Hearing impaired and creative people please help!?

best baby monitor for hearing impaired image

Q. My grandparents live in an assisted living facility, (not a nursing home, they just make them dinner, clean their "apartment" and have 'help' pullies in every room. My grandma just got diagnosed with cancer again, and were worried about her new treatment disorienting her and making her fall at night. Her and my grandpa have seperate rooms, b/c of sleep equipment noise.

Anyway, my grandpa is VERY hard of hearing, and we can't figure out how to make sure he wakes up if she needs help. She can't yell loud, she has advanced lung cancer. She fell out of bed not to long ago and had to wait until he woke up in the morning and got his attention by shining a flashlight at a mirror!!! We're so worried she'll have to lay there again if she gets up again at night and falls. (She couldn't reach the help pull and she takes her Lifeline necklace thingy off when she sleeps)

We are thinking about getting a baby monitor, but my grandpa is so hard of hearing, it probably won't wake him up
She went into a nursing home the first time she had cancer. It was it was the best one we could find in the area, on several occasions we would go in and multiple lights would be blinking for assistance, and all the nurses just stayed at the nurses station and ignored them. She stayed stuck in the bathroom for 3 hours once. My grandpa can take care of her during the day at this facility, he just can't hear at night if she falls. And it's 2 two buildings down from the hospital. She's fine during the day, but her medicine disorients her at night (and it would be permanent, grade 4 lung cancer has a 3 to 5 month life expectancy, so we would rather she was comfortable living with my grandpa) Thanks for trying, we're thinking about maybe getting a blow horn :) She won't sleep with her life alert on her neck or wrist :(
oh, and no animals allowed :(

Answer
Extend what you are calling the "Help Pull" so that it can be reached from the floor. Find a device that makes a lot of noise (a radio or some kind of bell or buzzer might work) that she could use as an alarm and set it under the edge of the bed.

Is there a good landline phone, with LOUD volume & LOUD speakerphone, that works with Hearing Aids?

Dubber

I've heard there are telephones out there for the hearing impaired but what I am looking for is a land line telephone for my parents who wear hearing aids but refuse to wear them when using the phone. Both say they get ringing and feedback when using a cordless phone while wearing hearing aids, but when they remove them the volume of the phone isn't sufficient.

So...I am looking for a land line base phone, with speaker phone, and better than average volume and sound clarity. If possible, the phone system would come with one or more cordless phones, also with exceptional volume and sound clarity. Oh, I should also mention that they, and I, are very limited financially so can't spend a lot on this.

If a phone with these features doesn't exist, is there some sort of device that can be attached to the phone to increase volume and sound clarity?

Somewhat related, can anyone define a few things for me:

What is the difference between a 5.8 GHz, DEC 6.0, 9 GHz, and some other numbers and acronyms I can't recall atm.

Thank you for your help!

Kay

Answer
there are plenty of hearing aid compatible telephones http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/PNAEndecaSearchCmd?N=779832047&No=0&Nr=12001&Ns=&Ntk=MainSearch&URL=vShopSearch&cmTag=true&catalogId=13401&storeId=15001&Ntt=hearing+aid+compatible&cm_sp=SiteSearch-_-MainSearch-_-Consumer

DECT - Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications these phones operate in the 1.9Ghz frequency range - an unlicensed spectrum that the FCC has set aside strictly for cordless telephones.. this is the latest and greatest in cordless phone technology...

5.8Ghz operates in this unlicensed spectrum, there are some other consumer wireless devices that operate in this spectrum, but it is one of the least crowded frequencies - however since it is the highest frequency cordless phone on the market, it also has the least range from handset to base (some 5.8 cordless phones also operate on the 2.4 Ghz spectrum)

2.4 Ghz operates on this unlicenced spectrum with many other consumer wireless devices such as WiFi routers, microwave ovens, wireless video cameras, etc...

900 Mhz phones operate on a crowded unlicensed frequency with many other consumer wireless devices, such as baby monitors, wireless speakers, garage door openers, car alarms, etc... also unless the phone has DSS then it is insecure and can be monitored by a radio scanner... (DECT, 2.4 and 5.8Ghz phones all have some form of DSS, or FHSS)

DSS - Digital Spread Spectrum - a form of encryption to prevent eavesdropping...

FHSS - Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum - a form of encryption that also continuously searches for the best channel, and keeps changing to the best channel between the handset and base (normally these phones will not have a channel button, because the phone is constantly changing channels on its own)

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How to extend the range of a video baby monitor?

best baby monitor wifi image

rich1000

Does anyone know how to extend the range of a video baby monitor? Our monitor is 900mhz. We live in an old building full of steel and concrete so the signal doesn't go well between rooms and is lost entirely between the baby room and the master bedroom. There are boosters for wifi networks so I would assume there is some technology or the same one that would work for baby monitors.

Answer
Take a power booster and uplink the connection to the communication antenna but dont forget to bypass the firewall and that should work.

I am looking for a wifi based webcam with a handheld receiver to use as a baby monitor. Any recommendations?

dinshaw

I want to use a wifi based camera as a baby video monitor to eliminate interference and the possibility of others being able to see our house on their monitor. However, I don't want to have to view the webcam on my computer, I want a handheld monitor instead. Has anyone used something like this?

Answer
This one should do you just fine

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3516396&CatId=130

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How can I hook up my PC to a wireless 3G network?

baby monitor mac os x image

Dogs rule

My area supposedly has excellent 3G coverage but I bought a Sierra Mercury USB device and could not get it to transfer at more than 14 kbps. The indicator found the 3G network but the signal was only 1-2 bars. Yet 1/4 mile down the road on Dad's PC it transferred extremely fast. Needless to say I returned it. Is the problem the device? Reception? The satellite service I have is only 256 service and even it transfers up to 70 kbps at times so I know it's not my computer.

Answer
Wow there are a number of reasons for this issue, and without having the actual laptop and device in front of me, and at the location in question, I can only be general in my answer.

I assume you have AT&T as this is the USB device that Sierra Wireless is making for them with the new name of Mercury. You may want to check your providers website for the zip code you are in, and how many transmitters/receivers there are for your type of 3G connection.

The most likely cause of the 3G problems is between the antenna and an amplifier that captures very weak signals from the antenna. This could lead to poor 3G connectivity and slower data speeds as witnessed by the weak signal of only 1 or 2 bars. The amp can only amplify so much before too much data is lost.

The Mercury is compatible with Windows7 Mobile Broadband, Vista, XP, 2000, Mac OS X 10.4 or later. A Firmware update may help, just go to the www.sierrawireless.com website for the update for the Sierra Wireless Compass 885 as that is the model the Mercury is.

Make sure that any software that came with the device is configured for optimum performance based on the data plan you have with your provider. Also be aware there may be fine print in your contract limiting your speed, data usage, or when you try to connect on other providers networks. Also make sure the Laptop you are using is optimally configured for wireless connections and networking settings are tweaked.

The computer case itself can be a significant barrier to the Wi-Fi signal - try positioning the case so it doesn't come between the the device the possible direction of any antennas. Also there my be environmental impacting issues. RFI (Electromagnetic interference or EMI, also called Radio Frequency Interference) can be caused by any number of things such as High Power Lines, Broadcast transmitters, two-way radio transmitters, paging transmitters, and cable TV are potential sources of RFI and EMI. Other possible sources of interference include a wide variety of devices, such as doorbell transformers, toaster ovens, electric blankets, ultrasonic pest control devices, electric bug zappers, heating pads, and touch controlled lamps. Multiple CRT computer monitors or televisions sitting too close to one another can sometimes cause a "shimmy" effect in each other, due to the electromagnetic nature of their picture tubes, especially when one of their de-gaussing coils is activated.

Electromagnetic interference at 2.4 GHz can be caused by 802.11b and 802.11g wireless devices, Bluetooth devices, baby monitors and cordless telephones, video senders, and microwave ovens.

3G uses HARQ(Hybrid automatic repeat-request) a incremental redundancy, where user data is transmitted multiple times using different codings. When a corrupted packet is received, the user device saves it and later combines it with the retransmissions, to recover the error-free packet as efficiently as possible. Even if the retransmitted packets are corrupted, their combination can yield an error-free packet. The weaker a signal the more opportunities there are for packet corruption. More packets re-sent slows down speed.

Question regarding dropped internet connection that happens 20-50+ times a day?

tehpwnerer

I have Charter internet, a Linksys CM-100 modem, and an Airport Extreme simultaneous dual band wireless base station. Whether I am playing Xbox, watching Hulu on my MacBook Pro, playing an online game on my iPad, or browsing the web on my iMac, the internet just randomly stops working, but I don't lose connection to the router and the router doesn't go from a green light to an amber light to signal a problem. If I leave it long enough, it will fix itself, but when I am mid game or video and I lose my connection it really aggrivates me. To try and troubleshoot the problem I tried out a Linksys WRT54GS v7.2 to see if that would have similar problems, and it has. The modem lights all stay lit up as usual as if there is no problem there. It cannot be that 3 routers (I bought a new Airport Extreme when my old one was having this same problem thinking it was that router) have the exact same problem. What is my next troubleshooting step? Plug something straight into the modem and see if it happens? On any given day I lose my connection at least 20 times, if not 50 or more. It is not wireless interference as I have tried turning wireless off and plugging straight into the router via ethernet cable. My thoughts were to try plugging directly into the modem to see if the problem persists, and if it does, try a different modem, and if it still persists have Charter test the lines in my house.

Any feedback or anyone had similar problems? Thanks.

Answer
Yes plug directly into the modem with an Ethernet cable.

Has it every worked successfully for a long period of time? If yes then call the ISP and have them test the lines could be an issue on their side.

If it works directly plugged into the modem via Ethernet cable. Then you have narrowed the issue to being some thing within or around your home.

Things to check for when checking for RFI issues.
Do you have any fluorescent lights?
Cordless phone?
Concrete wall?
Steel?
Baby monitor?

Are any of the equipment plugged into the same wall or room? If yes, then some contractors will save money when building an apartment, house, etc.. Which means they are not running the wires properly and can cause issues for internet connection with ADSL aka DSL.

Are you using ADSL or Cable?

Have you set the Channels in the modem?
Have you deleted the plist for the connection in you OS X?
Are you running the same OS X on all Mac's?
If yes, then try another OS such as 10.4.x instead of 10.5.x or a Windows OS?

Most ISP's will give free tech support (inclusive of your monthly service) call them and see what help they can provide from their side of things. Hopefully they are more helpful than some that I have worked with and know about.

IMAC that I have did have issues with FIOS and it was working for several months then stopped working properly. It kept having a random connection that was very annoying it could last seconds to even hours of no connection. It was only affecting my IMAC and not the Windows 2K Pro which was really odd. Found out I missed a very important update from Apple after some major work from me I got it updated and it ran for another 8 months. Then it drove me crazy with what you are talking about and working via Wireless for my sisters computer that had Vista and worked wired with Win 2K Pro. Thought of when it started and realized that by telling the ISP to upgrade my speed to 20MBs download and 5MB's upload. That is when it started so I had to fight with them and they looked it over, it was not provisioned correctly.

After that it worked but still had issues and had to deleted the plist from the Library that refers to the connection, sorry I am drawing a blank on the full name. Also had to trash the TCP/IP Preferences of course restart the IMAC and it will add the plist back along with the rest of the things needed.

Maybe some of this has been very helpful or at least given you some more things to try. That will help you narrow down where the issue is.

Remember to vote for best answer, thanks!

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What are the best non-digital baby monitors on the market?

best baby monitor digital image

Mrs.S

I have looked into digital monitors, but they're a little out of my price range. Does anyone know of any good classic style baby monitors? I am pregnant with my first child.

Answer
I love the Sony sound sensor baby call. It's voice activated so you don't hear the static. You do have the choice of listening to everything though. I bought a second one for my 3 yr olds room since I can't hear her if she calls out. They are only $35.00 at Target, great buy.

Whats a good baby monitor for a 2 story house?

Nathan

I am about to have my first baby and i would like to buy a baby monitor. Has anyone got any tips, should i go digital or is there really no need. Please help.

Answer
I have BT monitors which i have found brilliant!!

The main handset is in my childs room, on my hand set i can play a number of different lullabys, it tell me the room temp, it beeps to tell me if the room is to hot or cold. The sensitivity is excellent and can be set at different levels, you can hear your baby breathing at high sensitivity. It also has an intercom where i can speak to my baby when i press a botton. It also has a night light that i can turn on and off from your monitor. it also reaches up to 300 metres.

Sorry to go on abit but i would recommend these to anyone. I got my on Ebay for £32! I think at the time they were 70-80 in the shops.

Here is a link if u want to have a look at them

http://www.cashgenerator.co.uk/product.aspx?ProductId=BI338&

Good Luck!

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Why does WIFI lose quality and speed the longer you stay on?

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Q. Seriously, I'm computer retarded and just wondering why it does that. It goes from 54mb/sec to 10 or less sometimes.

Answer
If you speed is dropping then it is nothing to do with how long you have been connected it must be down to another problem.

Generic advice for improving wif reception [you give no info on the router or what device you are connecting with]

To start with the basic rule is to position the wifi router as high and as centrally as possible in your house.

1] Try changing the broadcast channel from the wireless setup interface for your router/modem.You can normally access this by typing "http://192.168.0.1/" into your browsers search bar and then look for the wireless settings menu.
You don't say if your router can use the 5GHz frequency or just the 2.4GHz. The best channels in the 2.5GHz spectrum are 1,6, 11, or 13 as they have less overlap with the other channels.

There is a useful article here about how to get the best performance by selecting the best channel.: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/21132/chaâ¦

If you have an android smarthphone, or a friend does, then install the Wifi Analyzer app free from android market and use it to scan for the best channel and change your routers broadcast channel accordingly. This app will aslo show you all the wifi signals in range that your neighbours are using, so you can select a different channel to them, making a stronger signal for you. https://market.android.com/details?id=coâ¦


2] You can use a tool like Nirsofts totally free WirelessNet View to look at all the local wireless signals that are within range and may be competing with your own router and interfering with reception. from here: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_neâ¦

3] You can buy a Wi-Fi booster like D-Link 645 Smartbeam, here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/D-Link-DIR-645-Wâ¦
Devices such as these can actually boost the wifi signal by using multiple beams that bounce of the walls and are intelligently directed toward whatever device [smarhphone, laptop, tablet] you are using on wifi.

4] If your using the 2.4GHz frequency and not the 5GHz then other devices that use this frequency band can alsso interfere with your reception [eg baby monitors and microwave ovens use 2.4GHz]. Try and make sure that none of these devices are situated between your router and your wifi receiver eg laptop, tablet, smarthphone etc

Why is my internet so much slower on my laptop?

Danny G

I'm with virgin, both my computer & my laptop are connected to my via wireless connection. But my laptop gets but a small fraction of the speed my computer does.

Any ideas on how to sort this out?

Answer
I assume that although you say both the laptop and desktop use a wifi connection that they are not situated in the same place. It is likely that the signal strength will vary in different positions in your house. If the router supports the latest draft n wifi standards and so does the wifi adapter in your desktop then check that your laptops adapted supports 8011n too. If it only supports earlier wifi standards like 8011.g then this is much slower and the reason for the difference.

If the wifi chip in the laptop also supports the 8011n wifi standard then there are several things that can affect wifi signal and things you can do to try and improve things

To start with the basic rule is to position the router as high and as centrally as possible in your house.

1] Try changing the broadcast channel from the wireless setup interface for your router/modem.You can normally access this by typing "http://192.168.0.1/" into your browsers search bar and then look for the wireless settings menu.
You don't say if your router can use the 5GHz frequency or just the 2.4GHz. The best channels in the 2.5GHz spectrum are 1,6, 11, or 13 as they have less overlap with the other channels.

There is a useful article here about how to get the best performance by selecting the best channel.: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/21132/chaâ¦

If you have an android smarthphone, or a friend does, then install the Wifi Analyzer app free from android market and use it to scan for the best channel and change your routers broadcast channel accordingly. This app will aslo show you all the wifi signals in range that your neighbours are using, so you can select a different channel to them, making a stronger signal for you. https://market.android.com/details?id=coâ¦


2] You can use a tool like Nirsofts totally free WirelessNet View to look at all the local wireless signals that are within range and may be competing with your own router and interfering with reception. from here: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_neâ¦

3] You can buy a Wi-Fi booster like D-Link 645 Smartbeam, here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/D-Link-DIR-645-Wâ¦
Devices such as these can actually boost the wifi signal by using multiple beams that bounce of the walls and are intelligently directed toward whatever device [smarhphone, laptop, tablet] you are using on wifi.

4] If your using the 2.4GHz frequency and not the 5GHz then other devices that use this frequency band can alsso interfere with your reception [eg baby monitors and microwave ovens use 2.4GHz]. Try and make sure that none of these devices are situated between your router and your wifi receiver eg laptop, tablet, smarthphone etc

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Why use a Mac over a PC for Graphic Design?

baby monitor mac os x image

Sqooshy

I begin my Visual Communications course in a few weeks. We're required to have a MacBook Pro, although a PC is acceptable.

I've alwasy used a PC based computer, would consider myself to be quite computer literate and to be honest, would rather not have to switch to a Mac. If there was a substantial reason as to WHY a Mac is of greater benefit than a PC I would be happy to, but researching it, I couldn't come up with anything compelling beyond it's "fun". As someone who likes arsing around with my computer other than organising photos and making podcasts, this doesn't impress me. In relation to this, the lack of Mac-compatible programs or upgrades is off putting.. along with this notion that I need to be baby sitted whilst using my computer, lest I infect it or crash it.


It appears to me that if most designers end up using Photoshop, Illustrator and Macromedia programs, then does it matter at all if you use a PC or a Mac? Or are there specific Mac programs that a lot of the industry uses that are essential?

The only reason my tutor gave for using Mac is that it's the industry standard. What exactly does this mean? Surely it matters what program you're using, not the OS?

The price is a big factor too. But it can be overcome if a Mac is a necessity.

Answer
The problem is that people in that Industry tend to hate Microsoft and go with perception instead of facts.. (No pun meant on perception). You are correct. There is no reason for Mac over PC, both can do the job.

PC=Variety of specs, options, quality, prices, vendors, support
Mac=One vendor, limited options, still more expensive. Look below for more information..

Today, Macs use a subset of PC hardware. Why spend extra to get the same CPU chips, graphics cards and OS X isn't as secure as you think..

Don't believe the lies that Macs are better than PCs at graphics/animation.. Dreamworks Animation http://www.dreamworksanimation.com/ under studio click on Technology of Animation, an independent film maker I know uses PCs, a graphic artist I used to know uses PCs also.

A number of PCs can also run OS X (Mac OS) http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=os+x+on+pc&btnG=Google+Search&aq=0&oq=os+x+on+ as well just that Apple makes it illegal in order to get Market share.. The reason why Mac can run native Windows is because it is using a subset of PC hardware,

If you decide to buy a Mac for running Windows, you will still have to get the same virus/spyware protection, and run into the same issues as a regular PC.


Now is a Mac worth buying for OS X?

I say: NO... for the following reasons...

QUALITY/PROBLEMS
Contrary to belief, Macs are not better quality. Apple also has been changing suppliers to try to "lower the price" and thus lowering quality. Even with the lower prices, Macs still cost more, they spend a higher percent of budget trying to make it look pretty, and marketing.

Sample of problems: Overheating Macbooks, OS X- not responding to keyboard, some units with 16bit screens, etc. Apple statistics are misleading since Mac users with problem machines are more likely to go out and buy a new computer than PC users. Apple is lowering prices which means you can expect lower quality than in the past. Apple had switched the manufacturers producing parts. OS X also has problems slowing down.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-10020263-17.html
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/08/01/apples-quality-dwindling-my-macbook-pro-sob-story/
http://www.appledefects.com/
http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/os-x-operating-system/107748-mac-os-leopard-running-slow.html
http://cybernetnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/reliable-laptops.jpg

Repairs are more expensive than PCs since the IMac, Mac Mini are compact units, and Apple charges a premium for their services. Some repairs can be done by another repair service but the compact design of the computer causes problems.
With an IMac, if the problem is with the monitor, the whole computer would have to be brought in.
IMac and Mac mini lack expansion.

VIRUSES
Mac OS X has viruses (and significantly on the rise), a friend of mine has a virused Mac. As more users use Macs, more viruses will come out for it. Especially when users think "they are safe".
http://infosecurity.us/?p=4005
http://blogs.chron.com/techblog/archives/2008/07/malware_authors_take_aim_at_growing_number_of_1.html
http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/poll_have_you_noticed_an_increase_in_malware_viruses_etc_on_your_mac/

SECURITY
Mac OS X was hacked in 2006 less than 30 minutes, and within 2 minutes in a contest in 2008, and within 10 seconds in 2009. In 2008, Linux and Vista were not hacked until another day when restrictions were lowered. Vista was next, and then Linux. In 2009 Windows 7 fell shortly after the Mac but Linux was unscathed.
Macs are standardized with Cameras, if your Mac gets hacked, the hacker can turn on your camera with more ease.
Please Note: All OS's have vulnerabilities.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/security/soa/Mac-OS-X-hacked-under-30-minutes/0,130061744,139241748,00.htm
http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/03/27/Gone-in-2-minutes-Mac-gets-hacked-first-in-contest_1.html
http://www.infoworld.com/article/09/03/19/Researcher_cracks_Mac_in_10_seconds_1.html
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Finds-Irony-in-Mac-OS-X-Getting-Hacked-Before-Vista-SP1-82135.shtml

PRICE
A similar equipped PC is much cheaper to purchase than Mac. Lets use Dell (but you can compare with another PC Brand if you like)

**(LAPTOP)
Dell Inspiron Laptop Starting Price: $500
Ending Price: $500
15" Screen
CPU: 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo [5% slower]
Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD [Not as good/fine for general use[
Memory: 3GB DDR2 SDRAM [75% of ram)
Hard Drive: 320GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm (same)
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=dndozm4&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&kc=laptop-inspiron-1545

Cybperpower Notebook Xplorer X5-2900 Starting Price: $755
Ending Price After upgrades (not including 5% rebate): $860
15" Screen
CPU: (upgrade to) 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (+$100) [FASTER]
Graphics: Nvidia GFORCE 9600-GT 512MB [MUCH FASTER/BETTER CARD]
Memory: 4GB DDR2 SDRAM [MORE MEMORY]
Hard Drive: (upgrade to) 320GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm (+$5) [LARGER HARD DRIVE]
http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/Xplorer_X5-2900_Notebook/detail

Macbook Starting laptop Price: $1000
Ending Price After Upgrades: $1200
13" Screen (SMALLER)
CPU: 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (SLOWER)
Graphics: Nvidia GFORCE 9400 256MB
Memory: (upgrade to) 4GB DDR2 SDRAM (SAME)
Hard Drive (upgrade to) 320B Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm (SAME)
http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MC240LL/A?mco=NjcxMTQ3Ng


**(DESKTOP)

PLEASE NOTE: I compare Apple Mac's vs Dells best deal. If you really want an all-in one the Dell all-in-one has more ram, wireless keyboard and mouse and equivalent to $400 for free making the Imac still more expensive when you matching specs. Personally I don't think the All-in-Ones are a good choice, and consider them overpriced, lack expandability and repairs both more expensive and require the entire computer.

PS: Apple knows that they need to make Macintosh look different than PC so all Macs except the Mac Pro will not have a tower option. Apple's low end lacks expandability but it makes the Mac "look different", if Mac had a tower for low-end, more people would realize the similarities between the two.

Dell: ($700)
CPU: 2.33 GHZ Dell Inspiron QUAD (4 Processor) CORE
SCREEN: 20inch Screen
MEMORY: 4GB Ram
HARD DRIVE: 500 GB hard Drive
OPTICAL DRIVE: 16x DVD/CD Read/Writer
GRAPHICS: ATI Radeon HD 512MB
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=dddwra4&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&kc=desktop-inspiron-537s

The Mac Mini since it has no monitor, keyboard, mouse, very skimpy on options and setup and is not the best deal... The IMac is better price than the Mac Mini.

IMac ($1300)
CPU: 2.4 GHZ DUAL (2 Processor) CORE (SLOWER CPU)
SCREEN: 20inch Screen
MEMORY: (upgrade to) 4GB Ram (SAME)
HARD DRIVE: (upgrade to ) 320 GB hard Drive (LESS HARD DRIVE)
OPTICAL DRIVE: 8x DVD Reader/Writer (1/2 speed)
GRAPHICS: Nvidia Geforce 9400M (APPROX SAME BUT LESS MEMORY GAPHICS)
http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MB417LL/A?mco=NDE4Mzg3Ng

ADVANTAGES WINDOWS :
Aprox 90% of the market is Windows and most PCs have windows already pre-installed.
1) Some websites require Internet Explorer, to run IE on Mac you really get ies4osx which is the Windows version of IE running really buggy and illegal if you don't have a legitimate copy of Windows.
2) Supports more devices (printers and other things you hook into the computer).
3) More business software/games
4) Want the dock on OS X (Mac)? google/yahoo rocketdock, objectdoc.
5) Used by businesses.

ADVANTAGES LINUX :
1) FREE (most versions are)
2) Install software by either 1) Synaptic Package Manager, 2) Add/Remove 3) Opening a .deb or .rpm file (depending on distribution)
2) Like the Mac OS X effects? go yahoo/google COMPIZ FUSION which can do any cool effect a Mac can do and many ore....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4Fbk52Mk1w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3gkX9HDfEE (there is no flickering when you use it like on the video, not sure why the person has the flicker)
3) Mac OS X Doc? google/yahoo Avant Window Navigator.Cairo Dock, http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3rf5q_cairo-dock-mac-os-x-leopard-dock-on_tech
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0hzi22g2DE
4) It is FASTER/MORE SECURE to surf on the internet
5) Some Windows programs work with Wnehq/Crossover (also avail on Mac, but why pay $$$)

Instructions how to download, burn and boot http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/use-ubuntu-live-cd-to-backup-files-from-your-dead-windows-computer/
Dual Boot Instructions http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_windows_xp_and_linux_xp_installed_first.htm

Equivalents to ILife
http://www.jakeludington.com/ask_jake/20070830_ilife_for_windows.html
http://www.xsellize.com/showthread.php?t=20518

FREE Windows Stuff
http://www.comodo.com/products/free_products.html
http://www.iobit.com/
http://www.ccleaner.com/
ANTI-VIRUS
Avira Antivir (FREE) for 2009 personal edition is free (there is a paid version) the free version was rated the best by consumer reports 2009.
http://www.free-av.com/ Avast (Free- Click under Free Software and download Avast Home Edition) http://www.avast.com/

ANTI-MALWARE
Windows Defender (FREE)
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx
Malware Bytes (FREE) Limitation - No Realtime protection on free version.
http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html?tag=mncol
Super Anti-Spyware (FREE)
http://download.cnet.com/SuperAntiSpyware-Free-Edition/3000-8022_4-10523889.html?tag=mncol

LINUX INFO:
http://distrowatch.com/
http://polishlinux.org/
http://www.desktoplinux.com/
http://polishlinux.org/
http://www.ubuntu.com/

slow mac mini????

Worry wart

i've had my mac mini for a now and its been working fine up until my monitor( on old one, not a mac) stopped working... so i only osed it to charge my ipod and my razor phone..... now that i got it back up again(3 months later) its running so slowly.... i dont know what to do... i dont know what happened but i need help bad.... do you think its on the verge of breaking down?????



someone please help cuz i really dont know what to do... and i hope i dont have to spend much... cuz macs are hard to keep up with ( financially)

please dont be harsh cuz... thats my baby

Answer
You probably just need to reinstall Mac OS from the ground up, but it could be possible that the machine became too warm at one point and the hard drive suffered heat damage.

With reinstalling, you'll want to do a full backup of your computer's hard drive using Disk Utility, either with an external drive and the OS X DVD that came with your computer, or with another Mac and your Mini in what's called "Target Disk Mode". Disk Utility will allow you to back up your entire hard drive to a single DMG file on another hard drive.

If after you reinstall OS X onto a freshly formatted hard drive the computer is still slow, you'll need to get a new hard drive for your Mini. If it's a G4-based machine, you'll need a 2.5 inch PATA hard drive. If it's an Intel-based machine, you'll need a SATA hard drive. Both types are fairly inexpensive; a 120 GB 2.5 inch hard drive will run around $80 or so. Even if you don't buy a drive from Other World Computing, you can still use their video guides for upgrading the hard drive (you can also upgrade the RAM in the system to 1 GB [G4] or 2 GB [Intel] if it's not currently maxed out at this time as well, if you want to).

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which cordless phone is better a 2.4 ghz or 5.8 ghz?

baby monitor dect 6.0 image

jl5ha

does one have a greater receiving distance from the base than the other

Answer
neither!!

I would go with the Panasonic DECT 6.0...!

These channels are reserved exclusively for voice communication applications and therefore are less likely to experience interference from other wireless devices such as baby monitors and wireless networks. DECT devices made for use in the U.S. use the brand DECT 6.0 to distinguish them from both DECT devices used elsewhere and U.S. cordless equipment operating in the 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz ISM bands. The "6.0" is a version number (as in software), not a spectrum band; the term "6.0 GHz" for DECT 6.0 phones is incorrect, since it operates at 1.9 GHz.

Is there a good landline phone, with LOUD volume & LOUD speakerphone, that works with Hearing Aids?

Dubber

I've heard there are telephones out there for the hearing impaired but what I am looking for is a land line telephone for my parents who wear hearing aids but refuse to wear them when using the phone. Both say they get ringing and feedback when using a cordless phone while wearing hearing aids, but when they remove them the volume of the phone isn't sufficient.

So...I am looking for a land line base phone, with speaker phone, and better than average volume and sound clarity. If possible, the phone system would come with one or more cordless phones, also with exceptional volume and sound clarity. Oh, I should also mention that they, and I, are very limited financially so can't spend a lot on this.

If a phone with these features doesn't exist, is there some sort of device that can be attached to the phone to increase volume and sound clarity?

Somewhat related, can anyone define a few things for me:

What is the difference between a 5.8 GHz, DEC 6.0, 9 GHz, and some other numbers and acronyms I can't recall atm.

Thank you for your help!

Kay

Answer
there are plenty of hearing aid compatible telephones http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/PNAEndecaSearchCmd?N=779832047&No=0&Nr=12001&Ns=&Ntk=MainSearch&URL=vShopSearch&cmTag=true&catalogId=13401&storeId=15001&Ntt=hearing+aid+compatible&cm_sp=SiteSearch-_-MainSearch-_-Consumer

DECT - Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications these phones operate in the 1.9Ghz frequency range - an unlicensed spectrum that the FCC has set aside strictly for cordless telephones.. this is the latest and greatest in cordless phone technology...

5.8Ghz operates in this unlicensed spectrum, there are some other consumer wireless devices that operate in this spectrum, but it is one of the least crowded frequencies - however since it is the highest frequency cordless phone on the market, it also has the least range from handset to base (some 5.8 cordless phones also operate on the 2.4 Ghz spectrum)

2.4 Ghz operates on this unlicenced spectrum with many other consumer wireless devices such as WiFi routers, microwave ovens, wireless video cameras, etc...

900 Mhz phones operate on a crowded unlicensed frequency with many other consumer wireless devices, such as baby monitors, wireless speakers, garage door openers, car alarms, etc... also unless the phone has DSS then it is insecure and can be monitored by a radio scanner... (DECT, 2.4 and 5.8Ghz phones all have some form of DSS, or FHSS)

DSS - Digital Spread Spectrum - a form of encryption to prevent eavesdropping...

FHSS - Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum - a form of encryption that also continuously searches for the best channel, and keeps changing to the best channel between the handset and base (normally these phones will not have a channel button, because the phone is constantly changing channels on its own)

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Wireless multiple IP camera DVR for Baby Monitoring?

baby monitor foscam image

Mathew

I am potentially going to hire a nanny to watch my daugher for about 4-5 hours, 2x per week while my wife works. I want to wire the house with some cameras, but since I only rent, I want to use a wireless IP camera system. Ideally, it would have 4 to 6 cameras with at least one night vision camera, wireless IP connections, viewable anywhere via IP, and the ability to record the data streams to a hard drive. Does anyone have any good ideas of a relatively inexpensive system to put in place?

I've looked at the FOSCAM wireless IP camera (http://www.amazon.com/Foscam-Wireless-Camera-antennas-FI8918W/dp/B004UMN6VE/ref=sr_1_sc_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1326384639&sr=8-3-spell). I could buy 4 cameras, but I don't know how the recording works. I'd rather not have to setup a computer with their software to record the data streams. I'd rather procure an alternate DVR system that records automatically.

Answer
Sure - and one of these hidden cameras wont find it's way into your bedroom. :)

Look - VCR's are sub-standard def and they dont make inexpensive HD tape recorders. And a lot of people want to not only record - but be able to log into the home computer and see what is going on remotely. This means ... a computer.

Try checking out WOOT.COM . I occasionally see a wireless security camera system for a low price. (Look in the Community section for past woots).

Or contact your local spy-shop. They sometimes rent nanny-cams.

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Where can I buy BT Baby Monitor Plus For the best price?

best baby monitor for the price image

Ive done my research, and the BT BABY MONITOR PLUS I think is worth the money - but its a lot of money! Anyone know where to buy one relatively cheaply?

Answer
compare the prices online on
target.com
babysrus.com
walmart.com
and stores like that =]

What kinds of baby monitors are available for deaf parents?

candy177

I've looked a little bit online and found a monitoring system where you basically hook your whole house into this receiver (phone, doorbell, alarm clock, baby monitor etc) that comes with light functions and a vibrating disk to put under the mattress. The baby monitor is sold separately and can be hooked up either way also. Together, all of this costs about $225-250. Do they have cheaper systems? In the 2 years that my husband and I have been together, we've never really seen the need to get anything like this for the phone and such...and since we have an apartment, we don't have a doorbell anyway.

Reason being - my husband is hearing impaired and we're thinking of having a baby in the next year and a half or so...I just want to be prepared. :) I don't think the little Fisher Price monitors that vibrate would be strong enough to wake him if I was at work...

Answer
Try this website www.alldeaf.com.

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