Audience Questions

Audience QuestionsHour 1

Hour 1 Hour 2 Hour 3

Why does iPhoto see my iPad, but not iTunes?

Watch Max from Los Angeles, CA Comments

When Max connects his iPad 2, iPhoto sees it but iTunes doesn't. Leo says that Max may want to upgrade to iTunes 11. Also, he should try enabling the launch iTunes when device connects option. Max can also select the Sync over WiFi option. Leo advises turning off the iPad and then turning it back on. If that doesn't work, he should reset it by holding down the home button in addition to the power button until it turns off. If it still isn't showing up in iTunes on the desktop, he should bring it to Apple.

How can I get the fastest download speeds?

Watch Jeff from LaHabra, CA Comments

Jeff upgraded to 50mbps download, but he doesn't get that. Leo says that it's likely a "burst mode," at the beginning, and then it slows down to a conventional speed. One thing Jeff can do is upgrade to an "N" speed router (802.11n).

He can test his speed at speedtest.net. He's currently getting 18Mbps down, which Leo says is probably more than enough and not unusual. The speeds also can vary between devices, so he may get slower speeds on his mobile device than on his desktop. That chatroom suggests that he set up his Wi-Fi network as WPA2 AES, because that's faster for mobile devices.

Is DRM a good idea for eBooks?

Watch Bob from Pasadena, CA Comments

Chris has created a new website called Cruise Port Insider, which gives the inside track of what to do when you're "in port." Leo says that's a great idea and wonders if Chris crowd sources the data. He's also created eBooks for cruisers to download. On Amazon, it asks about digital rights management so he's wondering if DRM a good idea for eBooks. Leo says he doesn't like DRM. It doesn't protect the content creator from piracy, because the pirates can always defeat it. All DRM does is frustrate legitimate readers.

If I cancel Office365, will I still be able to open my documents?

Watch Valerie from Victorville, CA Comments

Valerie wants to know if she doesn't use Office 365/2013 next year, will she be able to open the documents? Leo says there are free, open source options like OpenOffice, which will open the docs Valerie uses with no trouble. In fact, Microsoft's own TOS says:

"Your data is yours. If you decide to cancel your Office 365 subscription, you can download your data for example, your email and documents on team sites and save it to another location. You should save your data before you cancel. All the data associated with your Office 365 account is deleted 90 days after cancellation."

Valerie wouldn't be able to use the Office 365 software, but the documents are still hers. Leo's advice is to not use the Microsoft .docx format, but use the more open source RTF instead. She also should make sure to download all of her data, because any data left stored in the cloud with Microsoft will be deleted 90 days after cancellation.

Audience QuestionsHour 2

Hour 1 Hour 2 Hour 3

Why am I getting a "blocked plugin" message whenever I try to watch video on my Mac?

Watch Pam from Laguna Nigel, CA Comments

Pam is having trouble watching videos online with her Mac. Apple probably blocked Flash since Pam had neglected to update it. Leo advises uninstalling Flash and then install it from Adobe.com/flashplayer to download the stand alone Flash installer. Then, install it with all browsers closed. She will have to keep it updated, or Apple will block it again.

Should I wait for the next Google Nexus 10 tablet?

Watch Greg from Camarillo, CA Comments

Greg is looking for a new high resolution Android tablet. Leo says the current state of the art is the Google Nexus 10, but we are due for a new one. Google I/O is in May and chances are a new Android tablet will be announced. The only reason to wait is because the Nexus 10 is WiFi only, and they might release one with data. Should he jump ship to an iPad? Leo prefers iPads to Android tablets, even though he prefers Android phones to the iPhone. If getting 3G/4G capability isn't important, then go ahead and get the Nexus 10.

What's the best computer for a 10 year old student?

Watch Rob from Gainsville, FL Comments

Rob's daughter needs a computer and he'd like to get her a Mac. Leo says that the MacBook Air is thin, light and very powerful. Leo recommends setting the internet up with OpenDNS to protect her from going places she shouldn't go. Checking the Apple Refub Store could save him money on the computer too. The chatroom says that Best Buy open box purchases are a good way to go as well.

Leo thinks a computer is a great thing to get for a kid because it's open-ended. She could do YouTube videos, photography, programming, graphic design and more.

Another option is the Samsung ChromeBook. It's certainly going to be cheaper, but it's a browser only.

Audience QuestionsHour 3

Hour 1 Hour 2 Hour 3

How do I get rid of the FBI Moneypak virus?

Watch Joe from Santa Monica, CA Comments

Joe got bit by the FBI Moneypak virus. Leo says it's a well known ransomware exploit, and all viruses require the user to be complicit in the infection. So, Joe probably went somewhere or downloaded something that enabled the virus to get on his system. Unfortunately no repair can fully remove everything and it's likely what he tried just got rid of the notification and not the actual malware itself. That virus may have invited many other malware exploits to the party, too.

What about Malware Bytes? Leo says that MalwareBytes.org does a great job at removing stuff. However, at the end of the day, the only real way to get rid of malware is to backup your data and then reinstall Windows from a known, good source. Then install all available updates.

What is XBMC and is it legal? (Part 1)

Watch Tony from Santa Clarita, CA Comments

Leo says that XBMC comes from XBox Media Center. It's a lean-back interface to navigate through and watch content. Leo says it really isn't legal or illegal, but like any computer, it can be used to watch pirated movies from bittorrent and other sources. Leo likes Plex a bit more because it's more polished, but XBMC is a great player.

Why can't I get sound from the HDMI connection on my TV? (Part 2)

Watch Tony from Santa Clarita, CA Comments

Tony has his computer plugged into the HDMI port on his TV, but he's not getting the audio from the computer through the TV. Leo says to make sure the default sound setting is HDMI TV so that the TV will receive sound via HDMI.

How can I retrieve the images from Google Contacts?

Watch Bill from Manassas, VA Comments

Bill wants to get his contact images back from Google. Leo says that Google has a data take out option via Google Take Out. He can get anything archived that he's posted to Google. Also check out DataLiberation.org on how to get stuff out of Google.

The Chatroom says that Google TakeOut won't do it, but there is an API for Google Calendar that he can use to make a simple "get" request via python. Here's a place to get started - http://j-dii.blogspot.com/2010/02/python-script-vcf-photo-to-google.html

How do I create an internal ticketing system for a business?

Watch Robert from Tustin, CA Comments

Robert wants to set up a ticketing system for technical support and computer repair. He could use GoTo Assist, which has a very powerful hosted service desk solution. So it's a cloud solution that's both internal and external. (Disclaimer: GoToAssist is a sponsor).

The chatroom recommends SpiceWorks.

How can I get rid of malware?

Watch David from Los Angeles, CA Comments

David's computer runs Windows 7 Home Premium. Lately, he's getting a lot of failure messages. He ran MalwareBytes and has stopped malware that was running. Leo says that Malware Bytes may have taken out system files that the malware has attached it to. Leo suggests using the recovery discs that David can burn from his computer and then just start over. Back up the data, then restore from those recovery discs. That will format the drive and re-install Windows.

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