HOUR 2:
Tech News & Commentary
Sean in Nashville, Tennessee listening on WTN 99.7 asked two questions: First: “Question about the first iPod that you were able to put pictures on. My wife is in the Army and had it in Afghanistan. The laptop that she used to sync it to got ruined. We’re wanting to recover the photos from there. Is there a way we can recover those? A service, or some way to get them onto our new iMac?”
Sorry to hear about the laptop, but there is something you can try to recover those pictures. There is a program called “iPod Access Photo 1.8”. Apprently, the iPod stores photos in “ithmb” files. These files can’t be read by regular photo programs, so iPod Access Photo solves that problem by letting you select individual photos and albums to be moved back onto your computer or an external hard drive. iPod Access Photo is available online for about $13.
Sean’s follow up question was: “Do you have any ideas for a wireless printer that works fairly easy with an iMac. Don’t want to go too cheap but not outrageous. Maybe somewhere in the middle.”
You can try the Epson Stylus NX420 the multifunction inkjet with scan and copy functions, easily share the all in ones with all the family. The Epson Stylus is a WiFi printer and works with Mac and PC. You can buy it online too for under $100.
Or you can try the HP Photosmart Plus All in Ones (B210a), you can print great photos, everyday documents, scans copies,very easy to set up and WiFi. With the HP Photosmart you can also print from you iPhone or iPad with Airprint. You can buy the HP Photosmart for about $150.
On the cheaper side, the HP Deskjet 3050 works well with both Macs and PCs, it uses your home’s wifi network, it comes with a built in scanner that can also be used wirelessly and it can work as a stand alone copier, you can find it on Amazon for $59.
I have installed a number of the Canon PIXMA all in one printer, scanner, copier machines for people. They connect with your wireless network for both printing and scanning, which is very nice. They work with both PC and Mac. I’d recommend them as being a good solution. I’ve been using the MX350 model, which has recently been discontinued, but it was selling for about $99, which seems like a reasonable price.
Tune in to Hour 2 of our podcast for more details.
“This Week in Tech History” Weekly Feature with Chris Graveline
Jose in San Juan, Puerto Rico listening on WOSO 1030 asked: “My wife is in sales and wants a tablet. I told her that I cannot find an “app” where she can follow up on customers, orders, etc. So, I told her to stick with a heavy laptop. Am I wrong or will she be able to “ upgrade” to a tablet? Any suggestions?”
If you’re considering buying a tablet for your wife’s business, it could be a good idea. There are a few critical applications that are certainly practical for sales and marketing, including of course: Email: probably one of the most important functions for any sales person. With the iPad, for example, it’s easy for responding and managing your emails.
An application to look at that may help her manage and generate new leads is called: “SalesForce”. You can access customer data in real-time from the iPad and you’re able to integrate to your existing account and link to other device, like an iPhone.
The app “Box for iPad” is great for business and sharing. Sales people can send files in real time to their people or clients. This would be ideal in situations where you need to send a contract to your team or manager before an important meeting and you can receive — in real time — comments or feedback on the file itself.
Whether you own a small business or a global corporation 
with sales people, “Square” is an application worth checking out. With Square, she’ll be able to accept credit card payments anywhere and anytime through her iPad. It works by attaching a plugin device to the iPad, so you can swipe credit cards which are then further processed.
By the way, all the apps we talked about are also available for Android except “Saleforce” which only works for iPad, at the moment.
We should note that the Salesforce native app is an iPhone app and does not support all features when running on the iPad. Local caching of data is supported on the phone, for instance, and not the tablet. We have heard from more than one source that using the Salesforce.com web version in the Mobile Safari browser on the iPad is a more effective environment. Keep an eye out for an iPad optimized version of the app, however. One must be in the pipeline somewhere.
For more information, tune in to Hour 2 of our podcast.
Guests in this hour:
Scott Steinberg, Gaming Guru & Tech Expert
As parents already know, video games continue to be a resounding hit with all ages. Scott is gaming expert and joins us with picks for planning the perfect family game night.
David from Lock Haven, Pennsylvania listening on WRSC 103 FM shared: “I just want to thank you for the information on System Mechanic software. I was listening to your show when you were talking to someone from that firm. I am running Windows 7. In my opinion, I think it is the best operating system that Microsoft came out with yet. It is, for the most part, trouble-free. But, as you stated on your show, it does slow down with time. I have been researching like software for some time and have not been able to come to a decision. Well, after the show, I went to my local Walmart and purchased it. It worked as advertised. My PC’s boot speed, web speed and just general operation has increased dramatically. For a mere $20, I now have a very good running PC. Just Like it ran when it was new and maybe even faster. Thanks again and I look forward to your next show!”
Thank you David! We’re glad to hear you took our advice and that System Mechanic worked out for you.
For more information, tune in to Hour 2 of our podcast.
This Week’s Prizes for Our Listeners
Improv Electronics: Several Boogie Board Paperless LCD Writing Tablets in a variety of
colors and accessories including sleeves with stylus holders &
magnet kits.
iolo: Several copies of System Mechanic – Fix & speed-up your PC, Automatically
SmartShopper Electronics: Several SmartShoppers — Electronic Grocery List Organizer
ZAGG: A variety of goodies, including: ZAGGsparq battery packs, ZAGGMate iPad cases, dual USB 2.0 in-car chargers & XL gadget wipes.