Q: We have a Kindle Fire that is approximately 2 years old. It has completely lost its ability to charge. I tried multiple chargers with no avail. I used to be able to tilt the charger upward and get it to charge, but that is no longer working. Is there anything we can do?

A: Bad news Meghan: it’s time for a new tablet. This one is toast. The connection to the battery is probably broken or the battery is bad. In fact, if the power is not getting to the battery properly that can kill the battery anyway. So if you only had one problem before, now you have two problems. And, more bad news, most Kindle Fire tablets do not have replaceable batteries.

Kindle Fires have a standard one year warranty so unfortunately that won’t help you. You might be able to take it to someone to get it repaired, but do you really want to spend money on this? You can get a new Kindle Fire for $119.00 and a previous generation version for only $73.00. You could easily spend that on the repair bill.

If you are feeling really crafty, you can get a replacement battery for about $50, but I’ll tell you, they are not easy to replace.

If you liked your Kindle Fire I would just order a new one, or look at other cheap tablets. There are a lot on the market right now.

Don’t think of it as losing a tablet so much as… gaining a newer tablet? At any rate, good luck!

Image credit: Stephen Jones / WJCT

In this first of four hour-long public radio specials for 2014, Ray and Tom hear from listeners experiencing problems with their Kindles, wondering how they can have safe and secure passwords, looking for advice on what kind of tablet they should purchase and more.

Links mentioned in the show:

• Laptop Magazine – Laptop Buying Guide
• Snopes.com – Facebook Blocking Religious Posts
• Avast! Anti-Virus
• PC Decrapifier
• Revo Uninstaller
• AdwCleaner
• Microsoft – End of Windows XP Support Guide
• Glympse
• MileBug
• CheckIt Speedometer
• Duolingo

Q: I enjoy reading and want to start reading more eBooks, but I don’t know if I should get a tablet or an eReader. Do you have any suggestions?

Image credit: kodomut / Flickr

A: That’s a tough one, Casey! Tablets like the iPad, the Nexus and the Kindle Fire can make great eReaders in addition to everything else they do. But dedicated eReaders like the regular Kindle or the Nook are tailored to the reading experience. There are definitely major differences between the two.

The most obvious difference is the screen. Tablets have backlit screens, while Kindles and Nooks have e-ink screens which are lit from the front or not at all. Some people find a backlit screen to be hard on their eyes over long periods of time, but a backlit screen is a plus if you’re reading in the dark. Some eReaders like the Kindle Paperwhite and the Nook GlowLight also have built-in lighting, but they are front lit so the light doesn’t shine in your eyes.

If you enjoy reading at the beach, an eReader is your best bet. Direct sunlight will wash out a backlit screen, making it hard to read (even in the shade you may have glare issues). If you’re reading mostly indoors or on an airplane this won’t be a problem for you.

A great thing about the e-ink screens on dedicated eReaders is that it doesn’t even feel like you’re looking at a screen. A good eReader very closely mirrors the experience of reading a good old fashioned paperback.

On the flip side, if you want to read magazines, comic books, graphic novels, or just non-fiction books with photos or charts, you’ll really want to get a tablet. eReaders only have black-and-white screens. And while e-ink screens are great for reading, they don’t come anywhere near the picture quality you’ll find on tablets. Reading full color comic books on your retina display tablet is really a treat.

Another thing you need to consider is battery life. Most tablets will last you eight hours or so. eReaders, on the other hand, can last for weeks between charges. On a long plane ride, a dedicated eReader will last you way longer than a tablet.

A bigger consideration for many people is price. The cheapest Nexus 7 tablet is $229, while the cheapest iPad, the iPad Mini, starts at $399. The Kindle starts as low as $69, as long as you don’t mind seeing ads on your screensaver. What will make the higher price worth it for some people is that you can do a lot more than just read books on your iPad. Tablets can run apps, play games, check email and surf the web.

So, getting back to your question, which one should you choose? Well, if you’re a casual reader who wants to read some books and run apps then look into getting a tablet. They make good eReaders and they do a lot of other fun stuff too.

Zealous readers or people who like taking books to the beach should consider a dedicated reading device like the Kindle. Not only will it be easier to read outdoors, but it will only cost $69 to replace when you accidentally drop it in a tide pool.

Speaking of which, whatever device you decide to buy, do yourself a favor and get a case!

Ray and Tom join forces to form The Deemable Duo. Thanks to listener Ardis for coming up with that sweet name.

On this week’s episode of Deemable Tech, Ray and Tom join forces as the Deemable Duo to seek out people who need tech help on the dark streets of Twitter. Ray is The Rayzer Beam. Tom is The TOMinator or Atomic Tom. You decide. On the show, they answered questions about how to block unwanted numbers on your smart phone, what to do with old computers, whether you should toss your broken iPhone or try to fix it, and what to do if your hard drive space starts disappearing, and using your smartphone to augment your reality!

All that and more, on this episode of Deemable Tech!

Make sure to subscribe to the show in iTunes by clicking here, or subscribe to the show in another podcast reader by clicking here. Also, make sure to leave us a review in iTunes. The more reviews we have the higher we’ll be listed in iTunes and the more listeners will see our show!

Need tech help? Got a problem or tech question about your computer, phone or tablet? Give us a call and leave us a voice mail at 1-888-972-9868, or send us an email to questions at deemable dot com. We’ll take the best questions and answer them on the show.

Links mentioned on this week’s show:

• Calibre
• Call Control – Call Blocker by Kedlin Company
• Kindle for PC & Kindle for Mac
• iFixit’s guide to installing an iPhone 4 Power and Lock button 
• iFixit’s teardown of the iPhone 5
• Motherboard.cz
• Crucial.com
• Good Old Games
• SETI@Home
• Folding@Home
• PC World – 11 Uses for an Old PC
• Google Goggles
• Wikitude
• 3D Compass+
• Google Sky Map
• Word Lens
• SnapShop Showroom

Episode 29 – The Deemable Duo Rises

What do you think Tom’s Deemable Duo superhero name should be? Tell us in the comments below.

Ray may not have written Johnny B Goode like Marty McFly, but he almost broke the space-time continuum.

On this week’s episode of Deemable Tech, Ray creates a temporal causal loop by leaving a voice mail for Deemable Tech and answering it.Then, he and Tom answered questions about whether you can play 3D Blu-Rays discs on your HD TV, if can you delete a picture without deleting the picture, how to stop your Kindle devices and apps from synchronizing, how to Google better, how to extend the battery life of your cellphone, what order you should unplug your laptop in, and does Facebook owe you money?

All that and more, on this episode of Deemable Tech!

Make sure to subscribe to the show in iTunes by clicking here, or subscribe to the show in another podcast reader by clicking here. Also, make sure to leave us a review in iTunes. The more reviews we have the higher we’ll be listed in iTunes and the more listeners will see our show!

Need tech help? Got a problem or tech question about your computer, phone or tablet? Give us a call and leave us a voice mail at 1-888-972-9868, or send us an email to questions at deemable dot com. We’ll take the best questions and answer them on the show.

Links mentioned on this week’s show:

• PhotoAlbums+
• ?You Google Wrong? by The Atlantic Wire
• Inside Seach – Advanced Power Searching – Google
• www.fraleyfacebooksettlement.com
• AppGratis
• Apps Gone Free

Episode 28 – A Voicemail Causal Loop

Crowdsourcing an Answer

Ardis asked,

Dear Deemable Duo,
I’ve recently been having some issues scheduling D&D games due to the busy lives of my fellow dice rollers. I’m sure you find the idea of D&D players having lives as shocking as I do, but regardless, if games are to continue we need to find some way around this problem. I was wondering if there was any kind of program that might make it easier to coordinate our schedules? Not necessarily something that will show our full schedules but something that could let us see what free time we have in common or something to that effect. Thank you for whatever insight you might be able to give.

What do you recommend for Ardis? Leave your suggestion in the comments down below. Thanks!

Deemable Tech – Episode 21 – Happy Early Black Friday!…and something about turkey.

On today’s episode Ray gets a little confused about which holiday is coming up this week, you’ll find out where to get the best deals for Black Friday, which deals you shouldn’t waste your time on, and whether the cashiers are trying to sneak off with your cash back. You’ll also find out what the difference is between a Nook and a Kindle, how to scan business cards into your cell phone, and how to save your files from the dust bunnies.

Make sure to subscribe to the show in iTunes by clicking here, or subscribe to the show in another podcast reader by clicking here. Also, make sure to leave us a review in iTunes. The more reviews we have the higher we’ll be listed in iTunes and the more listeners will see our show!

Need tech help? Got a problem or tech question about your computer, phone or tablet? Give us a call and leave us a voice mail at 904-372-DEEM (3336), or send us an email to questions at deemable dot com. We’ll take the best questions and answer them on the show.

Today’s Questions:

• Is the Nook worth getting at $39? What’s the difference between the Nook and the Kindle?
• How can I save my important files that I don’t need to keep on my computer? How can I archive files in a way that I don’t lose them over the years? What’s the best way to backup my computer so I don’t lose my data?
• Which is safer, wireless or wired Internet?
• Is there a good, cheap business card scanner app or gadget that actually works?
• What do I do if I’ve forgotten the passcode on my iPhone? Is there a way to unlock an iPhone that I forgot the passcode?
• What’s the best way to transfer a large file?

Debunkable

• Are cashiers sneaking off with your cash back?

Links we mentioned on today’s show:

• BlackFriday.com
• A hilariously biased comparison of the Kindle and the Nook on bn.com
• The Amazon Kindle
• CrashPlan
• Carbonite
• Lifehacker – You’re Backing Up Your Data The Wrong Way
• Neat Desk Scanner, Neat Desk Organizer $399.95 
• Dymo CardScan Personal $159.99
• Abbyy’s Business Card Reader available for Android (9.99) and iPhone (4.99).
• Yolu Card on Android, iPhone and Windows Phone 7 (Free)
• Lifehacker – What to Do If You’ve Forgotten Your iPhone’s Passcode

Black Friday Deal Breakdown*:

Walmart: Opens Thursday at 10pm

1 Hour Guaranteed in stock:

iPad 2 16GB $399 with $75 Walmart gift card guaranteed in stock until 11pm Thursday.

Best Buy: Opens Friday at 12am
Toshiba 40″ 1080P 60Hz refresh rate LCD HDTV $179.99 (reg $419.99)

Sears: Opens Thursday at 8pm
Nook Simple Touch $39.99 (Reg $99.99)

Target: Opens Thursday at 9pm

Nook Simple Touch $49.00
Nook Color $99.00 (normally $139.99)

External Hard Drives

• Walmart- Toshiba 1 TB portable hard drive for $59
• Staples- Seagate 2 TB $79.99
• Best Buy- Seagate Back-up Plus 3 TB with USB 3.0 $99.99

SD Cards

8 GB SD cards

• Walmart for $4.97
• Staples for $4.99
• Radio Shack for $5.99

16 GB SD cards

• Walmart for $7.88
• Radio Shack and Staples for $7.99
• Office Depot and Office Max for $8.99

USB Flash Drives

16 GB USB flash drive

• Best Buy for $5.99
• Staples for $6.00
• Walmart for $6.97

32 GB USB flash drive

• Office Max for $9.99
• Radio Shack for $9.99
• Best Buy for $12.99

64 GB USB flash drive

• Office Max $24.99
• Best Buy for $27.99
• Office Depot $29.99

*Disclaimer: The prices listed here are in no way controlled by Deemable Tech or any of its employees. The prices are subject to change at the discretion of the respective companies. Deemable Tech has no control over the prices, or if or when they change. This information is provided only as a convenience. Prices listed here can not and should not be used for price matching or advertising comparisons. These prices were gathered from the store’s websites and from BlackFriday.com.

Deemable Tech – Episode 13 – Online dating makes me paranoid

Debunkable:

Links we mentioned on today’s show:

• Carbonite vs Mozy
• Setup a bulletproof automated backup system with CrashPlan.
• 5 best offline backup tools
• Java.com
• Should you disable Java on your computer? MSNBC
• Slate – Why you should disable java on your browser right now
• Mashable – Why ?Slacktivists’ Are More Active Than You Think
• http://blog.okcupid.com/

Bumper Music

• 8 Bit Remix: Mission Impossible Theme

• 8 bit James Bond

Yesterday, both Nokia and Motorola announced their latest flagship phones, the Lumia 920 and the Droid RAZR HD respectively. Both of them seem like they will be quite impressive phones when they come out. The question that wasn’t answered at either of these press conferences is, when are they being released?

Kobo did the same thing today. They beat Amazon to the punch by announcing two new e-readers and a new 7-inch Android tablet hours before Amazon’s event scheduled for later today. They didn’t provide a specific launch date for the Arc, the Android tablet, but at least they gave us prices and told us what month it was coming out.

Why is it that Apple and Amazon seem to be the only companies able to wait until a product is ready to be sold before they announce it? Nothing, and I mean, NOTHING, is more excruciatingly frustrating as a consumer and a tech enthusiast than to listen to an entire announcement about an amazing product, only to be left hanging, waiting for the two most important details: when can I buy it, and how much does it cost? Does announcing a product before the company has even decided how much they are going to charge for it actually help to increase sales? I know that beating Apple out of the gate has to be good idea, but announcing a phone or tablet without a price or a launch date is like jumping the gun and then tripping and falling on your face. You’re not going to win the race, even if you are a better runner. In my humble opinion, announcing a product before it is ready to be launched screams insecurity. Your company is saying that you really don’t think you can compete head-to-head with another company’s product, so you have to announce yours first, or you’ll lose in the long run. That doesn’t make me want to buy your product. That makes me want to kick you in the shins.

I’m done.

End rant.

###

Deemable Tech – Episode Nope, no episode today. Happy Labor Day!

Well, WJCT is closed today for the Labor Day holiday, so there will be no Deemable Tech episode today. But, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be any tech news today. In fact, this week looks like it’s going to be a real doozy in the tech industry.

Nokia is teasing that everything is going to change Wednesday, September 5

While Nokia has scheduled a joint press conference with Microsoft for September 5th, we’re only expecting two Windows Phone devices right now. A new video from Nokia’s official YouTube channel hints that the company could be preparing a big announcement on September 5th. The video, which appears to be shot on a camera phone, shows a bike ride with the text “things are about to change.” An accompanying description notes the change will occur on September 5th… [Read more at Mashable]

Amazon has a big announcement Thursda, September 6

Amazon has just emailed out an invite for a press conference to be held the morning of Thursday, Sept. 6, in Santa Monica, Calif. Amazon rarely holds press conferences beyond its annual press conferences in New York to introduce new models of its Kindle Fire and Kindle line of E-Ink e-readers each fall… [Read more on The Verge]

And as the expected to be announced Apple event on September 12th draws near, the rumor mill really gets started warming up

Bloomberg says that the iPad mini will be here in October

Apple Inc. (AAPL) will use screens from AU Optronics Corp. (2409) and LG Display Co. (034220) for a smaller version of the iPad to be released in October, according to four people familiar with the plans. TPK Holding Co. (3673) and Yeh Cheng Technology, a subsidiary of Foxconn Technology Group, will supply the lamination coating for the device that will measure 7.85 inches diagonally, said the people, who declined to be identified because the plans haven’t been made public. Current iPads measure 9.7 inches… [Read more at Bloomberg]

French website nowhereelse.fr has pictures of the alleged iPhone 5

A batch of new photos of a device said to be Apple’s next-generation iPhone have shown up on French site nowhereelse.fr, and they look quite convincing. The photos show the ?iPhone 5? compared with its older brethren, the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 3GS. The new model is longer than both and substantially thinner than the iPhone 4…[Read more at Mashable]

If that doesn’t keep you entertained until we get back next Monday, here’s a funny cat video:

This week Ray Hollister, Tom Braun and Aaron Edelson ignore their friends on Facebook, but then change their mind, shoot at an iPhone, loan out a book or two and watch movies on their phones. All that and more on this episode of Deemable Tech.

Deemable Tech – Episode 8 – I want to shoot my iPhone because my Android is so slow

Today’s Questions:

1. 01:00 – How can I block and unblock people annoying people on Facebook?
2. 08:33 – I can haz Bulletproof iPhone case? Don’t taze me (with your iPhone,) bro!
3. 13:30 – The front facing camera on my Nexus 7 doesn’t work on Skype!
4. 19:04 – How can I watch my DVDs and Movies on Android and iOS?
5. 26:26 – Can I share my books on Kindle?
6. 37:31 – Why is my Android Phone so slow?
7. 47:07 – Opera won’t open an iTunes link, and the Podcast takes forever to download

Links we mentioned on the show:

• How do I control what I see in my Facebook news feed?
• Bulletproof iPhone
• iPhone Tazer
• Vudu
• Flixster
• UltraViolet
• Watchdog Manager Lite from Zomut

If you still haven’t purchased your special someone a present for Valentine’s Day, your sweet-heart is a gadget junkie, and there’s an electronics store on the way home, this article might help you from spending the night snuggled up with Fido. Here’s a list of eleven tech gifts under $100 (and one at $129) that will make great last-minute Valentine’s Day presents.