Welcome to listeners of “Tech Talk” on C-FAX 1070 Radio!

Today marks the re-birth of “Tech Talk” on C-FAX 1070 Radio, Sundays from 2-3 p.m.  (if you’re outside our listening area, you can listen on the web at www.CFAX1070.com)

I was delighted that C-FAX Program Director Murray Langdon invited me to host a revival of this program, and I’m honoured that so many of you would take the time to call or email me since we announced it on Murray’s program Thursday morning.

Our goal is to keep you abreast of what’s new in technology, to sort out what’s worth buying and what’s not, and to feature guests who can help me help you get the most out of your tech gear — from netbooks and iPods to digital cameras and 3D HDTV’s, and everything in between.

As always, your phone calls and emails will be an integral part of the program.

“Tech Talk” will soon have its own page on the C-FAX 1070 website, where I’ll post links to the things we discuss on the show, and I’ll also post them here.

Look for a post later today, after our first show on which my guest will be Tim Hall from Anounce Printer Works.

See you on the radio!

Alan Perry

TechTalk@CFAX1070.com

Hello from CES 2010!

Hello from Las Vegas, and the 2010 International Consumer ELectronics Show!

115,000 people are here to see 2500 exhibitors spread across 1.9 million square feet of space.

Check back here for photos and links to some of the amazing things we’ve found.

 

Alan

Free Microsoft Anti-Virus now available

After months as a beta product, Microsoft has now publicly unveiled its impressive free anti-virus software, dubbed "Microsoft Security Essentials".

You can download the appropriate version for your computer from here… http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/default.aspx

MSSE uses very little RAM, so it’s ideal for netbooks, laptops and less-powerful desktop PCs.

It automatically updates itself, Microsoft says it will always be free, and it passes the "parent test" — you could tell your mom or dad where to get it and in a few simple clicks, it’ll install, scan, and proceed to run quietly in the background.

Don’t expect to find it loaded on a new PC, though, because makers of paid anti-virus programs pay them to install trial versions of their products!

You can read reviews of MSSE here…

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/mse.asp  (one of the most respected reviewers out there, Paul Thurriott calls it a "near perfect security solution"!

http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/09/first-look-microsoft-security-essentials-impresses.ars

http://erictric.com/review/review-microsoft-security-essentials

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/pcworld/20090930/tc_pcworld/microsoftcoversthebasicswithsecurityessentials

I’ve been using MSSE on all my computers since the first beta version came out almost a year ago, and I’m very happy with it.

 

Alan

HDTV Buying Tips updated

On September 15, I updated my "HDTV Buying Tips" article to add new info, to reflect current prices, and to add answers to more of your questions.

Thanks for the feedback!

– Alan

More from CES

Thanks for all the great feedback!

I’ll have more answers to your "homework assignments" when I join Dave Dickson on C-FAX 1070 Radio (www.CFAX1070.com) on "The Buzz" from 6-6:45 p.m. tonight (Sunday) and again when I Join Joe Easingwood on "C-FAX Newsline" starting at 9:30am tomorrow (Monday).

Links to all of the things I’ve found will be posted here later in the week.

In the meantime, here are a few more…

• a $10 "ThirstyLight" – a stir-stick-sized stick which you push down into the soil near a plant or flower, and it starts flashing a bright LED when the plant needs watering!  www.ThirstyLight.com
• from Mattel, "Mind Flex" – in which you use just your mind (you wear a small neural transmitter on you head like a single headphone) to make a ball move via a stream of air and float through a hoop and other objects.  $80, to be available this summer — and it works!   ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2009/01/mindflex_game_by_mattel.html
• from Nokia, "LocalSensor" — a cellphone feature which allows you to find missing keys, briefcase, etc, by attaching small postage-stamp sized "tags" to each devie, and if you lose it, an arrow comes up on the cellphone screen to tell you in which dirtection and how far away it is.   Conversely, if you leave your cellphone somewhere, press a button on one of the tags and the cellphone will beep.  Or, if you go more than 30 metres away from it, it will lock the phone and email its GPS coordinates to you.  Not available yet.   www.Nokia.com
• locking HDMI cables for your HDTV so they don’t fall out.  available for $50 online at www.Connect2PPC.com

check back for more later in the week, including photos!

What can I go find for you here at CES?

Thanks for visiting this blog!

In coming days, I’ll post links here to the most impressive technology that I’ve found here at the Consumer Electronics Show, including some photos.

In the meantime, if there are things you’d like me to check out on your behalf, leave a comment here, or email me at AlanPerry1070@hotmail.com and I’ll do my best to find the answers.

On the right, you’ll see a few photos which I snapped today, including one taken here in the Media Centre (one of three Centres) where I’m writing this.

There’s also a shot of the new ultra-fast Intel i7 hyper-threaded quad-core (with eight separate processing threads) computer chip which you can get in select desktop PC’s.

 

Here’s a quick list of links to some of the things which we talked about on the air today on C-FAX 1070…

• MajicJack (see separate blog post below for Canadian info) but also note this new info: Mac version plug-in now available friom US website (www.Magicjack.com) and Linux plugin coming within two months.  Canadian website:  www.TheMagicJack.com
• Sony $200 Webbie HD videocams that also take 5pm still pics with GPs geo-tagging:  Sony.com/ces/blog/04-webbie-hd-hits-ces.php
• Palm‘s new WebOS and new Palm "Pre" webphones:  www.Palm.com/us
• ClickFree: Canadian firm that makes portable hard drives (and now a stand alone USB cable) that automatically back up all your files:  www.GoClickFree.com
• Zoombak GPS tracking device:   www.Zoombak.com  (note: will not work in Canada till later this year)
• Harmony "MarriageSaver remotes that replace all your other remote controls:   www.Logitech.com/index.cfm/remotes/universal_remotes/&cl=us,en
• Powermat: cordless recharging plates for iPods, cellphones, digital cameras, etc.: www.PowerMatUSA.com/
• iTunes goes DRM-free: www.Apple.com/itunes/WhatsNew

I’m heading back out onto the show floor(s)!  More to come Saturday 2-3pm when I join Chris and Matt on "C-FAX OnLine" from 2-3pm PST on C-FAX 1070 AM in Victoria, BC, or online at www.CFAX1070.com

MagicJack

Of all  the things I’ve seen at CES over the years, I’ve never had as much interest or feedback as I’ve had about The MagicJack.

This is a small $40 lighter-shaped device which, when plugged into a USB port on any computer (desktop, laptop or netbook) that has high-speed internet access, gives you unlimited free calling to any phone number in North America!

The $30 price includes one year of free unlimited use…additional years are $20 or five years for $60 which works out to $12 a year.

You either plug a traditional phone into the MagicJack or use a headset, and that’s all there is…it even comes with three-way calling, voicemail, and call waiting!

I’ve heard from listeners who’ve taken their MagicJack to Europe, Africa, and even China as well as all over North America, and they rave about it.

My live broadcasts from CES are being done on my MagicJack, so you can judge the quality for yourself by listening to C-FAX 1070 in Victoria, or online at www.CFAX1070.com.  (see previous post about when I’ll be on the air)

I wish I could buy shares in this company!  For the record, I have no connection with the firm or its people..I’m just a huge fan of the product.

For Canadians, you can learn more at www.TheMagicJack.ca – in the U.S., it’s www.MagicJack.com

Right now, it only works on Windows, but a Mac version should be available shortly.

When you first plug it in, you have to pick a phone number for it.

Right now, only U.S. phone numbers are available — for mine, I picked a Seattle number — but Canadian numbers are coming.

I’ll have more about this after I visit the MagicJack booth.