March 8, 2010
iPAD ASPECT RATIO
Apple has a new TV ad for the iPad that appears to be deliberately deceptive.
One of the strangest choices for the Apple iPad was its shape – nearly square, like an iPod or an old-fashioned TV, instead of widescreen, taller and narrower, like an iPhone or a widescreen TV. The proportions of an old TV or CRT monitor are 4:3 – almost square. A new widescreen TV or monitor is proportioned like a movie screen, usually 16:9. The screen on the iPhone is not quite true widescreen (it’s somewhere in between 4:3 and 16:9), but one […] continued
February 15, 2010
WINDOWS PHONE 7 SERIES
If you read gadget sites like Engadget or Gizmodo, then you already know that the world changed today when Microsoft unveiled the “Windows Phone 7 Series,” the next generation of its software for cell phones and a serious attempt to break up the iPhone monopoly on cool handheld devices. Readers of those sites found out that western civilization has finally reached its fruition and mankind is likely to evolve into a higher form of life.
The attention span on those web sites runs about three weeks, so chances are they’ll be distracted by something else shiny […] continued
February 9, 2010
MICROSOFT FLOUNDERS
Windows 7 is a staggering achievement. Microsoft delivered exactly the right product at the right time and will completely dominate desktop computing for the foreseeable future.
Microsoft shows no signs of being able to do anything similar in any of the other areas that will be important to consumers and small businesses in the next ten years.
At some point in the next few months, Microsoft will roll out revamped versions of its Windows Live family – Hotmail, Messenger, Skydrive, and the main Windows Live portal. Some screenshots have leaked but very little information has been […] continued
February 4, 2010
WHO WILL BUY THE APPLE iPAD?
Who’s going to buy an Apple iPad?
Well, not you or me, anyway – not this version, not at $600-800.
It’s not going to revolutionize anything, it’s not going to replace netbooks, but it will find large and devoted audiences, particularly after the price drops and some features get added. It’s easy to imagine version 2 or 3 with the built-in camera that ought to have been there all along, and with the GPS receiver that is driving the most interesting uses of the iPhone. More importantly, a couple of years from now the low-end version of the […] continued
January 20, 2010
UPDATES
I’ve prepared a list of computer safety tips for years. Over time, the advice to keep critical programs up to date has moved to the top spot on the list. You don’t have to spend all your time reading technology news but you do have to be able to identify which reminders are legitimate when they pop up from the system tray.
There’s a weird news story to illustrate why updates are important: the entire network of computers at the University of Exeter has been locked down and taken offline for days because a virus has […] continued
January 19, 2010
COMPUTER SAFETY 2010
Here’s an updated list of ways to be safe and secure with your computer.
Install updates from Microsoft promptly. Look in the lower right corner for the gold shield (WinXP) or update icon (Win7/Vista).
Install updates to Acrobat, Flash, Java, and Quicktime promptly. Each will alert you from the lower right corner.
- An easy and safe way to keep up with updates: visit Secunia Online Inspector once a month and follow its suggestions.
Install antivirus software and keep it up to date.
Know the name of your antivirus software. If you get a security
[…] continued
November 13, 2009
J RIVER MEDIA CENTER 14
What software do you use to listen to music on a computer?
Most people use iTunes. A few lonely folks have gotten the new Zune HD and use its software. Still others use Windows Media Player. All of them are just fine. They’re very attractive and they handle basic functions to help you buy and listen to music. If they make you happy, don’t change!*
Some of you are outgrowing those programs.
If you’ve accumulated a large music library, you’ve probably realized that iTunes and the others are terrible at handling collections of more than a few hundred […] continued
September 20, 2009
SMARTPHONE RECAP
Lots of people are buying cell phones to read and respond to email on the road. It makes a difference what kind of email account you have! Some phones are better than others for particular situations. I’ve written about this before but it bears repeating.
If you work in a small business and your mail is run by Exchange Server, you should only consider a phone running Windows Mobile software, or an iPhone.
Windows Mobile phones are made by several manufacturers and sold by every carrier. They have a Windows logo and a Start button in the upper
[…] continued
September 17, 2009
WINDOWS 7 FOR STUDENTS
Microsoft has had aggressive prices for college students for years. Today it announced that college students can buy Windows 7 Home Premium for $29.99.
It’s all part of the marketing that is ramping up for the Windows 7 launch on October 22. It’s probably not a coincidence that the deal for students was announced shortly after Apple picked the same price, $29, for the “Snow Leopard” service pack that was released with great fanfare three weeks ago. Windows 7 is getting a warm response from almost everyone who tries it; it may be a good […] continued
August 31, 2009
LICENSE TIP FOR WINDOWS UPGRADES
When I upgraded my office computer to Windows 7, I installed a new hard drive and left the original hard drive in the case as a second drive. That’s the easiest way to make sure that no files are left behind during the upgrade, since they can be copied into place from the old drive.
It also makes it easier to handle last-minute glitches. When I needed quick access to the system as it was before the upgrade, I could accomplish that in just a few seconds: I shut down the computer, unplugged the SATA cable from the new […] continued
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