APC Back-UPS Pro Battery Backups
Be Sure To Create A Computer Backup
Seagate Backup Plus External Drive and Software
The easiest way to create a computer backup is to just have your data stored locally either on a secondary internal hard drive or through an external drive. While this still wouldn’t properly save data in the event of say a fire that destroys an entire house, it does resolve the more common issue of a failure of the drive within the computer. Continue reading
Cutting The Cord Part 2 – Disadvantages of Streaming Only
An Error With a Netflix Application
There are many advantages to dropping cable and switching to various streaming services. It is often less expensive than paying for cable or satellite TV which is the primary reason many people opt to cut the cord. The ability to watch the shows at more places than just their home and at pretty much any time is another. But even with the reduced costs and flexibility that streaming video allows, there are a number of issues that people considering switching away from traditional pay television to new internet streaming need to consider…
Cutting The Cord Part 1 – What and Why?
Streaming Video Instead of Cable or Satellite
Cable and satellite providers have been pushing hard to try and keep their subscribers. What was once a given feature of the family home for watching TV is facing major declines. This comes from the people who are cutting the cord. I was an early adopter of dropping my TV services almost a decade ago in favor of watching TVs and movies through Netflix’s DVD rental services. Now this is becoming a much more popular thing to do especially in the past few years thanks to the recession, a growing number of alternatives and increasing high speed internet access.
What Does Cutting the Cord Mean?
The majority of households in the US receive their television service either through a cable TV provider or Satellite TV service. Previously, people would receive their TV services over a standard antennae referred to as over the air. Cutting the cord simply refers to dropping the standard cable or satellite TV provider. This might simply be because people don’t care to watch any TV anymore for other activities such as video games, watching DVDs or other online social networking.
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Is Planned Obsolescence Real?
Stack of Obsolete Tech Items
Just this past weekend, I received a call from my father asking me about a problem with his HDTV that is just a few years old. Apparently, the color had decided to get out of adjustment. With some help from me and a cable technician, it was determined that the problem wasn’t with an attached source device or the cables but likely within the television itself. After some tweaking of the settings, the picture is passable but still off when it comes to skin tones. Is this a case of planned obsolescence or just bad luck?
Beware of Which USB 3.1 Is On Your New PC
USB 3.1 is the next great advance for computer, mobile and peripheral interconnects. It promises to bring faster speeds and more flexibility in terms of cables and power. While the standard has been ratified for a while now, the actual products using the new standard are really just starting to make it to market. The thing is that these first products using the new interface can have vastly different performance and features yet all still be called USB 3.1. As a result, consumers need to be extra careful when they buy products that are stated to support USB 3.1. Find out the differences between them and what to look for. Continue reading
Why You Should Use A Trackball Instead of Mouse or Trackpad
Logitech M570 Wireless Trackball
Oculus Rift Limited to High End Desktops At Release
Hoping to get an Oculus Rift VR headsets when they launch? If so, you better hope that you have the proper hardware. Their Chief architect posted on the companies website the and it looks like it is going to be pretty restricted. This has caused a bit of anger from the community that had hoped it would be a bit wider spread than just a limited set of users. f course, the company is also going to be offering an option that includes a PC with the required specs for those willing to pay the extra cost. So, what exactly are the requirements and will you be able to use it? Continue reading
Will Google Cardboard Drive VR Adoption?
Virtual reality is one of the big trends for technology right now. The Oculus Rift has been in development for several years and is likely to be released early next year but it is going to be very expensive and have some serious hardware requirements in order to use it. The Samsung Gear VR is available now and only requires a compatible Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to use but it is still fairly expensive. Google last year showed off the Cardboard, a low cost VR setup designed to be used with compatible Android smartphones and applications that cost as little as $25. Now the updated version of the has been announced at Google I/O 2015 and it opens up the experience to even more people. Continue reading
USB Security Flaw Released In the Wild
USB has been incredibly useful for consumers and manufacturers alike. The standardized interface makes it incredibly easy to connect just about any type of peripheral to your computer. It has become so ubiquitous that there are hardly any peripherals to don’t feature it. One of the biggest uses for it is for external storage either through a hard drive or a flash memory stick. But what if I told you that you should be extremely careful because plugging an unknown USB device into your computer could infect it with a virus or malware? That is precisely the problem that computer users are now facing with a flaw that has been named . Continue reading