More about the conversion from analog to digital TV broadcasting. Netbook computers are very popular.

Hank reviewed Windows 7, then we discussed Windows 7 with Brian Johnson and Peter Laudati, both are Microsoft Developer Evangelists. Some changes in Windows 7 from Vista are a better behaved UAC, lower hardware requirements and a new task bar. However, the user interface has changed, yet again. You can download the beta version of Windows 7 until Feb 12th. Windows 7 requires 6GB of hard disk space and should run on Netbok computers. Hank had problems installing Windows 7, he needed a new Ethernet driver. Windows 7 has many minor new features rather than a major new feature.

Peter's blog is www.peterlaudati.com and he wrote about his show appearance here: Windows 7 Beta: Come and Get It… Just A Few Days Left!.

Listener phone calls.

Some Seagate hard drives have a bug in their firmware that causes them to hang, but the data is still there. Intel lowered the price on some CPUs. Circuit City is liquidating all their stores but don't expect great prices, at least not now. Their deadline is March 31st, Alfred suggested waiting until the deadline is near.

February 17th is the planned cutover date from analog to digital TV transmission. We had a lively discussion on the cutover with guest Peter Putname from www.hdtvexpert.com. One article of his is Home, Home On The Fringe.

Joe felt the cutover should be delayed a few months so that people can install new antennas in warmer weather. Alfred felt the cutover should happen on schedule as the delay will be very costly. If you now get a poor analog signal over the air, you very well may get nothing after the conversion to digital. Radios that carry TV audio will no longer work. Alfred felt this was a great time to buy an HDTV and suggested looking at the website antennaweb.org. An article in the Washington Post on troubles with the transition is Technical Difficulties.

Next week, Windows 7. Hank will review it and a couple people from Microsoft will stop by.

Listener phone calls.

Tonight's guest was Brian Johnson, Developer Evangelist from Microsoft Corp. We discussed Microsoft Live Mesh (mesh.live.com)...with which you can synchronize files with all of your devices; access your files from any device or from the web; share them with others, and get notified whenever someone changes a file. As with Remote Desktop, Logmein, PC Anywhere or Go-to-My PC, you can use Live Mesh to connect to your other computers and access its desktop as if you were sitting right in front of it. Now in Beta, Live Mesh is currently available free at www.mesh.com.

Information about the MSDN Developer Conference is at msdndevcon.com.

Listener phone calls.

WiFi Salon has shutdown free Internet access service in 10 parks in four boroughs including Central Park, Prospect Park, Washington Square Park, Battery Park, Riverside Park, Van Cortland Park, Orchard Beach, Pelham Bay Park and Corona Flushing Meadows. For lack of financial sponsorship.

Trend Micro HouseCall had security vulnerability with Active-X. It had resold back in October of last year but requires that the user use HouseCall since then to obtain necessary upgrades.

Seagate has dropped their warranty from five years to three years to conform with industry standards. Translation – a lower quality unit.

Antivirus 2009 is a scam and should be closed out via the taskbar. Clicking on Cancel only activates the malware.

Apple iTunes will be offered DRM free.

Checkfree has nitified over five million customers that their servers were hacked December 2nd and their customers were hijacked to a Ukranian website that tried to install password stealing malware.

There was a glitch in Microsoft Zune music players last year. It iwas locked out the last day of the year since the units were programmed to have only 365 days in the year of 2008.

Our guests were Todd Robbins author of The Modern Con Man: How to Get Something for Nothing and David Perry of Trend Microcomputer publishers of Internet Security software. They talked about the major computer scams, how to recognize them and what to do to protect yourself. Among the issues discussed were the Linkedin hack and the fraudulent Antivirus 2009 program. And, the Draft David Perry for technology czar campaign.

Listener phone calls.