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Tech News & Commentary
Jon in Rocklin, California listens to the Podcast and calling via the App calling in from the app asks us: “My eldest son is a major fan of Minecraft. He wants me to build him a system so he can play Minecraft better, faster, stronger. Wondering if anyone out there might have a site that might be a cross reference of hardware that wouldn’t have any issues. I used to build systems and I know that certain configurations are gonna give you problems. For instance, AMD might be cheaper but you’ll have to buy better RAM because cheaper RAM might not work as well with an AMD processor.”
Jon, You may find GooeyPC useful, it basically lets you pick the parts you intend to buy and build a virtual system, and it will alert you of compatibility issues between the parts you’re planning to use 
to build your system.
PCPartPicker.com works roughly the same way and it will also report any known compatibility issues. PCSpecs.com has a similar system too, with the added advantage that you can compare your homebuilt PC to systems that are out in the market today, and see what kind of performance you can expect from it.
You can also ask experienced system builders, Tom’s Hardware has plenty of posts on it’s forums asking for compatibility checks. You can probably post your own question before actually buying anything and see what the experts have to say about your setup.
Frame rate drops during a Minecraft session are the stuff of myth and legend. Meaning it seems like everybody gets them at some point, but no one can agree on what they come from or what the fix is.
Some people recommend the standard gaming setup: an SSD instead of a traditional hard drive, the latest gaming video card, and plenty of memory. Since Minecraft is a Java program, though, having lots of memory in your computer doesn’t mean that Minecraft will USE that memory. There are batch file examples on the official Minecraft forums that show how to launch the game with command line parameters to the Java runtime that allocate more memory to the game.
Some of the hardest of the hardcore Minecraft fans swear by the Linux/Other version, even on a Windows PC. Again, because it runs in Java, getting the Linux version working on a Windows PC is indeed possible, if a bit convoluted.
Because of all the unique real time calculations Minecraft must do just to show you the world, despite its blocky graphics it’s a true stress test of your gaming PC. And, if all else fails, turn down the view distance in your game options. Hope that helps!
For more information tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast.
Consumer Reports Feature With James McQueen
HDTVs are offering better and better picture quality, but often only so-so sound quality – thanks mainly to the manufacturers’ focus on making the sets so thin. For a better listening experience to compliment your big screen, you’ll want to add a sound bar. Need some buying advice? Consumer Reports Electronics spokesman James McQueen is here a few recommendations that won’t bust your budget.
The “Into Tomorrow” team discussed the latest apps that they have been playing with recently.
• Mark recommends: Evernote Web Clipper, FREE
- “My app this week is another web app from the Chrome Web Store, although it will work with any browser and not just Chrome. It’s the Evernote Web Clipper. Evernote is a cloud based note taking service that allows you to easily write notes on any computer or device you have, then access that library of notes from any OTHER computer or device you have. It’s great for everything from meeting notes to shopping lists. The Web Clipper tool adds to this by giving you the ability to save a web page to your Evernote cloud. We all find useful websites that we want to remember, so we bookmark them. But what happens when the link changes? The blog goes offline? The web host shut downs? The answer is, we get an error as we click on the bookmark. With Web Clipper, the web page is saved in your cloud, pictures and all, and can be referred back to even when the website itself has gone offline. It’s a brilliant scrapbook for the web! Evernote Web Clipper is free in the Chrome Web Store.” — Mark
• Dave recommends:JA Build Your Future, FREE
- “A new report from Junior Achievement, Millennials & College Planning, shows that college tuition and loans top the list of money matters worrying Millennials — those ages 18-29, with some students shelling out between $300 and $1,000 a month. Well, to help simplify college finances for kids looking at college and grad school and related careers, Junior Achievement has a new, free app, JA Build Your Future The new tool helps students and parents simply analyze their education options and figure out a return on investment based on their career choice, school costs and student loans. Again, it’s FREE!” — Dave
What are your favorite Apps? Let us know at 800-899-INTO and we’ll feature them in this segment!
- Tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast for more details
Guest Segment:
Jenna Fernandes, CEO – CareBooker.com
Find, book, and pay for child care, pet care, tutoring, and lessons.
Armie in St. Louis, Missouri calling in from the app asks us: “I’m concerned about purchasing a Surface Pro 3. I also want to know if its better than an Apple iPad 3 and Macbooks.”
Armie, If you’re considering purchasing a Surface Pro 3 device and familiar with the Windows operating system, then go for it, it’s a great device. Featuring a 12-inch display with a 10-finger multi support, which is a jump from the 10.6 inch on the Surface Pro 2.
With all honesty, Window’s products are completely different from Apple products, so picking which one is better would be a matter of opinion. Each manufacturer has their own products with their own features. The problem with comparing a Surface Pro with an iPad or a Macbook is that it’s neither, it’s a different device built with a different mission in mind.
A Surface Pro 3 is basically a Windows computer with a tablet interface, if you’re going to use it largely to consume media (books, videos, websites, music), it should be useful, though it will be less user friendly than an iPad. If you’re going to be producing content (spreadsheets, Word documents, etc) it will be easier to work with than an iPad, but probably harder to work with than a Macbook, at least you’ll need to spend money on a good keyboard and a mouse.
The Surface Pro is a middle point between regular tablets and regular laptops, it makes for a decent light-use computer. It’s a regular computer with a less efficient user interface, so if you’re a heavier user you may prefer a regular laptop, if you’re a light user you will probably be ok with it, if mostly you just browse the web and watch videos, you may like an iPad better, since it’s essentially a maintenance-free device that you don’t have to manage.
What we’re saying is that a Surface 3 is going to be heavier, hotter, and more expensive than an iPad Air, and it will require the same level of maintenance to keep it running smoothly that any Windows computer requires. And as a laptop it’s a small-screened computer with a mushy, flimsy keyboard.
That doesn’t mean we don’t like it, but when one thing tries to take the place of two things but doesn’t do either job as well as the dedicated devices, then you have to have a clear need for the single hybrid device to make its advantages outweigh its shortcomings. So that’s your question, do you have that need?
For more information tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast.
Joan in Santa Maria, California calling in asked us: “I’m trying to figure out how to use my ACER model zeiv4 iconia w3-810 using just the battery. I was part of a settlement and received a refurbished model but I have no instruction guide in how to use the unit without having it plugged into an AC adapter.”
Joan, You probably have a bad unit. You really shouldn’t need to do anything at all to get the tablet to run on battery, just unplug it and go.
If it’s turning off when you unplug it, there’s probably something wrong with it and you should probably be able to get a replacement.
Does the battery icon flash when the tablet is plugged in? That’s their code to let you know that something’s wrong with the battery.
If it is, check for firmware upgrades, that may be the cause of the trouble, and if there are none, or if that doesn’t help, you definitely want to take it in and see if they’ll exchange it for a working one.
There are no instructions because there’s not much to say, all you should really need to do is pull the plug and keep using it.
For more information tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast.
This Week’s Prizes for Our Listeners
SMS Audio: Street by 50 – Over-The-Ear Headphones and earbuds
Parellels:Parallels Desktop 10 Software allows you to run Windows on your Mac
Kanex: GoPower Battery Pack – Mobile battery pack with built-in stand for smartphones