Consumer Electronics Questions

Answer:

Cell phone companies measure network speeds with a unit of measurement called a "Gadzooks," which they abbreviate as simply "G". The idea is that on really fast (or "4G") networks, the average user is likely to exclaim "Gadzooks! Look at that phone go!" roughly 4 times per day, compared to only blurting that 3 times in a day if using a slower (or "3G") phone.

Not buying it? Fine. Then "G" really stands for "Generation," as in the third generation ("3G") of wireless technology. Phone companies talk about "3G networks", meaning that they improved (or built new) cellular networks using the third generation of wireless standards.

A simplified description of a cellular network focuses on two parts. The local link is the wireless connection from your phone to the nearest base station (or “site”), which typically sits atop a building or tower. The backhaul is the connection from the base station to the phone company’s core network (or “backbone”). Your phone has a local link to the cell tower, and the tower has a backhaul connection to the rest of the world. See http://bit.ly/9Ib9u2 for an illustration.

The Big Four – AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon – enhance your phone experience by improving the local link connection, or by upgrading the backhaul, or both. This results in some combination of faster downloads, better call quality, and fewer dropped calls.

The first generation of wireless technology (“1G”) was introduced in the early 80s, when fancy-pants Wall Street bankers carried around those now-comical brick-sized mobile phones or had them sitting in little bags in their DeLoreans. These used analog local links and digital backhauls.

The term “1G” was retroactively assigned to this technology in the early 90s, when 2G advanced and the local links were also made digital. This lead to the introduction of text messages and phone-based e-mail.

Right on schedule, 3G tech hit the market about ten years later. This meant faster data rates and streaming video. The introduction of simultaneous voice and data traffic made videoconferencing possible.

The 4G standards are so new that 4G networks have only been rolled out in a few places around the country, but The Big Four are planning to expand 4G coverage over the next few years.

There are two types of 4G networks: WiMax (“Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access”) and LTE (“Long Term Evolution”). Clearwire (clearwire.com) has a partially-established WiMax network, and Sprint partnered with them to reach 4G status first. AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon announced upcoming support for LTE, with Verizon slated to deploy it first (later this year). See http://bit.ly/dlqt5Y and http://bit.ly/cW5k00 for details.

“Fourth-generation” means faster web browsing and gaming, smoother video chat and mobile TV, fewer dropped calls, and the introduction of streaming HDTV. Currently, the only phone in the US that supports 4G is the HTC EVO 4G on the Sprint network (reviewed at http://bit.ly/bJhlss).

You might also hear about 2.5G and 3.5G technology. These refer to transitional improvements in 2G and 3G networks (usually in the local link) that did not require major backhaul upgrades. It was 2.5G that gave us multimedia messaging (text messages with picture attachments) and web browsing. Most newer phones are marketed as 3.5G phones.

Now that you can understand cell phone advertisements, check out our blog at http://bit.ly/dcP9Ej for heaps more links on the topic.


Join us next time, when we discuss the unit of measurement for computer processors, the “Golly Heck-zounds!”, abbreviated “GHz.”

Answer:

Apple, Steve Jobs, and his minions are keen to marginalize any technology that doesn’t come out of Cupertino as old and outdated. Apple goes a long way to make you feel stupid if you buy from anyone else. Apple is impressive, especially cultivating their hip status for a 34-year-old tech company. But that smugness and the high cost of their solutions can be hard to take.

Apple’s techo-junk has their share of problems too. I am speaking of their 3G network issues (thanks Ma Bell), their iPhone 4 antenna (you’re holding it wrong) and their strangle-hold on the iApp market (if we don’t like it, it doesn’t exist).

What does this have to do with netbooks versus iPad? Well, let’s start with the iPhone.

When it was first introduced three years ago, it was over-the-top cool and innovative. It had a multi-point touch screen, when most phones had no touch. It had a great user interface. It had a terrific, large display when many phones were using low-res displays about the size of a large postage stamp. It also came with the Apple app store encouraging innovation, productivity, commerce, and fun as inexpensive add-ons. Thousands of folks waited in line to buy the first version…kinda like what has just happened with the iPhone 4. With over 50 million sold, the iPhone is doing a lot right.

But what really happened was that the iPhone changed the smart phone landscape. The growth in the phone market is in iPhone-like devices. That is, large high-quality screens, multi-touch interface, strong multi-media support, phone app libraries, phone and WiFi Internet connectivity, and great Internet browsers. With Motorola Droid X, HTC Droid Incredible, Google Nexus One, HTC EVO 4G, and Palm Pre, the iPhone’s impact is obvious. So, while you may not be buying an iPhone, you will probably be buying its cousin.

Now, about those netbooks...

They're not for everyone. With smaller (albeit high resolution) screens, small keyboards, no optical drives, and less powerful processors, they are unable to replace your full-powered laptop or desktop. But for many, maybe millions, an inexpensive, small-platform Internet-ready device meets most of their needs. The iPad does most of the same things as a netbook, but at a much bigger price tag. Good netbooks run about $300. iPads start at $500 but will likely cost you over $700 well-equipped.

So, like what the iPhone did to smart phones, iPad is going to obsolete the netbook market. I think that is going to happen soon. This will also probably do the same for eReader and existing tablet markets which are really similar devices.

Wired.com predicts similar trends in a recent article (http://bit.ly/bl4nJQ). Although, CNET makes the case for the netbook platform (http://bit.ly/ccL8C1), citing issues with the iPad (no flash, no keyboard, limited storage). While all true, newer tablets will overcome this.

If you don’t need a full-powered laptop, you will see new entries from HP, Dell, Lenovo, and others that should meet your needs and be more pocketbook-friendly. Toshiba’s dual-screen Libretto W100 has begun this wave of new devices, although at too high a price (http://bit.ly/c3CQgC).

If I had to buy now, I'd spring for an iPad. It will still be cool in a year and that netbook will be soooo yesterday. Plus, it'll make you look hip and you can act smug around all your friends. If you can, I'd wait to see what Dell/HP/Lenovo came out with because it'll be cheaper and probably sport some nice improvements.

Answer:

Okay, so we made that question up because we wanted to tell you about recent tech conferences and announcements. Sure, that might sound boring, but so does Ben Stein and he turned out to be pretty cool, right?

The March-through-June timeframe is conference season in the tech world, and several companies save their biggest announcements for this time of year. If new technology makes your propeller spin -- and it does ours! -- then this is the best time of year since Christmas.

In March, the South by Southwest Interactive (SXSWi) festival was held in Austin, Texas (sxsw.com/interactive). Besides the "interactive" component, SXSW also has music and film "sub-festivals.” Want to see Devo, Seth Rogen, and Microsoft all at the same confab? Then go to SXSW.

This year's line-up included Ford Motor Company discussing the future of in-car technology (like integrating Facebook into the console display). Upgrade announcements came from popular link-sharing site Digg (digg.com) and rival companies FourSquare (foursquare.com) and Gowalla (gowalla.com), both "check-in" services that reward users for sharing their current location.

Twitter (twitter.com) held their first conference, called "Chirp" (chirp.twitter.com), in April. They showcased "@Anywhere," a service that enables "partner websites to easily integrate Twitter functionality into their site experience.” Now Amazon (for example) can suggest Twitter users for you to follow right there from your shopping cart

Also in April, Facebook's F8 conference (facebook.com/f8) stirred up controversy with the news that they'd be sharing more of their users' personal information. On the brighter side, new "Community Pages" let users create Wikipedia-style pages from within Facebook. Also, their plan to make the "Like" button ubiquitous means that CNN (among others) can show you right on their homepage which of their articles your Facebook buddies enjoyed.

May saw the Google I/O conference held in San Francisco. They demoed Google TV (google.com/tv), a service that will display a search bar at the top of your screen, allowing you to search TV listings, recorded shows on your DVR, YouTube, and other web sites all at once for the term "Angelina Jolie" (or "Brad Pitt," if you must).

Google also showcased updates to their Android phone software, including a faster web browser, easy backup of data to the Internet, and the ability to use the phone as a portable Wi-Fi hotspot.

Not to be outdone, Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (developer.apple.com/wwdc) in June unveiled a new, slimmer iPhone with a sharper display, a longer-lasting battery, front- and rear-facing cameras, and a video chat application called "FaceTime.”

June also brought D: All Things Digital (allthingsd.com/d), where Dell showed off the Streak, a 5-inch "mini-tablet" device that's larger than a cell phone but smaller than Apple's iPad. Microsoft demonstrated Project Natal, a game controller that one-ups the Wii remote by using cameras and sensors to let you control games with your entire body.

Other recent conferences include Microsoft's Professional Developers Conference (microsoftpdc.com), where the latest versions of Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer were on display, and TED (ted.com), the Technology, Education, and Design conference.

TED talks ran the gamut from Microsoft Bing Map updates (think "Google street view" photos, but inside buildings), to the "mosquito death star laser gun," precisely aimed lasers that can shoot mosquitos out of the sky and might prove useful in areas of the world plagued by malaria. Visit feeds.feedburner.com/tedtalks_video to subscribe to their video feed for more presentations.

So tech conferences may sound boring, but a mosquito-killing laser is just too cool not to share with our readers. Right, Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

Answer:

We’re sure the importance of your work is stupendous, but there are cheaper ways to save time. Why not cut back from eight to six hours of sleep every night? (We just saved you several hundred dollars and added six years to your waking hours.)

Solid state drives (SSDs) top traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) in many areas, but they’ll cost you. They are typically lighter, faster, quieter, and more durable than “normal” drives. But for the price they command, they should also help you quit smoking, lose weight, and improve your tan.

SSDs aren’t new – they’ve been used for years in the military, in factories, and in hospitals, where disk durability and reliability are paramount.

If you were to crack open an “old-school” hard drive, you would void your warranty and lose your data. But you would also see layers of magnetic platters. Small metal read-write heads are mechanically moved over the platters to read and write data using minute magnetic pulses. This is similar to the way music was stored on 8-track tapes. The technology is well established, but because it requires mechanical movement of the platter and read-write heads, it is relatively slow.

Enter solid state drives, which use flash memory chips instead of magnetic platters. They’re similar to USB memory sticks, camera memory cards, and some MP3 players. The advantages of a SSD are due to its lack of moving parts.

Writing to a SSD can be (but is not always) faster, but reading from them can be many times faster, leading to faster system boot-ups and wake-ups from stand-by mode.

But even if you spend all day saving documents and searching for files until you retire in 30 years, you’ll only gain back about 12 days by switching to solid state. You’ll save more time skipping your lunch break and swallowing bouillon cubes at your desk, or giving up shaving and growing a beard.

So what are the other advantages? SSDs are lighter than their HDD counterparts, sometimes about one fifth the weight – a big deal in laptops, where every ounce counts.

They’re also quieter, and more resistant to shock. Dropping a hard disk drive is likely fatal to the data it stores; dropping a solid state drive won’t hurt much unless it lands on your foot. Did we mention they’re lighter?

The main disadvantage to SSDs is their price. “Normal” hard drives cost around $0.50 per gigabyte, but SSDs cost $3-$4 per gigabyte. Although prices have dropped since their introduction, a 250 GB solid state drive will still set you back over $750. Compare that to the $250 a traditional hard drive of the same capacity would cost.

For a thorough comparison of SDDs and traditional hard drives, see the Dr. Dobbs article at bit.ly/byYpMY.

Only a few laptop models provide SSD options right now, but this will change as prices come down and drive capacities go up. Perhaps years from now, we’ll talk about mechanical drives the way we talk about 8-track tapes today, but see PC Magazine’s John Dvorak at bit.ly/lv61N for a contrarian viewpoint.

So upgrade to solid state, but do it for the lighter weight, the quieter operation, and the durability. If you’re just looking to save time, consider foregoing the elevator in your office building and just stepping directly out the window. When your co-worker asks if you have vertigo, tell her “Oh no, only about ten feet more.” (Apologies to Ogden Nash, who offers one last bit of time-saving advice: “Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker.”)

Answer:

You are right about the price drop. Decent GMRS sets can be had for $30-$40 bucks now from Amazon, Best Buy, Radio Shack, and Wal-Mart…basically everywhere. Like any true propeller-twirler, if it’s cheap and techy, buy it whether you need it or not. Copyright Data Directions, Inc. Richmond, VA All rights reserved.

Let me provide some background. General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) provides for public access two-way, short distance, radio transmission under regulation by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC). Transmission takes place in the 462-467 MHz FM UHF range. While the service has been available for many years, albeit under different names and frequencies, it gained popularity a couple of years back with the introduction of small, portable, walkie-talkie style radios. Most of these radios are also Family Radio Service (FRS) enabled … more on that in a minute.

So, what’s the appeal? Well, for me its lack of satisfaction with the walkie-talkies of my youth. After watching Sgt. Chip Saunders on the Combat! TV series, I just had to have a set of walkie-talkies. When they arrived on Christmas morning (thanks Santa!), I was thrilled. After installing the batteries, my brother and I were pleased to see that they worked great indoors. After mom kicked us out outdoors, we noticed the effective range of these things was about 200 feet – assuming you were in the line of sight. Basically, shouting distance. Thanks a lot, Santa! But, these new walkie-talkies are the real deal. Depending on the frequency and terrain, they can be effective for miles.

Wait a minute! I know what you are going to say…what’s wrong with my cell phone? Nothing, but it’s not a walkie-talkie. These units don’t use talk minutes, they tend to be shock and water resistant, and they don’t require dialing. Admittedly, cell phones that support push-to-talk are pretty similar.

My set will be perfect for calling the beach house to let them know when the pitcher of margaritas has run dry. They can also be good on camping trips, recreational park visits, shopping mall excursions, and multiple car and boating trips. They could also be useful during widespread power outages. Think hand-held CB-radios.

Most of the units out today are small, light, and rugged. They typically have recharging stations, support multiple transmission frequencies, can pick up weather alerts, provide for secure (sub) channel transmission, support VOX (voice activation), vibrate mode, and much more. Visit www.walkietalkies.com to get more information on the marketplace.

The GMRS frequencies permit transmission up to 50 watts. Portable devices usually transmit less, but can cover up to around 20 miles. So what’s the catch? You have to register for a frequency license with the FCC (www.fcc.org). It gets worse. You have to pay $85 to do so. I know – now I tell you. You could’ve stopped reading a while back. But, there is some good news.

Most of these radios from Cobra (www.cobra.com), Motorola (www.motorola.com/walkie-talkie), Midland (www.midlandradio.com), and others also transmit on the FRS band. This band does not require a license but uses less transmission power. That probably means a range of about a mile or so.

Now, in practice it’s obvious that most of the folks who buy these things don’t register and use the GMRS band anyway. I am clearly not suggesting you should break the law, just letting you know why these things are flying off the shelf.

So, I am off this weekend with my brother to play war games. It’s my turn to be the good guy. 10-4, over and out.

Answer:

That was two questions, now I have two for you - how much money do you have, and how’s your eyesight?

I know that didn’t help much, but we’ll get there soon enough. Like you, we at PropellerHead Central have also heard the buzz. We’re anxious to actually get to touch one and then we’ll provide an actual review. Since the iPad isn’t currently available for sale (even the Apple store will not say when it will be), we can only speculate on how amazing the iPad may turn out to be. So here goes.

If you are an Apple-lover, and you’ve got money to spend, you are probably the ideal iPad customer. It is expected to be just as loved as the iPhone and the iPod Touch. It will combine features from both, and do it in a much larger profile. What the iPad will NOT do is be a cell phone … so don’t throw out your iPhone yet. Although the iPad will not have normal phone capabilities, it should be able (as most computers can) to make voice-over-IP, or Skype calls.

So, you can’t use the iPad for making normal calls, and there’s no camera. Beyond those obvious short-comings, is the continual complaint that Apple tries to only allow its proprietary software applications. Take a look at the scathing review by the Huffington Post for its view on the other negatives for the iPad (http://bit.ly/c0k2Wm).

What will the iPad do? Quite simply, almost anything you have grown accustomed to doing on your computer, laptop, or tablet PC. But as with most of Apple’s techno-gadgets, it will likely do it well and with style. Will it replace tablet PCs? Who knows? My guess is that those who think Apple is king will flock to buy the iPad, and those who believe that PCs are king will continue to feel that way.

Many people who have used the iPod Touch complain that the on-screen keyboard is really almost too small to use. If the iPad on-screen keyboard works well, the iPad should be a real winner.

If you’re beginning to feel like the iPad is just a much larger iPod Touch, you’re getting the picture. With the growing baby-boomer population, bigger might just be better. The iPad should be a perfect alternative to the iPod Touch. It will allow you to watch movies, listen to music, read books, and surf the web with a screen you might actually be able to see.

So boomers, this one may be for you. When everything else is getting too small to see, the iPad has taken this issue to heart and given you a 9.7 inch screen. The iPad will be available at a starting price of $499. And the Apple store will even send you an email letting you know when you can buy it (store.apple.com/us/browse/notifyme). But beware: starting price is just that. Add-ons, memory, and faster Wi-Fi speeds will push your price up quickly.

So what will be next after the iPad? Let’s just hope it’s not the iDepends. I know Apple is targeting boomers, but please Mr. Jobs, don’t go that far!

For more information, take a look at apple.com/ipad. Happy surfing!

Answer:

I think this is a good question. I am writing this article using Windows XP. Why? Because the 9 year-old XP is a very solid operating system (OS) from Microsoft. It runs very fast on current equipment and behaves well with a lot of legacy hardware and software. Plus, my laptop is about 4 years old.

By the way, is it just me or does Microsoft’s OS naming make no sense? Windows 3.1, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows ME, Windows XP, Vista, now Windows 7. How is anyone supposed to keep up?

The predecessor to Windows 7, Windows Vista, suffered from two major (and many minor) flaws. First, existing machines struggled to keep up with the OS demands, or found driver compatibility issues. Second, even new hardware hadn’t caught up with the demands of the OS. That meant it ran slowly on many machines that were available at the time of the launch. Many had similar, unfortunate, experiences with Vista. So, you are understandably hesitant about Windows 7.

Windows 7 is another story. By now you have upgraded your PC or plan to buy a new one soon. The current PC architecture and speed are more than enough for Windows 7. I don’t see any real upside in sticking to an old OS for your Windows machine. Windows 7 is Your PC (www.Microsoft.com/Windows).

So, what can you expect? Do you have to learn a lot of new stuff? Microsoft may say no, but that’s because they are trying to sell you something. I am going to cover the features of the Windows 7 user interface (UI) that I believe will be most helpful to you.

It’s Pretty - Windows 7 continues the visual improvements introduced in Vista, called Aero. The windows, menus, and other visual components are very nice-looking. It is a very pretty operating system. From some perspectives, Bill Gates just paid attention to what Steve Jobs was doing and made their OS a little more like Apples. Maybe so – but you benefit.

Snap, Shake, and Peek –Snap lets you quickly resize two windows split either horizontally or vertically by moving them to a screen edge. It’s a great way to work side-by-side. Shake minimizes all open windows except the one you shake by jiggling your mouse. Peek quickly shows your desktop by making all open windows transparent.

Smart Taskbar – Hovering over minimized windows in your Task bar displays thumbnails of the windows and allows you to maximize or close them quickly. You can also pin favorite tasks to a position you like.

Easy Network – With many of us running home networks with wireless routers, the HomeGroup network configuration makes set-up a breeze.

Quick Pick – Just right click on an application, like Internet Explorer or Media Player, and recently used documents show up for easy reload.

There are lots of other features, but these will be your favorites and most used. For more information, two nice articles on Windows 7 usage are here (http://bit.ly/175eT9) and here (http://bit.ly/CfPxT).

So, I think Microsoft got it right this time. For your old PCs running XP – I wouldn’t change a thing. For new machines, launch Windows 7.

Answer:

I’m with you. That definitely sounds too good to be true and I’m not one to believe in magic, or MagicJack for that matter, without doing a little research.

MagicJack (www.magicjack.com) is a USB device that plugs into your computer. Much like Vonage (www.vonage.com) and Skype (www.skype.com), MagicJack uses your Internet service to provide your phone service. While Vonage is relatively inexpensive at around $25 per month, and Skype is free with Skype-to-Skype calling and only charges a minimal fee for non-Skype calls, that still doesn’t beat MagicJack’s rate of $19.95 per year.

You should be aware that your first year of service with MagicJack is actually $39.95 – $20 for the USB device and $19.95 for the first year of service. Subsequent years are currently priced at the $19.95 rate you mentioned.

So why’s everyone not running to get the MagicJack right now? Well, maybe it’s because they’re a little skeptical like you and me, or maybe we’re just slow to convert. MagicJack has already sold more than 2.5 million of the devices and the number is growing.

There’s got to be a catch, right? Well in this case, apparently not much of one. Your Internet has to have a minimal upload speed of 128 kb/s, but there’s no PropellerHead out there who can’t meet that requirement. Additionally, your computer must be on and you must have an active Internet connection to make and receive calls, although

MagicJack provides voicemail service if your computer is off. MagicJack provides all the normal phone services you would expect: voicemail, caller ID, directory assistance, call waiting, and 9-1-1 emergency calls. There are no additional fees for any of these services, but you do have to register you phone number and location with MagicJack, which will route your call to the appropriate 9-1-1 operator.

The biggest downside of MagicJack for me is that you will be assigned a new phone number. Given that I don’t call myself, learning a new phone number might be a challenge. MagicJack expects to be able to allow you to keep your current phone number in the near future for a minimal fee.

I will warn you, there are many complaints out there about MagicJack’s technical support, or lack thereof. You weren’t really expecting technical support for that price, were you? In reality, MagicJack’s customer support is primarily an online chat facility. You won’t be able to call for help. Of course, if you could call you wouldn’t need technical support. I’m not too worried about that; I should be able to get it to work, or certainly one of the gaggle of techno-nerds in my family will have it up and running in no time.

Just a few more facts before I run to Best Buy to purchase my MagicJack: MagicJack can only be used with a standard phone using an RJ-11 plug, it will not work with a two-line phone. You can, however, use it as normal with phone extensions you may have hooked to your primary phone. The MagicJack is portable; you can move it to any computer you wish. Your new MagicJack phone number won’t be listed in the phone book, so start working on those memorization skills!

Now … I’m off to Best Buy to get my MagicJack. Look for a future article to let you know if there really is some magic to the MagicJack.

Answer:

A bit neglectful? You have had years of advanced notice! I am guessing you still aren’t prepared for the Year 2000 switch-over either. By the way, I have some barely out-of-date canned food for sale if you are interested.

Actually, I suspect many folks are in your situation. Their primary TVs (den, bedroom, kitchen, etc.) are probably already digital, or are hooked up to cable, satellite, or a conversion box. But what about that old TV in the garage or the spare room? They went dark in June. What now?

If you are inclined to get rid of the old Zenith, please don’t just throw it out. TVs have lots of recyclable parts. Check with charitable organizations like Goodwill (www.goodwill.org), The Salvation Army (www.salvationarmyusa.org), or a local church to see if they will take them. If that doesn’t work out, your municipal recycling or sanitation department will take them (maybe for a small fee) and dispose of them properly.

Did you file your taxes in April? Just checking.

Before you get rid of the TVs, maybe you can use them after all. There’s the digital TV converter boxes that were being pushed before the switch-over. You missed the deadline for the vouchers, but the boxes can still be had. To put this in perspective, there were about 40 million coupons available to get you a free converter box. But you never got to it. Well done.

In any case, these converters run between $40 and $60. These were being sold everywhere, even corner drugstores. Now that the rush is over, I would guess that some retailers in your area have marked these down. Plus, since the June 12 cut-over, some local signals have increased their transmission power as part of the scheduled conversion. So for many, over-the-air digital TV brings in very good pictures on your old TVs.

Assuming you have a usable signal coming into your house (cable, satellite), you may have a couple of choices. For instance, you could split a signal from a receiver to your spare TV using a coax cable. It may mean that you have to watch whatever is on the primary TV, but for a spare room, that might be OK. I did this with my kitchen TV.

Speaking of your kitchen, when was the last time you vacuumed your refrigerator coils or cleaned the toaster?

You could also broadcast your signal. There are a number of wireless TV broadcasters intended to send your cable or satellite receiver’s signal to a second TV in your household. For instance x10.com sells a unit for $49 that might just fit your needs. You can Google or Bing “wireless TV transmitter” for some good choices. I know what you’re thinking, what’s Bing? Well, last week’s PropellerHead article suggested you compare Microsoft’s new search alternative (www.bing.com) to Google. I guess you didn’t get to that either.

These TVs may also work well with your game system. So, maybe you can set up a permanent game station for your Atari or ColecoVision. It might be a little less hassle over connecting and disconnecting when you are ready to take a spin on Mario Cart.

I hate to break the news to you, but you probably neglected to register to vote and the election has come and gone. Check whitehouse.gov for the latest.

Okay, so you have some catching up to do. What’s new? But, there’s still hope for your old boob tubes. In the meantime, take a break. You can deal with this tomorrow.

Answer:

Just to clarify, the HD in HD Radio does not stand for High Definition. Nor does it refer to a famous American motorcycle manufacturer. It is simply the trademark for a method of transmitting digital audio signals designated as a US standard by the FCC in 2002. In Europe and Canada, a similar technology is called Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB). HD Radio is not the same as Satellite Radio, although both utilize digital transmissions.

Think of HD Radio as the audio equivalent of digital TV, except that the meddling bureaucrats in Washington are not going to force you to convert to HD Radio the way they did with digital TV. The digital broadcasting technique was developed by a company named iBiquity.

According to the iBiquity site (www.ibiquity.com/hd_radio), HD Radio “allows a radio station to broadcast multiple program streams over a single FM frequency”, and provides better reception (“No static at all”, to quote Steely Dan). It also promises CD-quality FM sound (and FM-quality AM sound) and includes data services (like the artist’s name and song title). HD Radio receivers are widely available at consumer electronics outlets, and over 1,800 stations currently broadcast in the HD format, including most of the stations you listen to now. And it’s free!

But there is a catch. HD Radio receivers cost a bit more than regular units. This is due to the fact that there has been little consumer demand to drive the prices down. Radios with a display screen large enough to fully realize the advantages of the HD data stream are fairly expensive (starting at around $250). However, prices are dropping, as more companies incorporate HD Radio receivers into their products. Microsoft has announced plans to include HD Radio on the new Zune HD in the third quarter of 2009.

But HD Radio still faces obstacles. Radio is not the primary method of music delivery that it once was. Consumers today have dozens of listening choices, from iPods to satellite radio. HD Radio offers few tangible benefits over other methods, and does not address some of radio’s historical limitations. For example, HD Radio signals reach no farther than normal radio, and you are still stuck listening to musical selections someone else has chosen.

So, should you upgrade? That depends on how important the advantages of HD Radio are to you. It’s a little like that old saying about free milk and cows with a twist: would you be willing to buy a more expensive cow to get slightly better free milk? If you are considering a premium car radio, it may include HD Radio anyway. But if you were planning on a budget system, I’m not sure the benefits of HD Radio justify an upgrade, although an HD Radio receiver for a premium home audio system might make sense.

If you want to learn more about HD Radio, check out the iBiquity site mentioned above, or read the Wikipedia entry at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HD_Radio.

Answer:

Probably. Let me catch you up. Phelps got busted for weed, but kept most of his endorsements. Tiger’s back…sort of. A bunch of C-list celebrities got marooned on a tropical island. Unfortunately, it looks like they are going to make it back. Oh...and you might want to google Obama. You’re welcome very much.

What you most likely saw was a QR (quick response) code. To be fair, it’s fairly new. These square symbols are a sort of a bar code. Because they are two-dimensional (bar codes are only one-dimensional), they can record more information, and devices like cameras and infrared readers can pick up the codes very easily. Invented by a Japanese company in 1994 to track manufactured equipment, adoption has been a little slow. But with the rise of the intelligent camera phone, their time is now. Did you know that your next jeep will be Italian?

I guess it’s time for some specs (I love this part). A QR code can store about 7000 numbers or 4000 letters. Most don’t store that much so there is room left over. So sometimes you see crude block art or logos embedded in them. They also include built-in error correction, so read errors caused by poor printing or scanning can often be overcome. FYI…Leno is replacing Law and Order. Where is Lenny when we need him?

Downloadable software for your mobile phone (Windows, iPhone, etc.) can read these QR codes. Most mobile phones in Japan already have the software. My guess is it will come loaded on your next phone. The software is available from QuickMark (www.quickmark.cn) for most phones or www.imatrix.lt for iPhones. The software recognizes the encoded data, which can be a hyperlink (Internet page), email link, phone number, or text file. Linking from the physical world to the Internet like this is called "hard-linking." By the way, the SC governor recently went missing for about a week but then returned after getting his Brazilian waxed.

So what’s the point? Say you're walking down the street and see a cool poster for killer jeans with a QR code in the corner. Point your camera and with one click, you are on a "special offers" web page for the jeans. You’ll see those codes on billboards, posters, TV ads, magazine ads, subways – everywhere. Advertisers are using this mobile tagging technology to make it easy for you to follow-up without typing in a web address. Oh, and red carpet opinionati Rivers hagged it up to give a bad beat-down to poker queen Duke in this year’s Celebrity Apprentice.

There’s a nice little QR code generator at www.beqrious.com/generator. I made a code for our public web site and posted it on the PropellerHeads blog. Check it out at www.askthepropellerheads.com, click on Wind Tunnel. Jai Ho. ‘Nuff said.

It’s always dangerous to make predictions, but it looks like you’ll be seeing QR codes more and more. I think the convenience of linking up with your mobile phone will win you over. One final current event…the Steelers clipped the Cardinal’s wings for yet another SuperBowl win. With a ring for their other hand, maybe the Pats aren’t the AFC dynasty after all.

Answer:

Your son graduated, has a job, and is moving out on his own, and you’re worrying about whether he has a landline phone or not? You might have too much time on your hands. I’ve got a couple of college students who may never graduate or move out if you want to borrow one or two.

Your son is part of a growing population of cell phone-only homes. For the first time ever, there are more cell phone-only homes than there are landline-only homes. The economy is playing a large role in that with folks cutting any service they feel they can. Many feel landline service just duplicates a service their cell phone already provides.

There are some things to consider when deciding to go with only a cell phone versus cell and landline phone services. Obviously cost is important, but there are some pretty economical phone services out now that your son may at least want to consider. And in reality, cost isn’t your son’s main issue since cell service averages about $60 per month (www.compareplans.us) and landline local calling only plans start at about $20 per month.

Several vendors now offer internet phone service or VoIP. Vonage (www.vonage.com) offers VoIP for only $24.99 per month with unlimited local and long distance included. It also includes all the features we’ve grown to love such as call waiting, caller ID, voice mail and more. Skype (www.skype.com) is also a very popular phone service which uses your computer to let you call other Skype users for free. Additionally, you can buy credits for calling people who aren’t Skype users. This can be extremely economical for folks who need to communicate with people internationally.

Service quality is another consideration. Cell service may never compete with the dependability of landline service. You don’t have to worry about dropped calls or spotty service with landlines.

From the Mom perspective, the single biggest issue for cell phone only-homes is the 9-1-1 emergency call service. Now about 50% of all 9-1-1 calls are made from cell phones. That dramatically complicates finding the caller.

When you make a 9-1-1 call from your landline, the dispatcher has your address on the computer screen so getting help to you may be faster. With cell phones, your location may appear as a latitude and longitude intersect. That’s fine if you’re calling from your private home but if you’re calling from a 30-story apartment building, let’s hope you’re able to speak long enough to give your full address. You will even need to include your city and state as your call may go to a call center almost anywhere.

Like you, the Mom in me prefers that my sons have landline phones, but just not quite enough to pay for them myself. But more and more people, your son included, are beginning to view landlines as obsolete. They prefer having their own number to be reached at any time and any place (so long as they’re near a cellular tower so the phone will actually work). If you want your son to have a landline badly enough to pay for it, drop a dime and make the call yourself … or not!

Answer:

There are many universal remotes on the market, ranging from around $20 to over $500, but the PropellerHeads like to sing about the Harmony remote series by Logitech (www.logitech.com). I don’t know about you, but this PropellerHead lives in a house full of PropellerHeads of the male variety. So even getting to hold the remote is a bit of a trial. But using the Harmony is no trial at all. It is truly one that anyone can operate.

My resident PropellerHeads have programmed ours to let us watch TV, listen to music from the computer or television, watch a movie from the DVD player or computer, or use our 57” HDTV as a computer monitor. We sit on the sofa and surf the web almost in life size – YouTube has never looked better! Switching from activity to activity is a breeze because Harmony remembers what devices are on, and knows what to turn on or off for the next activity you choose.

For the real programmer/hacker out there, Harmony allows you to hack the underlying XML code to truly customize your experience. But that in-depth knowledge is not necessary. There is some programming and set-up required. But Logitech even makes this fairly simple. Just connect the remote to your PC via a USB connection. It takes a few minutes to set up each of your devices - TV’s, PVR’s, DVD Players, A/V Receivers, CD Players, Game Systems, and VCRs. (I don’t know if their database includes that Sony Betamax you’re holding onto – but given the 250,000 device database, it might!).

After the Harmony software “learns” all your devices, it identifies common activities such as "watch a DVD," "watch the PVR," or "listen to the radio," using the devices and connections you entered. It then guides you through setting them up. If you have a device not listed in the Harmony database, the software asks you questions to determine its capabilities so you can include it in your mix.
Another great feature is that my Harmony 880 (and most models) has a base that is a recharger, so the old routine of stealing batteries from the kids’ toys is eliminated. Just set the remote on its base when not in use. Then it will always be ready when you need it, and you’ll never have to look under the couch cushions for it.

It’s a good thing it’s touted as “the last remote you’ll ever buy,” because it can be expensive. Prices range from around $50 for earlier versions to $500 or more for the most current, the Harmony 1100, which boasts a 3.5 inch full-color touch screen. All Harmony remotes have interactive help features for those of you who are a bit … challenged.

You're thinking “who would spend that for a remote?” This is definitely a case of getting what you pay for. Look around for deals and/or rebates to help defray the cost, and just think of the money you'll save since it doesn't need batteries!

The Harmony’s capabilities are so robust, I may actually have to buy another one some day. I’m betting the Harmony 2000 will not only control all my audio and video, but may even prompt my microwave to pop my popcorn and then have the vacuum cleaner vacuum up the kernels when my movie is over!
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Answer:

You are, of course, referring to Amazon’s Kindle 2 eReader. I am not sure why they chose the name Kindle. Perhaps the eBook movement will mean the end of paper books, so Kindle might refer to Fahrenheit 451’s fiery book elimination technique.

I may have gone too fast. An eReader is a portable electronic device designed to let you read electronic books (eBooks). Besides Kindle, there are several entrants into this market, including Sony’s Digital Reader (www.sonystyle.com) and eReader (www.ereader.com). In fact, my Windows mobile phone has an eReader function.

eReaders let you download books into a personal library, read the books, leave bookmarks, look up definitions, and write notes all while on the road with a small portable device. The vendors make their money by selling you the devices, periodical subscriptions, or by selling you books. I suppose after they pay the marketing guys, the network guys, the hardware guys, the subscription service guys, and the lawyers, they have a penny or two left for the authors.

Kindle 2 is the latest generation of dedicated eReader devices. Amazon (kindle.amazon.com) sells it for $359. Kindle 2 is an improvement on their first generation Kindle introduced in 2007.

The Kindle 2 is a handsome, well-designed device that is 8” by 5” by 1/3" thick, sporting a 6” screen. It weighs in at about 10 ounces. Amazon’s display uses a technology they call electronic ink that provides great contrast even in bright light, making it great for beach reading.

The battery gives you days of use between charges, and you can store approximately 1500 books on the device. Kindle will also read the books to you using the built-in speakers or ear buds. This might come in handy, because there is no backlight. Yeah, I know. What were they thinking?

Kindle lets you buy and download content on Amazon’s national high-speed wireless network called Whispernet. It also give you access to the Internet using their built-in browser. So, for under $400 you have nation-wide Internet access with no connection fees. Their basic browser is not as nice as what you use on your computer, but it is sufficient. In fact, even though there is a built-in USB port for connecting to your computer, you don’t actually need to have a computer to use the Kindle.

Bestseller eBooks typically cost $10; less popular books are as low as $1. Newspapers (New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, etc.) run about $10 a month. Magazine subscriptions, (Time, Forbes, and Readers Digest) run between $1 and $5 an issue. Essentially, the price you pay for what you read covers the wireless network. Recent rumors are making the rounds about a new large format Kindle that might be the lifeline newspapers are looking for.

There are millions of documents available from other providers for free, like Project Guttenberg (www.gutenberg.org). Now you can finally catch up on the classics.

There is a chiclet-style QWERTY keyboard that works pretty well for entering notes or surfing the net. Of course, there is an iPhone application that gives you access to your Kindle library from your iPhone. So you can tweet your friends, talk to your Mom, email your Dad, and shake the baby (http://bit.ly/xQmGL), all while reading the latest book on the destruction of society due to new technology.

You can upload documents from a computer directly to your Kindle. Amazon also has an e-mail service that lets you take your existing documents and wirelessly send them to your Kindle for on-the-road access at a dime per document.

Using an eReader takes some getting used to. Plus there is something special about getting sand in that reading trash you take to the beach. However, I suspect, one way or the other, we are going the way of Kindle. Now might be the time to get your feet wet.

Answer:

Kicking that old 17" Philco to the curb so you can enjoy those newfangled color moving pictures and "talkies?" Okay, it hasn't been that long since you shopped for a TV, but with all the new technology out there, it might seem like it.

First consider price. A 42" HDTV can range from $800 to $3000 depending on features, so decide on a price range upfront to narrow your search.

The aforementioned set has a screen that measures 42" diagonally. If your set must fit in an entertainment center or on a mantle – or if it will be wall-mounted – check the dimensions of the entire TV.

And with screen size, bigger isn't always better. Sitting 4 feet away from a 50" set will make the picture look terrible. Cnet.com/hdtv-viewing-distance has a handy sizing chart. Our 42" example is probably about right for most dens, but you'll want something bigger for a large family room.

Now for screen type. CRT (aka "Direct View" or "Picture Tube") TVs are bulky, relatively cheap, and on the way out. Rear-projection (aka "DLP") models showed promise but lost the marketing wars, which leaves LCD and plasma.

We can only generalize here, and manufacturers constantly improve both types of TVs, so you should research features of specific products. But here goes...

LCD units are usually lighter-weight than plasma TVs of the same size. They're typically brighter and less susceptible to glare or reflections, making them more suitable for brightly lit rooms (although some plasma sets have anti-glare coatings). And they don't suffer from burn-in or ghosting, in which static images "stick" on the screen too long (again, plasma models may prevent this too).

Plasma TVs generally display deeper blacks and greater contrast than LCD sets. They tend to have wider viewing angles, meaning the picture quality doesn't deteriorate when viewed from the side. And they're less likely to show blurring during fast-motion scenes. However, some LCD sets (especially LED-based models) rival plasma in picture quality, and the newer 120-Hz refresh rates reduce motion blur.

So compare specific products!

Ignore advertised contrast ratio and brightness, because manufacturers measure these differently. Also, response times are usually negligibly close for similarly-priced models.

Then there's screen resolution, like 720p, 1080i, and 1080p, where the number is a count of the lines displayed and the letter reveals how the picture is "drawn" on the screen (or scanned, if you're a television engineer (in which case we are very sorry for all the oversimplifications and seriously, why are you still reading this?). The "progressive scan" displays are smoother than "interlaced," and while 1080p is technically the best option, it isn't used much outside of Blu-Ray DVDs and some video games. Smaller sets (under 34") will look fine at 720p.

Also check the TV's inputs, especially if you still use an old VCR or gaming system. You're throwing out the Betamax and ColecoVision with the Philco, right?

Most TVs will have a width-to-height ("aspect") ratio of 16:9 instead of the old 4:3 you're used to. HDTVs can stretch or zoom content using the old ratio, or display black bars around the original picture, but check your options for adjustments.

Lastly, rest assured that any TV you buy today should easily handle the national June 12th conversion to digital TV.
For more, see hdtv.cnet.com or the PC Magazine article at bit.ly/jjKH, or pick up the Consumer Reports Electronics Buying Guide wherever fine magazines are sold.

Now let's talk about ditching that transistor radio and getting you into an iPod