Ongoing Roundup of Macworld 2009 News, Products, Links, etc.
I will be at (or currently am at) Macworld 2009 this week. As you can see, they have been waiting for me (GRIN – see picture below). I'm hoping to ...
Fix It: Opening Control Panel Crashes Windows Explorer on XP/Vista
Have you ever tried to open your Control Panel on Windows XP (or Vista) and every time that you attempted it, you received a “Windows Explorer has Stopped Working” message ...
How to Promote Teamwork Among Siblings
The holiday season is upon us and let's face it, my kids have lost their minds. Just like the sun's gravity, they are being pulled closer and closer to extreme ...
Microsoft and Family - LifeCam VX-5500 & Microsoft Office 2008
When you think about Microsoft, the first thing that comes to your mind is probably not Family. If you are like me, Microsoft software rules your computer at your office and runs the infrastructure there as well. Microsoft has done quite well in securing the business space from desktop productivity tools like Office to BackOffice systems that get your email through your corporation (like Windows Server and Exchange Server). So when I was approached to write about how great Microsoft products are for the family, I actually blinked a few times before my brain shifted gears.
I hadn’t really equated anything Microsoft (other than the Xbox 360, which I don’t have, btw) as being very common within the family environment. I mean sure, there are LOTS and lots of PC’s in American households and many of them are running some version of Windows, Office or even Works. The Media Center Editions of XP and Vista now present compelling family-oriented products as well, especially with the convergence of the TV and Computer. Personally, I run a fairly heavy Apple household, with the majority of my Macs being hand-me-downs or computers I have refurbished. I believe that Macs are really great computers for kids, with solid parental control. But, while I may be the family CTO, our family CEO (my wife) doesn’t want a Mac. She’s been on a Windows box for a long time. Of course I keep her supplied with the latest and greatest Microsoft software and every few years we upgrade her laptop (I get her old ones to monkey with). But she is all business and armed with her Blackberry syncing to her Microsoft Outlook, there is rarely a play-date or doctor appointment that is missed. (I’m just waiting for her to bust out a copy of Microsoft Project…if that happens, we are all doomed.)
Fix-it: iPhone “Sync Session Could Not Be Started”
Well this past weekend I ran into a rather confusing problem which I did manage to resolve, however, I’m not sure exactly how I resolved it nor what really caused it. I have some ideas on both the cause and resolution so I will try to work through those here. This all came when I tried to sync my iPhone to iTunes (on my Mac). I plugged it in and it started to sync and I got the rather cryptic error message (image below) saying: “iTunes could not sync <item>to the iPhone ‘<insert iPhone name>’ because a sync session could not be started.” For me, the <item> was my Bookmarks, supposedly, but in the end, it was Contacts as well.
Tip: Snapping a MacBook Pro or PowerBook Upper Case Back Together
I have, over the years, cracked open a few PowerBooks and MacBook Pros, either to change a DVD drive or to upgrade the Hard Drive. My latest upgrade I did was to put a 320 GB Hard Drive in my MacBook Pro. I actually got pretty quick at it as I had to do it a couple of times. There are some fantastic guides on how to perform “surgery” on your various Macs over at iFixIt. Their guides are clearly walk through the steps needed to perform the upgrade or part swap. Complete with pictures, tools and parts required, screws used and instructions, these guides are critical if you are performing any work on your Mac.
They are, however, missing one thing (at least the ones that I used), the instructions on how to put things back together. Most of the guides end with phrases similar to “just follow the steps in reverse order to reassemble.” Usually, this is great. I use an egg carton to hold my screws. On each step in the instructions when screws are removed, I write a number down on the instructions and a corresponding number on the egg carton. Putting things back together is usually pretty straight forward.
HTD Tech Tip #4: How to Organize Tech Manuals and Documents
Have you ever been searching for a receipt for some sort of a gadget or tech device that you purchased? What about trying to remember what was covered under the warrantee? And if you are like me, you have manuals stored in random drawers or bookcases. Do you even know where that big screen TV manual is at? Nowadays, with the Internet, you can get documentation and warrantee information at the manufacturer’s site. However, if your device is quite a few years old, it might be a bit of a challenge to find them on those sites.
Here are some simple thing that you can do to keep track of all of your important manuals and documents of your tech devices. Unless you are incredibly well organized and have files for all of your appliances and devices, you probably have manuals floating around drawers and bookcases or in boxes in the garage. Here are a few little tricks that I do that will save you from having to hunt for those pesky missing receipts and documents:
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Slingbox PRO-HD: Initial Setup
So by now you have gone through the Slingbox Pre-installation tasks of setting up your network (wired, wireless or over the powerlines) and you have checked through the box to be sure that you know what connectors you need and how to use them. Let’s take a look at the steps of setting up and configuring your Slingbox PRO-HD for the first time. The following screenshots and setup steps come from a Windows Vista Ultimate box that has a wired connection to the Slingbox.
Before you go into the setup, here are some quick recommendations. These aren’t critical and are things that you might want to consider.
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HTD Tech Tip #3: Security Programs Don’t Always Play Well Together
It’s always important, if not critical to have anti-virus & security programs installed on your PC. I’m actually a big fan of the various Security Suites that you can get that come with all of the different types of protection packaged together (firewall, anti-virus, ant-spyware, anti-malware, anti-spam, etc.). With the all-in-one package, you don’t have to worry about compatibility. There are still some purists out there who piece together different programs (there are several great free firewall/anti-virus/anti-spyware programs out there), but those people who do opt for their own “security suite” run the risk of incompatibilities.
Every year, the Security Software companies update their protection programs to the next version (it seems like the next year’s version is always out in the 4th Quarter of the year before) and then start discounting these new versions right around the holidays (which I don’t quite get, “Look Honey, instead of that ring you wanted, here is a 3-seat anti-virus program. Who loves you!”). It is good to stay current with your security programs; I recommend upgrading to “next year’s version” when you can. Be sure to check the licensing to see if when you buy a 2-3 year license that it includes all future versions/upgrades as well.
Slingbox PRO-HD: Unboxing and What’s Inside
Unboxing is always the most fun when you get a new gadget. Since I just love getting new devices, I frequently find myself in the position of either being torn between ripping open the packaging and quickly setting up what ever the new technology (much like a kid), or that of being a more rational adult, one that realizes that I have to take box shots and product shots as I go so that I can carefully document the process. For me, a sign of a product that interests me is one where I just can’t wait to be the kid. In this case, I couldn’t wait to get my Slingbox going!
Packaging has become more and more important to manufacturers, it seems. The clear winner, in my opinion, of beauty in packaging is Apple. They have a simplicity and elegance that is often copied but usually these attempts are not equal to and definitely not better than what Apple has mastered. To me, product packages should have the following requirements:
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