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I am a regular guy who enjoys dabbling in PC building, videography, blogging, photography and a little gaming.  I am truly a lover of all things tech. And man... do i miss TechTV!

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Rowmote is like your Mac or Apple Tv's remote control but over the wireless network and even better.  With a trackpad and keyboard, you have complete control of your device, in the palm of your hands.  Available for iPod Touch and iPhone  for $4.99 in the App store.

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Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.

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Wednesday
03Feb2010

Keeping Your Data Safe

With most of our lives revolving around the computer and the internet, what is the secret to keeping all of your personal data safe?  I'm not talking about the data that is stored at your banks website or your favorite eRetailer, but the data on your own computers.  In a word... Backing up!  Ok, that is two words, but you know what I mean.

Did you know that every year, 43% of computer users lose their music, photos, documents, and more.  Worse than that is the fact that a lot of these people were planning on someday getting a backup system in place, but kept putting it off.  Repeat after me... Back up now!!!

So, what is backing up?  This is the process of preserving copies of your files on a different drive, folder, or a medium to protect it against the destruction or loss of the original files in case of theft or a hardware/system failure.  Once you have decided to backup, you will have to decide what to backup. Depending on what you store on your personal computer, it could be a little or a lot.

Some of the typical things that you should backup are:

  • Digital photos
  • Music you purchased from the internet
  • Bank and financial records
  • Personal projects
  • Your e-mail address book

Now that you have an idea what you would like to preserve, you have several choices as to where or how you would like to backup your data.  If you choose to keep copies of your data close at hand, you can opt for burning CD's/DVD's or using an external hard drive.  The advantage of this method is that it is relatively inexpensive and can be done rather quickly. You can find free software online that can allow you to have this process automated. The downside to this method is that if you don't store your backup at a different location than your computer, it can be destroyed or stolen just as easily as the original data.

Another way that you can backup your data is to use an online backup service.  These services allow you to upload your data over the internet to remote servers for safe keeping. If you need to restore lost data, you simply log on to the backup service and download your files.  A definite advantage to this is that it is cheap, reliable and really easy to use.  Of course there are some downsides to this method as well.  First, you are relying on the internet.  If it is slow or down, so is your backup.  If the company goes out of business, so does your backup.  Generally, this is the better method for most users, as it provides for a simple, no fuss approach to backup.

So... now that you know a little more about keeping your data safe, what are you going to do?  Please don't be a statistic. Back up your data.

Wednesday
06Jan2010

Mobile Broadband Gets Interesting

There are a lot of choices when it comes to getting on the internet away from home.  The problem is that the easy and convenient ways are often times slow or expensive. And the fast and cheap ways are never where you need them.  

First, there is the smart phone.  You know... the Blackberry, iPhone, or Palm phones that are all the rage.  It is always within arms reach, it has decent speed, but the screen is so tiny. The next obvious choice would be your laptop.  Well, that is cool if only you can find a WiFi hotspot that is free, convenient and secure.

Now, let us stay with the laptop for a minute.  If you don't like the hotspot idea, there are other choices.  A great option may be a 3G Mobile Broadband solution.  These come in a variety of shapes, sizes and options.  They also come with an expensive, long term contract on top of your cell phone's monthly subscription. Thanks to DataJack and Virgin Mobile, that is all about to change.

The DataJack's mobile broadband service offers 3G high speed data for $39.99 a month, with no contract.  The unique part isn't the price but the fact that this is for truly "unlimited data".  That means it doesn't have the standard 5GB per month limit that Sprint, At&T, Verizon and T-Mobile like to pretend is "unlimited".

DataJack also comes with no deposits, no credit checks, no early termination fees and a free month of service after 12 consecutive months.  The actual USB modem is only $99 when you sign up.

Virgin Mobile and their 3G mobile broadband story is a little different, but still a very good deal.  Virgin Mobile still offers the USB modem for $99 with no contract when you sign up.  

But, unlike DataJack, you can purchase as much or as little prepaid airtime as you like starting at $10.  That $10 will get you 100 mb or 10 days of internet access, depending on which ever comes first.  If you need more, you can purchase prepaid cards going up to $60. The one downside is that that $60 caps you at 1 GB of data for 30 days.

Overall, these are two great solutions for getting your internet fix while on the go. They are both available for Windows and Mac and double as a MicroSD reader.  So, if you are tired of your current mobile broadband's monthly fees, check out these two solutions to see if they might be right for you.

Friday
25Dec2009

iPhone Pictures on Your PS3 with iMediaShare

When you hear the phrase "it just works", I'm sure the thought of some snobby, Apple enthusiast comes to mind.  But, in the case of iMediaShare, it is 100% accurate.  iMediaShare is an App that allows you to view photos that are on your iPhone or iPod Touch, directly on your PS3 or XBox 360.

In order for iMediaShare to work, you only need three things: An iPhone or iPod Touch, a PS3 or Xbox 360 and Wi-Fi.

How it works is actually quite simple.  By utilizing your Wi-Fi network, iMediaShare configures your (iDevice) as a server from which the PS3 or Xbox can retrieve your photo data.  It really is that easy.

When you first launch the App, it presents you with a simple, one button server switch, that can either be turned on or off.  Turn it on to connect to your Wi-Fi network.  Once connected, you will see iMediaShare show up on your PS3 or Xbox.  

Next, you select "shared images" to select a picture from your library.  After you select a photo, you are done.  You can now view it from the iMedaiShare file on your PS3 or Xbox.  

Overall, the App seems very stable and I did not experience any hiccups in the process.  Like I said, "it just works".

If you enjoy watching your pictures on a big screen and take lots of pics on your iPhone or iPod Touch, this App was made for you.  Give it a try... it is free after all.

Tuesday
08Dec2009

Synergy: Controlling a Mac and PC with a Single Keyboard and Mouse

When deciding to have both a Mac and PC setup on my desk, I quickly discovered that it was a pain to have to keep switching back and forth between each set of keyboards and mice. Not to mention that there is always room for two monitors on a desk, but never enough room for two sets of keyboards.

I was well aware of KVM switches, but remembered hearing about a software solution.  While searching online, I came across several different options that were either Mac to Mac or PC to PC.  Finally, I discovered a free, cross platform solution called Synergy.

Synergy lets you easily share a single mouse and keyboard between multiple computers with different operating systems, each with its own display, without special hardware. The real secret behind Synergy is that it uses your network to move between each computer without any visible delay.

So, the first thing I had to do was install the software on both computers. Next, I assign one to be the server and one to be the client. The server shares its keyboard and mouse input with the client over the network.  Since my primary computer is my Macbook, I set it up as the server and the PC notebook as the client. It even worked flawlessly while I used an external monitor with both computers.

Now there are a lot of obvious advantages to this kind of setup, but an unexpected one was the ability to copy and paste between the two computers.  Just remember that both computers must be on the same network. I am completely happy with my setup and I know that you will be too.  I provide full instructions for setting this up below.

For Mac.

  1. Download and install SynergyKM.
  2. Open the new “SynergyKM” Control Panel icon.
  3. Click on the “General” tab.
  4. Select “Share my Keyboard and Mouse.”
  5. Check “Show Synergy status in the menu bar.”
  6. Click on the “Server Configuration” tab.
  7. Add your Macintosh:
    1. Click the Plus button to add a new screen.
    2. In the Name field, type the name of your Mac (this should match the Computer Name set in the Sharing pane of your Control Panel).
    3. You shouldn’t need to set anything under Screen Aliases or Screen Options.
  8. Add your PC:
    1. Click the Plus button to add a new screen.
    2. In the Name field, type the IP address of your PC (you can find this by typing “ipconfig” at a command prompt on your PC).
    3. Under Screen Aliases, add an alias and type the name of your PC (this should match the Computer Name set in the System Properties tool, found in your Control Panel).
    4. Under Screen Options, swap the Control and Command keys for the PC, to keep your keyboard layout the same between systems.
  9. Press the “Apply Now” button, and start Synergy if it isn’t started already.

For the PC.

  1. Download and install the Synergy PC Client
  2. Start Synergy.
  3. Select “Use another computer’s shared keyboard and mouse (client)”
  4. Click on “Advanced” and set Screen Name to the name of your PC (this should match the Computer Name set in the System Properties tool, found in your Control Panel).
  5. Click on “Autostart” and click the Install button under “When Computer Starts”
  6. Press “Start”

 For more information, check out the Synergy homepage.

Friday
27Nov2009

Is Google's Chrome OS the Future?

On November 19, 2009, Google finally showed off its new operating system, Chrome OS. Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight Linux based operating system, that focuses on speed, simplicity and security.  Google Chrome OS's user interface include using minimal screen space by combining applications and standard Web pages into a single tab strip.

When Sundar Pichai, the VP of Product Management, demonstrated Chrome OS, he highlighted several key features. These included a blazing fast boot up time, a user interface designed around a browser, (similar to their Chrome browser) and a online or "cloud" based working environment.  In the simplest terms, this means that no data is actually on the computer and can only be accessed from the Chrome OS. Now your documents, pictures and music can be safely stored online, until they are needed.

Now before I go into all the reasons this makes me nervous, let's look at some of the positive things that Chrome OS delivers.  Well, because it is lightweight, it can run on almost any modern computer including Netbooks.  In fact, it is Google's marketing strategy to launch on Netbooks as early as the second half of 2010. Another benefit of Chrome OS would be that since it is based on Linux, it virtually eliminates the need for an antivirus. Linux, is inherently more secure due to it being open source. Finally, because Chrome OS is designed with a simple browser like interface, most people who have used a computer in the last 15 years, should be able to just "jump right in".

So, by now you are probably asking, what could be so wrong with this wonderful new way of interacting with computers?  To me, it boils down to one simple fact.  My data is not my own! If Google's servers are down, I am stuck.  If Google gets hacked, I am stuck.  If Google turns evil and later charges a fee that I can't afford, I am stuck. Again... My data is not my own!

I definitely love the direction that Google is heading with all of their innovations, but is the world ready for a complete "cloud" solution? There is a reason that companies don't fully adopt Google's services as of yet, and that reason is the lack of CONTROL.

To learn more about the Chrome Projects check out Chromium.org

Sunday
15Nov2009

Tech vs. My Wallet

       It seems like every time you look up, there is a new tech gadget or computer staring back at you from the Sunday ads.  What about commercials and internet adverts?  No matter where you run, no matter where you hide, you cannot escape them.

       Of course, with me being a tech lover and often an "early adopter", I love seeing the latest and greatest.  The problem occurs when your bank account and the price of the new gadget don't always see eye to eye.  Sure you see plenty of people still maxing out credit cards to buy that next toy, but most people are now keeping a tight grip on their hard earned cash. Myself included.

        How am I to resist the new Black Nintendo Wii or the amazing DJ Hero game?  Not to mention the new Droid handsets or the plethora of new products announced from Apple just last Tuesday.

       For now, I will have to be patient.  Until tech companies find it in their hearts (and financial interest) to send me free stuff, I will have to play with every gadget I can while perusing the aisles of Best Buy.  Seriously... I am just glad to live in a time when technology is exploding and everything is 500 megahertz faster today than it was yesterday.

Monday
19Oct2009

Touch Screen Mania!

Ever since HP announced their new line of TouchSmart computers, I have been giving a lot of thought about touch screens.  Not just the future of touch screens, but their past as well.

Just for a second, I want you to think about early touch screen devices such as the Apple Newton and Palm Pilot.  Now think about more recent devices such as smart phones and tablet computers. Beyond the obvious touch screen, what is one thing that they all have in common?    It's is not a technical similarity but an organic one.  It is "user proximity"!

       Now what do I mean by "user proximity"?  Well... in order to use a touch screen device, it generally has to be within a reasonable distance to touch. So when I saw these new TouchSmart desktops that were announced by HP, I was baffled. After all, my monitors on my desk are 2 to 3 feet in front of me and even if they were capable of it, I would never touch them.

       I believe it is really a matter of comfort.  When holding any device in your hand, the first thought that comes to mind is always how the device feels.  Well, reaching up and across the surface of my desk every time I want to do something, does not sound comfortable.  Now if these monitors were built into my desk at a 45 degree angle, then we might be in business... but I digress. 

       So who are these touch screen desktops aimed at?  They can't really be for people's kitchens and counter tops like they want us to believe. So who?  I guess we will know who they are not for, if they fail to sell many of them.