Windows 8 Pro Review

The first day it was available, I bit the bullet and purchased Windows 8 Pro for $39.99.  I had had the preview version for the past few months so I did know a bit about how to operate it.  Most of my testing was to ensure applications that are critical to me like Quicken, Microsoft Office etc would run.  Also, I want to purchase an Intel based Surface Tablet when it is available in January.   Also, I wanted to see if Windows 8 was useable by seniors that I work with in our computer classes.

Upgrade Assistant Sample

I was not confident enough to install Windows 8 over the top of my current hard drive.  I purchased a new drive and had installed my critical applications on it.  Now it was time to install.  I went to the Microsoft Store online and started the download.  The download first checked and reported the thing that I would have to be concerned with.  It gave me the opportunity to uninstall a few things that were not important to me and pointed me to the developer’s site for Windows 8 versions of applications that would have to be installed after Windows 8.  The 2GB Windows 8 downloaded, installed and was up and running in less than an hour.  I downloaded the programs from Lenovo (I have a Lenovo T520) that the Upgrade Assistance pointed out and spent the next hour testing all the critical apps.

Now for the disappointing part - my printer driver for my HP J4680 didn’t work but to HP’s credit they had the Windows 8 driver ready to go on their website.  This was NOT pointed out in the Upgrade Assistance report.  After downloading another 350MBs, I had the printer and the related applications up and running.  

Skype worked but there was a Skype App on the Microsoft Store.  I uninstalled the one I had and installed the new app just in time to get a call from my daughter.  Damn, the camera didn’t work!   So, after a quick trip (online of course) to the Lenovo support site I downloaded a new camera driver – another 150MBs.  Skype with video is now up and running.

iTunes isn’t that critical although I do use it.  I haven’t tried it yet but I understand from the internet that people are waiting for a Windows 8 version.  I’ll report on this later.

Now for my biggest disappointment, I use Intel Wireless Display with a Netgear Push2TV (PTV1000) to watch video from my laptop.  I also use it to connect to a projector when I am teaching.  The Upgrade Assistant said only that I had to download and install the new version from the Intel web site.  After almost a full day downloading and installing software from Intel, I finally got the computer to recognise the Pust2TV but when I attempted to connect I saw –    

I have the software setup now and this should only cost me another $100 or so.

Finally, the Lenovo T520 I use, does not have a touch screen and using the keyboard to navigate is at best clumsy.   One thing I didn’t expect to happen is that the system hung on me 3 times, over 2 days, to the point that I had to shut it down with the power switch.  I suspect Microsoft will fix this shortly.

In conclusion, I do like Windows 8 and expect to like it even more when I get a Surface Tablet in January or February.  The senior citizens, I teach have simple needs.   Mostly, they use Email, Skype,surf the web and play the odd game or two .  I think they will like a tablet version.

NetTalk Duo WiFi

Well, I finally got it put together.  The NetTalk Duo WiFi now is up and running.  I did have a little difficulty setting up the wireless.  I had just installed Windows 8 and the USB drivers weren't compatible.  I had to get out an old XP machine and run the management program from it.  This is a one time event though so I don't see it as a problem.

As you can see there are now only 3 devices involved - the NetTalk Duo WiFi, the Mobile Hotspot and the Telephone.  The NetTalk connects wirelessly to the Moble Hotspot to get to the internet.  That is much better than the magicJack Plus since it requires a hard  wired ethernet connection and thus the need for a router or an extender.

So how is the quality?
First I have to tell you that my Telus WiFi Hotspot is connected 4G ((not LTE) but the upload and download speeds are about 5Mb down and 1Mb up.  The quality is excellent at least for the 5 minutes I talked.  I know some of you have been asking if the quality will be good when we attach with 3G while we are in Florida.  I can't answer that right now but I am hopeful since the NetTalk Duo say it only requires 128K bits per second both up and down.  Then the only thing we'd have to worry about is disconnects between the Hotspot and the cellular towers. I'll be in Florida in late November and I'll let you know then.  But for now,  I'm pretty happy with the NetTalk.
Update 10/31/2012
Today, I really need to get a fax and avoid an hour drive each way to pick up a document.  I attached my HP all-in-one printer to the NetTalk Duo and I got the fax.  This is something that you could not do with MagicJack.

New Communication Alternative

Many RVers have used magicJack for a few years now and I have blogged about how to use a mobile hotspot like the Verizon Novatel and the Telus Huawei in combination with a WiFi extender and a magicJack Plus to say goodbye to your telephone company and carry high-speed internet with you where ever you go.  I now think I have a better, even less expensive way to have phone service as inexpensive as magicJack but eliminate the WiFi extender.

Today I purchased a Nettalk Duo Wifi but I haven't tested it.  I will do that tomorrow.  If it works the way I think it should you should only need 2 devices - your WiFi Hotspot and the NetTalk.  Less devices means a  system easier to maintain.  I will let you know.

By the way, Windows 8 will be available tomorrow as well - I will be downloading it and going live.  I have had the preview for a few months now and I am a little concerned that my audience will have problems with it.  Is it the next Vista???  I'll let you know.

New Web Site for The Ontario Trillium Travellers

On Saturday,  I was appointed Web Master by my friends at the OTT.  We had an objective of making the web site available to all our members on whatever device or browser they had.  I also wanted to improve the look and feel.  I got back home from our weekend RV outing just after noon and by Saturday evening I had mocked up a new web site and had it up and running.

I sent an email to a few of the members and asked them to have a look and let me know what they thought.  I got almost immediate responses and the comments were terrific.  This allowed me to make the necessary corrections and prepare to go live.  By Wednesday, we had a new web address - ottrv.org.
and the old site was taken down.

I really like the new site - have a look:  Ontario Trillium Travellers new site.

My thanks go out to all of you who evaluated the site and helped me make corrections and to improve the look and feel.  Also, to the great folks at Squarespace for a great development platform and great pricing.

New House Batteries

One of the nice things about being a member of the Ontario Trillium Travelers (OTT) is that you have lots of people to help do the hard stuff.
I can't remember the last time I replaced the house batteries in the motorhome.  The batteries are Deep Cycle RV Marine batteries that require the owner to check the levels on a regular basis and fill them with water if they are low.  I have to admit that I have never done that and probably never will.
After doing a little research, I found that I could get maintenance free batteries for only $125 more each and I need three.  As well they weight 71 lbs each so there is no way I am going to use my back to install them.  That's where Gerald came in, offering to accompany me to Canadian Tire to pick them up and to help install them.
Dirty old batteries had to be removed and returned for a "core" refund.  Bettyann first had to take a picture to make sure we connected the new ones that same way.
After a backing up the car to the compartment Gerald and I proceeded to detach the terminals and the equipment that held the batteries in the slide tray.  Together, removed the old batteries and placed the new batteries into the tray and locked them down.  We connected the cables.  TIME FOR A SMOKE TEST.  Here is where the picture that Bettyann took earlier came in.  When the inverter went black, we re-examined the wiring and found an extra cable that was not connected.  Was it connected  before???

Zoom in on the back terminal of the picture and sure enough it was connected before.  After Gerald reconnected it (more then a few sparks flew) and after Maurice took a first few shocks - Bingo everything works.

Wow! Got a new iPad

The summer is so busy and the family is so big now that it is difficult to remember all the family birthdays that happen all summer long.  That is why the Jennings family gets together one day in the summer for the Jennings Everything Party when we celebrate all the birthdays at once.  This year it was hosted at Sam and Dave's so everyone could enjoy the sun and the pool.

I am the worst person in the world to buy a present for.  I buy every piece of technology I want and I don't use tools.  This year was a great surprise for me - all my children (that didn't work for RIM) (now adults of course) got together and bought me something I actually wanted and needed to help with the computer seminars I teach - a New iPad. 

I do like my Sony Tablet and it is MY first go to device but the folks that I help with technology like to buy things that are more intuitive and easy to run so, I usually recommend that they purchase an iPad.  Until now I have been unable to help them with specific apps and services.  That will all change.

I've spent the last few days getting new apps - checking out the kinds of things the RV community need and want.  I have now integrated Calibre and the iPad so books can be loaded on and read.  All in all it was a great present.  Thank you very much everyone.

Frustration with Rogers Hotspot

As you all know I have been a big fan of the Telus hotspot device as are many of my RVing friends.  Over the weekend and into this week I have had a chance to look at and experiment with the Rogers equivalent - The Rocket Mobile Hotspot.

My daughter lives in Tyrone, ON and for years has had difficulty getting a good internet solution.  For the past year or so, the her family has been using a wireless hub which promised 1Mbps download and about .3Mbps upload but hasn't been able to get close to those speeds.  This is a family with lots of technology, 5 Laptops, 3 tablets and a few iPods they have grown well beyond the service the Rogers hub is providing.

In a previous post, I outlined what has turned out to be a great solution.  We installed it in her home and ran it for about a week with virtually no problems.  The connection was 4G (not LTE).  Speedtests showed speeds of 8Mbps down and 1.25Mbps up.  MagicJack worked well.

Because the family had a contract with Rogers which expires in September and they weren't worried about travelling and having to cancel their plan as we RVers do, they decided to try out the Rogers Hotspot equivalent to the Telus.  They have 15 days to try it and return it if it doesn't work.

Yesterday they brought it home.  We inserted the SIM card and the battery and powered it up.  We were excited when, in a few seconds, it connected to the Rogers cellular network and and showed 4G with 5 bars.  The laptop connected wirelessly to the hotsot and the first we did was go to speedtest.net anticipating the same great results we got with Telus.

We couldn't believe the speeds we actually got.  Connected with 4G and 5 bars showing, we actually got a very disappointing numbers -  1/2 Mbps down and .6Mbps up.  As many times as we tried, we couldn't get speeds anywhere near 1Mbps let alone the 4G speeds that the device indicated.

It's a good thing that the contract with Rogers expires in September!