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November 2007
Be cooler than a cat on Christmas morning
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There you sit on Christmas morning. The cat has turned over the tree. Half the gadgets you bought as gifts don’t work. And you forgot to get batteries for little Alex’s Wild World Alien Helmet.
Merry Christmas.
I can’t help with the cat, but I can - in many cases from personal experience - warn you away from some of the high-tech gotchas that can turn a fine Christmas morning into a frantic mess. Stay with me today and I’ll save you some pain.
Electronic toys and gizmos that require assembly top my list of potential trouble spots. The first thing to understand is that some of these things are packed in a haphazard manner - sometimes with a key component left out.
So my first bit of advice: If any of your gifts are in the “easy assembly” category, open the package before you wrap it. You’ll usually find a list of components in the assembly instructions. Make sure everything on it is in the box. Then return everything to the box and wrap it up.
The next pitfall comes when the yet-to-be-assembled device is unwrapped. In my house, wrapping and boxes litter the floor within the first few minutes of the gifting frenzy. It’s easy for instruction manuals, small components and rebate coupons to be discarded. So keep a good watch out. Provide an empty box or other safe place for instruction manuals and the like.
Next lets talk about an affliction that seems to hit even those who normally are cautious and precise.
Here’s what happens: The new computer (or talking robot, or printer) has just been unpacked. Everyone has spent a few moments admiring it. Now, there is a herdlike rush to get it up and running.
You tell yourself you are practically a genius when it comes to putting things together so there’s no need for the manual. But there’s something about doing all this in a hurry - perhaps with an admiring audience - that invites mistakes. And your new computer’s set-up may be a bit different than your old one’s. So consider reading the manual before Christmas morning. If that would spoil the surprise, then force yourself to read through the entire manual before you start the set-up process.
Even when you’ve done that, slow down and carefully consult the illustrations in the manual that identify the various ports and connection points if you’re setting up a new computer. Mark any sections of the manual that are unclear. If you don’t understand something, use a Web site or knowledgeable friend to clear up confusion before you go further.
Finally, during the actual set-up, follow each step exactly. If the gadget - computers don’t fall into this category - has a long series of assembly instructions, check off each step as it is completed.
My final tip applies to devices that need a battery. There’s a rule that goes something like this: If a device needs four AA batteries, you’ll only have three. Or, if it needs AAA batteries you’ll only have the AA size. So make sure you have the right batteries and enough of them.
Next week: How to keep cats away from the tree.
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Simply fix it
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A buddy of mine got a frantic call from his wife one night. She was stranded in the car, which wouldn’t start.
Unfortunately, my friend Jim is a fine amateur mechanic. You’ll see why that’s unfortunate shortly. He drove to the stranded car, armed with most every Craftsman tool ever made.
Before the night was over he had checked everything. He was sweaty, frustrated and covered in grease.
As he sat in the car trying to start it one last time, he happened to look at the gas gauge. It was on empty. Maybe if he’d known a little less, he would have checked the gas gauge instead of attacking that poor Toyota with a wrench. Jim’s knowledge led him instead to the most complicated solutions.
Computers, like cars, often develop symptoms that lead a person to think that the problem is more serious than it is. I ought to know. On one occasion I came close to replacing a hard disk when the problem was really just a $2 battery.
That battery protects a desktop computer’s memory of things such as the time of day or the status of hard disks and DVD drives. When the battery goes out, your computer can become convinced it no longer has a hard disk.
Today we’ll talk about some of the frightening symptoms that can make a person believe they’re hearing the death rattle of a computer.
Let’s start with a familiar symptom, the mechanical clank. If you’ve been around computers a little while, you may know that a hard disk often makes such a sound as it fails. But other clanks are a lot less serious.
So if you hear one, check the computer’s fan. Blades can get out of whack and hit the wire screen that protects them. In most cases you can simply press out on the screen so that the blades no longer hit it. Problem fixed.
Another frightening moment comes when you turn your computer on and have no Internet connection. You brace yourself for the horrors of calling your Internet services tech support. Even when you run into a good tech support person, it’s still a long, drawn-out procedure.
But many connection problems can be fixed by simply powering down the modem - whether it’s an old dial-up model, one for DSL or one for cable service. If it has a switch, click it off. If it doesn’t, simply pull the power plug. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and turn it back on.
Most times this will re-establish the connection. That’s because it forces your modem to go through a procedure called handshaking with the modem on the other end. That really means that the two modems get in sync and are able to talk again.
Since we are talking about easy fixes, I have to mention one that covers a variety of perceived problems. If something goes wrong, make sure that everything is plugged in and turned on.
One of my earliest high-tech memories at this newspaper - back before we had a sophisticated tech support group - was in the dial-up modem days. I was already writing the tech column, so it was natural that I got a call from an editorial writer who was having trouble connecting with a dial-up modem.
Sure enough, when I tried to connect, nothing happened. As I examined the computer and modem, I noticed that the wire from the modem to the telephone jack wasn’t plugged in.
As with the car with an empty gas tank, no amount of fixing would have helped, but checking the basics first saved a lot of trouble. I know this is really basic stuff for many of you. But the more you know about computers, the more likely you are to be tripped up by something simple.
Just like my friend Jim, people with a good bit of knowledge have a human impulse to want to use it … even when it isn’t necessary.
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I’m dreaming of Christmas toys
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m giving toys this Christmas whether my family likes it or not.
All this may come as a surprise to my mom. My brother the physician may not know what to think for a change, but that’s the way it will be.
Why toys? Well, this is the time of the year for gifts that turn the oldest of us into children. There’s a just-right feeling in unwrapping something that isn’t remotely useful and can only be used for fun.
Maybe all this is an over-reaction by me since - despite my yearnings - I spend Christmas mornings unwrapping socks, sweaters, khaki pants and the occasional sports jacket.
What I really want is something that blinks, squawks or runs around mindlessly in circles - sort of like what my Uncle Rod used to do at holiday parties.
So bear with me today while I wrap up some of my toy yearnings.
We’ll start with a rocket ship. Not only does it fly - topping 1,000 feet - it takes video or digital still images while making the trip.
My choice is the Estes Astrovision Video Rocket available from this Web site. You’ll pay $80.25 - admittedly costlier than a fireworks rocket - but this missile uses reusable rocket engines (a pack of three is just under $10). Little assembly is required and, hey, the sky is the limit.
You’ll get the software needed to download your video or still pictures to a laptop computer. One thing to note: the camera stores its work on memory chips that can’t hold data for long periods, so you’ll need to take the laptop to the launching.
While we’re up in the air, let me recommend the Micro Mosquito. You won’t need bug repellent. Instead, you get a tiny radio controlled helicopter that can do extraordinary aerial dances.
This isn’t the sort of craft to take outside - just a breath of wind sends it tumbling - but think of the fun of watching it take off from the dining table and flying to the top of the Christmas tree. Now that’s a toy!
You’ll find it at Radio Shack for $69.95. It’s Model 61081.
The next toy on my list will stir up some controversy. When it comes to video game consoles, folks get down right ugly. But my choice is the Nintendo Wii. It’s not the most powerful of the competing consoles but I think it does the best job of appealing to all ages and sexes.
The controller is unlike any you’ve seen. Simply waving it around can cause action on the screen. Don’t stand next to someone during an action packed moment - you risk losing a tooth.
It may be a little hard to find. Amazon was out of stock the day I looked. Using an online search - and depending on how the system is bundled with controllers and games - you will pay a bit over $400 for it.
I’m now going to include a toy I would like to find under the tree. Some of you may quibble about whether it’s a toy - after all it is educational - but there’s no law that says toys can’t be.
It comes from Meade and is called mySKY. You point mySKY at an object in the night sky, like sighting through a rifle scope, then click the trigger. The gadget tells you about that object in the sky using sound and video on its LCD screen. It’s pricey at $399, but you can console yourself with the knowledge it is an educational gadget that is likely to be used for years.
You can find it on the Meade Web site here.
It wouldn’t be a holiday without a game and, when it comes to games that can be played on the PC, I have a clear favorite. I’ve played this series of games for more than two years now so you can tell I think it’s a winner.
The series is called Guild Wars. There are several games in the series and you buy them separately. The newest of the standalone games is called Guild Wars Nightfall. There’s also an expansion pack - you must own one of the standalone games to use it - called Eye of the North. You- l pay about $50 for Nightfall and $40 for Eye of the North. Most stores will have it, or you can buy it at the company’s Web site here.
These games are played online - so you need an Internet connection, preferably a high speed one. But unlike so many other online games, you don’t pay a monthly fee.
If you buy one of the Guild Wars games, look me up online. Since it’s a combat game I may kill you, but - with my skills - you’ll probably kill me. My game name is Just Axe Me.
OK. That’s today’s list of toys. For those grouches out there who insist on useful high tech gifts, I’ll soon oblige. But meantime, leave me with my dreams.
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Not another gift list - really
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The holiday season seems to start earlier every year. For instance, there are already department store Santas hard at work here in Atlanta.
So you don’t need to be a psychic to predict that I’ll be writing soon about high tech holiday gifts. But not just yet. Today we’ll talk about the holidays, but we’ll leave gifts for another day.
That’s because there are things you need to do to prepare for the season that do not involve buying iPods, telescopes, laptop computers and high-tech toys.
Batteries
Boy, you’re going to need them.
Most of us use digital cameras now and this is definitely picture taking season. Many families will also need batteries for holiday gifts. I think of the battery as one of the most important - yet unsung - heroes of high tech any time of the year. But it is especially true now.
Pick up several large packs of AA and AAA batteries. I’m suggesting the regular alkaline batteries since they have an excellent shelf life. If you store them unused they easily last a year and manufacturers claim shelf lives of up to three years.
Also, buy alkaline batteries for flashlights and fluorescent camping lanterns since, besides joy, the season also brings the possibility of ice storms that take down power lines.
If you already have rechargeable batteries make sure that they still take a good charge. As you have undoubtedly learned, rechargeables eventually die. If you don’t have rechargeable batteries, then it’s a good idea to buy some in both AA and AAA sizes as well as a recharger.
Keep in mind that rechargeables are fine for digital cameras and even toys. But they should never be used in a smoke alarm (they don’t hold a charge long enough) and they’re poor choices for other high tech devices that draw tiny amounts of current.
For instance, don’t use a rechargeable battery in a TV remote control (you’ll spend too much time removing and charging the batteries) or in a high tech thermostat like the one in my home that uses three AA batteries. For those uses, dig into your pack of alkaline batteries.
Digital cameras
This is also the time of year when your camera will get a workout. And that time starts well before Christmas morning. Invitations to the first parties and gatherings, at least among the folks I know, are already being sent out.
So this is a good time to make sure your camera is in good working condition. And, for the few and the lucky who can afford to spend a little extra money this year, it’s a good time to consider replacing digital cameras that are more than two years old.
In the last couple of years, the quality and reliability of digital cameras has zoomed up. If you have an old camera and can afford to replace it, do it now. By getting it now you’ll have time to get used to the way it works and do a better job of taking pictures of special moments.
A life-saving suggestion
There’s a ritual around my house, tied to this time of the year, that makes great sense. During the fall we replace all the batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Tying the replacements to a season makes it easier to remember.
And since many tragic fires occur during the winter, it’s important that these detectors be in good working order.
You’ll notice that I mentioned a carbon monoxide detector. Out-of-whack heating units can produce deadly carbon monoxide. It’s important that you get your heating system checked.
But it’s also essential that you install a good carbon monoxide detector - the stakes are too high to ignore this. You’ll find them in most stores that sell fire detectors, such as places like Home Depot, Lowes and other home centers.
That’s it for today. If you were yearning for some gift notions, don’t worry. With these preliminaries out of the way there’ll be plenty of time for me to come up with some great lists.
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Grisoft vs. Norton
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A few readers have left comments wondering if I have stopped recommending Grisoft’s free anti-virus program in favor of Norton Anti-Virus.
First, the short answer, then the explanation.
No.
In fact, I use Grisoft’s free AVG at home - I do that even though I get free demo copies of Grisoft’s commercial (for pay) anti-virus as well as Norton.
In every case I can remember I have recommended Grisoft’s free AVG. There have been a few times when I’ve expressed my admiration for Grisoft’s product and then added - for readers who prefer a commercial program for whatever reason - that Norton makes a fine anti-virus product. That’s true it does. I have had - as have some of my readers - complaints about Norton’s customer service and tech support. But the program itself is rock solid.
One reason for the reader confusion is that I recommended Norton Security’s commercial firewall - not the anti-virus - in a recent column. I do think it’s worth considering and also think it’s superior to the free firewalls that come with Windows XP and Windows Vista.
Now back to anti-virus programs for a moment.
For those readers who need anti-virus protection for more than one home computer: Keep in mind that the license for the free Grisoft anti-virus is for one computer and the user agreement specifically says it is not meant for several networked computers. In that case you are asked to buy the commercial version of Grisoft.
Both Grisoft and Norton offer versions designed to be licensed to more than one computer. The price for a 5-user pack is close to the same from both companies.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Viruses, spam, adware, etc.
Cat boxes and a few out-of-the-box gadgets
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
My job brings me in contact with plenty of high tech gadgets - including one responsible for my late cat Buddy’s nervous breakdown.
Blame a robotic cat box cleaner. Buddy sure did. The device had metal rakes that cleaned the surface after the cat’s visit. Electronic sensors told it when to rake and when to leave the cat alone.
The trouble started when the box started its cleaning process before Buddy finished his process. Long after the incident Buddy would sit and watch the cat box, silently plotting.
Happily, the cat box was soon moved to the basement and Buddy lived years more.
Not all electronic gizmos are so fiendish. Some actually deliver on promises made on a Web site or on the box. And in light of the psychic damage the bad ones can do, today we’ll sing a few praises of the ones I’ve had that are worth welcoming into your home.
Topping my list is a desktop weather station from Brookstone. At first it seemed like a high-tech novelty that would soon find a final resting place in a junk drawer.
But it offers the current temperature, projected high and low for the day and the forecast at a glance, and not a day passes when I don’t give it a look. Unlike weather stations that require wireless or wired sensors in the yard, this gadget gets weather information using its built-in receiver. There’s no installation required, just add batteries and go.
It senses your location automatically and the small screen offers a 5-day forecast that has been at least as accurate as what we get from other sources.
Brookstone carries this device in its online catalog at http://www.brookstone.com. Look for the 5-Day Wireless Weather Forecaster priced at $85.
Next is something I wish I didn’t need - a wireless home security system to detect prowlers.
Most home security systems, especially those that are monitored, can sound an alarm if someone breaks into your home. But this system warns you while the prowler is still outside.
I bought The Reporter Expandable Wireless Alert System from the online Radio Shack catalog. It comes with a receiver and a wireless sensor that can warn of movement in your yard, in a garage or carport or on a patio. I paid $80 for the system (Catalog No. 49-429) and another $50 for a second wireless sensor (the receiver can handle four remote sensors).
I worried it would buzz constantly as trees waved in wind, or as my beagle moved about the yard. But in about a month of constant operation there has only been one false alarm.
The only downside is the unit’s cheap plastic appearance. Some assembly is required but once you decipher the instructions, it is a five minute job.
My interest in the next item was sparked by an online review of a gadget that will hit the market in 2008 from the Swiss Army Knife company.
It’s a cooler made for laptop computers. You place a laptop computer on top of it and built-in cooling fans keep the laptop from overheating.
Laptop computers - unlike desktop models - are not designed to run 24/7. They get hot to the touch if left on constantly and that heat can eventually hurt the circuitry. With the growing trend to use a laptop as a family’s main computer, many laptops are left on for hours if not constantly.
The Swiss Army Knife product isn’t on the market yet but there are other laptop coolers available now.
You needn’t buy one. Just pick up a cake cooling rack and rest your laptop computer on it. The heat from the bottom of the laptop creates air currents beneath the rack and that ventilates and cools the computer. It’s not as efficient as a fan but offers enough protection for most laptops.
That’s my take on some useful home gadgets. It’s my firm opinion that Buddy would approve of them all.
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