HOUR 3:
Tech News & Commentary
Tara in Wendell, North Carolina – Calling via our FREE App – listens on WPTF 680 AM and asked: I’m in the market to buy a new smartphone and I was wondering what I should get. Should I get the new iPhone 4S or should I get the new Android phones? I current have an iPod Touch. I don’t have any experience with a Mac or any kind of Android phones, so I would like your input on that and which one I should get. Thank you.”
You don’t need any experience with Macs to use iPhones and you don’t really need to learn a lot to use Android phones. If you already have an iPod Touch, there will be almost nothing to learn if you get an iPhone. You’ll get a few new little icons on the screen, one of them will be a phone. Just tap on it and you can make phone calls. That’s all there is to that, everything else will pretty much be what you’re used to on your iPod.
We’ve said it since the beginning … the iPod Touch is basically the iPhone without the phone part. And, we’ve recommended that if you like the iPhone, but hate the phone part, then the iPod Touch is a great alternative. The iOS software is really one of the easiest and most intuitive mobile operating systems to learn. If my mom who isn’t familiar with computers can handle it, you’ll be fine with it 🙂
Android phones will require a little more getting used to. They’re not exactly what you’re used to, but they’re not that complicated either. They just do some things a little differently than your iPod Touch.
As for the functionality you’ll get, both can do more or less the same stuff, it’s about personal preference more than anything else. The best way for you to make your choice might be to stop by a store and try them both out, see what user interface appeals to you the most and which one you find easier to use.
For more information, tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast.
“Into Gaming Update” Weekly Feature with Mark Lautenschlager
Dan in White Pigeon, Michigan listening on 94.9 asked “What is the best way to sync email, contacts, tasks and calendar from Outlook 7 to my Motorola Atrix 4G for work? ”
The easiest way would probably be with 3rd party software. It won’t be the cheapest option though. CompanionLink for Android will sync everything you want to sync: contacts, calendars, emails and tasks between your computer and your Atrix. It’ll even give you a few options … you can do it via USB, using Google’s servers, their own secure $10/month servers, or via WiFi. But, it will come at a pretty steep price. $50 for the version that will work with the Atrix.
You could also sync your contacts and calendar with Google’s servers. That will keep the phone automatically updated. And, if your email is an IMAP or exchange account, Outlook and your Atrix should keep synchronized on their own.
For more information, tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast.
Guest in this hour:
Sandro Villinger, Certified Windows Expert and Blog Editor-in-Chief – TuneUp
Would you like to get better performance and even battery life from your PC? Learn about a product that may help you achieve that.
“IFA History Feature” brought to you by Messe-Berlin
The first players for Blu-ray and HD DVD were shown at the IFA, the International Funkausstellung in 2005 with market introduction at the next IFA exhibition in 2006 when they became the focal point of the show. Content for both formats was also shown at IFA. But in early 2008 Toshiba decided to discontinue HD DVD and Blu- ray players became even more popular. At the Funkausstellung the same year Panasonic introduced the first Blu-ray Disc recorder to the market.
That’s this week’s IFA Update brought to you by Messe-Berlin. Be sure to visit IFA-Berlin.com.
Janet in Jefferson City, Missouri listening on KLIK 1240 AM and asked: “I need a new network router — the current one in our household is well over 6 years old and is dropping our internet connection sometimes as frequently as twice daily. We have 2 older PC desktops and one older model laptop (to be replaced at another day/time). We are both teachers (not independently wealthy, so money is an object) and are taking more courses, which requires broadband connections that are reliable. We live in a house in a rural location. The current router we have is a Linksys 2.4 Wireless-G, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to move up in the world. Can you give us a recommendation for a reliable router, or at least guidance on what to look for?”
You really don’t need anything too advanced to connect 3 computers in a rural setting where you will probably face no interference. You can go for pretty much any wireless router you find in the market. But, since money is an issue, you could consider something like the Linksys Wireless-N Home Router WRT120N Wireless router .You can get one for as little as $25 online and it should be able to connect all of your computers without any problems.
Similarly a D-Link DIR 601 can be picked up for little more $20 online and it would also do everything you need it to. You could go with a more expensive model, but if all you need to connect are two desktops and a laptop a basic router should do the job and save you some money.
Another choice you might want to look at is the Rosewill RNX-N150RT. Newegg.com shows it with a 5-egg rating, that’s their top, and it’s just $19.99.
For more information, tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast.
Listener Participation:Parents: Are your kids aware of the age requirement of 13 in order to setup a Facebook Profile? Do you think it’s okay for them to lie? |
Facebook Participation: John in New Jersey wrote: I think it’s a terrible example to teach your kids it’s ok to lie sometimes … they will just turn it around and lie to you … and say “you taught me to do it.”Amber wrote: NO! It’s not ok for them to lie to be on FB! Even if it weren’t the FB rules, my rules are you are too young for FB. Too much trouble for a kid to get in to. There are too many people that kids trust these days. They are not responsible enough, either.Samantha in Miami Lakes, FL wrote: No. There is a rule for a reason! Sheri wrote: Absolutely not. FB is no place for children. Our kids are growing up way too fast. They are not enjoying their childhood and enjoying just being a kid. Why do our children need to be part of a social network? Society needs to leave our kids alone and as parents we need to shelter and protect them. |
Victor in Smyrna, Georgia listens via the Podcastand asked: “I’m looing for a protective case like the Otter for my Sprint HTC EVO and wanted to see what was the best one to get.”
Since you mentioned Otterboxes, the first thing we should tell you is that Otterbox makes 3 models for the EVO the Defender, Commuter, and the Impact. The Defender is the bulkiest and most expensive at $49.95, but it offers the most protection. The Commuter is smaller and cheaper at $34.95. And, the Impact won’t change the size of your phone too much, but will offer less protection than the other two, and you can get it for about $19.95.
If you just want a protective case and not necessarily an Otterbox protective case, your options are almost endless. You can find thick rubber cases, plastic cases, thin silicone skins, screen protectors, waterproof cases, all ranging in price from a few dollars to well over $50. Your best bet might be to head to a big online store, and see which one looks best for your needs, but we promise you there is a very large selection. You won’t have any trouble finding what you’re looking for.
For more information, tune in to Hour 3 of our podcast.
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This Week’s Prizes for Our Listeners
Boingo: Two months of FREE Boingo WiFi Service available at hundreds of thousands of hotspots worldwide
G-Technology: Several G-Drive Slim 1/2 a Terabyte (500GB) Silver Hard Drives
Philips: Fidelio Docking Speaker for Android with Bluetooth Streaming
Solar Components: Several JOOS Orange Portable Solar Chargers – Designed to charge all personal electronic devices (cell phones, smart phones, MP3 players, GPS devices, portable game devices and more)