HOUR 1:
Tech News & Commentary
Michelle in Miami watching our ITTV Updates asked: “About Wi-Fi Capabilities on the Evo. I would like to know, when I leave the United States, can I piggy back off a Wi-Fi signal at places like Starbucks, and go around my plan, or am I still charged for usage?”
You absolutely can do that. When you use Wi-Fi on your phone, you are not using the cellular data that you generally pay for. So it won’t be using your plan. Now, you still may have a fee to connect to some of the hotspots you come across, like having to buy some fries at McDonald’s for example, but that has nothing to do with your rate plan.
Keep in mind that when you are connected to Wi-Fi that your phone will have limited capabilities. You will not be able to send or receive text messages. You also won’t be able to make phone calls, unless you’re using an app like Skype or Fring That, you need a separate account for.
If you wanted to use your phone as you normally would at home, you may need to contact your carrier to activate International Roaming. You will then be able to make phone calls and send and receive text messages using your account’s rate plan, but it will be at a higher cost.
IFA2010 Update
Learn about the rich history behind one of the largest consumer electronics trade shows we report from each year in Berlin, Germany.
The “Into Tomorrow” team discussed the latest apps that they have been playing with recently.
- For Android, Dave recommends: Voice Chat Robot (TalkPal)
- For iPhone/iPad:Robrecommends: SmackTalkChris recommends: Juicy Fruit (Watch Demo Below)
- For BlackBerry, Mark recommends: Thumbplay
Tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast for more details.
Tom in Geneva, Ohio listening on Sirius Ch.108 asked: “Which do you see is the most trouble-free 15-inch laptop for the average consumer?”
Based on several popular surveys, Apple usually comes out on top with customer satisfaction. HP and Dell don’t do so bad on the PC side. We welcome you to take a look at Consumer Reports to see how computers are rating these days.
However, Rob on our team recommends a MacBook Pro if your budget allows it. Try the 15-inch version. Their latest version comes with 4GB of RAM, 2.4-2.66 GHz Core i5 or i7 Intel processor and NVIDIA GeForce GT graphics card. It has the fastest graphics than any of the previous generations. What really rocks is its battery life. Apple says you can get somewhere between 8-9 hours, but remember, it depends on what applications you have open. Rob’s MacBook Pro has given plenty of juice for a transcontinental flight from LA to Fort Lauderdale. It starts at $1799. However, a more affordable option would be their 13″ Macbook Pro, which starts at $1199. Since you’re asking about the average consumer, the 13″ might compliment you well.
Guest in this hour:
Lance Parker, CEO – iTag
iTag is a mobile software company that helps you locate and protect the important things in your life — your phone and its information, your friends and even your car.
Vince in Albuquerque, New Mexico listening on talk radio asked: “Trying to think of what phone to buy. Looking at the Omnia 2, or the HTC Imagio, or the HTC Droid Incredible. I want to know which of those would be the best to buy for what I want to do.”
If you are looking for a phone that may be one of the best values, you may want to look at the Omnia 2. With a 2-year contract from Verizon, the phone is only $49. It also has an improved user interface (Samsung TouchWiz 2.0), and the new Windows 6.5 OS is also a big step up from it’s previous version. It also has a bright AMOLED screen.
The Imagio is another windows based phone running the Windows 6.5 OS, but it is one of the few phones that will support Verizon’s V-Cast TV. The Antenna has the unique feature that also allows it to double as a kickstand (very Evo-esque of them).
Dave has been carrying the HTC Incredible for a couple of months now and being that it runs on his favorite OS, Android, he has had nothing but good things to say about the phone. With an 8 mega pixel camera and 8GB of memory there is not much bad to say about this phone.
For more information, tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast.
Abbas sent us the following email and asked: “I have recently installed a mini-PC inside my car. I wanted to listen to FM/AM radio and I have found a product called Radio Shark 2, but the reviews on it are not very good. Could you please advice me on an AM/FM receiver for my PC?”
This one was a bit more difficult to find as most manufacturers have stopped making PC cards with AM & FM tuners. We found a couple of FM tuners for a PC that costs less than $30. The software that they often come with is usually feature packed. But remember, no AM radio. Since you’re in the car already, we’d really suggest an inexpensive AM/FM radio from your local electronics store.
Consumer Reports: “3D TVs … Is it the time to buy?” with Jim Willcox
Jim has some important information about 3D TVs vs. Plasma & LCD TVs.
Al in Jefferson City, Missouri sent us the following email and asked: “I purchased a copy of Norton 360 virus software to download on 3 of my PC’s. I used one of the downloads on my laptop, but the hard drive crashed shortly after installation. I still have 2 downloads left. However, I lost the product code for the software CD. I registered the product with Norton and can bring up my account. However, when I try to contact them, they want a product code before they answer an e-mail. Do you know of any way I can recover my product code?”
There are a couple of solutions that we offer for you. The first and easiest option would be for you to check your emails. When you downloaded the product, you would have to provide your email address. As such in your receipt, they would have provided you with a copy of the product code.
The last option for you would be for you to call Norton. As with most companies, you will most likely be on hold for a while or have to go through a series of prompts. But if you just push zero enough times, you will eventually get to a person. Hopefully, if you explain your situation, Norton will be helpful.
This Week’s Prizes for Our Listeners
SleepPhones: A Sheep of Your Dreams Kit
SmartSwipe: Secure personal credit card readers for shopping online
Smith Micro Software: Several copies of Anime Studio Pro 7
Total Training: Copies of Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended: Essentials
YoGen: The Universal mobile-device charger