HOUR 3:
Tech News & Commentary
Matthew in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida litens to the Podcast asked: “I’ve been waiting to get a new iPhone. Been hearing a rumor that there is a new iPhone coming out. Quicker processor, etc. The phne I have is the 3GS. I’ve been holding out. Is the nxtiPhone worth getting? Wll it be anything new and what is your overall opinion on the next Apple product which I believe ill be released in September?”
If you can believe the rumors, Apple will release both the iPhone 5 and the iPad 3 in October, not September. But, let us say again, these are rumors. Rumors are kind of a funny thing where Apple is concerned. Take for example the iPhone to Verizon rumors. Everyone knew that it would help Apple’s market share considerably to bring the iPhone to the largest wireless network. So it was pretty easy to read the tea leaves and see they would eventually do this. We don’t know how far back they actually did start ordering iPhone parts compatible with a CDMA network like Verizon, but we read rumors (including bold statements of launch dates) for almost two full years before the phone actually debuted.
The point is, Apple works on stuff for a long while and releases it when they think it’s ready. Are they making an iPhone 5? Absolutely. Are they making an iPad 3? Absolutely. Will they be released in October? We can’t say anything for certain.
The best information we have is about the devices themselves, not their launch date. We’re quite sure the new iPhone 5, whenever it is launched, will be thinner and faster than the current iPhone 4. A dual core processor is almost guaranteed, and the case will return to the more rounded feel that the 3GS model had, moving away from the industrial slab of metal feel of the iPhone 4.
The iPad 3 is rumored to sport a new display, with vastly higher resolution than the iPad 2. If you recall, the screen resolution was one of the few areas in which the iPad 2 didn’t improve over the original model. Now again, that makes this rumor the low hanging fruit, easy to pick, because it makes perfect sense that Apple would want to have a higher resolution display, if they could make one that worked.
Both devices will support iOS 5, of course. The big question is should you buy now or wait, and the answer to that question is a question. Why are you upgrading? If you are upgrading because you would just like to have the latest stuff, then wait a few months and see what Apple might launch or at least announce. If your 3GS is giving you trouble, however, and it’s really just time to get a new phone, then maybe you should buy the iPhone 4 now.
Contrary to any rumors you may hear, the current model iPhone 4 and iPad 2 will continue to work, even when new ones are introduced. (For those playing along at home, yes, that was an attempt at sarcastic wit.) Let us know what you decide to do, Matthew, and tell us how it worked out for you.
For more information, tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast.
“Into
Gaming Update” Weekly Feature with Mark Lautenschlager
Nathan in Nashvlle, Tennessee listening on WTN 99.7 asked: “I’m having trouble with the tethering on the Android. I have Verizon service. I don’t know if they stopped it. I heard you guys touched bases on it. I got a new phone and it’s not letting me tether at all. If you could tell me why they stopped the tethering.”
Were you paying for tethering? A lot of Android users have been tethering their phones without paying, and phone companies are trying to stop that.
Verizon does allow tethering but they charge for it, in fact, their new plans starting July 7th, put a $20/month price tag on 2GB of data for tethering only, on top of the phone’s own data plan.
If you are paying that much extra money for tethering definitely talk to Verizon and make sure they help you figure out what’s wrong.
If you haven’t been paying, the problem is probably that your new phone is not compatible with the “black market” app that was enabling tethering the old one without paying.
If that’s the case you’re going to have to either pay Verizon, or find a new semi-legal app that will let you tether for free, but keep in mind that if Verizon (or any other phone company for that matter) realizes you’re doing that they’ll cancel your line.
For more information, tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast.
Brett in Lexington, Kentucky listening on WVKY 1250AM asked two questions: “I just saw an ad for the NeatDesk scanner and I was wondering what you and the guys thought of. I deal with receipts and it looks like it would be helpful. If this isn’t worth it, what would be? Also, what do you think of the solar chargers for cell phones? Thank you. I enjoy listening to the show on Sunday morning and I just downloaded the app.”
First Question: NeatDesk actually looks pretty interesting, odds are you’ll have to do some filing in your computer after you scan the documents, but NeatDesk has individual trays for documents, business cards and receipts and will automatically file each scanned by what tray it came from (so, all you business cards will be filed as business cards, receipts as receipts and documents as documents).
NeatDesk will also try to extract whatever information it can from the documents it scans, so if you scanned a receipt it will try to figure out how much was spent, at what store, how it was paid, etc.
For a business card it will try to extract the person’s information, it may miss some stuff, but it will try to get the information and that information becomes searchable on the program, so searching for a person’s name would bring up the information as it understood it and a picture of the business card.
All the information that the program finds is editable, so the user can correct and add whatever NeatDesk missed.
You mentioned dealing with receipts, NeatDesk let’s you save all the receipts it scans as a single PDF file, accountants will accept copies for tax purposes, so that might make things easier for you, just hand in or email one file and you don’t have to worry about boxes full of papers.
Second Question: About solar cell phone chargers, they do work, but they take a while. Some have a built in battery that needs to be charged before charging the phone, others will start charging it right away, but they all take time.
We’ve seen reports of some chargers charging the phone enough for a 20 minute call after 45 minutes in the sun, but it has to be direct sunlight, as in the charger facing in the direction of the sun.
If you’re going to be out in the wilderness for a while, solar chargers might be an option, you don’t have to worry about rationing a battery pack, but if you can solve your charging problems with an in-car charger or a portable battery pack, you’re probably gonna be happier with their performance and price.
For more information, tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast.
Don in Lebanon, Tennessee listening on WTN 99.7 asked: “I have bought several of the cameras to go on my computer so I can do video calls. But I can never get one to work. Can you tell me a good camera to put on my computer?”
One of the very first step to try to solve the problem is to check your connection. Most cameras use a USB cable to connect to the PC, so check to make sure the USB cable is properly plugged in.
Don’t forget to check your manual to see if you need to manually turn on your webcam. In most cases the webcam will automatically be activated by software but
in some computers it is necessary press certain key-combination to activate the webcam.
The next thing to do is check the “Device Manager” and see if the device is recognized and installed properly. It may be that the hardware recognized the camera but the drivers are not installed. In that case you can try to update the drivers by right clicking on the device and in the pop up menu select “Update Driver Software” .
If the drivers and software are correctly installed and you still cannot see any video, there can be a problem with your program settings. Most chat and meeting software have the configuration option to select the video source for the webcam feature.
There a many good cameras you can choose from, for example the Microsoft Life Camera Cinema, for about $ 59, or Logitech B500 for $ 47.
For more information, tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast.
Guests in this hour:
Rob Matthews, CEO – AirRun
Are you looking for help running an errand? Or, would you like to earn a little extra money helping someone else? AirRun is an iPhone app that you may wanna try.
“IFA History Feature” brought to you by Messe-Berlin
In 1939, the United States became the third country, after Germany and Great Britain, to begin regular television broadcasts. President Roosevelt himself started the broadcast during the World Exhibition in New York. As television had become a reality, the Big German Radio Show which had started in 1924 to make radio reception and the necessary machinery popular, was renamed in 1939 and became “The Big German Radio and Television Exhibition”, making it the first television show in the world and the show that would later become the Internationale FunkAusstellung. Today IFA is still the number one show.
That’s this week’s IFA Update brought to you by Messe-Berlin. Be sure to visit IFA-Berlin.com.
Trevor in Alaska asked: “When you guys are travling around the world, how do you charge your phones and computers? Is all of Europe on the same electrical system? Or is each country diffrent?”
Almost every country or continent uses different power and plugs. In Europe, for example, power output is 240 volts. Computer and phone chargers generally can handle up to 240 volts. (Just take a peek at the verbiage on the plug itself). But, you’ll need to use a plug adapter to plug-in to the wall outlet. They have funny plugs.
There are some things you can’t charge or plug-in without a power converter or voltage converter. In that case, you’ll have to convert 240 volts to 110, which of course, is the standard here in America. We usually carry a converter called “Terminator” that we picked up in Dubai, but you can find some in electronics stores like Radio Shack. Prices may vary from $20-$80 or more.
Tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast for more details.
Daniel in Millbrook, Alabama asked: “I have a Toshiba Satellite computer that was given to me. The techs tell me that the motherboard has gone out and the motherboard is almost as much as another laptop. Is there an aftermarket motherboard I can put in this Satellite computer?”
We don’t know for sure.
You can find plenty of used motherboards online for prices ranging from $9 or $10 to a few hundred, the problem is that Toshiba has been manufacturing the “Satellite” line for many years and they have made countless Satellite models, so whether or not you can find a replacement motherboard depends on what particular computer you were given.
Since you have the computer already, try to find out what particular motherboard you need and have a look online. If you find anything on eBay it will, at least, be cheaper than a brand new laptop.
Keep in mind, however, that if you buy a replacement motherboard for your notebook computer, you’ll be facing a daunting task of installation. Unlike desktop cases that make it relatively easy to install a motherboard, notebooks weren’t designed with upgradability in mind. Opening the case will be, in a word, difficult.
Tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast for more details.
If you have any questions about any of this week’s show info,
please email us here.
This Week’s Prizes for Our Listeners
iLuv: Several iSP110 Mini Portable Stereo Speakers (in a variety of colors)
Microsoft: Copies of Street & Trips Software with GPS receiver
VSO Software: Copies of Convert-X-to-DVD 4 – Lets you convert videos to DVD and watch on any DVD player.
wEASEL: Several wEASEL Easel Smartphone Stand with Hanging Loop in Black or White