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Tech News & Commentary
Marion from Anchorage, Alaska listening via 700AM KBYR Alaska Listens Here asked us: “Other laptops and PCs won’t connect to the WiFi in my apartment. It’ll connect to a few places but not mine. Wondering if perhaps a new operating system might help, but I’m not sure.”
Marion, If you can connect in other places, but not your apartment, and if others can’t connect in your apartment either, then the problem is most likely with your wireless connection at home.
If that’s the case, installing a new operating system won’t achieve anything, you may be better off trying to replace your wireless router or access point instead.
Routers are very temperamental devices, and consumer level ones are typically pretty bad, so if you haven’t already, try unplugging it and plugging it back in, and maybe even restoring it to factory settings.
If that doesn’t change anything and can connect in other places, you may need replace it.
If you can only connect to “a few” other networks, and not yours, then maybe Windows is to blame, but if you only have trouble at home, then your router is probably to blame.
Let’s also explore what you mean by “other” laptops and PCs. Does that mean your computer or devices will connect, but if a friend brings their computer over, that computer will not connect? That could be as simple as you have a security setting on your router that requires them to have a network security key, but you don’t know what the key is to give it to them.
If someone else set up your router, they might be the ones to tell you whether that’s the case. Also, it may be that for some reason we can’t explain, the router was set up with a very limited pool of IP addresses it will hand out. If these “other” computers and laptops are connecting but simply can’t use the network, check their IP addresses and see whether they appear similar to the one on your computer (the computer that is working). It’s also possible these additional devices just can’t get an IP address.
Some Internet providers who sell you wireless service for “up to a certain number of devices” will use that technique to limit how many devices can connect at once. In such cases, unfortunately, some router reprogramming is called for.
For more information, tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast.
“Into Gaming Update” Weekly Feature with Mark Lautenschlager
Anita in Margate, Florida listening via the Android App asked: “I was wondering does the surface tablet allow you to add programs and still have apps to download?”
Anita, Programs and apps are the same thing… computer programs basically do the same thing as software applications, but branding the mobile kind apps have made people think that they’re not those complicated things that come with an installer…
If what you’re asking is, can you run the kind of programs that you can under Windows and the kind of apps you’d run on a phone, to an extent you can if you’re using a Surface 2 Pro and not a Surface 2.
Phones are just less powerful computers, so typically, if a phone can do it a regular computer can too, the reason Fruit Ninja doesn’t get marketed to regular computers is that slicing fruit in half with a mouse is just annoying, but it might not be a terrible game on a touchscreen laptop.
The same goes for other apps, tilting your laptop all over the place to roll a little ball is not as effortless as tilting a phone or a tablet. Since the Surface is a tablet, those shouldn’t be major concerns.
Depending on what Windows programs you’re thinking of, keep in mind that as far as computers go, a Surface 2 Pro isn’t very powerful, so anything that requires more powerful hardware won’t run well or at all on the Surface 2 Pro. Word, Excel, and that level of programs should run just fine though! Just don’t try to stick a high-end PC game on it.
And as for that app vs. programs branding confusion, we usually say that apps are smaller, simpler, and less expensive programs. That is, all apps are programs, but not all programs would be considered apps.
For more information, tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast.
“IFA History Feature” brought to you by Messe-Berlin
The first professional studio tape recorder came to the market in the US in 1948 with the Ampex 200; two years later in Germany, Grundig and AEG began producing the first tape recorders for home use. At the Funkausstellung in 1953, Grundig showed an open reel tape recorder with six inch reels and reverse operation. Ten years later the end had come for the complicated open reel recorders as the Compact Cassette offered easy operation with a tiny cassette housing the tape. Both technologies were introduced at IFA.
Guest Segment:
Ken Greenhill, Director – CellSentry
mobile app that prevents distracted driving while texting.
Guest Segment:
Omar Abhari, Senior VP of Operations – GIV Mobile
prepaid cell phone plan carrier that offers a range of plans, and donates part of your monthly bill to charity.
Mike from Wyoming listening via the App asked: “Is it better/more efficient to use a cable tether for an internet connection on the computer. Or use the Wifi Hotspot option on the phone? I want to get rid of my wifi and just use my cell service has the wifi.”
Mike, There are a lot of variables here. In my opinion, more important than the speed or efficiency, would be the price. With data plans ranging from $10 to upwards of $100 per month, depending on the carrier, you must be extremely diligent on your usage.
Watching movies or streaming music may become quite an expensive habit. Listening to streaming audio for just 1 hour per day will set you back about 2 gigs per month.
Throw in 1 movie a week and you are over 6 gigs a month. I would only recommend going Mobile Hotspot if your data usage is under 4 gigs a month.
For more information, tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast.
If you have any questions about any of this week’s show info, please email us here.
This Week’s Prizes for Our Listeners
Noizy: Kameleon Series Bluetooth earbuds
Other World Computing (OWC): Nuguard KX phone cases for Samsung Galaxy S4, iPhone 4/4S and 5
Ventev: Assortment of their new products — like the PowerCell 6000+ Rapid Charger, cases for the new Galaxy S5 Smartphone, ChargeSynce tangle-free USB cables for Android & Apple devices & more.
“Into Tomorrow”: Microfiber Screen Cleaning Cloths with Dave’s cartoon on them, for all your smartphones, tablets, TVs, camera lenses and computer screens!