Downloading, streaming, or encoding music and movies.
Media
Can I import a password vault into Last Pass?
Episode 1696
Dave fromDave is moving his password vault to LastPass (who is a sponsor of the TWiT Network & TWiT Studios). Is there a way to import it? Leo says that if you can export your vault to a CSV file, then LastPass can import that. But he aware that once you export that vault into a CSV file, it's unencrypted. But that's the way to do it.
Why do my JPEGs look so bad?
Episode 1694
Sarafine fromSarafine has images that she puts on a thumb drive, and sometimes they become very pixelated. Leo says that s likely because the image is low resolution, and the metadata doesn't show that it isn't as sharp as it looks. Also, converting an image to JPEG is a mistake because it doesn't scale. So if you're using vector graphics, converting it to JPEG makes it pixelated as you change the size of it. What you want to do is change the size to what you want FIRST, and then convert it to JPEG.
Should I Upgrade My Blu-Ray Discs to 4k?
Episode 1693
Tom fromTom wants to know how much better 4K Blu-Ray is over standard blu-ray. Should he upgrade? Leo says that 4K is 4 times more resolution than standard Blu-ray, but the big difference is the higher dynamic range (HDR). The colors are bolder, the blacks are blacker, and viewers can see more detail in extreme brightness and low light. But everything in the chain has to support 4K. The TV, the cables, the player. But Leo believes we're finally at the end of the road for physical media. So if anyone wants to upgrade to 4K for one last copy, do it because they want the HDR upgrade.
Tech Company Earnings Up, Even During COVID-19
Episode 1691
Quarterly earnings reports reflected a modest growth for tech giants this week in spite of the outbreak. Spotify, for example, stated that every day is a weekend now, as daily listenership was up. Microsoft reported single-digit growth as well. But Leo says that doesn't mean next quarter won't be the same.
Advertising revenues, by contrast, have plummeted online as advertisers pull back.
How do I sync my phone in Catalina?
Episode 1688
Tom fromTom got a message from his iPhone 11 Pro that his phone was almost full. So he's been moving stuff off. But how does he back up his playlists? Leo says you can do it wirelessly. Go into settings and look in "about" to see what's taking up all the room. Then, you can go into the Music app and delete the music artist by artist. But in Catalina, you can still sync in the music app as you used to with iTunes. Select Sync check songs only.
How can I start a podcast?
Episode 1680
Brian fromBrian has a couple of friends that want to start a podcast. Leo says it's a great time to start one, and you can get started with just a smartphone thanks to Anchor.FM. There's also Twisted Wave, an app. In fact, a smartphone has everything you need to do a professional-sounding podcast. But if you want to expand, Leo says an Emotiv mic will plug into your phone and give you a little better audio. Anchor.FM can then be the publisher. They will also bring it up to iTunes and other podcasting aggregators. You also get a web page. And they don't charge you either.
Why Can't I Convert to MP3?
Episode 1675
Todd fromTodd has bought a music track from iTunes and has to edit it and convert it to MP3. Leo says that he can go into Garage Band and edit it. If it has copy protection, pick it up from another source like Amazon Music. Then import into Garage Band.
What is Going to Happen to Windows iTunes?
Episode 1669
Steve fromSteve is concerned that replacing iTunes with a series of apps in macOS Catalina will cause Windows Users to not be able to sync. Leo says that while Apple will be shutting down iTunes downloads, he doesn't really see them coming out and stopping sync within iTunes for Windows users. In the mac, Sync is now done with macOS through the Finder. So there will likely be a similar solution for Windows users. But the trend now is that people are streaming now. Download & sync is being used less and less. But if it does, Leo recommends DoubleTwist.
How do I manage the media in my iPod?
Episode 1666
Carol fromCarol has an iPod that's getting too full and wants to know how to get everything off it and allow you to put other music on it. Leo suggests using iTunes and it's sync feature. Set it up to only sync checked items. Anything that isn't checked will be removed. Some items, though, won't get unchecked in her iPod. Leo says that's not where you uncheck them. You uncheck them in iTunes. Here's how - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201593
Can I make a living with a podcast?
Episode 1666
Bill fromBill wants to know if he can make a living podcasting. Leo says that it takes a long time to build an audience to make a living. It's better to pick something you're really passionate about and then just do it. Focus on building your audience, not trying to make a buck. As for how to get started, Leo recommends Anchor.fm. You can put the app on your phone and create your podcast directly from it. Or you can upload a podcast you recorded the old fashioned way; you can even monetize it. They have a deal with Spotify and will also plug it.
