RICHARD ON COMPUTERS

Richard On The iPad

So the ipad is coming in a few weeks.

Just remember it is not a computer , it is a device , an appliance.

This is a new category that sits between a smart phone and a computer.

This should be a device that pushes development in other areas just as the i phone has.Look at the applications that you can get for the iphone and if the iphone wasn't here would there be so many applications on the competing smart phones now , probably not , that is what competition does.

If you want a netbook , buy one , this is not a netbook ( underpowered with poor displays and even poorer color rendering , I don't like netbooks ).

I look forward to the ipad ( no I don't like the name) but I look forward to what it can do and the changes that it will bring to the technology category.

Beware Of Salespeople Telling Rubbish About Mobile Phones

I was in a phone store this week looking at the mobile phones when I overheard a salesperson discussing the benefits of certain mobile phones with a customer.

The customer asked about the iphone and was told " You would not want to buy an iphone as they don't work as well as these other phones and their reception is poor compared to all others on the market"

What a load of rubbish.

The only thing that salesperson was interested in was missing out on a hefty commission that Apple were obviously not paying and that mobile phone sales stores rely on.

So what do you look for in a mobile phone.

First and foremost for me is coverage.

I live in an area which has black spots and currently only the Telstra Next G service my needs.

I have been shown maps which say I will be able to receive calls and have been given phones to borrow by companies and they have not worked.

If you are concerned about coverage in your area make sure you can return your phone if it does not work in your area and make a note of it on the contract when buying the phone.

If your coverage does not work where you live it is more than likely going to be the carrier not the phone (they will try and get you to swap phones not carriers) , so be prepared to swap phone companies.

Next is what do you want out of a phone.

• Do you want a Smartphone?
• Music/multimedia
• Internet
• Calender / Organiser

Look carefully at the contract you will sign for and ask to see all the plans.

Some carriers will only show you certain plans , I am a big fan of the cap plans , the call cost may be slightly higher per call but it allows you to budget your bill.

Be aware of the internet charge for your mobile phone as well as you could be in for a shock and at worst , end up on a news program bemoaning your $10,000 bill.

Choose Your Internet Plan Carefully Or End Up On Television

We have all seen the news shows such as Today Tonight & A Current Affair where somebody ( I was going to say a buffoon ) is complaining about an internet bill of $10,000 plus and they say ' I don't know how this happened".

 Well I do , they didn't read the plan and could have taken this plan from Bigpond.

Now there are lots of options on this plan but you must be devoid of intelligence to choose either the 200MB plan or the 400MB plan.

If you need now to say why , here is why .

Just logging onto the internet every day and checking your emails , looking at 1 or 2 pages on the internet , your antivirus will update ,will mean that you will exceed your 200MB plan.

If you update your computer and you are on one of these plans you will go way over your plan.

By the way connecting at 256KB is not really a broadband connection , it is quicker than dial up , but 512KB really is the minimum standard.

I am not blaming Bigpond as I am using this plan as an example but you must read the details of the plan before you commit.

Are there better plans around , yes there are.

Here in Adelaide we will have a look at Adam first

Much better value here with a 1GB and a 10GB download limit for $29.95 & $34.95 but here is a point to remember,  both your upload and download is combined into your allowance.

If you go over you can also purchase data blocks , unlike Bigpond which unless you are on one of their Liberty Plans you will be charged 15c MB for every MB you go over your plan.

Lets say you went 2GB over your plan , well that will mean a bill of $300.

Lets say you went to 40GB over your plan , that will mean a bill of $6000 and hence you will appear on " A Current Affair etc" 

Lets now look at Internode 

Good value again with a 5GB minimum plan and you can buy additional data blocks ,but here is the key selling point , you do not pay for uploads only downloads.

As the internet gets bigger , uploading will become greater over time.

So choose your internet provider wisely , read the details and try not to be stupid and end up on television.

Norton Antivirus On My Computers - I Don't Think So

One of the biggest decisions you can make is which antivirus software software will you go with?

When choosing an antivirus you need to choose one that sits quietly in the background and does it's job.

What you dont need is an antivirus that takes over your system and slows it down and that is why I will not use Norton ( take your pick , any of the versions ) , McAfee , Kaspersky.

The term for this is bloatware , a piece of software that says it does a myriad of jobs but you purchased it for only one reason.

I have used Norton in the past as I listened to all the marketing hype bought a copy then had all the problems ( slow system ,blocked websites , picked up a virus - my fault etc).

Thought it must have been me and then reinstalled my system , put Norton back on  and guess what , same result.

Now this was back in the Windows 98 days but it has scarred me and since then I have seen numerous people with systems that experience the same issues and they go back to Norton again and again.

Look I am sure it has improved and some systems with lots of ram may be able to cope but would I return to it , no.

Paul Thurrott said on Windows Weekly that going back to Norton would be like returning to a relationship where you used to get beaten and you know , I agree.

I even had someone tell me that I have advertised that Norton man on my sites but that was Patrick Norton from Tekzilla not Peter Norton.

Norton will continue to bombard you with their " saving the world " type messages and their advertising campaigns but remember if you get a virus it is "your fault " through your computer habits.

If you are having issues with your computer look at Norton if you are running it and you may be surprised.

If you need antivirus protection there are the free choices and the paid choices.

You will get just that bit more from a paid solution but if you cannot afford a paid solution then turn to the free solutions and the analogy that Leo Laporte used on Windows Weekly this week that it is like getting arrested that if you cannot afford a lawyer one will be provided for you.

You need an antivirus to sit very quietly in the background and do it's job ( paid or free ).

I have used Nod32 from ESET over the last few years and highly recommend it and have Microsoft Security Essentials running on other systems.

Last point ,if you don't like the maintenance side of owning a computer and combating virus's and spyware , well , you could always get a mac. 

Richard On Computers Will Be Back Soon

Richard On Computers will be back on the 9th November with a regular weekly opinion piece on computers , technology and the internet