Laptop or desktop computers and any components within.
Hardware
The Giz Wiz and the $6 Microphone
Episode 1800
This week's gadget is a $6 universal microphone that you can pick up from 5 Below Stores. The irony is, it's the same mic that you can buy on Amazon for $25. It's a Bluetooth karaoke studio wireless mic w/ speaker. The built-in speaker also lights up. Just connect your smartphone via Bluetooth, queue up ur fave song & sing away! Mic & volume controls, plus dancing LED lights! No matter what for $5.95s this can provide a lot of fun family entertainment!) There's $5.95 shipping if you buy it online, so look for it at the Five Below store if you have one nearby.
Is There an Affordable Android Phone?
Episode 1800
George fromGeorge is looking for an affordable replacement for his Android phone. Leo says that he likes the Motorola G9. It's $238 and it has a huge battery. Decent camera. A little more expensive, but with a better camera is the Google Pixel 4a - and the 5a should be out in a few months.
What's the Best Mic That Doesn't Pick Up Everything?
Episode 1800
Brooks fromBrooks recently ought a Blue Yeti and he doesn't like the echo he gets. Leo says that's one of the reasons he stopped recommending that kind of mic! They are very forgiving for off-axis sound and as such, they pick up everything. So he will need to soundproof the room. That's why Leo recommends a dynamic mic like the Heil PR40. It's the one he uses.
Why Can't I Boot to My New SSD?
Episode 1800
Bob fromBob installed a new SSD to his Dell computer, but he can't boot to it. Leo says that where Rob went wrong is he tried cloning the drive to the SSD. What Bob needs to do is installing Windows directly onto the SSD. That way he gets the critical boot information. The reason is that Windows can't be copied from one drive to another. It must be installed. Bob can't get into setup though. So what does he do then? Leo says that Dells use F11 (or F12) to bypass the setup and go directly into boot order. Then he can go directly to the installer.
Why Didn't My Old Laptop Speed Up With an SSD?
Episode 1800
Eric fromEric has an old HP laptop that was lagging and slowing down. He replaced the hard drive with an SSD, but it still lags. Leo says it's possible that if Eric reinstalled a backup of Windows, that there's malware or some corrupted drivers that is the original cause of the lag. The best thing to do is install a fresh copy of Windows and start all over. That means backing up data, then format the drive, and installing Windows from a known, good source. NOT a backup. Then restore programs and data and see if that works.
Apple Event Coming June 7th
Episode 1800
Another Apple event is coming June 7th, and that means as of now, it's a terrible time to buy a new Apple product. Leo advises that if you're in the market for an Apple device, to WAIT until you find out what's being announced.
Why Can't I Use My Mouse With My Mac?
Episode 1799
Andrew fromAndrew discovered that Echo has a whisper mode, which is very peaceful at night. Leo says that they added that feature about a year ago. Andrew would also like a dark mode so that Echo is easier to use at night. Andrew also has a Logitech MX Master 3 mouse, but he can't find a driver for it with his older Mac. Leo says that there's both a Windows and a Mac model, so Andrew may have gotten a Windows version, and the driver is expecting the Mac version. Check out the Steer Mouse Utility from PlentyCom.
Why Is My Computer so Slow?
Episode 1799
Resa fromResa is having issues with his computer dragging. Something is running that is making the computer slow down to a crawl. Leo says it could be an update or some sort of malware. Maybe something recently installed. Check out the task manager. There's an app called Sysinternals Process Explorer that can help. Or, it could be a failing hard drive that's causing problems being read.
What Linux Should I Put On an HP Stream Laptop?
Episode 1799
Paul fromPaul has an HP Stream, and he can't update Windows 10. Leo says that's because there's no real storage on it, with a 32GB hard drive. They want to compete with Chromebooks, but people can't do anything with them. As such, you can't really update them. You could install Linux on it. Leo recommends Linux MINT; it uses Ubuntu. There's also PopOS by System76 and Manjaro.
Dr.Mom: On the Sidewalk
Episode 1799
Doctor Mom calls in to warn that Amazon has turned on their Echo Sidewalk feature by default, and if users want to opt-out of the network, they have to go into the app settings and turn it off. Leo says that some people may feel it's an invasion of privacy, but it's really just a local network, and it doesn't carry any personal information; it just borrows some WiFi from you.