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Windows 8 Preview

2012-03-01T19:13:00.001-05:00

The next Windows, as I mentioned in a previous post, will be coming out later this year. On February 29th a “Consumer Preview” (or Beta) was released. I really wanted to get this loaded onto one of my machines, but I didn’t want to risk using my main PC with what is basically a “not ready for prime time” version and the only spare computer I had was my old Windows XP machine from about 8 years ago. I loaded the beta of Windows 7 on that machine a few years ago and had issues with video card not being compatible, but I really didn’t have anything to lose so I decided to try Windows 8 on that. I was extremely surprised with the results – not only did it load without any issues, but it’s running surprisingly well. It’s a little sluggish and video is choppy, but everything else runs great on such a low end machine. This is a testament to how well Windows 8 is put together.

It used to be that you had to get major upgrades or even a new computer if you wanted to move up to a new version of Windows (or Mac). Windows stopped this trend with Windows 7 and obviously they are continuing with Windows 8. Thumbs up!! If you are currently running Windows 7 and plan on getting Windows 8, don’t let anyone talk you into getting a whole new system.

I’m not going to do an in-depth analysis of Windows 8. There are many other people doing this a lot better than I could. If you want a lot of detail then I highly recommend visiting Paul Thurrott’s website www.winsupersite.com. I have followed Paul for years and have always found his reviews bang-on.

What I will say is that people will be shocked by the new layout, but if you have a Windows Phone or have seen one is use then you will be instantly familiar with the layout. What I really liked was that during the setup process I was asked for my Windows Live ID (my hotmail address). What this did was link my computer to everything I had tied to my Live ID – Skydrive Pictures, email, Xbox, etc. The Pictures folder has a nice feature that not only links your Skydrive pictures, but also your Facebook and Flickr photos (once you give Windows your permission to do so). All this made Windows personalized even before you manually loaded a single document or pictures. Microsoft hinted that this version of Windows would blur the lines between online and offline activity, and you can already see it in the Beta.

When this is finally released (Q4 of this year) I know I’ll be hearing people complain about how much they hate it and they want their old version back. I know this because it happens every single time a new version of Windows comes out. But I’m also hoping to hear people praise this newer, simpler interface. Like I mentioned in my previous blog post, there are only really a few apps people use on a regular basis and Windows 8 puts it all within easy reach. I also think this new OS will make a great interface for a tablet (or laptop) with a touch screen, just like it currently does on Windows Phone.

The big thing Microsoft has done with Windows 8, which no other OS maker (Apple, Linux, Google) has done, is make all their platforms the same and still be functional on all different devices. In a few months your Windows PC, Laptop, Tablet, Xbox, and Phone will all look the same and there will be no learning curve when moving from one device to the next. I’m really hoping that this will push Windows Phone (and future Tablets) into the forefront for consumers. I can imagine someone looking at the current line-up of smartphones/tablets and actually wanting the Windows Phone or Tablet because it looks just like what’s on their PC and they already know how to use it.

I’ve only had a few hours to play around with Windows 8, but I’m already thinking that this will be a big hit and is going to transform Windows into something people actually want instead of just need.

Nokia Lumia 900 Coming to Canada

2012-02-27T15:53:00.001-05:00

Ignore the at&t logo and insert Rogers

I am a big advocate of the Windows Phone SmartPhone platform. I’m now at the point where I can’t imagine going back to an iPhone or Android (don’t even get me started on BlackBerry!) Imagine my disappointment when I saw the new premier Windows Phone, the Nokia Lumia 900, was going to be in the USA March, but wasn’t coming to Canada. Nokia was coming to Canada, but only with the 710 and 800 which are smaller and less powerful than the 900. Even more disappointing for me was that my wireless carrier was only getting the 710 – the lesser of the two Nokia phones coming to Canada (Telus is getting the 800). I was so upset I even wrote Rogers voicing my surprise that Rogers wasn’t getting the best Windows Phone out there. I now started to worry that my beloved Windows Phone platform was being abandoned by one of Canada’s largest wireless carries before it even had a chance to breakthrough with the offerings from Nokia.
Today I was elated to hear that the Lumia was coming to Canada in April and it was coming to Rogers! Whoo-hoo! I’ve already filled out the form to be notified when they announce pre-sales of the device. My only problem is that I’ll only be about half-way through my contract so it looks like I’ll have to buy this one unless there is some deal they’ll offer. Here’s hoping!

iCloud Isn’t New–Ever heard of SkyDrive?

2012-02-19T15:35:00.001-05:00

Ever since the iPhone 4S came out all I’ve been hearing about (from people with “i-Whatever” devices is iCloud – Apple’s online service which stores your music, photos, documents. You get 5GB of free online space to store documents, pictures, etc. Gee, it sounds so innovative and great but this certainly isn’t new. Dropbox (dropbox.com) has been around for years and does almost the same thing although you only get 2GB free. But then there is Microsoft’s SkyDrive which is also free, but you get 25GB – that’s 5 times as much as iCloud. Currently you can only get 25GB, but rumor has it that soon you will be able to upgrade (for a fee) to up to 100GB. SkyDrive has been around for a few years, but hasn’t been quite as polished as iCloud has been. With Windows 8 you are going to see really tight integration of SkyDrive and your computer to the point where files will be seamlessly sent to your SkyDrive account and you can access from any computer or phone. SkyDrive is currently available for free to anyone with a Microsoft Live account and there are also mobile apps for Windows Phone and iPhone (Android users will have to live with an online interface for now).
If you have never tried SkyDrive I would recommend you give it a try. Having a free 25GB worth of online space is always good.

Windows 8 is Coming!

2012-02-13T20:18:00.001-05:00

There is always a new version of Windows in the works so it’s no surprise that the next version will be Windows 8 and it should be out this fall, if not sooner (maybe summer to benefit from back-to-school sales?). This February 29th will be the beta release, now called Consumer Preview, which I will be downloading and evaluating.
This version of Windows will be a big change for people as Microsoft moves towards a cohesive Operating System look for all their devices – PC, Tablet, Xbox, and Phone. Anyone who is familiar with the “Tile” look of the Xbox Dashboard and the Windows Phone will instantly recognize the new look.

Xbox Dashboard

Windows Phone 7

Windows 8

You can see from the samples above how similar things are looking with the new “Tile” layout.
As I said, the new Windows 8 main screen is very different from what we’ve been used to since Windows 95 came out 17 years ago with the standard “Start” button (or Orb in Vista/Windows 7) and the taskbar at the bottom is gone. Before everyone starts going crazy about the dramatic change please be aware you can still go to a similar desktop look that your familiar with, but the Tile look will be default screen and from what I’ve read you cannot change the default look to “classic” look you are now familiar with. Personally I think this is a good thing since it will force people to adapt to what is new – we can’t keep living in the past people!

At first it may seem the new start screen is too limited (“where are all my programs!?”), but when you think about it, how many programs do the average person actually use on a regular basis? From my experience with my clients it’s only handful – Word, Pictures, Music, Internet browsing and email. With this new interface you can get to these function much easier with a dedicated Tile for each function. In most cases the Tiles are “live”, meaning that they update themselves on an ongoing basis. For example, with email you don’t know if you have email until you start your browser or email program. With a Live Tile the tile will show how many emails you have waiting and maybe the subject header of the first three. Click on the tile and the email program opens up (or your browser will open to your email page). Same goes for your calendar – it will show the current date and your upcoming appointments. Your pictures Tile will rotate with pictures you have, your Facebook tile will show updates, etc. If you have to get more involved with your computer then you can click on a tile to get a more traditional looking desktop to do your work, but for most people this new desktop will be more than enough.

Windows 8 tablets will be coming out this year (hopefully summer?) and think how great this interface will work on a tablet or a laptop with a touchscreen, or a transforming laptop where the screen will pop off the keyboard to become a tablet. These tablets won’t just be another iPad wanna be – these will be fully functioning computers – Microsoft Office, a file system to save documents and pictures, and even Flash . I’m hoping to move from my current desktop to one of these transforming laptops.
Some other interesting tidbits:

Boot-up time is 20 seconds or less!
There is a new processor manufacturer - ARM. Consumers will now be faced with an ARM or Intel computer. Major difference is that ARM will not be able to run old programs that you currently have.
There will be a Microsoft Marketplace to purchase and download software
Anti-Virus is built in
Windows 8 will run on any computer that is currently running Windows 7
Not only touch interface, but maybe voice and gesture through the use of the new Kinect for Windows (Kinect is currently only available on the Xbox). Imagine a laptop with a Kinect sensor built in?

I think this will be a pretty controversial Windows just because it's different, but I'm really looking to it and I'll be posting more information as I start working with the Consumer Preview.

Microsoft Stores Coming to Canada

2012-02-11T15:45:00.001-05:00

Microsoft has announced that it will open two Microsoft Stores in Canada this year "before the holidays". One will be in Toronto with the other one opening in Vancouver (I'm guessing)

Rogers One Number

2012-02-10T12:31:00.000-05:00

Rogers Canada has added a new service called RogersOneNumber. Surprisingly I had never heard about this service coming and I have to say I’m amazed at the features and I love it. Here is what the service consists of:

make and receive phone calls from your Rogers cell phone number using your computer without using your cell plan minutes!!
make video calls
send and receive text messages from your computer
make calls from anywhere in the world back to Canada for free
sync all your contacts between your phone and desktop

The service is pretty cool and easy to use. I had mine up and running in a few minutes. Basically you just have to go to the RogersOneNumber.ca website to set up your account, register your phone and download the software. Once the software is installed on your computer and you log into the website then your text messages and phone calls are sent simultaneously to both your computer and cell phone. If you happen to have a cell phone plan without a texting package then you'll be happy to hear that the text messages sent from the computer don't count on your cell phone plan - they are free (incoming and international texts still have costs applied). What's even better is that any calls you make from your computer are all free, including long distance calls! If you currently questioning having a traditional land-line in your house then this could be the tipping point for you. The voice calling feature even enables you to seamlessly switch the call from you phone to computer without hanging up on the person you are talking to. If the person you are talking to is using the same service you also have the option of enabling video so you can video chat just like Skype.

Those are the main, and most important features, but there are others like creating a Block list of numbers that can't contact you, call forwarding, Ring My Numbers (multiple phones can be programmed to ring when someone calls you), 911, email sync (Rogers Yahoo! and Gmail only) and contact sync. I haven't had any luck with contact sync but that could just because it's not compatible with my Windows Phone. [Update: this does work with Android]

And how much extra is all this? IT'S FREE!! Overall a great service and if you have a cell phone account with Rogers I'd highly recommend signing up!

What has happened to RIM?

2012-01-31T13:45:00.001-05:00

I really don’t know what to say. Based on this infographic from their own website it looks like their new target demographic is 7-year old girls. Yikes!!

Windows Home Server 2011

2012-01-31T11:21:00.001-05:00

Oh boy, Servers!!! How exciting! Before you drift off or skip to another webpage hear me out. Do you have more than one computer in the house (maybe a small business), would you like to share your files (music, video, pictures, documents) with other people in your house, would you like to access your files from any other computer in the world or from your smartphone, would you like an easy back-up solution for all your computers? If you answered yes to any of these then you might want to read on. If you answered No to all of these, then maybe you should move on .

First of all, what is a server? Technically a server is a computer running to serve the requests of other computers (ie. “clients”). You might envision a computer server as something that is a huge computer that takes up a whole room.

Not the type of server we’re talking about!

While there are many servers like that, that is NOT what we’re talking about. A home server looks exactly like a regular desktop computer. Usually they aren’t even as powerful as your desktop or laptop computer and they don’t have a mouse/keyboard and monitor attached to it. It’s just a box sitting in a room connected to your network. The software I use is the new Windows Home Server 2011 (WHS 2011) which actually costs LESS than a copy of Windows (approx $65). Since these servers are used primarily for sharing files (ie. a file server) you don’t need a powerful computer so it’s conceivable that you could use an old computer in the house and just load Windows Home Server 2011 on it. The only thing you may want to upgrade is the hard drive – you’ll want a big drive on this to handle all the files you put on it plus all the backups. I usually recommend a 2TB drive which go for about $200. When you do need to "configure” the server (add users or a new folder you want shared with only certain people) then you log in from any one of your other computers (client computer) using a very easy interface called Dashboard. This is miles away from the old way of configuring servers, although if you really want to dig in then you can get yourself into all the complicated server functions.

Windows Home Server Dashboard

I use my server as a place to store all my files, a media streaming device and backup system. All my music, pictures, documents are on it so each computer can access it and so can my XBox and Boxee Box (and also Mac’s, PS3’s). I can also access it remotely though a website that Microsoft provides for free (https://xxx.homeserver.com). This way I can always access the server via a secure (SSL) web browser using my own username and password. The online interface is awesome and I can securely stream all my pictures and music to any computer with a web browser and internet connection - it actually has a really nice interface for the streaming of media. I can also do all the same streaming through my Windows Phone by WiFi or 3G. It's just like having my own cloud.

Playing music from my Home Server through a web browser

If you have documents that you want to keep private and several people in the house you can easily set it up so only certain people have access to your files and folder. The only limit you have is that only 10 different accounts can be set up, but for most people this is more than enough. If you run a small business and need more than 10 accounts then the next step up would be Windows Small Business Server Essentials with 25 accounts. This increases the price ($525) and you can’t do streaming, but all the other features are pretty much the same.

The other great thing about it is that the server backs-up all the computers every night - not just a file backup but a complete system backup. If the computer is in Sleep mode then the server turns on the computer and backs it up and then the computer goes back to sleep. The back-up method it uses it really clever in how it manages the file sizes. If there are redundant files, it will only back up one copy of the file and just make "note" that the computer has the file, but pulls the common file from one backup instead of backing it up several times. This is good for when there are files that are the same, but really good when it comes to backing up files like programs (Excel, Word, Windows, etc.). I also set it up the computers so that if they blow up completely or if a computer is replaced, I can clone the system from the server by inserting a USB key (pre-configured on the server), boot to the USB key and and do a complete system restore. I tape the USB key to each computer so I know which key belongs to which computer.
I also have an external 2TB drive hooked up to the server to back it up as well. So basically each computer is backed up twice - once on the server and once again on the server's backup drive.
It also monitors the health of each computer - it will notify me if there are any warnings for any computer (updates needed, backup required, hard disk errors, etc.). It can also act as a webserver, but I don't use it for that nor would I recommend it. It’s still best to pay a company to host your website and let them deal with the security and bandwidth issues. Do you really want the entire world to have access to a computer in your house?

Overall, my server is awesome and has been rock-solid from the day I turned it on.

Amazon Kindle or Chapters/Indigo Kobo eReader

2012-01-29T18:56:00.001-05:00

As a Canadian it seems the default choice for an eReader is the Kobo since it is the eReader at the Canadian bookstore monopoly Chapters/Indigo (yes, monopoly – there is no other large bookstore chain in Canada ). People seem to equate Kobo as good (Canadian) and Amazon is bad (American). To me it’s all about choice and on that front Amazon Kindle wins hands down. I’ve always told people that not only did I find the Kindle a superior eReader, but the Canadian selection of eBook titles was far greater. I just looked today and saw that Canadians have a choice of 1,005,000 titles – we finally broke the million! Meanwhile, on the Chapters/Indigo side there is less than half the choice – 413,534.

Who Does Google Think You Are?

2012-01-27T09:32:00.001-05:00

Most people use Google to do their internet searches and I’m sure that most of you know, or have heard, that Google does track your searches. This tracking is done to rank sites so the most popular and relevant web sites show up first when you do a search. It’s also done to target you for advertising. Have you ever noticed that when you are on a website with advertising that a lot of the advertising seems to be relevant to you? Two people on two different computers can go to the same website and get completely different advertisements showing up. These aren’t random – they are usually based on your past browsing experience.

To track your browsing Google places a “cookie” on your computer to keep track of your browsing habits. What I find interesting is who Google thinks I am. Google actually provides a synopsis of you that you can look up at any time by typing clicking on this link - http://www.google.com/ads/preferences

Here’s mine:

Your categories
Below you can review the interests and inferred demographics that Google has associated with your cookie. You can remove or edit these at any time.
Arts & Entertainment - Humor - Live Comedy
Arts & Entertainment - TV & Video - Online Video
Arts & Entertainment - TV & Video - TV Shows & Programs
Autos & Vehicles - Vehicle Brands - Hyundai
Computers & Electronics - Computer Hardware - Computer Drives & Storage - Hard Drives
Computers & Electronics - Consumer Electronics - Game Systems & Consoles - Xbox

Your demographics
We infer your age and gender based on the websites you've visited. You can remove or edit these at any time.
Age: 25-34
Gender: Male

Pretty accurate although Google is being pretty flattering when it comes to my age! Also the “Live Comedy” category confuses me.

If you find this targeted advertising too intrusive there is also a link on the left hand side of the that gives you the option to Opt Out of the targeted advertising. You will still see ads, but they will then be random. As for myself, I don’t really care and figure ANYTHING I do online is, or could be, tracked. It could be Google, Microsoft, the US Government, the Canadian Government, Santa Claus, or whomever so I don’t really care about targeted advertising.

Stop Using pcAnywhere Until You Read This!

2012-01-26T08:02:00.001-05:00

Symantec pcAnywhere has been hacked! If you or your company use pcAnywhere disable it immediately. Check Symantec's official page for updates.

Boxee Box Vs. Xbox

2012-01-24T19:46:00.001-05:00

It’s been a long time since my last post! I started it as a lark, but now looking at my stats I see that I’ve gotten a lot more hits than I would have thought. So I’m going to start up again and be more regular. Thanks to everyone who’s been reading .

Boxee Box vs. Xbox?? Yes, I’m comparing a media device vs. a hardcore gaming console, but I’m not going to to discuss gaming. This is just about using the devices to access media – movies, music, web. I’ve already done a pretty comprehensive review of the Boxee Box so this will be more about the Xbox’s capabilities.

Recently I have been installing Xboxes into client’s homes to use purely to play music, watch movies, and view pictures. Since these folks aren’t playing games they only need the 4GB unit with Kinect. Kinect isn’t necessary, but does add the “wow” factor with it’s improved voice control and adds the ability to perhaps getting some Wii like games (bowling, golf, etc) for casual gaming. Personally I have installed a 4GB Xbox with Kinect in my living room just for playing media.

Two features stand out for people – easy access to Netflix and, recently available to Canadians, Zune Music Pass. Netflix is pretty basic and most people are familiar with – $8 a month gets you access to 1,000’s of movies and TV shows. With Kinect you get the convenience of calling out commands like pause, fast forward, rewind, etc. I did a short YouTube video of this feature.

Netflix with Kinect

With Netflix both Boxee and Xbox are pretty much even unless you add in the Kinect benefits and then Xbox wins out.

What impresses me the most is Zune Music Pass which just came to Canada late last year. For those not familiar with it, Zune Music Pass is an online service from Microsoft that gives you streaming access to over 14 million songs for $9.99 a month or $99 per year. During the Christmas holidays it was great to fire up the home theater, start the Xbox and Zune Music Pass and then have access to any music our guests wanted. Even though I have an extensive personal collection of music (which can also be accessed through the Xbox like the Boxee) I certainly don’t have 14 million songs. It’s also great to find an artist and hit the “Smart DJ” option to play similar artists. When I mention this feature I usually get the reply “Oh, just like iTunes”. No, it’s not. The difference here is that Zune is gathering similar artists from THEIR collection not mine. It’s amazing how many new artists I’ve discovered by using this feature.

For music playback the Xbox wins out over the Boxee if you have Zune Music Pass.

For accessing pictures both systems pretty much work the same, but the Xbox certainly finds all the picture files you have on other computers on your network. Win to Xbox.

Now for the playback of your own DVD’s you have ripped. As I mentioned in my Boxee Box review, I converted all my DVD’s to ISO files so I can play my entire library without having to plop in an actual DVD. Unfortunately, the Xbox does not recognize ISO files so there is the extra step of converting all DVD’s to a format that the Xbox recognizes (click here for a comprehensive list of compatible formats). The other problem is that the Xbox only recognizes the out-of-date FAT32 format, so most current external drives are not compatible with the Xbox until you reformat them with this old standard. In my opinion, it’s pretty ridiculous that Microsoft would use this old format. On the plus side you can pop in a DVD to the Xbox to play a movie.

Overall I’d give the edge to Boxee for playing your own movie library.

For other features like web browsing and specific apps made for Boxee the win definitely goes to the Boxee Box. YouTube is better on the Xbox since you can easily log into your account and the interface is much better. On the other hand you can not do any web browsing on the Xbox and there are very few apps on the Xbox compared to the Boxee (a handful vs. hundreds). The question is, how many of the Boxee apps will you use??

A unique feature to Xbox with Kinect is the Kinect Video Chat feature. Anyone else with an Xbox with Kinect or those with Microsoft Messenger and a webcam on their computer can do video chatting like Skype (which will eventually be coming to the Xbox as well). The Kinect Video works extremely well in this application. While testing it I stood up to look at my other Xbox and the Kinect unit tracked me moving around the room. When I did sit down it then zoomed in on me to a well framed torso/head shot. If my wife was in the room the Kinect had the surprising ability to recognize that two people were in the room and zoomed out to encompass both of us. Overall, pretty impressive but again, will you use it? Personally I don’t have a use for it, but others with relatives and friends with a Kinect or Microsoft Messenger and like to do video chatting then it’s a pretty valuable feature.

Win goes to???? Depends on your usage, but the average user will only use YouTube so the win goes to Xbox.

So who wins? I think for most people the Xbox is the way to go. It’s just so much easier to use and has almost all the same features with a better interface. For me it’s a tie since the DVD music library is better on the Boxee. If I took the time (and it would be a lot of time) to convert the movie files to something compatible with the Xbox then the Xbox would probably win. The one caveat here would be that to access Zune Music Pass, Netflix or Kinect Chat you have to have a Gold Pass membership with Microsoft and that’s an extra $60 a year.

For most non-geeky types I would whole-heartedly recommend the Xbox as a great addition to your living room even if you aren’t a gamer.

Next post – Servers aren’t just for businesses anymore!

Console or PC Gaming?

2011-01-10T22:43:00.001-05:00

I was going to call this “Is PC Gaming Dead?”, but that seems to be the cry of people who just want to stir things up. I just wanted to write about the general preferences between the two. Your powerful PC vs. console (PlayStation, XBox). There is also the Wii (which I already owned) but it’s not really a “serious” gaming machine.

I have been doing serious gaming on the PC since Doom was released in 1993 and, except for a couple of short breaks, I haven’t stopped playing FPS (First Person Shooters). I had always said that PC gaming was far superior to the console platform and I’d never move over to a console. The PC was just better in every way: more powerful, more customizable, more games, easier controls, and more. Every time a new game came out then the gaming community would run out and upgrade their computer just so they could play it. Even if you could already run it you could go out and do upgrades so it would run better. Plus there were all the add-ons: gaming mice, keyboards, headsets, etc. You could buy a $50 game and end up spending a few hundred dollars to make it even better. You couldn’t just sit back and barely get by – you had to upgrade to keep up with everyone you were trying to beat online. That $200 video card could make all the difference when playing against your online opponents. With a console you couldn’t do that – you were stuck with a console that you couldn’t tweak to get that advantage. But is that a bad thing?

My health changed and I was forced to stop playing games entirely for almost year. In that time I dearly missed playing, but I also had time to reflect on my past years of competitive gaming. Maybe it isn’t right that one player could be potentially better than another just because they have the knowledge and the means to purchase superior hardware. Money doesn’t necessarily buy skill, but it helps. I’m now of the opinion that consoles are more of an equalizer. Everyone has, basically, the same hardware. It all comes down to skill. On top of this all the games are created specifically for a specific console – there is need to push the envelope of the latest technology since the game is built to play on only one piece of hardware. In the past games were made for the PC and then converted to run on consoles. Now games are being created for the consoles first and then converted over for the PC. Consoles seem to make sense.

Things got better and I thought I could start gaming again so yes, I went to the “dark side” and purchased a console – an Xbox S with Kinect. The XBox always seemed to have the edge in my mind plus it integrates into my Microsoft technology base. I have to say that I’m extremely impressed with the performance of the system. The main game I’ve been playing is the new Call of Duty: Black Op’s and from a technical point of view the gameplay has been flawless. No crashing, perfect graphics, surround sound – everything. Rarely did I have such an experience with my PC. There always seemed to be something that needed to be changed or upgraded. The XBox controller is the biggest learning curve and I still get frustrated and miss using the mouse/keyboard combo, but I’m getting better.

The XBox wasn’t cheap ($300 for the 250GB version without the Kinect), but when I look back on all the money I’ve spent on upgrades just to play a game on my PC it’s a drop in the bucket. More RAM $50, new video card $200, upgraded power supply $80. Already I’m over the $300 and I’m still not done. Throw in a headset, better keyboard and mouse and you could easily be hitting double the price of the XBox.

The biggest change is the feeling of fun knowing that everyone is playing with the same hardware and the amount of cheating is greatly reduced. This just makes the experience much more fun since I’m not suspecting others of having an unfair advantage. I’m starting to like this console idea.

Boxee & Windows Phone Update

2010-12-20T10:03:00.001-05:00

I’ve had a good long time to live with both my new devices – Boxee Box and Windows Phone so I thought it was time for an update.

Boxee Box

There has been one more small update which corrected some bugs I never experienced and added a couple user interface features. You can now jump to the “S” section (or whatever letter) of your movie or music folders. This is a big help if you have hundreds of titles to scroll through. A few more apps have been added or updated. There is still no Netflix, but it’s still promised for the end of the year. My prediction is that they will release it Christmas day. They did their first big update on US Thanksgiving so why not have the other big update done on the next big holiday. My only hope is that the Netflix app that is issued will be one that works in Canada as well.

Overall I am still very happy with the Boxee Box and use it almost everyday. I continue to “backup” my DVD’s so I can watch my entire DVD library from the Boxee Box, but I’ve already filled up one 2TB drive and I’m only about two-thirds of the way through our collection. Number one on my Boxing Day list is another 2TB drive.

Windows Phone

There has yet to be any firmware updates for the Windows Phone, but one is scheduled for January. Rumour has it that this will add the Copy/Paste feature. Despite all the negative talk about Windows Phone because of the lack of Copy/Paste I have to say that I really haven’t missed it. It’s nice to have but in retrospect something that I never used used that much. The one thing I miss are custom ringtones. I miss my Darth Vader Imperial March ringtone.

I have been thrilled with the phone and everyday I enjoy using it. The coolest feature I discovered was the voicemail to text feature. Whenever I get a voicemail the phone transcribes it into a text message – it is incredibly accurate. I think some android phones may do this as well. This is a feature that I could not live without now.

The phone continues to be incredibly snappy and easy to use. The integration of pictures and people into easy sections (hubs) makes the phone so easy to use. Whenever I go to my wife’s iPhone 3G (my old phone), the interface seems so dated and clunky. I feel like I’m using a phone meant for a little kid. Before I get hate mail from all the iPhone lovers let me remind everyone that I was one of the biggest promoters of iPhones since it was the best thing out there. I don’t think it is anymore – that’s just my opinion.

The only fear with the Windows Phone is it’s staying power. Will enough people buy one to keep the app programmers interested? Will Microsoft keep it’s focus on it and keep it on the public’s radar? It’s hard to fight the mighty Apple Marketing machine and the market saturation that the Android phones have accomplished. I firmly believe that the Windows Phone interface is superior to both iPhone and Android, but I’m just one person.

Windows Phone 7

2010-12-06T20:05:00.001-05:00

For the last couple years I’ve been using the iPhone 3G. At the time the only real choices were iPhone and Blackberry (Android was just coming out and Window Mobile was awful). I used both and chose the iPhone (thanks for the test drive Kim). It was a fabulous phone and truly groundbreaking. I never thought I could live without a cell phone, but the iPhone changed all of that. Email, web browser, maps, apps, etc. It became indispensible for my business and personal life. Two of my closest friends and a few clients ought iPhone’s after they saw mine.

Fast forward to the recent release of the iPhone 4 and the software update to version 4. Everyone who had a iPhone 3G suddenly owned a brick instead of a great phone. Everything slowed to a crawl. A few weeks later version 4.1 came out to correct the slowness that Apple admitted to, but it still wasn’t the same. I’m not one for conspiracies, but a part of me still believes that Apple (primarily a hardware manufacturer) made the old phones slower just to get people to upgrade their phones to iPhone4. It was time for a new phone and with the recent release of the new Windows Phone 7 system I was ready to give it a try as soon as my contract was up.

While only Apple makes iPhone, Microsoft (and Android) just make the software and leave it to the handset makers to produce the hardware. In the case of Microsoft, there are certain features and specs that each phone must have so there is a consistent baseline of functionality. The flagship phone was the Samsung Focus and fortunately that was the Windows Phone that my carrier, Rogers, offered.

Monday was the first full day I’ve had the phone and there was an initial learning curve after being in the iPhone environment for the last two years. I have to say I wasn’t sure how I was going to like the Windows Phone – I’d never even touched one. I was taking a real chance using my hardware upgrade option to get a phone I’d only read about. I wasn’t even 100% sold on how good it would be compared to the mature iPhone.

My quick opinion – it’s much better than I thought it would be and I could never go back to my old iPhone. It is sooooo fast and light. The apps are laid out differently than the iPhone in that everything slides from side to side and up and down in a very fluid motion. Just YouTube Windows Phone and you’ll see some demos. I can’t really explain it, but I don’t feel like I’m trapped in a App like with the iPhone. With the iPhone it seemed liked you bounced in and out App’s constantly. You do the same thing with with this phone, but it doesn’t feel like it. Maybe it’s fluidity of the motion and the multiple layers each app has. I don’t know, but I like it!!

Two years ago when I showed my iPhone to someone they asked about Microsoft options. I told them that Microsoft had totally missed the SmartPhone market, Windows Mobile 6.5 sucked and they’d never catch up to iPhone and Android. Boy was I wrong! To Microsoft’s credit they threw out the old Windows Mobile software and started from scratch. I don’t know if Microsoft will be able to compete with the massive Apple marketing (cult?), but Windows Phone is certainly a worthy competitor that’s going to continue to add features and apps.

I can’t really go into a lot of details on the phone since I’m just a newbie on it myself. But I can tell you that if you are looking for a SmartPhone you would certainly do yourself a favor by looking at the Windows Phone products. It’s a brilliant, refreshing change and in many cases an improvement.

“I need a new computer. What should I get?”

2010-12-02T20:32:00.001-05:00

The choice of computers out there is daunting even for someone who knows all the ins-and-outs. When it comes to laptops it becomes even more confusing since these are not as customizable as a desktop. One of the most common questions is “What should I get?” or “I just bought a computer, is it any good?”.

First I will quickly discuss the Windows or Mac question. I won’t go into detail because this isn’t a Windows/Mac thing, but a new computer thing. Talking about Windows vs. Mac can be an explosive subject with heated arguments rivaling religion and politics. I use both Windows 7 and Mac OS X Snow Leopard and I prefer Windows 7. Apple makes beautiful hardware but, in my opinion, Mac’s do not justify the huge price difference. I know Mac fans would argue all the reasons why they think Mac’s are superior, but that’s my opinion.

Desktop vs. Laptop
This one comes down to space and portability. If you have a desk set up specifically for a computer and you never plan on making that computer portable then get a desktop. If you want to be able to walk around with your computer or if you don’t have the space for a desktop and monitor then get a laptop. My main computer is a desktop, but I also have a laptop so I can do some leisurely surfing or a bit work while I’m watching TV.
Desktop Benefits:
- More bang for the buck. Generally you get better components for less cost in a desktop just because it’s cheaper to make components for desktops. At the very least the processors will be faster and the hard drives will be larger.
- Easier to repair and upgrade: it’s very easy and inexpensive to add and upgrade almost everything on a desktop such as: Memory (RAM), storage (hard drive), video card, sound cart, USB ports, DVD drives, etc. This can extend the lifetime of your computer by a couple of years.
- Durability: by their very nature laptops are portable and get moved around a lot. This can also lead to dropping or knocking one off desk. Desktops usually stay put and aren’t exposed to the day-to-day dangers that a laptop is.
Laptop Benefits:
- Portable. This is, by far, the most important feature of a laptop.
- Small. Once you are done you can easily close up a laptop and tuck it away. Any flat surface can be your temporary office.

What do I Need
The first thing I ask everyone is “What do you want to use it for?”. Generally people want to do the following:
- Email
- Web Browsing
- Listen to music
- Homework/work (Word, Excel, etc.)
- Store pictures

If this is all you are doing then pretty much any current desktop or laptop is available is capable of doing these task. You do not need to be spending $1000 for a computer with all the bells and whistles when a $400-$500 computer is going to do the exact same job with these tasks. Years ago you would have needed to look at the processor speed, sound card, RAM, and hard drive space. Today’s basic computers usually have more than enough of everything.

My list of basics for a Desktop or Laptop
Processor: unless you are doing advanced tasks, any current Intel processor will do – don’t get hung up on the speeds.
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium
RAM: 2GB
Hard Drive: 320GB for a laptop, 500GB desktop

Yes, that’s it. That’s all you need to comfortably do the basics that most people require. If you do plan on storing a lot of high resolution pictures, music or movies then you would probably want to look at a larger hard drive or an external drive just for your media. Hard drives are extremely inexpensive these days so it wouldn’t make a big difference to your budget to increase the hard drive size or, in the case of a desktop, add in another drive at a later date. As of this writing you can get a 1000GB (1TB) hard drive for less than $100. I just purchased a 2TB external drive for $119.

Beyond the Basics
The only time I recommend going beyond the basic computer is if there are specific uses the computer is going be used for. The main ones are:
- Serious gamers, graphic professionals, high end video editing, professional music recording: these people need the latest graphics cards, sound cards and extra RAM to even run the programs and to get the most out of their experience. These are the people that will need to exceed the $1000 threshold but these people are also usually using their computers for business purposes (except the serious games).

Below the Basics
There are two other types of computers not already discussed: Netbooks and Tablets. Both of these system types can be used as computers, but they fall short in many areas. For some people it may not be a big deal and they could be consideration.
Netbooks are very small laptop like computers with a 10” screen or smaller. They usually have an Atom processor, which is only used for these small device types (the Boxee Box also uses an Atom processor), no CD or DVD player and some don’t even have hard drives, but instead internal stortage that is the same as what is in a USB key drive. Most current models use Windows 7 Home Premium. I find that these are only useful for doing some web surfing and email, but with the screen and keyboard being so small and the power so low they really aren’t good for a day-to-day computer. The benefit is that these can purchased for less than $300.
Tablets, most notably the iPad, have really taken over the as the must have item (toy?) even though though there have been tablets around for the 10 years and never took off for various reasons. The current batch of tablets run operating software that is similar to what is used on smartphones (iPhone and Android). They do not have keyboards (add on keyboards are available) or an internal hard drive. Some come with an extra contract through a cell phone provider for internet anywhere access. These are good for playing some games and web surfing, but most real computer duties are not suitable for tablets. Tablets are priced from $550 to $900. For this price you can get a real computer.

One interesting option I’ve seen is the Dell Inspiron Duo running Windows 7 Home Premium. The unique thing about this machine is that it’s a hybrid between a netbook and a tablet. It converts from a netbook to a tablet by flipping the screen around.

It’s a 10” screen, but it has a Duo Atom processor and 320GB hard drive so it’s more powerful and has more storage space than a typical netbook. In tablet mode is works all by touch screen and the interface uses a special Windows 7 touch screen mode which works very well. This just came out in the USA this week and is not available in Canada yet. I actually intrigue by this combination of a powerful netbook and tablet. Still too small for day-to-day computer but priced at $550 it looks like a better choice than a regular netbook or tablet.

Conclusion: Don’t get taken in by all the numbers. Ask yourself what you need the computer for and buy what you can afford or need.

Back Up Your DVD’s & Watch Them on Boxee Box

2010-11-29T22:24:00.001-05:00

While doing all my experimenting with the Boxee Box I did come across one major stumbling block – how to watch all my DVD’s using just the Boxee Box. The problem is that, under copyright laws, you cannot make copies of your DVD’s so you cannot store them on your computer. The studios have put various types of copyright protection on almost all disks to prevent mass copying and trading of DVD’s. I actually support this since everyone involved in the movie making process deserves some money – they don’t make these movies for free. What I do have a problem with is that I cannot make a backup copy of my DVD’s. Things happen to DVD’s – they get scratched, broken, etc. I’ve legally purchased my DVD so I think I should be able to have a backup copy for myself. I have never bootlegged any of my DVD’s and I never plan on doing that.

I tried several programs, free and paid for, that are supposed to be able to allow the owner to make copies of their DVD’s. The one product I found that works simply and easily is Slysoft’s AnyDVD. It does one thing and it does it well – it makes an exact copy of your DVD for backup (the file name ends with .iso). This program does cost money about $50 depending on whether you want updates for 1 year, 2 years, etc.. The updates are done to keep the program current on new protection methods the DVD makers come up with. This is definitely one of those cases where you get what you pay for. I just want a safe, easy way to do the job and this accomplishes it. On average each DVD takes about 20 minutes and 4-7GB of space to copy. This can start taking up a lot a space quickly so be prepared to get an external backup drive. I’m putting everything on a 2TB drive.

The major benefit of backing up my DVD’s with this method is that the Boxee Box can read these .iso files as if they are the actual DVD. Once I tell the Boxee Box where the movie files are located it then scans that source all the files. It does an amazing job of gathering cover art and a description of the movie to display all your movies in one spot. There are the occasional problems where the wrong version of the movie is shown, such as a remake of a movie - it seems to pick the earlier version.

Here is the great part - when using the Boxee Box clicking on the movie you want to watch it doesn’t just play the movie it plays it like you just inserted a DVD! You get the menu with all the usual options: Play Movie, Scene Selection, Bonus Materials, etc. You use the Boxee Remote to move the pointer on the screen just like you would with you DVD remote. It’s like having all your DVD’s in a giant juke box.

This is great way to make backups of DVD’s you’ve purchased with the added benefit of being able to watch them with the Boxee Box.

Boxee Box Review

2010-11-27T15:19:00.001-05:00

It’s been a long time since my last post, but I’ve been pretty busy with my business and playing with the new Boxee Box (which I mentioned in an earlier post). Before I get too far into this let me tell you want I wanted to do. I wanted to be able to sit in my living room and look at all the photos on my computers, play all the music I have on my computers, and watch all the DVD’s I have without having to use a DVD player. Basically I wanted all the media I have on my computers to show up on my TV, plus I wanted to be able to watch online movies, TV shows, and Internet only shows (podcasts/netcasts) on my TV. And finally, I wanted to do this without having to hook up a computer, mouse and keyboard to my TV. I did that before and I never used it because it was too much of a pain to boot up a computer and to use the standard Mac or PC interface, mouse and keyboard to get everything going.

A little background on Boxee: Boxee is software that can be downloaded for free to run on any PC, Mac or Linux computer. Boxee and D-Link created the Boxee box so as to eliminate the traditional computer from the living room. The Boxee Box is actually a little computer with the insides similar to a netbook. Cost is $199 and is available at Future Shop and Best Buy.

Here is what the Press Release says to describe the Boxee Box:
”The award-winning Boxee Box by D-Link streams your favorite movies, shows and videos from the Internet, and plays your home videos, music collection, or digital pictures on your HDTV -- letting you enjoy free entertainment at your convenience from the comfort of your couch.”

Okay, but what is it really? Basically it’s a box, a really little box, that you hook up to your TV and internet/network so you can play everything on your computers and a whole bunch of stuff from the internet. How small is it? Take a look at the pictures below.

If you are familiar with the Nintendo Wii you can see how small it is.

It is an oddly shaped little thing that looks like it’s sinking into your counter – you’re certainly not resting anything on top of it. You have 8 connectors on the back: Ethernet, HDMI, Digital Audio, RCA Audio (red/white), power, USBx2, plus one SD card slot on the side. It also has wireless network built in to it.

Set up was extremely easy. I hooked up the HDMI cable (which was actually included!) to my receiver, connected the Ethernet cable and plugged it in. I had already an Ethernet cable in the area so I set mine up with that, but most people are going to be using their wireless router to hook up to their network and internet. That was it. Very easy. As soon as it started it automatically downloaded an update, of which there has already been another update on top of that one.

Right out of the box it works exactly as promised (well not really, but I’m writing this as if I just got it since there were a couple of glitches with the initial release of it. Those have been fixed with the automatic updates).

Now what do you get? Like I mentioned before you can set it up so you can access all your music, pictures and videos through this box for viewing on your TV. This can be also be done with an XBox. With the Boxee the pictures run in a slideshow format with some fading in/out and sliding. It’s a nice effect. You can also have music from your collection playing in the background while the slideshow is playing. What is different is that it can also access the Internet and all the video content that is out there for free – legally! Say you want to watch an episode “30 Rock”. Type in “30 Rock” (I’ll get into how to type in something later) and the Boxee Box will search the Internet for legal copies of it. Here in Canada we have a hard time finding online content since it is often blocked because of copyright laws. Fortunately Boxee is smart enough to only search for Canadian content so you won’t be shown a lot of stuff you can’t watch. In the case of 30 Rock it finds that CityTV has the last 3 or 4 episodes online. There is a short commercial up front and then it’s playing. There is currently a small glitch in that the screen just looks like a webpage with the small video playing in the middle, but the cursor is hovering over the “full screen” icon which will make it take up the full size of your screen. This bug should be sorted out with future software fixes.

You can also just scroll through all the available TV shows (about 200). Many of these might be obscure, but a lot of the big ones are there. These are also not current episodes (about a week old) nor is the whole season there – usually only the last few episodes. There are also movies, most of which are really obscure, but they are there.

This picture is from the US version so don’t get excited about seeing “Dexter” listed.

The other major component I was looking for was access to online only content. To accomplish this Boxee has the “App Library” There are 138 “apps” listed – some are just links to YouTube videos, but others link to their own online sources with professional menus. More Apps will be added as they are developed. I listen to a lot of podcasts/netcasts (online radio shows) while driving, but more and more these programs are also being video recorded. I can now watch a lot of what I could only listen to. And unlike the TV shows where only a few episodes are available these have dozens or hundreds of episodes available. You don’t really know what’s out there until you look but there are categories like comedy, tech (of course), cooking, even mini Internet series created by individuals. Some of these shows are better than what you are going to get on network television. I encourage you to take a look at Chad Vader and Ikea Heights. There are some apps that you have to subscribe for for a fee, such as MLB.com, NHL, NBA. These would be great for serious sports fans since you can access all available games from anywhere the teams are playing. Yes, all these shows are available through your computer, but the idea is to bring this to the living room on your big screen TV.

There is one big app missing – Netflix. But this is coming soon. For now I use my Wii to watch Netflix.

Porn Warning: some of the apps do contain porn. By default Adult Content is turned off but if you have little eyes in your house that you don’t want to be seeing this content then go into the settings and set a password on the Adult Content so it can’t be turned on by young curious minds.

How is all this controlled? By using one of the best remotes I’ve seen. It’s small – about 13cm or 5 inches long. It has three buttons on it: Play/Pause, Toggle button to navigate and select, and the Menu button. That’s all pretty standard, but when using the Boxee Box there are a lot of occasions where you will want to type in something (web addresses, search terms for YouTube, looking for a particular TV show, song or movie, etc.). Normally typing something in is done by a virtual keyboard coming up on the screen and, using a curser, moving to each key to type in something. If you have any console (Wii, XBox, PS) you are familiar with this painful process. What the Boxee Box remote has is a full QWERTY keyboard when you flip it over. Although the coloring used for the keys is a little to dark to see well, it’s a great idea and the keys work and feel great.

Initially I had a lot of problems being able to connect the Boxee Box to all my computers. These, and other issues, were pointed out by all the users on the Boxee forums and the Boxee team addressed these issues with their next update. I have to say that I am very impressed with the Boxee team and how they responded to concerns of the users. Normally these complaints are made and you never know if anyone is listening or even cares. The CEO of Boxee was even answering emails and making posts to keep everyone updated on the fixes.

There are other choices of small media players out there: Apple TV, Roku, Google TV, WD TV Live. The problem with these is that they don’t work well if you live outside the USA and some have to shipped from the US. There are good options there if you can access US content, but if you’re Canadian you aren’t going to be use many of the features. Apple TV is probably the next closest for normal Canadian use, but it’s limited in it’s Internet access capabilities and that it can only access other computers if they have iTunes running. Boxee seems to have understood that there is more than just US customers and have tried to make the Boxee a more global device. To illustrate how out of touch some of the other companies are about Canada here is what happened when I contacted Roku. I asked if their device would work with Netflix in Canada. They told that it wouldn’t work because Canada doesn’t have Netflix (even though it had been out a month when I contacted them). I told them we did have it and to check the Netflix site to confirm that. They then told me Netflix would not work with their device in Canada and there weren’t any plans to update it. Granted Boxee doesn’t have Netflix on their system yet but when it is released I’m hoping Netflix Canada will work on it. At least they are aware of it!

When I first received the Boxee I could not recommend it since if I couldn’t get it work then it was doubtful the average consumer could get it to work. Now with the latest patch in place everything is working beautifully and I can recommend it. If you want to be able to do what I stated at the beginning of this blog then the Boxee Box is a good choice.

LimeWire Shut Down

2010-10-27T21:01:00.001-04:00

Just a quick follow up to an earlier post (Dangers of Free Music). One of the main programs used to share music has been shut down by the US courts due to their encouraging copyright infringement. Effective immediately LimeWire was ordered to disable the "searching, downloading, uploading, file trading and/or file distribution functionality".

Online Security

2010-10-07T16:59:00.001-04:00

Some people, like me, do everything online – banking, online shopping, downloading legal music and software, etc. Many other people are afraid or nervous about doing any of this online since they aren’t sure how safe it is. Here is a quick guide to some things that can make your online experience a safe and secure one.

All legitimate websites that are asking your for personal information especially websites that are asking for credit card info are running a secure connection. This means that any information you enter in is encrypted on your computer before being sent over the internet and then decrypted only when it reaches the authorized server. All major companies use this method. How can you tell if the site you are entering your data is secure? The three major browsers (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Firefox) have a visual cue to show a site is secure

Internet Explorer has a gold lock at the end

Google Chrome has a Green Lock at the beginning

Firefox highlights the domain name in blue and has a gold lock in the bottom right-hand corner of the browser (which is not an obvious place to put it).

Besides from these visual cues there is one universal way to tell if a site is secure. Instead of the domain name having http:// it has https:// – the “s” means it is secure.

Another step you can take is run your browser in a “private mode”. This opens a new browser window which does not keep any cookies or any other history of your browsing. The names vary slightly between browsers but they all do the same thing.
Internet Explorer = InPrivate Browsing (look under the Safety menu)
Google Chrome = New Incognito window (click on the wrench at the top right)
Firefox = Start Private Browsing (under Tools)

Lastly, use a strong password! Don’t be one of those people who use the same password for everything. If you want to test how strong a password is go to HowSecureIsMyPassword.net and see how long it would take to break your password. The main problem with various and strong passwords is that it’s hard to remember all of them. For this I use LastPass. This website (and browser add-on) lets you create one master password to access your account and then it manages all the passwords for your various accounts and automatically logs you in. For a new password you can either choose your own password or have LastPass generate one for you. The great thing about LastPass is that you can log into your account from any computer to look up a password – plus it’s free.

As long as your computer is protected from viruses, is free of malware and you are aware of these few tips then you can have safe and secure experience online.

Windows Updates

2010-10-04T20:38:00.001-04:00

It may sound obvious to some people, but one of the things I see the most is a Windows system that does not have the most current Windows update. Every second Tuesday of the month Windows issues a Windows Update to improve the system or to patch security holes. If there is a critical security problem then Microsoft will do an out of cycle patch and issue a fix as soon as they have a solution. It is VERY important to allow your computer to install all these patches – don’t ignore them. How do you know if there is an update? On the bottom right of the screen (near the clock) you will see an image indicating that an update is available. The two images above show the Windows 7/Vista update icon and the Windows XP update icon. To install the patch just double click the icon. You can also force an update by clicking Start and, for Win 7 and Vista, start typing in Update. For XP go to Start > Programs > Windows Update.

If a computer is not updated with the update then you are very vulnerable to being a victim of a hacker, virus or malware How? When an update is issued to fix a security hole hackers then know that there was a hole and they go out looking for computers that haven’t patched that security hole.

Stay safe, stay updated.

New Telephone Scam

2010-09-30T12:29:00.001-04:00

Here is an email bulletin I just received from Microsoft. I haven’t seen or heard of this personally, but it’s something everyone should be aware of.

In the last few weeks we have received a number of complaints about a scam that seems to be making rounds in Canada. You receive a telephone call, the person identifies himself as a technical support representative from a company that you trust. They inform you that their software is reporting that your machine has some issues and ask you to open a particular error log file. There are files on your computer that keep error logs for various programs so on opening the file when you find the conditions that were described by the ‘tech support representative’ your guard is down and your level of trust has increased.

From there they can ask you to download a ‘diagnostics’ program or coax you in to performing a series of steps that will give them complete control over your machine and complete access to your data. How do you prevent yourself from these scam artists? Never follow instructions given through an unsolicited telephone call, contact your IT department for verification and use your common sense. When in doubt, verify, it cannot hurt. Do keep on checking www.microsoft.ca/protect and www.microsoft.ca/security to stay informed about the latest threats and prevention techniques.

Back it up – Twice!

2010-09-27T20:59:00.001-04:00

There is a saying among computer people (i.e.. geeks) – if it’s not backed up twice it’s not backed up.

I am a huge proponent of doing regular backup’s of data. Most people don’t back up until they’ve suffered the pain of losing data and I’m one of those people. About 10 years ago I lost an entire hard drive and it cost over $800 to retrieve all the data. Ten years later and those prices are about the same – it’s not easy to retrieve data from a bad hard drive. Ever since then I’ve done regular automated backups to an external hard drive using 3rd party back up software (currently I’m using Genie-Soft, but if you have Windows 7 the built-in back-up software is actually good – it was pretty useless in XP and Vista). If you don’t have a lot of data you can save some money and use a USB flash drive to back up your essential pictures, documents, etc.

But what happens if a real disaster happens? Your house catches fire, your computer (and backup drive) are stolen, a tornado rolls through the area. It was this last one that really got me thinking since the Midland tornado was only a few kilometers from where I live. The solution is to back up off-site – somewhere on the Internet. My first thought was that the one thing I could never recreate were all my digital pictures. For this I started to use Google’s Picasa. The basic Picasa account comes with 2GB of free storage space, but I quickly surpassed that and purchased 20GB of space from Google for an amazingly low $5 a year. I like Picasa because I can back up all my pictures and mark them Private (so only I can see them, but they are still backed up) plus I can mark others as public so then I can show all my family and friends pictures online instead of emailing everyone pictures. You can see my public gallery at http://picasaweb.google.com/dennisjmadison

Now what about a complete online backup that is really automated? For this I use Carbonite. From their website:
”Carbonite installs a small application on your computer that works quietly in the background looking for new and changed files that need to be backed up. It looks and feels just like part of your computer, and is integrated with your operating system - there's no new interface for you to learn.”

It is priced from $54.95 a year to $129 for three years (the package I went with). It works extremely well and doesn’t slow up your computer. As a bonus you can access your files from anywhere in the world. Just log into your account online and you can access all your files. Just make sure you use a strong password and that you never lose it. Carbonite encrypts all your data twice – once on your computer and again on their servers. Even they won’t be able to access your files so make sure you know your password.

Even if you don’t back up your data twice, please back it up in at least once spot and be sure to do it on a regular basis – daily, weekly, monthly. An old backup is better than no backup. Two backups are even better.

Dangers of “Free” Music

2010-09-26T16:11:00.001-04:00

Many of you know that I always warn of the dangers associated with “free” music through such programs as LimeWire, FrostWire, Bit-Torrent, etc. My warning has always been that you never know what you getting when you are downloading movies or music though these services.

The way these programs work is that you are connecting to another persons computer to download their copy of a song/movie. The danger is that you don’t know if that person’s computer is infected or not and you could be downloading a virus without knowing it. Even if you pay for the premium version of LimeWire you are still getting your files the same way and there is still no assurance that the files are safe

But I have an Anti-Virus, aren’t I safe? Unfortunately no. The people who these write the viruses are very clever and they can actually insert code into a song that carries another program with it which is not a virus. This program, referred to as a “trojan downloader”, can then go out and download other programs onto your computer without you knowing it. These programs are not necessarily viruses, but instead programs that spy on your web viewing thus targeting you for advertising, or even stealing passwords. By all means run a good anti-virus program (I recommend Mircosoft Security Essentials) which will catch some true viruses or poorly written virus attempts.

The reason I bring this up again is that just this week I worked on a computer that had one of trojan downloaders embedded right into an AC/DC song. Once that song was played it ran the program which included shutting off all anti-virus programs.

The safest thing to do is not download “free” music because it’s not always free – there is always a catch. If you want music go to iTunes and pay the artist.

Netflix Comes to Canada

2010-09-26T10:40:00.001-04:00

The big news for this week is that Netflix has come to Canada!

For those of you not familiar with Netflix, it is a service that has been running in the USA for many years. Using a computer, Wii, PS3, XBox 360 (coming soon), or Boxee (coming November 21 – more on Boxee later in this post), you can view thousands of TV shows and Movies for $8 a month with your first month free. In my opinion, a great deal. In the US it is $9 a month, but that also includes one free DVD rental a month – something they don’t plan on doing in Canada at this time.

I signed up right away and I plan on continuing my subscription once the trial runs out. Before you get all excited that you will now be able to cancel your satellite or cable TV, wait until you see the selection. I had no illusions that Netflix would be a replacement, but rather compliment my cable service (Rogers). The main complaint with the Canadian Netflix is that is does not have a very current selection of TV shows or movies and that everything is old and obscure (with the except of Mad Men, which they don’t even have on the US Netflix) and that it doesn’t compare to the US version.

All of this is true, but I find the selection more than enough to keep me happy until they add more content. The service has been running less than a week up here and Netflix needs to negotiate with all the Canadian partners to get the same rights to some more shows and movies – it’s not a simple matter of flipping a switch so we can watch the US version. You can thank the CRTC for that.

I recommend that everyone with any interest in streaming TV shows and movies give this a try. I’ve hooked up a laptop to my plasma TV with an HDMI cable and it’s just like watching cable TV.

Bandwidth Warning: Netflix uses about 1GB per hour of viewing. Unlike the USA, Canadian internet providers have put relatively low bandwidth limits on how much data you can transfer on your internet account. In the US it’s either unlimited or really high (250GB per month) while my middling Rogers account has a limit of 95GB.

Boxee

As I mentioned above there are several ways to watch Netflix on your TV including Boxee. I was thrilled to see that Boxee is available for pre-order at Future Shop and Best Buy for $199.

Boxee is a device that hooks up to your TV and, using a Wi-Fi connection, connects to the internet. The US version of Boxee allows you watch NetFlix, though your existing Netflix account, as well as YouTube and several other “web-casts”. What excites me the most about Boxee is that it hooks up to your own home network and will play any movies, pictures and music that are on you home system.

There is another system called Roku in the US that is not currently offered in Canada, but hopefully with the introduction of Netflix this will be coming soon.