Archive for December, 2010
How To Centralise Your Digital Media Library
1If, like me, you’re keen to make the switch to digital copies of all of your music, photos and video then you’ll undoubtedly have some questions as to how to go about it.
In this guide I’ll give some quick musings on how to digitize each of these types of media and then talk about how you can store it safely and access it from around the home.
Photos
Chances are that you already have a digital video camera and if so you already have digital copied of all of your photos. if you have “old school” paper photos then the only thing you can really do is scan them into your computer with a document scanner. There’s no two ways about it; this is going to be a pain in the butt, but once it’s done you’ll have immortal copies of all your best bygone memories. When I scanned in all mine it took an entire week of sitting in front of my PC in the evenings and scanning them in, so be prepared for a lot of waiting around if you choose to do this.
If all you have at your disposal is the old 35mm negatives (remember those) then you can buy something like this to get you up and running.
Music
Most peoples music libraries are almost entirely CD based, which is great, because 99% of home PC’s and laptops have a drive capable of reading these disks. What’s more, Windows, Mac and Linux all have built in methods for converting those music CD’s into MP3 tracks which will play on any number of devices. Like the photos, it’s simply a case of sitting down and going through your disks one by one to convert them to MP3′s.
In Windows you can use Windows Media Player, Mac’s have iTunes by default and for Linux you can check out a free program called Banshee which will take care of this for you.
If you have other formats of music, such as tapes or vinyl, then the task is made slightly more difficult (but far from impossible). The problem is that these formats are analogue, so the only way to capture the sound is basically to play it and turn it into an MP3 in real time. Devices such as this USB record deck and this USB tape deck will help by allowing easy connectivity to your PC, but it will still take a long time.
Video
Like CD’s, DVD’s can be transferred to your PC with relative ease. There are applications available for Windows, Mac and Linux to enable you to convert a DVD film to a video file that will play back on your PC or some other device. I’ve written articles about this before so I’ll just link to them here:
For TV shows and movies that are stored on old VHS cassettes; it’s back to the shops for you, you’ll need something like this. Be warned though, VHS picture and sound quality wasn’t that great to begin with, so converting these to video files might not be worth the time, effort and money.
How To Store All This!
Well, first of all, if you’ve just spent a load of your free time converting all of your media you’re not going to want to lose it all, so make sure that you take a backup of everything on a separate hard disk and leave it with a trusted friend or relative. That way, if something happens to your data, your drive, or god forbid; your house, you’ll still have a copy of everything. The best thing to do is invest in a large USB hard disk such as these and then make a copy of everything on to that. Having lost 250GB of data before now, I can tell you it’s no fun having to sit down and transfer it all over again.
There are two main ways to store all of this information. The first is to stick it all on a large hard drive inside an existing PC. The disadvantage of this is that you have to leave that PC on when you want to access the information from another device, which could prove expensive in terms of electricity costs (as well as being quite loud as well in some scenarios).
The other way is to invest in a network hard drive such as the ones available from QNAP and Netgear. Both of these devices will connect to your home broadband router and data can then be shared between multiple devices on your network, such as PC’s, games consoles and other home devices.
With either solution, you’re going to need a method to advertise all of your media to the other devices on your network. Fortunately this has been catered for by something called DLNA, the Digital Living Network Alliance. DLNA allows for the quick transfer (known as “streaming”) of media to devices that are capable of playing it. A lot of home electronics being sold today, such as TV’s, set top boxes and games consoles are DLNA compliant, so will be able to playback most media that is advertised on your home network.
Both of the network drives mentioned previously have built in DLNA server capabilities, which means that they will be able to advertise your media content to compatible devices on the network. And if you have a Windows PC then you can use Windows Media Player to advertise your media collection, as explained here.
Whichever solution you choose, the result should be that you are able to store all of your media in one place and then stream it to any compatible device that’s connected to your home network (including via WiFi). It may surprise you exactly how many home devices are now DLNA compatible. Most “internet ready” TV’s are, as are both the XBOX360 and Playstation 3 games consoles. There are also a whole bunch of set top boxes and media players available that will pick up your DLNA server and stream any of your home media.
Final Thoughts…..
There are a couple of things worth mentioning now, before you begin on the long journey to digitize your media collections.
- Although DLNA is becoming the standard as the method of streaming media, it’s still important to make sure that the devices that you intend to use can read the files that you create. It’s no good converting all of your DVD’s to a certain file type if your home device cannot play that particular file type, so check which file types are supported before you begin. For music, MP3′s are pretty universal and for video you can more or less rely on AVI files as these will playback on almost all devices.
- Make sure that your data is secure and backed up. Converting DVD’s for home use is technically still illegal (in the same way that recording TV onto VHS cassettes always was). No one has ever been prosecuted in the UK, but if you share your video with other people (even if it’s not on purpose) then you stand to be prosecuted for copyright infringement. What’s more, it’s important to maintain an up to date backup of all of your data so either keep a second copy on another hard disk or utilise the RAID capabilities of either of the above network drives to make sure that there is a second copy of your data.
Tablet Troubles: How To Find The Perfect Tablet PC For You
0The UK consumer market is being absolutely flooded at the moment with as many different models of tablet PC as you can shake a stick at.
It seems that every major high street retailer is fixated on flogging you a device that they guarantee will change your life for the better.
The truth is that a tablet PC is far from a necessity, people got by for thousands of years without them, and not owning one isn’t suddenly going to leave you in the dark ages. That being said, they’re fun to use and can help you in any number of ways whether it’s work, rest or play that you’re interested in. Here are my top tips for buying a tablet PC:
1) Consider Size
The apple iPad has a 10″ screen, which is great for consuming media and browsing the web. But it does make the device a bit large and heavy to carry around everywhere. Most Android tablets come in 7″ versions, which are surprisingly smaller and lighter than the iPad, while still managing to offer much the same in terms of functionality. There are even some devices that are even smaller, around 5 inches, but I wouldn’t really call those devices tablets.
Have a think about what it is that you want the device for, then make a decision on which size would be best for you.
2) iPad or Android
People have polarising views when it comes to Apple, many people will buy a device purely on the strength of it being made by the company, others find the idea of owning an Apple product ridiculous and will buy anything before they visited an Apple store. The truth is that both platforms work well. Apple’s iPad is largely tied down to media formats that Apple supports, meaning that you can’t simply drop your video files onto it and expect them to play, but if you already have an established media collection in Apple formats (say for an iPhone) then this isn’t too much of a problem. Both platforms also have an immense catalogue of applications, and though some need to be purchased, there are a lot that will increase the functionality of your device for free.
In the end, there is no right or wrong answer, some will prefer the openness of Android, while others will enjoy the fluidic and well presented allure of iOS. What’s important is to try both platforms before you buy, so head to your nearest shopping center and try both versions before you buy.
3) Storage space.
Depending on what you want the device for, you may need more or less space than some of the tablets on sale currently offer. The iPad has a fixed amount of storage; either 16GB, 32GB or 64GB, and it cannot be upgraded, so making sure you know your needs is imperative. As an iPad owner I never thought I would need more than 16GB at a time but, after buying a few games and watching a few TV shows, I’m now constantly swapping apps and media files on the device as it’s full. With other tablets this may not be too much of a problem, many will support external storage, either on Micro-SD memory cards or via USB memory sticks. That’s not to say that storage space isn’t important on these devices; you don’t want to rely on multiple memory cards if you can help it.
4) Capacitive or Resistive.
There are two main types of touchscreen technology available on tablet PC’s. The older type, resistive, are a lot less sensitive and usually require a stylus to function properly. The advantage of this is that’s it’s a lot easier to be accurate about which part of the screen you’re pressing. The disadvantage is that it can be a nightmare for casual use and requires that you carry a stylus around everywhere (which you’ll inevitably lose).
The more recent type of touchscreen, capacitive, is a lot better suited to devices such as tablet PC’s as their responsiveness is a lot better, meaning that you can simply use your fingertips to control and interact with the device.
Capacitive screens are more expensive to produce however, so expect devices with these screens to be more expensive.
5) Processor Speeds
When it comes to Android tablets there’s a variety of different processor speeds on the market. The faster the processor then the quicker and more responsive the device will be. There a lot of devices entering the market at the lower end which have surprisingly slow processors and these are best avoided, after all; what’s the point in a device designed to make your life easier that has you sitting around waiting to open any applications? The higher end Android tablets have processor speeds of around 1GHz, but there are some out there with speeds as low as 300MHz, and these are just best avoided.
6) Camera
One big drawback of the iPad is the absence of a camera. Many people see a tablet device as a way to communicate with friends and family, and what better way to do that than with a video call? A lot of other manufacturers have learnt from Apple’s mistake and an increasing number of devices are hitting the shops with built in web cameras. It’s rumoured that the iPad 2 will be announced sometime in January and will feature a camera, so if you’re interested in video calling it may be worth waiting a few weeks before splashing out on yourself.
7) Subsidised Tablets
A few tablet devices are available with 3G connectivity as well as WiFi, and subsequently a lot of mobile networks are offering cut price devices on the agreement that you take out a two year contract with them. The problem with this is the same as with mobile phone contracts; yes, the device is cheap, but you’re going to pay for it over the next two years. It’s often not as good a deal as it seems, but if you don’t have the cash up front and can afford the monthly usage charges then it may be one option for you. Personally, I would avoid this though and instead purchase the device up front in favour of a lower monthly charge.
Conclusions.
Hopefully these insights will give you a steer towards the tablet PC that’s right for you. There are no right or wrong answers, there will be those looking for the best and brightest and those who are on a very tight budget. The good news is that there is a tablet PC for every price point along the way.
More importantly, you need to ask yourself whether or not you really need a device such as this. In a world of laptops, netbooks and smartphones, can you personally justify another platform?
Facebook Now Worlds Third Most Popular Website
0Facebook has overtaken Yahoo to become the worlds third most popular website, research from analysis firm ComScore shows.
The social networking giant welcomed 648 million unique visitors in November, compared to Yahoo’s 630 million.
Facebook is now only behind Microsoft and Google in terms of number of unique visitors.
Google themselves estimate that Facebook receives around 600 million unique visitors per month (not far off), who view around 750 BILLION pages between them.
No matter which way you look at it, that’s an extra-ordinary amount of internet traffic.
Tech Made Easy currently receives around 3000 unique visitors per month.
Is An Ubuntu Tablet On The Way?
0Apple have kick started the market for tablet devices in 2010, and 2011 looks to be bringing an huge wave of Android based devices from pretty much every major technology manufacturer and retailer in the market, but could an Ubuntu Linux tablet PC be on the cards for 2011?
Yes, if you believe the writers over at Chinese based technology website Giz-China who definitely believe that an Ubuntu slab will soon be hitting retailers sometime in the near future.
The rumoured device is alleged to feature an Intel Atom 1.6GHz processor, 2GB of RAM and a 32GB Solid State Disk. From the pictures it also looks like a 10″ device. It allegedly runs Ubuntu 10.10 Netbook Remix.
I say allegedly as we’ve seen these kind of pictures emerge from China before, and a lot of the time it turns out to be some guy who took some screenshots of his home computer and set it as a wallpaper on his portable device. That’s not to say I wouldn’t welcome the device with open arms, though to be honest; any existing Windows tablet should be able to run Ubuntu Linux instead so perhaps it’s not something to get too excited about after all.
Skype For iPhone Now Features Video Calling
0Skype have today released an update to the iOS version of the application which allows video calling between some devices.
Version 3.0 allows Skype to Skype video calling utilising either WiFi or your 3G network (whereas Apple Facetime works only via WiFi). Video calling is not just limited to calls placed between iPhones. Users can also make video calls to PC’s and Mac’s running the desktop versions of the software.
iPhone 4 and iPod Touch users will get the most from this service, other devices only have a rear mounted camera (if any) so there’s no chance of being in the call and seeing who’s on the other end at the same time. Likewise, iPad users will be limited to seeing who they’re talking to only due to the lack of a camera on the device.
Skype say that the app will allow for video calls in either landscape or portrait mode, with bi-directional video possible on the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and 4th generation iPod Touch.
How To Get BBC iPlayer on XBMC
1The release of XBMC 10 (Dharma) has re-introduced a stable plugin for BBC iPlayer which will allow you to get access to BBC radio and TV broadcasts from within XBMC.
Unfortunately the plugin is not currently in the XBMC catalog so you can’t use the built in tool to add it. Instead, follow the instructions at this link to download and install it.
The link provides the full path for Linux, but if you’re a Mac user you’ll need to copy the directory to:
*USER*/Library/Application Support/XBMC/Addons/
And Windows users should copy it to:
C:\Program Files\XBMC\Addons\
If you’ve completed this successfully the iPlayer addon will show under “Video Add-Ons”:
UPDATE – APRIL 2011
Ok, so the above method still works, but Mike, who sometimes writes for us has found perhaps an easier way of doing it:
And the website that Mike mentions can be found here
How To Stop Your Laptop Overheating
0Laptop overheating is a serious problem, not only can it reduce the performance and lifespan of your laptop but it could also cause you serious personal injury.
The problem is that as manufacturers pack more performance into portable computers, the amount of heat generated increases drastically.
In this guide I’ll give you some ways to make sure that your laptop runs cool and quietly.
1) Ensure Adequate Ventilation
Perhaps the most obvious step you can take is to make sure that your laptop has good airflow around it. I’m not suggesting that you stick it in the cross breeze of a desk fan or hang it out the window, but it’s important to make sure that any air vents are kept clear. The vents are positioned to allow cool air to be drawn into the laptop and expel hot air, blocking either vent will prevent heat being dispersed effectively and cause the machine to warm up. Blocking the intake will also make the fans work harder as they struggle to pull the air in and will therefore make them louder.
The main culprit in this sense is using your laptop on a furnished surface such as a bed or sofa; duvets, sheets and pillows will press hard up against your air vents and prevent air from moving properly, check out the photo below to see what I mean.
The solution in this case is to use your laptop at a desk or table, or to utilize a dinner tray or portable stand so that your vents remain clear. Doing this will also prevent prolonged contact between the hot laptop and your body, which reduces the risk of injury.
2)Check Your Power Settings
Most laptops have the ability to turn down processor speeds when the laptop isn’t working that hard. If you’re just using your laptop for office work or for general web browsing then there’s no reason to have the processor running at full power, and turning it down will reduce the amount of heat generated. In Windows 7 you can access the power settings from the control panel.
Dropping it down a notch or two will reduce heat slightly, but also improve battery life, so it’s win/win. Just make sure to turn it back up if you need to do something that’s processor intensive.
3)Make Sure You Have The Latest Drivers
It sounds silly, but it really can make a difference; the latest drivers for things like the graphics card and various other chips in your laptop will almost always be more efficient than the previous ones. Better efficiency means smarter use of resources which will result in less heat being generated. The best thing to do is to head over to the manufacturers website and look for drivers for your model, they’ll almost always have a date next to them so you can tell if they’re newer or older than the ones that you have.
Also, don’t be fooled into thinking that your nice shiny new laptop has the latest drivers; it could have been sat on the shelf in a warehouse for months before it came into your possession.
4)Remove Un-needed Software.
When you buy a new laptop it will almost always come with a bunch of bundled software; things like trial versions of anti-virus software or third party tools and utilities. Some of these will be essential for the functionality of your laptop, but others will just be bloated pieces of (poorly written) software that you’re never going to use. Problem is that some of these applications are going to run automatically when Windows starts and sit in the background chewing up processor time. If you’re 100% sure that you don’t need the application, then remove it; not only will this free up hard disk space, but it’ll also reduce the strain on your processor which will reduce the amount of heat being generated. You can find a list of applications that you can remove under Control Panel, just click where it says “Uninstall a program”:
5)Don’t Use Your Laptop While Plugged In (ALL THE TIME!)
OK, I understand that there’s a need to charge a laptop from time to time, but leaving your laptop plugged in as a matter of course will do you no favours when it comes to the heat being generated by it.
Batteries generate heat when they’re charging, as do the mains chargers. By using your laptop while it’s charging, you’re increasing the amount of time it takes to charge the battery AND generating additional heat at the same time. If you can avoid it, don’t charge your laptop while you’re using it, instead try to charge it while it’s turned off and then disconnect it when you want to use it.
Not only will this reduce heat but it’ll also improve the life of your battery; they really don’t like being kept 99% charged all the time, it’s always best to let them run down to 5% and then charge them back to 100%.
Conclusion
All of the above will help to reduce the amount of heat that your laptop generates, you may find that some are more practical than others to achieve, but doing any of them should yield positive results. The number one cause of hardware failure in laptops is heat related, so changing the way you use your machine could save you a lot of money as well as protect your health.
Review: Flipboard for iPad
0Recently a friend commented to me that they used an app called Flipboard on their iPad to keep up to date with what was on Tech Made Easy. As flattered as I was I had one or two questions, not least of which was “and what is Flipboard?”
Fortunately the answer is quite simple; Flipboard is an app that takes all of your favorite stuff on the web and turns it into a magazine which is dynamically updated whenever you open it.
When you open the app you’re presented with the home screen, and a quick tap of the edit button will allow you to change what content is available to you. There are widgets for things like Facebook, Flickr, Google Reader, etc. But most of the information is pulled together from any Twitter feed that you specify.
No matter what your personal opinions of Twitter, more and more businesses and organizations are now using it to spread the good word about what they do, and if their tweets contain a link then Flipboard can use this to grab content from the sites and display it in a magazine column format. The amount of content shown varies dependent upon the type of website, but Flipboard does an excellent job of pulling together all of the text, photos and videos into one manageable screen, and if somethings missing then you can view the original article right from within the app.
In use I’ve found the app to be incredibly useful, it does a fantastic job of bringing together all of the news and features I care about into one easy to read format. This is what devices like the iPad were made for; consuming all of the Internet in a device that you can carry around and have instant access to. In fact, Flipboard does such a great job that I can see it removing the need for specific magazine applications available from some publishers. After all, if the information is already on the web, why buy it?
Check out the official video for the app below.
Flipboard is available now from the app store and is completely free, no strings tracked.