February 4, 2009

Troubleshoot CD Recording

I'm in the mood to talk about CD burning today, so let's get right to it! Once you're sure you have a CD burner on your computer and you have it all set up, you should be good to go, right? Well, there's one more thing that could go wrong and that's exactly what we're going to talk about today. Let's get started!

The main question for this article is, "What if I can't get my burner to do anything?" And by anything, I basically mean recording material from your burner to a CD or DVD. Yes, that definitely can be a problem, especially since you can't really do anything if that capability isn't working right. So, let's troubleshoot this problem and see what we can come up with. Note: This tip is only for Windows XP users.

1.) First, you need to make sure you have the recording feature enabled. If you have Windows XP, you really don't have to do much to get the burner to work, but without the recording feature, you can't do a whole lot. To check this, double click on the My Computer icon on your desktop. Find whichever drive handles your CDs (generally drive D: or F:), right click on it and choose Properties. Next, click on the Recording tab and make sure the "Enable CD recording on this drive" option is checked.

Note: If you don't have a Recording tab, that means XP is not recognizing your burner's recording capabilities. If that's the case, you may need to consult with your CD burner manual to find out how to configure everything correctly. Depending on your situation, you may even need to change some things in your Registry Editor. If you have serious problems with this, you may want to contact your computer/burner manufacturer for additional help.

On the other hand, if you do have the Recording tab, keep going with me! When you turn on the recording feature, it starts the built-in CD recording in Windows XP. Now, if you use a different burning utility (other than the one that came with XP), you can disable this and just use the other program like you normally do.

2.) Another thing you may want to do is lower your burning speed. You more than likely have the software set to the fastest possible speed, but you might want to try setting it back to something like 18X or maybe even 8X. If you do prescription cialis that, you may see better results from your drive.

3.) Check on your system and make sure you have at least Windows XP Service Pack 1. For everything to run smoothly during the burning process, that has to be in place.

4.) And last (and the most obvious) is to check and make sure you have a blank CD in your CD ROM drive. You have to have one in there for the burning to start. Otherwise, the files will have no place to go and you will end up with nothing.

Hopefully with these troubleshooting techniques, you'll have a better burning experience from now on!

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Proper Removal

Are you one of the many who use a flash drive these days? I mean, really, how can you resist? They are so simple to use and just as convenient as can be. So, tell me, when you go to remove your flash drive from how to get cialis without prescription the USB port it's in, how do you do it? Do you just yank it out of there and go on with your day? If you do, that's not really the proper way to do it and if you keep doing it that way, you could end up ruining your flash drive. Well, lucky for you, I have come bearing instructions on how to properly remove a flash drive from your computer.

There are actually a couple different ways you can do this. I suggest that you read through them and choose the one that you feel the most comfortable with. The first one has a few less steps than the second, so we'll start there. When you're ready to take your flash drive out, double click on the My Computer icon on your desktop and find the drive that your flash drive is listed under. (It will usually be listed under a "Removable Disk" letter). Right click on that drive and choose Eject. You can then remove the flash drive with no risks of ruining anything.

The second way is to use your Safely Remove Hardware icon, located in your bottom system tray. Double click on that icon (it's a little green arrow with a little gray disk underneath it). Highlight the choice that says "USB Mass Storage Device" and click on the Stop button. Next, find the entry for your flash drive and click on it so it's highlighted. Click OK. You will then see a little pop up window in the bottom of your screen telling you that it's now safe to remove the hardware. Once you see that, you can remove the flash drive and go on your way. As you can see, both ways are very easy to do, but you need to make sure you do at least one of them, in order to keep your flash drive safe!

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What are those mini CDs I keep seeing everywhere?

Q:
What are those mini CDs I keep seeing everywhere? Are they any different from the regular sized ones? I know this may seem like a silly question, but I don't know much about them. Please help!

A:
Nope, no silly questions here! We're here to help you and you can ask us about anything you please. Besides, this question is not silly at all. I'm sure you're not the only one out there wondering about mini CDs. It's the perfect way to help everyone all at the same time. Let's get started!

So, you've probably seen them, but have you ever used a mini CD before? You know, they're the ones that look just like a normal sized CD, but they are much smaller. They are becoming more and more popular these days and more companies are starting to use them for their software programs, etc. They are also used for a lot of the computer games that are available today. You can see the size difference in the screenshot below:

So, they may look really cool, but you might be wondering generic cialis review how you're supposed to use them. How can they work in your computer's CD ROM drive if they're so small? Well, it's simple really. You use them just like you would a bigger CD. Each CD comes with a small hole in the middle, so you just have to place that hole over the correct opening on your CD ROM tray.

Some CD trays even have an indentation where mini CDs can go. You just place it right in that inner circle and push the tray in. It will work just the same as it would if it were the bigger size. Mini CDs come in various formats as well. The normal size is an 80 mm disc, which can hold about 21 minutes of music or 180 MB of data. There are also some enhanced density versions that will hold about 34 minutes of music and 300 MB of data.

How cool is all that? Have you gone mini yet?!

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February 3, 2009

Hot Tech Toys – CES 2009 Recap

Tech Tips 203

Hot Tech Toys – CES 2009 Recap

By Eugenia Loli-Queru – Sunday, February 1, 2009

One more year, one more CES trade show in Las Vegas. Except one particular announcement that made the rounds in the tech blogs, this year most announcements were lower key than in the past, possibly mirroring the shoe-string budget in R&D this past year.

The biggest announcement of them all was Palm's Pre smartphone. Based on Linux, this new web-enabled Javascript-based platform is coming to challenge the iPhone and Android. The phone was designed by one of the original designers of the iPhone. Its biggest new feature is Synergy, which allows messaging to work transparently with many services, e.g. Facebook, generic cialis overnight delivery Gmail, IM, SMS, etc. It also supports application multi-tasking, gestures, wireless charging, and it sports a hardware keyboard. Sprint will be the first carrier to sell the phone this Spring.

Speaking of wireless charging, Powerbeam is set to revolutionize "the mode of power transmission by integrating optical technology to produce safe, reliable and abundant wireless power." No more cables everywhere in the house and a computer room that's a walking hazard! FlatWire is another semi-wireless power concept, that allows you to paint a line from your power source to a device rather than use real cables!

Sony announced the Vaio P "pocket" netbook with an ultra-wide high-resolution screen. The laptop is expected to sell at over $1000, making it less competitive than most netbooks on the market. Many other manufacturers, mostly from Asia, have shown off their take on the new trend of netbooks and mini PCs, although few have made innovations. DELL also announced their new laptops, the Mini 10 netbook — a model that sits in the range between their Mini 9 and Mini 12— and their new brand for laptops, the super-secret Adamo. The Adamo brand uses brushed metal and glass and it's one of the few DELL laptops to have keyboard illumination. Dell did not offer many details about these products, as they are not ready yet for consumption. Dell was not shy about its XPS Dragon System though, its first under $1000 gaming PC, and Wasabi, its first portable inkless printer.

In the meantime, Microsoft announced their first public beta of their next generation operating system, Windows 7. The OS is hailed by some as one of the best OSes Microsoft has ever produced, and it's hoped to quickly take over the failed (for some) Vista. Speed and stability are reportedly better than Vista's. According to testers, the new taskbar of Windows 7 seems to be its best new user-visible feature. The OS is expected to be released before the end of the year.

In the past year LCD TV prices have reached the bottom helping the technology to outsell plasmas in sales, even if its technical aspects are lacking in comparison. Last year at CES, we were led to believe that Quad-HD and OLED technologies are in our near future, but this year we had almost no such TV on display, except a few prototypes. Instead, the TV manufacturers are trying to take the easier way out, by offering TVs that can refresh at 200 or 240 Hz — a feature that is not all that interesting — and super-slim LCDs. Plasma fought back through Panasonic with new models that use less power. NVidia demonstrated a 3D display that brings TV picture to life, but these TVs are still not consumer-ready and are currently best only with games rather than movies. The 3D aspect seems to be the next big step on Hollywood movies, as more and more films are shot using the Real-3D technology.  Even some TV shows are getting on the 3D bandwagon with NBC’S Chuck returning on Feb. 2nd with a 3D episode.

In the camcorder world, JVC, Sony, Panasonic and Canon had new consumer camcorder models announced, with Canon stealing the thunder again with their HF-S series. Their HF-S10 and HF-S100 models out-spec any other consumer camcorder in the market with enough manual controls, brand new 8 megapixel sensor design, 24p support and more. Until now, the Canon HV series were the de facto power in the serious videography circles at consumer prices, but for most, the HF-S series will replace them. The HF-S series are expected to cost between $1300 and $1500. Canon also refreshed their well-sold HV series with the HV40 model that adds native 24p recording on tape.

Other interesting products were ASUS' Eee Keyboard PC (an all-in-one PC inside a keyboard), the ASUS AIRO laptop with its amazing sliding keyboard, LG's cellphone in a wrist watch, the Motorola Aura phone with its unique circular design, USB 3.0 (to be ready in 2010), Samsung's multi-touch TV, the Linux-based Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-G3 digicam with WiFi support, the Wrap 920AV video glasses that are see-through and allow you to both watch video and see in front of you, the Psyko 5.1 headphones that reproduce 3-D surround sound, while everything else fell into the realm of "normal".

Hopefully, next year the world economy rebounds, and produces some more revolutionary products!

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Essential Gear for the Digital Nomad

TechTip 202

Essential Gear for the Digital Nomad

By Scott Nesbitt – Sunday, January 25, 2009

More and more people are working away from the office or home office. And digital nomads are everywhere. They're traveling and hammering their keyboards in an airport or a hotel. Or, they're closer to home at a coffee shop, a coworking space, or a library.

You can lead that kind of roaming, working lifestyle and carry with you just about everything you need to be productive. If you're a seasoned digital nomad or an aspiring one, here are a few of the things that you can use to make your portable computing easier and more complete.

Note: In case you're wondering, this TechTip was written over two days in one of my favorite coffee shops that offers wireless, and at a local public library.

Laptops

The laptop computer is the preferred tool of the digital nomad. Back in the early 1990s, the average laptop had only a fraction of the grunt of a desktop computer. But not any more. Whether you're using a MacBook, a laptop running Windows, or one powered by Linux, you can do just about anything with a laptop that you can do with a desktop.

Your choice of laptop is a personal one, but one that should be informed by your needs. About half of the people that I know use a MacBook, while the rest use Windows running on hardware from Dell, Lenovo, or Sony. Those folks aren't all artists or graphic/Web designers, either. Many are writers and software developers. You'd be surprised at which ones use a MacBook …

When looking for a notebook, consider getting the most RAM, the biggest hard drive, and the best graphics adapter that you can afford. And check out this TechTip to learn what you should look for what buying a laptop.

One option that's becoming popular with digital nomads who want to travel really light is the netbook. A netbook is a small laptop computer, usually weighing two pounds or less. A popular one is the Asus Eee PC. Besides being ultraportable, netbooks let you get your essential work done quickly and easily. And they don't take up a lot of space – you can use them anywhere.

Wireless

Just about every portable device out there has great wireless support. So, you probably won't need a wireless adapter. But what about detecting a wireless hotspot? The software that comes with a laptop or a wifi-enabled device is usually pretty good at doing the job. Sometimes, though, things get missed. That's where a hotspot detector comes in. It's a little gadget that fits in the palm of your hand which checks for the existence of a signal and its strength. A couple of the more popular devices are the Digital Hotspotter from Canary Wireless and the TRENDnet adapter with hotspot detector.

In the previous paragraph, I wrote that you probably won't need a wireless adapter. But the geek in many a digital nomad likes to be on the cutting edge. With wireless, that's wireless-N. Wireless N is an enhancement to the 802.11 wireless standard that improves the rate at which data flows through the network. While wireless N is still a draft (it's expected to be released in 2010), several networking gear manufacturers have put hardware on the market using the draft specification. Three of the biggest of these names are Linksys, Belkin, and D-Link.


There are a lot of wireless hotspots out there. Some of them are free; many aren't. As you move around, chances are you're jumping between hotspots. Using for-pay hotspots can quite expensive – $5 to $10 an hour. And juggling several accounts with those hotspots is a headache. Boingo Wireless makes using multiple hotspots easy. With Boingo, you have access to over 100,000 hotspots worldwide. You just log in using your Boingo account and you're ready to go. The price isn't too bad – $21.95 per month for use within North America. It's definitely worth it if you're a frequent user of wireless.

Hip hop bagBags

While working on the road, you'll be carrying more than just a little gear with you. A good bag or case is essential. What makes a good bag or case? One that will hold all of your gear, of course, while keeping it safe and well organized. The average notebook case, though, just doesn't cut it. You need something a little bigger and a lot more versatile.

Like what? Most of the road warriors I know swear by a good messenger bag. Among them are two favorites: the ID from Tom Bihn and the Ogio Hip Hop. Both are large enough to comfortably hold a laptop, a few gadgets, some accessories, a water bottle, and a snack or two. But they're not so bulky as to inconvenience you (or anyone else) while moving through a crowded area or riding on public transit during peak hours.

If you're a digital nomad who frequently flies, then you might want to check out a laptop bag that's approved by the TSA. Those are the kind that (theoretically, anyway) don't require you to remove your laptop or anything else from the bag while moving through an airport security checkpoint. To be honest, neither I nor my digital nomad pals have any experience with these bags. But this article looks at eight of them.

Power

Laptop batteries, as we all know, don't hold power forever. And they tend to run down at crucial moments – like when you're in the middle of typing an important email or saving that spreadsheet. On top of that, you never really know if you're going to be near an electrical outlet to plug in. Having worked in a few libraries, coffee shops, and airport departure lounges, I can tell you that outlets are often at a premium. Anyone who gets the outlet jealously guards it.

Carrying an extra laptop battery can be essential. It's a bit of an inconvenience – one more item in your bag, and a little extra weight – but well worth it when your main battery runs down.

Other Gear

Is there anything else a digital nomad should consider carrying? Here are a few things that I like to have with me whenever I'm working away from home.

First off, a wireless mouse. It's one less cord to deal with, which is a boon at a cramped coffee shop table.

Also, I like to have at least two USB generic cialis forum flash drives with me at all times. One is for storage, backup, and quickly passing files to someone else. The second one is loaded with PortableApps (an Open Source productivity suite).

Since I often spend time aboard public transit, an MP3 player is a must. The music blocks out a lot of the noise, and gives me a chance to rest my brain by listening to something pleasant.

Finally, a paper notebook and pen. Sometimes, you'll find that you can't avoid going the analog route. This is especially true if you need to jot down a note or a phone number and your notebook computer is packed tightly in its case.

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