January 21, 2012 – 12:22 am | No Comment

Happy 2012! This year I am going lean–downsizing to control my budget and getting in shape. I am “cutting the cord” –discontinuing my cable TV service–and I am losing weight and training for another Olympic-length …

Read the full story »
Triathlon Training Technology -Fitness-Weight Loss

How to use technology for losing weight and training. Features, tips, and my journey toward an Olympic-length triathlon.

Cutting Out Cable-Streaming Media & Home Networks

Can you live without cable TV? See my experience. How to get movies, TV shows, your videos, photos and music WHERE and WHEN you want it. What you need to stream.

iPhones, IPads, ITunes & Gadgets on the Go

iHow-to and iNews: How to use your iPhones, iPods, iPads, Android SmartPhones, MP3s, GPS…What they are. What you want. How to use it. Troubleshooting and tips.

Photography

Making photography and cameras simple. Explaining features to help you get your best photos.

TVs, Home Audio and Home Entertainment

All about TVs, and home audio includes components like Blu-ray Disc and DVD players, and DVRs, TIVO, and anything else you hook up to your TV… Satellite, Antenna, Cable

Home » Archive by Author

Articles by Barb Gonzalez

I'm a baby-boomer widowed mom of a teenage son. I am passionate about Home Theater and Gadgets. (My son is thrilled about that. My boyfriend is befuddled by it.) I love to play with these toys that make life fun and sometimes easier. But, like most people I find technology confusing and that the answers are in techno-babble. Crucial details and steps are left out. I've been given the gift (and sometimes a frustrating curse) of being able to see things from the mind of a beginner at the same time I can understand complex technology. Mostly, I give tips to help you choose, set up and use your electronics - home theater, gadgets, etc. But I also will write about the ways you can approach technology so it is easier for you to figure out for yourself. My favorite quote is "The obvious is hidden from those on the inside." Those who understand can rarely explain. I hope my gift will help you to enjoy technology and move forward into the future with fun and ease!

Comic Con San Diego – 40th Anniversary of the Geeks
July 21, 2009 – 11:23 pm | No Comment
Comic Con San Diego – 40th Anniversary of the Geeks

I’m in San Diego now for the popular culture convention called Comic-Con.  Originally just about comics and sci-fi, this convention has blown up to 125,000 people coming to see comic icons like Stan Lee from …

iPhone 3Gs Update – Stuck in the Dark Ages
July 8, 2009 – 5:36 pm | No Comment

Actually, I have moved into complacency. My iPhone 3Gs (and now sometimes my son’s) still disconnects from the towers and I don’t receive calls or voicemails for hours.  AT&T and iPhone won’t do anything about …

IPhone 3Gs Service Died. What to do? Breathe & Ask a Smart Kid
June 21, 2009 – 11:44 pm | One Comment

I’m practicing my yoga breathing right now.  Just two days after getting my phone and a week without voice mail, my phone went down.  The screen kept going blank and now there’s no service.
My son …

The Journey to Get My iPhone 3GS – Adventures in Frustration
June 20, 2009 – 3:27 pm | No Comment

For some reason weird things happen to me (I have odd problems) when it comes to technology.  I’ve said it before,  I think it happens so I can tell others what to do to resolve …

This Just In- MobileMe Subscribers can finally Find their misplaced phone!
June 18, 2009 – 8:15 pm | No Comment

I lose everything if I’m not paying attention.  I have a place for my keys, but my phone often slips into the folds of my purse.  I even left my driver’s license at the cable …

New iPhone 3G (S) this Friday – this one gets it right
June 17, 2009 – 5:38 pm | One Comment
New iPhone 3G (S) this Friday – this one gets it right

Don’t get me wrong. I love my iPhone. I have the original model but I didn’t buy it for myself. My son upgraded to the 3G iPhone model last year and I …

Transferring settings & info from old iPhone to new iPhone 3G (s)
June 16, 2009 – 8:35 pm | 8 Comments
Transferring settings & info from old iPhone to new iPhone 3G (s)

I have a ton of apps on my old iPhone. Many apps are customized with login information and preferences and I would hate to have to redo all of that when I sync’d my new …

Waiting for my iPhone 3G (s) – Temporary Problems
June 16, 2009 – 8:32 pm | 2 Comments
Waiting for my iPhone 3G (s) – Temporary Problems

Yesterday I noticed that I couldn’t get my voice mail messages on my current original iPhone. I called AT&T for help and talked to the iPhone tech support. We tried all types of …

Connected Home is Evolving- CONNECTIONS ’09- DECE
June 5, 2009 – 4:29 pm | 2 Comments
Connected Home is Evolving- CONNECTIONS ’09- DECE

The connected home seems like some future world but it’s here today. What is the “connected home?” It’s when you can watch TV programs, your own videos, online videos, share your photos and …

Not ALWAYS User Error (Sometimes it’s NOT your fault)
May 30, 2009 – 3:38 am | No Comment
Not ALWAYS User Error (Sometimes it’s NOT your fault)

Have you ever noticed that… just after you’ve hooked up a new device, or moved your equipment, or changed a setting or even added software on a computer…a day or two later something breaks and …