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.