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Tech News & Commentary
Philip in Clarksville, Tennessee listening on WTN 99.7 FM asked: “When I turn my computer on, I’ll be on it for a while. It would freeze. Just started doing it in the last month. There’s no rhyme or reason to it. Sometimes it’ll do it as soon as I turn it on. The only way I can do anything is to turn it all the way off and fire it back up. What can I look for that would cause that?”
It’s going to be tough for you to find the answer without some trial and error. If your computer is freezing up at random, it could be a faulty RAM module, it could be your motherboard, it could even be your hard drive, or a problem with your operating system. You may need to take it to a professional to have it checked, but if you want to give it a shot, you can run some hardware diagnostic software, like HWiNFO, or even some software diagnostics like System Mechanic.
Your best bet will mostly likely be a professional though, if you don’t know what you’re doing tracking down random problems like that can be very frustrating and time consuming.
If you’d like to try a little home diagnosing, though, I’d say the clue might be in the fact that it runs for a while before freezing up. Offhand, that sounds like a thermal problem. How hot does this system get, and how well ventilated is it? Try removing the cover and running it with a fan blowing into the case to improve cooling. Does that let it run without freezing? Does it run longer without freezing?
If it does seem to be thermal, the usual suspects there are power supply or chips on the main board. The processor is very heat sensitive, but it will usually slow down dramatically before it simply shuts off. The main chipset on your main board will also usually have a small cooling fan on it to help dispel heat. Perhaps that has stopped or is dirty?
You might benefit from a tune up. Check all the fans to make certain they’re working and moving lots of air. Clean out all the dust. (Be sure to use a vacuum cleaner with suction or a compressed air product designed for cleaning electronics! If you just blow on it yourself, or use some other kind of air compressor, you can introduce moisture into places it shouldn’t go. Safe for electronics, that’s what you want to see.)
Don’t neglect software, either. Run a good software tool like CCleaner or System Mechanic to dump junk files and clean your registry. Update your hardware drivers: video, sound, and printer. Make sure you have all available Windows, Flash, and Java updates applied. Everything runs better with some spring cleaning!
For more information, tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast.
“Into
Gaming Update” Weekly Feature with Mark Lautenschlager
Tom in Windsor, Ontario Canada listening on CKLW 800 AM asked: “Can you run two virus protections at the same time, say AVG and Norton?”
Technically you can. You can run two or you can run ten, your computer will install them and they will run, but you shouldn’t. Antivirus software contains virus definition files and those files can sometimes be picked up by competing software as possible viruses, so having several products on the same computer can lead to false positives.
This is worsened by the fact that one of the programs may try to quarantine a file the other one needs to work, so they could essentially disable each other.
You’re probably better off installing one antivirus that you trust, keeping it updated and running it often. None of them will be able to catch 100% of the viruses, but you’ll still get better protection by having a fully functional product that isn’t getting into fights with it’s competitors.
For more information, tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast.
Eddie asked: “I recently purchased a Vizio 32” 3D LCD, HDTV, Model # E320VX with internet apps (i.e., “Internet Ready”, according to the marketing hoopla on the box).
My hopes were to be able to use it in conjunction with my Verizon “Closed Loop” wireless modem, to enjoy streamed movies off the internet via Netflix, etc.
Unfortunately, I am either too dumb to set it up properly (a strong possibility) or it cannot be used in this manner. Can you shed any light into my dilemma? Any thoughts or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.”
We’re not sure if we understand your problem exactly. If your problem is that you can’t connect a USB modem to your TV, then unfortunately, you probably won’t be able to change that.
To get your TV online, you will have to connect it using the Ethernet plug in the back of it. Your specific model may also have WiFi. If that’s the case, you can also use a WiFi router to get your TV online. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to connect it directly using a USB modem. You may be able to find an access point that will take your 3G signal and share it over WiFi, but we haven’t tried any so far.
Also, keep in mind that if this modem is cellular. Unless it’s LTE, your speeds won’t be fantastic, and you may not be able to get the performance you want on those streaming service.
For more information, tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast.
Guest in this hour:
Jessica Dolcourt, Senior Associate Editor – CNET Reviews
Want to ditch your cell phone contract early? Jessica shares some important tips you should know before you go.
“IFA History Feature” brought to you by Messe-Berlin
In 1936 at the Olympic Games in Berlin the first electronic camera was tested, named “television cannon”. The cameraman was Dr. Walter Bruch himself, who had co-developed the giant machine. The lens alone weight about 100 pounds, and the whole camera was 2 ½ yards long. The images were received in 28 “television parlors”. As this was deemed insufficient, another technology during the games saw a world’s first: the projection onto big screens. Two halls were equipped with TV projection. More than 100.000 people watched the Olympics on the big screens, and another 50.000 in the TV parlors.
Camilo in Gainesville, Florida listens to the Podcast asked: “Do you know about any subscription-based comic book readers for Android phones or tablets that are good? like, quality ones? Thanks”
There are comic book apps for Android, and there are libraries you can access via those apps, but we haven’t found a real subscription service. Marvel, for example, has it’s own app with access to a library of over 3000 issues, but the app doesn’t work with Marvel’s “Digital Comics Unlimited,” meaning you can buy from library of over 3000 issues, but not really have the unlimited access you’d get from a computer.
DC has a similar app, developed with comiXology, that also gives you access to around 3000 of their issues, but you have to buy each individual one. The same goes for buying comic books from places like Amazon, you can buy Kindle versions that will work with phones and tablets (via the Kindle app), but you’ll be buying them by the book, you won’t be able to access any form of unlimited subscription.
If you still want to try an app for Android, even one that doesn’t let you access a subscription service, comiXology seems to be the favorite choice with fans, it has deals with all the major publishers (even some exclusivity deals), and it allows users to buy comics from within the app.
You have other choices, mainly ones that will let you load your own comic books from your computer. Droid Comic Viewer is popular, so is Comic Reader MOBI, and you have plenty of other options, but they won’t have the large libraries attached to them that the Marvel, DC and comiXology apps do.
For more information, tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast.
Michael in Miami, Florida listens via the app asked: “I would like to know more about rooting the Android Tablets.”
Unfortunately we can’t give you too much generic information about how to root a tablet. Rooting is done without manufacturers’ consent, and it’s done by exploiting vulnerabilities in the different Android operating systems, that means that the way to root an Android 2.2 tablet won’t necessarily be the same way you root an Android 2.3 tablet, in fact it may not be the same way you root an Android 2.2.1 tablet.
If you want to know how to root a specific tablet, you can call us again and we’ll give you specific information, if you just want to have a general idea, you can come to the website and we’ll link you to a page that details different procedures for different tablets.
The benefits of rooting tablets are similar to the benefits of rooting phones, custom ROMs with less bloatware, control over internal function such as overclocking or underclocking the processor, and generally extra customization that the manufacturer wouldn’t allow.
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
Boingo: Several 60-day Certificates — With Boingo you can connect online at free and paid Wi-Fi hotspots.
Kingston: 16GB SD memory cards and a MobileLite G3 (USB 3.0 Card Reader)
Idea Incubator: Several txtRng — “the stylus with syle”. This is a unique stylus Rob recently featured it on our Product Spotlight.
Radio Shack: Auvio Element Earbuds with Microphone