Audience Questions

Audience QuestionsHour 1

Hour 1 Hour 2 Hour 3

What do you think of the phones available with Ting?

Watch Mike from Chula Vista, CA Comments

Mike wants to go with a "pay as you go" carrier like Ting, and is wondering about the phones available. Not all of them are running the latest version of Android, and one he's looking at in particular is running Gingerbread. Is it OK to get a phone with an older operating system?

Leo says there are things he'll be giving up by getting an old version of Android, such as Google Now. The good news is, it's possible to update any Android phone to the latest version. He can root the phone and use the Cyanogen Mod to get the latest version of Android on it, but it may not run it very well. Mike is wondering about the LG Optimus. Leo says it's not a bad phone, in fact that LG Optimus became Google's Nexus 4.

For help rooting the phone and putting the latest operating system on it, he can check out the XDA Developers Forums.

(Disclaimer: Ting is a sponsor)

How can I batch tag mp3s?

Watch George from Houston, TX Comments

George would like software that will allow him to batch tag MP3 audio files. Leo likes Mp3Tag, but he can also use Media Monkey and iTunes. Mp3Tag is a power tool that would allow him to tag a bunch of music files all at once.

What's the best e-commerce solution for my business?

Watch Jerry from Big Bear Lake, CA Comments

Jerry is rebuilding his business website with video and tips and wants to know what the best e-commerce option is. Leo recommends SquareSpace. They've just recently added an e-commerce platform that Leo says is excellent.

Another is BigCommerce.com, which is solely focused on e-commerce and will be a bit more expensive.

(Disclaimer: SquareSpace is a sponsor).

What would be the best smartphone for a Linux geek?

Watch Robert from Charleston, SC Comments

Robert is a geek and is looking for a smartphone. Leo says there is no "best phone" out there, and it really depends on how he plans to use it. Leo says that the Nokia 1020 has the best camera with 41mp, but it's a fairly entry level smartphone in terms of the operating system. Since Robert is into Linux, the Android platform may be more attractive, particularly the Google Nexus 4, which he can root and put different flavors of Android on it.

Audience QuestionsHour 2

Hour 1 Hour 2 Hour 3

Why are eBooks so terribly laid out?

Watch Tim from Nashua, NH Comments

Tim agrees that eBooks are taking over, but he says that a lot of the new eBooks are filled with typos and are terrible PDF scans of real hard copy books. Leo says we saw the same thing in the early days of DVDs. That's why he suggests reading reviews of eBooks on Amazon before he buys. Leo also says that in today's wired and connected economy, customers talk to each other and it's really foolish to take the easy road when flirting with new technologies. If people see bad reviews that complain, people won't buy. That said, eBook sales were up 43% last year, with 457 million sold.

Are the Moto X specs competitive?

Watch Taylor from Corona, CA Comments

Taylor called in to say that he really likes competition, and the Moto X will really give the consumers a lot to consider when purchasing a smartphone. Leo agrees, and while many tech pundits are complaining about the specs being only mediocre, he thinks the phone performs very well. People care about software and performance, not specs.

Someone in the chatroom asked if this new Motorola phone comes with the usual bloatware from the wireless carrier. It doesn't have "bloatware", according to Leo. However it does have a couple of small things that are installed to help users migrate data and optimize the phone when in certain use cases (such as meetings, sleeping, or driving).

What's the best cordless phone for a landline?

Watch Barbara from Simi Valley, CA Comments

Barbara wants to get a cordless landline phone. Leo says he likes Panasonic, and says that Barbara should make sure that whatever model she gets, it come equipped with DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunciations). Leo also says she can get them to also answer the cellphone number while she's at home.

Leo says it's still important to have a regular phone with a landline through an actual phone company (not a cable provider) for emergencies. That way, if the power goes out, there's still a phone that would work from the power provided through the phone jack.

What's the best VOIP Phone service for business?

Watch Greg from Rancho Palos Verdes, CA Comments

Greg has created a network for his office, but Time Warner Cable is dragging its feet installing his phones. So, he's been looking into Clear Wi-Max via cell phone. Leo says that it works as long as he has a line of site to the base station.

Greg is also wondering about Ring Central. Leo says it's different because it's a SIP phone, which is designed to use the Internet. Leo recommends them and they do a great job. So dump the phone system from Time Warner Cable and get them to hurry up installing the Internet access. In fact, Leo suggests going with an independent like DSL Extreme. They could possibly get it done faster.

(Disclaimer: RingCentral is a sponsor).

Should I buy the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera? (Part 1)

Watch Dan from Upland, CA Comments

Dan is thinking about buying the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera. Leo says it isn't cheap, but he loves the camera. TWiT uses a lot of Blackmagic converters in the Brickhouse Studios and Leo says its a great company. The Cinema Camera is a great video production workhorse. It takes Micro 4/3s lenses.

Can he use his Nikkor lenses? Leo says Dan would have to use an adapter to make them work and it'll likely lose most of the automatic features. In fact, he may not be able to change the aperture at all. Leo also says the pickup size is smaller in micro 4/3s, meaning smaller depth of field.

Does my Mac need an antivirus utility? (Part 2)

Watch Dan from Upland, CA Comments

Dan is wondering if he should get an antivirus utility for his Mac. Leo says not really, the market saturation is so small on Mac, even now, that hackers just don't write for it. Better safe than sorry, though. He could get the free Sophos Antivirus for Mac, or ESET has Cyber Security for Mac.

(Disclaimer: ESET is a sponsor).

Audience QuestionsHour 3

Hour 1 Hour 2 Hour 3

How can I get LinkedIn to stop spamming me?

Watch Rebecca from South Pasadena, CA Comments

Rebecca says she has friends who have joined LinkedIn and she's annoyed at all the invitations she gets. She also is annoyed that her email address was given to a third party without her consent. Leo says she could filter out the requests through GMail, but what she would really have to do is tell her friends to stop giving out her email address.

They likely won't stop doing that, so here's something she can try:

When giving out her gmail address to a website for example, she can add a "+" sign at the end of it followed by anything she wants. Gmail will ignore anything after that + sign, and it will still go to the same address. Then in gmail she can set up a filter to delete anything that comes to the address with the + sign attached.

Will a powerline adaptor work to share internet with my Mom in the same apartment building?

Watch Nick from Northridge, CA Comments

Nick lives in an apartment complex where his mother lives. He wants to know if the powerline adapter will enable him and his mom to share internet. Leo says not with the powerline adapter, It won't go over junction boxes. They could just use Wi-Fi though.

How can I connect my WiiU to my home theater?

Watch Eric from Reno, NV Comments

Eric bought a Nintendo WiiU and says that it's amazing. He wants to connect his home theater to it, but it only has an HDMI port. Leo says in order for the surround sound to work, something has to decode it and tell it where to send those sounds. Having his TV do it is possible if it supports Surround sound. Leo says getting the undecoded audio from the WiiU into the TV is key. He could try optical out from the TV to the home theater. The best way to do this is by getting an A/V receiver. Let it do all the heavy lifting. Denon or Onkyo make affordable models.

What can I do to fix connection issues in my Nexus 7?

Watch Gary from Buffalo Comments

Gary has a Google Nexus 7 but he's having issues when he searches with "inconsistent UID" errors. He's been told to wipe his data and restore, and it should go away. Leo says that's probably the best option. He's also having issues watching Hulu with it. Leo says that Hulu blocks mobile browsers.

Do I have any choices for Internet other than cable?

Watch Yureal from Long Beach, CA Comments

Yureal is a gamer and he's got cable internet. He's cancelling the service because it's too expensive ($70) and they want to charge him because "they have to leave the line in." Leo says that's nonsense. If he's having issues with his cable, it could be because of how far he is away from the office. If there's no competition in the area, he'll probably have to pay more for less. The only other choice is a wireless provider.

Should I update my Nexus 7 OS?

Watch Joe from Chicktow, WA Comments

Joe has the first generation Google Nexus 7 and wants to know what the benefit is of updating his OS. Leo says that the new OS has a feature called Trim, which can keep the flash memory clean and faster over time. Download the Android 4.3 update and let it sleep overnight. Trim will then speed up his performance by cleaning out the flash memory. That alone makes it worth it.