This Day in Tech History, Vlogging with GoPro and Rode Mics and Robot Lawn Mowers – HGG262

Posted on by

Listen Mobile:

Audio Only
Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsPlayer EmbedShareLeave a ReviewListen in a New WindowDownloadSoundCloudStitcherSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe via RSSSpotifyAudioboomSpreakerOther Options

Jim Collison  https://twitter.com/jcollison and Mike Wieger from http://2980network.com/ for show #262 of Home Gadget Geeks brought to you by the Average Guy Network, part of http://thegeeksnetwork.com community.

Please leave a REVIEW (iPhone or iPad) at https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewContentsUserReviews?id=457300409&type=Podcast&ls=1&mt=1

Support the Average Guy Tech Scholarship Fund: https://www.patreon.com/theaverageguy or if you are in Canada, use https://www.patreon.com/theaverageguy

WANT TO SUBSCRIBE? http://theAverageGuy.tv/subscribe

Join us for the show live each Thursday at 8pmC/9E/1UTC at http://theAverageGuy.tv/live or call in your questions or comments to be played on the show at (402) 478-8450

Full show notes and video at http://theAverageGuy.tv/hgg262

The interns made me Raspberry Pie for my birthday.  The ultimate Geek Birthday treat!

This day in tech history…

1969 – Apollo 10 returned to Earth after a successful eight-day test of all the components needed for the manned moon landing.  The first mission to go all the way to the moon, and never land on it
1981 – Satya Pal Asija received the first US patent for a computer software program. It was called Swift-answer. The patent took seven years to issue, and the validity of software patents has been debated ever since.

1995 – Realizing his company had missed the boat in estimating the impact and popularity of the Internet, Microsoft CEO Bill Gates issues a memo titled, “The Internet Tidal Wave,” which signaled the company’s focus on the global network. In the memo, Gates declared that the Internet was the “most important single development” since the IBM personal computer — a development that he was assigning “the highest level of importance.” Still, it is curious why it took someone who was regarded as a technology “innovator” so long to realize this.

Mike’s Stuff

  • Spotify updated their family plan. $14.99 for 6 accounts
  • Vlogging – New Rode VideoMic Go microphone and case for the GoPro camera
  • Nikon D330 – New DSLR
  • Reflector 2 App – presenting what is on your iPhone or iPad

Tech Gadgets that Jim wants for his birthday

http://www.engadget.com/2016/05/26/the-force-awakens-soundtrack-vinyl-holograms/

WORX Landroid Robotic Lawn Mower, 28-volt WG794 – http://amzn.to/25oQ3R1

Fully programmed out of the box for easy set-up and use
AIA technology allows Landroid to make intricate cuts and navigate narrow passages
Landroid evenly mows inclines and declines up to 20-degrees
Landroid uses shock sensor system to mow around obstacles
Automatically returns to base in case of rain or for recharging battery

The Worx Landroid is the pre-programmable robotic mower that lets you customize daily mowing schedules. The Landroid runs 7 days a week giving your lawn a continuous manicured look by giving the grass a trim on a routine basis as opposed to traditional mowers that take off substantial amounts of grass on a less frequent basis. Among its many features, Landroid navigates narrow passages, cuts with precision on slopes angling up to 20 degrees and does it all with zero emissions. If your lawn is under 10750 ft2 and you want it to look great every day, the Landroid is designed precisely for you. The Intuitive keypad makes it easy to customize a mowing schedule so your lawn is neatly mowed every day. The low noise operation allows you to mow during the day or night. This allows you to wake up to a freshly mowed lawn every morning. The Landroid runs off of a 28V rechargeable battery so there are zero emissions.

Video comparing 5 robo mowers – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f-4J98EWrI

From the Mailbag
To: jim@theaverageguy.tv

About your adventure with Amazon, they were probing the account. If you had not caught it, you would have been the proud purchaser of some deep sea fishing gear or several alienware gaming PCs.
For the best credit card security, use virtual account numbers (like citibank mastercard, I think BoA and others use it) for online/phone purchases. The virtual credit card number is tied to a vendor’s id.   You can set a limit and expiration date.  They act more like a prepaid card that you can reload anytime online.  When Citibank issued a new chip and pin/sign card, they moved all of my active virtual cards to the new number.  When there is a suspected/confirmed security breach at a vendor, Citibank deactivates the virtual card numbers for that vendor and doesn’t have to issue you a new card because the vendor never has your “real” credit card number, expirati on date and ccv.  This saves you the hassle of changing credit card info on unaffected vendors. Any payments make to the credit card don’t trickle down to the virtual card, for example, if a $10 charge is applied to a card with a $100 credit limit, the new credit limit is $90 regardless of any payments make to the “real” Credit card account until you change it.
I have been using them for close to 10 years. The only cons so for are the maximum expiration date is 12 months, so every year you have to update expiration dates and credit limits on recurring virtual card, and some vendors need multiple cards because they have multiple divisions each with their own Mastercard vendor number, for example Amazon (need a differnent virtual card for amazon.com, amazon payments, amazon digital, amazon warehouse, amazon marketplace, amazon kindle) You learn to time the virtual cards to expire in same month.
One pro is I can set the credit limit and expiration date on each virtual card.  Say Fruit Computers starts a music service with a 3-month free trial, you know no matter what you do they are going to charge you for month four, so I setup a virtual card that expires in 12 months and has a $2 credit limit (they always hit the card with the “$1 is this a real card charge”).  If I don’t cancel the subscription I can change the credit limit to cover the remaining 9 months.  If you do cancel the subscription, they can’t charge your card because there isn’t enough credit left on the card.  Another pro, I can try a vendor I have no history with because I can set the credit limit to cover the expect charge.

Get the Home Gadget Geeks Mobile Apps at http://homegadgetgeeks.com

http://theaverageguy.tv is powered by Maplegrove Partners web hosting. Get secure, reliable, high-speed hosting from people you know and trust.  For more information visit http://maplegrovepartners.com

Catch all the subscription links at http://theAverageGuy.tv/subscribe

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaverageguy/

Jim’s Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jcollison

Contact the show at jim@theaverageguy.tv

Find this and other great Podcasts from the Average Guy Network at http://theaverageguy.tv