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Tech News & Commentary
Albert in Three Rivers, California listens on KTIP 1450 AM asked us: “What program is the best for to transfer my settings in the different programs I have on an old Windows XP Media to a new Windows 8.1?”
Albert, Microsoft built a tool into Windows called Windows Easy Transfer for just this very purpose, and you may be able to use it… then again, you may not…
Windows Easy Transfer is supposed to grab your files and your settings from an old computer and move them automatically to a new computer, you just run the software on both computers, choose a method of transfer from the options given to you (for example, a network cable).
It should be easy, unfortunately it may not be. Windows Easy Transfer cannot transfer files from a 64-bit to a 32-bit operating system, most Windows 8.1 computer are 64-bit, but not all of them are, so if you happen to have bought a very cheap Windows 8.1 computer you may be out of luck and you may have to transfer everything manually.
There’s another problem, though, and it got Microsoft enough bad press that they had to find a solution. Even if you can use Windows Easy Transfer, on XP they will only move files, but not settings or programs, which was unacceptable to a lot of users.
Microsoft ended up cutting a deal with a company called Laplink, and is currently offering their tool called PCmover Express for free on WindowsXP.com to make it easier for people like you to move all of your files and settings. That’s the tool you probably want to try first, it will be free, and it will move everything you want to move, not just your files.
However, let’s be straight here. Using a migration tool like this one only makes sense if you’re planning to use the same apps, and really the same version of those apps, and not simply moving the data. How likely is that to be the case?
Your Windows XP machine is guaranteed to be old, perhaps even very old. The Windows 8.1 machine is running a newer version of Windows, and we’d think you’d want to put the newest versions of your apps on it (and possibly replace some apps that no longer exist).
Certainly moving your documents, pictures, music, and videos makes sense. And data in apps like Quicken makes sense also. But migrating the apps themselves, all their settings, and all their data doesn’t really make sense when the gap between machines grows too large. Keep that in mind, when you’re deciding what to do.
For more information tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast.
Consumer Reports Feature:
Is someone on your shopping list hoping to unwrap a tablet this season? Consumer Reports has compiled a list of the best models at any price. Their electronics spokesman James McQueen is here with the details.
The “Into Tomorrow” team discussed the latest apps that they have been playing with recently.
• Mark recommends: Mint Bills, FREE
- “Mint is a website and an app that is now part of Intuit (the Quicken people) and it’s considered one of the premier banking tools for mobile access to your bank accounts. They’ve introduced a new bill paying app called Mint Bills that will help you never forget a bill. When you set up your Mint Bills account, you enter your zip code and get a list of billers that you might be doing business with in your area. You enter your login details for the various websites of these billing entities and Mint will log in as you, retrieve the current bill, alert you via your smartphone when bills are approaching, are due right now, or are overdue. You can easily approve a bill for payment any time that you like. If you’re sick of looking for envelopes in that big pile of junk mail, and you don’t want to spend a lot of time logging in to check your bills, you might want to give Mint Bills a look. It’s free and available for both iOS and Android.” — Mark
• Chris recommends: Kicksend, FREE
- “Got a lot of photos on your phone that you are looking to print? Kicksend lets you send the photos on your mobile device directly to your local Target, CVS, Walgreens or Duane Reade for 1-hour processing. If you’re not in such a hurry, you have the option to have them ship the printed photos to you or to a friend or family member at no extra charge. When I tried it, the prints were 29 cents each, although I think prices can depend on the store you pick them up at. You can also use the app to digitally share your photos with friends and relatives. Kicksend is free for iOS and Android.” — Chris
• Fidel recommends: Cookpad, FREE
- “Cookpad is a community where millions of self-made and professional chefs share their favorite recipes along with photos. Available on the iTunes, Google Play and Windows store– Cookpad, which is entirely free just like the Into Tomorrow app, is interesting in the way it allows users to share photos of their own attempts at making a recipe so the original chef can see their dish come alive in somebody else’s kitchen! You can also comment or share tips on other recipes, find a meal-plan that fits your dietary restrictions, and search for recipes based on your needs.” — Fidel
What are your favorite Apps? Let us know at 800-899-INTO and we’ll feature them in this segment!
- Tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast for more details
Guest Segment:
John Cariola, AuD, Doctor of Audiology – Beltone
MaryAnn in Mississippi listening on Smart Talk 100.9 FM asked us: “I have a Sony Xperia L which I have enjoyed for more than a year. I have never been able to get my phone to recognize a micro-sd card. Is a defective slot likely? Is this repairable or should I face it and realize that after multiple attempts this techno…challenged person is most likely installing it incorrectly? (I’ve had a couple of shops take a look without success though I admit one just told me to get an iphone) Thanks and I enjoy your show.”
John, Aside from getting a new or refurbished phone. Surely if several repair shops were unable to locate an exact problem, they weren’t turning away your business but simply stumped at why this defect has found it’s way onto your phone.
If you purchased the phone from your service provider, you should begin by letting them know about the issue and receiving their suggestions. If you have purchased insurance on the phone, it should be no problem for them to take the phone back and send you a new or refurbished one. We were unable to find an Xperia L user who is experiencing the same issue so, as far as we can tell, it must be an individual phone issue and you should look beyond a repair shop to remedy this problem.
If you and several stores have all failed at putting an SD card into the phone and making it work, the phone has a problem. There’s really nothing to it, you slide it in, then it works. Here’s the bad news though: if you’ve been enjoying the phone for a year you may have waited too long to have it repaired or exchanged under warranty. Either way, give it a shot, you may get lucky!
And whatever shop it was that told you to get an iPhone needs to be flagged 15 yards for excessive sarcasm, since iPhones don’t accept microSD cards at all.
For more information tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast.
This Week’s Prizes for Our Listeners
Breathometer: Several of their Breeze – Smartphone breathalyzers
NewPotato Technologies:Classic Match Fooseball Turns your iPad into a fooseball table
Firefold:Ultra High Performance HDMI Switcher
NewerTech:Voyager Q – SATA Hard Drive docking solution