HOUR 1:
Tech News & Commentary
We discussed the iPhone 4S and whether or not it’s worth upgrading, watch the video below:
iPhone 4S on-air discussion
Consumer
Reports Feature with Carol Mangis
Today’s laptop computers are lighter, faster, more powerful and more versatile than ever before. The Sony VAIO Z-Series is a notable example says Consumer Reports Web Editor, Carol Mangis.
The “Into Tomorrow” team discussed the latest apps that they
have been playing with recently.
For Android:
• Mark recommends: Digital World Clock Widget, FREE
“Easily create an Android widget to track the time in any location around the world. I use it to create multiple widgets to track times around the world for people I connect with in playing video games.” — Mark
For iOS:
• Rob recommends: Pic Frame, $0.99
“It stitches more than one pic into a collage.” — Rob
• Chris recommends: RingShuffle, FREE for a limited time
“You get instantly available, temporary Shuffle Numbers that allow you to keep your mobile number private.
Select a Shuffle Number with any area code. All calls to your Shuffle Number will automatically forward to your private phone number. The caller will never know your real number. Your Shuffle Number is good for seven days. Simply Shuffle to get a new temporary number and stop receiving calls from the old number. To cancel a Shuffle number, just delete it anytime.
Right now, the app says ‘Free for a limited time.'”Tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast for more details.
What are your favorite apps?Let us know!
Guest in this hour:
Gay Kent, Executive Director for Vehicle Safety & Crash Worthiness – General Motors
How can tech in vehicles keep you safe in case of an accident? New innovations and industry firsts are helping quite a bit.
Tom in Dickson, Tennessee listening on WTN 99.7 asked: “I live out in a rural area and there’s not too many options for Internet access. I’ve had Wildblue and it’s been terrible. I’m trying to find the simplest, cheapest way to get Internet service. I’ve heard about Straight Talk where you can get Internet service on the phone for $45 a month. If I could buy something like that, is there a device that would let me get online with my PC at home, or a wireless laptop? Or is there any other device I could get that will pick up some connection for that so I can get on the Internet? ”
The problem with being out in rural areas is there’s not a whole lot of options. Typically, if you can’t get high speed Internet from your phone company or a cable modem where you live, then satellite is the best option. Of course, that’s what Wildblue is, so you’ve had some experience with satellite Internet.
If you’re not happy with them, there are some other companies that offer satellite internet connections. HughesNet, Dish and Starband are probably the more popular services. We’re not saying that any of them are gonna work beter than Wildblue, but at least there are options. If you ave any neighbors nearby that also use satellite Internet, ask around. See what others are using and if it works well for them.
Now, the Straight Talk you mentioned is a pre-paid mobile phone service. While you can get mobile Internet on a cell phone, it won’t help you with getting a computer online at home.
One other option you can try along those lines, is a mobile broadband card from a wireless carrier. If you get decent 3G or even 4G cell phone signals in your area, this may be a lower cost option for you. Check with your cell phone carrier and see if they offer high speed data in your area. Then find out what Mobile Internet modems they have and what specials they may be offering. Most times, if you sign a multi-year agreement, you can get a USB Air card for free. Of course, you still have to pay the monthly fees, just like you would a cell phone.
In fact, Dave’s sister lives in a rural area in South Carolina. She encountered the same issues as you. She’s now online with a 3G Modem from AT&T. It’s not the fastest, but it’s a lot better than the dial-up connection she had before.
For more information, tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast.
Willie in Mississippi asked: “Now that we have all these wonderful devices such as tablets made by everyone, how can we get these developers to price them for the average income individuals? I mean, if we are to move into the future of very hi-tech, shouldn’t we all be going? Don’t you think the developers should be willing to make a lot of money and get there products out into the hands of the young and the older, the rich and to lower income or poor? Where, or who’s hands do you see these products falling into? Thanks guys, and Keep showing us all of the latest and greatest toys!”
These tablets will probably follow smartphones in going from a few wealthier users to literally the majority of users in the span of a few years. The question is more about whether or not tablet will catch on the same way smartphones have (especially smartphones geared towards consumers, the iPhone’s iPod feature was probably never meant to sway corporations into adopting the phone), so far tablets are expensive and laptops are cheap, so for $500+ tablets, users can usually opt for a far more powerful laptop instead.
Now, if the interest in tablets doesn’t die down, we will probably slowly see prices drop and tablets become more of a universal device.
We could argue that this has already started happening, Amazon’s new Kindle Fire tablet is half the price of an iPad, and the not so hot selling Blackberry Playbook had it’s price slashed to compete with the Kindle Fire (after failing to compete with everything else!), HP’s TouchPad had it’s priced slashed only after being discontinued, but it sold so well and so fast that HP reportedly considered starting a last short production run.
If tablets remain popular, they will become more affordable for everyone… if new laptops like the Ultrabooks (which are supposed to incorporate more tablet like features in the future) get a stronger following it might not even matter in the long run… We just have to wait and see how things develop.
For more information, tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast.
Laura in Spokane, Washington listening on 840 KMAX asked: “I’d like to know if there is a way to use an iPhone type device with dialup by utilizing Wi-Fi areas off-site?”
Any Wi-Fi hotspots you connect to will be using a broadband connection, not dialup. I guess, in theory, it would be possible to put a wireless router on a dial-up connection, but we’ve not heard of anyone doing that. It’s just not practical and would be soooo slow, you’d go nuts fast!
Now, if what you mean by “utilizing Wi-Fi areas off-site” is “Will you be able to connect to Wi-Fi hotspots?” then, yes. Many places, you can connect to for free, like many coffee shops, hotels, fast food restaurants. Some others, like Airports, you have to pay for a Wi-Fi connection. Some places have free wi-fi, but only after you make a purchase. Like some fast food resaturants and coffee shops that print a wi-fi code on your receipt.
For more information, tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast.
This Week’s Prizes for Our Listeners
Energizer: Several Weather Ready 2 LED Flashlights
Logitech: Tablet Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad
Otterbox: Several protective cases, including: Defender for iPhone 4 & Defender for Motorola Xoom Tablet
Philips: Sonicare AirFloss (interdental cleaner) … Experience a microburst of clean in-between.