Hardware

Laptop or desktop computers and any components within.

What should I look for when buying a laptop?

Episode 970

Charlene from Westchester, NY
Acer Aspire S7 Ultrabook

Charlene would like to get a new laptop that has a large screen. Leo says that will impact her mobility, but if Charlene is looking for a desktop replacement, then it may make more sense to have a larger screen and more power.

Should I get a solid state drive?
Leo says that SSD drives start up faster, run faster, and he doesn't get a computer anymore without them. She should get either a 128GB or 256GB SSD drive.

Dick DeBartolo

Episode 969

This week, the Giz Wiz brings along the EpiShock, a small surface vibration speaker device that plugs into any music source with a 3.5mm headphone jack. Simply put Epishock down on any hard flat surface like a desk or table and you will be amazed by the sound quality. It has a volume control and comes with a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery providing 6+ hours of playtime. You can daisy chain them, and according to the company, the more you plug in the louder they can get.

How can I overclock a computer?

Patrick from Sullivan, IL

Episode 968

Patrick is 10 years old and just built his first gaming computer. Now he wants to overclock it. Leo says that overclocking is where he would make a computer chip run faster than it's rated to run. In order to do it, he'll need to change settings in the motherboard and bump the voltage a bit. Often he would have to cool it down more because the faster it runs, the hotter it gets. If it gets unreliable, it's overheating. It's not usually possible to go more than 5-10% faster. The best place to learn more is at OverClock.net.

Why does my TV keep turning back on after I turn it off?

Episode 968

Lee from Colton, CA
Vizio

Lee recently bought a Vizio 55" TV. However, frequently when he turns the TV off, it will either stay on or turn back on again. Leo says the TV probably senses the signal loss and then just stays on. It's perfectly normal and Leo suggests going into the TV menu settings to make sure it's set to turn off when the cable box goes off.

Dick DeBartolo

Episode 967

The craziest gadget that Dickie D has ever shared with us may be the Glove Handset, which is a glove that is also a bluetooth enabled phone! Warm knit gloves woven with conductive fibers let you operate those touch-screen phones like Androids, iPhones, Windowsphone, and Blackberries - but with extra-added Bluetooth capabilities! In the left glove's thumb is a tiny speaker, and in the pinky is a wee microphone. By extending them both in the usual hand-gesture, you can chat with your friends for up to 20 hours on a charge! It gives "talk to the hand" a whole new meaning.

How can I move all of my 32 bit software to 64 bit computers?

Dudge from New Jersey

Episode 966

Dudge is having a hard time moving to 64 bit. Leo says that the only advantage of 64 bit is to address more memory for gaming, video editing apps, and the like. If his software works fine in 32 bit, then there's no real reason to go to 64 bit. Leo says to keep using what he has until it stops working. When it stops working, upgrade everything.

What does the future hold for Apple computers?

John from Simi Valley, CA

Episode 966

John wonders if Apple is going to stop making computers soon. Leo says that while Apple gets most of it's income from mobile devices and apps that power them, those apps still need to be made on Apple computers. As Steve Jobs once said "somebody still needs to drive the trucks." So Leo thinks that the Apple Mac computer will still exist down the road.

However, Leo is disappointed that Apple seems to be losing their way in the professional world and Hollywood feels abandoned by Final Cut Pro, and many are going back to Avid and Adobe Premiere.