“Articles” collection
Access a diverse collection of expert-led technology reviews, step-by-step tutorials, and insightful commentary on the intersection of modern tech and family life. This hub serves as the primary source for hands-on evaluations and practical advice designed to help you navigate the digital world with confidence.
HTD Tech Briefs
View all →January 29, 2009
Review: Blogo – Mac Blogging Software Done Better
Back in June 2008 I happened across some new blogging software for the Mac called Blogo. The problem was, I was pretty jaded about Mac blogging software having tried MarsEdit, Ecto and MacJournal which all seem to be stuck in the late 90's from an interface perspective. Sure, they all did the job but left a lot to be desired…
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January 23, 2009
Copy & Paste on iPhone: 2 New Options – Clippy & hClipboard
This week two pieces of software came out that allows you to "Copy & paste" on the iPhone. About time, right? Well, you can get them, only if you have a jailbroken iPhone. The first one to hit the streets is called "Clippy" and the second, released today, is called "hClipboard." Both essentially do the same thing: allow you to…
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January 10, 2009
Review: Green Lasers – Fun, Interesting & Somewhat Legal
A few months ago, I was approached by a company called TechLasers about doing a review of a green laser product of theirs. Now, I have to admit, I have always thought that lasers ( which stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) were incredibly "cool". Recently they have been made even more famous through TV shows like…
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January 5, 2009
Ongoing Roundup of Macworld 2009 News, Products, Links, etc.
I will be at (or currently am at) Macworld 2009 this week. As you can see, they have been waiting for me (GRIN – see picture below). I'm hoping to visit quite a few vendors and see what new gadgets and technology are being announced. If you are a vendor, please contact me here. I will be on Twitter (@HighTechDad)…
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December 28, 2008
Fix It: Opening Control Panel Crashes Windows Explorer on XP/Vista
Have you ever tried to open your Control Panel on Windows XP (or Vista) and every time that you attempted it, you received a “Windows Explorer has Stopped Working†message and your entire Windows environment loses all of its functionality? It can be very bothersome and extremely annoying. This happened to me the other day and there wasn’t a very…
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December 12, 2008
Using Twitter is like Fishing
I'm an on and off fisherman, mainly fly fishing; I worked in a few fly fishing shops in my youth (gasp, I'm not THAT old, should I say "youth"?). Also, recently I installed Flick Fishing for the iPhone and have spent numerous hours on my commute trying to hook fish. Well, that go me thinking. Since part of my job…
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December 10, 2008
HTD Tech Tip #6: Putting your Cell Phone on Tinfoil Means No Speaker Interference
Have you ever heard the electronic buzzes and tones (called TDMA noise) that come from your computer speakers when your iPhone or other cellular phone is in close proximity? Typically this happens when your phone is downloading data or about to receive a call. It is EXTREMELY annoying. That is part of the reason why, if you use an FM…
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December 4, 2008
HTD Tech Tip #5: How to Stop Squeaking Computer Bags
I have a great computer bag, believe it or not, it is called "The Blogger" by Timbuk2, appropriate, right?. I have practically no complaints about it, with one BIG exception. It squeaks! When I walk, the hinge seems to rub back and forth, causing a grinding/squeaking noise. It is extremely annoying! You can see the hinge circled in red in…
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November 25, 2008
Microsoft and Family – LifeCam VX-5500 & Microsoft Office 2008
When you think about Microsoft, the first thing that comes to your mind is probably not Family. If you are like me, Microsoft software rules your computer at your office and runs the infrastructure there as well. Microsoft has done quite well in securing the business space from desktop productivity tools like Office to BackOffice systems that get your email…
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November 17, 2008
Fix-it: iPhone “Sync Session Could Not Be Started”
Well this past weekend I ran into a rather confusing problem which I did manage to resolve, however, I'm not sure exactly how I resolved it nor what really caused it. I have some ideas on both the cause and resolution so I will try to work through those here. This all came when I tried to sync my iPhone…
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November 12, 2008
Tip: Snapping a MacBook Pro or PowerBook Upper Case Back Together
I have, over the years, cracked open a few PowerBooks and MacBook Pros, either to change a DVD drive or to upgrade the Hard Drive. My latest upgrade I did was to put a 320 GB Hard Drive in my MacBook Pro. I actually got pretty quick at it as I had to do it a couple of times. There…
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November 7, 2008
Slingbox PRO-HD: Initial Setup
So by now you have gone through the Slingbox Pre-installation tasks of setting up your network (wired, wireless or over the powerlines) and you have checked through the box to be sure that you know what connectors you need and how to use them. Let's take a look at the steps of setting up and configuring your Slingbox PRO-HD for…
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