#190 - Playing safe on Facebook

Facebook members just passed the 500,000,000 mark. That's a lot of Friends! If you have joined or are considering joining Facebook here are my guidelines to keeping yourself safe and enjoying your friends.



1. Keep your Profile to the minimum information. Your Profile is seen by EVERYONE on Facebook. No phone numbers and I'd even tell you to be careful with your email address. I use an email address I don't use much . You can get a free email address (Yahoo or Gmail) to put there when you register.



2. Set your privacy settings to Friends Only for EVERYTHING. Click on Account from your Facebook home page then Privacy Settings. Choices are Everyone, Friends of Friends and Friends Only.

3. Protect your information from the people that post Ads on Facebook. Click on Accounts then Account Settings and the Facebook Ads tab. Make sure No One is in the box and Save.

4. Be careful what pictures you post. Its obvious but Don't post pictures that put you or someone else with at risk behaviour. If you get posted and tagged in a picture you don't like, first untag your picture (untag button below the picture), then ask whoever posted it to delete it.

5. I don't recommend joining any games. They get your information and they USE it. That's why the games are free. They get your info. Nuff Said.

6. Disable Facebook Apps. Again the apps can access your profile and more. To do this click on Account and Privacy Settings. Below Apps and Websites click on Edit your Settings, Click on Turn off all Platform Apps.

7. Post cautiously. Letting people know when you are away from home isn't the wisest move. Letting people know you are looking for a job while still empolyed also isn't wise. Posting during work when your post is TIME STAMPED is also a bit silly.

8. Friend ONLY people you know well. Friends of Friends should not cut your friends list. There is no prize for having the most friends.

#189 Android Apps and why apps are so hot

Apps stands for applications, which is a long/short way to say programs. I'm not sure why programs on phones/PDAs are called Apps, but they are and we'll just work with that. I'm also not sure why most apps cost less then $5.00. I'm not arguing for more expensive programs, but geez Bill Gates would only be Bazillionaire (Instead of a Trazillionaire) if Office only cost $5.00 for each program.

Well lets talk about Android apps, since I have an Android phone (Droid Pro) and have loaded up a bunch of free apps. The first one I downloaded was App Killer. It isn't easy to shut down apps in the Android system. App Killer does just that. Two clicks and most of the programs that are running on your phone are shut down. Seems silly that this wasn't part of the Android operating system.

I next downloaded Bar Code Scanner. This nifty app turns your phone in to a (surprise!) Bar code scanner. You can scan any bar code in on a product and the look up the price or information on that product. Very cool!

I've also downloaded two utility type apps: Free Dictionary is from the Dictionary.com people and does a nice job of what it should do. Google Translator is a very neat app that will Translate English words/phrases/Sentences to several other languages. It will also say the translation. So now in a foreign country you can type in what you want, translate it and then have your phone say it without an accent!

Lastly I have turned my phone in to an ebook reader. I downloaded Laputa reader after checking out the reviews. I've been pleased with this reader for ease of use and being able to access all the Gutenberg Projects free books. These books are out of copyright protection and include great classics as well as an interesting mix of turn of the 20th century popular fiction.

#188 - End of the Year - New Laptop, New Phone (again)

I hope the holidays have been enjoyable for you and your families. We are finally on a 7 day vacation from work, so what do I do? Its get the last blog in for the year!
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Lets start with the Droid Pro saga. My new Droid Pro (see last blog) died after 3 weeks. It went into what I call "The Black Screen of Death" and the only way out was to pull the battery. I bought my Droid Pro from WireFly.com and they were very courteous in helping me get it replaced. I sent it off on a Monday and had a brand new one back on Friday. That is part of their 30 day anything wrong warranty. I purchased an extended warranty for $69 that is now in effect for a year. When I got the new one, it was pretty easy to get it back up and running. Once I entered my GMAIL account info all my contacts and calendar were good to go. About half the apps were missing, but no problem to download them. I've added a few more and will talk about them in my next blog. The biggest problem with the Droid Pro is the battery. Depending on what you do during the day, it barely makes it through on one charge. I've ordered their larger battery so we'll see how that goes. I also miss some kind of mouse or pointer. If I need to edit something on the Pro I have to use a fingernail to point to the position in the word. My accuracy isn't the best.
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I will tell you I love the Droid operating system. The apps you can get for free do just about anything you can imagine and things you can't imagine (who thought up the Bar Code reader and pricer???) Interesting over 60% of Droid apps are free as opposed to 33% of iPhone apps being free. Now apps don't cost much ($2 is an expensive app), but if you are like me free is a better deal if the ads don't drive you crazy. I like being able to read my AOL & Gmail email on the run and I can see Facebook updates from just about anywhere.


I also sold my two oldest laptops and purchased a new Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 15" model. The ThinkPad series is very well built and they have great tech support (called about setting up Bluetooth on the laptop today and got through to a lady in Atlanta in less then 3 minutes). Here are the specs: Intel i3Core M370 2.4GHz processor, 4GB memory (though Windows 7 Pro 64 bit can only use 3.75GB) 320GB Hard Disk Drive, 15.6" 1366x768 display, 3USB ports, HDMI port, VGA port, DVD RW disk drive, 2Megapixel webcam, wireless & Bluetooth, fingerprint scanner and a spill resistant keyboard. If you want to buy one from PCSS the same model costs $649 through January 15.
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I was looking for a 15 inch screen laptop with HDMI (TV connector) and good resolution webcam. I was thinking the cost would be close to $1,000. but was very pleasantly surprised when I found the Thinkpad Edge series. They also make a 14 in version and lots of variations of processors, memory and hard drives. PCSS prices start at $499. So far I've been impressed with the design and features. We'll let you know about the reliability down the road.
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I talked about Windows 7 in the specs and wanted to elaborate about Windows 7 and memory. I had a good customer order a Desktop PC with Windows 7. He said he wanted 6 or 8GB of memory. He was surprised when I told him the Windows 7 limitations: Windows 7 64 bit can only use 3.75GB and Windows 7 32bit (less expensive) can only use 3.25GB of memory. Anything more is just wasted money at this point in time. I haven't had any speed issues with Windows 7 and 2GB of memory so that is what I recommend to most customers.
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See you in 2011, HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL!

187 - The new phone!

The new PCSS phone is in my hand. After all the technology thoughts and analysis I decided to stay with Verizon and get a Motoroloa Droid Pro. Here is how it came down. I looked at providers first. My choices in the Highlands are Verizon, nTelos and USCellular. AT&T, Sprint and Nextel just don't have enough local towers to be options. After looking at the plans ntelos really had the best deal.


Then I started looking at the phones. ntelos did not have an android phone with a real keyboard AND the latest Android operating system (2.2 FOYO). They had an old Motorola phone (the Milestone) that had a slow processor. This is why Verizon and AT&T continue to lead the cell phone market. Its all about the phones! I didn't want to get an already out of date phone with a contract. The other issue was the ntelos $35 per phone activation fee for new service. Stupid fee that discourages people from changing carriers. I thought the idea was to get new customers.


Verizon had LOTS of choices. After looking at all their android phones I picked the brand new Motorloa Droid Pro. This one had a keyboard at the bottom just like my existing Palm, but a very nice larger screen. Since I already had Verizon there were no extra charges other then the data plan that I would have to get with any smartphone.

So what are the + and - of the new phone after 2 weeks? I love having the Internet just about every where. I can check email, Facebook and sync my calendar without a cable. The negatives are the battery life really is poor on this phone. Looks like I'll have to spring for the bigger battery. Also I can't sync my contacts from outlook to the phone. Can't may not be the right word, I can do a manual copy but it isn't automatic or seamless like the calendar is. Seems odd that Google (the Android system owner) hasn't fixed this issue yet. The last negative is silly, but the phone takes about 1 minute to turn on. That's lots more then my old Palm, but people tell me typical of Droid system phones.


I'll report back after I get the new batter and have more time on the phone.

186 - Cell Phone decisions

Its been over 2 years since I got a new cell phone. My last cell phone got run over by a truck so I got the insurance on this cell phone and nothing happened! Of Course! I have Verizon service with a Palm Centro smartphone. I don't have Internet or text messaging. I use the phone as not only my mobile phone, but my contacts, calendar and data collection system. Most of those applications (apps) are by palm. The phone will also play music and I have a 4GB mini sd card for the music.

I'm giving you what I have before we take a look at decisions I'm contemplating. I hope by going over my decision making process it will help in your next cell phone selection.

I'm looking at a pretty big change this time. I'm going to add Internet and text messaging to my plan. I've seen a need in my business to have both of those features. Although my present Palm Centro can accommodate those features, the screen is so small that Internet doesn't show up so well. My choice really has two decision: 1. Will I stay with Verizon or will I go with a different wireless provider. 2. What phone platform will pick?

Verizon has been reliable and has coverage everywhere I go (except my home!). In the Alleghany Highlands the choices really are Verizon, ntelos and US Cellular. AT&T (and their attractive iPhone) has only one tower in the area so that is not a good option. Sprint, Nextel and other providers aren't in our area. We had US Cellular before Verizon and the coverage is spotty. Another issue is that their phones are always older models with few features.

ntelos is the new player in our area and I gave them a good look. Their plan for Cell, Text and Internet is actually a few dollars cheaper then Verizon. They also claim to have just as large of coverage area as Verizon. They partner with Sprint and Nextel to use their tower system. The kicker with ntelos is they charge a $35 per line (we have two) one time activation fee. So to encourage us to change to their system they want to charge me $70. Wow that's great marketing.

So I narrowed my choice down to Verizon and ntelos. The next step is to look at the phones. There are 3 platforms (or cell operating systems) that aren't Apple based (only AT&T has Apple). The platforms are Android (by Google), BlackBerry (by RIM) and Web OS (by Palm). Android is the largest seller of smart phone operating system (you've all heard the DROID ads!) It is an open system (that means anyone can write software for the systems) and has over 100,000 applications (apps). Blackberry is known for its email capabilities and web browser. The problem I have with Blackberry is I really dislike their sync program that transfers Outlook data to the phone. They also generally have small, lo resolution screens which is what I have on my existing phone. Web OS is the Palm (now owned by HP) cell system That is very easy to use and has 1,000 of apps that do most that you want. Its also very similar to the phone I have now.

So now I've narrowed my choices down to Android OS and Web OS. Given that criteria I then dropped ntelos. ntelos has no Web OS phones and only 2 Android OS phones. Of the 2 phones, one doesn't have a keyboard. I haven't found the screen only system that I can type on yet (maybe the iPhones). The last ntelos phone is a Motorola Milestone. An older (2 year old) phone with an older release of Android (2.0 vs the new 2.2). Not the most exciting phone out there. Verizon has tons of choices. They understand that cell phone choice is all about phone choices. They have 10 different phones with Android OS and 2 with web OS.

So for now, I've decided to stay with Verizon (no activation charges) and then pick from the multiple phone choices. I will say that HP (Palm) just announced a new phone from Verizon (the Palm Pre2) that I'll wait to see before I make my final choice.

#185 - New Browsers on the horizon

Microsoft unveiled the first beta (trial) version of Internet Explorer 9 last week. Firefox (version 4.0) & Google Chrome (Release 7.0) also have new versions coming out before the end of the year. Lets take a look at these new browsers (or at least at what they are supposed to look like).

First lets talk about what we want in a new browser. 1. I want it to be fast to open, fast to display a page, 2. I want the capability to block ads and pop ups. 3. I'd also would like it to protect me from Malware & Spyware. Lets see if any of these will be addressed in the updates.

IE 9 is all about speed. The Microsoft engineers are tired of Internet Explorer being the slowest browser out there. They've put all their attention on speeding it up. The interface is very minimalist - no menus, toolbars or other distractions. It looks alot like Google Chrome. In a reversal from all the other Internet Explorers this interface is bare bones. "The browser is the stage and the backdrop, but the website is the star of the show,” Microsoft general manager of Internet Explorer Dean Hachamovitch tells Wired.com. “ We think the browser should totally take a back seat to the sites.”

Most testing of IE 9 say its MUCH faster then IE 8. Good for Microsoft! (I'm still not sure they really listen). OK check on the first box. Unfortunately there is NO information on IE 9 addressing #2 or #3. Being able to block ads and security improvements are actually the most important for me. We'll see if they get added before IE 9 is finally release. And by the way IE9 does NOT support Windows XP; Windows Vista or 7 is required.

Firefox 4.0 is also in beta release. Firefox is also leaner meaner. They have minimized the interface but still added new features. Tabs have been moved to the top of the screen. An Awesome bar now holds tabs and tab navigation items. There is a new Firefox button that will hold all the main items like Print, Save, list your History, etc. There is a new APP tab that hold the sites you keep up all the time - Items like Internet radio stations, Webmail and weather sites can be permanently in the Browser. It appears faster then Firefox 3.6 so that is good. The Add-ins that protect you from ads, malware and slow downs will still be there. Check, Check and Check.
And note that Firefox works on all Windows, Linix AND Mac OSX.

Google Chrome 7.0 is mainly just a faster version of the current 6.0. Several more web standards have been added, but still not many Add ins or protection devices. 7.0 will have an "Incognito" mode that will not save where you have been or what you are doing on the web. so Check, no check, no check.

We'll have fun over the next 3 months playing with these new releases and give you the final verdict early in 2011!

#184 - Acting might not be a good career path

The growth of simulation animation has cut down on the number of acting roles in Hollywood. If it weren't for dubbed voices the future would indeed be very bleak. The use of Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) began with Toy Story (I guess #1) in 1995. This was the first movie COMPLETELY made by computer. Special effects had been using CGI for decades. Actually the first use of CGI was in the SciFi movie Westworld in 1973. The best of the CGI special effects came in Jurasic Park(1993) with those extra real looking dinosaurs terrorising real people on the screen seamlessly.

All the CGI was made possible by more powerful computers and in particular more powerful graphic processors used with those computers. The big CGI shops (Pixar for example) use banks of computers (computers tied together in a tight network) called a render farm in their graphic design. Thus the graphic load is spread out over many computers and not just one. The recent SHREK series, Toy Story series, Up and Finding Nemo are great CGI films that the characters in the films generate just as much emotions in their audience as real actors.

So when will the job of imperfect human actor end? Already you can have a virtual sales person for your business web site. No need to hire an actor, just go to the virtual actor site and pick out who (whom???) you like and type in their script. No mistakes to worry about and they are all cosmetically perfect. Finding perfect simulated actors for your next script can't be far behind. If my son or daughter announced they were thinking about being an actor, I might ask them if they wouldn't rather be a blacksmith or buggy whip salesman....

#183 - Things you should know about Technology today

Did you know that you don't have to type www. any more in the address bar of your browser? Starting with Internet Explorer 7 and Firefox 3 you don't have to waste that precious time. Just type in pcss4u.com and off you go!

Did you know that only 3% of PC infections now come from email attachments? Most of the infections now come from links in email or on a website. They can mostly be classified as malware or spyware. That's why its important to have more then just a basic antivirus protecting your computer. PCSS likes AVG antivirus & antispyware. Only $39 for 2 years of protection.

Did you know that the built in Windows Media Player does not normally play DVDs? Not until the latest version (11) were the coders put into Windows Media Player to play commercial DVDs. PCSS recommends the free VLC (VideoLan Client) software to play ALL types of media on PCs and Macs.

Unlike on your PC, when you delete a file on a flash drive, it really does disappear. Actually PCSS can recover some flash drive deletions, but it certainly doesn't go to the recycle bin. That reminds me to ask: Have you emptied your recycle bin recently? Run the Windows Disk Clean up utility to clean out your PC (Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Clean up).

Did you know that in most programs holding down the CTRL and Z keys means Undo? Try it next time you make a boo boo. Another helpful short cut is the CTRL and F key to start the Find function.

Did you know that Laser Printers are MUCH cheaper then InkJet printers in the long haul? Even though they cost more up front, Laser Printers will quickly be cheaper to operate per printed page.

Do you know the difference between Reply and Reply All in email? Do you know how to do a blind copy (no one can see who is the blind copy recipient)? Did you know that you should NEVER attach files larger then 5MB in size? (most Internet providers have limits and filters) Just ask Nick if you aren't sure about these items.

The only way to truly delete items from your computer is to put zeros in all the "empty" places. PCSS uses a program called File Shredder that uses a Defense Department algorithm to really delete information.

#182 How small can computers go?

Since the advent of the netbook, I've stated to many customers that I believe the netbook will be the smallest computer you can actually use until speech recognition technology gets alot better. Why no smaller? Its the keyboard. Anything smaller then a netbook and you can't touch type. You can thumb it in or peck and poke, but not type. Now typing may become a thing of the past, but as of July 2010 speech recognition just doesn't' work.

Many of you have seen/heard the infuriating commercials with the person calling a service center and having their words garbled by a computer answering system. "Did you say you want to buy a compactor?" When you are looking for a laptop. Now when speech recognition actually works then you'll be able to have the computer a size of a button. It's the input (keyboard/mouse) and output (monitor & printer) that are the most limiting in computer size. I just set up an iMac desktop computer at a local office and the size of the keyboard was that same minimum size of a typical netbook.

I know I'm amazed at the ever decreasing size of phones and the tremendous amount of capability they have. They now have so many features that computers have and many that they don't! GPS, music player, camera, book reader, database, calendar and on and on. I was amazed the other day when a person with an iphone showed me how to use it as a bar code scanner. They picked up an item in a store, scanned the bar code and immediately could look up the product for reviews, pricing and more information then you possibly could use. I certainly use my phone for way more then a phone. It has my schedule, contacts and a couple of neat games. It can translate several languages and connect to the Internet for information searches.

A complete computer computational power can now be on one chip. The input/output devices are what makes the computer large. I've seen demostrations of computers built in to clothing, sunglasses, pet collars even a tiny surveilance camera. How small can they make them? I guess we will soon see (or not!).

#181 The new Mac mini!

The new mac mini has arrived at PCSS. We got our first mac mini in 2006. We have used it as our Internet device (browsing all over without fear) and as the home of our music and movie collections. Four years later and we were ready for a bigger hard drive, fast processor and the new Apple operating system Snow Leopard. There was nothing really wrong with the old one. So we have re-purposed it by reformatting the hard drive and installing just the essential programs. In fact we are typing this update on the old mini.

After healing a computer for the 3rd time this year, a customer asked if I ever get malware infections. The simple answer was no. I do the vast majority of my Internet work on the Mac Mini. I do email on my PCs (laptops and desktop) when I am home but that is about it. No Mac has ever been infected as of today.

So what else is new about the mini? Its shorter, a bit wider and has several new ports on the back side. Here is the rear and from left to right we have power, Ethernet, firewire, HDMI, mini display adapter, 4 USB ports, SDXC memory card reader, microphone & speaker ports. The top, 2 sides and front are brushed aluminum. The bottom actually opens up so you can easly upgrade the memory (yeah). Unfortunately Apple has filled all the memory slots so you have to remove memory to upgrade (boo).

We purchased the basic model. Intel 2.4GHz Intel Duo Core processor with 2GB of memory, 320GB hard disk drive, NVIDIA GeForce 320m graphics (Hi Def!), DVD burner (no blue-ray), Built in wireless & Bluetooth. Minis don't come with keyboards, mice or displays, so you can use any USB keyboard or mouse. It comes with a DVI adapter for display, but if you are like me and don't have a DVI display, you have to purchase the VGA adapter. Cost was $699 for the Mini and $29 for the display adapter.

We moved all our music and movies without much trouble. We are waiting for an HDMI cable to attach it to our flat panel TV. Plans are to get the AVATAR DVD to watch and see how we like that aspect of the Mini.

Let me know if you have comments or questions about this remarkable little PC!