The wire that goes from my car radio's cassette deck adapter to the MP3 player invariably gets wrapped around the stick shift. And I'm getting tired of it. I'm also just sick of listening to my 16-year-old niece tell me how behind the times I am.
So yes, I feel ancient (and to some of you, probably look it)--but my old-fashioned cassette adapter was cheap, like under $3 on Amazon.
Old, old technology--but cheap!
Nonetheless, in the interest of staying somewhat on top of technology, I tried out Kensington's FM transmitter, the LiquidFM Plus for MP3 Players.
If you're unfamiliar with these gadgets, or, like me, tried one in the past that worked as well as a teenager on his first summer job, you'll be surprised. Just turn on the car's radio (tuned to any FM station) and plug your MP3 player into the LiquidFM Plus.
The LiquidFM scans the radio for a clear, unused frequency and beams the MP3's sounds directly to that channel. The device gives you three station presents, an important feature because as you travel, the channel you're using may pick up an existing radio station.
Power for the LiquidFM comes from your car's cigarette lighter; use your MP3's USB cable to charge it with LiquidFM USB-pass through port. You can pick one up for under $50.
Do away with a cassette adapter with Kensington's LiquidFM.
iPod and iPhone Alert
There's also a Kensington car gadget for iPod and iPhone fanatics. The LiquidAUX for iPhone and iPod is a wireless remote that gives you a way to play, pause, and skip tracks on your either of those devices.
BTW, if you're contemplating buying a new iPhone, read 10 Things the 3G iPhone is Still Missing and Bugs & Fixes: Dealing With iPhone Apps. And if you're in the selling mode, read Bidding for IPhone 3G Tops $1,000 on eBay
The Microsofties are appealing to you to try Windows Vista. You'll really, really like it, they insist.
They've gone out of their way to prove to you that it's a swell operating system, too, by creating a series of see-we-told-you-so videos. Watch the Microsoft video.
Microsoft's Experiment
The crew from Redmond dressed Vista up in a flashy new box, called it Mojave, the next Microsoft OS, and foisted it upon -- no, sorry, make that "introduced it to" -- volunteers.
Before the volunteers were shown Mojave, they were asked about Vista. Some said that they hated Vista, even though they'd never tried it. After seeing and playing with some of Vista, oops, Mojave's features, most of the volunteers were impressed, with many of them oooh-ing and aaaah-ing over Vista.
When the secret was revealed, most of the volunteers couldn't wait to get their hands on a copy. One volunteer was nonplussed to hear that Mojave was actually Vista and asked, "why is it faster?" My question, of course, is about the notebooks used by the volunteers. How much RAM was installed, how fast was the hard drive, and what kind of CPU did it have -- and how did that contribute to Vista's great performance?
"That's Vista? Why's it so fast?"
If I had my way, I'd have Microsoft do another video, handing volunteers a copy of Mojave and asking them to install it on their existing PC or notebook. I wonder if their reactions would be quite so enthusiastic.
Vista Resources
I still haven't switched to Vista. I know I'll do it eventually, but for the moment, my system's running just fine. Nonetheless, I want you to know about a few Vista resources, just in case you're using it -- or, like me, thinking about the future.
The Ins and Outs of Vista
I'm also guessing some of you may need the extra help only a hefty resource book can provide. The book I recommend is Windows Vista Inside Out, Deluxe Edition (Microsoft Press; ISBN-10: 0735625247) by Ed Bott, Carl Siechert, and Craig Stinson. For under $40, you'll get every Vista question answered and learn things about the OS that may improve your experience. It's available on Amazon.
Talkback
Have something to say? You can use Comments below, take one or both of the BussDash polls, or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.
I recently purchased a new desktop computer. It came with XP Pro preinstalled. It also came with a Vista Business CD should I wish to upgrade to Vista. I decided to dual boot into both XP and Vista. So I installed Vista.
After using both XP and Vista, I now exclusively use Vista. I like it more than XP. Over the years that I had XP on a previous computer I was restoring and reinstall XP. I must have reinstalled Windows 25 times. I was continually hacked.
I now feel and am secure using Vista. I have had and have use it for 9 months. I love it. I have been able to install the programs that I used in XP on it iwth no problems. I have setup three printers with no problem. I have had no problems with Vista.
I can not understand the negative writeups it gets. As I said I love it. Between XP and Vista. I would rather have Vista.
MS claims you need a computer with 512k or more memory to run Vista. That's either grossly misleading, or more likely, it's just a whopper of a lie.
MS should have told consumers if you want vista to respond similarly to xp, you need four to six times more memory (2g min)
In Feb 07, i bought a 1g computer to run vista and wasted $600 because MS did not have the integrity to tell the truth.
Instead MS took the money and ran! MS's dishonesty has left a sour taste in my mouth, that I suspect is shared by millions of other consumers.
The way MS conducted the most recent Vista "comparison" is just further evidence, they'll say or do anything to get your money.
Mike
A little over a year ago, my trusty Toshiba Satellite bit the dust and I went shopping for a new laptop. I bought an HP Pavilion with Vista Home Premium, a 1.66 GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB of RAM and a 256mb nVIDIA 7600-series graphics card. I didn't really know much about Vista, but it was the only choice at all the big box retail stores.
The various bugs, tweaks, driver issues and countless other glitches were very irritating! I was also trying to acclimate to Office 2007 along with Vista and that only made things worse!
I eventually sold the HP to a friend, bought a new ThinkPad with XP Pro and hoped to never see Vista again...
After cooling off for six months or so, I found myself needing a new desktop. I gave Vista another shot, this time with SP1, and it's been a MUCH better experience....not perfect, but better...
Did you ever notice how well Outlook can mess up e-mails quotes? You know, the way it takes and causes line breaks to make your e-mail look like hell?
Outlook just can't handle quotes
For the cost of a download, you can make your outlook e-mails look sharp and, more important, easy to read. The trick is Outlook-QuoteFix, a add-in that automatically takes out the tedium of fixing Outlook's quoting style.
Outlook-QuoteFix works perfectly in XP and with Outlook 98 through 2003; there's a macro that makes it compatible with Outlook 2007.
drivindisco I agree Vista is a fine OS and these whiners are killing it buy spreading their lies just because they are to cheap to buy new hardware .I guess we need to explain to them nothing lasts for ever and if it did none of us would have jobs .
What seems to be escaping comment is the ridiculous price tag for Vista. If you want to UPGRADE to a decent version of Vista, it will cost you $200. Nevermind the 'Ultimate' version. When an OS costs more than the hardware, we have to start questioning why.
I am a computer consultant who used Vista when it first came out. I couldn't get my Blackberry to work with it, couldn't get my MFP scanning functionality to work (although both Dell and MIcrosoft's websites claimed compatibility), and other minor issues that really killed my productivity.
I switched back to XP Pro, and until there's sufficient justification to change, will continue to use XP. And I tell my clients the same thing. Heck, I'm VERY close to going to the 'Dark Side' and installing Linux. At least I won't spend $400 for it.
--------------------
@teknurd: I agree -- the cost of Vista was high enough to stop people from upgrading. --Steve
When Larry Ellison came up with his "thin client" uhh, "paradigm", my comment was: SQL*Nuts. I haven't changed my mind, though I am sure that corporate IT is going to love the idea of re-building the "glass house", throttling off anything "not invented here" and turning the corporate computing environment into a profit center - remember that term?
What is being forgotten here is the fundamental reason that the PC became popular: it's like the difference between personal transportation and getting on the bus, or train. Uhh, which do you prefer?
I sent an e-mail yesterday to TigerDirect, asking for a comment about the Assurz Bankruptcy. (See Assurz Folds -- and Customers Are Stuck.)
I received a note from a TigerDirect representative in this morning's in box. It said, in essence, that TigerDirect is taking over any Assurz claims. My sense is that the company was as duped as anyone else. In an e-mail interview, Gilbert Fiorentino, TigerDirect's CEO, said, "instead of saying 'too bad, file a bankruptcy claim,' we decided to make it right." The company said they've spent about $400,000 to resolve outstanding claims.
TigerDirect (which also owns CompUSA) had the Assurz phone number (877/277-8797) routed directly to them. Call the number if you need help getting an Assurz refund. However, if you're having a specific problem that's not been resolved, or you think you're getting the runaround, let me know and I'll forward your issue to someone with clout.
Here are some of the details that the TigerDirect rep gave me. I've edited this slightly for space.
1. When we became aware that Assurz was having difficulties, we immediately refunded the Assurz fee to any TigerDirect or CompUSA customer who purchased an Assurz policy within the preceding 30 days. We explained that they could return their products to us.
2. We obtained the Assurz list of customers whose returns were received, but for whom checks were not yet sent, and issued refunds.
3. As we became aware of checks issued by Assurz to customers that were returned for insufficient funds, we issued refunds.
4. If you purchased an Assurz policy between 31 and 90 days prior to TigerDirect finding out that Assurz was experiencing difficulty, TigerDirect will honor the 90-day satisfaction guarantee.
If you've had an Assurz problem, take a sec and scroll to this BuzzDash poll:
Let me start by saying that Tiger Direct has always been honest and fair! This is not an attack on them, since I purchased almost all the parts of my computer from Tiger Direct!.
I have learned from past experience that service contract are not what we believe them to be. We assume that the contract is backed by the store, but in most cases, they are not. Most service contracts are insured by a self appointed product insurance company. Unlike life or medical insurance, they are almost never bonded and seldom live up to their promise! There is no regulating body that controls them!
My advice is the same as Consumer Reports findings. Do not purchase a service contract! It would be cheaper to wait for the tooth fairy!
Mark Heinemann
It's Saturday and Rex W. sent me a link to People Bucket, a game designed to torment people like me.
Pick up people.
Throw people.
People like buckets.
Don't cross red lines.
The instructions are contradictory, because I have to cross the red line. So I don't get it and feeling an obligation to stop fiddling with it -- and, as this is Saturday, grab something from my honeydo list instead of wasting time on the PC.
Update: Got to level two. It was easy -- once you figure out the strategy (and no, I'm not telling; figure it out on your own!).
It doesn't mean you can't cross the line. If you don't throw them hard enough, the people stick to the line and don't go into the bucket. I got past the first level into the second. Muddy wording, but playable. --Michelle
Sweet, sweet victory! Um, I mean, man, that took awhile to "clean the garage."
--------------------
Got the level two, Michelle. You're right. Poor directions. --Steve
Take a deep breathe and hope for 48 seconds
Play Reversi on It's Your Turn.
Obama and McCain -- smiling and waving
Thaks Steve, as always cant wait to get home from work on Fridays and see what you have come up with next. Keep up the good work.
You ever forget your login password? Probably not, because it's 1234. (LOL -- just kidding. I know you use strong passwords.) Nearly two years ago, I told you how to find it (see Find Old E-Mail Messages Quickly and scroll to "I forgot the password"). Unfortunately, that fix would have cost you $70, about a fill-up for your car.
I have terrific news. PC Login Now is a freebie that gives you a fairly straightforward way to reset Windows Administrator or user password. The strategy is to take their ISO, burn it onto a CD, and boot from it. The wizard talks you through the steps. The tool works in Windows Server 2008, 2003, Vista and XP.
One more thing before you leave: If you need to find the Product Key for any office product, read how to do it in Five Smart Fixes for Dumb PC Annoyances.
If you have a minute, take this handy-dandy BuzzDash survey.
Thanks for finding this program!! It will come in handy if (when) a relative forgets their password. It also shows why it is so important to prevent physical access to mission critical systems.
Has this been confirmed to be virus / trojan free? I would hate to reset my admin password only to discover that it was sent to someone who wanted to hack my PC for whatever nefarious reason that people feel the need to hack someone else's computer.
Norton is ok with it. Too bad VirusTotal.com won't let me upload the file. You could always pull the Ethernet plug while resetting the password, and use Autoruns from http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx to check that nothing is running in the background transmitting your passwords. In addition, use an outbound firewall to prevent unsolicited communications.
If you've ever done business with Assurz, you're out of luck. They're kaput. Assurz is the company that offered a guarantee if you had trouble with a product. Read my October TigerDirect Offers Assurz's 90-Day "Satisfaction Guarantee" blog for the back story.
According to Internet Retailer, the company didn't give participating companies -- and definitely not consumers -- much notice.
"In its May 30 e-mail notice to eImprovement [a participating Assurz retailer], Assurz, citing a contract stipulation that lets it discontinue service with a three-day notice, said it would terminate its service as of June 2 because 'your refund rate has been consistently greater than fees we have received for the services, leading to cumulative net losses from refund payouts by Assurz.'"
In July, Assurz declared bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California and the reaction from consumers was, no surprise here, that of dismay, anger, and outrage.
Filing a Claim
According to Bankrate:
"As a creditor, what you can do is file a proof of claim. This is your legal statement that the business owes you money. The administrator in charge of the Chapter 11 case (called a trustee) will determine whether it is possible for you to be paid. Do it soon as there is a deadline for filing."If the company is paying back all its obligations through the Chapter 11, then you would get paid eventually. If they are not paying back everyone, then there's a line that forms. Secured creditors go first (those who loaned the company start-up capital for equipment or real estate), then the government (in case the company owes corporate and employment taxes), then unsecured creditors such as yourself."
The Bankruptcy Law Network has more information. Get a PDF copy of the claims form and read the instructions.
The first meeting of creditors is scheduled for July 30 in the San Francisco office of the trustee for the case, Janina Elder. The case number is 08-31101. The last day for filing claims against Assurz is Oct. 28, 2008. The sooner you get the claimed filed, the better.
For more information about filing a claim, write to
Janina Elder
PO Box 158
Middletown CA 95461
Bass Disclaimer
I consulted my attorney, Bernie, from the law offices of Dewey, Fleecem & Howe, and he strongly urged you to view my suggestions for filing a claim as just that -- ideas to consider. "These are simply recommendations," he said, charging me by the minute, "and for real legal advice, chat with an attorney."
Well, of course they are a scam and a sham!! Can't anyone tell by the name? One of the major clues is any business or website that has an unexplained "Z" at the end of its name is automatically bogus. "Assur Zee." What language is that? Dutch (Zuider Zee)? What does it mean? Other clues are phony sounding business names that no one else would think of using until the names appear in print somewhere. For example, those that say, "If you call right now..." They're all scams.
It's a good question and one that I answered in a recent Hassle-Free PC column. I explained how to plant a Hibernate shortcut on your desktop. (Read the hassle and fix in Three Easy Fixes for Windows Annoyances. The column will also lead you to links that talk about the differences among the various shut down methods.)
Now while I liked the tip, reader Tenbob said he had a better way. He's been using Karen Kenworthy's Showstopper, a freebie that gives you lots of ways to close down your PC.
"As with all of her free offerings," said Tenbob, "this one works flawlessly through a desktop shortcut and is easier than setting one up through the Control Panel."
Tenbob's right on target. Showstopper gives you eight ways to shutdown your PC, including suspend, hibernate, restart, power off, and if you're not concerned about closing apps, force. The tool also has a way for you to schedule events, such as a reboot or shutdown, or launch another program at a specified time. Read some of Showstopper's variations here.
I'm curious -- how do you shut down your PC? Take the poll below.
wow, 20% of people left it run 24/7. it will be nasty on electric bill
I recently purchased a new desktop computer. It came with XP Pro preinstalled. It also came with a Vista Business CD should I wish to upgrade to Vista. I decided to dual boot into both XP and Vista. So I installed Vista.
After using both XP and Vista, I now exclusively use Vista. I like it more than XP. Over the years that I had XP on a previous computer I was restoring and reinstall XP. I must have reinstalled Windows 25 times. I was continually hacked.
I now feel and am secure using Vista. I have had and have use it for 9 months. I love it. I have been able to install the programs that I used in XP on it iwth no problems. I have setup three printers with no problem. I have had no problems with Vista.
I can not understand the negative writeups it gets. As I said I love it. Between XP and Vista. I would rather have Vista.
I started out with DOS 2.0 and went on from there. I remember when Windows came out the first time and how exciting it was to use it. I've had every version since then. Though I have problems from time to tim, who doesn't? On call in shows I hear people even have problems with Apple/Mac, etc. My, my. I was standing next to a man in a computer store who glumly said he was was sticking to his XP Pro. I remember hearing people who were sticking to their older Windows versions when XP came out. Well so far, I like Vista Ultimate a lot; I waited a year or so. At 74, my advice is a quote by Kipling, "Be not the first by whom the new is tried/Nor yet the last to cast the old aside."
Every so often I run into a file that just won't give in. You try to copy it and Windows says nope, you can't. It's not a sneaky copy protection scheme from the old floppy drive days. Most times it's another program that locked the file, likely because it's protecting it from changes. For instance, if Outlook is running, it clamps down and won't let you copy -- or back up -- the PST file.
If you run into the problem often, you're in luck: I have a couple of ways around the hassle. Start by grabbing a copy WhoLockMe, a handy tool accessible from Windows Explorer in XP (sorry, not Vista). Right-click on the file and WhoLockMe tells you exactly that -- the program that's locking down the file. Even better, WhoLockMe lets you force the locking program to close, releasing the file.
Locked or Not: Copy the File
In a recent Hassle-Free PC column (see Six Ways to Make Vista and XP Work Your Way, I mentioned HoboCopy, a tool that can copy a file even if it's locked. The problem (isn't there always one?) Is that HoboCopy scared off everyone who isn't comfortable with a DOS box.
A reader (thanks Tom M.!) recently told me about an alternative that's easier to use than HoboCopy. It's CopySharp and it has a standard Windows interface. Unfortunately, this is also also an XP-only tool. If you know of any Vista-compatible tools. Lemme know and I'll post an update.
One issue, though: Tom said that CopySharp works only when he's logged in with admin privileges or when he uses the tool with the "Run As" option and then runs it as administrator. That's no big deal, really, and a small hassle to fix a bigger hassle. BTW, you'll need a copy of .Net Framework 3.5 Runtime on your system.
Hi, Steve,
Unlocker may fit the bill...
http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/
Take Care,
Dan
Board Dots is easy (Ha!). Just fill in each of the blocks by drawing a path horizontally and vertically through each square. I did splendidly with level one. After that I decided to go back to writing as that's much easier. [Thanks Jerame!]
Level one is a snap -- and that's about the best I did.
Level two? There's no mercy, hints, or possibly even solutions.
You Gonna Bat Left? I'm Gonna Throw Left. Right? Hey, We Can Do This All Day, Pal...(and I'm also gonna tug at my crotch.)
I would have never guessed...
"I'm out of ink. Feed me a new cartridge." That was what my Brother 640CW multifunction printer demanded recently. I checked and -- you're probably ahead of me on this -- there was still enough fluid in the cartridge for goodness knows how many more pages of printing.
I was fuming.
To be sure, I examined all three allegedly empty cartridges -- cyan, yellow, and magenta. From the top to bottom, they measured 1 1/8-inches. There was still 1/4 inch of fluid at the bottom of each one. That's about a fifth of the cartridge's capacity that's wasted. My loss in ink was roughly $2.25 per cartridge. Not big bucks, certainly, but enough that I felt I was being scammed.
.jpg)
Got ink? My Brother cartridges still do...
The question was obvious: Was there a mechanical reason to leave fluid in the cartridge? Or perhaps this was a marketing decision to help me replace it before it was really necessary.
Brother Says, Oh, That's Normal!
I used my pull and fired a note off to the PR person representing Brother. Needless to say, things were dandy at Brother's headquarters because they had an answer. Here it is, verbatim, with key parts in italics. (Make sure to slip on a pair of comfy hip boots so you don't get splattered with anything.)
"First, we would like to assure you that Brother stands behind our product and the information disclosure that we provide to the consumer. It is always our policy to provide such information to consumers to help them understand both the product and the conditions under which the product operates.
"To address your specific question regarding ink volume, the rated yield for each cartridge follows the industry standard of that period which was based on 5% page coverage. So regardless of what small ink volume you may see remaining in an ink cartridge when it needs to be replaced, we guarantee that the ink volume that was provided and 'used' meets this industry standard calculation. Any additional ink volume left in a cartridge at that time was not put into the rated yield calculation that is guaranteed by Brother.
"Importantly, there is a technical and performance reason for why the small amount of ink is remaining in a cartridge that is identified as 'empty.' As mentioned in the User Manual,' even though the machine informs you that an ink cartridge is empty, there will be a small amount of ink remaining in the ink cartridge. It is necessary to keep some ink in the ink cartridge to prevent air from drying out and damaging the print head assembly.' By doing so, the machine is protected and consistent print quality is ensured to satisfy the consumer. In effect, remaining ink should not be viewed as waste, but as Brother's affirmative action to provide ongoing high quality output and performance of the machine.
Granted the printer may need a small amount of ink to keep the printer heads from drying out, but overall, I say, horsepucky. The volume left in the cartridge isn't small; nor am I interested in the industry standard of five percent coverage. What I know is that even with what I think is minimal printing, the Brother needs a new cartridge way too often -- and in my arguably closed mind, I want every last drop of ink in the cartridge.
Inkjet Cartridges? It's a Hot Topic
I'm not the only one incensed about the hassles of inkjet cartridges. You can read over 100 PC World reader comments in response to our Cheap Ink: Will It Cost You? article. (Also read Where and How to Buy Cheap Ink.)
You can also glean some money saving printing tips by viewing our video, reading Save Money on Inkjet Printer Ink, and Inkjet Printer Ink: Reader Rants and Hacks. And don't miss Study: Over Half of Inkjet Printer Ink is Thrown Away.
How About You?
I know you're dying to take a shot at the printer companies and their cartridge escapades. So spend a minute in Comments and give me your rant.
Brother, Canon , HP . They all get abused for this replace ink cartridge scam/
Re the $80 to replace a "High-Yield Tank" , I have an HP Officejet Pro L7580 and I replaced the Black High Capacity Cartridge a few months ago.
The cost was nz$48 which is worth us$35, so I do not see how mestock could have paid $80 (I assume us$).
I used have an Epson that I used compatible ink for but with the HP I don't bother to find any compatible as the price seems reasonable to me.
oldfellow here again.
I do however run the cartridges until the printer will not print any more, which is some time after I get a warning about low ink,
It does not however tell me a cartridge is empty when it still has ink to print with.
Happy printing.
I've been in the supplies industry for 30+ years and 7 years ago developed my own website (OfficeSupplyOutfitters.com) to sell aftermarket and compatible replacement alternatives to the "Brand Name" inkjet and toner cartridges. Why? Because inkjet and toner cartridges were appallingly high priced and if that weren't enough, the printer manufacturers are now using new technology to get you to buy more than you need as witnessed by this story by Steve Bass. I get feedback all the time from our 100,000 plus customers, outraged by the prices they were paying for their ink from the printer manufacturers. Now some of the printer manufacturers are using chips on their cartridges to prevent the aftermarket suppliers from being able to remanufacture their cartridges! Imagine having no options, but to pay the high prices of the brand name cartridges. When the price of ink per gallon makes the price of gas per gallon seem cheap, then you know we have a problem!
Your tomatoes and contaminated (wait, it's the jalape?os -- or maybe the cilantro), your lawn mower's been recalled, and your notebook's power supply could shock you.
As if with the price of gas you didn't have enough to worry about.
The only good news in this blog is a government site with listing of federal recalls. Recalls.gov is a terrific resource with postings in 7 categories, including motor vehicles, food, medicine, and consumer products. Take a look at the recent recalls (in all the categories). [Thanks, Richard S.]
There are other spots to visit:
Recalls.gov is an excellent source.
For another source that organizes this information better, lets you pick categories that you are would like to be alerted on using RSS feeds, email and Twitter, and aggregates information from additional sources in one place using a blog format please check out:
http://www.recallaware.com
Here are a few things I ran across if you're planning on hopping on a plane or booking a motel online.
Shocking News for Airline Travelers
You're not going to believe this one. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is "has expressed great interest in a so-called safety bracelet" that could stun you if airline personnel think you're a terrorist threat. The bracelet acts as a boarding pass, a luggage and carry-on identifier, and a way of immobilizing you.
I thought it was a joke, but the Washington Times has details about the EMD Safety Bracelet, created by Lamperd Less Lethal, a Canadian company. Make sure to watch the videos at the bottom of the post. And then take your blood pressure meds...
If You're Flying...
Here are a few articles that might make your life at the airport a little more pleasant. Denny Arar has ideas for Tips and Strategies for Last-Minute Travel Planning Online and Jim Martin hands you a handful of Summer Travel Tips. Jim also has Packing Tips for Painless Trips and Glenn Fleishman has good news: In-Flight Broadband Imminent.
Booking a Motel? Here's One to Avoid
A buddy (and my former editor), Randy R., told me about the hassle he recently went through when he made a room reservation online.
"I entered my credit card number," he said, "and thought I was all set."
Nope. Randy was in for a whirlwind of marketing sleaze when a chat window popped up and "Jessica" made him an offer. Randy was tricked into signing up for an $11-per-month service, proving he isn't nearly as bright as he looks.
What's amazing to me is the site was Travelodge, a pretty well-known brand name. Read Randy's story and let me know if you've had similar problems with this amazingly irritating tactic.
Talkback
Have a travel rant? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.
I don't know what's worse: dealing with airline hassles or struggling to carry around enough cash to fill up my car.
Pedal To The Metal (Not Me!)
You know the advice you're always hearing -- slow down and you'll see an increase in gas mileage? It's true. Bass International Testing Labs took the 2005 Subaru on a trip from Pasadena to Cambria recently. At my usual 65-to75 miles per hour, our highway average was 22 miles per gallon. We moved to the right lane and, as difficult as it was, drove 60 miles per hour. We sometimes got stuck between trucks and slowed to 55. With the speed decrease, we got 27 mpg. More tips here.
If you're keeping track of your mileage and want to see how well you're doing, try using Fuelfrog.
Update: I just learned about MileageTracker. Besides keeping you aware of your mileage, you can graph your mileage, maintain a service record, and find out exactly how many miles you've put on any of your vehicles by month or year.
Have Huevos? Try This Trick
I watched a video that started off with some standard recommendations for increasing gas mileage. The stunner, though, was midway through when the guy recommended adding a special ingredient to the gas tank. With a few ounces per tank, he claims an increase of 10 miles per gallon. Watch the video below -- and then read a few things I found on the topic.
Start with Acetone in Fuel Said to Increase Mileage, which claims an increase with certain brands of gasoline.
This next article, Acetone as a Fuel Additive, says doing it may damage fuel injectors and fuel pumps on some vehicles. (Scroll to "Damages Fuel Injectors and Fuel Pumps.")
Snopes says it's false (it's relying on information from Car Talk). And a professor of mechanical engineering at Kettering University ran a few experiments and also says that adding acetone doesn't improve gas mileage
What's your take? Are you willing to see if acetone will boost your vehicle's mileage?
No, my dogs won't wear them.
Click on Running the Numbers for an incredible journey
Some people report that the latest version of their beloved antivirus program, AVG Free, is slowing their older PCs and notebooks to a crawl.
A PC World reader told me AVG 8.0 slowed down his old notebook.
"[I used to like AVG 7.5, but] that unfortunately is no longer the case in AVG's version 8. If you have a good deal of RAM, then version 8's higher resource consumption is hardly noticeable at all."But I've still got an old Compaq Presario 1200 notebook that refuses to die. I use it for basic stuff like the surfing the Internet and word processing when I'm on the road. It's got 320MB of RAM (which is the maximum) and has been running just fine under Windows XP Pro.
"After installing AVG 8 all that changed."The notebook acted like I had reinstalled Windows 2000 on it. Anything I did from the desktop, like launching Windows Explorer, or from the Start button, like launching the Control Panel applet, suddenly took 10-15 times longer.
"Unfortunately, disabling some of AVG 8's new modules did nothing to improve the performance problem."
Taking a Poll
I took a quick poll of subscribers on a private list I moderate. I asked if anyone had upgraded to AVG 8.0 and experienced the same slowdown as the PC World reader. Of the 60 people who replied, 40 said that AVG 8.0 had forced their systems to a crawl.
People who haven't had a problem generally had fast PCs with lots of RAM.
Workaround AVG
Unlike the PC World reader, Michael M. from Texas, a buddy of mine, says that one component of AVG 8.0 -- the LinkScanner Safe Search add-on for Web browsers -- "slowed Firefox hugely, and consequently slowed my system. Once I disabled AVG Safe Search in Firefox, my computer's speed picked back up." [Hey, I've noticed this slowdown too! I just disabled Safe Search; let's see if it speeds up Firefox enough so that the alerts are worth it... I wonder if there's any way to disable the alerts. --Editor]
"Today," he said, "I re-enabled the LinkScanner, just to get rid of the annoying ALERT!! from AVG that I was being unsafe."
Michael hypothesizes that the LinkScanner, which "insists on looking at every possible link on a Google search list page and putting a stupid green check mark by the 'good' ones that are safe to look at" uses a lot of CPU cycles.
You can disable the LinkScanner, though AVG will nag you.
Talkback
If you're using AVG 8.0 free, I'd love to hear about your experience. You can take the poll below, use Comments, or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.
I zeroed in on AVG in trying to diagnose why my system was taking an extremely long time to boot up. Reboots had become an ordeal.
I finally managed to launch process explorer as soon as the desktop came up, and found that AVGRSX (resident shield) had taken more CPU time than any process on the computer. I killed AVG and suddenly my startup times dropped from ~120 seconds to ~60 seconds. Still not as fast as MS promises, but survivable.
This is on an Opteron 170 (dual core running at 2450mhz), with 3gb of RAM and a Seagate 7200.10 320gb SATAII drive. No way should it be slow.
AVG used to be good. With version 8, if you haven't noticed a slowdown, then you just aren't paying attention.
I finally got rid of Norton and d/l AVG 8, and it now crashed my laptop when I do a scan. What's up with that???
AVG8 is a Dog.....see here:-
www.cleanfreepc.com
If you're religious about letting Microsoft update your PC -- and you use ZoneAlarm -- your system might not let you access the Internet.
Update: There are two official ZoneAlarm work-arounds. Read them here and here. (Thanks, Tab!)
Tuesday's update from Microsoft included KB951748, a fix for a Domain Name System (DNS) security flaw in Windows XP. (Read about the DNS bug here).
Using ZoneAlarm? Don't install the KB951748 update.
What's The Problem?
The update conflicts with both the free and paid versions of ZoneAlarm, so if you install the update, the next time you boot the system, you won't have Internet access.
There's a simple enough work-around -- uninstall the update. Some users have changed ZoneAlarm's settings from high to medium in order to resolve the problem. That's easy, sure, but not if you're locked out of the Internet and can't read this blog.
If you have a buddy that you know uses ZA, do something you haven't done since discovering e-mail: Give him or her a call (they'll undoubtedly be surprised and probably won't recognize your voice).
Yep, I did the uninstall update also. Although I always blame microsoft for everything, the customer service rep gave me the fix, ( download the new ZA version) in a timely manner. Now I'm, obviously all good to go.
I'll do an uninstall and reinstall ONLY as a last resort . Uninstalling and reinstalling is a hassle, and if I don't HAVE to do it, I won't. If I can correct a little glitch without going that route, it's preferable.
I had the same problem. I just had a feeling it was the Mickysoft update. I shutdown ZA & was able to access the internet. I downloaded ZA again uninstalled & reinstalled. I still couldn't access the internet. I uninstalled ZA & installed an old version of Sygate personal firewall. I've been running Sygate since then even though Sygate was bought out by Norton & the version I have is no longer supported. I'm happy to know ZA has fixed the problem & I will go back to ZA.
Considering that I have a 4-year-old IBM ThinkPad, How To: Revitalize an Aging Notebook on the Cheap caught my eye. The article talks about rejuvenating an old notebook, and the idea makes sense. Slap in some memory, replace the hard drive, and clean up the insides.
On the other hand (there always is one, right?), our mobile expert, Jim Martin, has advice if you'd rather buy a new laptop. (See Laptop Buying Tips, Part 1 and Part 2 Here's a PC World Business Center roundup of tons of notebook prices, specs, and reviews.
And even more tempting are the small, sub-notebook PCs, perfect for quick journaling and e-mail, and ideal for throwing into a backpack. Darren Gladstone has a bunch to say about them in The Mini-Laptops of Summer. You can find links to individual reviews in Darren's Mini-Laptops piece.
Talkback
Have something to say about notebooks? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.
I tried it once. I built a PC from scratch and it reminded me of a Heathkit electronics kit I assembled for a Boy Scout merit badge.
Sure, I saved some money--but overall, I didn't enjoy it. Intel's motherboard manual was poorly written and confusing; I never got the front USB ports to work; and I cut my hand on a sharp edge inside of the case.
You Want To Do It?
Some of you may be interested, though, and I dug up some glass-half-full pieces you might look at. PC World's Zack Stern seemed to have fun and was clearly successful. Zack's probably 22 and makes use of a pocket protector. (Read Build Your Own High-Def PC.)
Tom Mainelli, on the other hand, admittedly isn't a youngster, so he's less tolerant of noisy PCs. He tackled the problem by convincing a PC World editor to let him build a quiet computer. He did it, in two parts (How to Build a Superfast, Superquiet PC, Part 1 and Part 2), and it's a great instructional how-to. The reader comments are also fun.
Earlier in the year, Tom decided to build a tiny, cigar-box PC, something that could fit on his kitchen counter. (See Build a PC So Small It'll Fit in a Drive Bay.) He used a Pico-ITX MOBO from Via, a company specializing in tiny, energy-efficient motherboards.
BTW, if you're into form over function, check out these 15 Offbeat Computer Designs.
Tomorrow: Save some money by fixing up your notebook.
Hey Steve....dis is good one and I just got 2 wrong answers!!!!!!
You've survived the Fourth of July fireworks and BBQs, now see if you can deal with quicksand, handle an avalanche, and avoid being struck by lightning. Here's the quiz.
Keep track of nine time zones.
Don't move!
Leave your marshmallows in the car...
Where is the video of the women getting undressed by the bulldozer?
I can not find it. It is not in the blog that you say it is in Steve.
Does anybody have a link?
Thanks,
Ahh did you note the first TWO WORDS of this article.?? "TIME WASTERS".... Did you calculate the amount of time you wasted looking for that video.??? Maybe that was the point of the article title.??
Heading across the country in your RV? Or maybe you're just planning a trip over the July 4th holiday. Here's a quick way to figure out how much it'll cost you in fuel. (Hint: Lots. No, make that lots and lots.)
How Far Is It?
Start with Geobyte's City Distance Tool to determine the distance to wherever it is you're going. I looked at Pasadena, California to Cambria, California. (The site will calculate locations in Europe and South America as well.) Unless you're a crow, the mileage won't be on-the-money accurate, because the site uses latitude and longitude to measure the distance. A better idea, as my buddy Mike K. suggested, is to use Google Maps to get exact driving distance by plugging in the start and destination locations.
Stick in the "from" and "to" locations.
City Distance tells you the mileage "as the crow flies."
What's It Going to Cost? (Ouch)
Now plug the distance into the Cost of Gas Taking a Road Trip page (or if you're commuting, the Cost of Commuting by Car) on the DollarTimes site. You'll also need to supply the cost of fuel and the number of miles per gallon your vehicle gets.
Read the numbers and have a good cry.
On the other hand, if you're going from one big city to another, try the AAA's Fuel Cost Calculator. [Thanks, Zachary.]
Either way, once you decide you're staying home, prop up your feet, get a buddy to open a bottle of Sierra Nevada for you, and grab a good book. Crying towel optional.
Lemme open it for you, boss.
BTW, if you're wondering if it's worth junking your old clunker (or you're already tired of that new Hummer wolfing down $150 in fuel whenever you fill up), the site's How much can you save with a more fuel efficient car? page can give an answer.
Talkback
Have something to say about gas prices or mileage? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.
The July 1st California law is in effect: Wear a headset while blabbing in the car -- or face a $20 fine. I think that's a remarkably low price to pay for not having to fiddle with a headset.
Talking with a Headset: Is It Really Safer?
Nope, I don't think using a headset's going to make driving any safer. Stopping people from talking on cell phones would do the trick, but that's about as impossible to legislate as would be making hands-free makeup application mandatory.
I think it's absurd that the legislature skirted the dialing-the-phone issue, something I believe is far more dangerous, by saying the law doesn't stop you from dialing, but drivers are strongly urged not to dial while driving. LOL -- sure, that'll stop 'em.
For a substantial piece that takes a hefty stab at the hands-free myth, read Hands-free cellphone use while driving won't make the roads safer, studies show. Why? Brain overload in the Los Angeles Times.
Headset Options for Procrastinators
A while ago I mentioned that you could get a free headset and just pay for shipping (see Great Deal: An Almost-Free Cell Phone Headset). Well free is good, but some of you have a couple of bucks to spare and may want to see other headset offerings. Jabra's $50 BT500 Wireless Cell Phone Headset get good reviews from readers. Here's a review of Jabra's $70 BT8040 Bluetooth.
I've got a non-Bluetooth cell phone (can you imagine?), so I'm stuck with a wired headset. I'm experimenting with Jabra's C500 behind-the-ear wired headset (about $30) and their GN2100 Noise Canceling 3-in-1, available for about $70.
There are other brands to choose from, of course. The fancy Aliph Jawbone Bluetooth Headset and the Plantronics Voyager 855 Bluetooth Headset are two good choices. Read our March roundup, "Bluetooth Headsets for Cell Phones," for even more reviews. Not enough for you? Browse PCW Shop & Compare for another 60,000 or so options.
And here's an off-the-wall suggestion. If you're a fan of CB radios (I am; I have one in the Roadtrek), take a look at Cobra's latest -- a CB radio with Bluetooth. The radio gives you a way to receive, end, and redial your cell calls through the radio's noise-canceling microphone.
Synch your cell phone to Cobra's Bluetooth CB radio.
Talkback
Have something to say about headsets? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.
Mobile phone use?Effects of handheld and handsfree phones on driving performance
Realistic study on phone use and driving skill decreases.
Also, hands-free does nothing to address texting, which is even more dangerous than phone calls and can easily be done lower down, thus distracting drivers even more. Think dialing times 20.
Faraday cages in cars is the only answer.
Bill Gates is out of the picture. Oh, wait, you haven't heard? June 30th was Bill's last day. He stepped down and left Microsoft in the hands of the cool-headed Steve Ballmer.
I met Ballmer when Microsoft brought a bunch of user group officials to Redmond. That was back in 1986 or '87 and he impressed me as a gruff and loud guy. I'm not sure if he's changed. Want a taste of Steve-o? Check out these oh-so-revealing videos of the guy who?s now in charge: Hyperventilation, advertising, advertising, advertising!, and You'll Dunk Someday, Johhny!.
While I'm blathering on, I might as well tell you about the time Gates bought me a couple of beers. He came to a meeting of the Pasadena IBM Users Group in 1988. There must have been 1800 people at the event; a half dozen of the PIBMUG staffers went to a restaurant afterward with Bill and the Microsoft user group guy. Gates wasn't great company (he probably thought the same about us). He had a Coke and spent most of the evening fiddling and scribbling things on his cocktail napkin, most likely the code for Vista.
Bill Gates in The News
I want you to be able to sound knowledgeable if you head for a BBQ on the fourth, so I've rounded up a bunch of stories about Bill and his retirement.
Update: Many of you have a Bill Gates story to tell. As space allows, I'll post links to them here. Take a look at My Two Hours With Bill Gates from Tom's blog.
Talkback
Have something to say about Microsoft or Bill Gates? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.
Maybe he will now have more time to investigate his family ties to Hollywood!
http://www.familyforest.com/Bill_Gates.html
http://familyforest.wordpress.com
