Podcast: Play in new window | Embed
Tech News & Commentary
Joshua in Miami, Florida listens online and asked: “Routers … I’m wondering if it’s possible to daisy-chain multiple routers. I have a couple setups where I need a really strong Wi-Fi signal in several different rooms. For some reason, the walls of the house prevent Wi-Fi from traveling around the house. For some reason, I am not able to use a Wi-Fi repeater. So I’m wondering if it’s possible to daisy-chain up to three or four routers together to give each room a really strong wi-fi signal.”
Short answer? No, you really can’t daisy-chain routers. While you can physically connect routers together (in fact, that’s how the Internet works — a network of networks), each time one router connects with another that creates another network.
What you want is a wireless access point, not a wireless router. You run a wired connection from your current router to wherever you need the better signal, and then connect a wireless access point there. The access point will extend the reach of whatever network it’s connected with.
A wireless repeater relies on the wireless signal reaching from the router to the repeater, and in some cases it won’t. The access point uses a wired connection, so there’s no worry about it connecting with your network.
Many wireless routers have a switch that let them also work as wireless access points, so don’t assume that you have to buy something that’s only an access point.
For more information, tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast.
Consumer
Reports Feature with Jim Willcox
Perhaps a bit lost in all the excitement about the new iPad was the news that Apple also tweaked its Apple TV streaming media player. Consumer Reports Senior Editor Jim Willcox gives us his first look review.
The “Into Tomorrow” team discussed the latest apps that they
have been playing with recently.
For Android:
• Mark: Sonalight Text by Voice, FREE
“What if you had an app that it’s developer called “Siri on steroids,” but it was really “Siri after a lobotomy?” Well, then you’d have Sonalight Text by Voice. I downloaded Text by Voice after reading company press releases that made all manner of claims about the product’s accuracy and ability to reject background noise. One company exec actually DID say “it’s like Siri on steroids.” Problem is, that’s just not true. Siri can do a large number of things for you, and Text by Voice can do just one — send text messages using your voice. Where it goes beyond the built in Google Voice Actions is in prompting you through the texting process. You wake it up by saying “text by voice” and then it interacts with you to select a contact and send a message. That part’s nice, although you are burning your battery by having it run in the background, listening for its name. It’s voice recognition uses whatever recognition engine the rest of your Android device is using, or at least it did with my Droid 4, which means it’s really no better at recognizing continuous speech than Voice Actions would be. Bottom line? Aside from a few helpful prompts, this app is nothing special. It’s FREE, however, which means it’s worth having just for the prompts, but ‘Siri on steroids?’ No way.” — Mark
For iOS:
• Rob recommends: OutColor, FREE
“A popular app Instagramers are currently using. It gives 2D pictures a 3D effect. You can have items coming out of the picture frame. For instance, if you take a picture at a soccer game, you can have your subject’s leg coming out of the frame kicking the ball … that’s the 3D effect you get with OutColor. There are two versions available — one for iPhone and one for iPad. Costs just under $2. If you’re on Instagram, take a look at the pictures that have been posted under the #OutColor hashtag.”
• Chris recommends: Demolition Master: Project Implode All, FREE
“Dramatic explosions, curious locations worldwide together with charming music, adrenaline, and hunger for victory are among the feeling that the Demolition Master will create for you.”
What are your favorite apps?Let us know!
For more information, tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast.
Guest in this hour:
Doug Verkaik, CEO – Planon System Solutions
Do you need to scan documents on the go? Planon’s SlimScan is an ultra-portable scanner that may help you.
Florence in Wilmington, Delaware listens on WDEL asked: “What is the best, inexpensive laptop that I can purchase for a first timer? And approximately what would it cost to own this laptop?”
If you want to go really, really cheap, you can get an Acer Aspire with a dual core processor, 320GB of hard drive space and 4GB of RAM for as little as $350 on Newegg.com. That’s 70% of the price of an iPad.
For about $400, you can get a laptop with similar specs from Lenovo, and models from ASUS are available for around the same price too. Needless to say, if you’re open to spending more money than that you’ll get a much better machine, but if you’re looking at cheap computers for a first time owner.
Now as for the cost to own, there’s really not a huge cost to own a computer. You’ll spend money powering it, but it’ll cost you less than powering your TV. It may even cost you less than powering a single light bulb.
Most modern laptops run on around 60 watts of power per hour, some on a little more, some on a little less, but it’s hardly a huge expense. You could consider adding extra RAM or an external or larger internal hard drive as part of the cost of ownership, but most normal users don’t ever really do either of those… really, the bulk of your cost will be the purchase and the use, not the maintenance, and with options starting at as little as $350, you might be better off getting a replacement in a few years rather than investing on this one anyway.
For more information, tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast.
Diane from Michigan listening on 800 CKLW asked: “I have an iPhone 4 and I am wondering if there is an app for Siri. Or an upgrade to the 4S?”
Siri is not an app but part of iOS and you can’t get real Siri for your iPhone 4, there are some alternatives, but honestly they’re nowhere near as good. For example, Vlingo will let you dictate text messages, emails, access maps, update your social networks, dial by voice, but it’s still not as versatile as Siri.
Dragon Go! is another option available to you, the speech recognition should be exactly as good as Siri’s, in fact it’s made by Nuance, the same company that handles Siri’s voice recognition, but that’s it … the rest of the features are nowhere near as polished. It will do pretty much what Vlingo does, and it has access to certain web services like Wolfram Alpha and Yelp, it can even open apps for you, but again … it doesn’t do what Siri does and what it does it doesn’t do as well.
Whichever substitute you pick, you will have to open it before you can use it, there’s no pressing the physical home button, you have to swipe through the screens and open the app first, that may not sound like a huge deal, but it’s less comfortable than Siri.
You asked about upgrading to the 4S, if you mean is there a software upgrade to it: no. The iPhone 4S is made up of different pieces, it’s new hardware and there is no software update that can turn the 4 into the 4S, if you’re asking should you upgrade … maybe, if you really want Siri that bad, but honestly, odds are the next iPhone version will have bigger changes, so if all you want is Siri, you might be better off waiting a little bit and seeing what the next iPhone offers you.
For more information, tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast.
Cal in Mayville, Michigan listens on CKLW 800 & the App recommended the Cobra Tag to listener Jack in New Mexico who had been looking for a device to help him find his keys.
Thank you, Cal!
For more information, tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast.
This Week’s Prizes for Our Listeners
Creative: Live! Cam Connect HD — Webcam that records 720p video
ScanMyPhotos.com: Several $200.00 eGift Certificates that can be used towards your purchase of any of their online products, such as: Prepaid Photo Scanning Box, Prepaid Slide Box, or Prepaid VHS Transfer Box
Scott Steinberg: Copies of his new book “The Modern Parent’s Guide to Kids and Video Games”