Rich’s Random Podcast Generator: iOS 5 Update, Logmein Hamachi, Belarc, Ninite Updater, Secunia PSI, FingerPrint, Google+ Hangout Extras, Power vs. Efficiency – RRPG008

Jim and Rich are joined by John Zajdler, Mike Howard, Tim Black, Jay Moore, and newcomer Paul Braren. Paul’s a long-time IT guy who launched his own tech site – Tinkertry – last July. He’s been a busy guy ever since, posting some fairly technical articles ranging from SSD caching to virtualization with special emphasis on VMWare products, something he’s familiar with as he’s traveled all over the country as a VCP certified technical consultant.

Topics include: iOS 5 update – features and functionality, Google+ Hangout Extras, Logmein Hamachi, Belarc, DriveImage XML, fixing those old XP machines, Secunia PSI, SIW, Ninite and Ninite Updater, CCleaner, processing power vs. power efficiency, and a lot more. *Warning: long podcast ahead!!

As mentioned last week, Rich went The Full Fo-Shay at Newegg.com and bought parts for a whole new Intel i7-2600K based system which he received and put together in time for this week’s podcast. The i7 CPU coupled with ASRock Z68 Pro3 motherboard, Crucial RealSSD and Cooler Master Silent Pro PSU is pulling a mere 38W at idle, and that’s with two monitors running off the on-board graphics via HDMI + DVI.

The guys spend some time talking about utilities and tricks they use to repair/reinstall XP computers. After using Windows 7 for the last 2 1/2 years, it’s pretty hard to look at XP again but family and friends still use it and come to them for help.

Google + Hangout  has been previewing new features, or ‘extras’ as they are called, which the guys explore and discuss. These include:

• Named hangouts
• Shared notes and sketchpad
• Google Docs integration
• Screen-sharing

Tim introduces us to Ninite Updater, a desktop app that works in conjunction with Ninite. If you’ve never heard of Ninite itself, and especially if you’re the go-to person for PC repairs, you need to check out this time-saver. Ninite offers an a la carte selection of the most common apps you’d want to install on a new PC, and use an automated batch download and installation process which is a joy to behold. No more ‘next, next, next’ and no toolbars or junk that frequently comes with software installations. Ninite strips it all out.

Paul talks in detail about backing up remote PC’s to his Windows Home Server server over VPN using Logmein Hamachi. And, he mentions FingerPrint, a PC app that lets you print directly from your iPhone to an attached or networked printer, and it also prints to OneNote or your favorite PDF viewer. The cost is $9.99 and well worth it.

All this and a lot, lot more in this week’s RRPG.

In the show this week: Jim Collison, Rich O’Neil, John Zajdler, Mike Howard, Tim Black, Jay Moore, Paul Braren

Rich’s RPG is a weekly show hosted by Jim Collison and Rich O’Neil on Google + Hangout. They talk tech with like-minded folks, covering whatever’s interesting – hot or not, current or historical. No outlines, no agenda, no worries. Got a headset? Free time? Join them on the podcast!

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Podcast intro and exit music used by permission from “In the Shadow of the Great Machine” by Fool’s Chaos. Hear more great tunes at Fool’s Chaos.