Sunday, September 17, 2006
Tech News
Microsoft has assigned the Xbox group to design and sell the Microsoft Zune mp3 player which will be their “iPod-killer.” It will be available in black, white, and brown. It will have WiFi sharing that will allow people to share songs with each other with a few setbacks, such as only being able to play it for 3 days. It will play video, have a built-in radio, preloaded with some music by a British band named Hot Chip. However, Microsoft’s own Playforsure technology will not play on it; it plays a special Zune format.
There will also eventually be a Zune phone!
11a-Noon
Q Ethan from Los Angeles - Trial Adsense code to test on a website/Screen on a laptop not working well
You won’t even be able to get the code until you sign up and they approve you. Adsense is Google’s system for letting people put ads on websites and you can share the revenue. They index your content and put relevant ads on your site. Overall, you will not be able to get Adsense until you set up your website and host it.
Try updating your video drivers. However, if it is an older laptop, it may be that the ribbon cable may frayed.
Q Kirk from St. Louis - Running Truecrypt on Parallels using a MacBook Pro
It should run just fine in Parallels. You are still getting the same amount of encryption; no difference. The data is scrambled in the Parallels file, and if someone takes that and mounts it, they will see the Windows XP installation with Truecrypt. In an episode of my security podcast Security Now, we covered TrueCrypt.
Q Mark from Santa Ana - What kind of memory card should he get?
People are telling him not to get the 1gb XD card because it slows down the camera. I have a 1gb card, and have had no trouble with it. All a fast card means is that it will refresh faster. As long as its not an Olympus representative telling you to go with Olympus, go ahead. Overall it won’t give you a huge difference.
Q Where to learn about computers and software
The best way to learn about computers is to use them and get online. Listening to this show is a good start. My podcasts are also great resources.
Noon-1p
Q Kevin from Lake Gregory - Not getting bootup messages on DVI connection
Some motherboards put all the pre-bootup video through the motherboard video. Its not sending the video via digital until the OS boots. It may be something with the monitor. I think you want to output the generic VGA to the DVI connector, and then when your OS boots, it will switch to the DVI. More likely, there’s a setting somewhere.
Q Mike from Fontana - Managing the Blackberry Pearl on OSX
Try out the beta of Parallels that has support for USB2.0. On the Mac side, if PocketMac doesn’t have support for the Pearl, I think you’re out of luck.
Q Chris from Los Angeles - Portable speech-to-text translator
These are very specialized programs. Of all the consumer applications, I like Dragon NaturallySpeaking. It’s not meant for more than one person so it won’t be as accurate. However, it should work somewhat. Here’s a review of the software.
Q Christopher from Iowa - How to check security of a network
Try Shieldsup by my buddy Steve Gibson. He also has a variety of programs that will check other aspects of your security at grc.com. Also, you want to change the SSID and login of your router and turn on WPA encryption.
1–2p
Q Jerome from Las Vegas - Looking for a new Dell
He’s looking for a new laptop to run ProTools and other video/audio editing applications on. Basically, he wants a desktop replacement machine. You want to look for a laptop with a Core 2 Duo processor. Take a look at the Dell XPS 1210.
Q Ralph - Macbooks vs. Macbook Pro
The real estate programs you use are not very system intensive. The minimum amount of RAM for running Windows in Parallels is 1gb, but I would recommend 2gb. If you want to run Boot Camp to install Windows, you can go with 1gb of RAM because each operating system will take the fullest advantage of the RAM.
Q Mike from West Virginia - Windows cannot defragment a chunk of the hard drive
Don’t worry about it, it’s probably the swap file. Defragmentation just organizes things, it can even wear out the disk quickly. If there’s a little bit that’s not able to be defragged, don’t worry about it.
Q Automating disk partitioning copying/Windows Activation not working
IT departments are frequently doing this. A better way to do this would be to create a disk image with Norton Ghost or DriveSnapshot; then you have a recovery disc.
I think you’ll have to call Microsoft and explain your situation.
Q Terry from Glendale - No sound coming from the computer, but startup sound comes through
You have a disc that came with your computer that has drivers for additional devices. Go to the device manager and see if your sound card is listed there, and then delete it. On reboot, Windows will ask you to reinstall the drivers. If all else fails, just do a reinstall of Windows.
Q Where to learn about computers and software
The best way to learn about computers is to use them and get online. Listening to this show is a good start. There are also a number of books. Check out my podcasts at twit.tv Finally, learning about Linux is a great way to learn.
Chat Logs and Show Audio
17 September 2006
12:23 by Adam.
Need help……… How can I extend my wireless or strengthen its connection at school? Thank you
The optical audio splitter MartyIowa found yesterday at Monoprice
is the same as the one sold by Soundprofessional @ $59 but costs
only $8. I have it, it is actually made by Recoton and works well but is a manual selector. I wish I had seen it at Monoprice instead of paying more at Amazon. This is what caller fom yesterday, Dean of Yorba Linda needs.
I like the new TWIT Podcast Network intro.
Leo,
Questions. I am ready to purchase a HDTV and am considering buying over the internet because of the huge discounts over retailers. Is this wise?? What is the best method to assure that you won’t get ripped off? Most of these internet selleres are in New York State.
Did you notice that in first hour and a half of yesterdays show, Leo DIDN’T take a single call from any Windows users wanting help, ONLY people with Macs or Windows users who claimed they were switching to Mac. Listen to the podcast when it comes out … I recorded it live for proof and will be complaining to KFI.
Think Leo is an Apple bigot and is purposely slighting Windows users on this show to promote Apple??? If you don’t thnk so, maybe you should bang your head against the wall until your brain starts to work.
and I am complaining to the milk producers of America because they are biased against left handed people…they ALWAYS put the handle on the milk jug on the righthand side.
LA IT, could it be that it just happens the Mac questions were first? If you accusation have 20% truth, that would be true for ALL shows, not a two out hundreds. It sounds like you banged your head on a wall little too much.
The caller can contact any center to hellp the deaf or hard of hearing and they can give some input on specialized software or hardware that would be better to do the voice to text translation. They can even help with funding if needed.
Hi Leo,
I am looking for a spyware program that will remove any problems. Are there any free programs out there that I can download onto a XP?
I am a windows user. to LA IT: If it bothers you so much don’t listen.
RE: Nuance DNS9 and laptops.
Make sure that the laptop in running in CPU full power mode. Otherwise DNS may see a CPU with unacceptable specs for loading.
http://knowledgebase.nuance.com/view.asp?tnID=6712&sQuery=
Products: Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9;
Problem:
When installing Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9 onto a system with a CPU (processor) containing power saving technology, an error message may appear stating “The processor speed is not adequate for running Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9.”
Cause:
CPU’s used in laptops, tablets and other mobile systems may contain power saving technologies which reduce the processing speed of the CPU to conserve battery life. This means that even though the system’s CPU may meet the minimum system requirements for installation it may actually be running at less than the requirement at the time of installation.
We have seen this occur in systems using the following CPU’s:
Intel Centrino Pentium M
Mobile AMD Sempron
Solution:
First, stop the current installation process by clicking “OK” on the error message window and then, clicking “Finish” in the InstallShield Wizard window. The following steps provide instructions for turning off the power saving technology so that an installation can be successfully completed.
13:14 by Bob in San Diego?.
Leo, you really need to see a demonstration of DNS9 by an experienced user. I agree that there is a learning curve, but the accuracy of DNS9 is nothing next to amazing.
New users can achieve 98–99% accuracy and with some training and user experience, this can be improved.
http://forum.knowbrainer.com/list.php?f=2
http://www.speechcomputing.com/forum
http://www.voicerecognition.com/board/index.php?showforum=5
http://speechwiki.org/
By using DNS macros, you can automate your workflow, including correcting mistakes.
There have been some rumors of a user independent version.
If you are a serious user, it does pay to have have training and help with set up. There are several very friendly forum based user groups.
I am attempting to use a Garmin 60CS with my new Imac. I have loaded Parallells and Windows XP Home. I have loaded th elatest software from Garmin for Mapsource and drivers. Pallels recognizes the USB device and it shows up in windows device manager, but when I open the Garmin software it does not find the device. Any ideas ??? Please help!!!!
Leo you need a karma system for the comments like DIGG has, that way we users can moderate this blog for you. Wordpress has a plugin that does karma, I “hope” you can get something like that for these comments. that way LA idIoT would see his comments buried where they belong.
I looked for a karma system for pmwiki, can’t find one. Someone help Leo out and port a karma system for these comments. WP has one, Nucleus has one too as does Simpleboard forum.
I’d hate to see leo close them again. Please Help
I run Windows via Parallels on a MacBook with 2Gs of RAM and it flies. Unfortunately, I’ve had a lot of problems with my MacBook. After having sent it in twice to have the logic board, heat sink, SuperDrive, keyboard & bezel plastics and power adaptor replaced, I finally convinced Apple to replace it. The USB ports are out now and it needs another logic board.
-Dave Merten
MacOSG.com
I missed sunday’s show. When will it be on iTunes?
Do’h!!! I misses Saturday’s show. When will it be on iTunes?
Is there any free speech software or 30 day demos?
windows has free text to speech software, it’s an accessibility option. No Speech to text though.
Which would you choose:
Creative Zen V plus
Sandisk sansa e200
iRiver CLIX
iPod nano (latest)
14:25 by Don?.
I have a quick question. I am a first year college student and I need a laptop/notebook that is required for class. Can someone point me in the right direction as to what to get and what I will be able to keep with out having to update it every year. I would like to spend no more then $3,000.00 as I have grant monies to use for it. I have to have it for class no later then next monday. Any help would be appreciated!
dclaflin14@student.mvcc.edu
Another thought occurs to me, LA IT: if Mac is 4% of the market — changing, I think — then are you suggesting that only 4% of the calls should be about that? Are you proposing a quota system?
Don,
1) don’t post your e-mail, you wil get tonnes of SPAM.
2) get a DELL, increadibly customisable, service can’t be worst then HP/compaq and you can get a WinXP CD incase you have to re-install.
2) get the Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 1Gb ram and a graphics processor that doesn’t share the system memory.
3) if you will store lots of media (videos and MP3) get a larger hard disk.
4) if you will be editing video, get a fire-wire port so you can extract you videos out of you DV camcorder.
5) 3000$ is a good budget. You will probably have money left over for a printer and/or low end Canon digital camera.
Although I harbor no ill will for Don from MVCC his comment shows what is wrong with our educational system. $3,000 in grant money to attend a junior college! He should spend around $950 on this laptop (Compaq Presario Notebook PC (V3019US)) or $1050 on student MacBook and use the rest of the money to attend a full college that grants Bachelors degrees and forget about Associates in Arts degreees.
Hey Jimmi
my Sansa is rock solid. I love it.
anti LA IT,
How’s the sound quality when you play it through a sound system with real speakers? Does it have the possibility to play podcasts faster with constant pitch?
Don,
truckeeron ir right. If you plan to use a spread sheet, word processor and internet only, then 1000$ should cover you.
18 September 2006
There is a lot of dis-information on the file sharing on the Zune. If you subscribe to the Zune service and someone sends you a music file , it is yours to keep and use over and over. This will be a killer app. IMO as this will be a great way to learn about new music.
20 September 2006
I wanted to put my two cents in on the Zune colour range. Just listening to the podcast now (to explain the delay). Being female, i completely understand the brown option - although I do think they could have picked a nicer brown - like Chocolate. Brown is, as you said Leo, the new Black - it has been for some time - but I guess only for the girls:)
** Partition Imaging Your Son’s Computer **
I have found a way to do exactly what one of your listeners wants to do. Here’s what I do using all freeware. I install XP and everything else that I want and set things up just the way I want them. Then I shrink the XP partition using bootitng.com. Then I create a 2nd fat32 partition and make the machine dual bootable using ranish.com. I make the 2nd partition bootable to dos and put partition-saving.com on it. I write a batch file r.bat that contains this line:
savepart -f RESTORE1.txt -r
I write s.bat that contains this:
savepart -f RESTORE1.txt -s
and RESTORE1.txt contains this:
filesystem=ntfs
disk=0
main_part=1
def_level=1
automatic_naming=yes
file=C:RESTORE.P
max_size=680 Mb
quit=yes
reboot=yes
now, i can boot to the second partition at any time and type s enter to save the current state of partition 1 or I can type r enter to restore it. Note that I have the program create 680 MB chunks so you can burn them to cd. If you need more details, email me at leo at chadbryant dt com, put LEO in the subject. be quick:)
For Terry from Glendale in re Real Tek Audio 97;
You might try the rollback feature in XP. I lost my sound when I updated my drivers at Microsoft Updates. Right click My Computer, then click Properties, Hardware Manager, Device Manager, Real Tek 97, Properties, Advanced and Rollback. That’s how I got my sound back.
23 September 2006
Two comments.
First, I’m pretty sure I have the same Viewsonic monitor as the caller on last week’s show. VA1912wb/2012wb? That problem has always annoyed me and I never found a solution. I ended up plugging in both the DVI and VGA inputs. When I needed to do something in DOS, I’d switch the input to VGA since I could see the POST fine using VGA.
Second, I love my XPS M1210 laptop. It’s much faster than my year old desktop and it’s one of the few laptops that can be configured with a 7200rpm drive (even though Leo said laptops only have 5400rpm drives). I did a lot of research before choosing a laptop and this is the only one I found that was under 5 pounds, has a core 2 duo processor and 7200rpm drive making it just as fast (if not faster) than most desktops. Oh and the battery life is amazing. I can get through my longest day in University (4, 1.5 hour classes) without the battery running out. And this is with the wireless on and 60% brightness.
01 October 2006
