Episode #152
Driver and bios updates are such a pain! Not keeping up to date, or worse, flashing/installing with the wrong driver/bios can result in poor computer performance and in some instances, downright failure to launch/boot some software. Is there a reliable software on the market designed to simplify the update process? For my grandmother’s sake and mine! Thank God for “rollback”!
Jason, Cornwall, ON
I keep up with drivers using VersionTracker. Download and run their VersionTracker Pro and you’ll be able to easily keep up on all your software and drivers. Free to try, $50/year to use.
Sean’s note: Choosing the wrong BIOS can actually be even more severe than that — if you get the wrong one, you can actually create a situation where your computer won’t boot AT ALL. Unfortunately, the BIOS update process is largely dependent on the manufacturer of your motherboard — some of the companies have implemented new software that allows you to update your BIOS in a more user-friendly fashion, but that doesn’t help you if you have an older motherboard or if the manufacturer of your motherboard doesn’t have a similar utility.
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Air Date: February 22, 2008
TranscriptCaller Questions
- David, Sydney, NSW
- Ryan, Sherwood Park, AB
- Jason, Cornwall, ON
Yewell's Jewels
- Buddiwindowsmaclinux
Buddi is a simple budgeting program targeted for users with little or no financial background. It allows users to set up accounts and categories, record transactions, check spending habits, etc
Sean's Shinies
- WeatherNow II
$349
One of the first things that most people want to know as soon as they go up (apart from knowing when the coffee is going to be ready) is what the weather is going to be like for the day. The WeatherNow II receives both current weather and a three-day forecast via MSN’s SPOT broadcasts — no subscription required. The downside is that it doesn’t work if you’re not in an area with SPOT coverage, which is a lot of non-urban areas, unfortunately. And while there’s definitely a lot of data available on the screen, it can be a bit overwhelming trying to figure out what all the numbers mean at a quick glance.Shiny
- four day weather forecast
- downloads info automatically
- no subscription needed
Dull
- need to be in coverage area
- screen layout overwhelming
- as accurate as weather ever isWeatherNow II
Oregon Scientific
Kate’s Tips
- BoomShuffle
BoomShuffle is an online music experience that lets you and your friends collaborate to create great music mixes you can stream from anywhere on the Web. It’s a fun way to make cool-looking mixes that play back all the hottest tracks, in their entirety, for free. Think of BoomShuffle as an Internet radio station where you and your friends are the DJs. You all choose the songs that make up the mix.