Posts Tagged ‘electronics’
Question Asked: How Do I Transfer VHS to DVD?
The easiest, and most cost effective way is to get some hardware to help you. Whether that’s a stand alone unit, or a package like Roxio’s Easy VHS to DVD converter.
Roxio’s system makes it incredibly easy. Instead of adding a new piece of gear to your home theater setup, you do the work on your computer. You just plugin their device, and connect your VCR to it. (You’re actually doing yourself a favor by taking it out of the home theater setup anyway, right?) You then run their software, and burn the DVD right from your PC.
If you don’t have a DVD burner on your PC (which is unlikely these days), you can opt for a standalone unit, such as this one from Samsung. This will allow you to simply put in your VHS tape on the left and a blank DVD on the right, and click “Play” and “Record”. The unit does the rest for you.
Question Asked: Should I Buy A Kindle 2 or Kindle DX?
This guest post is written by CJ from KindleNewsAndReviews.com.
This guest post is written by CJ from KindleNewsAndReviews.com.
If you are in the market for an e-book reader, Amazon’s Kindle family of devices is an excellent way to go. It’s currently the only e-reader that allows you to download books wirelessly directly to the device. With the recent release of the Kindle DX, consumers now have two Kindles to choose from. It’s natural to be unsure of which one is right for you.
The Kindle 2 has a 6″ screen and is the second version of Amazon’s original device. The Kindle 2 features several improvements from the original Kindle, including rounded edges, faster page turns and WhisperSync – the ability to sync your books with your iPhone or multiple Kindles. The device is the ideal size for portable reading. It is lightweight and small enough to hold with one hand.
The Kindle DX has a 9.7″ screen and is considerably larger and heavier than the Kindle 2. While it has all the classic features of the Kindle 2 – wireless downloads, e-ink screen and more – it has a few new features that the Kindle 2 does not:
- landscape mode – This allows you to turn your Kindle DX sideways to read on a horizontal screen instead of a vertical one
- native PDF support – Previous versions of the Kindle didn’t play nicely with PDFs. The DX is better suited to viewing PDFs, especially because of the large screen.
- Larger storage space – While the Kindle 2 holds up to 1,500 books, the DX can hold up to 3,500.
In making your decision on which Kindle to buy, try to evaluate your reading style. Do you often read while standing on a crowded train? Do you always carry a book in your purse? Is portability an important feature to you? Then the Kindle 2 is the device you’re looking for. Will you be reading PDFs for work? Do you read The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal daily? (Newspapers display especially well on the DX) Do you often read while sitting down on a commuter train, or at your home or office at your leisure? The Kindle DX will probably be perfect for you.
For more information about the features of the Kindle 2 and the Kindle DX, check out the feature comparison chart below, copied from Amazon’s product page for each device. If you have any questions about the Kindle family of devices, feel free to email me at cj@kindlenewsandreviews.com.
Kindle 2 vs. Kindle DX
Question Asked: How Many Copies of The Wizard of Oz Have Sold On DVD?
Great question. A tough one to answer, but I’ll do my best.
Since the invention of DVD back in the mid ’90s, there have been 6 different releases of The Wizard of Oz on DVD. (There were also two laserdisc and two video versions, as well, but we’re not counting those.)
According to a few sources online, between the six DVDs, they’ve sold between 201 and 204 million copies.
That number, as far as I’m concerned, is un-proven. Warner Brothers hasn’t confirmed or denied that number in any instance. I only report it here, because it seems to be the concensus amongst the various websites that I found that reported on this.
Personally, I had assumed that the number would have been much higher.
I’ve put in a request to Warner Brothers pictures asking for clarification, but have yet to receive a response. If I get one, I’ll update this post.
Question Asked: How Can I Get a Replacement Tivo Remote?
It’s a bummer when that remote stops working, because most of the older Tivos don’t have buttons on the front of them, rendering them useless.
The bad news is, the only remote that fully works with a Tivo, is the Tivo remote.
You can get a universal remote, but the only ones that remotely work well with Tivo (that’s a pun, get it!?) are more expensive than the Tivo remote itself.
The only two place I can find that sell the Tivo remotes are Tivo themselves (obviously), and Amazon.com. The remote runs about $50, for the “Premium Glo” version. The Series 2 remotes aren’t available on Amazon anymore, except from a few sellers, for a few dollars.
Your best bet is to take advantage of the opportunity, and upgrade to the new
HD Tivo
Question Asked: How Do I Replace My iPhone Battery?
I don’t have an iPhone myself, so it’s tough to do a first hand walkthrough with screenshots. Luckily, the guys over at CrunchGear have made a video of how to replace the battery.
Before posting that, let’s just say that you should only do this if you don’t want to wait for Apple to do it for you, when you send in the phone. Apple will perform this for you, if you buy a battery from them. You will void your warranty in doing this yourself, and you could ruin your phone, as well. Do this only as a last resort.