Its the holidays! There are sales! So, whether you celebrate or just need to upgrade, this is a great time to buy! We talk about how we decided which computers to talk about plus take your calls! What Do I Need to Look For? *Sorry but the last few minutes of this program were lost due to technical difficulties
We braved Costco and Officemax to find these deals! (12/14/19 Part 2)
Its time to buy! And with the deals here on Maui, its a great time to do so! Computer Prices On Island! Are you upgrading to a new computer? Buying a laptop for a student? Do your folks need to replace a dying machine? This is your show!
The Price of Not Upgrading (12/7/19 Part 1)
Sure, your old computer has been faithful. You’ve had it for years. But are you doing yourself any favors by keeping it? Upgrade or Replace? Old computers become harder to fix, more expensive to maintain, and software support gets harder to find. And lets not start about protecting it…! Jonathan, LD, and Sam talk about the Price of Not Upgrading in this hour!
Web Browser Extensions – making your browser better! (10/12/19 Part 1)
The humble web browser is probably one of the most commonly used pieces of software out there. It works hard running web apps, playing videos, music, and just getting stuff done. But, did you know you can make it better? Browser Extensions Jonathan, LD, and Sam talk about web browser extensions: what they like, and more! Now, where do you get them? The browser’s OFFICIAL STORE. Its much safer than downloading from random websites! NoScript blocks scripts, only allowing what you want! Lightbeam shows you where your internet cookies are going for any given website. Where is your data going? AdBlocker+ helps keep obtrusive (and sometimes dangerous) ads from driving you crazy! NewsGuard is Sam’s favorite and only extension which helps him get initial gauging of websites. Flash is one of those most popular plugins, but its dying! We mention this so you know. Password managers abound, but get one from a reputable service. The Mercury Reader is a Chrome extension that will let you have a “Reader Mode” for websites! Adobe Reader for PDFs! Privacy Badger helps keep trackers from tracking you! It tells them “stop!” and if they don’t? It’ll block them!
Backups, Protection, and a New PRIZE for our DRAWING! (9/21/19 Part 2)
Our friends at OfficeMax/Office Depot in Kahului have given us a family sized prize for our next drawing! Protecting your PC! Why is this relevant? Why, we’re talking about backups and protecting your computing devices!
Can you hear me? Can you hear me now? (8/17/19 Part 1)
Siri, Cortana, Alexa, and Hey Google are all great voice assistants. This is a good thing, and a very useful feature of modern computers, smartphone, and more! However, your voice doesn’t stop with you. It goes from your device to the internet and onto a cloud server somewhere “out there,” only to return back with instructions the device understands and executes. Listening Up! Oh, and sometimes people listen. Computers can’t figure us humans out entirely. How to stop Alexa, Siri, and Google: https://slate.com/technology/2019/08/how-to-stop-alexa-google-siri-recording-human-review.html (thanks Alert Internet Surfer Perry!) How to stop Cortana: https://lifehacker.com/how-to-configure-windows-10-to-protect-your-privacy-1716204024
Yu-Es-Bee See? Whuzzat? (8/10/19 Part 1)
USB, short for Universal Serial Bus, came about in 1996 because computers used to have WAY too many different plugs/connections. From USB 1 to 2 to 3 to… C! Wait, what? USBisms USB-C is the newest member of the USB family, but its a different looking plug! In exchange for this small headache, do you get anything in return? You bet! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB-C https://www.howtogeek.com/211843/usb-type-c-explained-what-it-is-and-why-youll-want-it/ https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-usb-c-hubs-and-docks/ https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/understanding-usb-cable-types-one-use/
But do you own it? DRM and you 101 (7/13/19 Part 1)
When you buy something digitally, do you actually own it? Are you sure about that? Do You Own It? Wouldn’t it be a shame if it went up in a puff of smoke? Many digital things you buy can get Digital Rights Management (DRM), be it eBooks, music, software/apps, movies and more. While its understandable for renting or borrowing, what about something you’re buying? We talk about this and offer our thoughts on the matter! https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/ultraviolet-is-shutting-down/ https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/3k3wkk/microsoft-ebooks-will-stop-working-because-its-shutting-down-a-drm-server https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/12/cant-stream-that-christmas-movie-you-bought-on-amazon-blame-disney/ https://io9.gizmodo.com/amazon-secretly-removes-1984-from-the-kindle-5317703
Sound Hardware: when your audio is important (6/22/19 Part 1)
Your computer’s audio is something that often plays second fiddle to graphics and processing power. Built-in audio, cheap earbuds or headphones, web-cam microphone… can’t we do better? All things Audio -Part 1 Why yes, yes we can! https://www.lifewire.com/best-pc-sound-cards-833111 https://www.pcmag.com/roundup/303628/the-best-computer-speakers https://www.techradar.com/news/best-computer-speakers https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-headphones-under-100/ https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-usb-office-headset/ https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-usb-audio-interface/ https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/the-best-usb-microphone/
Windows? Mac? Chrome? What’s the right fit for me? (4/27/19 Part 1)
Would you wear a pair of high heels for a hike in ‘Iao Valley? Or go ballroom dancing in steel-toe construction shoes? Ever saw someone tap-dance wearing diving fins? Which Fits? – Part 1 Even if its the best of what they are, the wrong shoes are simply the wrong shoes. Computers are no different, believe it or not! Today we’re talking about Windows, Macs, Chromebooks plus tablets and phones! What do you need? Well, sit right down, and let us listen! Oh, and if you’ve not seen Avengers Endgame yet? You might want to read this article by PC Magazine on how to limit spoilers! https://www.pcmag.com/news/368011/how-to-avoid-spoilers-online