Library on the go with digital book readers…

Today’s column deals with reading e-books on digital devices, but first I want to take time for a public service reminder — back-up your computer’s hard drive on a regular basis. The other day I received a phone call from a fellow Macintosh user at TR, asking if I had any suggestion for a problem they were having. After explaining what had happened, it seem apparent that the hard drive was not functioning. I asked if they had been backing up their drive, and the answer was no! Everyone should be making regular backups. All versions of Windows include a backup and restore function, and Mac OS X version 10.5 and later includes a program called Time Machine to preform automatic backups. While the backup programs generally backup everything on your drive, you can also backup critical data and photo files by periodically dragging them to an external drive, flash drive, or burning to a CD or DVD. Whatever method you chose, remember that it is only a matter of time before your drive fails or causes other problems, and you will be glad you were prepared.

I have always been a voracious reader, and next to my side of the bed in our RV you can usually find a stack of books. At home in New York I seldom leave our public library without five or six books to read, and when we travel I always try to prepare a stockpile of reading material for the trip. So it is no surprise that the idea of a portable, digital reader intrigued me. 

The concept of reading books, magazines and newspapers on digital devices is not new, but it has only recently caught on with the buying public. Reading print material on a computer screen is not easy on the eyes, and you cannot curl up with a computer, but digital readers are small, compact devices that are not much bigger than a paperback novel—only without the pages. As we begin 2010, there are many such devices on the market, with many more scheduled for release in the coming months. The one that has thus far captured the most attention and sales is the Amazon Kindle. Eddie gave me a Kindle for Christmas, and after a month of using it I can unequivocally say that I love it!

The original Kindle, released in November of 2007, featured a 6 inch (diagonal) 4-level grayscale display and could hold approximately 200 books. The current version of the device, the Kindle 2, was released last February and features a 16-level grayscale display, improved battery life, faster page refreshing, a text-to-speech option, thinner than the original model, can store approximately 1,500 books and is nothing short of amazing.

Reading material is downloaded to the Kindle through Amazon’s Whispernet network, included with every device. After registering a credit card at Amazon.com, you visit the Kindle Store from the Kindle’s main menu, chose a book, and it instantly is downloaded. When you finish reading a book you can leave on your Kindle or delete it. All deleted material will be archived in your Amazon account and can be downloaded again at any time.

The Kindle does not feature a touch screen. Instead there are a few, conveniently located button that control the device. It also has a full keyboard for entering text in a search box. There is also a built in dictionary for word definitions, and you can even access the internet through the Whispernet wireless connection.

There are reported to be over 400,000 books available for download, with most releases, both fiction and nonfiction, costing $9.99. Some books are actually priced less, and there is also a plethora of older books in the public domain, many of them classics, that can be downloaded for free. Paperback trade books, such as how-to-books on digital photography, will cost more, but are priced between 40% and 60% off the publishers list price. You can also subscribe to over ninety newspapers and magazines. I have a subscription to the New York TImes and a new issue is downloaded automatically to my Kindle every morning.

As nice as it is to have access to such a large body of reading material, what makes the Kindle stand out is readability. The screen uses a technology called electronic paper and is extremely easy on the eyes. The text can be adjusted to six different sizes, and the margins can be adjusted to show fewer words per line. 

If you like to read, and want to have a library at your fingertips, a digital reader may be in your future. In addition to the Kindle, Sony sells the Sony reader, and a number of other digital readers are scheduled for release in 2010. The most anxiously awaited is the Nook from Barnes and Noble. The Nook was supposed to be available before Christmas, but the current release date is projected for February 12.

The Kindle is available exclusively from Amazon.com and currently sells for $259. 

Buying a New Computer - Part Two

Under the Hood
Before I get into the topic of today’s column, I want to give an endorsement to a relatively new TR Times advertiser — On Q Smokehouse Grill.  I saw the ad for On Q in the January 8 issue of the TR Times and Eddie and I decided to give it a try. Located in a converted house on the corner of State Road 52 in St. Leos, its small parking lot fills up fast. After trying the barbecued ribs we can see why this new restaurant is so popular. The ribs, and everything that came with them, were delicious. The service was friendly and efficient and the prices are very reasonable. Treat yourself and give On Q a try!

Last week’s column covered what decisions you need to make about the outside of a computer when shopping for a new one. This week we will look at what is “under the hood.” With the improvements in desktop/laptop computers over the past several years, almost any computer you buy will most probably meet your needs. The notable exception is with the NETBOOKS that have become popular over the past year. Not to be confused with laptops, netbooks are smaller and weigh less than laptops. Their small size is what makes them desirable, especially for frequent air travelers, but to make the computers extremely compact, manufactures have  sacrificed memory, processing power and storage space.

The heart of every computer is the CPU (central processing unit), which is controlled by a microprocessor. Microprocessors found in most computers today are made by two companies, Intel and AMD (Advanced Micro Devices), and both have received good reviews. Both companies feature several types of microprocessors with many different names, something that can be very confusing to the novice computer shopper. Basically, what you need to know is that there are three main types processors to consider: single, dual and quad core processing units (single computer chips with either one, two or four distinct processing units).  While quad core is  targeted at the high-end desktops market,  dual-core processors are found in many laptop and desktop computers, and provide increased processing power (over single) that is needed in everyday computing tasks.

The speed of microprocessors varies from approximately 1.2 GHz (gigahertz) to over 3 GHz. To put the speed in perspective, unless you work with intense number crunching or high end image or video editing, even the lower processing speeds will be more than adequate. 

The total amount of random access memory (RAM) is another consideration. While some computers still come with only one gigabyte of RAM, the minimum you should consider is two gigabytes, with four gigabytes being preferable. Why do you want so much memory? Because the more RAM, the better performance you will get from your computer. Windows 7 operating system requires a minimum of one gigabyte of RAM, but it works much more efficiently with two gigabytes. Purchasing a computer with four gigabytes of RAM sets your computer up to be ready for future operating system upgrades and software.

Finally, today’s computer processors are either 32-bit or 64-bit capable. The terms 32-bit and 64-bit refers to the way the processor handles information, and 64-bit systems can handle larger amounts of RAM — if you will be installing more than four gigabytes of memory you must have a 64-bit system. However, if you plan on running older versions of software and/or connecting older peripherals to your new computer, a 32-bit system is a better option.

You also want to give some thought to the storage capacity of the internal hard drive. On the low end are 120 gigabyte hard drives and on the high end are one terabyte (think 1,000 gigabytes) drives. Most computer will come with 320 GB or 500 GB drives and both have more than adequate amount of space for most users.

Other things you need to take into consideration are the number of USB ports (two minimum), a wireless internet card (802.11a/b/g/n), an ethernet port (to connect with a network), and a DVD-RW/CD-RW drive (plays and writes both DVD and CD discs). An additional feature you should consider is a webcam for video chats with friends and family back home. Finally, if you have a digital video camera, check to see if you need a IEEE 1394 port (also known as FireWire) to connect the camera to the computer. 

Your final consideration should be the operating system installed on your computer. If you are buying a Windows based computer, be sure that Windows Home Premium is pre-installed. If you want to become more educated on any of the features mentioned in today’s column, spend a little time searching the internet. Good places to start are www.ehow.com and www.wikipedia.org. Knowledgeable sales people may also be able to help (when you can find them), but remember, their main goal is to make a sale.

Buying a New Computer - Part One

Laptop or Desktop?

Are ready to buy a new computer? Today’s column will cover the external computer hardware. Next week’s column will discuss processor speed, memory, and hard drive storage, and operating systems.


You need to make a major decision before you start shopping. Do you want a laptop or desktop computer? If you currently use a laptop, then you will probably want to replace it with another laptop. However, if you have always used a desktop computer, you might be surprised to learn that today’s laptops can compete quite effectively with desktop computers in both memory capacity and processing speed.

The major advantages of desktop computer are the larger screen and sturdy keyboard. The negative to them is the size, especially if you live in a confined space like many of us at Travelers Rest. Both my husband Eddie and I use laptop computer all year round. I use a 17” Macbook Pro, and Eddie recently traded a 17” Acer running Windows XP for a new Dell Studio 17” running Windows 7. We both like the ease of using a laptop and being able to take it with us wherever we go. At home in New York Eddie attaches a second, external LCD monitor to his laptop, giving him additonal screen space.

Whichever style of computer you chose, you need to decide on the screen size. Screen size is measured on the diagonal, and the most common laptop screens are 13”, 15”, and 17”,  although there are some laptops with 12”, 14”, 16” , and even 18” screens. My personal recommendation is that if you using a laptop as your primary computer, buy a 17” screen. If, on the other hand, you plan to do a lot of air travel, or the laptop is going to be a second computer, consider a one of the smaller sizes. If you are buying a desktop computer you have your choice of LCD monitor sizes, starting at 20” and going up to 30”. The typical desktop system comes with a 20” or 24” screen.

Regardless of whether you use a laptop or desktop, you need to be aware of screen resolution. Screen resolution refers to the number of horizontal and vertical pixels that make up the image on the screen. The higher the resolution, the more pixels can fit on the screen. Previously, the standard resolution was 800 pixels horizontal by 600 pixels vertical. Today you are more likely to see screen resolutions of 1024 x 768 or 1600 x 1200. Higher resolution monitors present an extremely clear image, but the image (including text) may be too small for comfortable viewing.

The only way to decide which monitor/computer is best for you is to try before you buy. Plan a window shopping excursion to a store with a large computer department. If you plan on buying a Windows PC, a good place to visit is the Best Buy in Wesley Chapel. Only eighteen miles down I-75, the store has wide variety of computers on display. If you are considering a Macintosh, plan to visit one of the Apple stores either in Tampa, at the International Plaza, or in Brandon at the Brandon Town Center.

Take your time looking at the screens to see which size and resolution works for you. While you are previewing monitors, take some time to get the feel of the different keyboards. If you are planning to buy a laptop, try out the touch pad as well. Most laptop feature a touchpad, which works by dragging a finger across the pad, in place of a mouse. However, both a USB or wireless mouse can be used with laptops.

Write down the names of the computers you like best and in next week’s OnMouseClick column, I will discuss processor speed, memory, hard drive capacities, and operating systems. 

2010 Begins…

Are you ready for a new decade?

Welcome back to a new year, a new decade, and another season of OnMouseClick columns. OnMouseClick strives to keep its readers informed and up-to-date on computers and technology — something that often seems like an impossible task in our fast moving world.

Some of you are probably using a computer that you have had for many years. As far as you are concerned, it works just fine — until something goes wrong. I cannot count the number of times someone has asked my advice on whether they should have an older computer fixed or buy a new one. If the answer to the question, “How old is your computer?”, is five or more years, I immediately answer “Buy a new one.” With the introduction of Windows 7 last October, I would even be tempted to recommend a new computer to anyone who uses a PC (a computer running the Windows operating system) running any Windows operating system older than Vista. (In this column I am only going to be discussing computers running Windows. Macintosh computers will be discussed in a later column.)

When something goes wrong with an older computer, it can be very difficult to repair. Replacement parts are sometimes impossible to find, and the software that will run on older machines is woefully out of date. If you have a computer running an older version of Windows, and your operating system becomes corrupted, you will need to reinstall this system from the disk that came with the computer. There is a good chance that the disks cannot be found, and it is practically impossible to find replacements for out of date Windows system disks.

Other problems occur with peripherals, such as printers, scanners and digital cameras. Newer models of these devices will not work with older computer systems. Printers are relatively inexpensive, and when one stops working it is usually more cost effective to buy a new one. However, if your computer is more than a few years old, there is a good chance that a new printer will not work with your computer. Likewise, if you get a new digital camera, don’t expect to be able to download your photos onto an old computer.

Finally, it is important to understand the versatility of a new computer verses an older one. The processing speed of computers has increased exponentially over the past several years. While you may have access to high speed internet, if your computer operates slowly, you will not be able to take advantage of this speed. Web browsers, the software that allows you to view internet sites on your computer, have all been updated and create a conundrum. If you are running an older browser, you will not be able to take advantage of all the internet has to offer, and if you are working on an older machine, you cannot use modern browsers.

The Windows operating system itself has also changed radically. The interface is much easier to use and the built-in safe guards against viruses, spam, adware, and spyware are much better than they were even a year ago. If you do any online banking or shopping, it is imperative that you have the most up-to-date protections available, which are included in Windows 7. If you are already using Windows Vista, upgrading to Windows7 should be relatively easy. However, if you are running Windows XP or earlier (which means your computer is more than three years old), upgrading to Window 7 is a very involved process, and it might be a good time to decide on buying a new computer instead.

If you are using one of these older computer systems, I hope that today’s column has given you something to think about. In next weeks column I will make a shopping list of what to look for when buying a new Window computer system.

In addition to making this column available online,  I also write a photo blog at LindasLens.blogspot.com. My goal is to post one of my photographs every day in 2010. I also plan to feature some tips for digital photographers, so please take a look when you can. As of January 8 eight photos have been posted, with only 357 to go!

Maintenance Schedule Follow-up…

In last week’s column I outlined a simple maintenance routine to help keep your computer in good, running condition. This week I am answering a few questions about backing up your files.

Q. Can you be more specific about the backup routine?

A. A regular back up routine should be twofold. First, you need to make regular backups of your entire hard drive, and for this you will need an external hard drive that is larger than your internal drive. Hard drive prices are the lowest they have ever been — a 500 GB drive can be found for under $100. How to make backups was the subject of the February 8, 2008 OnMouseClick, which you can read online at http://onmouseclick.blogspot.com/2008/02/backup-now.html.
Second, you should also back up digital photographs whenever you download them from your camera. All photos that you want to keep should have at least one backup — photos you absolutely do not want to lose should have two or more backups.
It is also a good idea to keep one copy of your backup files in a alternate location such as..... If something happens to your home or trailer, at least your files will be safe.

Q. Should I back up my photo files to CDs, DVDs, or an external hard drive?

A. You could consider CD or DVD media, but you should be aware of their limitations. Until a few years ago, it was thought that data stored on CD and/or DVD media would last 20, 30, 40 years or longer. It has been discovered that CD and DVD media may not as reliable as once thought. The bottom line? If you use CD and DVD media, it is important to buy quality discs, store them upright in a jewel cases, use non solvent-based markers to write on the label side of the disc, and store discs at moderate temperatures with low humidity.

With low external hard drive prices, the best choice for all your backups maybe one or more external hard drives. A large (250 GB or larger) drive can hold tens of thousands of photo files, and it is very simple to add additional files at any time,

Q. How often should I schedule my backups?

A. If you make a lot of changes to the files on your computer, you should be backing up daily. Using an automated backup program, such as Apple’s TimeMachine or Windows Backup, you can have your files backup on a regular, automatic schedule. Digital photo files should be backed up whenever you download new photos from your camera.

Happy New Year Everyone…

For 2009 OnMouseClick will be featuring a question and answer (or Q&A) format. If you have a technology related question you would like to see answered, please submit it to Linda Quinn at Box 9-10, or via email at OnMouseClick@digitalquinn.com. And now, for the first question of 2009:

Q. It is a new year and I am a making a resolution to keep my computer running in tip-top condition. Any suggestions?

A. An excellent question for the start of 2009. Everyone knows that if you don’t change the oil in your car you are in for trouble, you have to mow your lawn to keep your property looking good, and you have to eat right to stay healthy — but do you know what you have to do to keep your computer in good, running condition? Setup a simple maintenance routine for your computer and you won’t be sorry. This week’s column will outline the routine. Next week OnMouseClick will cover specific software, products, and techniques to use in your maintenance routine.

1. BACK UP YOUR DATA — As it has been said many times, it is not “if” your hard drive fails, but “when.” Making regular back ups of the data on your hard drive is an essential part of any maintenance schedule.

2. RESTART YOUR COMPUTER — Many computer users select a sleep mode instead of turning the computer off every time they use it. Using the sleep mode works well, but after a while (how long a while depends on how much you use your computer) you may notice the performance of the computer slowing down. Restarting the computer cleans out the memory cache, removes temporary files, and refreshes the operating system. It cannot hurt to restart your computer once a day.

3. RELAUNCH WEB BROWSER — Web browsers are memory hogs. The longer they run, the more RAM they use. Even if you are not restarting your computer, it is a good idea to relaunch your browser after using it for an extended period.

4. EMPTY THE TRASH OR RECYCLE BIN — When you “throw” a file in the trash or recycle bin it is not removed from you hard drive until you empty the trash. Until then the files remain on the drive, taking up precious room. You should empty your trash once a week.

5. KEEP SOFTWARE UP-TO-DATE — Software publishers regularly release updates to fix bugs, resolve incompatibilities, and add new features. You want to make sure you are running the most recent versions of your software for the best performance.

6. FREE UP DISK SPACE — While emptying the TRASH or RECYCLE BIN will get rid of unwanted files, you probably have many files on your hard drive that you rarely use but you do not want to throw away. Burn these extraneous files on a CD or DVD, or move them to an external disk drive. It is good practice to free up disk space every few months.

7.TIDY YOUR DESKTOP — Icons on the computer desktop seem to multiply at an alarming rate. Once a month sort through the items on your desktop. Remove Aliases/Shortcuts that you no longer need, and move loose files to you documents folder.

8. CLEAN PHYSICAL HARDWARE — Once a month give your computer a gentle cleaning. Turn the computer off and use a special cloth to wipe the monitor and a damp cloth to wipe the outside of the computer. Use a soft brush or compressed-air to clean out vents and the spaces on the keyboard. A damp cloth can also be used to clean the keys. Wipe away dust that accumulates on the bottom of you mouse. Check to make sure your surge protector is working properly.

9. HARDWARE & SOFTWARE DIAGNOSTIC — Periodically run diagnostic software that will tell you if your computer is experiencing hardware or operating system problems.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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/.

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

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.

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.

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.

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!