Posts Tagged ‘iTunes’
Thursday, June 10th, 2010
The compact disc (CD) was originally introduced to the world in 1982 and, since that switch to the 12 cm wide (standard size) disc, there have been numerous formats released in the same size and shape. CD’s, DVD’s, Blu-Ray and HD DVDs, a multitude of computer writable discs, plus video games for consoles like the XBOX, XBOX360, Playstation 3, Wii, etc., have taken over and it seems this format will be here for many years to come. Even though most of us didn’t purchase or begin collecting these optical discs until the mid-90’s, we all have a collection of some sort.
Organizing this collection of digital data and keeping track of what we have becomes more and more difficult as time goes on. Storage cabinets, boxes, shelving units, entertainment centers and other furniture options are available at every store from Walgreens to Ikea and everyone has owned a few in hopes of keeping their collection organized, accessible and visually appealing. No matter what you have to hold your data, it is most likely a temporary solution, as you’ll soon be purchasing that latest album, movie or video game.
What do we do next?
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Tags: blu-ray, catalog, CD, collectorz, disc, discgear, discs, disk, dvd, holder, iTunes, media, moie, movie collector, Music, playstion 3, PS3, Storage, Wii, XBOX, XBOX 360
Posted in Gaming, Online Shopping, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
Wednesday, April 28th, 2010
Laser Virtual Keyboard - Yes, it's real
Several weeks ago, we brought you the article Your Keyboard is Dirtier Than a Toilet Seat. For some of you, cleaning that old keyboard became a top priority and the Clorox wipes probably made an appearance. For others, it might just have been easier to toss that old keyboard and purchase a new one. After all, if you’ve been using the same one that came with your computer 5 years ago, you may have other issues that needed attention, like broken or sticking keys. Or maybe you belong to another group of PC users completely. Maybe you are just looking for a change or upgrade. No matter which group you belong to, you should take a minute and read this guide for buying a new keyboard.
Buying a new keyboard my seem like a simple task, but you might be surprised to find that not all keyboards are created equal. In a recent trip to Micro Center here in Houston, I found myself on an aisle full of these necessary components and honestly, a little overwhelmed. There were close to 100 different options that ranged from $9.99 to almost $200.00. I needed a new keyboard to replace my aging, frustrating hunk-of-junk that required 40 pounds of force to press the “a” and “e” keys. Where should I start? Why hadn’t I already researched this? Oh, the choices!
Before stepping foot in an electronics superstore or hitting up Amazon.com, you should go through a checklist of needs and double-check your bank account balance. Determine what you want and how much you want to spend, then get in and get out. Here are some helpful topics to narrow down your choices and speed up your decision-making process:
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Tags: Agama, bluetooth, computer, diNove Mini, guide, iHome, iPhone, iPod, iTunes, keyboard, music lover, number pad, PC, photog, purchase, Shopping, typing, USB port, wireless
Posted in Online Shopping, Uncategorized | 4 Comments »
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010
Back in September, I wrote an article titled Where to turn when your DVR can’t keep up. At the time, I was truly excited about the opportunities presented to all of us that might want to use the web as a supplemental resource for our digital video recorders (DVR). Seven months have now flown by and we find ourselves nearing the end of the “traditional” TV season. Lost only has 5 episodes left and the discussions on which shows will be returning next season are already underway or completed. These last few weeks will be a bitter-sweet time for fans of any program as we approach the inevitable cliffhangers and finales. Unfortunately, some of our recommendations in the September article were simply bitter.
We are a 2-DVR family and both of our units were put through some serious stress-testing this season. Every so often, bad weather or a power outage caused one or both of our DVR units to miss a show, or at least a portion of it. Being the true television fans that we are, we didn’t want to miss out on important plot-lines and details, so we headed out to the world wide web, in search of the episode in question. In almost every situation, we found the solution on the web site of the television station itself. There were however a few situations that required additional searching. That’s where the fun really started.
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Tags: Amazon.com, Big Bang Theory, CBS, episode, episodes, Google, HD, iTunes, Online, playstation store, programming, PS3, SD, shows, Smallville, Television, the Mentalist, TV
Posted in Online Shopping, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010
Have you ever used your television as a monitor for your computer? Have you wondered about the possibilities of connecting your PC to your home theater, for watching movies and surfing the web? These are examples of the natural progression of entertainment technology. Over the last decade, computers have become much more than word processors and televisions have evolved to sleek, high-definition devices capable of playing media from almost any device with a cable attached to it. The two are starting to merge into one device, but we are only beginning to see this in the newest displays.
If you have ventured down the “computer+television” path, or are thinking of doing so, one hurdle quickly prevents itself. How do you control the computer from the couch? You need an input device of some sort and a keyboard with a super-long cord is really not an option (safety hazard!) There have been some great wireless keyboard/mice combos released over the last few years, but they are often costly options and are only useful for that one purpose. At $100 or more, this is not the kind of cost-effective resolution that most are looking for. So, why not use a device you already have as the solution? Your smart phone is just the thing and we have a quick rundown on two applications that can get you up and running today!
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Tags: Android, app, cell, iPhone, iPod, iTunes, keyboard, marketplace, mouse, phone, smart phone, wireless
Posted in Free Programs, Tips and Tricks | 1 Comment »
Thursday, December 10th, 2009
Before starting JumpstartMyPC.com I spent a lot of time working with computers just for fun. My addiction to technology and gadgets took me to sites where I found new and exciting ways to get the most out of my PC. One of my favorite finds was a site called LogMeIn.com. LogMeIn is a service that allows you to access other computers remotely, across a broadband connection. This is something that I was familiar with, through my job, but I was unaware that there were tools that would allow the average user to access computers remotely for FREE. That is exactly what I found in LogMeIn Free.
The idea behind LogMeIn Free is very simple and it is very easy to use. Installation requires a few minutes of setup and access to the computer you want to control remotely. When I first stumbled on this service I installed it on my laptop at home and then used my work computer to access and control that laptop from my office. This allowed me to use my free time at work for something productive and gave me on-the-go access to files and favorites that I had stored on my personal computer. I soon found myself using my lunch break to organize my iTunes library, clean up the hard drive, and perform basic maintenance on my personal computer from 27 miles away. But this got me to thinking “what else can I use this tool for?” I bet you are asking yourself a similar question like “why would I use or need this?”
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Tags: iTunes, LogMeIn Free, LogMein.com, Networking, Remote Access
Posted in Free Programs, PC Support, Technical Issues, Tips and Tricks | 6 Comments »
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
image taken from blackbaud.com
Ever been to “that guy’s house?” You know, the guy who collects everything and never throws any of it out. If you have, you probably remember that it was hard to maneuver through the house and you got that feeling of claustrophobia from all of the clutter and disorganization. You really wanted to get out as quickly as possible without making it apparent that you were uncomfortable and in need of some fresh air.
Over years of computer ownership, your computer can become “that guy’s house.” You install program after program, thinking things like “I’ll use this all the time” and “I just need it for this one little project.” You might have thought about going back to remove those old programs, but did you ever really get around to it? Probably not. Unfortunately, you are draining the resources of your computer and the more junk you build up, the harder it is for the programs you DO use to move around.
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Tags: Abexo Registry Cleaner, Add/Remove Programs, CCleaner, Easy Uninstaller, iTunes, Revo Uninstaller, Unused Programs
Posted in Free Programs, Tips and Tricks | 4 Comments »
Monday, October 12th, 2009
If you have read any of our articles before, you know we have just beat the “PCs are like cars” analogy to death. It works for so many of the topics that we cover, but this is NOT one of them. Eventually, we all cave in and decide that it is time for a new computer. Since most computer retailers don’t offer a trade in for that old PC, you find yourself staring at that old PC and wondering what to do with it. Before you decide to toss it out on the curb, you should realize that the old clunker might still serve some purpose in your daily life.
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Tags: Boxee, Facebook, Game Emulator, Hulu, iTunes, Lifehacker.com, Old Computer, tricks
Posted in Free Programs, Tips and Tricks | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
If you have ever managed your own digital music collection, you know what a time-consuming, frustrating process it ends up being. It seems simple enough. You put the music in and the program applies the right titles, album covers, etc. HA! That is where the dream ends and reality begins. Anyone who has been down this yellow brick road knows that something is lurking behind the curtain and you are in for a serious wake up call.
iTunes has become the mother of all music managers, thanks to the success of the iPod and iPhone, yet there has always been something lacking about the way it handles the music that you import into your library. Purchase your music from the iTunes store and it comes complete with song titles, artist names, genre, album covers, etc. Import your own tunes from CDs or files and you’ll find yourself using Google to fill in those attributes yourself. At least, that was until someone introduced you to TuneUp.
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Tags: Contest, iTunes, Music, TuneUp
Posted in Deals, Tips and Tricks | 5 Comments »
Thursday, September 24th, 2009
It’s Thursday night and the new TV season is upon us. If you haven’t done so already, you might want to break out the remote control and get your DVR (Digital Video Recorder) prepped and ready. Oh wait, it seems as if some of your favorite shows are on at the same time. What now? Your DVR can handle 2 shows at once, but there is a 3rd. What is with these networks? Don’t they know that there are more days of the week than just Thursday?
I might be a minority here, but something tells me there are a few TV fans out there and that this scenario might have already reared its ugly head. What do you do when your DVR just can’t keep up? Well, you have several choices, but since we focus on getting the most out of your PC, let’s look there. There are several FREE, legal resources available on the internet and they have improved vastly over the last few years. Here is a rundown of some of the top choices:
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Tags: Amazon.com, DVR, iTunes, Network, Television, TiVo, TV
Posted in Tips and Tricks | 4 Comments »
