTube.
Tech Toy of the Month: Bushnell Backtrack Personal Location Finder
When I saw this gadget listed in a magazine, I knew instantly it would be the next Tech Toy of the Month. I generally look for things that are fairly new, are easy to understand and use, and solve a real-world problem in an elegant way. The Bushnell Backtrack fit all three criteria to a T. If you are an outdoors-person or tend to get easily lost, this device may be a must-have for you.
Basically, the Backtrack is a GPS device that can store up to three locations in its memory. Later, a stored location can be recalled and the distance and direction to that location provided. So simple, yet so useful. For example, if you are camping, it would be very useful to store your base camp in the Backtrack so that you could find your way back if lost. Hikers could mark the beginning of their hike. Hunters could mark where they entered the field. People shopping at a large mall can mark where they parked their car. People on vacation can mark their hotel’s location.
The real key for this device is its simplicity, both in usage and form factor. There are many other GPS devices out there that can store locations. However, most of those GPS devices are much more complicated to use and are fairly large. The Backtrack only has a few buttons, is designed to only be a location finder, looks and works for the most part like a compass, and is small enough to keep in a pocket or purse. Additionally, they are reasonably priced, approximately $75 for most models.
I can see that the Backtrack (or copycat devices that will undoubtedly be produced) will likely become a staple at camp sites, hiking trails, and hunting grounds. For their low-cost and usefulness, this type of device alone could result in the safe return of countless people who would have otherwise become lost in the outdoors. Who wouldn’t send their kids off to summer camp with one of these devices? Who wouldn’t take one themselves when exploring unknown areas, whether wilderness or urban?
So be sure to check out the Bushnell Backtrack and remember where you heard about it first!
If you have any ideas for future Tech Toys of the Month, send them in today!
Q: How do I know my backup is working?
– Submitted by Dr. Renata Regalado, Smile Center Orthodontics
A: This is an excellent question. First, to ask this question at all means that you at least have a backup system which puts you in a much better position than most people and businesses. Secondly, of those that do have a backup system, too many simply assume their backup is working. There is no worse feeling than finding out your backup system had a problem and you can not recover the data you expected to. Ultimately, there is only one way to know 100% for sure that your backup is working. But for most situations, the answer depends on the type of data you are backing up and also your trust of the backup system you currently have.
The only 100% way to know for sure that your data backup is working properly is to test restoring the data. For word processing, spreadsheet, or other data types that are stored as simple files, this can be a very straightforward process, assuming the user has a good grasp of how to use their backup software and file management procedures. For other more complex data types or for businesses that have networked systems, this may not be such a simple process. Test restorations in these cases usually require the help of their technology consultant.
Regardless of the complexity of performing a test restore, it is usually not feasible to perform one every single day. Every situation is different, but usually doing a test restore every 3 to 6 months is good practice. However, if your business is still using tape drives to do a backup, more frequent test restores are a good idea. Tape cartridges can wear out over time. Unfortunately, while not too common, it is possible that a tape will not show any signs of failure until a restore is attempted. It is much better to weed out bad tapes during testing than during an actual loss of data. Hard drive-based backups are more reliable overall and therefore test restores can be done on the 3 to 6 month interval.
In between those times, the best that can be done is to review the log files that your backup software generates. For critical data, these logs should be reviewed daily, especially if using tape drives. For less critical data, logs can be reviewed at a minimum weekly. Of course, busy business owners shouldn’t be expected to do this. Oftentimes, log files can contain information that can be confusing to non-technology professionals. Fortunately, many backup softwares can e-mail log files to your technology professional so they can keep an eye on your backup.
So to sum up, the only way to know 100% for sure is to do test restores of your data. But more practically, by keeping an eye on your backup software’s log files in between testing your backup, you can be reasonably sure your backup is working. And of course, if you run a business, your technology professional should be actively involved in monitoring your backups.
As usual, please submit any technology questions you may have and your question may be featured in this newsletter!
Your Data is not Covered by Warranty
It amazes me how many people still do not have a good understanding of how valuable their data is. Many people will spend an inordinate amount of time agonizing over the purchase price of their technology, but spend almost no time or money securing their data. The ironic part of this is that usually the amount they are agonizing over is small compared to what their data is worth or the cost involved in recovering data. Which brings to light a very important detail that many people miss concerning their computer’s warranty.
I know of no computer or storage device warranty that covers the data that is stored on them. The reason for this is simple. Data can be priceless. At the very least many times more valuable than the computers they are stored on. Technology companies could not be in business if they were expected to cover the cost of the data that their machines stored. Additionally, the cost of recovering data from a failed machine, if at all possible, can range into thousands of dollars.
The problem is that many people think that their hardware warranties cover *everything*. So when the hard drive in their computer fails, they don’t worry too much because they think they’ll get their computer repaired and back exactly the way it was. Unfortunately, this is not usually the case with hard drive failures. Sure, their computer will be fixed at no cost, but it will not contain any of the data that was stored on the failed hard drive. Since computer and hard drive manufacturers do not warrant the data or the cost involved in recovery, any costs involved in recovering data fall upon the user. And again, these costs can range into thousands of dollars in some cases.
When looked at in this light, the initial purchase price of either a computer or backup system is almost irrelevant. So unless the data on your computer is of no value to you, please make sure to incorporate the cost of a backup system into any new computer purchases. Or if you are currently without a backup system, stop what you are doing and call your technology consultant right now. It doesn’t matter if you “only” use your computer for personal reasons. More and more individuals are keeping extremely valuable data on their computers such as irreplaceable digital photos or financial data.
Marcel Brown Technology Services and the company’s retail store, The Tech Spot, was recently voted as the #1 Computer Sales and Service company in their area! For more great technology advice, contact Marcel or The Tech Spot today!
Critical Advisory for HP & Compaq Laptop Owners
Many Models Suffer from Manufacturing Flaw; Update Available to Reduce Likelihood of Failure; Warranty Extension for Affected Units
A serious hardware problem with a large number of HP & Compaq laptops sold during the last 2 – 3 years has been identified by the manufacturer. HP has released system updates designed to reduce the likelihood of failure for those models. Owners of models that are showing symptoms of the failure are eligible to have an additional year added to their standard warranty and have their laptops repaired at no cost.
We at The Tech Spot have seen several of these laptops in the last month showing symptoms of this manufacturing flaw. We advise owners of these laptops to have them evaluated immediately. We can perform this evaluation as part of our Computer Tune-Up Service.
The manufacturing flaw can cause damage to the laptop’s wireless networking and video systems. In severe cases, it can cause the laptop to not boot. Laptops affected include the HP Pavilion dv2000/dv6000/dv9000, Compaq Presario v3000/v6000, and Compaq Presario F500 models. In our testing, we believe other models may be affected by this flaw that HP has not yet publicly acknowledged. Given the high number of laptops we have seen lately, we also believe that these models were very popular and many people could be affected by this flaw.
As part of our Computer Tune-Up Service, The Tech Spot will evaluate HP & Compaq laptops to see if they are an affected model and install any applicable updates. If your laptop is showing symptoms of this flaw, we can also diagnose the symptoms to confirm that the laptop has this flaw.
Contact The Tech Spot by e-mail at info@techspotstore.com or call us at 618-288-7321 immediately if you own or think you own one of the affected laptops. The sooner the update can be applied, the more likely your laptop will not be affected. Also, if your laptop is affected by the flaw, you must contact HP within 2 years of your purchase date to have the laptop repaired under extended warranty.
Please forward this message on to any HP/Compaq laptop owners you may know. As mentioned before, we believe this laptop was very popular and many people may own one of these laptops.
Macworld 2009 Keynote Analysis
If you haven’t already read about the Macworld 2009 keynote speech, you can read my live blog of the event here.
As many people expected, Apple didn’t have any earth shattering announcements at this year’s Macworld keynote. Of course, it’s not every year a company can come out with a product like an iPhone or a MacBook Air. Certainly, the atmosphere after this year’s keynote announcements is much more subdued than last year’s. But overall, I think today’s announcements shows Apple’s strengths and how they will continue to lead the industry in innovation, even when introducing what at first may seem rather mundane.
For example, the technology behind the Faces feature in the new iPhoto 09 seems straight out of hollywood. The software literally can recognize people’s faces so that users can organize their photos by who is in the picture. All of a sudden, the landscape of photo organization software has changed. No other software has this technology with such a user-friendly implementation. Similarly, with the Places feature, Apple has now taken the Geotagging phenomenon and brought it to the masses. The technology is very simple, but Geotagged photos can now be organized in many and varied ways. Combined, the Faces and Places features allow users to more easily organize and create photo slideshows, books, and create other photo projects that they may not have been able to before.
This theme of empowering users has been the hallmark of Apple technology since day 1. But it seems that in the last few years Apple’s accomplishments have really started to take off at a rate unprecedented. A lot of it has to do with the digital media revolution. Most of the digital media technologies were not invented by Apple, but Apple has led the way in allowing users to make the most of it. Where would we be today if Apple had not invented the iPod? Would there be such a large market of people using portable digital music players? Most likely not, as no other company has come out with a device as compelling as the iPod or a music service as compelling as iTunes. What Apple has done for digital music, they are trying to do with digital photos and videos.
Apple’s “Learn to Play” feature in Garage Band is one of the most innovative new technology features, not just from a technology standpoint, but from a business standpoint as well. What other company could come up with an entirely new revenue source such as this? People, especially young people, will be buying up training sessions by popular recording artists and interactively learning to play instruments. Not only will this feature make them direct, recurring revenue by selling the training, but this feature alone may cause another spike in Macintosh sales. Nothing like this exists on any other computer platform and will not likely for some time.
iWork 09 seems to be a good upgrade. Nothing earth-shattering, but Apple quietly continues to improve their productivity software. However, the Keynote Remote app allows integration of presentation software and a handheld computer like never before. Powerpoint is quickly becoming the tool of yesterday.
iWork.com has to potential to change the way people share documents forever. Why e-mail when you can share and collaborate on documents on a web site?
The Mac Box Set will probably sell like hotcakes to users who have Macs that are older than a year. For the price, it is almost silly NOT to buy it as compared to any of the 3 individual products.
The new MacBook Pro 17″ really shows Apple’s prowess in designing things that are simply technological marvels. In one fell swoop, Apple improved working battery life, improved the lifespan of a battery, and is helping the environment just by redesigning the way they implement batteries in a laptop. It took a lot of out of the box thinking and some risks, but in the end, it will probably change the way all laptop manufacturers create batteries.
And finally, the announcement that iTunes is going DRM-free is yet another example of how much power Apple has, not just in the computer industry, but in media as well. A few years ago, there would have been no way in hell that the record companies would have allowed a DRM-free music store to exist (DRM is a general term for technology that restricts the way digital media can be copied). But Apple’s success with iTunes has showed record companies that users ARE willing to pay for music on-line when presented with an easy and inexpensive method of doing so. Now by removing DRM, this process will become even easier.
So that’s it for day 1 of Macworld 2009. I will write further posts over the next couple of days summing up interesting things I may see.