2020 November e-Bytes
Time for a new TV by Tom Kreuzer
What's next for Windows 10
Home Security Systems, Cameras, Smart Locks, Video Doorbells
Surface Laptop Go: Microsoft's smaller, cheaper budget PC is easy to recommend
Every iPhone 12 model from mini to Pro Max: Prices, specs, and availability
Wyze Cam Outdoor review: A weatherproof version of the awesome indoor security camera
8 of Android's best hidden features and where you can find them
Time for a new TV by Tom Kreuzer
By Tom Kreuzer PCC Director at Large
I was watching my living room TV when I heard a pop, pop, and the picture went out. After trying to turn it on and off and unplugging it, nothing. I next looked for any fuse and there was none on the TV. I had bought the 50” Vizio Plasma TV at Sams 16 years ago for $2,023, so it lived a long life. The TV had a great picture in any light at any angle, but weighed about 150 pounds. It takes two very strong people to move it. After taking off 40+ screws I was able to open the back and check if any fuses could be found. I did locate two fuses, but they were both working, so something else on the TV had blown. The inside had several fans and contained lots of dust. Frequently dust builds up on circuit boards and causes a slow death. It had died of old age.
My first fear was how can I get rid of the 150 pound old TV? The St Paul electronics recycling program does not recycle that large of TV. Best Buy has a recycling program, but stated they must be less than 50” and cost $25 to recycle. If you bought a new TV at Best Buy and they delivered, they would pickup the old for $19 if smaller than 50”. I did not want to wait a year till St Paul has a City recycle event so I thought I would attempt to take it to Best Buy. My brother-in-law and I about destroyed our backs getting it out of the house into my car. We headed to the Best Buy on Roberts street in West St Paul. I we pulled into the parking lot and I wanted to park near the door to unload and noticed only two large garage doors at the front of the store. It no longer was a Best Buy, but a car service center. I had not been to the Best Buy store in a year and had never thought that it would have closed. We next headed to the Best Buy in Eagan about ten minutes away. When we arrived, I went inside to get a cart and we loaded the TV onto the cart. It was not busy, but as I waited in line I tried to hide the TV and keep it to the side. I then pushed it to the side about 30 feet from the checkout counter so they would not see it was 50”. I quickly paid the $25 and was glad to get rid of the old TV.
I had looked online at Best Buy for a new TV and thought I would check what they had in stock and see what they looked like. I was looking for a 55” to 65” replacement TV. It was not busy and a sales person came up wearing a mask and asked if he could help. I asked “Which models do you have in stock?” He said almost all the models were in stock, just look and he will check. After looking I decided on a nice 55” Sony and waited till he came back. He went to the back and returned after 5 minutes and said they did not have that model at this store. He suggested we could go to another Best Buy, have it shipped to this store and pickup in several days, or schedule a home delivery about ten days out. I wanted to take it home right now, so I asked him if they had a Samsung model in stock. Another 5 minutes and no they did not. I left in disgust; they had wasted my time at Best Buy and would not get my business.
After Best Buy we drove to Sams where my brother-in-law is a member. The TVs were right up front and in less than 5 minutes we were loading a 55” Samsung 7 Series TU700D in my trunk for $399. This new TV weighed 39 pounds, looked good, supported 4K, had some Smart TV features, and everything I needed. I could move and setup the TV all by myself. As I unboxed the TV it had plastic feet to hold the TV up. The instructions said put the left in the left and the right on the right on the TV. Oh *&%$, my TV came with two right. The right would not fit into the left. No problem I thought, I can contact Samsung and they can mail me a left in a couple of days.
It then took me several hours to setup the TV. I had to install a Samsung app on my phone to get it connected to my WiFi and setup an account so I could get about 50 streaming channels for free. It supported 2 HDMI ports, but I really only needed one because I already had a 5 port HDMI switch and an HDMI splitter to send whatever signal I wanted to multiple TVs/rooms in the house. When I connected a HDMI cable from the splitter to the TV it would look fine for about a minute and then flutter. It looked like the TV was trying to see what was connected and would get confused with the switch and splitter. I could connect a HDMI cable from my Channel Master OTA DVR, Apple TV device, and several other HDMI devices directly and it would work, but I only had 2 HDMI inputs on the TV and more importantly I used the HDMI switch to control what signal would not be sent to my other TVs.
The syncing of the TV to the HDMI can be a problem with all the different resolutions and because a HDMI connection can support signals going both ways. So far I am still trying options to see what gives me workable results. I have ordered a different HDMI switch to see if that fixes it. I can plug directly from a device to TV without a problem.
That night I went to the Samsung site and started an online chat about how to get a left foot for the TV. I was surprised to learn that they would do nothing for me and that I had to work with Sams and maybe return the entire TV. Since I had spent hours setting it up I did not want to pack it up, return it, and start the setup again with a new TV. The new TV might have two right feet since it came from the same batch? I called Sams the next day and they said to bring back the TV and get a new one. I spent 10 minutes explaining all I wanted was a left foot, take it out of a new box, I will give you the right foot, and you can return or do whatever you have to. So the next day I headed back to Sams with the right foot. I was met with a sales person who said I needed to bring the entire TV back and had to spend another 10 minutes convincing them to exchange a right for a left foot. What a pain and waste of time, but now my TV had feet.
The TV came with a few pages of Quick Setup/Start info, so I went to the Samsung site and downloaded the PDF Manual, Quick Start, User Manual, and saved the specs to a directory on my PC where I keep all my manuals and info. I recommend everyone do this for all your new devices, it makes it easy to find and you do not have to keep paper copies that get lost. Over the next day I read the almost 200 pages and found how to connect a Bluetooth keyboard to the TV, setup Alexa commands to control the TV, all the remote control options, and Apple Air Drop support. I also installed apps for AT&T Now streaming TV and HBO Max. I wanted to install Google Photos, but the TV only supports a limited number of apps and it was not one of them. It does come with an Internet Browser app that I was able to go to Google Photos and see my photos on the TV. Samsung also has a photo viewer app that uses the Samsung Cloud to view photos.
All in all I am happy with the new TV. They sure pack lots of features into the new Smart TVs. They are now part TV and part computer and smart device. Also, the price of $399 was lots better than $2,000 16 years ago for the old heavy Plasma. The Plasma picture did look a little better in bright lighting and from all angles, but the new Samsung is fine.
What's next for Windows 10
2021 and beyond - As Microsoft gets ready to roll out another feature update for Windows 10, it's clear that big changes are in store for its flagship operating system. Here are my predictions for what's coming soon.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/whats-next-for-windows-10-2021-and-beyond
Windows 10: Best 3 new features, and how to use them - The Windows 10 October 2020 Update brings some new tricks for your browser, Start menu and more.
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/windows-10-best-3-new-features-and-how-to-use-them
New Windows 10 build fixes lots of bugs - The build, now in beta, also brings Meet Now to your taskbar for easier video call access.
https://www.cnet.com/news/new-windows-10-build-fixes-lots-of-bugs
Home Security Systems, Cameras, Smart Locks, Video Doorbells
Readers' Choice 2020: Home Security Systems, Cameras, Smart Locks, Video Doorbells - With more and more affordable smart security devices available, keeping your home and family safe has never been easier.
Surface Laptop Go: Microsoft's smaller, cheaper budget PC is easy to recommend
The danger of making anything smaller and cheaper is that you run the risk of making it too small and too cheap. The newest member of the Surface family avoids both traps.
Every iPhone 12 model from mini to Pro Max: Prices, specs, and availability
Apple's iPhone 12 lineup is packed full of features and new capabilities, at a range of price points. Here's everything you need to know before you place an order.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/iphone-12-all-the-models-launch-date-pricing-and-specs
Wyze Cam Outdoor review: A weatherproof version of the awesome indoor security camera
It's a battery-powered, weatherproof version of the indoor Wyze Cam for less than $50.
https://www.cnet.com/reviews/wyze-cam-outdoor-review
Comments by Tom Kreuzer PCC Member. I have been using two of the $19.95 indoor cameras as outdoor cameras. I am able to run power to them and the Minnesota rain, snow, and cold has not effected the cameras.
8 of Android's best hidden features and where you can find them
From using multiple apps at the same time to keeping your phone unlocked when you're home, Android has some awesome features -- but they aren't always obvious.
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/8-of-androids-best-hidden-features-and-where-you-can-find-them
Links - News, Tips, & Downloads
Wi-Fi Range Extender vs. Mesh Network: What's the Difference? - Looking to increase the power of your current wireless connection? Learn the difference between a Wi-Fi extender and a mesh system to make a better decision.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/wi-fi-range-extender-vs-mesh-network-whats-the-difference
Best mesh Wi-Fi systems for the office and home: Netgear, Google, and more - With remote working and video calls becoming the 'new normal', now is a good time to upgrade your wi-fi with the latest mesh networking systems for improved coverage.
How to Spot Fake News Online - Not sure which sources to trust when you're online? As the US election looms, these browser plug-ins and online tools can help you figure out how to detect fake news sites.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-spot-fake-news-online
Native American Tribe Gets Early Access to SpaceX's Starlink and Says It's Fast - 'It seemed like out of nowhere SpaceX just came up and catapulted us into the 21st century,' says a leader of the Hoh tribe, which is based in a remote area of Washington state.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/native-american-tribe-gets-early-access-to-spacexs-starlink-and-says-its
Drive Full: How to Avoid Running Out of Storage Space on Every Device - There's nothing worse that running out of storage space in a crunch. Avoid that gotcha by regularly following our step-by-step instructions for checking how much space you have left on your Mac, PC, iPhone, Android Phone, iCloud account, Dropbox account, and other key places.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/drive-full-how-to-avoid-running-out-of-storage-space-on-every-device
26 Instagram Tips, Hacks, and Features You Should Know - Instagram turns 10 this week, but how well do you know the ins and outs of Facebook's popular app? From getting verified to keeping the trolls at bay, these Instagram tips and tricks will make you a photo-sharing pro.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/top-instagram-tips-for-the-photo-obsessed
How to Factory Reset Windows 10 - If your Windows 10 machine isn’t working as well as it should be, it might be time to restore the computer to its out-of-the-box settings. Here’s how to factory reset your PC.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-factory-reset-windows-10
FBI Warns Against Using Hotel Wi-Fi for Work - The FBI says hotels in cities across the US have lax security, allowing for easy exploitation by malicious actors.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/fbi-warns-against-using-hotel-wi-fi-for-work
23 Google Search Tips You'll Want to Learn - Most of us use Google every day, but many have likely only scratched the surface of the search engine's power. Here's how to get better results from a Google search.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/23-google-search-tips-youll-want-to-learn
Several Interesting Apps:
Coordinate Family Activities - Make life easier by sharing calendars, to-do lists, shopping lists and other family matters with loved ones. Cozi Family Organizer
Get More Hours Out Of Your Day - Improve focus and productivity by controlling use of Facebook and other time-draining websites and apps. Freedom-Blockk Distractions
Keep Your Car Safe and Sound - Enter the car's Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to find out whether it has any open safety recalls. A/so
helpful: Recall alerts will be sent to your mobile devices. From the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. SaferCar
Easier Meal Planning - Enter food preferences, portion size and other information to generate customized meal plans-plus recipes galore and accompanying grocery lists. Mealime
Boost Your Word Power - Look up synonyms, antonyms, examples of usage and more to make writing more lucid, vivacious and succinct. Word Hippo
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