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Posts Tagged: iPod

U.S. Soldiers’ New Weapon: an iPod

photo credit: Randy Son Of Robert

Growing up I watched cartoons on Saturday morning like many other children in the 60s and 70s. I enjoyed watching the School House Rock intermissions almost more than the cartoons. One of those lessons stated that knowledge is power. I took that to heart and never forgot the phrase and now the military is putting that phrase to more direct use as well.

This interesting Newsweek article describes how the military is using the iPod Touch loaded with applications to help soldiers communicate with locals, document their whereabouts, and get instant information in the field.

U.S. Soldiers’ New Weapon: an iPod | Newsweek International Edition | Newsweek.com.

How to get music off of your iPod

The iPod has set the standard for media players. It’s ease of use and intuitive interface make it a device that media lovers of all ages and expertise can easily pickup and use.

However, the iPod has one disadvantage when compared with almost every other media player on the market. Once your music is stored on the system, there is no simple way of getting it back off again. If you switch computers or simply want to make a backup of your tunes, you must find a way around this system Apple has put in place to prevent you from pirating the music that has been purchased from iTunes.

I found this site that lists several ways of getting to your iPod’s stored music. I have only tried a couple of these programs. None of them were exactly easy to use, but they did the job when I followed the directions exactly.

Riding Shotgun with Adam — 1 Comment
2
Apr 08

Microsoft Table PC not that revolutionary

coffeepc

People keep sending me video of the Microsoft table PC. It’s a computer that looks like a table. The demonstrations in the video show it doing amazing things like pulling pictures from a digital camera simply by placing the camera on the coffee table.

While the demonstration is impressive, the purpose for such a device is not clear. It would be great for an entertainment device but the dazzle would wear off quickly as soon as the user needed a keyboard with hard buttons so they could touch type.

I have a hard time visualizing the day when we HelpMeRick.com gets questions like, “Should I turn my coffee table off at night or leave it on all the time?” We will have to say stuff like, “Please do not install Norton or Vista on your coffee table.”

I think that the coffee table PC is essentially an iPod Touch without any of the practical applications, such as the ability to carry it in your pocket.

General Computer Tips — 5 Comments
14
Dec 07

Top Ten Questions to ask when Buying “Open Box,” or “Display Models”

By Andy Cochran

1. Does the item have all of its accessories?

This is a very important question when it comes to things like,
battery chargers or special cables for Ipods, MP3 players, or digital cameras, and remote controls TVs. Ask if everything is there before you buy it. Owners’ manuals and most product software can be found online, if it’s MIA at the store. Have a salesperson print the manual, and give instructions on where to download the required software (if there is any) at home.

2. Is the item in good condition?

The condition of a product is sometimes easy to tell, and sometimes
not. If there is any question of whether or not the item is fully functional, ask for a demonstration; if a demo is not possible, you may still want to purchase it, but if you do, be sure to ask about the seller’s return policy, so you can return it if there’s something wrong.

In the case of LCD or Plasma TVs, or other products with screens,
such as computer monitors or personal media players, make sure and look for defects like dead pixels, or image retention (screen burn-in) if these exist, it is probably better to avoid making the purchase, unless the seller is willing to drop the price significantly, or throw in an extended coverage plan that will cover the item in the event that the condition worsens. If the seller is willing to drop the price low enough to urge you to look past any potential issues, do so with caution.

3. Why is the item being sold?

4. Was the product once a display model, if so, how long did it run for?

Even if the item in question was used for awhile, it may not matter
too much. Many of today’s electronics, like televisions, and other solid-state items, have extremely long expected lives, and even if they are used as displays for a while, they should still be usable for as long as own them. Use good judgment, though. Other items, with moving parts, (like CD players with carousels, or DVD players that have been actively demonstrated) should be purchased using more caution. These things have more wear on them, and sometimes, don’t last as long as new, in the box, products.

5. Was the product returned?

If so, why?
a. Many times things are returned to the store just because the person
who originally bought it decided to get something else instead. This is especially common among televisions, and MP3 players, or other items that generally have a loose return policy. If the item was returned for this reason, it’s probably safe to buy. People are very picky, and often allow small installation snags, or other small inconveniences to cause them to return electronics. This creates an opportunity for a more patient, or open-minded individual to get a great deal. If the item was returned because it was defective, find out what was done to correct any problems, and if they are really corrected.

6. How many times has the item been bought and returned?
a. If the item has been bought and returned by more than one
individual, there is probably an issue with the item that has not been resolved, or the product is not very user-friendly, or well designed.
It’s probably better not to buy it, unless you have a very good reason to. (such as if you are particularly drawn to complicated, un-user friendly electronics)

7. Is the price right?
a. With "Open Box," or "Display Models," sellers want to get rid of
the product quickly because, the longer it sits on the shelf, the more the price has to drop. Most electronics salespeople have somewhat locked prices on the items they sell, but with "Display Models," this isn’t as much of an issue. Go ahead, make a reasonable offer, or ask, "Is this the best price you can give me?" Most of the time, you will end up with a great deal. You may also want to wait for a clearance on "Display Models" at your local electronics store, because at these times, the products will be at their very lowest prices. At all times, look for a section of the store or a table that highlights the best deals.

8. If the "Display Model" isn’t exactly what I wanted, but is a great
deal, is it worth the compromise?

This is a great question to ask yourself, because it’s somewhat
rare to find exactly what you were looking for being sold as a display model, or on "open box." Sometimes a great product that is similar to, but not exactly what you originally wanted, may be worth purchasing.
What it all comes down to is this: Is it worth the savings to get something different than what you were originally seeking? For example, if you walked into your local electronics store wanting to purchase an Ipod, but you find an "open box" Zune for a great deal, is it worth it to save a little money? Sometimes it is, and sometimes it isn’t. That decision is up to you.

9. Is the item outdated, or not as good new products that are replacing it?

Lots of times, display models are sold when the product reaches the
end of production. When companies stop making something, they usually allow the stores to sell out of the item, and when this happens, the display model goes on sale. Usually, companies add or remove features from one year to the next, or change model line-ups. If the display model is outdated, you may not want it. It depends on how much you care about having the latest and greatest, and how much better the new models are. Again, is it worth the extra cost? Maybe it is.

10. It’s Christmas season; would I want to give an opened item to a
friend or family member?

This question can be answered by again weighing the cost-to-product
benefit, if the item is truly a great deal that can’t be passed up, buy it, and get a gift receipt, just in case the recipient wants something else. I can say that I have given "Open Box" items as gifts, and haven’t had any angry friends yet. It depends on how picky the potential recipient is, and if they will mind getting something that has been opened. Again, look closely at the item for defects, and cosmetic imperfections. Nobody likes to get something as a gift that is all beat up, but if the condition is good, and you don’t try to hide the fact that it was used, you’ll probably be ok.

How would you feel if you received the item in question as a gift?

By asking yourself these few simple questions, you could very well avoid buying something was somebody else’s headache, and get a really good deal. Don’t automatically decide that something that was a display model, or is "open box" means it’s broken or bad. Always use good judgment, and remember to not let a seemingly good deal blind you to little issues that can become huge problems; one little dead pixel can become many. I have purchased several "open box" items myself, and have had very few complaints; however, I have always held onto my receipt, and considered extended service plans on those items, just in case.

Riding Shotgun with Adam — 4 Comments
7
Nov 07

Gift of the gadget guy – a Christmas story about giving

Computer bargains are all over the place! This week I must have seen
two dozen offers that I would have purchased if I only had the funds.

When I think back to all of the computer sales I have seen come and go
over the years that I have been helping our listeners answer
their computer
questions, this will probably be one of the best ever.

I can’t help but wonder how much richer I would be if I had actually
been paid for all of the time I have put into the Castellini
on
Computers show and newsletter over the past six years.

I was telling my wife and four small children about some of the great
computer deals this week as they ate their mush and hash goulash.

My son Tim said to my wife, "I don’t need an iPod Touch mum, I am just
happy to have my health." My daughter, Pollyanna, added, "I only wish I
had Guitar Hero III so that the kids at school would want to be friends
with me."

I explained that you can’t buy friends with material things and money.
"Yes," yelled my wife, from the room without a computer. "We mus’n't
fuss
about things we don’t have. But it sure is hard being a good wife and
mum
without a Palm Centro."

I think tomorrow I will sneak away for a while and see if I can trade
my pocket watch for that new electric comb I saw in the Sharper Image
catalogue.

Whenever I get down about the things I am lacking, I just remind myself
and family that the Holidays are more about giving than receiving. For
example, $200 would give a PSP, $300 an iPod Touch, $400 an iPod
Centro, $3000 a Canon Realis X700 HD projector.

Email of the week

Riding Shotgun with Adam — 10 Comments
29
Sep 07

Now I remember what I don’t like about Apple and Macs

Apple products are beautiful and functional. Many people brag about their iPod or Mac’s stability, but there is a good reason that Macs are so stable. Apple is very restrictive as to what others are allowed to do with their systems.

For example, if you have a iPod, you can only use iTunes if you want to sync music to it. If you have another brand of media player, it will not work with iTunes.

Most standard hardware such as keyboards, mice and printers are compatable with both Macs and PCs, but when it comes to software, Apple has some very strict standards that developers must meet and money must exchange hands to apply for Apple approval.

This week, Apple pulled the biggest “Apple move” of all, they released an update that rendered $500 iPhones unusable because people had changed the devices to run on cell networks other than those approved by Apple.

The iPhone was designed to run on AT&T here in the States and it could only run software that had been approved by Apple. Resourceful hackers found a way around these restrictions and released a few small software patches for free that would allow users to customize their iPhones more and run them on whatever cell network they were currently subscribed to.

Apple could have allowed the changes and sold more iPhones, but their relationship with AT&T was more valuable than the relationship with those who had paid $500 for the device.

So, they released an update to fix some functional issues with the phone and along with it, they broke the phone and voided the warranty for anyone who had installed theses unapproved patches.

Now, many iPhone users who bought the iPhone because they wanted to be one of the cool kids and conform to the hype are learning their first lesson in the drawbacks of Apple products.

Apple products are beautiful, they are easy to use, they are sexy, and they are cool, but like other cliques, they don’t like to play with anyone outside of their circle.

Even for Apple though, this is the biggest bully move they have ever made. I wouldn’t be fix is released in a few days or weeks that will restore the broken iPhones to factory standards but with updates that prevent the previous hacks from working.

This is an important business technology story to follow. If they get away with it, it could set a new precedent for other companies. If they get trampled and their reputation becomes tainted, it could mean that Apple loosens their restrictions more in future products.

Riding Shotgun with Adam — 7 Comments
11
Jun 07

iPhone – cool because it’s marketed that way

I saw an iPhone commercial this weekend. The iPhone is Mac’s newest gadget that is being marketed by people who like to all be different in the same way. I can’t decide which new product is worse, the iPhone or the Palm Foleo. Perhaps they are equally bad for the same reasons.

Both devices are marketed as the next step in portable data evolution. Both devices make this claim as they are left in the dust by devices without the brand name on the outside that do much more.

The Treo was marketed as a phone first and PDA second. The iPaq was a PDA with phone capabilities. The BlackBerry is a email device with phone and PDA functions.

Take the function out of the Treo, the function variety out of the iPaq and the simplicity out of the Blackberry and you have the iPhone.

Samsung once had a pretty nice phone called the i330. It was a Palm/cell phone with a touch screen interface. If this phone had been updated with time, it would be a very strong competitor to the iPhone. However, Samsung dropped the i300/330 line years ago.

Here is a list of pros and cons for the iPhone:

Pros	Cons
Plays iTunes music like an iPod	Dial pad numbers difficult to see in direct sun light
Pretty icons and interface	Only offered by GSM provider AT&T/Cingular
Listen of voice mail in any order	No hard buttons for dialing
Pretty screen for videos	Not compatible with high speed data/Internet
It makes you cool	Only approved third party applications can be added
It’s shiny and ~~white~~ silver	Battery time is expected to be less than 10 (5?) hours.
It’s made by Apple	Treo <$300, LG Chocolate <$100, RAZR <$100, iPhone $500.

I would have listed more, but I wanted to stop when I ran out of "Pros."

Riding Shotgun with Adam — No Comments
23
Mar 07

The solution to Palm’s unclear future

Of course no one at Palm is going to hear me but I have the cure for the problems at Palm. This week Palm Inc. announced record sales for the Treo Smartphone but they also announced terrible earnings.

At least once quarter there is a rumor that someone is going to acquire Palm in one way or another. The problem is that Palm has the best product of its kind on the market.

The Palm Treo is a near perfect device. Whether you use the Palm OS version or the Windows version, the Treo does exactly what it is supposed to do and it does it well. If you are a Treo user, it would take an awful lot to persuade you to upgrade. When it all comes down to it, the Treo offers 10 times the features of the RAZR by Motorola and it is 10 times as easy to figure out, the real problem is that it is almost 5 times the price at full retail.

So, here's the solution – Palm needs to introduce a non-phone Treo for under $100. The general market opinion is that the non-phone PDA is dead, but in reality there is still a market for it in schools and with anyone else who doesn't want to pay $300+ for a smartphone.

If Palm would aim at the $49-$75 price with a non-phone Treo they would hit a sweet spot that would put them on top. It wouldn't need to feature a Windows version at all, the Palm OS would work just fine for what this little device would do.

Palm based devices shine in their ability to keep track of contacts, appointments, To Do lists, and Memos. The ability to add alarms to all of the above items makes it perfect for forgetful people.

Once students, soccer moms and other Palm users get used to the ease of the operating system and become dependent on their Palm device they will naturally seek out a smartphone that can do it all. This will put the Treo smartphone ahead in the market.

The Palm operating system is what makes the device so great. Just as the marriage of iPods and iTunes have created a solid device that no other company can topple, the Treo and Palm OS are a similar match.

Palm devices have been near perfect since they were originally introduced. They do what people need them to do, they are simple to use and they make life easier. If Palm would just focus on its strengths and stop trying to compete with Microsoft they will succeed in the end.

Riding Shotgun with Adam — 3 Comments
27
Feb 07

Would you rather have your TV or your computer?

Lately I have had a lot of clients call me in a panic because they are having a computer emergency. These calls are getting more frequent every year.

Is there a such thing as a computer emergency? Yes. In fact, I would be willing to wager that most people I work for, if given the choice, would choose to live 24 hours without running water or a fridge than they would without their computer.

Having a good computer guy is as important to most people as having a good mechanic or doctor. Computers are more complex than any other device in most people's homes (there are still a few people with old fashioned pinball machines).

In addition to the computers complicated software and hardware problem combinations and solutions there is the fact that no two people use their computer exactly the same.

With a car you drive it. You may change where you go or the type of road you travel on, but you will probably never use it for anything other than transportation.

Your fridge is used to make stuff cold. You may set cereal boxes on top of it, but its function will hardly ever go beyond keeping food, film and batteries cold.

The computer is totally different and far more complicated. No one will ever say, "I think I will start using my truck to store and edit my digital photos," or "I should really start doing my banking with my fridge."

Every year we throw several new uses at a computer that weren't even in existance a year or to prior.

Computers are the Swiss Army Knives of life. They are as frustrating as they are helpful. People always ask me why computers seem to be getting more difficult to use instead of more simple. The short answer to that is that it's our fault. If we would stop trying to use them to edit movies, track finances, email family, sync with iPods, explore the Internet, share photos, etc. and just stick to doing complex math calculations, computers could stay simple.

I apologize for that long sentence at the end.

Hardware Tips / Riding Shotgun with Rick — No Comments
22
Feb 07

iPod’s are NOT the only option for MP3 Players

I talk with many people who would like to have a portable music player (MP3 player), but don't want to lay out the cash for an iPod. iPod's are great MP3 players, but they aren't the first MP3 players, they aren't the only MP3 players, they definitely aren't the least expensive MP3 players, and they aren't necessarily the best MP3 player for everyone. When it comes to recommending MP3 players, the answer varies because the MP3 landscape changes so much. However, I have held firm in my opinion over the years that flash players (solid state memory) make a better player and value for most casual music listeners. Hard drive players like the larger capacity iPods and Creative Zen Vision cater to the hard core music listener with a massive music library.

Flash players are more durable, portable, and economical than their hard drive based brethren. If I was buying a MP3 player for a teen (or tween) or for an adult who wanted ease of use and portability, I would look at one of the following players: