iKnowElectronics

Internet Speed

2009-03-25T21:55:00.000-07:00

With so many different services available for internet it is hard to know if you're getting the best speed for your dollar. In some cases your computer itself can be a cause to the internet running slow, so it's best to test your speed. Use speedtest.net to find your speed, and if you're running a bit slow maybe it's time for a change in service provider, or time to finally get high speed internet if you've never had it before. You can Get Blazing Fast Internet with Qwest Fiber Optic Technology to finally get the boost in speed that you want.Get Qwest® High-Speed Internet starting at $14.99!

So whats next?

2009-02-26T14:27:00.000-08:00

As we expand the website by adding more terminology, and updating changes in today's technology, we wonder to ourselves "what else does the world need to know?" And while we can sit around guessing all day we decided it would be best to ask our visitors "what would you like to know?" So whether it's a video that you want made to show you how to use a certain product, or what products are worth while; or a new tool to be available on the site as a reference guide; whatever it is, we'd love to have you help us change the site! So how do you help? Easy! The easiest thing to do is to add a comment to this post with your suggestion, or you can submit a private request by using our question form on our home page. However you'd like to let us know, we are excited to hear from you! And don't forget to subscribe to our blog (subscribe link to the right) and follow our blog (follow link to the right) to stay up to date!

Memory Card Guide

2009-02-15T15:30:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder how much memory your phone could hold,
or what type of memory card it uses? Use our simple guide to select your phone and find your memory card.
The reason for using a memory card in your phone is that you have the ability to store music, pictures, and videos. It also can sometimes increase the speed of your phone.
So click here to learn what potential your phone has!
Visit Cell Phone Shop and save up to 80% on your cell phone accessories

Computer running slow? There are ways to speed it up.

2009-02-14T09:32:00.000-08:00

If your computer is running slow there are a few possible causes. One problem may be that you have filled up too much of your hard drive (you have too much stored on your computer). To check if this is the problem and you are using a Windows computer, simply open up "my computer" and then right click on the image that says "(c:)" and select
"properties"(this is your hard drive). For Apple users just "control + click" on the hard drive icon and select "get info". In the window that opens up it will show you the amount "used" and the amount "available" if over 80% of your hard drive is "used" than your computer will run slow and it is very likely for it to crash. In this case get an external hard drive (a hard drive that plugs in to the USB slot on your computer) and move all of the files that you don't use on your computer to the external hard drive.

If this is not the case than the most probable cause of your computer running slow is that you do not have enough RAM. RAM, or random access memory, is what allows you to do multiple things on the computer at once. With newer computers running Windows Vista, or older computers that you've added a lot of programs to, you most likely do not have the RAM necessary to make your computer function properly. The best way to check if this is the case is visit Crucial.com
where you can do a "memory scan" of your computer and it will detect what type of RAM that you need and how much you should get. Crucial offers very good prices on RAM and is a great website to upgrade your computer to get what you need to make it function properly.

The one other thing that can make your computer run slow is if you have a Virus or Spyware. These are serious issues that can cause pop ups, allow others to view your private information, and slow down your computer. If you don't have a virus program, or haven't updated your virus program in the last year than it is very likely that you have a virus. One of the best anti-virus programs that we recommend is Trend Micro Internet Security 2009.
It is a great value and will protect your computer without slowing it down like many other anti-virus programs.

After you have checked your hard drive space, your RAM, and your virus protection than your computer should be running better than ever. Don't forget to check out our computer page for more information.

Ingenuity

2009-02-11T06:29:00.000-08:00

If you want a quick and easy way to listen to music on your Mp3 player without using headphones the best thing to do is plug them in to your computer speakers. Most computer speakers use a 3.5mm audio jack that is the same size as headphone jacks. All that you need to do is unplug your speakers from the computer, and plug in the cable into the headphone jack on your Mp3 player (or iPod).

Keeping up with Technology

2009-02-10T09:27:00.001-08:00

It's true that technology is always changing and there is a lot of fear about learning anything new because it is bound to change right away. However, there are some easy ways of staying on top of technology and overcoming that initial fear. First off, good technology is made to be easy to understand and use. Don't be afraid with playing around, clicking buttons, changing settings, and see what happens. There is usually not too much harm that can be done by playing around (that is what technology is made for). The more you submerse yourself with technology the easier it is to understand. This is not hard to do. Shop around and explore what is on clearance vs. what looks like it was just put on display. Also, it is good to read blogs like EnGadget to see what the "techies" are saying about the newest technology, even if you don't understand it. And of course the best thing to do is always check iKnowElectronics.com for technology advice and various resources. Ask questions, play around, and explore. Even if this doesn't give you a complete understanding with how things work you will at least feel more comfortable with the latest technology.

DTV Transition Update

2009-02-07T10:01:00.001-08:00

The DTV transition has been delayed by several months due to a large part of the population not being prepared for the switch. Do not wait to purchase your digital converter box if you need one. You need a box if: you have a TV not connected to satellite or cable, and does not have a digital tuner (ATSC) built in to it. Some digital converter boxes are already being discontinued and many TV stations are continuing the transition on the previous date because of the cost of the analog signal. The new date is going to be June 12th. The advantages of digital TV (DTV) is a clearer picture without any "fuzz." With DTV the picture either comes in perfect, or does not come in at all. This means that if you have stations that come in fairly "fuzzy" than you may need a better antenna. For most people your current antenna should work perfectly fine.

Digital Converter Box Setup Video
More Information

We want to hear from you

2009-02-06T22:32:00.001-08:00

Let us know what you'd like to know more about when it comes to today's technology. Visit the main page of iKnowElectronics and enter in any question that you have, or click here to give us feedback about the blog and our site. We are currently working on some major changes that will help to keep up in this constantly changing world of electronics. We look forward to your feedback.

Amazing Piece of plastic

2009-02-06T22:30:00.000-08:00

The
Invisible Shield is a pretty incredible military grade plastic that protects nearly any portable electronic device (cell phones and mp3 players). They go on completely invisible (no airbubbles or dirty finger prints) and stay on really secure. They are great because they really don't ever scratch. We have tried cutting different Invisible Shields to fit other products and even with a box cutter knife they wasn't even a scratch. We really do recommend having one for mp3 players and cell phones escpecially so that your device always looks brand new! Click on the picture to visit their website and pick out one for you phone or mp3 player. Get the invisibleSHIELD

Best bet for entry level Blu-ray players

2008-12-13T21:35:00.000-08:00

So if you're checking out some base level Blu-ray players, here are some basic comparisons between three of the major brands out there; Sony, Panasonic, and Samsung. Each of these brands have a player in the $299 and $399 range. So where to go? They all will play blu-ray, upconvert, have HDMI 1.3, and output 1080p. The differences are small, but may save you some time.

The Panasonic's and Sony's have a 1 year warranty, while the Samsung's only come with a 90 day (must have been too much to spring for a whole year of labor coverage). The Panasonic $299 model, BD35, is all set for BD live, while the Sony(BDPS350) and Samsung (BDP-1500) are BD-live ready, meaning a firmware upgrade will be needed before this feature will work.

The big difference between the $299 and $399 levels for all brands is audio decoding for Dolby true HD and DTS HD. All brands offer a 7.1ch analog out, which will work with most receivers purchased in the last 10 years or so. Here the only standout seems to be the Panasonic DMPBD55 because of its 192/24 D/A converters. Sony and Samsung aren't sharing what D/A's they're using, which leads me to believe they skimped here. My vote goes to the Panasonic 35 and 55 models, with Sony following up in the second spot with the 350 and 550, and Samsung takes the rear with the 1500 and 2500.

Digital Converter Box Setup

2008-12-05T00:07:00.001-08:00

This video will quickly show you how to setup your digital converter box.
Remember:
-you will only need a digital converter box if you do not have cable or satellite
-the transition will take place on February 17th 2009, so be ready!
-digital is better because it is clearer, it is possible to receive more channels, and you will never have static

If you have more questions then let us know by leaving a comment!

Holiday Shopping Guide

2008-11-26T21:50:00.000-08:00

This is our first video for our new video series called "Inside Ike" This episode contains helpful information about what to look for this holiday when shopping for yourself, and for gifts, enjoy...

Fun Web Video

2008-11-24T18:38:00.000-08:00

We made this one for fun, let us know what you think ;)

Bluetooth

2008-11-20T08:41:00.000-08:00

Bluetooth is a pretty awesome wireless capability, primarily used on cell phones. You can "pair" a bluetooth cell phone with a bluetooth device by
1) going into the bluetooth menu (usually found in the "connections" menu) and turn bluetooth on
tip: if you're pairing the phone with a headset then all you must do is hold down the main call button to activate it
2) then in the same menu there should be a "search for devices" which will find all of the bluetooth devices in your area.
3) once the device that you're looking for comes up than select that device and select "pair"
4) most times it will ask for a password so enter that.
tip: usually the password is "0000"
5) now you're ready to use the bluetooth device.

Bluetooth headsets are becoming very popular because of the convenience of driving in your car and being able to talk on the phone (in many states it is illegal to talk on the phone while driving if you're not using a bluetooth headset). This technology also has great uses for sending information to a computer, or using a bluetooth home phone with your cell phone, to eliminate the need for a home phone service. If there are any other questions or comments about bluetooth and what it can do, or how to use it, post a comment!

Friends

2008-11-01T10:16:00.000-07:00

We appreciate all of the support from everyone interested in our website. If you like our electronic information site, than you may like this home remodeling website:Charlie-Nail.com. We love to hear from anyone who has found our site to be helpful so leave comments for Charlie-Nail, or for any other great site out there!

Electronic Guidance

2008-10-29T11:04:00.000-07:00

We know electronics are confusing...that's why we are here! Tell us what you need to know. Is there something on our website that is unclear? Do you have questions that aren't answered the site? Are you trying to do something and need a little bit of clearification? Whatever your needs are, write a comment and let us know and we'll answer your question right away so that we can improve our site to better help you!

The G1

2008-10-27T17:40:00.000-07:00

I never want to miss a moment of life on the internet so I'm all about Blackberry's, and iPhone's, and of course now the G1. After playing around with it, it seems to perform pretty well and it has some nice features to it. Not a lot of apps yet, but the web browsing worked really well, a good picture viewer and Mp3 player, Google mapping is awesome on it, and the quick e-mail access it offers is really nice. The downside to me is that it relies on the QWERTY keyboard (keyboard with a computer keyboard layout) with no option of on screen keys. It is also short of the multi touch recognition so you can't use two fingers to zoom in and out. Otherwise the price is right, and the data plan (the requirement to get internet, e-mail, gps, and texting) is very reasonable. I am curious if anyone else has opinions, feel free to post!

GPS

2008-10-27T14:11:00.000-07:00

With GPS, or Global Positioning Systems, starting to enter the realm of reasonably priced electronics, their popularity is sure to grow even more this holiday season so it's about time we get to know them. What's the difference, is there a quality difference between prices or brands, What features do I need; these are all questions faced when looking through the overwhelming assortment. Different units are made with a different intent in mind: some for the trails/water, some for the motorcycle, and most for the car. Nearly all GPS's are touch screen LCD's (liquid crystal displays) which means that they can be effected by the cold and sometimes by heat (they are best not left outside during the winter). Most GPS systems rely on a built in mapping system (usually created by Navteq) combined with satellite communication to show your position and your destination. They all of built in "points-of-interest" (some have more than others) that include things such as restaurants and gas stations that you can find by name, or category while on the road.

Features:

- One feature that starts separating the prices of units is "text-to-speech." This allows the GPS to announce the names of streets so that you do not have to take your eyes off of the road.

- As you move up from text-to-speech, the next feature usually found is "bluetooth." Bluetooth conveniently allows you to make hands free phone calls by the GPS having complete wireless access to your phone (can be useful in states where it is illegal to hold a handset while driving). This way you can call your contacts, or phone a point-of-interest before arrival without touching your phone.

- FM Transmitters are built in some units which allows for bluetooth, or any Mp3 player function, as well as the voice prompts of the GPS unit to be transmitted to your radio over an FM frequency such as 88.1.

- Traffic / Weather Information can be found on some GPS's with MSN mapping, or with FM Recievers. This allows you to see any road work, traffic, or weather problems that may be causing a delay. On units with MSN mapping, it also allows you to check gas prices, and movie times. (some units are capable of this feature but require additional hardware)

- One of the newest features available is "speech recognition" which does just as it implies; recognizes what you say. With this feature you don't have to touch the screen to tell the GPS what to do, you verbally tell it what to do. This feature is available on a wide price range of GPS units from different brands, but is best with the Garmin Nuvi 880.

These features are usually added the the GPS units in the order listed above meaning that you must pay a premium to get the "speech recognition" and Traffic information.

Brands:

Two of the most popular brands are Garmin and TomTom. Both of these manufactures make a wide range of high quality GPS units. Magellan has the distinction of having AAA Roadside assistance built in for AAA Members. There are many other manufactures such as Cobra, Mio, Harmon Kardon, etc. available which will function, but usually not as efficiently as Garmin and TomTom. One value GPS is the Insignia brand GPS which has many features available at a very competitive price.

Map Updates:

Map Updates are a good idea in order to get the newest maps available. Some companies, like TomTom have "mapshare" programs for readily available updates, while others, like Garmin, release new maps once per year. (You should expect to pay for newer maps)

Subscribe to our newsletter

2008-10-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

We are now starting a great newsletter that we will be sending out monthly. It will be loaded with electronic news, advice, tips, and of course changes to iknowelectronics.com. Be sure to go to the contact page and subscribe by entering your email at the bottom.

New Blog

2008-10-26T23:21:00.001-07:00

We are trying a new blog, so let us know what you think!