Your Tech Life – Radio Show #15 (4 February 2010)

Thanks to everyone who listened, and to all the callers.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

(Right Click Here (Save As) to download as Mp3)

CLICK HERE to Subscribe using iTunes

Your Tech Life #15 – Show Notes

CALLER:Kristine – Going overseas in a few months, looking for advice on a laptop/netbook to buy – Kristine has a digital camera so would like to take the Memory card directly out of the camera and into the laptop.

I suggest Kristine gets a Netbook – 10 inch in screen size.  Anything smaller has a really small keyboard, which makes typing a bit difficult.

CALLER:Ian – Has Bigpond wireless broadband, lives in newcastle and it seems painfully slow.

I asked Ian if he had a Telstra Mobile also, and he does, which gets good reception.  The speed issue is not entirely recent.

I suggest Ian checks his usage – make sure if you have used your allowance of data, it might be then slowing your connection down..

I will ask our friends at Telstra to contact Ian and confirm his usage and to investigate the problem.

Also suggest Ian visits http://www.speedtest.net

CALLER:Graham – Also has a speed issue with his Telstra Cable Internet.  Graham has a cable connection, with a WiFi modem.

Suggest Graham try a direct cable connection not just WiFi, that will confirm if the issue is WiFi or the speed of the modem connection.

I will also refer Graham to Telstra BigPond to see if they can investigate (NEED Graham to email me his details please!).

CALLER:Roger – Suggested the earlier callers with Bigpond should check their billing cycle – if the speed is good around billing time its most likely a usage limit.

Roger mainly rang with a Complaint about his Printer – seems to struggle to get a local customer service call from the Manufacturer, and has had the same problem with the same make and model of printer on four separate units.  I will put Roger in touch with the manufacturer locally to try and solve his problem.

CALLER:Carol – Is buying a customised Computer, Intel  i5, but has not chosen a new monitor yet.  There are always references to problems with monitors when Carol Googles different Models.

I suggest Carol gets an LCD, Widescreen, and 24 inch, assuming that’s within her budget.  Also consider two 22 inch monitors.

With regard brand, its all about reputation and your own feeling.   Recommend HP, Samsung, Sony.  And, get an extended warranty.

CALLER:Simon (15.54) – Has just purchased a 55 inch Samsung LED TV – which he loves.  Simon has a DVD Stereo system.  When playing DVD’s, Simon gets full surround sound.  However when he tries to get FOXTEL or Free To Air TV through the external speakers he has no luck.

Simon is using HDMI to connect his DVD System, however this is one way – from the DVD out to the TV.

Foxtel and Free to air need to come OUT of the TV into the DVD System.  Simon should use the OPTICAL OUT of the TV and similarly the OPTICAL IN of the DVD System.

CALLER:John – Called last week trying to download YouTube videos onto USB.  John followed my instructions last week, however is still having some difficulty even viewing YouTube in Firefox.  John Needs to use Firefox from the start, instead of Internet Explorer.

CALLER:Paul (20.30)– Bought a top of the line MacBook Pro, and the screen died.  Was told by the Apple centre that there was a known issue with the screen on the unit and that it should be covered by warranty even though he is out of warranty.  However, the actual error code the Apple technicians got was a different error, and it was no longer covered by warranty.  The repair looks like costing $2050!

I suggest this is a great reason to get Extended Warranty – avoid some of these problems.  However, if Paul sends me an email, I will get the good people at Apple to triple check the quote Paul has been given.

Live Commercial for Bing Lee – Offering a 127cm LG plasma TV – Full HD  WITH a built in Personal Video Recorder.  For the first 100 customers, and remember this ad was on the 4^th February 2010!

CALLER:Paul – Has a problem with his external hard drive.  When he tries to ‘remove it safely’ gets a message ‘page open’.  I suggest, particularly with Hard Drives that you unplug them when the computer is OFF – absolute guarantee of the safety of your data.  Unplugging Hard Drives while they are connected in any sense runs the risk of some data loss.

Email from Daniel – who is running Windows 7 64 Bit and only 2GB of Ram, wants to know if he should get 3GB.  I suggest he gets 4GB! Especially as he’s running high intense software like Photoshop.  However, be warned, no point upgrading the RAM if the Processor itself can’t do any more than it is.

Norton 360 – I was fortunate enough to get a tour of the 888 Racing Headquarters today, by Champion Jamie Whincup.  All thanks to Symantec who flew me to Brisbane to promote the new Verison 4 of Norton 360.  Thanks to Symantec, Jamie Whincup and the team at 888 Racing for the Tour!

CALLER: Sandro (29.40) – Calling regarding the earlier caller regarding the Samsung LED TV – Sandro confirmed that Simon does need to use the Optical out to get his audio out of the TV and into his Hi-Fi system.

Sandro also commented that he cannot play video files off the USB you can plug in – I suggested Sandro try again, because I myself have watched Videos on a USB stick direct on the Samsung LED

CALLER:Caroline – Her mum lives on her own in a rural type area, wants to know which phone to try.

I suggest Caroline trys a Telstra shop, and gets a BLUE TICK phone which is their best reception in regional areas.  Better still, get the COUNTRY PHONE, the ugliest phone on the market, but fantastic reception.

CALLER:Lenny – Regarding removing external hard drive, Lenny was suggesting people use the ‘Safely remove hardware icon’ which our earlier caller was doing, however I still think the absolute safest way is to remove hard drives when the computer is off.

iiNet – congrats to iiNet who won the case brought against them by the big Movie Studios – The Federal Court found they had done nothing more than provided an internet service.

CALLER:Kathy – Called last week with a problem with her Nokia E71 not pairing with her Navman.

Brett from Nokia called Kathy several times and the problem is now sorted!

CALLER:Danny – Left his wife’s laptop out on the kitchen bench, and their young daughter took the keys off the keyboard and has broken the clips that lock them back in.  Sadly, there isn’t much you can do, it is a replacement required..

Steve, just moved from Sydney up to the Central Coast. Near to a power station, wants to get Wireless Broadband.  Has no phone line setup, so one option is to get Naked DSL, which is Broadband but without a phone account.   With regard wireless, if the mobile phone works, the wireless broadband will work, so all should be spot on.

CALLER:Jo – One of her sons bought a computer 4 years ago which has had ongoing Hard Drive problems.

Unfortunately there is little we can do now, however I again recommend the extended warranty  when buying.  As for the particular issue, it could be the drive was over-used, who knows what the kids were up to! But sounds like a lot of bad luck!

Jo also has an Analogue TV, but has a Standard Definition Set top box – wants to know if she can watch all the new channels – simple answer yes.

CALLER: Jimmy – has a new LG Tv which can connect to the internet, but Jimmy has not set that up.  I suggest Jimmy simply connect the TV direct to the Router.  I’d suggest Jimmy try a range boosting Antenna to boost the reception around the TV.