UKTV BOX update

OK. We have now finished testing the box, and have made a few changes to the design.
Since many people have either an external hard drive or various USB sticks we felt that having an internal hard drive as an option wasn't really needed, and plus its easier to transfer your films and music by plugging in the external HD etc in to your PC or laptop. Another reason for removing this option is that the box now gets three USB ports instead of one. So more possibilities for connection. The SD slot has stayed.
 As an example; our demo box has a 500GB external hard drive connected and a web cam leaving the third port for  a wireless remote keyboard or USB stick.
Skype works really well on the box. As does the various UK TV options, yes we really do have more than one option for watching UK TV on the box.
If you are in the Costa Blanca area and would like to arrange for a free demo at your villa/apartment  then contact us. Please put UK TV in the subject heading. You must already have an internet connection of at least 3Mb for the demo to work properly. 
Prices are 150 Euros for the box plus 25 Euros for set up should you require it.

The Gold Smart Box in action

 

Gadgets must be charged while flying on certain routes

 Due to heightened security concerns from the U.S travellers flying on certain routes from major UK airports are now required to prove that their gadgets must turn on. Actually the U.S said "certain overseas airports" implement enhanced security measures.
 So if your phone, tablet laptop etc won't power up you will not be able to bring it onto the flight. Many airlines have offered to store the un-powered device for you so you can pick it up on your return. Other airlines have offered the MailandFly service offered by the firm Bagport, which is based at Heathrow's security control. This allows travellers to mail their un-powered devices to them or to be stored in a warehouse to pick up on return. Exactly who pays for this service depends on the airline in question.
BA are also allowing passengers to rebook their flights.
 Trying to keep your devices charged all the time can be quite a nightmare especially if you have left your charger on the bedroom table the night before.
 In the good old days I actually used to travel with a home made power pack to keep my portable CD player charged while travelling.  These days you can actually buy rechargeable power packs to keep your gadgets charged. These are ideal if you are no where near a power outlet or the outlet is the wrong type  for your adapter to plug into.
 I have now have a rechargeable solar powered power pack (can also be charged via a USB port on a laptop etc) that when fully charged will charge my smart phone to about 80% charge from flat. Its slower than using a mains adapter, but if I am out and about its a god send.
 So where can you get these power packs from one place is China Vasion they offer various different types depending on your need.
 The higher the mAH rating the longer they will last or the more things they can charge. And if they are solar powered you can charge your phone any where. I have actually used mine on the beach.

UK TV online

We have decided in conjunction with FilmOn to provide a UK TV only version of their site along with something for the kids and movies as well. Film4 is in the movie section. There is also a mobile website version too.

We will also be producing an Android App for your Smart phone or tablet.

Then by the end of the month we will have our own set top box as well for sale.

Stay tuned.

Windows 8.1 or how to alienate your customer base. And wait for Windows 9.

Just had the joy of setting up a new laptop for a client.  Mind you thanks to Windows 8.1 it was far from enjoyable. But it is slightly better than Windows 8.
 Problems are many. When setting up you need to set up a Microsoft email account (aka a Hotmail or Windows Live email). Why do I want this when I have adequate email resources already. There is a way round it but you shouldn't have to do it in the first place.
 And as for the god awful touch screen interface, which is a real nightmare if you don't have a touch-screen, fortunately 8.1 comes with the familiar desktop we know and love and you can have the option to boot up into this, so that's good.
 Just getting to grips with the new operating system will take even the most experienced Windows user time. Nothing is where it should be. Its there it just takes time to find.
 Also most people still use a mouse and a keyboard, so why Microsoft thought other wise is beyond me.
And guess what 2015 will see the launch of wait for it Windows 9. So it seems Windows 8 is more of a test platform rather to try out new ideas.
 I think Microsoft changed too much too soon. So it will be interesting what Windows 9 will be like. It can not be any worse.

IE Flaw fixed

Amazingly last Thursday, 1st May, Microsoft has fixed the bug (see my last post) that allowed a hacker to take over your pc.
Not only that they have also provided a fix for XP as well.
So hats off to Microsoft for providing an XP fix, well done.

Internet Explorer Bug

Thought I needed to post something on this as it effects probably all Windows users, especially those running XP.
 So what is all the fuss about. Well Internet Explorer or IE as it is often referred to, has a major flaw. It is possible for a hacker to take control of your computer without you knowing about it.
 This flaw as Microsoft is calling it is on all versions of IE from 6 to 11.
Microsoft has said the following statement;
"If the current user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system”
 So its quite serious. So how does an attacker exploit this flaw. Well they would need you to click on a link, either on a website or maybe in an email, which would take you to a special website site which would then allow the hacker to take over your system.
 There are a few problems here for the would be attacker as you have to actually click on the dodgy  link first.
 The flaw allows a hacker to install programs, change user rights and passwords. They could even delete files or programs.
 Microsoft as usual haven't said they would produce an immediate fix rather "may include providing a solution through our monthly security update release process, or an out-of-cycle security update, depending on customer needs". Read that as if you are willing to pay we will fix it quicker or you are going to have to wait.
Plus as of Monday 28th April 2014 UK and U.S Governments have both said you should avoid using IE, so you know the flaw is pretty bad.

What can be done

Change to an alternative web browser such as Firefox. I use Firefox, and only use IE when forced you. Many sites only work with IE becuase they think its more secure, as I have always said IE is about as secure as a chocolate teapot.
 Its much better than IE anyway.
 And this would also solve a problem for XP users who won't be getting any more security updates.
Alternatives to Firefox are Chrome, Opera, Safari and a host of others. Personally I would use either Firefox or Chrome.
If you receive any emails requesting you click on a link in the email, don't. Even if the email looks official still don't click, confirm the email is genuine first.
Apart from that you will have to wait until Microsoft releases a security fix.

Another option would be to change to Ubuntu. Then you wouldn't have this problem.

If you have any questions just ask them in the comments section.

Alternatives to Windows- How to Install Ubuntu

If you are looking to update your Windows XP machine then why not give Linux a try. Its free can do everything Windows can and is less susceptible to viruses. Its also much easier to install than it use to be. I think its actually a lot easier to install than windows, as everything is virtually automatic. And you n most cases you won't need to buy a new PC.
 So where do you get Linux from. Well there are many different version of Linux out there, but one of the best versions is called Ubuntu. This is currently on version 13.10. And you can download it from here.
Unlike Windows, you have what I like to call a try before you install option. Just select the try Ubuntu option. So you can see if it will work on your computer before committing to an install.
 If downloading Ubuntu is a bit scary then you can always order a CD from me just email me (click on the email me link) and please put Ubuntu CD in the subject heading. Currently a CD costs 15€, this includes postage to almost anywhere in Europe. But hold on didn't you say Ubuntu is free, so why do I have to pay for a CD. Well the cost covers the CD/DVD, my time and postage and packaging.
So what next this describes the procedure for Ubuntu 13.04, but is similar for 13.10.
1. Make sure the PC is turned off and insert the Linux CD into the drive. Also you will need to make sure it can connect to the internet, so have wifi passwords availableor the ethernet / network cable is connected to your computer and to the router. And if you are installing on a laptop make sure you are connected to the mains.
2. Turn on your pc, make sure to then watch out for the Boot options menu, this os often accessed by pressing F12 and then select Boot from CD. The boot options screen looks something like those below.

You may be prompted with the message "Press any key to boot from CD.." so make sure you don't miss this, as you may have to restart the PC to load the Ubuntu CD.

3. You will now see a language menu and options to Try or Install Ubuntu.
The default option here is Try Ubuntu . This will simply load Ubuntu from the CD but will not write or instal any files to your computer. This is the try before you install option. Which is a good way of seeing if Ubuntu will work. It won't run as fast as the installed version since it has to accesses the CD rom drive to run. But it will give you a good idea of what to expect.
4. Assuming you have tried and now want to install follow steps 1 to 2 then at the Welcome / Language option screen, select your preferred language and then select the Install Ubuntu option. See picture bellow.

5. At this stage you will see a screen which says Preparing to install Ubuntu. It will tell you that it needs at least 5.4GB of disk space and that its connected to the internet. It will show you if you meet these requirements with green ticks. You should also make sure that download updates while installing is selected and that install this third party software has been selected. If you are installing on a lap top you will also get a statement saying you are connected to mains power.

6. You may be asked to connect to connect to the internet. Normally you are only asked this if you connect via WiFi (wirelessly). It will give you a list of possible WiFi connections to choose from. So just choose your WiFi connection. If you are unsure then just take a quick look on the bottom of your router it will tell you on there.Select the connection and enter in the wifi password.

7. Next you need how you are going to install Ubuntu. Depending on your computer set up will depend on what is displayed.
The most common options are :

• Erase disc and install Ubuntu

Normally if you have a clean or new disc drive. And the install procedure hasn't detected another operating system.

•  Reinstall Ubuntu 13.04/Install Ubuntu alongside another OS .

 Choose this option ONLY if you have a previous Ubuntu 13.04 (for example a Beta version of it) installed and you want to reinstall it, or if there's another OS, such as Windows XP, on the target hard drive and you want to make a dual-boot system.

• Erase OS and reinstall

Choose this option ONLY if you have another OS such as XP and you want to install Ubuntu 13.04 on a fresh drive, replacing the existing OS. This option will completely wipe the target disk drive of any data on it. So if you need some of your files, make copies first.

• Encrypt the new Ubuntu installation for security (optional)

Choose this option to fully encrypt your entire Ubuntu installation with a strong passphrase that you will have to input in the next step of the installation. Not recommended for most users.

• Something else (advanced)

Not recommended for most users.

Showing some of the options.

Once you have chosen your option click Install Now. Then just except the partition choices that are presented to you.

To help reduce installation time Ubuntu will start the installation procedure in the background while you continue with the install options.

8. You now need to tell Ubuntu where you are. The next screen shows a world map. You can either just point to your location on the map, or enter your location in the space below the map. This allows Ubuntu to configure the system clock correctly and other location based features.

9. You now select your keyboard layout. 9 times out of 10 it will automatically select the correct layout for you. The set up screen is similar to that shown below.

10. Ubuntu now needs to know who your are. This is just basically a user name and password, just like in a Windows systems.

11. With all the configuration options now set Ubuntu will continue with the install. So go off and make a cup of tea and coffee and come back. The screens will look something like this.

12. fifteen to twenty minutes later your install should be finished. And you will be presented with the log in screen.

And now you will see your new Ubuntu Desktop

You have just now installed Ubuntu on your PC. Happy computing.

Support For XP is Ending

Initially I was going to do a post on VPNs which would give you access to On Demand TV services.
But decided to write about that at a later date.
 Microsoft has announced that it will stop supporting Windows XP from April 8th 2014. After all the operating system is over 12 years old.
So what does this mean.

• Well this means no more automatic updates to correct system issues. 
•  Microsoft will also stop providing Microsoft Security Essentials for download on Windows XP on this date. (If you already have Microsoft Security Essentials installed, you will continue to receive antimalware signature updates for a limited time, total support will stop on July 14th 2015)

Don't Panic it doesn't mean you trusty reliable Windows XP machine will suddenly stop working, it will continue to work.  After all there are still 500 million computers still running windows XP worldwide.
Many Antivirus and Antimalare Software companies will continue to support XP, for the foreseeable future, so you can download one of these listed Antivirus programs instead of the Microsoft Software.
I like AVG Free or Avast Free. both do a good job. And remember its important to keep these up to date, by regularly updating the software.  Avast has said it will continue support for XP, since almost a quarter of its users still use XP, thats about 50 million users.
 Microsoft has also released (Tuesday 11th March 2014) a series of updates/patches for XP service pack 3 or if you are running the 64 bit version service pack 2 this may be the last batch of patches/Updates we will see for XP. 

Other alternatives would be to upgrade your PC, but this may not be compatible with either the awful Windows 8 or Windows 7 (if you can still get a copy of it). You could go out and buy a new PC but this will more than likely have Windows 8 and not be that cheap.

There are other options and most of these are free.
I will write another post, in a couple of weeks, about the free alternatives to the Windows  Operating System.

Some interesting factoids for you.
Did you know;

•  85%  of PCs in Britain’s National Health Service are still running Windows XP.
•  55% of computer users in China still run XP
• 70% of computer users on the Cook Islands run XP
• Spain has some of  the oldest computer software and hardware in use in the whole of western Europe
•  3.5 million small and medium-sized companies in Spain still use XP on their computer systems

UK TV With Out a VPN

There has been many discussions about the great TV switch off, as many people have lost their UK SAT TV channels here in Spain.This is due to recent changes to the Astra satellite network.
So what options are available if you want UK TV.
Well fortunately there is a free option if you have a computer and of course an internet conenction.  There is a website called Filmon . This has at the moment 27 Free To Air (FTA) UK channels. These are part of what you would get if you where in the UK and using the terrestrial  FreeView service. Sometimes referred to as Digital Terestial  TV.
So you get BBC 1,2,3,4, ITV 1,2,3,4 and the plus one services. CH4, CH5 etc and Quest.  I won't list all of them here. Film 4 is also on there but this is under the heading of Feature Movie. So just scroll down and select the Feature Movie Option and you will find Film 4 in there.

Screen Shot Showing BBC One on Filmon, working.

 If you have an Android smart phone or iPhone FilmOn  have an app, so you can watch UK TV on your mobile. But I would only do this if you are connected to WiFi, rather than your mobile data plan.








But is there a way to connect my TV to my computer. Fortunately there is. If you have a modern flat screen TV then its quite easy.

Just look on your laptop for either a VGA socket or HDMI socket.

Typical VGA socket on a Laptop

The VGA socket on your laptop will look like this.  Most VGA sockets are blue in colour, but this isn't always the case. Now look for a similar socket on your TV. 






The socket on the TV will look a lot like this one below.

Typical VGA socket on a flat screen TV

Once you have located the sockets on your laptop and TV you will need to buy a VGA lead. You are probably better off going to your local PC shop, so you make sure you get the right one.
 9 times out of 10 you just need to connect the cable to the TV and then to your Laptop. Your laptop should automatically see the TV. Just make sure you have selected the correct input on your TV.

The tricky one is sound. You will need to use either a 3.5mm stereo jack to 3.5mm stereo jack  lead .   It should look like the one on the left.

If your laptop is quite new then it may not have a VGA socket or your TV might not have one either.
So what can you do. Well the next socket to check for is what is called HDMI.


The HDMI socket will look like this one below.

HDMI socket on a TV

You should find something like this on your TV.





On your laptop it will look like the one below

If you have these sockets then you just need an HDMI to HDMI cable.






You have checked your laptop or PC or TV can't find the required sockets what do you do. Well there are several options.
Best one is to either call your local PC repair guy such as myself. I work in the Costa Blana area of Spain. And ask them what to do.
Another option would be to buy an Android Smart TV box but make sure it can connect to your TV. You would then need to download the Filmon app from Google play.
 The following Android Smart TV will work on TVs that have a scart socket.

Android Smart TV box showing an AV connector (Ringed in red)

Android TV Box Showing Composite Video and Audio Sockets.

 Then you will need to but a scart to composite video and RCA stereo adapter.

The picture shows a Scart to RCA audio (Red and White) and Composite video (Yellow) adapter

This will work with both the shown Android TV boxes.
The picture showing the Av connector comes with a special lead. As shown below. These leads can also be bought separately as well.  

As always if in doubt contact an expert in these matters.

Next month how to get iPlayer and other catch up services.

Buying a Dual Sim phone

When buying a dual sim phone there are several things you must look out for.
This section applies to basic dual sim phones.  I will talk about smart phones later on in the blog.

Basic Phones

1.  Make sure the phone is a true dual sim, either you will be able to see 2 signal bars on the phone or it will say in the specs dual sim standby.  
2. Network type. 2G: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz (often refered to as quad band) this will make sure its compatible with any GSM network anywhere in the world. Baisc 2G phones will not have any data connection so no mobile web surfing or twitter or facebook.

Basic Dual Sim Phone

If you look at the top left corner you will see two antennas labeled 1 & 2. You can see 1 has a signal but 2 has no signal, but in the centre you see the words Insert SIM2 so this is a true dual sim phone.
Proper dual sim phones will let you select which sim to use, and both sims can be active at the same time.

Price of Basic phones are about 15 to 40 Euros
Click on this link to see an example.






Budget Smart Phones.

Budget smart phones will normally have the Android operating system and have WiFi capability. But normally no 3G capability so no mobile data, you will need to use the WiFi data connection.
So 1 and 2 from above apply but also check:

1. Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n
2. Bluetooth 
3. SD card slot is nice to have as most budget smart phones have a limited memory.
4. At least a 1Ghz CPU though some budget ranges even come with a dual core CPU which is much better, as this is like having 2 CPUs 
5. Capacitive touch screen this may or may not be multi touch. Multi touch allows more than one finger on the screen. 
6. Make sure it can connect to Google Play. This is the Android app store
7. Android version should be 2.3 or higher. Most will be either 2.3, 4.0 or 4.2 . Current Android version as of 18 Feb 2014 is 4.4 
8. Camera probably won't be that great but ok for social networking. 

Picture showing dual sim graphic

This picture shows the 2 signal meters. These can be seen to the left of the battery icon on the right hand side of the screen.
 As there is no SIM card in any slot both meters show an X .

 Budget Smart phones will be about 45 to 100 Euros.
Examples can be found here.






Smart Phones. 

These will have the Android operating system and will have both 3G mobile data connection and WiFi capability. 

1. 3G: WCDMA 850/2100 MHz Conectivity.
2. Bluetooth
3. SD card up to 32Gb
4. At least a dual core 1Ghz CPU some my also have a seperate GPU (graphics processor unit), better if you like playing games. Some of the newer are quad (4xCPU) or even octo (8xcpu) core CPU's. 
5. Multi touch capacitive screen most will be at least three point touch.
6. Rear camera should be at least 3 to 5mp (mega pixels). Front camera can be anything upwards from 0.3mp 
7. Screen size at least 4 inches
8. Android version should be at least 4.0
9. Google Play connectivity.
10. GPS 

Many so called budget phones will have  some of the above features too. But be aware that unless its a dual core it will be slow. So Angry birds may not play that well on it. 
 Many of the top end dual sim phones will have 1 standard sim slot and the other will be what is called a micro sim slot. It is possible to trim a standard sim card to the micro format, but its probably safer to ask for a replacement micro sim card from your provider.

Dual sim Smart Phone

This picture shows a dual sim smart phone. SIM 1 and SIM 2 (this is the micro SIM card slot) . The card slot on the right is for a micro SD card. 

Smart phones range in price from 100 to 300 Euros. 





That's it for now.   More in March. 
The Tech Doctor

Dual Sim Mobiles

So what are Dual Sim Mobiles. These are phones that can take two mobile sim cards. They are not a new idea and have actually been around for quite some time. Finnish company Benefon probably produced  what is recognised as the first dual sim phone in 2000.

 The reasons for having a Dual Sim mobile are many. 

• You may have a great talk rate with one provider but need another provider for a good data rate. If you have a Dual Sim phone you can  simply pop in the  two sim cards and tell the phone which one is for voice and which one is for data. 
• You travel to and from the UK to another country often. So you can have a UK sim card and another for the country you are in. So there is no need to carry another phone.
• You have one sim card for business and another for personal use. This is how I use a Dual Sim phone.
• Another option is that often you get no coverage on one provider but you do with another. Like today I have no coverage where I am on sim 2 but  sim1 has coverage.  I have different providers for each sim card.

So basically a Dual Sim Mobile negates the need for carrying two phones around with you. You only need to have one, so only one phone to remember to take with you, only one phone to worry about charging. 
 I can only think of one disadvantage and that is if  your phone is lost or stolen you have lost two sim cards, not one.

So why aren't the major manufacturers making Dual Sim phones, well actually they are. Samsung, LG and HTC all make Dual Sim phones, and many smaller manufacturers do too. The reason they are not available in your average mobile phone shop is to do with money. Most mobile providers want to tie you in to their network only. A Dual Sim phone means you are not tied to just one provider.  In countries like India both HTC and Samsung have released Dual Sim phones. 

So where can I buy one well I would recommend using a site like Chinavasion they have a vast choice from basic Dual Sim phones to Android powered Dual Sim phones.  

My next blog will deal with what to look for when buying a Dual Sim mobile.

Welcome to the Tech Doctor Spain blog

Hi and welcome.
In this blog I will be writing reviews on gadgets, technology and computers.
I will be updating the blog once a month, so always check back often to see what's new.
Kind regards
The Tech Doctor.