Get Windows 8 For Dummies E-book free from Dell

If you have Windows 8 and were just as confused as I was when I tried Windows 8 yesterday, then I have good news for you. Dell is giving away one free copy of the E-book Windows 8 For Dummies if you fill out a basic form. I've already got my copy saved to my hard drive ready to send to my Kindle app. If you want to get your hands on it too, then head to Dell's website and grab it.

Read More

I tried Windows 8...

I've read a lot about how much people hate Windows 8 but I have never read much about how it actually works. I've seen screen shots and promo videos, but those never tell the true story. I read how Valve hates Windows 8 calling it a "disaster" but I've never seen videos from games played on Windows 8. Honestly I haven't even used Windows 7 that much. I primarily use Macs but I did buy a Windows 7 laptop last year for my wife and I have been using it more and more recently. I am not a fan of Windows...at least on the desktop platform. I love Windows Phone and currently use a Nokia Lumia 900 so I'm not a total hater of Microsoft nor am I a fanboy of Apple and Macs. So I decided to try out Windows again because the newest OS is so radically different.

So my experience with Windows 8 was disappointing. Not because I didn't like the operating system. In fact, I spent less than a day with it so I can't even say I have much right to judge it. The reason I spent less than a day with it is because I was running it on my MacBook Pro. Windows 8 doesn't currently support my graphics card on my MacBook Pro so everything was laggy and stuttered through all the animations. I'm not saying that the OS was slow, just the graphics and animations. I couldn't even tell you if the OS was fast or slow because the graphics card couldn't keep up. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, just imagine trying to do an everyday task while opening and closing your eyes every second. It would be incredibly slow to try and type this blog if I did that. That's how my experience was with Windows 8.

For all the things I experienced, I actually really liked it. I loved the new keyboard shortcuts and the hybrid legacy Windows desktop and the new Start screen. The fact that you can run almost any program from previous version of Windows and you get the great atmosphere of tablets and smartphones in the new Windows Store and the apps. Now you can download almost anything you want from the Windows Store. Having a central location for finding the best that Windows 8 has to offer is huge and I believe that will have a huge part of the success of this new operating system. Even if you hate the new look and feel, you can't ignore that.

Now I haven't given up on Windows 8. I will be installing it on the laptop I mentioned earlier, my wife's computer. I will use it almost exclusively for about a week or two and then I will write a proper review (at least my thoughts) on the latest Microsoft has to offer. Until then you can visit my YouTube page at chucklesthetechie.

Read More

Monday is video tutorial day!

This week's video tutorial will show you step by step how to back up your Windows 7 PC using Windows Backup and Restore. Before watching it you will need a few things.

Things you will need:

1. PC running Windows 7
2. External hard drive
3. Approximately 1-2 hours

Once you have everything in the list you can get started. If you are backing up a laptop, make sure you have the power plugged in.

Read More

Pre-orders for black/white iPad mini sold out.

Both the white and black versions of the iPad mini are sold out. Apple has them listed on their site as shipping in two weeks. Hopefully you guys got your pre-orders in!

Read More

White iPad mini first shipment sold out - shipping 1-2 weeks

If you haven't heard yet, Apple is releasing a smaller version of it's massively popular iPad called the iPad mini. You might find that if you want to get one you can head over to The Apple Store and pre-order one. However, you will notice the white one is listed as "Available to ship: 2 weeks" which means the first wave of them is already sold out. The black one is still showing "Delivers 11/2" which means you still have time to get this hot new device. If you have already ordered yours and are anxiously waiting by the door for it to arrive I will be writing about the 15 must have apps and games for the iPad mini. For starters, check out SketchParty TV from Magnate Interactive.

Read More

Windows 8 now available

Microsoft's newest version of their desktop operating system, Windows 8, is available for download or you can have it shipped to your home or office. If you are upgrading and choose to download the OS you will pay only $39.99. If you want a physical copy of the OS then it will cost you $69.99 to have it shipped to you. If you are unfamiliar with what's new in Windows 8 head over to their website.

Tablet running Windows 8

Read More

Hurry up and pre-order the iPad mini!

Pre-orders started today for Apple's newest iPad, the iPad mini. In the past pre-orders for the iPad have been shut down in about 24 hours. So if you want to be in on the first batch of iPad minis then head over the Apple's website and reserve yours! Why are you still reading this?!

Read More

Google Chrome is my browser of choice

Internet Explorer has been a dominant force in web browsers for over a decade. It is the only web browser bundled with the most widely used OS in the world, Windows. The fact that people don't have to download it makes it the obvious choice for most people. Many websites require that you be on a certain version of Internet Explorer in order for them to display properly. Corporations use it almost exclusively because network administrators don't need to download and install it on thousands of computers. It is just convenient! However, convenience doesn't make it the best web browser and since the introduction of HTML 5 the need to have IE for certain sites is almost gone. So I decided to check out the different browsers available, try them out, and see which one I like best.

I have two laptops: a PC and a MacBook Pro. On both of them I have replaced the built in web browser with Chrome. There are three main reasons why I use Chrome: speed, simplicity, and security.

Speed
Chrome is the fastest browser, period. It has hardware acceleration which helps render graphics in webpages much faster than a standard browser. Internet Explorer 9 is a huge improvement over previous versions when it comes to speed. In fact, it beats Chrome in several speed tests. However, Chrome still has the edge, but IE 9 comes close. Chrome will load web pages considerably faster than other browsers regardless of how fast your internet connection is.

Simplicity
The most convenient thing about Chrome is the simple user interface. There is no fluff and the menus are straightforward. If you want to expand the functionality of Chrome, you can download extensions which give you new features. One of my favorites is AdBlock which can remove ads from web pages. The extensions are automatically added to the browser window next to URL bar. Speaking of the URL bar, now it is also the search bar. Google eliminated the search bar and consolidated it into the URL bar. Now you can just start typing and it will automatically search using the Google search engine. You can change your default search engine if you prefer something different.

Security
Until recently, Chrome was the most secure web browser. However, IE 9 does beat Chrome in this category. But, with the advent of extensions you can help your security by downloading web page ratings and more. The security for Chrome is very tight and it serves my purposes just fine. I use online banking and use online shopping sites like Amazon.com and Ebay. You should feel comfortable doing the same with this browser.

So there you have it. My reasons for why I love Google Chrome. IE 9 is a great browser and I will probably switch to using IE 10 when it is released, but until then I will speedily surf the internet from Chrome.

Read More

Post pictures to your blog from you WP7 using updatemyfeed

Remember MySpace? Looks like they redesigned it to resemble Windows 7. I don't know how long ago they did it. I mean, I haven't checked my profile on MySpace for years. Anyhow, it looks like Microsoft doesn't mind, unlike another computer company. I'm looking at you Apple.

Read More

Updatemyfeed is a Blogger client for WP7

I'm posting this from my Nokia Lumia 900 right now from the app. This is my first attempt so we will see how it goes. You are able to post with pictures, but I will test that feature in my next post. Leave comments about this app if you have used it before and tell me what you think.

Read More

Is the new iPad mini worth it?

Just one day after the announcement of Apple's latest gadget, the iPad mini, the dust is beginning to settle but the excitement is still fresh. Is the iPad mini worth the trouble? I'm not sure, but I am sure of one thing and that is no matter if the iPad mini is worth the money, people will buy them...lots of them. Before we start getting into why I think the iPad mini is or is not worth your time and money, let's review a little bit about it.

iPad mini Mail App

The iPad mini is essentially a smaller iPad 2. The screen size measures in at 7.9" compared to the iPad 2's at 9.7". It's lighter and thinner and has a smaller bezel on the long sides of the display. It comes in both black and white variations like the iPad 2 and has the same screen resolution of 1024 x 768. The same resolution allows the apps to run exactly as they would on the larger iPad 2 which is a good thing. Developers (the people who make the apps and games) will not have to do anything to their existing apps which means that all 275,000+ apps will work right out of the box on the iPad mini. You can expect about 10 hours of use before the battery needs to be recharged. One new thing to the iPad family (besides the change in size) is the substitution of the 8 pin Lightning dock connector for the older 30 pin Apple dock connector. Even with the new connector the iPad mini is only capable of USB 2.0 standards instead of the newer USB 3.0. So now that we have an understanding of what the specs are, let's see if we can translate them into practical application for your everyday use.

First I want to start off with the size. The smaller size makes it easier to take with you, but it also makes things harder to read. By keeping the same resolution of the larger iPad 2 this shouldn't be a problem unless you have poor eye sight. It is also going to be more comfortable to hold for extended periods of time because it is considerably lighter. I believe the biggest benefit of the smaller size is with gaming. The larger 9.7" touchscreen is just not ideal. The buttons are hard to reach and you need to remove one of your hands to reach certain areas of the screen. The 7.9" display will almost eliminate this issue. Games will become much more enjoyable on the iPad mini for this reason.

Second, the iPad mini is just as capable as the new iPad for $170 less. The cheaper price is a huge value for Apple customers. Apple will be able to reach a new demographic now with this price point and we will see even more people carrying iPads. One major drawback about this price is that this upcoming Christmas season is going to be a nightmare trying to find one without a pre-order. If you decide that the iPad mini is for you then I highly recommend making a pre-order for the iPad mini. I usually don't suggest pre-ordering anything that doesn't give you some added benefit like free accessories or downloads, but I have experience working for a cellular carrier and I've experienced several Apple releases including all previous versions of the iPad. Let me tell you, it will be absolutely crazy on iPad mini day.

Third, the new connectivity options are a decent improvement over the previous iPads. The new Lightning connector is used for charging and syncing your device to the computer. Although you don't get faster transfer speeds or quicker charging times, the connector is reversible which means you won't need to figure out which way to connect it. Apple also added a new wifi chipset to include a technology called MIMO (Multiple In, Multiple Out). This is basically a faster wifi chipset for quicker transfer speeds wirelessly. These improvements are marginal but welcomed nonetheless.

Finally, the OS is still the same old iOS. Nothing new here which can be a good thing or a bad thing. There is no doubt that the interface is showing it's age. Not to say that it looks bad, in fact it is one of the best looking mobile OSes out there. It just feels kind of stale after 5 years of virtually no changes to how you interact with the device. It is very fast opening apps and switching between them and there are very few bugs. The lack of customization is sometimes frustrating. And I don't mean customization like Android necessarily. I just mean that you can't change your default apps like Safari and that irritates me. I would like to be able to change which app is opened by default when it is associated with a specific type of file or action. That being said I believe that this will be the best 7"-8" tablet on the market. It's not perfect, but how can you screw up the iPad by adding all the benefits of a smaller package? The answer is, you can't, unless you're the Detroit Lions. In that case you can.

Read More

I love YouTube!

My YouTube channel is up and running. Head on over and search for "Chuckles the Techie" and check it out. I will be posting my tutorials here so please subscribe so you can get the latest advice on how to make technology work for you.

Read More

Check Out The New iPad Mini!

Apple just announced the new iPad Mini today. It's basically an iPad 2 but in a smaller package. It starts at $329 and pre-orders start on October 26. Tell me what you think about the new iPad Mini.

Head over to Apple's iPad Mini page to check it out.

Read More

Tips For Creating Better Passwords

More and more websites are requiring more complex passwords to create an account. Your cat's name is no longer a good option (it wasn't a good one in the first place) for a password to create an account. Google requires a password that is at least 8 characters long with at least 1 number and 1 upper case letter. For example "newyorkjets15" is not a good password, but "NewYorkJets15" is a good password.

The reason websites are requesting more complex passwords is that it is much harder to use "brute force" to get into an account. "Brute force" is simply a term of using a program to try every possible password containing a certain amount of characters. The simpler the password, the less time it takes for the program or "bot" to figure it out. If you add a capital letter to an existing password it effectively doubles the difficulty at guessing the password.

So how can you create a more complex password and still remember what it is? Well, one trick I use is to mover the position of one of your hands to the left or right by one letter. So "Pickles123" becomes "Oucjkes123". I moved my right hand over one letter to the left, so P becomes O, I becomes U, K becomes J, and L becomes K. This allows your mind to remember your old password of "Pickles123" but makes it unique and complex. Another trick is to use what is called a passphrase. A passphrase is just what it sounds like, a phrase you will remember like without any spaces. For example, "Ilovemywife09" is a simple to remember password but it is long enough to be complex. The "09" being the year you were married adding a little more complexity to the passphrase. Make the numbers something you can remember but try not to use things that can easily be researched online or in a library, such as a birthdate or part of your SSN.

There is more and more identity theft occurring and you should take your online presence very seriously. My friends just recently had their identities stolen on their tax returns and up until this past week they still hadn't filed their taxes. Protecting yourself can be simple and I hope that this post has helped you realize that creating passwords are easy.

Read More

The Best Games For iPhone and iPad

Bejeweled Blitz (Free)

This game is probably the most popular match three game ever. You are given one minute to create as many matches of at least three like colored gems and get the highest score. Compete against your friends on Facebook to add the fun.












Angry Birds ($.99 iPhone, $2.99 iPad)

If you haven't heard of Angry Birds then you probably just got your new iPhone or iPad recently. Trust me, just download it. There are hundreds of challenges and more are added all the time which makes this one of the best investments you'll make for your iDevice.



Fruit Ninja ($.99 iPhone, $2.99 iPad)

Fruit Ninja is probably the easiest game to learn to play. Just simply "cut" the flying fruit by sliding your finger across them and the appear. Beware of the bombs though! There are plenty of challenges and unlockable content to keep you busy for a while.





Infinity Blade 2 ($6.99)

Infinity Blade 2 has some of the best graphics you'll see on a mobile device. A sequel to the first game, Infinity Blade 2 has similar gameplay with more weapons and armor to collect. This game will appeal to more "hardcore" gamers.




Dead Space ($6.99 iPhone, $9.99 iPad)

Dead Space is a horror game. If you don't like horror games or being scared, don't download this game. However, it is the best horror game in the app store which is why I put it in this list. Great sound and graphics really pull you into the creepy environment.




Temple Run (Free)

This casual game is one of those games that the more you play, the more you are rewarded. You will earn score multipliers for completing challenges. There are plenty of things to unlock as well. How far can you run?









Asphalt 7: Heat ($.99)

This is the best racing game, period. It has the best controls and the best graphics for only $.99! Drive dozens of cars at break-neck speeds. Plus this game works with the Duo Gamer controller for more precision.






Chrono Trigger ($.99)

This is a remake of a classic Super Nintendo game that has been optimized for the iPhone. The original Chrono Trigger was released in 1995 but is so good that it still plays great even to this day. 





There are many more great games, but these seem to stand above the rest in terms of quality and value. Let me know what you think and tell me what your favorite games are for the iPhone and iPad.

Read More

3 Reasons to Sign Up For a Google Account

If you have an Android device you have probably noticed that your phone asks you to sign up for a Google account. If you haven't already I'm going to give you 3 reasons to get one. I'll also tell you how to get the most from your Android device and Google account.

1. Automatic backup of contacts

With your new Google account on your Android device, you can backup your contacts automatically to Google's secure servers. This is especially helpful if you upgrade your device in the future or if you happen to misplace it. It takes just seconds to sync all of your contacts to your new device. Even if you don't get a new Android device and go for say a Windows Phone device, you can still sync all your contacts. You can also sign into your Gmail account from a computer to manage your contacts more easily.

2. Download those apps!

Without a Google account you will not be able to access the Google Play store. Creating an account allows you to download your favorite apps and games like Where's My Water and Pandora Internet Radio. Best of all your Google account will keep track of any apps you purchase so if you move to a new Android device you can re-download any apps you purchased from your old device for free.

3. Google Drive

Google drive is the best way to keep all of your files on all of your device all of the time. With 5GB of free storage you can keep your important files easily accessible from your phone, tablet, and computer. It keeps everything stored on Google's servers so it doesn't take up space on your phone. That means if you want to download the latest game to your device but your are out of room, you can keep your files in your Google Drive to free up space.

To sign up for a Google account is free and there are many more things you can do with it, but these are the best features for Android phones and tablets. So pull up your settings and navigate to the Accounts section and add a Gmail account to get started.

Read More

Jellybean!

When I say jellybean do you think of candy or cell phones? I'm talking about the latest version of the mobile OS Android. The latest version is 4.1 codenamed "Jellybean". My problem with this latest version is that it was released when only about 10% of all Android devices were running the previous version, 4.0. In fact, even now the most common version is two years old, version 2.3 or Gingerbread. This is ridiculous! Apple releases a new version of iOS every year and with the latest version 6.0, more than 50% of all devices have it. Even with Windows Phone the updates are all rolled out within about 60 days. I hate Android because you can buy a brand new phone with a 2 year old OS. Talk about a waste of money. Let me know what you think. Do you like Android? Are you still running version 2.3? Did you even know that 2.3 is over 2 years old?

Read More

5 Reasons to Buy A Smartphone and 5 Reasons to Keep Your Dumbphone

5 Reasons to Buy a Smartphone

1. Save time and money

With the ability to stay connected to the internet wherever you go you have tremendous money and time saving tools in your hand. If you need to get gas, you can use your phone to find the cheapest gas nearest you. Forgot to clip coupons? There are plenty of websites and apps that you can use to digitally clip coupons and add them to your discount card. If you have lost your way to an event that is out of town and you need directions, a smartphone has GPS built right in so you can find your way again. You can even scan barcodes at stores to comparison shop on the fly!

2. Get rid of your devices!

Consolidate your devices into one smartphone and save yourself a lot of headaches keeping track of them all. Let's list all the devices a smartphone can replace: watch, calculator, calendar, organizer, GPS, mp3 player, digital camera, digital camcorder, TV, digital voice recorder, torpedo level, gaming device, compass, flashlight, oh and let's not forget our regular cell phone. I'm sure there is more, but I just listed off 15 devices that do the same thing a smartphone does.

3. The purchase price is about the same as a dumbphone

With many dumbphones running $50-$150, you can get mid-range to high-end smartphone for the same price and sometimes cheaper! Why not get a better phone if you can get it for a better price?

4. Trade up for a better phone

More and more retailers are taking trades for new phones. A smartphone is far more valuable than a dumbphone when trying to trade them in. If you take a dumbphone that cost $50 on contract and a smartphone that cost the same, you can get between $30-$100 more for your trade even though the purchase price was the same. Let your money work for you by trading in your old smartphone.

5. Get with the times!

Everyone has a smartphone! That is if you consider about 46% of cell phone owners everybody. But a smartphone can really increase your status socially and professionally. Carrying the right device can make you appear to have a higher status than you might actually have.

5 Reasons to Keep Your Dumbphone

1. Extra monthly charges

I'm not even going to go into the fact that some companies are eliminating unlimited internet usage because the fact is that most people do not approach their limits. Instead, I'm going to focus on the guaranteed cost added to your bill to own a smartphone. You can add anywhere from $20-$50 per phone or $50-$150 per family plan. That's every month! If you don't utilize the money saving features of a smartphone then it's probably not worth it.

2. More complicated

Smartphones generally have a large learning curve if you have never owned one before. The operation is going to be totally foreign if you haven't had one in the past. Gone are the physical buttons and tiny screens. The new smartphones of today have large, glass displays and hardly any physical buttons. With the displays being so big there is no room for anything else, which means that all those physical buttons are moved to the touch screen. That might be a little hard for you to get used to.

3. More expensive to maintain

In order to insure a smartphone, expect to pay about $2 more per month than your old dumbphone. On top of that, the deductible is more than twice that in some cases reaching up to $150-$200 to fix or replace a lost, stolen, or damaged phone!

4. Longevity

With all the extra functions and features these new smartphones have, the battery life is generally expected to last only a full day with moderate use. If you get better battery life than a full day that is considered exceptional battery life for a smartphone. Most dumbphones can last several days without needing to be charged.

5. Carrying around extra devices isn't a big deal

Maybe you are the type of person that doesn't mind carrying several devices around. I mean, who needs to carry a nice digital camera with them to the grocery store? Or a gps to work? Sometimes a smartphone is just too much even though you have fewer devices with you.

I love my smartphone and I would have a hard time living without it. I'm not saying it can't be done, but it sure would be difficult. I find value in my phone everyday that makes the extra monthly cost worthwhile. If you are contemplating upgrading to a smartphone then I believe that should be your measure for deciding on if you should get one or not. If you just recently upgraded from a dumbphone to a smartphone, let me know what you think of it! Do you find more value in the daily use of your smartphone or is it too expensive for what you use it for?

Read More

5 Must Have Free Windows 7 Programs

If you just bought a computer or you just don't want to spend money on quality programs to get you started then this is the list for you. Let's go!

Open Office (Productivity Suite)

If you don't want to drop $130 for Microsoft Office, Open Office is a great substitute. It comes with its own variations of PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Access and more. It's everything you need for school or work without spending a dime! How is this possible? Well, Open Office is...um...open. It is open source which means anyone can input their ideas into the software to make improvements. It's all managed by Apache Software so it is very professional.

Cost: $0

Gimp (Photos)

Photoshop can cost you hundreds of dollars. If you are just a recreational photographer or a professional, Gimp is the best free image manipulation program out there. It is laid out very similarly to Photoshop but is completely free.

Cost: $0

VideoPad (Video Editor)

I just recently discovered this one and so far it is the best I can find for free. It has many powerful features but my favorite is that you can save your video in a variety of formats without downloading extra stuff. It's relatively slow, but it's free! Look at spending at least $60 for something similar or hundreds of dollars for professional quality video production software. I prefer free.

Cost: $0

Audacity (Audio Editor)

Being a huge sound guy myself, I love using ProTools for recording and editing any type of audio. The problem is that ProTools costs at least $300 to get started. This is where Audacity comes in. Audacity allows you to record and edit multiple audio tracks in many different types of formats. It's easy to use interface and powerful features make this a no brainer for editing the audio from your home movies or recording voice-overs and adding that extra flare to your videos.

Cost: $0

avast! (Anti-Virus)

I didn't forget to capitalize the title of the software, that's just how it's spelled. Anyway, I mentioned in a previous post that I personally use avast! for my anti-virus needs. Why? Because it the best, free anti-virus you can find. 

Cost: $0

Read More

The New iPhone Sucks!

I have a lot of friends in the technology industry. Friends that work for cell phone carriers, friends that build apps for cell phones and tablets, computer science engineers, IT professionals, etc. On the other hand I have just as many if not more friends in other industries that utilize technology for their businesses and professions. I hear opinions from all areas of the spectrum so I would say I have a great idea of what type of people would like and what would work best for them. So let's get to it!

The new iPhone just came out and the experts and bloggers are ranting and raving over it. Many people are criticizing the lack of changes to the form factor. Others are praising it's build quality and engineering genius. But let's be honest, the experts are experts on technology and not on what people want in their devices. So let's take a closer look at what the device actually offers you as a consumer.

Operation

This new phone runs the latest version of iOS, 6.0, which is to say that the main look and feel of the way we interact with phone has been updated. New settings and functionality have been added like Facebook integration and Guided Access. Overall the operation of the device is the same. If you are coming from a previous iPhone then there isn't much new here. Just look for things that have been added or removed. If this is your first iPhone then I'll highlight some great features of iOS 6.

Maps
Google maps is out and Apple maps are in. This is the biggest change in iOS 6 and has drawn the most attention. Whether it's good or bad attention, I'll let you decide. The best added benefit of having Apple maps is the 3D turn by turn navigation free of charge which was not in any of the previous versions of Google maps. I have heard some people say this new addition is great. However, the map data isn't nearly as complete as Google maps and there are some weird graphical bugs with the 3D satellite views. If all you are looking for is a basic navigation app to get you from place to place, this might not be an issue. But, it definitely lacks the polish we have come to love Apple for.

Siri
If you don't know, Siri is Apple's virtual assistant app built into iPhone 5. It is designed to give you greater control over your phone using only your voice. You can send text messages and emails, post to facebook, make calls, search for a good restaurant and much more. With iOS 6 they have added sports scores and statistics to Siri. It's a pretty cool feature, but I don't know of very many iPhone owners that use Siri. If you have Siri and use it, post in the comments below and let us know!

Passbook 
This is an app designed by Apple with one specific purpose, and that is to digitize all of the things you would normally keep in a wallet or purse. There are many things your can keep in your passbook such as travel and event tickets, membership cards, coupons and soon credit cards (maybe). This can be very useful if you have a lot of membership cards or if you clip coupons a lot. It will even notify you of any delays your flight has so you don't have any unexpected surprises.

There are other features that have been added to iOS 6 but if you would like, head over to Apple's Website and check out more features.

Design
The iPhone 5's design hasn't changed much since the last version. However, it is by far the best iPhone design yet. The iPhone has a great design and the best build quality of any phone on the market, period. But some changes that have been made are rather significant over previous models even though the look hasn't changed much.

Screen
Previous models of the iPhone had a 3.5" display with a high pixel density of 326 pixels per inch (referred to as ppi from here on out). That is rather small in size compared to the second most popular phone on the market, the Galaxy S 3 which measures in at 4.8". At 326 ppi the last iPhone's display is incredibly sharp. Unless you are holding the phone only inches from your face you will not be able to see any pixelation.

The iPhone 5 did quite a bit for the display making it a 4" display while keeping the same 326 ppi. What they did was added more screen real estate to the top (or bottom) of the phone. The width stayed the same. That changes the aspect ratio quite a bit. Basically, your videos won't have those annoying black bars on the top and bottom and you can see much more in your favorite apps and web sites. Overall the display is fantastic. Oh, and don't listen to those people who mock the iPhone 5 for being "taller". Who complains about getting a better display? Cynics, that's who.

Body
Obviously with a bigger screen comes a bigger phone, but the phone is also smaller...wait, what? Ok, Apple's new commercial is pretty silly because they play on the fact that the iPhone is a three dimensional object. One of the dimensions is greater than the previous iPhone while one of them is smaller. The phone is taller and thinner than previous versions. There you go, it's bigger and smaller at the same time. But that's not the only thing that has changed in the design of the body. Also, the glass on the back has almost been completely removed. Apple opted to go back to aluminum for the first time since the original iPhone. This makes the device incredibly strong and light, in fact it's the lightest iPhone ever made.

iPhone 4S (left) iPhone 5 (right)

Connectors
They moved the headphone jack from the top of the phone to the bottom. In my opinion this is a HUGE improvement. Personally I place my phone in my pocket top-down which is annoying when you have headphones plugged in. Having the jack on the bottom removes the annoyance of ruining many pairs of headphones. They also did away with the original iPod connector which has been used since the first iPod to connect your device to a computer for syncing and connecting to accessories. They opted for an 8 pin Lightning connection. The only thing that is better about it, in my opinion, is that it doesn't matter which way you plug it in. It is a reversible connector. Otherwise, you'll be shelling out more money for either new accessories or an adapter so you can use your old ones.

iPhone 4S (top) iPhone 5 (bottom)

Conclusion
This iPhone is the best iPhone yet. Without a doubt iPhone users will love this phone. If you have never owned a smartphone, I would highly recommend you get an iPhone for it's ease of use, optional accessories, and huge library of media available on iTunes. If you are coming from another smart phone, then you might want to consider what you like about your phone and see if the iPhone matches up. For me, I would love to have an iPhone, but I'm currently in a love affair with my Lumia 900. Please, leave me your thoughts in the comments section. Do you love the iPhone? Would you not be caught dead with an iPhone? Let me know!

Read More

SketchParty TV from Magnate Interactive

Technology has a way of connecting people even though there are vast distances between them. However, this is being distorted to actually make people more distanced from their real personal relationships between friends and family. People are spending more time on their iPads and smart phones and less time having face to face conversations. Don't think this is an anti-tech post, after all we are all about the best technology here at Chuckles the Techie. This is all about an app from up and coming developer Magnate Interactive called SketchParty TV for iPad + Apple TV. This game will bring your friends and family together and create some great fun. This is a party game that requires at least one iPad. It technically doesn't require an Apple TV but you would need the A/V cables to connect to a TV. The optional Apple TV makes the game much more fun allowing you to connect the iPad wirelessly to the TV.

The concept is simple: there are two teams up to 8 players per team; each team takes turns with one player holding the iPad; the one player attempts to draw a word with their finger or stylus on the virtual canvas which shows up on the TV for the team to try and guess what is being drawn.

Visit the SketchParty TV website to learn more!

Read More

How To Change Your Default Search Engine In IE 9

For most beginner computer users the most commonly used web browser is the only one bundled with Windows, Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer's default search engine is Microsoft's Bing. Say what you will about Bing, I personally like it, but many people will want to change it to some other search provider like Google. In this video I will show you how to change your default search engine to Google.

Read More

5 Basic Things Everyone Should Know About Their Computer

1. Backup your files
This is something simple that can help you in the event of a catastrophic failure of your computer. In the event that your computer gets a fatal virus or your main hard drive fails from use, having a complete system backup will be crucial to restoring all your personal or work files. Before you start you will need a few things: an external hard drive and backup software.

An external hard drive is where you will store your backup image that you can use to restore your computer in the event of a fatal error or system crash. They are very cheap and you will most likely be able to purchase one with enough storage to make a complete system backup for less than $100. Setup of the hard drive couldn't be simpler, just plug it in and Windows 7 or Mac OS X will do the rest.

As for backup software, you can purchase software that will give you some advanced features. But for now we will just use the free software included with Windows 7 and Mac OS X 1.6 or later. For Windows you will use Backup and Restore. For Mac you will use Time Machine. These can be setup to automatically backup your system an any interval you need. For example, you can set it up to backup your system every day or every month. I would recommend that for most people every week should be fine, but if you rely heavily on your computer for keeping financial records and banking you may want to backup daily.

I will be posting a more in depth tutorial on how to do this step by step at a later time.

2. Use internet security software
Internet security is very important in keeping your private information exactly that, PRIVATE! Windows 7 has a built in suite of internet security options including a firewall and antivirus. What is a firewall? A firewall is simply a security fence for your computer. It only allows certain types of information from certain locations on the internet to be received. This helps with deterring hackers from getting into your system and stealing your information. The antivirus software will scan downloaded files to make sure they are safe to store on your computer. If you feel your computer is running slowly, I would run a virus scan using your antivirus software. The built-in security suite for Windows 7 can be found in the Control Panel in your start menu.

In addition you may want to get a third party internet security suite to add an extra layer of protection for your computer. You can purchase popular software such as Norton or McAfee internet security. I personally have a second antivirus program call avast! which can be downloaded for free. I find that the built-in security combined with avast! is adequate protection that will not noticeably slow your computer down. Links to purchase or download recommended internet security software will be posted at the end of this article.

3. Setup power saving features
Everyone is going green these days, but going green can actually save you money. I know a lot of people that leave their computers on and running all day, every day. That can add more than $40 per month to your electric bill depending on the computer! Why don't you just visit your control panel and set up some power saving options. If you feel the need to keep your computer on all the time you can make sure to use less power by making your monitor turn off after a few minutes of idle time, or put your computer to sleep after a few minutes of idle time. I have my desktop set up to turn my monitor off after 5 minutes of inactivity and to put the computer to sleep after 10 minutes of inactivity. To get the most savings on your electric bill, just turn off your computer when you are done with it.

4. Clean up and organize your desktop
Just like everything else in your home or office (file cabinets, closets, workstation etc.) organizing your computer can help you save valuable time. The most common problem I find with most beginner computer users is that they have a very cluttered desktop. I'm going to give you a few tips to help organize and make your computer use more efficient.

First is folders. Most families have multiple users using only one user account on the computer. Make folders on your desktop dedicated for each person where they can store their own things like pictures and videos. Also, organize your work or financial documents in folders by Month-Day-Year. Use hyphens between the month, day, and year because Windows will not allow you to use forward slashes in folder names.

Second is to delete all program shortcuts from your desktop. Program shortcuts can be identified by an arrow in the bottom right corner of the icon. When deleting these shortcuts you do not remove them from the computer. Instead of using the desktop shortcuts, use the new search feature in Windows 7. Just click on the start button and type whatever program you need to use and it will show up almost instantly! You can also use "Pin to Taskbar" for the most frequently used programs such as media players and web browsers.

Organizing your desktop not only makes things easier to find and more efficient, but it will also help with your computer start up time. It won't be a huge improvement in boot up speed but you will notice the difference.

5. Remove unnecessary programs from automatically starting after logging in
There should be only a couple things that should start automatically when you log into your computer. Those should be your internet security suite and Windows Update. Everything else will dramatically slow down your start up time. I have several friends who have half a dozen programs loading when they first log into their computer and it takes up to 10 minutes for Windows to finish loading before they can use it! If you only have those things you use everyday without actually using them everyday (software updates, antivirus, firewalls, etc.) then you will have much faster start up times. Keep Spotify and Facebook chat set to "Do not start automatically when Windows starts" and only start those programs when you need them. You may just need to pay some bills quickly before you go on a trip, so why would you need to load your favorite chat program when you just want to visit your online banking site?

Links
Norton Internet Security
McAfee Internet Security
avast! Antivirus Free

Read More

Welcome!

Hi everyone! My name is Chuckles and welcome to Chuckles the Techie. If you are here then you probably don't know much about technology or are just desiring to learn more about how technology can help you in your everyday life. My goal is to help you quickly and easily utilize technology so you can get the most out of your gadgets and devices. I will have short video tutorials that will clearly explain how to use and set up different devices and services. I will also post reviews on software and gadgets based not on what is the "best" or "most advanced" but more on how it will help the average person make their everyday lives easier and less complicated. I hope you learn a lot and please send me suggestions and questions on topics you would like to see covered.

Read More