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Tech Tip: Wifi Roaming

Many homes nowadays have a Wifi network setup. For smaller homes, apartments, and condos a single Wifi access point would provide full coverage. But in other cases such a homes with multiple floors, a large house, or a business would require multiple wireless access points to provide complete coverage of their home or business. For those using multiple access points some users have separate SSID names for each of their Wifi connections. The more access points you add the more SSIDs you’ll have to manage.

There is an option to consolidate all your Wifi access point to use a single SSID this is calling Wifi Roaming. All your access points in your home or business are named with one SSID. As you move through your home or business your device automatically connects to the closes access point. If you have a new device or computer that needs a Wifi connection you would only have to enter that one SSID and password for it to work throughout your wireless network coverage.  Previously, if you had multiple SSIDs your device would have to remember all your wireless network names for it to work in a similar fashion. If you have guest that needs Wifi access their devices would also need to remember all the Wifi SSIDs to have seamless network coverage. So it depends on your preference if you want to manage your Wifi network with different names or have it all run on one SSID both will work just fine.

Set up Wifi roaming is simple. There are two things you’ll need to do. First login to each of your Wifi routers /access points and name all the SSID to the same name. Second you’ll need to set each of your Wifi routers / access points to use a different wireless channel.  Some of these wireless access point have a limited number of channels it  and it can range from 6 – 11 channels. If you have different models of access points be sure the frequency of each are unique. That’s it. If you have completed those steps then you now have a roaming Wifi network.

Keep in mind that not all Wifi access points work well together in this roaming set up. I’ve ran into a couple of problems due to using different types of Wifi routers and access points but not many. For the most part it’ll just work, but if you run into connectivity issues it might be caused by having different models of access points.

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Salt

Angelina Jolie is back playing a spy again, but this time you’re not sure who she’s spying for. As Evelyn Salt, Jolie plays a CIA agent who’s cover is supposedly blown as a double agent working as a spy for the Russian government.

This spy thriller keeps you on your toes as you guess whether Salt is a double agent or not. This is a decent summer action movie that has potential to be a Borne Identity franchise.

Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆

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Samsung Captivate Review

AT&T just released their newest Android phone, the Samsung Captivate. This device is undoubtably Big Blue’s biggest and baddest Android phone. The Captivate sports some amazing specs for a phone: 4in Super AMOLED screen, 1Ghz Hummingbird cpu, 512MB of RAM, Bluetooth 3.0, 720p video recording and 16GB of internal memory. Compared to other newly released phones such as the Droid X and Evo 4G the Captivate is a contender as one of the better phones running Google’s OS.

Coming from the HTC Aria the Captivate is much larger. Its almost impossible to discretely hold the cell phone in your hand or placing it on a table at meeing. It’s a head turner. As big as it is, it’s not uncomfortable to hold. The phone is thin and not too heavy and it fits in pant pockets easily. As for the screen, I think it’s a great size for internet browsing and texting in landscape mode. Small screens such as the HTC Aria makes it difficult to comfortably type unless your in landscape mode. The same goes with other phones such as the iPhone. When I had one I wish it was a tad bit bigger.

The Super AMOLED is amazing. Comparing the Captivate to iPhone 4 at an AT&T store I almost couldn’t tell the difference in quality. But the iPhone does edge the Captivate in overall quality as the iPhone has higher pixel density and the colors are a little more brighter. The Captivate has a slightly bluish tint to it, but it’s hardly noticable. To the average user they will not notice any difference at all, in fact some may say the Super AMOLED looks better than the iPhone since the Captivate contrast ratio is 50,000:1 where as the iPhone 4 is only 800:1 which aids viewablity in outdoor environments.

I was hoping Samsung and AT&T delivered the phone with the latest Android version, Froyo 2.2, but instead it comes with Eclair 2.1. There are rumors about updates being released in August or September, but I’m not holding my breath. Like other manufacturers, Samsung uses their own UI overlay on top of Android’s stock UI. Samsung’s Touchwiz 3.0 is not bad, but it’s not as good as HTC’s Sense UI. It’s too bad Samsung doesn’t allow the user to turn off their overlay and just use Google’s default one, but there is an option. You can always download other UIs from the Android Market. Launchpro is a great one. I’ve been using it and I must say its much better than Samsung’s and HTC’s. It’s currently in beta and the lack of widgets and themes may turn some off to it, but development for it is going strong and a paid version will be released soon if not already. Calls are clear and haven’t lost a call yet even in low reception areas. The speakers are loud, but they’re located on the back of the phone, so if you place the phone on its back it can muffle the audio. But there is one gripe I have with this phone. The backlight of the softkeys located at the bottom turns off within a few seconds. If you’re using the phone in the dark it makes it hard to see where those keys are located.

The overall usability of the phone is great. There are a few things that hold it back from being fantastic. Such as AT&T’s and Samsung’s lockdown on its software defeating the purpose of having an open phone. The lack of a camera flash can also be a deal breaker for some. It’s hard to see why any manufacturer would make a phone without one. But one thing is for sure, the Captivate is the best Android phone for AT&T and if you can overlook some of the minor annoyances it may be the best Android phone on the market.

Rating: ★★★★★★★★½☆

Pros:
Fast and smooth UI
Large comfortable AMOLED screen
Record 720p video
Google services integration

Cons:
No camera flash
Softkey backlight dims too quickly
No sideloading of apps
Samsung Touchwiz needs to be more polished

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GigaWorks T20 Review

I have been  using Creative Linspire 2.1 Slim 2700 for several years. They’re a great set for the price (about $90) and have served my media and gaming sessions well, but I have decided to get new speakers because of my personal project to de-clutter my office.  To keep everything to a minimum and maintain all the important apsects of my daily computing I had to consolidate my gear. Moving from a 2.1 speaker system to just a standard 2-speaker system was one those tasks.

Switching from the Linspire Slim to these Gigworks speakers made a big difference in terms of the amount of floor space and desktop space they take up. The GigaWorks T20 is a basic 2-speaker system whereas the Linspire Slim is 2.1 (I would consider it to be a 3.1 as the Linspire Slim comes with two satellite speakers, a subwoofer, and a volume-dial).  The Gigworks T20 are just two massive desktop speakers, but the interesting bit is that even though these two speakers are big they barely take up any more desktop space than the Slims satellite speakers. The difference is that the GigaWorks doesn’t have a seperate volume dial and a subwoofer and that extra space is what counts (all the bass, treble, and volume controls are located on the right speaker). Not only did I gain a few square inches of desktop space and a square foot of floor space I also have less wires running around.

The biggest surprise is how great these GigaWorks speakers sound. The sounds are full and crisp. The treble and bass are strong and clean. They make my old Linspire Slims sound like cheap $10 speakers. But this higher audio quality comes at a much higher price. At $100 it is an expensive 2-speaker system. But you get what you pay for.  Not only do these sound great the speakers are well-built and feels very solid. So if you’re in need of a new 2-speaker system that doesn’t take up too much space and have awesome audio quality the GigaWorks T20 is it. And if you have deep pockets you may also want to take a look at the T40, they are the ultra-premium version of the T20s. The only difference is the speakers are a much taller and probably sound more awesome.

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆

Pros:
Great sound
No subwoofer or seperate volume controls
Looks great

Cons:
Expensive (about $100)

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AT&T’s newest Android phone

This is the Samsung Captivate. Its AT&T’s newest Android phone. Compared to the HTC Aria this phone is enormous. It sports a 4in. AMOLED screen that looks incredible. I guess this is their answer to the Droid X and the Evo.

It just got released today, so head to your local AT&T store to check out the demo.

I’ll post a review in a few days.

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Apple admits to reception issue, but not really

From tech blogs to politicians and many iPhone 4 users have voiced their opinions about the ‘death-grip’ recepetion issue of Apple’s new iDevice all while Steve and co. admantly believe it to be a non-issue.

All of that became undone as Apple held a press conference this morning. It’s kind of ironic that if Apple believes it not to be an issue then why hold a press conference?  No longer can Apple blame AT&T for all its reception problems and this time Apple has been caught with its pants down. Apple know’s its a hardware issue and there isn’t any permanent fix short of redesigning the phone itself. So they offer free Bumper cases to all iPhone 4 buyers, but they still don’t admit there are any problems with reception. In fact Steve-o goes on to point out other phones from other manufacturers to have similar issues. I have a phone that Steve mentions and it doesn’t lose reception when I hold it in any way nor do my friends who have the same phone. I don’t know where he got that info from.  Nonetheless, that’s some excellent PR right there. It’s like BP telling everyone in the Gulf Coast “that oil spills like this happen all over the world, nobody’s perfect.”

There are two things Steve Jobs is brilliant at; product marketing and consumer manipulation. He may be Apple’s savior and and considered a genius in the tech industry, but he may one day be Apple’s undoing. As consumers become more educated with technology Steve’s Jim Jones-hold on the average consumer and fanboy will diminish.  They’ll realize there’s nothing magical about Apple’s overpriced products and that they’re stuck in a walled garden controlled by Apple. Yeah, they have great looking hardware, but it’s not much better than current offerings from HTC and Motorola. Their iOS 4 is still outdated compared  to even Android OS 2.1. And don’t get me started on iTunes.

A decade ago, Steve Jobs was the guy everyone rooted for to topple Microsoft, which they now have and Apple is now a powerhouse to be reckoned with. There is major competition in the years ahead. Companies like HP, RIM, HTC, Google, and (when they stop resting on its laurels) Microsoft will push Apple out of their comfort zone, and today they got a taste of it.

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Predators

Take it how you will. Some will call it a reboot or it could be considered a sequel. The film takes place 23 years after the first movie as one of the characters recall stories of events that happen back in 1987 when Arnie took on the original Predator.  The film starts off with the each of the characters unconscience and mysteriously parachuted into an unknown area, but they soon find out that they’re no longer on Earth, but on a planet where they being hunted. It’s kind of like Avatar, but in reverse, ok, maybe not.

The movie takes some of its queues from the original movie. From musical score to some of the action scenes. But unlike the original, the group being hunted are not a special ops team, but a select group of Earths best (or worst) soldiers and criminals. They must find a way to survive and and escape the planet. Many will quickly compare the movie to the original which is unfair, but this movie does hold its own.

Adrian Brody plays a convincing bad-ass mercenary and Oleg Taktarov is surprisingly warming even though he plays a Russian Spetsnas commando, but Topher Grace and his 70’s Show typecast role takes away the seriousness of the film. (Seriously, he basically plays Eric Foreman in all his movies) In the end it’s a decent action movie that tried live up to its predecessor (I’m not talking about Predator 2).

Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆

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Twilight Saga: Eclipse

The vampire and werewolf phenomenon has gone into overdrive with millions of teenage girls clamoring over the newest film of the Twilight saga. I’ve seen the first two due to a morbid curiosity. They were almost decent movies if it wasn’t for the corny acting.

Eclipse starts where New Moon ends. Unlike the previous movie Jacob and Edward must team up to protect Bella against Victoria and her newfound army. That’s pretty much it. Add a few plot holes and few scenes with a shirtless Jacob and you have the entire third film.  I never read the books, but it’s definitely clear that a woman must have wrote it. You have a girl whose being fought over by two guys; one who looks like a heroine addict and the other looks like he’s been eating Cherrios laced with steroids. The girl plays on both of these guys and none of them seem to mind. This third film felt like it was rushed and the whole plot stank because of it and I think it’s the worst of the three films. Enough with the vampire movies. We need more zombie flicks.

Rating: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

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HTC Aria Review

I got an HTC Aria earlier this week and have been using it full time ever since. This is my first Android device.  I’ve got to play with other Android devices on Verizon and Sprint, so I was able to compare how it works to the other Android devices on the market.  The HTC Aria is a sleek looking touch device. The device is as thin as an iPhone 3G(s) but shorter and narrower. It feels great in the hand and the heft to it makes it feel very solid, but it’s small size can make it difficult to type and text when in portrait mode. Landscape mode is best for typing on this slim phone. The soft coated paint on the back makes the device feels like it’s already in a case and the best part it doesn’t attract dust and lint. The battery life is decent. I can get a full workday’s use out of it, but don’t expect it to go a full 24 hours without charging.

What surprised me about the phone is the quickness of it. Sliding through the menus and opening apps were quick and responsive. The Aria uses HTC’s Sense UI and it adds a lot of flair to the interface. Those who have used other HTC Android phones will feel right at home with it. As my first Android it took me awhile to get use to all the different menus and the entire interface. Coming from the iPhone and Blackberry this Android device is a breath of fresh air in a market where the dominant OSes are getting stagnant.

With Android all your Google contacts, emails, and calendar are easily synced up leaving one the think why Apple is charging for MobileMe and why RIM doesn’t have anything similar. If you’re a Google Voice user then Andriod is a must-have. It intergrates seamlessly with your phone and there’s no need to fiddle around with an app or use a web browser.  Android allows you to customize what you want to display on your phone and how to display it. The widget feature is what makes it possible.  The Android Market is not as extensive as Apple’s (Who is?) but it still has a boat load of apps. One thing that’s holding the Aria back is AT&T. They’ve locked down the device so apps can only be install by the Android Market. It really defeats the purpose of an open-ended device. But for the most part people won’t be bothered by it, it’s only the power users who want the ability to side-load apps onto their phone.

There are a million comparisons I can make with the iPhone and Blackberry and what I can say is that each of those devices do well in certain categories and poorly on others, and Android is no exception. There are things that Android definitely does better than the iPhone and Blackberry and there are some areas that it needs some more polishing, but the road ahead is very bright. If you’re stuck on AT&T and looking for a non-iPhone touch device the HTC Aria can easily fit the bill. But if you’re not bound to a particular network you have plenty of Android options such as the upcoming Droid 2, Droid X, and Sprint’s EVO.

Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Pros:
Google services integration
Snappy performance
Solid fit and finish
Responsive capacitive screen

Cons:
Can’t side-load apps
Comes with Android 2.1 (Hopefully it gets Froyo 2.2 soon)
Can be too narrow for typing
Optical track pad is useless
No flash for camera