Saturday, December 13, 2008
We begin again in January 2009…
Greetings everyone. Hard as it is to believe, this is the fifth season of the OnMouseClick column, and I thought it was time for a change of format. Beginning in January, 2009, the column will include a Q&A — focusing on questions and answers that are relevant to the readers of the TR Times. If you have a technology related question, you can be sure that other TR Times readers have the same question. Please send question to Linda Quinn at Post Office Box 9-10, or via email at OnMouseClick@digitalquinn.com. The first Q&A column will be published in the January 9 issue of the TR Times.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Staying Connected with WiFi…
When you travel with a WiFi equipped notebook computer, you have the possibility of being connected to the internet wherever you find a hotspot. In WiFi “speak”, a hotspot is a location where WiFi access is available. There are two type of WiFi networks that you may encounter — open networks, like the one here at Travelers Rest, and closed networks. Open networks do not require a password and are open to anyone in range. Closed networks require a password, or an account. Password protected networks generally belong to individuals who are protecting their network, and thus their computer, from possible hackers. Networks that require accounts are commercial ventures, and charge a fee for use.
Numerous commercial establishment offer Wifi to their customers, some free and some requiring account access. The trick is finding where they are — and if you have to pay for them. If you are traveling without your RV and staying in hotels, most of the national hotel/motel chains offer in-room WiFi. Surprisingly, the moderate priced hotels generally offer the service for free, while many upscale hotels charge. Last spring, when we traveled cross-country and stayed at Comfort Inns and comparable hotels, we almost always had free WiFi access in our room. In January, when we spent three nights at the Wilderness Lodge in Disney World, we paid considerably more for our room, but Internet access was an additional $9.95 for a twenty-four hour period.
In a few instances, we could not get the WiFi in our room, but we could only go online if we took the laptop to the lobby. We also encountered a few hotels that offered high-speed internet, but not WiFi. In those hotels we had to connect to a wall jack with an ethernet cable. Since many of these hotels offer the connection, but not the cable, we always travel with our own ethernet cable.
More and more RV parks offer some type of high-speed internet access. Woodall’s online campground directory lets you select internet access as a criteria when searching for a campground. As with the hotels, some campground have excellent WiFi access that covers the entire area, and at some you have to bring your laptop to a central location.
What if you can not find a hotel or campground with high-speed internet access? Several web sites offer a WiFi Hotspot Finder search feature. Type in a city name or zip code and the web site will return hotspots in the area. Naturally, you have to preform your searches when you do have internet access. If you have a trip planned ahead of time, it is a good practice to get a list of free WiFi locations along your route, just in case you need them.
Probably the best know and most popular search sites is www.jiwire.com. A JIWIRE search returns a list of locations complete with addresses, links to maps and directions, and if the hotspot is free or, if not, the provider. You can also view an area map showing all the WiFi hotspot locations.
Since we will be in Ocala for RV service next week, I performed a JIWIRE search of Ocala. The website returned a list of twenty-four locations. Scrolling through the list I found four free hotspots, and one of them was a Panera Bread location. Panera Bread offers free WiFi in most of its establishments nationwide. Have a cup of coffee, fresh pastry, and surf the web to your hearts content. To find out if a Panera Bread in a city you are visiting offers WiFi, go to www.panerabread.com/cafes/wifi.php.
Other eating establishments that offer free hotspots are Schlotzskys Deli (www.schlotzskys.com/wireless.html), Atlanta Bread (www.atlantabread.com/wifi). Sapp Bros Travel Centers (in the midwest — www.sappbrostruckstops.com) and Apple Computer (www.apple.com/retail) also offer free hotspots. Found in malls and big cities nationwide, Apple will even let PC users on their WiFi networks.
Barnes & Noble, Borders, Starbucks and McDonalds all offer hotspots, but as of this writing they all charge for internet access. If you do not have an account with the internet provider that services the establishment, you can buy time in small increments, usually for one or two hours. McDonalds sometimes offers internet use coupons to customers, so ask when you place your order. The online rumor mill has it that Starbucks is going to stop charging for internet access, but they have not yet done so.
This is my last column for the 2008 season. I am submitting this on February 29, and on March 3 we are leaving TR for a few weeks to travel to Tucson and a Life on Wheels Conference where I will be presenting classes in digital photography and blogging. I’ll be writing a travel blog, and if you would like to follow our trip, check it out at quinnrv.blogspot.com. I will also be keeping up my photo blog at lsqlenviews.blogspot.com.
Eddie and I wish everyone an excellent spring and summer. See you next season.
Numerous commercial establishment offer Wifi to their customers, some free and some requiring account access. The trick is finding where they are — and if you have to pay for them. If you are traveling without your RV and staying in hotels, most of the national hotel/motel chains offer in-room WiFi. Surprisingly, the moderate priced hotels generally offer the service for free, while many upscale hotels charge. Last spring, when we traveled cross-country and stayed at Comfort Inns and comparable hotels, we almost always had free WiFi access in our room. In January, when we spent three nights at the Wilderness Lodge in Disney World, we paid considerably more for our room, but Internet access was an additional $9.95 for a twenty-four hour period.
In a few instances, we could not get the WiFi in our room, but we could only go online if we took the laptop to the lobby. We also encountered a few hotels that offered high-speed internet, but not WiFi. In those hotels we had to connect to a wall jack with an ethernet cable. Since many of these hotels offer the connection, but not the cable, we always travel with our own ethernet cable.
More and more RV parks offer some type of high-speed internet access. Woodall’s online campground directory lets you select internet access as a criteria when searching for a campground. As with the hotels, some campground have excellent WiFi access that covers the entire area, and at some you have to bring your laptop to a central location.
What if you can not find a hotel or campground with high-speed internet access? Several web sites offer a WiFi Hotspot Finder search feature. Type in a city name or zip code and the web site will return hotspots in the area. Naturally, you have to preform your searches when you do have internet access. If you have a trip planned ahead of time, it is a good practice to get a list of free WiFi locations along your route, just in case you need them.
Probably the best know and most popular search sites is www.jiwire.com. A JIWIRE search returns a list of locations complete with addresses, links to maps and directions, and if the hotspot is free or, if not, the provider. You can also view an area map showing all the WiFi hotspot locations.
Since we will be in Ocala for RV service next week, I performed a JIWIRE search of Ocala. The website returned a list of twenty-four locations. Scrolling through the list I found four free hotspots, and one of them was a Panera Bread location. Panera Bread offers free WiFi in most of its establishments nationwide. Have a cup of coffee, fresh pastry, and surf the web to your hearts content. To find out if a Panera Bread in a city you are visiting offers WiFi, go to www.panerabread.com/cafes/wifi.php.
Other eating establishments that offer free hotspots are Schlotzskys Deli (www.schlotzskys.com/wireless.html), Atlanta Bread (www.atlantabread.com/wifi). Sapp Bros Travel Centers (in the midwest — www.sappbrostruckstops.com) and Apple Computer (www.apple.com/retail) also offer free hotspots. Found in malls and big cities nationwide, Apple will even let PC users on their WiFi networks.
Barnes & Noble, Borders, Starbucks and McDonalds all offer hotspots, but as of this writing they all charge for internet access. If you do not have an account with the internet provider that services the establishment, you can buy time in small increments, usually for one or two hours. McDonalds sometimes offers internet use coupons to customers, so ask when you place your order. The online rumor mill has it that Starbucks is going to stop charging for internet access, but they have not yet done so.
This is my last column for the 2008 season. I am submitting this on February 29, and on March 3 we are leaving TR for a few weeks to travel to Tucson and a Life on Wheels Conference where I will be presenting classes in digital photography and blogging. I’ll be writing a travel blog, and if you would like to follow our trip, check it out at quinnrv.blogspot.com. I will also be keeping up my photo blog at lsqlenviews.blogspot.com.
Eddie and I wish everyone an excellent spring and summer. See you next season.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Staying Connected…Near and Far
Last February I wrote two columns about accessing the internet while traveling. As Eddie and I prepare to take our RV to Tucson, Arizona for a Life on Wheels Conference, I am once again thinking about how we are going to stay connected “on the road.”
Up to about five years ago, the majority of “seniors” used the internet primarily for email. It proved a convenient way to keep in touch with friends and family, and a dial-up modem connection was fast enough for most people. Then the family back home started sending digital photos of the grandkids, and the slow modems proved to be an obstacle. For many, it meant not even being able to download photographs. There had to be a better way.
Around the same time, broadband networks were becoming more and more common. Broadband provides high-speed data transmission at rates significantly faster than telephone lines. With broadband a photograph, that requires ten-minutes or more to download over a telephone connection, can be accomplished in less than a minute. Once you have a reliable broadband connection, it is possible to use the internet for much more than sending email and sharing photographs. With online banking, money can be transferred and bills paid with the click of a mouse. It is even possible to eliminate paper invoices entirely and arrange to receive statements directly online. Anyone who maintains a financial portfolio of stocks, bonds or mutual funds can personally manage accounts online. Want to read your hometown newspaper? Odds are there is an online version available. Then of course there are the “fun” reasons to use high-speed internet access: downloading music, TV shows, uTube videos, and even making long-distance telephone calls.
The more we use the internet for everyday transactions and interactions, the more important it becomes to have broadband access wherever we go. On a RV trip out west five years ago, Eddie and I used modem connections whenever one was available at a campground. Today, we need to have broadband. In fact, my new MacBook Pro computer does not even have an internal modem.
So what can we do to get broadband internet connection while traveling? One option, that only makes sense for RVers who travel most of the time, is to install a mobile satellite internet connection. A dish is installed on the top of the RV and connects to the internet, via satellite, when it is turned on. The upside is that the internet is available anytime and anywhere. The downside is the speed and the cost. Download speed is faster than dial-up, but slower than DSL, and is degraded when too many users are accessing the network. The systems are also expensive to install, costing on average over $5,000 for hardware and installation. Monthly subscriptions run in the $100 range including taxes and fees. Datastorm is the most popular satellite system for RVers, and the best place to find out more about the systems is at the Datastorm users’ website, www.datastormusers.com.
Another solution, and the one we tried last year, is to subscribe to a data connection plan from a wireless phone company. Using a data card that insert in a computer’s PC card slot, or connects via USB, connects to the internet wherever the selected carrier offers cell phone service. The three major companies, ATT&T, Versizon, and SPRINT, all offer data plans; and all cost approximately $60 a month before taxes and fees. While the $60 plans are only available from ATT&T and Verizon for their cell phone customers, SPRINT offers their plan to anyone. As with most cell phone service, data plans require a two-year contract and incur a still penalty for early termination.
While convenient, there are drawbacks to using a data card. First, true broadband (3G in the vernacular of cellular networks) is only available in the metropolitan areas surrounding big cities. We tried both ATT&T and SPRINT data plans at Travelers Rest, and in both cases we are just outside the 3G range, and the speed of the connection was only slightly faster than dial-up. The second drawback is the cost. Unless you use the data card as your year-round internet connection, maintaining a data card means paying for it when not in use. Cell phone providers do allow you to turn the card off for limited periods of time, during which the charge is reduced or eliminated, but the two-year contract period is extended. While we liked the convenience of being able to connect to the internet 24/7, the year-round cost was not worth it for the few months of the year we travel.
So what is the answer to finding reliable internet connections “on the road?” If you have a laptop computer with a WiFi card, the answer is connecting to WiFi networks when you can find them. In next week’s OnMouseClick I will tell you how to go about finding and using WiFi networks when you travel.
Up to about five years ago, the majority of “seniors” used the internet primarily for email. It proved a convenient way to keep in touch with friends and family, and a dial-up modem connection was fast enough for most people. Then the family back home started sending digital photos of the grandkids, and the slow modems proved to be an obstacle. For many, it meant not even being able to download photographs. There had to be a better way.
Around the same time, broadband networks were becoming more and more common. Broadband provides high-speed data transmission at rates significantly faster than telephone lines. With broadband a photograph, that requires ten-minutes or more to download over a telephone connection, can be accomplished in less than a minute. Once you have a reliable broadband connection, it is possible to use the internet for much more than sending email and sharing photographs. With online banking, money can be transferred and bills paid with the click of a mouse. It is even possible to eliminate paper invoices entirely and arrange to receive statements directly online. Anyone who maintains a financial portfolio of stocks, bonds or mutual funds can personally manage accounts online. Want to read your hometown newspaper? Odds are there is an online version available. Then of course there are the “fun” reasons to use high-speed internet access: downloading music, TV shows, uTube videos, and even making long-distance telephone calls.
The more we use the internet for everyday transactions and interactions, the more important it becomes to have broadband access wherever we go. On a RV trip out west five years ago, Eddie and I used modem connections whenever one was available at a campground. Today, we need to have broadband. In fact, my new MacBook Pro computer does not even have an internal modem.
So what can we do to get broadband internet connection while traveling? One option, that only makes sense for RVers who travel most of the time, is to install a mobile satellite internet connection. A dish is installed on the top of the RV and connects to the internet, via satellite, when it is turned on. The upside is that the internet is available anytime and anywhere. The downside is the speed and the cost. Download speed is faster than dial-up, but slower than DSL, and is degraded when too many users are accessing the network. The systems are also expensive to install, costing on average over $5,000 for hardware and installation. Monthly subscriptions run in the $100 range including taxes and fees. Datastorm is the most popular satellite system for RVers, and the best place to find out more about the systems is at the Datastorm users’ website, www.datastormusers.com.
Another solution, and the one we tried last year, is to subscribe to a data connection plan from a wireless phone company. Using a data card that insert in a computer’s PC card slot, or connects via USB, connects to the internet wherever the selected carrier offers cell phone service. The three major companies, ATT&T, Versizon, and SPRINT, all offer data plans; and all cost approximately $60 a month before taxes and fees. While the $60 plans are only available from ATT&T and Verizon for their cell phone customers, SPRINT offers their plan to anyone. As with most cell phone service, data plans require a two-year contract and incur a still penalty for early termination.
While convenient, there are drawbacks to using a data card. First, true broadband (3G in the vernacular of cellular networks) is only available in the metropolitan areas surrounding big cities. We tried both ATT&T and SPRINT data plans at Travelers Rest, and in both cases we are just outside the 3G range, and the speed of the connection was only slightly faster than dial-up. The second drawback is the cost. Unless you use the data card as your year-round internet connection, maintaining a data card means paying for it when not in use. Cell phone providers do allow you to turn the card off for limited periods of time, during which the charge is reduced or eliminated, but the two-year contract period is extended. While we liked the convenience of being able to connect to the internet 24/7, the year-round cost was not worth it for the few months of the year we travel.
So what is the answer to finding reliable internet connections “on the road?” If you have a laptop computer with a WiFi card, the answer is connecting to WiFi networks when you can find them. In next week’s OnMouseClick I will tell you how to go about finding and using WiFi networks when you travel.
Friday, February 22, 2008
A Traveling Music System…
For those of us who spend our winters living in confined spaces, we have to be discriminating when we decide what to bring south and what to leave behind. If you are a music lover with a large CD collection, you probably agonize over which albums to bring and where to store them. What if there was a way to bring your entire music collection with you?
Last week I wrote about listening to radio broadcasts on the computer or on an iPod. While an iPod is capable of playing audio, video and displaying still photos, when it was first introduced by Apple it was just a music player. The iPod is not the only pint-sized music player (know as MP3 players) on the market, but it is the most popular, with over 100,000,000 units sold world-wide since its inception in 2001.
The feature that makes the iPod so attractive is its ability to store many hours of music in a small, easy to use, attractive device. With the capability of storing thousands of songs, the iPod makes traveling with a large music library possible, and is an excellent choice for anyone who spends their winter months in confined spaces.
iPods come in four different physical sizes. The smallest, the iPod Shuffle, is the size of a matchbook and holds up to 240 songs. The iPod Nano is the size of a credit card and comes in two models—one with 4GB of memory which can store up to 1,000 songs, and a 8GB model which can store up to 2,000 songs. The two larger iPod models, the iPod Classic and iPod Touch are approximately the size of a pack of playing cards. The Classic comes in with 80GB of memory, which can store up to 20,000 songs, and 160GB of memory that can store up to 40,000 songs. The iPod Touch, which is also a Wifi device capable of connecting to the internet, comes with 8GB (1,750 songs), 16GB (3,500 songs), or 32GB (7,000 songs) of memory. The street price of iPods range from approximately $60 for an iPod Shuffle to $330 for a 160GB iPod Classic. Because of its internet capability, the iPod Touch is more expensive with a top price of about $500. For more information on all the iPod models, visit www.apple.com/itunes/whichipod.
Once an iPod has been selected and purchased, the process of adding music is accomplished with a computer (PC or Mac) running iTunes software. All Macintosh computers come with iTunes installed, and a version for Windows XP and Vista can be downloaded for free from the Apple website.
The first step is uploading the music from your CDs to the computer. Once the songs are uploaded the iPod is connected to the computer with a USB cable and the music is transferred via iTunes. In addition, if you have access to a broadband internet connection, iTunes can download music from the iTunes Store. The store has an almost limitless selection of songs which can be purchased for only $.99. Two clicks of the mouse and you can be listening to old blue eyes sing “New York, New York.”
The initial setup of an iPod can be time consuming, but once completed you have access to an entire library of music whenever you want. Excellent tutorials are available at Apple's The New Users Guide to iPod web page and About.com: iPod.
While designed for listening to music through earphones, a number of third-party companies market dedicated iPod speaker systems with prices ranging from $100 to $200. With one of these speaker systems, a tiny iPod can be transformed into a state-of-the-art stereo system that fills the rooms of your home away from home with music. For reviews of select speaker systems visit Cnet Reviews.
At next Monday’s Computer Club I will be making a presentation on using Powerpoint. If you are interesting in learning how to creating a computer slide show with Powerpoint, you might find the presentation interesting. And if you get a chance, visit my Photo Blog at lsqlensviews.blogspot.com.
Last week I wrote about listening to radio broadcasts on the computer or on an iPod. While an iPod is capable of playing audio, video and displaying still photos, when it was first introduced by Apple it was just a music player. The iPod is not the only pint-sized music player (know as MP3 players) on the market, but it is the most popular, with over 100,000,000 units sold world-wide since its inception in 2001.
The feature that makes the iPod so attractive is its ability to store many hours of music in a small, easy to use, attractive device. With the capability of storing thousands of songs, the iPod makes traveling with a large music library possible, and is an excellent choice for anyone who spends their winter months in confined spaces.
iPods come in four different physical sizes. The smallest, the iPod Shuffle, is the size of a matchbook and holds up to 240 songs. The iPod Nano is the size of a credit card and comes in two models—one with 4GB of memory which can store up to 1,000 songs, and a 8GB model which can store up to 2,000 songs. The two larger iPod models, the iPod Classic and iPod Touch are approximately the size of a pack of playing cards. The Classic comes in with 80GB of memory, which can store up to 20,000 songs, and 160GB of memory that can store up to 40,000 songs. The iPod Touch, which is also a Wifi device capable of connecting to the internet, comes with 8GB (1,750 songs), 16GB (3,500 songs), or 32GB (7,000 songs) of memory. The street price of iPods range from approximately $60 for an iPod Shuffle to $330 for a 160GB iPod Classic. Because of its internet capability, the iPod Touch is more expensive with a top price of about $500. For more information on all the iPod models, visit www.apple.com/itunes/whichipod.
Once an iPod has been selected and purchased, the process of adding music is accomplished with a computer (PC or Mac) running iTunes software. All Macintosh computers come with iTunes installed, and a version for Windows XP and Vista can be downloaded for free from the Apple website.
The first step is uploading the music from your CDs to the computer. Once the songs are uploaded the iPod is connected to the computer with a USB cable and the music is transferred via iTunes. In addition, if you have access to a broadband internet connection, iTunes can download music from the iTunes Store. The store has an almost limitless selection of songs which can be purchased for only $.99. Two clicks of the mouse and you can be listening to old blue eyes sing “New York, New York.”
The initial setup of an iPod can be time consuming, but once completed you have access to an entire library of music whenever you want. Excellent tutorials are available at Apple's The New Users Guide to iPod web page and About.com: iPod.
While designed for listening to music through earphones, a number of third-party companies market dedicated iPod speaker systems with prices ranging from $100 to $200. With one of these speaker systems, a tiny iPod can be transformed into a state-of-the-art stereo system that fills the rooms of your home away from home with music. For reviews of select speaker systems visit Cnet Reviews.
At next Monday’s Computer Club I will be making a presentation on using Powerpoint. If you are interesting in learning how to creating a computer slide show with Powerpoint, you might find the presentation interesting. And if you get a chance, visit my Photo Blog at lsqlensviews.blogspot.com.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Broadcasts From Home…
Spending the winter months in Florida, Eddie and I have missed our New York radio stations. At home we have a choice of three different NPR stations and several Sports Radio offering. At Travelers Rest we get two NPR stations, but they both play music all day. The radio in our RV does not receive a strong enough AM signal to pick up Sports Radio from Tampa. All that changed in December when we signed up for EMBARQ DSL service which gave us a reliable, broadband internet connection.
Now when we want to listen to hometown radio, we turn on the computer. The day after Super Bowl XLII Eddie was reveling in the spectacular win of our home team, the New York Giants, and he wanted to listen to a post-game day recap on the radio. He sat down at his computer and after a few keystrokes he was listening to WFAN, a New York based sports radio station, give play-by-play analysis of the game. Later the same morning I listened to WNYC, a New York City based NPR station, and the Diane Rehms Show, also on NPR, but this time on WAMU broadcasting from Washington, DC.
How do we listen to the radio on our computers? We use Apple iTunes—software designed to transfer, store and play all types of digital media (music, television programs, feature films, and radio broadcasts) on Macintosh and PC computers. iTunes (spelled with a lowercase i) is bundled with all Macintosh computers, and a Windows XP and Vista compatible version is available for free download from www.apple.com/itunes. iTunes can be thought of as a “master control program” for digital media. With it you can download media from the internet, arrange it in categories (called playlists), store it for future use, play it in realtime, or transfer it to a portable device. As I said previously, you need a reliable, broadband internet connection to download radio through iTunes. It will not work with a dial-up connection or an intermittent broadband connection, like TR residents often experience with the park WiFi service.
iTunes downloads radio programs in two formats. Click on RADIO in the sidebar menu and you get a “streaming audio” list that includes many different music genres, including public radio, sports, talk radio, religious programming and comedy, Make a selection and you can choose from a list of available stations. For example, click on SPORTS and you can choose between WFAN in New York, WIP in Philadelphia, WJFK in Baltimore, WXYT in Detroit and seven other sports radio stations. When you listen to these stations you hear a live stream in real-time. Whatever program is playing on the station at the time is played through your computer speakers. If your internet connection is interrupted, the streaming stops.
The other option is to download something called a Podcast. A podcast is individual radio broadcast, or part of a broadcast, designed specifically as an internet download. Podcasts are not “streaming”, and must be completely downloaded before they are played on the computer. You can find podcasts on almost any subject and are often very targeted. ESPN offers podcasts of interviews taken from live broadcasts, but while the live broadcast will include commercials and listener phone calls, the podcast features only the interview and is relatively commercial free.
Because of the nature of podcasts, they are perfect for transferring to a portable digital player like the Apple iPod. If you are not familiar with the iPods, think of a 21st century Walkman. If you remember, the Walkman was a small radio about the size of a pack of playing cards that you listened to through headphones. iPods have been around since 2001 and come in several sizes: the size of a matchbook (iPod Shuffle), a credit card (iPod Nano) and a pack of playing cards (iPod Classic and iPod Touch). If you have seen people walking, running, or riding a bicycle with white wires hanging from their ears, you have probably seen someone using and iPod.
My husband, Eddie, is one of those people. Most days he goes for long training rides on his bicycle, and he listens to podcast on his iPod to help pass the time. He has programmed iTunes to “subscribe” to selected podcasts, downloading new shows to his computer as they become available. Each evening he transfers the newest podcasts to his iPod by connecting it to his computer.
Most podcast can be downloaded from the internet for free, and iTunes is not the only way to find podcast. Visit the website of any radio station, television show, or major newspaper, and you will find links for downloading podcasts. You can also find pages and pages of podcast directories by doing a GOOGLE search.
Now when we want to listen to hometown radio, we turn on the computer. The day after Super Bowl XLII Eddie was reveling in the spectacular win of our home team, the New York Giants, and he wanted to listen to a post-game day recap on the radio. He sat down at his computer and after a few keystrokes he was listening to WFAN, a New York based sports radio station, give play-by-play analysis of the game. Later the same morning I listened to WNYC, a New York City based NPR station, and the Diane Rehms Show, also on NPR, but this time on WAMU broadcasting from Washington, DC.
How do we listen to the radio on our computers? We use Apple iTunes—software designed to transfer, store and play all types of digital media (music, television programs, feature films, and radio broadcasts) on Macintosh and PC computers. iTunes (spelled with a lowercase i) is bundled with all Macintosh computers, and a Windows XP and Vista compatible version is available for free download from www.apple.com/itunes. iTunes can be thought of as a “master control program” for digital media. With it you can download media from the internet, arrange it in categories (called playlists), store it for future use, play it in realtime, or transfer it to a portable device. As I said previously, you need a reliable, broadband internet connection to download radio through iTunes. It will not work with a dial-up connection or an intermittent broadband connection, like TR residents often experience with the park WiFi service.
iTunes downloads radio programs in two formats. Click on RADIO in the sidebar menu and you get a “streaming audio” list that includes many different music genres, including public radio, sports, talk radio, religious programming and comedy, Make a selection and you can choose from a list of available stations. For example, click on SPORTS and you can choose between WFAN in New York, WIP in Philadelphia, WJFK in Baltimore, WXYT in Detroit and seven other sports radio stations. When you listen to these stations you hear a live stream in real-time. Whatever program is playing on the station at the time is played through your computer speakers. If your internet connection is interrupted, the streaming stops.
The other option is to download something called a Podcast. A podcast is individual radio broadcast, or part of a broadcast, designed specifically as an internet download. Podcasts are not “streaming”, and must be completely downloaded before they are played on the computer. You can find podcasts on almost any subject and are often very targeted. ESPN offers podcasts of interviews taken from live broadcasts, but while the live broadcast will include commercials and listener phone calls, the podcast features only the interview and is relatively commercial free.
Because of the nature of podcasts, they are perfect for transferring to a portable digital player like the Apple iPod. If you are not familiar with the iPods, think of a 21st century Walkman. If you remember, the Walkman was a small radio about the size of a pack of playing cards that you listened to through headphones. iPods have been around since 2001 and come in several sizes: the size of a matchbook (iPod Shuffle), a credit card (iPod Nano) and a pack of playing cards (iPod Classic and iPod Touch). If you have seen people walking, running, or riding a bicycle with white wires hanging from their ears, you have probably seen someone using and iPod.
My husband, Eddie, is one of those people. Most days he goes for long training rides on his bicycle, and he listens to podcast on his iPod to help pass the time. He has programmed iTunes to “subscribe” to selected podcasts, downloading new shows to his computer as they become available. Each evening he transfers the newest podcasts to his iPod by connecting it to his computer.
Most podcast can be downloaded from the internet for free, and iTunes is not the only way to find podcast. Visit the website of any radio station, television show, or major newspaper, and you will find links for downloading podcasts. You can also find pages and pages of podcast directories by doing a GOOGLE search.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Opps!
The PDF file from my January 21 presentation at the TR Computer Club was corrupt. A new file has been upload and does work — if you have a broadband connection. And it does take a while, so be patient. Sorry for any inconvenience.
The PDF version of the presentation of the FLICKR presentation is available for download from www.digitalquinn.com/pages/trpdf.htm
The PDF version of the presentation of the FLICKR presentation is available for download from www.digitalquinn.com/pages/trpdf.htm
Backup Now…
When was the last time you made a backup of the important information on your computer? For most computer users, their computer’s internal hard drive is analogous to a combination filing cabinet, safe deposit box, photo album, video cabinet and music archives. If the hard drive were to fail as a result of a mechanical or software malfunction, countless precious files would be lost forever—unless those files were backed-up to another location. If is often said that computer users need to make backups for “when” not “if” their hard drive fails.
The last time I wrote about the necessity of making backups was just after a serious hard drive crash I experienced over two years ago. If you took my advice to heart, you have been making regular backups of your data, and you are in good shape. If you haven’t been backing up your data, take heart—it is less complicated than you might think. In fact, both Windows XP, Vista, and Mac OS X come with backup software built-in.
The first step in backing up your data is to decide exactly what files need to be backed up. Many of the files on your computer do not change on a regular basis, and need to backed up once. Other files, or folders, change often and need to be backed up on a regular basis. For most Windows users the files that need to be updated regularly are the files in the MY DOCUMENTS FOLDER . Macintosh users will want to back up their USERS folder.
Before you consider how to make your backups, you have to decide where you are going to keep the backup files. The best choice is an external hard drive. External hard drives connect to your computer through the USB or FIREWIRE ports, and prices have dropped significantly in recent years, making them extremely affordable. When deciding on the amount of storage space you need to purchase, it is good practice to have four to five times the amount of space you plan to back up (ie: four or five times the size of your MY DOCUMENTS FOLDER or USERS folder).
At this point, you might be saying to yourself that you really don’t have that many files that need to backing up, and you can easily make manual back ups by copying the files from your internal hard drive to an external drive. You may be correct, but will you do it? Unless you make a practice of backing up every time you work on your computer, you really should consider using the backup software that was included with your operating system.
If you are using the newest version of the Macintosh operating system, Leopard (OS 10.5), you are ready to backup your files at the click of a button. A program appropriately named TIME MACHINE is part of OS X. To activate TIME MACHINE select it in SYSTEM PREFERENCES, make sure it is set to ON, and plug in an external drive. As soon as you plug in the external drive for the first time you will be asked if you want to use the drive for backups. Say yes, and backups will be made every hour, as long as the drive is plugged into your computer. (If you use an older version of OS X, you must rely on third-party software for backups. Check TRMUG.blogspot.com for more information.)
For Windows VISTA users, all versions except the Starter version come with AUTOMATIC FILE BACKUP. This backup utility can be used manually, or you can configure it to makes automatic backups on a scheduled of your choosing (you cannot schedule automatic backups in VISTA HOME BASIC edition). For more information and step_by_step instructions on the VISTA backup utility, go to www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/features/details/backup.mspx.
If you are still using Window XP, you have access to BACKUP UTILITY. With XP HOME EDITION, BACKUP is included on the CD that came with your computer, but it is not installed. Go to support.microsoft.com/kb/320820 for complete directions in installing and using the backup software. (note: If you have another version of XP, the backup software may already be installed. Go to the pervious link and follow the steps for HOW TO BACK UP FILES AND FOLDERS.
Remember, regular backups will protect you from loosing your important files.
The last time I wrote about the necessity of making backups was just after a serious hard drive crash I experienced over two years ago. If you took my advice to heart, you have been making regular backups of your data, and you are in good shape. If you haven’t been backing up your data, take heart—it is less complicated than you might think. In fact, both Windows XP, Vista, and Mac OS X come with backup software built-in.
The first step in backing up your data is to decide exactly what files need to be backed up. Many of the files on your computer do not change on a regular basis, and need to backed up once. Other files, or folders, change often and need to be backed up on a regular basis. For most Windows users the files that need to be updated regularly are the files in the MY DOCUMENTS FOLDER . Macintosh users will want to back up their USERS folder.
Before you consider how to make your backups, you have to decide where you are going to keep the backup files. The best choice is an external hard drive. External hard drives connect to your computer through the USB or FIREWIRE ports, and prices have dropped significantly in recent years, making them extremely affordable. When deciding on the amount of storage space you need to purchase, it is good practice to have four to five times the amount of space you plan to back up (ie: four or five times the size of your MY DOCUMENTS FOLDER or USERS folder).
At this point, you might be saying to yourself that you really don’t have that many files that need to backing up, and you can easily make manual back ups by copying the files from your internal hard drive to an external drive. You may be correct, but will you do it? Unless you make a practice of backing up every time you work on your computer, you really should consider using the backup software that was included with your operating system.
If you are using the newest version of the Macintosh operating system, Leopard (OS 10.5), you are ready to backup your files at the click of a button. A program appropriately named TIME MACHINE is part of OS X. To activate TIME MACHINE select it in SYSTEM PREFERENCES, make sure it is set to ON, and plug in an external drive. As soon as you plug in the external drive for the first time you will be asked if you want to use the drive for backups. Say yes, and backups will be made every hour, as long as the drive is plugged into your computer. (If you use an older version of OS X, you must rely on third-party software for backups. Check TRMUG.blogspot.com for more information.)
For Windows VISTA users, all versions except the Starter version come with AUTOMATIC FILE BACKUP. This backup utility can be used manually, or you can configure it to makes automatic backups on a scheduled of your choosing (you cannot schedule automatic backups in VISTA HOME BASIC edition). For more information and step_by_step instructions on the VISTA backup utility, go to www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/features/details/backup.mspx.
If you are still using Window XP, you have access to BACKUP UTILITY. With XP HOME EDITION, BACKUP is included on the CD that came with your computer, but it is not installed. Go to support.microsoft.com/kb/320820 for complete directions in installing and using the backup software. (note: If you have another version of XP, the backup software may already be installed. Go to the pervious link and follow the steps for HOW TO BACK UP FILES AND FOLDERS.
Remember, regular backups will protect you from loosing your important files.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Saving Favorites & Bookmarks…
Before I begin with today’s topic, I want to remind TR Times readers of two excellent venues for finding help with your computer problems—the Computer Club, which meets on Mondays at 7:00 P.M in Citrus Center East, and the newly formed TR Macintosh Users Group that meets on Tuesdays at 7:00 P.M. in the Paul Ruth Place. Both groups begin with question and answer sessions and feature how-to presentations. They are also good places to connect with TR residents who can answer your individual computer questions.
Now for today’s topic: If you connect to the internet, odds are you visit certain web sites repeatedly. Whether you use Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari, these browser programs give you a way to make returning to your favorite sites easy — by saving Favorites if you use Internet Explorer or Bookmarks if you use Firefox or Safari. Favorites and Bookmarks, which are the same thing, are records of website addresses that can be accessed with a click of your mouse.
Your Favorites or Bookmarks list are embedded in your browser software, but what happens if you have a problem and need to reinstall the software? If you’ve had this experience, you know that your Favorites/Bookmarks are gone unless you had the foresight to save them. Outlined below are the steps you need to take to save your Favorites/Bookmarks in the three most popular browsers.
INTERNET EXPLORER (version 5.0 or later)
1. From the File menu choose Import and Export.
2. This starts the Import/Export Wizard. Click NEXT.
3. Select Favorites and click NEXT.
4. The next screen shows the location for saving the Favorites list. Accept the default, or choose another location and click NEXT.
5. Click FINISH.
To reinstall your Favorites, follow the same steps, choosing Import instead of Export.
MOZILLA FIREFOX — PC & MAC
(You should be using the most recent version of Firefox, which is v. 2.0.0.11 on both platforms.)
1. From the Firefox menu bar, click on the Bookmark menu and choose Organzize Bookmarks (in older versions of Firefox it is Manage Bookmarks).
2. A new window opens and the menu bar changes.
3. From the File menu select Export.
4. Choose a location to save your Bookmarks and click on the Save button.
To reinstall your Bookmarks follow step 1 and 2 above, then:
3. From the File menu select Import.
4. Click the button next to From File.
5. Choose the location of you Bookmark list and click the Open button.
SAFARI (for Macintosh)
1. From the File menu choose Export Bookmarks...
2. Choose a location for your Bookmark file and click the Save button.
To reinstall the Bookmark file:
1. From the File menu choose Import Bookmarks...
2. Find the location of your Bookmark file and click the Import button.
For safekeeping in case your hard drive fails, you should save a copy of your Favorites/Bookmark file to a flash drive, external hard drive or burn it to a CD. But then, you do have a complete backup your hard drive, don’t you? If not, I’ll cover backing up your computer in next week’s column.
Besides the OnMouseClick blog at onmouseclick.blogspot.com there are two more blogs you might want to checkout. The newly formed TR Macintosh Users Group has a blog featuring information about the group and some how-to’s for Macintosh Users. You can find the blog at trmug.blogspot.com. The other blog you might be interested in is my new photo blog. I plan to update it two or three times a week, with each post featuring a new photograph. You can visit my photo blog at lsqlensviews.blogspot.com.
Now for today’s topic: If you connect to the internet, odds are you visit certain web sites repeatedly. Whether you use Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari, these browser programs give you a way to make returning to your favorite sites easy — by saving Favorites if you use Internet Explorer or Bookmarks if you use Firefox or Safari. Favorites and Bookmarks, which are the same thing, are records of website addresses that can be accessed with a click of your mouse.
Your Favorites or Bookmarks list are embedded in your browser software, but what happens if you have a problem and need to reinstall the software? If you’ve had this experience, you know that your Favorites/Bookmarks are gone unless you had the foresight to save them. Outlined below are the steps you need to take to save your Favorites/Bookmarks in the three most popular browsers.
INTERNET EXPLORER (version 5.0 or later)
1. From the File menu choose Import and Export.
2. This starts the Import/Export Wizard. Click NEXT.
3. Select Favorites and click NEXT.
4. The next screen shows the location for saving the Favorites list. Accept the default, or choose another location and click NEXT.
5. Click FINISH.
To reinstall your Favorites, follow the same steps, choosing Import instead of Export.
MOZILLA FIREFOX — PC & MAC
(You should be using the most recent version of Firefox, which is v. 2.0.0.11 on both platforms.)
1. From the Firefox menu bar, click on the Bookmark menu and choose Organzize Bookmarks (in older versions of Firefox it is Manage Bookmarks).
2. A new window opens and the menu bar changes.
3. From the File menu select Export.
4. Choose a location to save your Bookmarks and click on the Save button.
To reinstall your Bookmarks follow step 1 and 2 above, then:
3. From the File menu select Import.
4. Click the button next to From File.
5. Choose the location of you Bookmark list and click the Open button.
SAFARI (for Macintosh)
1. From the File menu choose Export Bookmarks...
2. Choose a location for your Bookmark file and click the Save button.
To reinstall the Bookmark file:
1. From the File menu choose Import Bookmarks...
2. Find the location of your Bookmark file and click the Import button.
For safekeeping in case your hard drive fails, you should save a copy of your Favorites/Bookmark file to a flash drive, external hard drive or burn it to a CD. But then, you do have a complete backup your hard drive, don’t you? If not, I’ll cover backing up your computer in next week’s column.
Besides the OnMouseClick blog at onmouseclick.blogspot.com there are two more blogs you might want to checkout. The newly formed TR Macintosh Users Group has a blog featuring information about the group and some how-to’s for Macintosh Users. You can find the blog at trmug.blogspot.com. The other blog you might be interested in is my new photo blog. I plan to update it two or three times a week, with each post featuring a new photograph. You can visit my photo blog at lsqlensviews.blogspot.com.
Making passwords secure…
In the first OnMouseClick of 2008 I wrote about the importance of using unique passwords for all of your password protected online accounts. This is easier said than done. First you have to think of secure passwords to use, and then you have to remember what they are. If you followed my suggestion to create a book containing all of your relevant computer information, the second part is easy. Creating the passwords themselves can present more of a problem.
Anyone who watches television or goes to the movies has seen characters attempting to “crack” the password of an encrypted file, and nine times out of ten they are successful. While in real-life the process is generally more complex, too many of us use passwords that can easily be discovered by a third party.
While doing online research for this column, I happened upon a 2006 study done at Witchita State University titled “Password Security: What Users Know and What They Actually Do.” In the study three hundred and fifteen students were asked to complete a 101-question “Password Practices Survey.” A quick review of the survey results showed that over 75% of the respondents reported using either the same, or a variation of the same password for multiple websites. Over one-half of the survey takers use personally meaningful words or numbers for their passwords, and only about 15% write down a list of passwords in case the password is lost or forgotten.
Included as a part of the survey were questions about password practices that should be followed to insure a high level of password security.
1. Passwords should not include personally meaningful words or numbers (such as pets’ names, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.).
2. Passwords should have seven or more characters.
3. Passwords should use a combination of both upper and lowercase letters, numbers and punctuation or special characters (ie: &, $, #, {, ? etc.).
4. Unique passwords should be used for each account.
5. Passwords should be changed every three to six months.
While a majority of the respondents agreed that these “best practices” should be followed, only a small percentage of them actually reported following them.
The survey concluded that most of the respondents “...reported password generation practices that are simplistic and hence very insecure.” (To read the full report, which is only one web page long, go to http://psychology.wichita.edu/surl/usabilitynews/81/Passwords.htm.)
The best practices listed above provide some guidelines to use when creating and maintaining passwords. The difficult part is generating secure passwords in the first place. If you take your family and pet names out of the mix, and you cannot use personally significant numbers, what do you do?
One solution is to make up a sentence that has relevance to the account you are creating. Use the first letter of each word in the sentence, and you have the basis of your new password. To make the password more secure, add a couple of numbers, punctuation marks and/or special characters and you have a unique password that will be difficult to breach.
As an example, let us suppose you need to create a password for your online banking account. You might come up with the phrase “Our First National Bank of Anywhere personal banking account.” Take the first letter of each word and you have OFNBOAPBA. Next, you could substitute a punctuation mark or special character for every instance of a letter that repeats more than once, in this case the letter A, giving us OFNBO!PB&. Finally add one or more random numbers somewhere in the mix, OFNB742O!PB&, and you have a password that will be much more secure than using your son’s birthday or your pet’s name.
And for anyone who attended my presentation on working with FLICKR web galleries at the Monday, January 21 computer club meeting, a “how to” PDF file is available online at www.digitalquinn.com/howtoflickr/.
Anyone who watches television or goes to the movies has seen characters attempting to “crack” the password of an encrypted file, and nine times out of ten they are successful. While in real-life the process is generally more complex, too many of us use passwords that can easily be discovered by a third party.
While doing online research for this column, I happened upon a 2006 study done at Witchita State University titled “Password Security: What Users Know and What They Actually Do.” In the study three hundred and fifteen students were asked to complete a 101-question “Password Practices Survey.” A quick review of the survey results showed that over 75% of the respondents reported using either the same, or a variation of the same password for multiple websites. Over one-half of the survey takers use personally meaningful words or numbers for their passwords, and only about 15% write down a list of passwords in case the password is lost or forgotten.
Included as a part of the survey were questions about password practices that should be followed to insure a high level of password security.
1. Passwords should not include personally meaningful words or numbers (such as pets’ names, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.).
2. Passwords should have seven or more characters.
3. Passwords should use a combination of both upper and lowercase letters, numbers and punctuation or special characters (ie: &, $, #, {, ? etc.).
4. Unique passwords should be used for each account.
5. Passwords should be changed every three to six months.
While a majority of the respondents agreed that these “best practices” should be followed, only a small percentage of them actually reported following them.
The survey concluded that most of the respondents “...reported password generation practices that are simplistic and hence very insecure.” (To read the full report, which is only one web page long, go to http://psychology.wichita.edu/surl/usabilitynews/81/Passwords.htm.)
The best practices listed above provide some guidelines to use when creating and maintaining passwords. The difficult part is generating secure passwords in the first place. If you take your family and pet names out of the mix, and you cannot use personally significant numbers, what do you do?
One solution is to make up a sentence that has relevance to the account you are creating. Use the first letter of each word in the sentence, and you have the basis of your new password. To make the password more secure, add a couple of numbers, punctuation marks and/or special characters and you have a unique password that will be difficult to breach.
As an example, let us suppose you need to create a password for your online banking account. You might come up with the phrase “Our First National Bank of Anywhere personal banking account.” Take the first letter of each word and you have OFNBOAPBA. Next, you could substitute a punctuation mark or special character for every instance of a letter that repeats more than once, in this case the letter A, giving us OFNBO!PB&. Finally add one or more random numbers somewhere in the mix, OFNB742O!PB&, and you have a password that will be much more secure than using your son’s birthday or your pet’s name.
And for anyone who attended my presentation on working with FLICKR web galleries at the Monday, January 21 computer club meeting, a “how to” PDF file is available online at www.digitalquinn.com/howtoflickr/.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
TR Computer Club Presentation
On Monday evening, January 21, I made a presentation at the TR Computer Club on using the online photo gallery site, FLICKR.
The PDF version of the presentation is available for download from www.digitalquinn.com/pages/trpdf.htm
The PDF version of the presentation is available for download from www.digitalquinn.com/pages/trpdf.htm
Thursday, January 17, 2008
More thoughts on upgrading your computer…
Last week I promised that I would write a column to help you determine if it is time to buy a new computer. If have already decided that you want a faster system, more memory, more storage, or a bigger monitor you can stop reading right now— it is time to start shopping This is for the rest of you.
I was recently asked by a TR resident if I thought they should replace their five year old computer. Technology, as it relates to computers and microprocessor, is advancing at a blistering pace. By 2008 standards a five year old computer is positively “ancient”. But ancient is fine if it meets your needs. However, with an outdated computer you are bound to run into problems if you want to make improvements or upgrades. Every time a computer manufacturer introduces a new model, software publishers update programs to run on the new hardware. In most cases these newer programs are not compatible with older hardware and/or older operating systems.
As an example, if you use Microsoft Office 2003 on a PC, you can run it on the Microsoft Windows 2000 operating system. If you want to upgrade to Office 2007, you must be running Windows XP or Vista. For Macintosh users, Microsoft Office 2004 will run on Mac OS X 10.2.8 or later (the most recent version on the Macintosh operating system is OS X 10.5.1). Microsoft Office 2008 was released this week and requires OS 10.4.9 or higher.
Computers do break down, and an older systems will be more difficult to get repaired. Most computer technicians do not actually repair computers; they replace parts — and parts for outdated systems are not always available.
If you purchased a computer in the last three years it is probably more than adequate for your needs, with the possible exception of the amount of hard disc storage space available. If you use a digital camera and regularly download images to your computer your hard drive can fill up quickly. Instead of trading in your computer, the addition of one or more external hard drives might be all that you need. The cost of external hard drives have been drastically reduced over the past two years—drives with 500 GB (gigabytes) of memory can be found for under $120 and will store over 100,000 digital photos.
Still unsure about needing a new computer? Try answering the following questions:
If you have a PC, is the operating system Windows 2000 or earlier? If you have a Mac, are you still running OS 9?
Do you have to wait a long time while your computer performs operations?
Does your computer have less than 512 megabytes of memory.
Did you buy your computer prior to 2003?
If you answered YES to one or more of these questions, you should definitely consider buying a new computer. If you have questions or need help with the process, pay a visit to one of the Travelers Rest Computer Club meetings. The Computer Club meets on Monday, and the Macintosh group meets on Tuesday. Check the TR Times or Channel 25 for times and location.
I was recently asked by a TR resident if I thought they should replace their five year old computer. Technology, as it relates to computers and microprocessor, is advancing at a blistering pace. By 2008 standards a five year old computer is positively “ancient”. But ancient is fine if it meets your needs. However, with an outdated computer you are bound to run into problems if you want to make improvements or upgrades. Every time a computer manufacturer introduces a new model, software publishers update programs to run on the new hardware. In most cases these newer programs are not compatible with older hardware and/or older operating systems.
As an example, if you use Microsoft Office 2003 on a PC, you can run it on the Microsoft Windows 2000 operating system. If you want to upgrade to Office 2007, you must be running Windows XP or Vista. For Macintosh users, Microsoft Office 2004 will run on Mac OS X 10.2.8 or later (the most recent version on the Macintosh operating system is OS X 10.5.1). Microsoft Office 2008 was released this week and requires OS 10.4.9 or higher.
Computers do break down, and an older systems will be more difficult to get repaired. Most computer technicians do not actually repair computers; they replace parts — and parts for outdated systems are not always available.
If you purchased a computer in the last three years it is probably more than adequate for your needs, with the possible exception of the amount of hard disc storage space available. If you use a digital camera and regularly download images to your computer your hard drive can fill up quickly. Instead of trading in your computer, the addition of one or more external hard drives might be all that you need. The cost of external hard drives have been drastically reduced over the past two years—drives with 500 GB (gigabytes) of memory can be found for under $120 and will store over 100,000 digital photos.
Still unsure about needing a new computer? Try answering the following questions:
If you have a PC, is the operating system Windows 2000 or earlier? If you have a Mac, are you still running OS 9?
Do you have to wait a long time while your computer performs operations?
Does your computer have less than 512 megabytes of memory.
Did you buy your computer prior to 2003?
If you answered YES to one or more of these questions, you should definitely consider buying a new computer. If you have questions or need help with the process, pay a visit to one of the Travelers Rest Computer Club meetings. The Computer Club meets on Monday, and the Macintosh group meets on Tuesday. Check the TR Times or Channel 25 for times and location.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
When is it time to upgrade? Or, the Life-cycle of a personal computer.
Is your computer system out-of-date? Would you know if it was? Buying a computer is a considerable investment, one that should be expected to last for many years. However, innovations in hardware, software, and operating systems make it difficult to resist the allure of something faster, bigger and easier to use. The question is, when will buying a new system make a real difference? Do you really need a faster computer, a bigger hard drive, more internal memory, or a newer operating system?
Computer advertisements tout speed as an important reason to upgrade. While it is true that microprocessing speed has been getting faster and faster, for most people the speed differences are negligible. Compare a five-year old computer to a brand new model, and there will be a very noticeable difference. The computer will turn on faster, programs will load faster, and everyday operations, like spell-checking a word processing file, will be faster. But unless you are performing processor hungry operations such as video editing, working with large, high-resolution digital images, or working with complex spreadsheet formulas, the speed difference is not always a reason to upgrade.
Another possible reason for upgrading is to utilize a new operating system. The operating system is software that controls how your computer “thinks”, what the desktop looks like, and how it
processes information. Every time a new or upgraded operating system is release, it contains more features that hopefully make everyday computing easier for the user.
Last year everyone was on pins and needles waiting for Microsoft Vista to be released. While the software was promised to be revolutionary, most Windows based computers were not adequately configured to run Vista. Most people who wanted to utilize Vista had to seriously consider buying a new computer. In October, Apple introduced Leopard, the newest version of its OS X operating system. Leopard is a little more forgiving than Vista, and will run on most Macintosh computers sold within the last four years.
However, both the new versions of the Windows and Macintosh operating systems suggest a minimum of one gigabyte internal memory. Internal memory is the memory bank that “remembers” all the information that is being processed by a computer. A few years ago 512 megabytes* of memory seemed like a lot, with most computers coming with 256 megabytes of memory. Modern computers process more information than ever, and when buying a new computer, you really need at least one gigabyte* of memory.
When you turn off your computer, everything in the internal memory is erased, so you need someplace to store your information for the long term — an internal hard drive. Today it is not unusual to buy a computer with a 250 gigabyte hard drive. Three years ago a sixty gigabyte drive seemed large. At that time, the average person stored word processing files on their computer. Today they are more likely to store digital photos, music and videos — all of which take up a lot of space. If you are buying a new computer, make sure the internal hard drive is large enough for your needs. If your current computer works well, but you are running out of space, you do not need to buy a new computer, only an external hard drive which will give you additional storage space.
Next week in OnMouseClick I will give you some specific things to look at to help you decide if you need a new computer, and what you might be able to do to bring your existing computer up to 2008 standards.
*A byte is the smallest unit of computer memory. A kilobyte is roughly equal to one thousand bytes, a megabyte is roughly equal to one million bytes, and a gigabyte is roughly equal to one billion bytes.
Computer advertisements tout speed as an important reason to upgrade. While it is true that microprocessing speed has been getting faster and faster, for most people the speed differences are negligible. Compare a five-year old computer to a brand new model, and there will be a very noticeable difference. The computer will turn on faster, programs will load faster, and everyday operations, like spell-checking a word processing file, will be faster. But unless you are performing processor hungry operations such as video editing, working with large, high-resolution digital images, or working with complex spreadsheet formulas, the speed difference is not always a reason to upgrade.
Another possible reason for upgrading is to utilize a new operating system. The operating system is software that controls how your computer “thinks”, what the desktop looks like, and how it
processes information. Every time a new or upgraded operating system is release, it contains more features that hopefully make everyday computing easier for the user.
Last year everyone was on pins and needles waiting for Microsoft Vista to be released. While the software was promised to be revolutionary, most Windows based computers were not adequately configured to run Vista. Most people who wanted to utilize Vista had to seriously consider buying a new computer. In October, Apple introduced Leopard, the newest version of its OS X operating system. Leopard is a little more forgiving than Vista, and will run on most Macintosh computers sold within the last four years.
However, both the new versions of the Windows and Macintosh operating systems suggest a minimum of one gigabyte internal memory. Internal memory is the memory bank that “remembers” all the information that is being processed by a computer. A few years ago 512 megabytes* of memory seemed like a lot, with most computers coming with 256 megabytes of memory. Modern computers process more information than ever, and when buying a new computer, you really need at least one gigabyte* of memory.
When you turn off your computer, everything in the internal memory is erased, so you need someplace to store your information for the long term — an internal hard drive. Today it is not unusual to buy a computer with a 250 gigabyte hard drive. Three years ago a sixty gigabyte drive seemed large. At that time, the average person stored word processing files on their computer. Today they are more likely to store digital photos, music and videos — all of which take up a lot of space. If you are buying a new computer, make sure the internal hard drive is large enough for your needs. If your current computer works well, but you are running out of space, you do not need to buy a new computer, only an external hard drive which will give you additional storage space.
Next week in OnMouseClick I will give you some specific things to look at to help you decide if you need a new computer, and what you might be able to do to bring your existing computer up to 2008 standards.
*A byte is the smallest unit of computer memory. A kilobyte is roughly equal to one thousand bytes, a megabyte is roughly equal to one million bytes, and a gigabyte is roughly equal to one billion bytes.
Happy New Year…
A very Happy New Year to everyone at TR. With the first OnMouseClick column coming so soon after New Years, I am writing this column for everyone who made a resolution to simplify their accumulation of computer and web related information. But first, I want to pay tribute to a TR couple that is no longer with with us.
My friend and neighbor Carol Ettenhofer didn’t make it down to Travelers Rest this year. She passed away on Christmas Day during the drive down. Instead of spending the winter with us in Florida, she has joined her beloved husband, Arnold, who predeceased her only two years ago.
Eddie and I will miss Carol, as we have Arnold. They were the most upbeat, warm people you could ever hope to have as neighbors. And although they were both along in years, they were an inspiration to seniors everywhere in their embrace of modern technology—both were avid computer users. When Carol left TR last spring she was planning to buy a new laptop for this season. She was also thrilled with a digital photo frame that her children had given her last Christmas. With people like the Ettenhofer’s in mind, I plan to devote this season’s OnMouseClick columns to covering how computers, and other computer-like devices, can work to the benefit to those of us who live in confined spaces during the winter season, and on using technology to enhance our lifestyle as we grow older.
One thing that using computers has not done for us is make life less complicated. How many web sites do you visit regularly that ask for a username and password? If you do online banking, online management of medical insurance, online ordering of prescription drugs, to name a only a few, you need a username and password. To make life easy, you can use the same password for all of the sites you visit, but that is not a good idea (I must admit, that I have been guilty of this, and am trying hard to rectify it). Every password you use should be unique.
If you are running an up-to-date operating system, your computer will store and input passwords for you, but what if you get a new computer? Or, worse yet, have to reformat and reinstall everything on your hard drive? The simple answer is to keep all of the information you might need in one, easily accessible location. Instead of filing all of the information away in a filing cabinet, I suggest using a sturdy notebook to keep near your computer workstation.
I use a small (4 3/4” wide by 6 1/4” high) hard cover, spiral notebook divided the into sections with colored, write-on tabs. I have set-up sections for retirement information, medical insurance websites and passwords, computer serial numbers and warranties. There is also a section listing the serial numbers of all of our installed software, and finally a section with the username and passwords for website access. On the last page of the book I keep a list of telephone numbers and account numbers for the periodical that we start, stop, and change addresses for as we travel throughout the year. This notebook has saved time on numerous occasions. When I need a password or serial number I know exactly where to find it. I recently set-up a new computer (I have a new, MacBook Pro 17” — an amazing machine) and my “little black book” has proved invaluable.
My friend and neighbor Carol Ettenhofer didn’t make it down to Travelers Rest this year. She passed away on Christmas Day during the drive down. Instead of spending the winter with us in Florida, she has joined her beloved husband, Arnold, who predeceased her only two years ago.
Eddie and I will miss Carol, as we have Arnold. They were the most upbeat, warm people you could ever hope to have as neighbors. And although they were both along in years, they were an inspiration to seniors everywhere in their embrace of modern technology—both were avid computer users. When Carol left TR last spring she was planning to buy a new laptop for this season. She was also thrilled with a digital photo frame that her children had given her last Christmas. With people like the Ettenhofer’s in mind, I plan to devote this season’s OnMouseClick columns to covering how computers, and other computer-like devices, can work to the benefit to those of us who live in confined spaces during the winter season, and on using technology to enhance our lifestyle as we grow older.
One thing that using computers has not done for us is make life less complicated. How many web sites do you visit regularly that ask for a username and password? If you do online banking, online management of medical insurance, online ordering of prescription drugs, to name a only a few, you need a username and password. To make life easy, you can use the same password for all of the sites you visit, but that is not a good idea (I must admit, that I have been guilty of this, and am trying hard to rectify it). Every password you use should be unique.
If you are running an up-to-date operating system, your computer will store and input passwords for you, but what if you get a new computer? Or, worse yet, have to reformat and reinstall everything on your hard drive? The simple answer is to keep all of the information you might need in one, easily accessible location. Instead of filing all of the information away in a filing cabinet, I suggest using a sturdy notebook to keep near your computer workstation.
I use a small (4 3/4” wide by 6 1/4” high) hard cover, spiral notebook divided the into sections with colored, write-on tabs. I have set-up sections for retirement information, medical insurance websites and passwords, computer serial numbers and warranties. There is also a section listing the serial numbers of all of our installed software, and finally a section with the username and passwords for website access. On the last page of the book I keep a list of telephone numbers and account numbers for the periodical that we start, stop, and change addresses for as we travel throughout the year. This notebook has saved time on numerous occasions. When I need a password or serial number I know exactly where to find it. I recently set-up a new computer (I have a new, MacBook Pro 17” — an amazing machine) and my “little black book” has proved invaluable.
Friday, March 16, 2007
On the road…
This week’s column is being written in Arizona, and by the time it appears in the TR Times we should be in Hawaii visiting our son Brian. As promised, we have used our Cingular Wireless card as we drove across the country, and I am glad to report that it works as advertised. It is truly amazing to be driving along the interstate and connecting to the Internet at the same time (only in the passenger seat, of course).
We did have a delay in trying out the card. We did not take our motor home on the trip; instead we decided to buy a used GMC Savana van that we thought would be perfect for our needs. It gave us the room we needed, and the seller promised it was in perfect condition. Unfortunately, even before we left Travelers Rest it needed a great deal of work.
On our first day on the road , Friday, March 2, I planned on using the computer to connect to the Internet to find a place to stay when we were ready to stop for the night. However, after only three hundred miles, on I-10 between Tallahassee and Pensacola, the van bucked a couple of times and then died. The next two hours were spent on the side of the road waiting for road service to send a tow.
A local mechanic worked on the van, but he couldn’t find the cause of our problems. He ran the engine for over three hours and proclaimed that the van appeared to be working fine. After a night in the small town of Marianna, Florida, we got the van back and continued on our way. Outside Mobile, Alabama, on our second day on the road, I finally tried to use the wireless card to make a reservation for a hotel for the night. What a treat to be able to access the Internet while we were driving down the highway, compare hotel prices and availability, and make a reservation. I tried the card again two days later in Louisiana and the results were just as good.
It did take us an unusually long time to get through Louisiana — amd that is because the van broke down again in Baton Rouge on Sunday. On Monday a GMC service center was finally able to diagnose and repair the problem and we got on our way again in the early afternoon. Since then we have used the wireless card several times, and every time we were able to connect to the Internet without a hitch.
If you need to be able to connect to the Internet wherever you travel, I strongly suggest you look into getting a wireless card from your cell phone provider. While the service is costly, it does give you piece of mind knowing that you can connect from just about anywhere.
This is the last OnMouseClick for the year. I wish everyone happy computing, and a safe and healthy summer!
We did have a delay in trying out the card. We did not take our motor home on the trip; instead we decided to buy a used GMC Savana van that we thought would be perfect for our needs. It gave us the room we needed, and the seller promised it was in perfect condition. Unfortunately, even before we left Travelers Rest it needed a great deal of work.
On our first day on the road , Friday, March 2, I planned on using the computer to connect to the Internet to find a place to stay when we were ready to stop for the night. However, after only three hundred miles, on I-10 between Tallahassee and Pensacola, the van bucked a couple of times and then died. The next two hours were spent on the side of the road waiting for road service to send a tow.
A local mechanic worked on the van, but he couldn’t find the cause of our problems. He ran the engine for over three hours and proclaimed that the van appeared to be working fine. After a night in the small town of Marianna, Florida, we got the van back and continued on our way. Outside Mobile, Alabama, on our second day on the road, I finally tried to use the wireless card to make a reservation for a hotel for the night. What a treat to be able to access the Internet while we were driving down the highway, compare hotel prices and availability, and make a reservation. I tried the card again two days later in Louisiana and the results were just as good.
It did take us an unusually long time to get through Louisiana — amd that is because the van broke down again in Baton Rouge on Sunday. On Monday a GMC service center was finally able to diagnose and repair the problem and we got on our way again in the early afternoon. Since then we have used the wireless card several times, and every time we were able to connect to the Internet without a hitch.
If you need to be able to connect to the Internet wherever you travel, I strongly suggest you look into getting a wireless card from your cell phone provider. While the service is costly, it does give you piece of mind knowing that you can connect from just about anywhere.
This is the last OnMouseClick for the year. I wish everyone happy computing, and a safe and healthy summer!
Friday, March 02, 2007
Keeping it personal — Part II…
In last week’s OnMouseClick I outlined methods of avoiding Internet fraud and identity theft. This week I am going to focus on using a firewall to keep your computer safe from outside intruders if you use a broadband network to connect to the Internet.
In the real world, a firewall is a partition that inhibits the spread of a fire. In cyberspace, a firewall is metaphorical; instead of protecting against fire, it protects your computer from unauthorized access. An even better analogy would be to think of a firewall as a receptionist who monitors all visitors (Internet traffic) to your computer. Without the proper clearance, the receptionist will not let a visitor enter.
You might be wondering why anyone would want to gain access to your computer. There are two main reasons. First intruders, also known as computer hackers, are looking for sensitive information that may be stored on your computer, such as credit card numbers, bank account numbers, and passwords. Second, your computer hardware can be commandeered for remote use in hacking other computers. To minimize the probability of such a breach of your computer security, it is imperative that you have firewall software installed and turned on.
Where do you get firewall software? If you use Windows XP — Service Pack 2, Vista or Mac OS 10, there is a firewall built into the operating system that is turned on by default. With both Windows and Mac, the most recent versions of the operating systems, OS 10.4 for Mac and Vista for Windows, are purported to be the most secure. Regardless of which operating system you use, be sure to keep it up-to-date. Most operating system updates are released because of newly discovered security breaches and subsequent repairs.
If you use virus protection software — and you should — a firewall may also have been installed on your computer as a component of the software. If this is the case, you will need to select which firewall you want to use. For most people, the obvious choice will be to use the firewall that is integrated with the virus protection software. Whatever your choice, you should only have one of the firewalls enabled.
Firewall software can be customized, although most novice users will stay with their software’s default settings. If you want to learn how your firewall is working, or you want to be able to do your own customization, there are several web sites that provide useful information.
One excellent resource is www.cert.org/homeusers/HomeComputerSecurity. This web site, sponsored by the Carnegie Mellon University, is one of the best compendiums on Home Computer Security I have come across. Another web site of interest to Windows XP users is www.windowsecurity.com/articles/Customizing-Windows-Firewall.html. This web article gives step-by-step directions on different ways to customize the Windows XP firewall.
As for users of the brand new Windows Vista operating system, I was not able to find any web sites with directions for customizing the firewall — although my research suggests that the Vista firewall is not very different from the firewall in Windows XP. If you use a Macintosh, you can learn about the firewall settings on your computer with a search for FIREWALL in the Apple Help Menu.
Next week OnMouseClick concludes the series on computer security by exploring a variety of antivirus software and the importance of backing up your critical data.
In the real world, a firewall is a partition that inhibits the spread of a fire. In cyberspace, a firewall is metaphorical; instead of protecting against fire, it protects your computer from unauthorized access. An even better analogy would be to think of a firewall as a receptionist who monitors all visitors (Internet traffic) to your computer. Without the proper clearance, the receptionist will not let a visitor enter.
You might be wondering why anyone would want to gain access to your computer. There are two main reasons. First intruders, also known as computer hackers, are looking for sensitive information that may be stored on your computer, such as credit card numbers, bank account numbers, and passwords. Second, your computer hardware can be commandeered for remote use in hacking other computers. To minimize the probability of such a breach of your computer security, it is imperative that you have firewall software installed and turned on.
Where do you get firewall software? If you use Windows XP — Service Pack 2, Vista or Mac OS 10, there is a firewall built into the operating system that is turned on by default. With both Windows and Mac, the most recent versions of the operating systems, OS 10.4 for Mac and Vista for Windows, are purported to be the most secure. Regardless of which operating system you use, be sure to keep it up-to-date. Most operating system updates are released because of newly discovered security breaches and subsequent repairs.
If you use virus protection software — and you should — a firewall may also have been installed on your computer as a component of the software. If this is the case, you will need to select which firewall you want to use. For most people, the obvious choice will be to use the firewall that is integrated with the virus protection software. Whatever your choice, you should only have one of the firewalls enabled.
Firewall software can be customized, although most novice users will stay with their software’s default settings. If you want to learn how your firewall is working, or you want to be able to do your own customization, there are several web sites that provide useful information.
One excellent resource is www.cert.org/homeusers/HomeComputerSecurity. This web site, sponsored by the Carnegie Mellon University, is one of the best compendiums on Home Computer Security I have come across. Another web site of interest to Windows XP users is www.windowsecurity.com/articles/Customizing-Windows-Firewall.html. This web article gives step-by-step directions on different ways to customize the Windows XP firewall.
As for users of the brand new Windows Vista operating system, I was not able to find any web sites with directions for customizing the firewall — although my research suggests that the Vista firewall is not very different from the firewall in Windows XP. If you use a Macintosh, you can learn about the firewall settings on your computer with a search for FIREWALL in the Apple Help Menu.
Next week OnMouseClick concludes the series on computer security by exploring a variety of antivirus software and the importance of backing up your critical data.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Keeping it personal…
You would probably be surprised to know how much personal information is stored on your computer. Every time you use your computer for online shopping or bill paying, personal information is stored in you computer’s memory — information that can put you at risk.
According to the Better Business Bureau web site (www.bbbonline.org/Idtheft), identity theft, also known as identity fraud, is access to personal account information that leads to fraud. The web site also states that 90% of identity fraud does not occur online, and only 2.3% of victims are over 65. While these statistics are encouraging, anyone who uses the Internet should be vigilant about security. The following are simple guidelines that will help protect you and your sensitive information.
1. When logging on to secure web sites, choose passwords that are not easy to figure out. Don’t use obvious words like birthdays, your mother’s maiden name or the name of your pet. Change passwords often, and don’t use the same password for all the web sites you visit.
2. Do not respond to e-mails that appear suspicious. If you do not know who sent an email, delete it.
3. Never open an email attachment unless you are sure of its origin. If someone you do not know sends you a photo, music file, or any other type of attachment, delete it before opening.
4. Consider having more than one email address. Use one for corresponding with friends and family and another one for online shopping. If you have a problem with an email address, delete it and create a new one.
5. When completing online purchases, check for https at the beginning of the address in the address bar. This denotes a secure, encrypted web site used for transferring personal data. If are not sure you are on a secure site, do not enter your credit card information.
Even if you observe all of the above guidelines, you have to be wary of Phishing scams, one of the most popular methods of perpetrating online identity fraud. Unsavory individuals send email to the customers of financial institutions or ecommerce web sites (such as Paypal or Amazon.com) asking for a review or update of account information. The email will look legitimate and include a link to a web site that will be a replica of the company’s real web site. Once on the fake web site, the victim will be asked to enter personal information such as account numbers, social security number and passwords.
Reputable institutions and ecommerce sites will never ask for personal information via email. If you receive such an email and you think it might be legitimate, contact the purported sender by telephone before acting upon the email.
While personal vigilance is the first line of defense against online fraud, it is also important to keep your computer up-to-date with software that will help protect against computer invasion and fraud — which will be the subject of next week’s OnMouseClick.
According to the Better Business Bureau web site (www.bbbonline.org/Idtheft), identity theft, also known as identity fraud, is access to personal account information that leads to fraud. The web site also states that 90% of identity fraud does not occur online, and only 2.3% of victims are over 65. While these statistics are encouraging, anyone who uses the Internet should be vigilant about security. The following are simple guidelines that will help protect you and your sensitive information.
1. When logging on to secure web sites, choose passwords that are not easy to figure out. Don’t use obvious words like birthdays, your mother’s maiden name or the name of your pet. Change passwords often, and don’t use the same password for all the web sites you visit.
2. Do not respond to e-mails that appear suspicious. If you do not know who sent an email, delete it.
3. Never open an email attachment unless you are sure of its origin. If someone you do not know sends you a photo, music file, or any other type of attachment, delete it before opening.
4. Consider having more than one email address. Use one for corresponding with friends and family and another one for online shopping. If you have a problem with an email address, delete it and create a new one.
5. When completing online purchases, check for https at the beginning of the address in the address bar. This denotes a secure, encrypted web site used for transferring personal data. If are not sure you are on a secure site, do not enter your credit card information.
Even if you observe all of the above guidelines, you have to be wary of Phishing scams, one of the most popular methods of perpetrating online identity fraud. Unsavory individuals send email to the customers of financial institutions or ecommerce web sites (such as Paypal or Amazon.com) asking for a review or update of account information. The email will look legitimate and include a link to a web site that will be a replica of the company’s real web site. Once on the fake web site, the victim will be asked to enter personal information such as account numbers, social security number and passwords.
Reputable institutions and ecommerce sites will never ask for personal information via email. If you receive such an email and you think it might be legitimate, contact the purported sender by telephone before acting upon the email.
While personal vigilance is the first line of defense against online fraud, it is also important to keep your computer up-to-date with software that will help protect against computer invasion and fraud — which will be the subject of next week’s OnMouseClick.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Staying Connected — Part II…
The day after writing last week's column we visited the Cingular store in New Tampa and signed up for an unlimited Data Connect plan with a two-year contract. We have been using the service for almost a week and it has proved to be a reliable Internet connection, but at Travelers Rest it is not very fast.
The three major cell phone carriers, Cingular, Verizon and Sprint, all offer Internet connect service, and the services are broadband in most metropolitan areas. Cingular's broadband network is known as 3G, and promises connection speeds rivaling the speed of a cable modem. When not in an area serviced by 3G, the connection is made through Cingular's Edge (2G) network, which operates at speeds faster than dial-up but slower than DSL.
Immediately after signing up for the service, we headed to a coffee shop near the Cingular store to try out our Internet connection. The greater Tampa area is covered by 3G-service, and the connection was lightening fast. The New York Times home page, which is graphics intensive, loaded seamlessly and fast, as did a financial management program, Active Trader Pro from Fidelity Investments. Active Trader monitors the stock market in real time, and worked flawlessly on the 3G network.
Back at Travelers Rest we are connecting to the Internet through the Edge network, and download speeds are considerably slower. The biggest disappointment for us has been Fidelity Active Trader Pro, which does not work well on the Edge network. The stock prices do not update in real-time, and it is not possible to use the program for trading. A call to Cingular support told us that they do not recommend using Active Trader over the Edge network. On the plus side, the connection through Cingular has been reliable, while the connection through the TR wireless network has not!
On balance, we still haven't made up our minds whether we are going to keep the service or not. With a thirty-day window for cancellation without penalty, the clock is ticking, and we have to make a decision in the new two weeks. By then we will be on the road, making our trip out to Tucson, and we will have the opportunity to test the network in a variety of locations - most of them outside of metropolitan areas.
What we are hoping for is this: If we find ourselves in a traffic delay we can go online, check the traffic report, and find a way around the tie-up. When we need gas, we can check for the lowest prices in the area*, and we can check restaurant and hotel reviews on the fly. We will also have access to Weather.com, MapQuest, Google Maps, and Google Earth when we need them. All-in all it should be a good test and I will report back to the TR Times readers in a future OnMouseClick column.
*Did you know about finding gas prices on the web? Do a Google search for "Gas Prices" and you will find a list of web sites that provide real-time information.
Some of the sites I have tried are:
www.gasbuddy.com
gasprices.mapquest.com
www.gaspricewatch.com
www.fuelgaugereport.com
www.fuelcostcalculator.com.
The three major cell phone carriers, Cingular, Verizon and Sprint, all offer Internet connect service, and the services are broadband in most metropolitan areas. Cingular's broadband network is known as 3G, and promises connection speeds rivaling the speed of a cable modem. When not in an area serviced by 3G, the connection is made through Cingular's Edge (2G) network, which operates at speeds faster than dial-up but slower than DSL.
Immediately after signing up for the service, we headed to a coffee shop near the Cingular store to try out our Internet connection. The greater Tampa area is covered by 3G-service, and the connection was lightening fast. The New York Times home page, which is graphics intensive, loaded seamlessly and fast, as did a financial management program, Active Trader Pro from Fidelity Investments. Active Trader monitors the stock market in real time, and worked flawlessly on the 3G network.
Back at Travelers Rest we are connecting to the Internet through the Edge network, and download speeds are considerably slower. The biggest disappointment for us has been Fidelity Active Trader Pro, which does not work well on the Edge network. The stock prices do not update in real-time, and it is not possible to use the program for trading. A call to Cingular support told us that they do not recommend using Active Trader over the Edge network. On the plus side, the connection through Cingular has been reliable, while the connection through the TR wireless network has not!
On balance, we still haven't made up our minds whether we are going to keep the service or not. With a thirty-day window for cancellation without penalty, the clock is ticking, and we have to make a decision in the new two weeks. By then we will be on the road, making our trip out to Tucson, and we will have the opportunity to test the network in a variety of locations - most of them outside of metropolitan areas.
What we are hoping for is this: If we find ourselves in a traffic delay we can go online, check the traffic report, and find a way around the tie-up. When we need gas, we can check for the lowest prices in the area*, and we can check restaurant and hotel reviews on the fly. We will also have access to Weather.com, MapQuest, Google Maps, and Google Earth when we need them. All-in all it should be a good test and I will report back to the TR Times readers in a future OnMouseClick column.
*Did you know about finding gas prices on the web? Do a Google search for "Gas Prices" and you will find a list of web sites that provide real-time information.
Some of the sites I have tried are:
www.gasbuddy.com
gasprices.mapquest.com
www.gaspricewatch.com
www.fuelgaugereport.com
www.fuelcostcalculator.com.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Staying Connected…
Like it or not, we are living in a digital world. Information flows across an invisible “super-highway” called the Internet, and in one way or another it connects us all. Do you want to see photographs of your grandchildren? Open the latest email from your son or daughter and the photos appear on your computer screen. Do you want to track down your best friend from high school? Use one of the many search vehicles on the web and you may be able find where they are living now. Need to pay a bill? Sign-in to your bank’s web site, make a few clicks, and the check is in the mail.
If you are not sure how all this works, you are not alone. Millions of people all over the world use the Internet every hour, but most are oblivious to what is really going on. A very basic explanation is that information is entered into a computer — be it a web page, email message or online shopping cart — and then that information is converted to a format that can be transmitted over wires or through a wireless network. If the information is of a sensitive nature, it is encrypted before it the conversion. The information is then broken down into smaller pieces, called packets. The packets are routed over the Internet to the designated destination, put back together again and converted to a format that a computer can read. The less information in each packet, the easier it is to send. When information becomes complex, it takes up more space and thus takes more time to send.
Think of water flowing through a pipe. A quarter-inch pipe can produce a very thin stream of water, which is acceptable if you only need a little water (think text-only e-mail). If you need gallons of water you will need a much larger pipe (think of a web page with lots of photographs and other images). If you tried to put gallons of water through the small pipe, it would take a very long time.
A few years ago most people connected to the Internet with a modem and a telephone line. Information moved slowly, but it worked. When broadband was introduced (analogous to the large pipe), it became possible to use the Internet for more complex data such as graphics intense web pages, encrypted financial files, and video and audio files. It also became more difficult to use the Internet if you did not have access to a broadband connection.
For Eddie and me, being connected to the Internet is a necessity. We conduct all of our financial transactions over the web, and I conduct my web design business online. When traveling in our RV, we try to find campgrounds with broadband Internet connection — preferably park-wide WiFi. When we travel by car, we try to stay in hotels that offer in-room broadband connection. Often these features are hard to come by. We have been looking for a solution that would guarantee Internet connection wherever we are, including Travelers Rest, where the WiFi network often slows to a crawl. We think we have found the solution by adding a mobile broadband card to our PC laptop and subscribing to Internet service through our cell phone provider — in our case Cingular/ATT.
The card is a small, rectangular device that fits into the type II PCMCIA card slot on a laptop. With an antenna attached to the card, it can communicate with the Internet through the cell phone network. The service is pricey, about $60 a month, plus taxes, and as with most cell phone contracts, it requires a two-year commitment. As with all cell phone contracts, there is a thirty-day return policy, so we plan to purchase the mobile broadband card in the next few days to make certain that it works for us, before we leave on an extended trip in the middle of February. I will report on how it all works in a future column.
If you want read a more about how the Internet works I recommend http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet-infrastructure.htm and the Wikapedia article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet.
If you are not sure how all this works, you are not alone. Millions of people all over the world use the Internet every hour, but most are oblivious to what is really going on. A very basic explanation is that information is entered into a computer — be it a web page, email message or online shopping cart — and then that information is converted to a format that can be transmitted over wires or through a wireless network. If the information is of a sensitive nature, it is encrypted before it the conversion. The information is then broken down into smaller pieces, called packets. The packets are routed over the Internet to the designated destination, put back together again and converted to a format that a computer can read. The less information in each packet, the easier it is to send. When information becomes complex, it takes up more space and thus takes more time to send.
Think of water flowing through a pipe. A quarter-inch pipe can produce a very thin stream of water, which is acceptable if you only need a little water (think text-only e-mail). If you need gallons of water you will need a much larger pipe (think of a web page with lots of photographs and other images). If you tried to put gallons of water through the small pipe, it would take a very long time.
A few years ago most people connected to the Internet with a modem and a telephone line. Information moved slowly, but it worked. When broadband was introduced (analogous to the large pipe), it became possible to use the Internet for more complex data such as graphics intense web pages, encrypted financial files, and video and audio files. It also became more difficult to use the Internet if you did not have access to a broadband connection.
For Eddie and me, being connected to the Internet is a necessity. We conduct all of our financial transactions over the web, and I conduct my web design business online. When traveling in our RV, we try to find campgrounds with broadband Internet connection — preferably park-wide WiFi. When we travel by car, we try to stay in hotels that offer in-room broadband connection. Often these features are hard to come by. We have been looking for a solution that would guarantee Internet connection wherever we are, including Travelers Rest, where the WiFi network often slows to a crawl. We think we have found the solution by adding a mobile broadband card to our PC laptop and subscribing to Internet service through our cell phone provider — in our case Cingular/ATT.
The card is a small, rectangular device that fits into the type II PCMCIA card slot on a laptop. With an antenna attached to the card, it can communicate with the Internet through the cell phone network. The service is pricey, about $60 a month, plus taxes, and as with most cell phone contracts, it requires a two-year commitment. As with all cell phone contracts, there is a thirty-day return policy, so we plan to purchase the mobile broadband card in the next few days to make certain that it works for us, before we leave on an extended trip in the middle of February. I will report on how it all works in a future column.
If you want read a more about how the Internet works I recommend http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet-infrastructure.htm and the Wikapedia article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet.
The Digital Toolbox…
Over the past five years, laptop computers have become more powerful, screens have become bigger, and prices have fallen. Each year more and more people choose to replace their old desktop computer with a new laptop. The major advantages of a laptop are size and portability — big selling points for people living in a trailer or RV. If you are in the market for a laptop, there are a few things you should consider before making your purchase:
1. Screen size —A few years ago a fifteen-inch screen was large for a laptop; now it is not uncommon to find seventeen-inch screens on laptops. Many manufacturers offer models in a variety of screen sizes, ranging from twelve to seventeen inches. Laptops with larger screens cost more, but will give you more screen “real estate”. With a larger screen, you can have more windows open on the desktop, you can make the windows larger, and you can view more information at one time.
2. Touchpad or mouse? — Just about all laptops come with a trackpad (alternately called a trackpad), a rectangular area below the keyboard that takes the place of a mouse. To move the on-screen cursor you move your index finger around the pad. (A few laptops come with a pointing stick in a addition to the touchpad, which is a small stick located in the center of the keyboard that is used like a joystick.) Many people do not feel comfortable controlling their computer with a touchpad, and if you are one of them, you will want to buy a mouse to use with your laptop. A mouse can connect to the laptop via a USB port (see #4 below) or wirelessly (see #3 below).
3. Wireless connectivity — When buying a laptop, make sure it comes with an internal WiFi card — you want to be able to connect to the Internet when you are near a hotspot (a location where there is wireless internet signal being broadcast). Many laptops also come with Bluetooth, which is a short-range wireless technology meant to replace the cables connecting computers and peripheral devices, such as printers, digital cameras and cell phones. To work, both the computer and the peripheral device must have Bluetooth installed.
4. USB ports — To use cables to connect your laptop to external devices, such printers, digital cameras, external hard drives, and a mouse, you will need USB ports. Some laptops have only two such ports, while others have three or four. If you plan to connect your laptop to several devices at a time, you will need to have enough ports on the laptop, or you will have to buy a hub, which is small device with four or more USB ports that plugs into one of the internal USB ports, thus expanding the number of available ports.
5. IEEE or Firewire port — Some external devices, such as camcorders, older iPods, and some hard drives, connect to a computer with an IEEE connection. If you have any of these devices, be sure that the laptop you buy has a compatible port.
6. Finally, try before you buy — Some of the best prices for computers and computer peripherals can be found online, but I recommend “window shopping” before you buy. Visit a computer or electronic stores and tryout the computers you are considering. Stores like Circuit City, Best Buy and CompUSA carry a large inventory of windows based laptop computers, and if you are interested in a Macintosh, you can visit an Apple store. Check out the size and quality of the screen, and test the feel of the keyboard and touchpad. Once you know which computer you feel comfortable with, you can do your research and find the best price.
1. Screen size —A few years ago a fifteen-inch screen was large for a laptop; now it is not uncommon to find seventeen-inch screens on laptops. Many manufacturers offer models in a variety of screen sizes, ranging from twelve to seventeen inches. Laptops with larger screens cost more, but will give you more screen “real estate”. With a larger screen, you can have more windows open on the desktop, you can make the windows larger, and you can view more information at one time.
2. Touchpad or mouse? — Just about all laptops come with a trackpad (alternately called a trackpad), a rectangular area below the keyboard that takes the place of a mouse. To move the on-screen cursor you move your index finger around the pad. (A few laptops come with a pointing stick in a addition to the touchpad, which is a small stick located in the center of the keyboard that is used like a joystick.) Many people do not feel comfortable controlling their computer with a touchpad, and if you are one of them, you will want to buy a mouse to use with your laptop. A mouse can connect to the laptop via a USB port (see #4 below) or wirelessly (see #3 below).
3. Wireless connectivity — When buying a laptop, make sure it comes with an internal WiFi card — you want to be able to connect to the Internet when you are near a hotspot (a location where there is wireless internet signal being broadcast). Many laptops also come with Bluetooth, which is a short-range wireless technology meant to replace the cables connecting computers and peripheral devices, such as printers, digital cameras and cell phones. To work, both the computer and the peripheral device must have Bluetooth installed.
4. USB ports — To use cables to connect your laptop to external devices, such printers, digital cameras, external hard drives, and a mouse, you will need USB ports. Some laptops have only two such ports, while others have three or four. If you plan to connect your laptop to several devices at a time, you will need to have enough ports on the laptop, or you will have to buy a hub, which is small device with four or more USB ports that plugs into one of the internal USB ports, thus expanding the number of available ports.
5. IEEE or Firewire port — Some external devices, such as camcorders, older iPods, and some hard drives, connect to a computer with an IEEE connection. If you have any of these devices, be sure that the laptop you buy has a compatible port.
6. Finally, try before you buy — Some of the best prices for computers and computer peripherals can be found online, but I recommend “window shopping” before you buy. Visit a computer or electronic stores and tryout the computers you are considering. Stores like Circuit City, Best Buy and CompUSA carry a large inventory of windows based laptop computers, and if you are interested in a Macintosh, you can visit an Apple store. Check out the size and quality of the screen, and test the feel of the keyboard and touchpad. Once you know which computer you feel comfortable with, you can do your research and find the best price.
The Digital Toolbox…
Over the past five years, laptop computers have become more powerful, screens have become bigger, and prices have fallen. Each year more and more people choose to replace their old desktop computer with a new laptop. The major advantages of a laptop are size and portability — big selling points for people living in a trailer or RV. If you are in the market for a laptop, there are a few things you should consider before making your purchase:
1. Screen size —A few years ago a fifteen-inch screen was large for a laptop; now it is not uncommon to find seventeen-inch screens on laptops. Many manufacturers offer models in a variety of screen sizes, ranging from twelve to seventeen inches. Laptops with larger screens cost more, but will give you more screen “real estate”. With a larger screen, you can have more windows open on the desktop, you can make the windows larger, and you can view more information at one time.
2. Touchpad or mouse? — Just about all laptops come with a trackpad (alternately called a trackpad), a rectangular area below the keyboard that takes the place of a mouse. To move the on-screen cursor you move your index finger around the pad. (A few laptops come with a pointing stick in a addition to the touchpad, which is a small stick located in the center of the keyboard that is used like a joystick.) Many people do not feel comfortable controlling their computer with a touchpad, and if you are one of them, you will want to buy a mouse to use with your laptop. A mouse can connect to the laptop via a USB port (see #4 below) or wirelessly (see #3 below).
3. Wireless connectivity — When buying a laptop, make sure it comes with an internal WiFi card — you want to be able to connect to the Internet when you are near a hotspot (a location where there is wireless internet signal being broadcast). Many laptops also come with Bluetooth, which is a short-range wireless technology meant to replace the cables connecting computers and peripheral devices, such as printers, digital cameras and cell phones. To work, both the computer and the peripheral device must have Bluetooth installed.
4. USB ports — To use cables to connect your laptop to external devices, such printers, digital cameras, external hard drives, and a mouse, you will need USB ports. Some laptops have only two such ports, while others have three or four. If you plan to connect your laptop to several devices at a time, you will need to have enough ports on the laptop, or you will have to buy a hub, which is small device with four or more USB ports that plugs into one of the internal USB ports, thus expanding the number of available ports.
5. IEEE or Firewire port — Some external devices, such as camcorders, older iPods, and some hard drives, connect to a computer with an IEEE connection. If you have any of these devices, be sure that the laptop you buy has a compatible port.
6. Finally, try before you buy — Some of the best prices for computers and computer peripherals can be found online, but I recommend “window shopping” before you buy. Visit a computer or electronic stores and tryout the computers you are considering. Stores like Circuit City, Best Buy and CompUSA carry a large inventory of windows based laptop computers, and if you are interested in a Macintosh, you can visit an Apple store. Check out the size and quality of the screen, and test the feel of the keyboard and touchpad. Once you know which computer you feel comfortable with, you can do your research and find the best price.
1. Screen size —A few years ago a fifteen-inch screen was large for a laptop; now it is not uncommon to find seventeen-inch screens on laptops. Many manufacturers offer models in a variety of screen sizes, ranging from twelve to seventeen inches. Laptops with larger screens cost more, but will give you more screen “real estate”. With a larger screen, you can have more windows open on the desktop, you can make the windows larger, and you can view more information at one time.
2. Touchpad or mouse? — Just about all laptops come with a trackpad (alternately called a trackpad), a rectangular area below the keyboard that takes the place of a mouse. To move the on-screen cursor you move your index finger around the pad. (A few laptops come with a pointing stick in a addition to the touchpad, which is a small stick located in the center of the keyboard that is used like a joystick.) Many people do not feel comfortable controlling their computer with a touchpad, and if you are one of them, you will want to buy a mouse to use with your laptop. A mouse can connect to the laptop via a USB port (see #4 below) or wirelessly (see #3 below).
3. Wireless connectivity — When buying a laptop, make sure it comes with an internal WiFi card — you want to be able to connect to the Internet when you are near a hotspot (a location where there is wireless internet signal being broadcast). Many laptops also come with Bluetooth, which is a short-range wireless technology meant to replace the cables connecting computers and peripheral devices, such as printers, digital cameras and cell phones. To work, both the computer and the peripheral device must have Bluetooth installed.
4. USB ports — To use cables to connect your laptop to external devices, such printers, digital cameras, external hard drives, and a mouse, you will need USB ports. Some laptops have only two such ports, while others have three or four. If you plan to connect your laptop to several devices at a time, you will need to have enough ports on the laptop, or you will have to buy a hub, which is small device with four or more USB ports that plugs into one of the internal USB ports, thus expanding the number of available ports.
5. IEEE or Firewire port — Some external devices, such as camcorders, older iPods, and some hard drives, connect to a computer with an IEEE connection. If you have any of these devices, be sure that the laptop you buy has a compatible port.
6. Finally, try before you buy — Some of the best prices for computers and computer peripherals can be found online, but I recommend “window shopping” before you buy. Visit a computer or electronic stores and tryout the computers you are considering. Stores like Circuit City, Best Buy and CompUSA carry a large inventory of windows based laptop computers, and if you are interested in a Macintosh, you can visit an Apple store. Check out the size and quality of the screen, and test the feel of the keyboard and touchpad. Once you know which computer you feel comfortable with, you can do your research and find the best price.
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